Will this be the end of Mr. Bright side?
I'm guessing not, but the athletic department is controversy averse.
August 16th, 2023 at 9:18 AM ^
It started out with a kiss how did it end up like this? it was only a kiss it was only a kiss!
August 16th, 2023 at 9:22 AM ^
We live in a world where it’s controversial for people to encourage other humans to get a long.
August 16th, 2023 at 9:30 AM ^
Seems preferable to getting a short, no? 😉
August 16th, 2023 at 12:39 PM ^
Not if the short is also thick
August 16th, 2023 at 1:44 PM ^
thic, brah
August 16th, 2023 at 9:39 AM ^
Yes, except for asking people to get along with their abusers while the abuse is ongoing.
August 16th, 2023 at 9:40 AM ^
while that may be true to an extent from a zoomed-out perspective, the incident in question here is not that simple/innocent, and the most generous view of it still reveals the Killers guy to be ignorant of recent history, and culturally tone-deaf as hell.
Russia still occupies Georgia, and many people, rightly or wrongly, place some degree of blame for Putin's actions on Russians themselves for continuing to not just tolerate, but support the authoritarian leader and all his murderous bullshit.
Sure one can acknowledge his grip on power and information in his country and then wonder "Well, what is the average Russian supposed to do?" And that's a fair question. But the situation itself makes it obvious why pulling a Russian up on stage at a show in a country being occupied by Russia might not go over so well in the eyes of attendees, and observers around the world.
If the guy was wearing a 'Fuck Putin' shirt, it's different. But I don't believe that was the case.
August 16th, 2023 at 12:44 PM ^
Ignorant, tone deaf… Not to mention pretentious and condescending.
August 16th, 2023 at 1:01 PM ^
is this intentionally dense?
asking for a friend
August 16th, 2023 at 9:27 AM ^
Setting aside that cancelling someone because you disagree with their views is stupid and really needs to be, well, cancelled, what he said isn’t troubling or upsetting. He basically said that people are all brothers and sisters and that the mere fact that people live on opposite sides of a geographic border doesn’t change that. Which is a positive and somewhat optimistic message. I think what he was getting at was something along the lines of: While Russia/Putin/invading-Ukraine=bad, that doesn’t make individual people living in Russia bad.
August 16th, 2023 at 9:36 AM ^
That is how I read it also. I would imagine a large percentage of Russians do not agree with the invasion of Ukraine. Obviously the culture in Russia makes it difficult to be overly vocal about such opposition.
August 16th, 2023 at 10:21 AM ^
Agree on this. And I if I might add one PSA here ... I am one of those boomers who can't give up the fun of seeing live rock concerts and ended up at the Killers show in Detroit three years ago. It was stunningly good, right up there with the best live bands I've ever seen (and I have an impressive list to compare). Highly recommend catching a Killers live show if you get the chance.
August 16th, 2023 at 10:46 AM ^
This wasn't about Ukraine. It was about Georgia, where the concert was taking place and where Russia has repeatedly shown hostility.
How would you feel if Michigan had invited a random OSU fan to give a half time speech at the Big House during the period we will not speak of? Would you support that as sportsmanship?
We would all think it stupid and idiotic. The difference is, football is just a game, and Russia's actions in Georgia directly impacts their lives in a tangible way.
August 16th, 2023 at 12:22 PM ^
Was this particular Russian part of the occupying force or is he just a random dude who happens to be Russian? I'm willing to bet a lot of Russian people don't like Putin, but if they made that known something might happen either to them or their family.
August 16th, 2023 at 12:25 PM ^
Fair point, but I believe the intention was "Hey, this is a human and a drummer that happens to be from Russia, and we should not hate each other based on decisions that leaders make." type thing.
Maybe naive but I don't believe there was ill intent to rub a Russian in their face and say suck it Georgia here is your opprosser!
Good intent, bad execution.
August 16th, 2023 at 1:32 PM ^
What's your opinion of the MSU football program?
Ignore the few bad apples which culminated with Michigan players being assaulted in their home stadium and show love to the rest?
Or, speculate on MSU maybe having a cultural problem within their program with regards to the Michigan rivalry and being warry of the next time they play?
