Obviously given everything I've heard at the time on the Ian Watkins case, this question was inevitable at the time, now it is again due to this discussion. As a result, I feel I should reply to it, because this sort of thing always brings up the same question for me.
At the time the bombshell began, I read from friends that they will delete their MP3 files, throw their CDs etc away or never listen to Lostprophets again. I can't say I didn't understand their feelings and I have no conflicting feelings as I never liked them anyway, but given that Watkins was only a 5th of the band and not the sole architect of their music should we permanently ignore their work and anyone else who comes under this issue?.
If you take music as an art form as much as entertainment (which I do), where exactly do we draw the line?.
Glitter has effectively been almost retconned out of musical history so should we be doing the same with Walt Disney and Richard Wagner?. They were both anti semites. Hugo Boss was a Nazi sympathiser who designed their uniforms.
James Brown was known to have beaten his wife senseless many times. So too Ike Turner.
Jerry Lee Lewis and Bill Wyman both married and admitted to sexual encounters with underage women. Steven Tyler in 1975 began dating a 14 year old girl and had her parents sign her guardianship over to him. Innocent?. Perhaps, but likely?. You decide, I personally would have stopped listening to Aerosmith if I was a fan.
Chuck Berry was arrested for taking underage girls across state lines and the daddy of them all Elvis Presley began dating Priscilla when she was just 14 years old. Although she maintains they didn't have sex until their wedding night many dispute that claim, particularly as she gave birth 9 months later to the day. He was also known for surrounding himself with young girls according to several sources.
My point is should the art be kept separate from the actions?. If we took this stance over every piece of work created by someone who was convicted of a vile crime no matter how much we feel, how much art would we lose?. I've only mentioned musicians, because that's what I am most familiar with. I haven't even looked into film, painting, literature or theatre and I suspect there are many there throughout history.
It's an interesting question and in some cases, I think its fair to appreciate their art rather than the person in some cases, BUT I believe there has to be an exceptions when their crime is just too disgusting that it overshadows their work - whilst all those mentioned are extremely horrible, we were back in 2012 and 2013 in regards to Ian Watkins talking about the attempted RAPE OF A BABY (OK, attempted but almost as bad) here and a 'determined and committed paedophile' - There is no way I'd be able to overlook that and listen to their songs as normal if I liked them. I just wouldn't be able to get that horrible image out of my head.
There are numerous crimes that cross the line where I can't separate man and art form - Sexual abuse to children under 13 is one of them, its almost on par with murder for me. Just sickening.
I would not be able to listen to a Lostprophets song again without my blood boiling at what he did. I saw them live just the once at a festival, I wish I could just unwatch them.
We were not talking about 14/15 year olds here, they are past puberty, many that age are sexually active, we were talking about a BABY.
I don't think i would be able listen now and contain my anger at the same time. I feel the same with Mansun and Paul Draper for his stalking case and sold EVERYTHING I have of them and him. It makes me sick to the bone that there are people who defend him and was allowed to tour last month before the court hearing.
