In the wake of Australia's budget uproar, The Used's newfound revolutionary stance is more relevant to fans down under than ever.
Followers of The Used will have noticed their sudden change in gears in their album 'Imaginary Enemy', released in April. Formerly known for their personal – some might say “emo” – lyrical content, the band has recently embarked upon a political crusade of sorts by criticising the corruption and injustices of the world through their music.
One simply has to look at some of the album's song titles, like 'Revolution' and 'Force Without Violence', to see the kind of message The Used are championing. “It's important for everybody to think outside of their own individual existence,” says vocalist Bert McCracken, reflecting the band's new ethos. “It's really about the bigger picture; we're asking some pretty serious questions in that vein of thought.
“We see the way the world has changed in the last 13 or 14 years since we've been touring. We see the disparities growing, we see the poison spreading. It's up to artists to be ready to take on bigger questions.”
Having relocated to Australia just last year, McCracken has no doubt witnessed the turmoil surrounding the current government and the resulting backlash, and believes the answer is to get more people involved in current affairs. “If we want to have a real democratic society, I think it needs to be a participatory type of society where everyone's willing to go after the things they believe are right,” he says, referring to issues like marriage equality. “The way society moves forward, it's important to be informed about what's going on.
“People can feel this kind of stirring, and there will be those of us who stand on one side of watching the wall fall over or watching the big bubble burst and those that are trapped on the inside.”
McCracken's anarchic ideology, inspired by the likes of Karl Marx and Paulo Freire, is also evident in the band's very own label, GAS Union. While not fully operational yet, McCracken hopes to see GAS Union become the “first-ever free record label” that will give all proceeds from record sales directly to the signed musicians, thus preventing anyone who hasn't contributed to the music from taking a cut.
To prove his stance that music should be free for the fans, McCracken is willing to put his own profits on the line by essentially enabling piracy of his own work. “I would rather you steal my music from me, and maybe I'll give you five bucks off a shirt I'm selling as well,” he claims. “The last thing I want is to be taking a kid's hard-earned money. Not just kids, but people, human beings, who already have to rent out their time to some boss.
“I would rather see people come to my shows for free and listen to my music for free, then pay me what they think it's worth. If you donate to the band, that's a sacred donation. The band keeps all that money.”
Despite adopting such a critical worldview, The Used still approach their live performances with the same gusto they've always exhibited. McCracken attributes this appreciation for what they do to the band's ongoing success, including their recent sell-out tour alongside Taking Back Sunday. “We're both still around and still relevant because we love music, that's really the key to The Used's success – we're fans of music first,” says McCracken. “Being at a rock show, for me when I was growing up, was the most exciting escape from reality, and I know there are so many people out there that feel the same way about music nowadays. Seeing that kind of escape, you see it in people's faces, it just feeds the fire of what I feel like is true freedom. Just pure anarchy. “This is The Used you grew to love, with a little bit more of a grounded and personal connection to the bigger picture.”
Written by Simon Jun
The Used Tour Dates
Thu Aug 21 - HQ (Adelaide)Fri Aug 22 - Eatons Hill Hotel (Brisbane)
Sat Aug 23 - UNSW Roundhouse (Sydney)
Mon Aug 25 - 170 Russell (Melbourne)
Tickets for their tour with Taking Back Sunday on sale now.