August 16th, 2023 at 12:50 PM ^
Seems weird that Russians would be so against Georgia. Wonder if there are just a lot of bandwagon Alabama fans who now hate Georgia. Cool in general that they are that into college football that Georgia fans would get angry at this singer. /s (although my initial reaction was that everyone was talking about the state / program Georgia).
August 16th, 2023 at 11:46 AM ^
I don't doubt that their intentions were OK, but the thing with this...
people live on opposite sides of a geographic border
...is that the border has changed because of the 2008 Russian invasion. It's hard for Georgians to make peace with a country that took away 20% of their territory. When an outsider comes there and tells them, "You should be brothers with the country that invaded you" they will, justifiably, take offense.
August 16th, 2023 at 9:30 AM ^
Flowers made an honest mistake. Then he sincerely apologized. That’s what grown ass adults do. Grown ass adults also learn to accept apologies and move on. This should be the end of it. No cancel culture rage needed.
August 16th, 2023 at 9:51 AM ^
What is the mistake? Are we supposed to just treat all Russians as the enemy? Jesus, what did this single civilian do to Georgia or Ukraine?
I mean, to me this is a great statement that he made at the end:
After the song, Flowers addressed the incident to further boos from concertgoers. “You can’t recognise if someone’s your brother? He’s not your brother?” he asked. “We all separate on the borders of our countries? … Am I not your brother, being from America?”
August 16th, 2023 at 11:39 AM ^
Russia has occupied 20% of Georgia's territory since the 2008 invasion. Right now, from Georgia's perspective, it's not in its interests to make peace with the occupier, since that would mean accepting the territorial loss.
At best, it's really weird to go to Georgian territory and give a "Give peace with Russia a chance" message right now - like telling a battered spouse to reconcile with her abuser.
August 16th, 2023 at 12:59 PM ^
Wow. I didn't realize this kid was an occupier. Do you know anything about him? Maybe he fled Russia. I don't know and you don't either.
And he wasn't saying give peace a chance. He was basically saying that the people don't need to hate each other. Hate Putin all you want, but Russians are not the enemy.
Your analogy to spousal abuse is way off track.
August 16th, 2023 at 1:40 PM ^
Okay fine he's forgiven, but that song still sucks and we should stop.
August 16th, 2023 at 9:31 AM ^
As a 64 year old the whole Mr. Brightside thing came in well after I knew or understood what the hell was going on.
But I could clearly see the students were have a GREAT time singing it so even though I didnt know how to join in I liked my fellow Michigan fans having fun.
I have to admit I wasnt exactly sure what the song was for several years until one night we were post-gaming in the Brown Jug and a bunch of students started singing it. THEN I got it and it looked like such a blast.
August 16th, 2023 at 9:39 AM ^
If I remember correctly it started during the MSU deluge game? The student section sang it during the heaviest part of the downpour? So kind of organic (with the expection it was piped in music, but the tradition of it was kind of organic)
Also let's never speak of this game again. Such a poor game plan in the second half.
Edit:
August 16th, 2023 at 9:54 AM ^
This was my youngest son's first experience in the Big House.... quite an experience it was. of course the downpour wasn't the only downer of the evening, as we watched Michigan hack up a terrible loss to 'lil bro.
August 16th, 2023 at 9:42 AM ^
Exactly. People were having fun singing it in the context of a game day experience at the Big House. Fellow fans having fun. If somebody starts singing it at a game I'm at, I'll join in with the fun.
August 16th, 2023 at 9:31 AM ^
let’s replace this soft music with some Ozzy,
August 16th, 2023 at 9:44 AM ^
Please.
August 16th, 2023 at 9:55 AM ^
maybe Bodies, by Drowning Pool.....
August 16th, 2023 at 10:04 AM ^
we need a new rallying cry either way.
August 16th, 2023 at 10:41 AM ^
Hail to the Victors is good.
August 16th, 2023 at 12:58 PM ^
Always was, always is, and always will be. But i dont mind a song that everyone screams at the end of amazing victories. happy to add to the pile
August 16th, 2023 at 10:09 AM ^
Russia has long presented itself as anti-imperialist, anti-colonial power. They can get away with this because they didn’t colonize Africa or the Americas. Instead they stuck to lands closer to home, Baltics and Central Asia.
