When Bjork started chanting “Tibet! Tibet!” while performing “Declare Independence” during a concert in China earlier this month, she not only caused a minor international incident but joined a long list of rockers that have used the stage to make a brazen statement. Here are some of the most memorable acts of defiance in concert. Post your favorites in the comments section below.
1) Rage Against the Machine takes on the PRMC
Furious over the PRMC’s push for music censorship, during a Lollapalooza ‘93 stop in Philadelphia the members of Rage Against the Machine took to the stage buck naked with duct tape covering their mouths and the letters “PRMC” painted across their chests. The four hirsute musicians then proceeded to stand there in silence for 15 minutes while the audience grew increasingly agitated. Some people still say it was their favorite Rage Against the Machine concert ever.
2) The Rolling Stones blow off the UK’s smoking ban
Keith Richards is no stranger to civil disobedience. But when he and Ron Wood lit up their cigarettes onstage during a Rolling Stones concert in London last August as a matter of habit, the guitarists caused a national furor by defying the UK’s vast smoking ban in enclosed public places. Charges were dropped when authorities discovered that smoke just naturally emanates from Keith.
3) L7 tosses a tampon at a bunch of tossers
Sick of getting pelted by various detritus during a live set at England’s 1992 Reading Festival, L7 guitarist Donita Sparks fought back with the closest available projectile. Reaching down under her tartan skirt, she removed a bloody tampon and hurled it into the crowd, which was all too anxious to fight over the revolting memento. Classy!
4) Jim Morrison whips out Little Jim
While his intentions may not have been as noble as Rage Against the Machine, Doors frontman Jim Morrison was also concerned with the encroaching limits on his freedom of expression when in 1969 he drunkenly told a Miami audience, “You want to see my cock don’t you? That’s what you came for.” After indulging his fans, the singer was promptly arrested for “lewd and lascivious behavior” and his band was forced to cancel several subsequent tour dates. Although we suspect the last bit had more to do with people actually hearing material from its upcoming The Soft Parade album.
5) Fiona Apple takes a bite out of her critics
Fed up with a constant barrage of articles focusing on her weight and weird personality, Fiona Apple finally lashed out at her critics in front of 3000 people at a sold out show at New York’s Roseland Ballroom on February 29, 2000. After complaining of sound problems, the singer abruptly halted her set after just 45-minutes and seethed at the journalists in the room, “Fuck you! Put your notebooks away! If there are any critics here who give me a bad review because of this I’ll fucking kill you.” If only she had kept her promise, we could be writing for Rolling Stone by now.