Danko Jones Says Iced Earth Is “a Fake Band” and Jon Schaffer Is “a White Nationalist Piece of Dog Dung”
Will Jon Schaffer eventually be released from prison — and when he does, will he be able to resume his career as a metal musician? Maybe, maybe not. But one thing is for certain:
Iced Earth will never tour with Danko Jones.
The Canadian trio’s frontman and namesake took to social media over the weekend to blast Schaffer, who is currently sitting in jail, facing multiple charges for his role in the seditious riot at the Capitol on January 6.
Commenting on the news that Schaffer’s attorney admitted Schaffer “used bad judgement” when he entered the Capitol, and that Schaffer wishes he had a “do-over,” Jones wrote:
“Jon Schaffer used bad judgement because he’s a white nationalist piece of dog dung. His band mates cheered him on because Iced Earth are a terrible band. His request for a ‘do-over’ proves his pathetic weakness. He’s the dictionary definition of a bell-end.”
Roughly forty minutes later, he added:
“Only those that cosplay at being Alpha want ‘do-overs.’ Jon Schaffer and Iced Earth are a FAKE band.”
Needless to say, Jones’ assertions didn’t go over well with Schaffer’s supporters, including this racist dick:
When another fan pointed out that all the other current members of Iced Earth have since quit the band, Jones retorted:
“Yeah but not before members like their singer posted their support of the white nationalist insurrection on FB and then later took it down.”
He then included a screen cap in which former Iced Earth singer Stu Block seemed to be celebrating the Capitol riot.
Jones also noted that “Grammar seems to elude most Iced Earth fans.”
Of course, almost everything Jones says is accurate (I say “almost” only because I’m not entirely sure what Jones means when he calls Iced Earth “a fake band” — he may just be alluding to the fact that Schaffer is completely in charge of that project and the other band members are all hired guns to some degree or another, but there may be some deeper implication about the band’s message vs. Schaffer’s behavior). And I’m really glad to see Jones speak up, because it seems like famous metal musicians have been mostly quiet on the topic of Schaffer, which is disappointing.
Most things in life aren’t black and white; storming the Capitol with bear spray, wearing a hat bearing the logo of a domestic terrorist group, attempting to overturn the results of a legal election is not most things. Even if Schaffer was, as his attorney claims, incited by Donald Trump’s rhetoric, the mere fact that Schaffer was susceptible to that rhetoric speaks volumes. He wanted Trump to be telling the truth; he wanted there to be some massive conspiracy which would explain the decline of The White Man’s unnatural advantage in America. That’s how much the mere thought of liberal values and multiculturalism upsets him.
We’ve said this a trillion times already, but it’s worth repeating: what Schaffer did was not simply exercising his freedom of speech or right to a peaceful protest. The protest wasn’t peaceful, and bear spray, you’re likely aware, is not speech. And Schaffer has been a QAnon-level nutjob for some time now, which is why the metal community’s reaction to his participation in the riot largely amounted to “Upsetting but not surprising.”
My point is just. Y’know. Schaffer is a yutz and you shouldn’t tweet racist shit at Danko Jones. That might seem obvious, but, clearly, it isn’t.
Danko Jones will release a new album, Power Trio, on August 27 via Sonic Unyon Records. You can listen to the first single, “I Want Out,” here, and pre-order the album here.
