--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We've never been a political band." description: "\"We've never been a political band.\" — Jeff Hanneman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bac/jeff-hanneman-13603_band_we-ve-never-been-a-political-band-158815_1588153.jpg" --- # We've never been a political band. ![“We've never been a political band.” quote by Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bac/jeff-hanneman-13603_band_we-ve-never-been-a-political-band-158815_1588153.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bac/jeff-hanneman-13603_band_we-ve-never-been-a-political-band-158815_1588153.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bac/jeff-hanneman-13603_band_we-ve-never-been-a-political-band-158815_1588153.jpg) > “We've never been a political band.” [Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The band focuses on music, not politics, emphasizing artistic identity over political labeling. **In simple terms:** They play music, not politics. Key Takeaway Stay true to artistic purpose. Themes music identity politics Mood defiant pragmatic Type statement philosophical When to use this quote - band interviews - public statements - media coverage Key Concepts artistic integrity branding Practical Applications - when pressured to take stances - when audiences expect activism Questions to Reflect On - Should artists stay apolitical? - How does politics affect fan perception? A Different Perspective Avoiding politics can limit social impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [I've always been a very political person, I didn't want to become something I didn't believe in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-the-drag-queen/i-ve-always-been-a-very-political-person-i-didn-t-want-to-become/) [Bob the Drag Queen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-the-drag-queen/) > [I've always been political.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beppe-grillo/i-ve-always-been-political/) [Beppe Grillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beppe-grillo/) > [I've always been political but I don't like to bring it into my work any more because I think it limits me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-stansfield/i-ve-always-been-political-but-i-don-t-like-to-bring-it-into-my-work/) [Lisa Stansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-stansfield/) > [I've been a political junkie for a long time. I find the way Washington works is just fascinating to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-goldwyn/i-ve-been-a-political-junkie-for-a-long-time-i-find-the-way/) [Tony Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-goldwyn/) > [We don't ever want to be this political band. We're just a bunch of dudes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ramsey/we-don-t-ever-want-to-be-this-political-band-we-re-just-a-bunch-of/) [Matthew Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ramsey/) > [Music is more difficult - try naming a political band. The Dead Kennedys. The Dead Kennedys are political, but they are more funny than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/music-is-more-difficult-try-naming-a-political-band-the-dead-kennedys/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [Lynyrd Skynyrd is not a political band, but you know what? We believe in this country. We have a soft spot for our military.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-medlocke/lynyrd-skynyrd-is-not-a-political-band-but-you-know-what-we-believe/) [Rickey Medlocke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-medlocke/) > [We're not a political band, we're a socially-minded band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/we-re-not-a-political-band-we-re-a-socially-minded-band/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [I wouldn't call Super Furry Animals a political band, but we've all grown up in politically charged households, and we have a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gruff-rhys/i-wouldn-t-call-super-furry-animals-a-political-band-but-we-ve-all/) [Gruff Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gruff-rhys/) > [I've been in a band, so I understand the politics. 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We would never let the band just go in and play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamont-dozier/we-wanted-to-guide-the-musicians-so-we-could-create-our-own-sound-we/) Lamont Dozier > [It's a political and manipulative industry. Actors vie for the same roles, movies are snatched away. Have I ever been manipulated? Yes. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-a-political-and-manipulative-industry-actors-vie-for-the-same/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've always been interested in socially political, or overtly political, comedy. And I guess I've always liked to channel some kind of personal element…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-ve-always-been-interested-in-socially-political-or-overtly/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) ## More by Jeff Hanneman > [To us, being the bad guys is cool, because we always root for the bad guys in the movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/to-us-being-the-bad-guys-is-cool-because-we-always-root-for-the-bad/) [Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/) > [My fascination with war is because my dad was in World War II, and my brother was in Vietnam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/my-fascination-with-war-is-because-my-dad-was-in-world-war-ii-and-my/) [Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/) > [The intent of Slayer's musical and lyrical content has always been selfish. We feel very strongly about the importance of staying true to ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/the-intent-of-slayer-s-musical-and-lyrical-content-has-always-been/) [Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/) > [I love hockey, and I go to a lot of the games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/i-love-hockey-and-i-go-to-a-lot-of-the-games/) [Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/) > [Me and my dad were so much alike that we would just butt heads. I pretty much hated him from the age of 16…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/me-and-my-dad-were-so-much-alike-that-we-would-just-butt-heads-i/) [Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/) > [Lyrics are always the last thing to get done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/lyrics-are-always-the-last-thing-to-get-done/) [Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/) > [We've met so many people you'd never even suspect of being Slayer fans: suits, lawyers, and people like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/we-ve-met-so-many-people-you-d-never-even-suspect-of-being-slayer/) [Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/) > [The majority of our fans are dudes. And the chicks you do see at our shows are probably there because of a dude. Slayer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/the-majority-of-our-fans-are-dudes-and-the-chicks-you-do-see-at-our/) [Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/) > [Pro Tools rules. You get the opportunity to try more things because you don't waste so much time trying to get the perfect take.