Western imperialism and colonialism and the bitter legacy it has left has managed to place the white supremacist homophobic Russians in a position where Africans and Latin Americans find them to be suitable partner. They can do this because Africans and Latin Americans are largely unaware of Russia’s centuries of colonial and imperialist behavior.(Similarly, they are also unaware of China millennias of imperialism.)
In our Westerncentric world the existence of imperialism outside of the usual suspects(Western Europe, US) is largely unknown outside of the regions the other imperialist powers impacted.
Flowers well-meaning actions are evidence of this. He almost certainly would not have tried this in Latin America or Africa with an American, British or French person.
August 16th, 2023 at 12:10 PM ^
I've loved the Killers for 20 years, but I get the sense that he's not a historically or politically minded person and would have been ignorant enough try this anywhere.
It reads as a "we should all just get along" ideology that ignores all the past and current wrongs done by countries to people and each other. As long as he's learned that people have a right to dislike those oppressing them though, I can get past it
August 16th, 2023 at 5:16 PM ^
But, of course, he's a rock and roll singer, so why we would expect him to hold impeccable historical or political views is beyond me. I'm just glad the Ramones died (most of them anyway) before cancel culture hit. And I'm all for the Blitzkrieg Bop playing in the stadium during the 4th quarter.
August 16th, 2023 at 6:02 PM ^
You, uh, might want to research Russia's activities in Africa a bit. There are definitely elements of colonialism there.
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/whats-ahead-for-the-wagner-group-in-africa-and-the-middle-east/
"the Wagner Group has sent mercenary deployments to Syria, Libya, Mozambique, Mali, the Central African Republic, and Sudan. Unconfirmed rumors have been swirling about Wagner’s presence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Wagner also maintains logistical, support, smuggling, and money laundering affiliates and subsidiaries in the United Arab Emirates."
You're right that China's history of Imperialism, especially post-CCP, seems to be largely ignored globally.
August 16th, 2023 at 10:10 AM ^
The singer's dumb statement aside, there are lots of musical artists with ties to S.E. Michigan and the University that I would rather see featured instead of The Killers.
August 16th, 2023 at 3:33 PM ^
Mr Brightside is a thing because it happened naturally. Wouldn’t be my first choice either, but the athletic department can’t intentionally replace something and have it take on the same spirit and fan buy in as something that came about organically. They could always add in new stuff additionally though and see what catches on
August 16th, 2023 at 7:37 PM ^
Michigan did and people hated it
August 16th, 2023 at 10:10 AM ^
He appears to have misjudged the situation. He realized it afterwards and apologized.
He wasn't siding with Russia.
Geez come on
August 16th, 2023 at 11:26 AM ^
Russia has occupied a fifth of Georgia's territory since the war 15 years ago and the international community basically doesn't give a shit.
The Killers brought a Russian dude onstage and told the Georgian crowd they should be "brothers" with him. That's more than a simple "misjudgment". At best, it's incredibly fucking tone-deaf.
August 16th, 2023 at 10:33 AM ^
In Soviet Union, artists troll YOU.
August 16th, 2023 at 10:37 AM ^
The Killers guy is obviously a halfwit who never read a newspaper.
I like the song because it reminds me of how cool things have been since the '21 season.
Next.
August 16th, 2023 at 10:39 AM ^
A much larger metaphysical question remains though.
Will this be the end of posts asking will this be the end of Mr. Brightside?
August 16th, 2023 at 11:06 AM ^
August 16th, 2023 at 11:30 AM ^
you da real Mr. Brightside, mGrowOld
August 16th, 2023 at 11:09 AM ^
Honestly, I think the stadium is much louder when they play Living on a Prayer.
August 16th, 2023 at 11:29 AM ^
as long as I don't have to hear Don't Stop Believing again. THERE IS NO SOUTH DETROIT!!
August 16th, 2023 at 11:33 AM ^
it's not real man, clearly it's an alternate universe where (a) America has trains people would take somewhere (b) they'd take them at midnight and (c) they go to someplace called Anywhere.
If you missed it, the song is asking you to not stop believing.