I always get nervous when it comes to stating an opinion connected with my music. I've been told many times by many people that music and politics do not belong together (leaving aside that some of them are huge fans of Midnight Oil and John Butler Trio).
As it happens a podcast ended up in my queue the other day talking about this exact subject...
But I've begun to wonder, and certain life factors have underlined this lately, that if I'm not singing and writing about the things that I care about, am I not being dishonest with my audience?
I've dabbled of course, suitably cloaked in metaphor, with political writing - One Proud Monkey tracks "Don Draper", "Judgement Day", "Democratik" and to an extent "Meat Tray" come to mind as candidates - but the message has been far from overt.
I've bought into the idea that people don't want to hear what I think or that I'm not qualified to have an opinion or a thousand other excuses - but while I'm not saying anything, there are people who oppose the things I believe in who are being very loud and forceful with theirs.
And so it bubbles away, a saucepan of guilt barely, bubbles barely contained by the lid.
I can't do it anymore. I can't be disappointed by my own silence. I have to grow up and stand up. I have to be honest.
Thanks for listening,
Clint