NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Members of newly formed hardcore band “Guilty of Being White” have taken to social media to defend themselves over accusations of racism.
The band defended itself in a recent Facebook post:
“The members of Guilty of Being White would like to state that we are by no means a racist band. Simply put, it was the last Minor Threat song name that wasn’t already an active band. We had no other options. We thought about using a Teen Idles reference, but nobody would get it.”
The band’s Facebook page, which boasts 79 likes, has been barraged by at least six comments calling the band racist and demanding they break up. Some local promoters have taken notice and refuse to book the band over the controversy.
Local show promoter Neil Lindgren revealed, “These guys are not welcome at any of the venues I book. I know for a fact there is no band named “Small Man, Big Mouth”, so their excuse just doesn’t hold water.”
Lead vocalist Jimmy Meyers, who considers playing in the band “a privilege”, has held strong in his belief that the band made the right choice choosing the controversial name. “If you want a quick way for people to associate your band with something good, name it after a classic hardcore song. It is a tried and true method,” Meyers said, “Besides, I have black friends and I would have voted for Obama if I was old enough at the time – how could I possibly be racist?”
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However, Meyers did concede that the track listing on their first demo may also be adding fuel to the fire.
“Listen, we are from the South and there is a history of racism here we are fighting back against in our lyrics. But naming the songs ‘Lynch Mob’, ‘Jim Crow’ and ‘Separate But Equal’ may have been a bad idea.”