VARG VIKERNES WILL HAPPILY ACCEPT YOUR MONEY REGARDLESS OF YOUR RACE, RELIGION, OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION
What do you think Varg is thinking about in this photo?
Reader K-Milo alerted us to the fact that Stereogum recently conducted an interview with the man of the hour, Varg Vikernes. Most of it is exactly the kind of idiotic nonsense you’d expect from this creep – he slams Wolves in the Throne Room (“I haven’t even heard about them before”) and a lot of his Norwegian peers (Enslaved, Immortal, Emperor) who are considerably more talented than he is (“These guys are fucking rats, or they play in bands with rats”) – but there is one section of note: when the topic turns to Vikernes’ political views and his fanbase:
STEREOGUM: How do you feel about having gay fans? Black fans? Jewish fans? Christian fans? Do you feel that you’ve failed to transmit your message properly if people who aren’t from your white/Nordic/heterosexual/pagan demographic feel something in the music that isn’t tied to shared membership in that demographic? Does it mean the music has failed to transmit its message properly?
VARG VIKERNES: And what is my message? When did Burzum ever address political/racial matters? I don’t think Burzum has ever even addressed religious matters, other than describing different European myths. Burzum is not a political or religious band, or even an anti-religious band. Burzum is music; art if you like, and the interpretation of art lies in the eye of the beholder. I might be Nordic, heterosexual and have a Pagan ideology myself, but why would I expect the fans of my music to be just like me?
I am a narrow-minded ultra-conservative anti-religious misanthropic and arrogant bigot, alright, and I have a problem with just about everything and everyone in this world, but I am not demented, and if those who are not like me are able to enjoy my music that is all fine by me. Be a Christian-born black gay feminist converted to Judaism for all I care, or worse; a Muslim. Just stay off my lawn…
Oh, and I may add that I have a problem with most Nordic heterosexuals with a Pagan ideology as well.
Alright, so first of all, there is something seriously, seriously, SERIOUSLY fucked-up about a dude including a smiley face when making a “joke” about how blacks, gays, Jews and Muslims should “stay off my lawn.” I don’t even think that the cranky old racist Clint Eastwood played in Gran Torino – a character who actually does use the phrase “Get off my lawn!” – would find that shit funny.
Beyond that, though… of course Varg doesn’t care who listens to his music. Money is money, right? Despite what some people might hope for, currency doesn’t lose its value if it comes from “a Christian-born black gay feminist” or whatever.
Beyond that, though, there’s something seriously disappointing about Varg’s answer… and I know this gonna sound super-weird, so just bear with me, but… his response suggests that he doesn’t even really believe the shit he’s shoveling. I mean, a real bigot who seriously thinks that blacks, Jews, Muslims, gays, etc. are inferior forms of human beings would never accept money and/or praise from one of those people – right? Like if I walked into a KKK meeting and said “Hey everybody! Ooh, I like those sheets! Anyway, my name is Rosenberg and I’d like to donate this gold-plated menorah for you to sell and use the proceeds to pay for some burning crosses,” they wouldn’t accept the menorah, would they? They’d just lynch me right there on the spot, right? Or do you think they’d lynch me and then take the menorah anyway?
I dunno. I guess I just want to think that if someone is going around talkin’ this kind of hateful trash, it’s cause they actually have faith (no pun intended) in that ideology – not just because they’re looking to stir up controversy for the sake of getting a little attention. That’s how a four year-old thinks, not a grown man who fancies himself an artist.
-AR