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/pro-tools-rules-you-get-the-opportunity-to-try-more-things-because/) [Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/) > [My first guitar was a Les Paul that I bought off a friend for 500 bucks. I worked a long time to save up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/my-first-guitar-was-a-les-paul-that-i-bought-off-a-friend-for-500/) [Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/) > [It's nice to be respected, but it doesn't really matter. What's important is that if I wasn't in Slayer, it's still the band I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/it-s-nice-to-be-respected-but-it-doesn-t-really-matter-what-s/) [Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/) > [We read a lot from the Satanic bible. It's not quite the opposite of the normal bible - a lot of its principles are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/we-read-a-lot-from-the-satanic-bible-it-s-not-quite-the-opposite-of/) [Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/) > [I was really into metal when I was growing up. It was just something I thought I could do and wanted to try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/i-was-really-into-metal-when-i-was-growing-up-it-was-just-something-i/) [Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/) > [I like playing guitar I don't like talking about it. I like writing riffs, I don't like explaining them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/i-like-playing-guitar-i-don-t-like-talking-about-it-i-like-writing/) [Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/) > [Play as much as you can. That's what I had to do because of my inexperience. And don't get frustrated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/play-as-much-as-you-can-that-s-what-i-had-to-do-because-of-my/) [Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/) [Explore all 50 Jeff Hanneman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/) ## More Band quotes > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [There is something to be said though when you have 4 or 5 guys playing with no net, there is a sense of urgency,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-mendoza/there-is-something-to-be-said-though-when-you-have-4-or-5-guys/) [Marco Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-mendoza/) > [My Nirvana experience was much different than the other three guys. For me, it was really new and exciting. I was just a guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-smear/my-nirvana-experience-was-much-different-than-the-other-three-guys/) [Pat Smear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-smear/) > [I think my music has always been a mixture, depending on whom I'm working with - what band, what musicians, what producer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matisyahu/i-think-my-music-has-always-been-a-mixture-depending-on-whom-i-m/) [Matisyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matisyahu/) > [As you'll never hear the thing again, my boy, why not throw in a couple of brass bands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/as-you-ll-never-hear-the-thing-again-my-boy-why-not-throw-in-a-couple/) [Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/) > [I've always made sure that I tour with bands that people aren't expecting me to tour with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayer-hawthorne/i-ve-always-made-sure-that-i-tour-with-bands-that-people-aren-t/) [Mayer Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayer-hawthorne/) > [There is more to me than just having been in the Runaways. And even though I'm really, really proud of what the band accomplished,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-fuchs/there-is-more-to-me-than-just-having-been-in-the-runaways-and-even/) [Jackie Fuchs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-fuchs/) > [I like the bad-boy types. Generally the guy I'm attracted to is the guy in the club with all the tattoos and nail polish.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-like-the-bad-boy-types-generally-the-guy-i-m-attracted-to-is-the/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [Bass guitar is the engine of the band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-quatro/bass-guitar-is-the-engine-of-the-band/) [Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzi-quatro/) > [I just became accustomed to being all the members of the band. That was something that was really exciting to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-collier/i-just-became-accustomed-to-being-all-the-members-of-the-band-that/) [Jacob Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-collier/) > [I guess because we're essentially a two-man band, we're attracting Wham's crowd. But Wham! are more of a businessman's band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/i-guess-because-we-re-essentially-a-two-man-band-we-re-attracting/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [I'm about as privileged as you can get. I'm a white, male, heterosexual front man of a rock band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-reynolds/i-m-about-as-privileged-as-you-can-get-i-m-a-white-male-heterosexual/) [Dan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-reynolds/) > [I'd been playing in bands for something like seven years at this point. 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I'm not sure that when it ends in five, ten years, I'm going to put an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lars-ulrich/metallica-s-the-only-band-i-ve-ever-been-in-i-m-not-sure-that-when-it/) [Lars Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lars-ulrich/) Browse all 6,497 Band quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We've never been a political band.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeff Hanneman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/we-ve-never-been-a-political-band/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Band" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/we-ve-never-been-a-political-band/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bac/jeff-hanneman-13603_band_we-ve-never-been-a-political-band-158815_1588153.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bac/jeff-hanneman-13603_band_we-ve-never-been-a-political-band-158815_1588153.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bac/jeff-hanneman-13603_band_we-ve-never-been-a-political-band-158815_1588153.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We've never been a political band.” — Jeff Hanneman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jeff Hanneman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We've never been a political band.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/we-ve-never-been-a-political-band/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/we-ve-never-been-a-political-band/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```