Bad Religion's Jay Bentley talks about Dixie Chicks, makeup, free speech

Bad Religion bassist Jay Bentley recently spoke to Chart Attack about some of the finer, but less musical parts of punk rock.

Of note was Jay's criticism for the Dixie Chicks: "As far as I can tell, the big shining ass in the sky example is the Dixie Chicks, where they came out and said something, and then they retracted it, then came out and said it again."

He sees the popularity of punk rock as improving the ability of the music to act as a vehicle for free speech:

Given the access that punk rock has to the media, it could be used in a much more effective manner. I will say that it isn't because the bands who have achieved popularity have nothing to say. It doesn't necessarily mean that it's a bad thing. Having a band that is meaningless become popular in the sense of true punk rock doesn't preclude another band who has more meaning from following them, because that opportunity is there.

Finally, he tackles the "makeup" issue:

It's just makeup, it doesn't mean anything. It's totally cool because it doesn't scratch the surface of what punk is. I can't define what it is. It's a defiance, that's why when people try to define punk rock, I say that's great, now my job is to defy that definition.

You can check out the entire piece here.