Weeks after being booed on stage at a major festival, Disturbed frontman David Draiman has used his band’s induction into the Illinois Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame to deliver a passionate and forceful plea for unity in the music world, condemning artists who use their platform to “drive people apart” instead of bringing them together.
During his acceptance speech at the September 14 ceremony in Joliet, Illinois, Draiman spoke directly about the power of music as a unifying force in a divided world.
“Music is one of the most pure and one of the most powerful, most binding and uniting elements in this world. And we are living in a time where we need that unity more than ever,” Draiman said (as reported by Rock Celebrities).
He then took aim at fellow artists who, in his view, misuse their influence.
“I think there are far too many people who are abusing the privilege that they’ve been given and who are abusing their position on stage,” he declared. “And instead of bringing people together, they are driving people apart. And it needs to stop. And it needs to stop now.”
Draiman continued: “Too many people benefit from sowing hatred. Music brings people together from all walks of life, all colors of skin, whether you believe or you don’t believe, however you identify, none of that matters because when you all are singing the same words to the same song that means as much to you as to the person next to you. All the noise of the outside world doesn’t matter anymore.”
He concluded his speech by defining his own band’s mission.
“Disturbed since day one has been all about overcoming adversity, about empowerment, about giving you the fuel that you need to get past the difficult moments in life, to feel stronger than you did when you came in the room to begin with. And we will keep doing that as long as you’ll have us,” he said.
Draiman‘s powerful and personal plea comes just two months after he was booed by sections of the crowd during his performance at the “Back To The Beginning” farewell concert for Ozzy Osbourne in the UK, an incident presumably related to his outspoken political views. At the time, he responded with defiance, writing on social media, “I will ALWAYS stand up for my people, and I won’t be deterred, intimidated, or shamed out of rocking the a**es of the masses.”
