Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain recently took aim at legendary rocker Bruce Springsteen regarding his highly publicized political stances. According to the veteran musician, artists should prioritize uniting their audiences instead of constantly injecting partisan politics into their public platforms.
During a guest appearance on The Complete Disaster Network, Cain, whose wife, Paula White-Cain, serves as a senior advisor to former President Donald Trump‘s White House Faith Office, spoke openly about his worldview. Even though he fully embraces a conservative mindset, he insisted that he actively keeps Journey performances entirely free of political messaging.
“We’re blessed to live where we live. And I’m obviously a conservative. I used to be a Democrat back in the old days, but I couldn’t go there anymore. I thought [Barack] Obama maybe, but then I saw where he was going and I’m, like, ‘Okay, we can’t have this anymore.’ So I’m a diehard conservative. And guys like Bruce Springsteen should shut up. Honestly, shut up, Bruce. Who’s the other one? Robert De Niro. I mean, who cares, guys? Really? Do your art,” Cain said (as transcribed by Blabbermouth).
Distinguishing his own artistic philosophy from the vocal activism of other high-profile figures, the keyboardist stressed that his ultimate goal is to bring listeners together, no matter where they fall on the political spectrum.
“I try to keep politics out of my music,” Cain continued. “Now I’m releasing this patriotic song [‘The Winds Of Freedom: A Salute To America’ in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary] because I’m a diehard patriot. Like Kid Rock, who’s my friend — we’re a couple of patriots and … we love our flag and we love our nation. And we grew up that way.”
“I think in the end we should do what we do and try to unify. I think our job [as artists] is unifying people,” he added. “I mean, Paul McCartney said, ‘Hey, when I sing ‘Hey, Jude’, Democrats and Republicans all sing together.’ And I feel the same way with Journey. We have our [political] parties out there in the audience, respective parties, and they’re singing ‘Don’t Stop Believin‘.”
Even though he is very transparent about his faith and political leanings in interviews, Cain maintained that the concert stage is simply not the place for ideological sermons.
“Now people say, ‘Well, you’re a Christian and you’re a conservative,’ and I’m, like, ‘So what?’ I don’t preach it on stage. I don’t spend 10 minutes talking about it. That’s who I am. And that’s okay. Again, I just don’t think it’s cool to have celebrities going there. It’s a bad look. And Bruce, I mean, what the heck? I used to like him, and now he’s just annoying. He’s an annoying, bitter old man. I mean, stop it. Really. You were born in the USA, weren’t you, dude? So act like it. But even that song [Springsteen‘s ‘Born In The USA’], if you look at the lyrics, it’s a kind of a diss to our country,” Cain said.
Wrapping up his thoughts, the keyboardist fully embraced his position as a political minority within the wider entertainment industry.
“Me and Kid Rock, we’re probably on an island. There’s a few of us, and I stand there with my flag on that island, and if anybody’s got a problem with me, America and Jesus, then bring it,” he concluded.
In stark contrast to Cain‘s approach, Bruce Springsteen has spent decades establishing himself as one of rock music’s most vocal activists. A regular critic of Donald Trump, the iconic New Jersey songwriter frequently campaigns for Democratic politicians and regularly utilizes his massive platform to champion various social justice causes, immigration reform, and voting rights.
Earlier this year, the legendary frontman doubled down on his activism by dropping a powerful protest track titled “Streets of Minneapolis“. He publicly explained that the politically charged anthem “was in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis,” specifically calling out aggressive ICE enforcement operations.
He declared that the powerful release was “dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.”
Earlier in April, U.S. President Donald Trump publicly called for a boycott of Bruce Springsteen‘s “Land of Hope and Dreams” tour after he delivered a highly critical political speech during his opening concert in Minnesota.
The President heavily criticized the singer’s appearance and talent, labeling him a “bad, and very boring singer” and a “total loser.”
“Bruce Springsteen, who looks like a dried up prune who has suffered greatly from the work of a really bad plastic surgeon, has long had a horrible and incurable case of Trump Derangement Syndrome, sometimes referred to as TDS,” Trump wrote. “The guy is a total loser who spews hate against a President who won a Landslide Election, including the popular vote, all Seven Swing States, and 86% of the Counties across America.”
Contrasting his current term with that of former President Joe Biden, he then urged his political base to avoid the ongoing tour entirely.
“Under Sleepy Joe and the Dems, our Country was DEAD, and now we have the ‘hottest’ Country, by far, anywhere in the World. MAGA SHOULD BOYCOTT HIS OVERPRICED CONCERTS, WHICH SUCK. SAVE YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY. AMERICA IS BACK!!!”
