This week, when liberal talk radio host Bill Press announced he wanted to go on a crusade to get rid of the Star-Spangled Banner because its lyrics were too militaristic and he was “embarrassed” every time he heard the song, Madison Rising, a rock band, was releasing their unique version of the Star-Spangled Banner.
Madison Rising’s lead singer Dave Bray, a Navy veteran, told Breitbart News he could not believe Press’s words when he heard about his comments. The group’s guitarist, Chris Schreiner, told Breitbart News he figured Press’s comments were so stupid that “it was an excuse for a headline.”
Bray said Press might as well call for a crusade to “bleach ‘Old Glory’ white because he doesn’t” agree with what America stands for and “surrender our entire way of life.”
“Here’s a wake-up call, Billy,” Bray said. “The brave men and women of the U.S. military are the reason ‘we the people’ still have the ‘Stars and Stripes’ flying overhead instead of a Union Jack, a Swastika, or a meatball.”
Bray said that people like Press — and his ilk in the liberal mainstream media — remind him of “kids who got picked on in class and have always had a knack for getting attention,” which Bray called the “love me daddy syndrome.”
This frustrates Bray because “the reason the youth or anyone else in America can’t understand or hear a positive message from anyone is because that loser in the back of the class is causing a disruption and congesting the airwaves.”
Bray shared the late Andrew Breitbart’s passion for influencing the pop culture.
Bray said Breitbart was “a great dude” who was one of the few conservatives who really “got it” when it came to pop culture. Bray said that was evident when they met and chatted at the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2012.
Schreiner also echoed what Breitbart preached about conservatives and pop culture. Yes, the band’s rendition of the national anthem might have a harder time cutting through to culture at large because it has a positive message, and conservatives who are politically oriented often have a hard time breaking into pop culture because “pop culture is cool and many conservatives are as much fun as a root canal in church.” But artists who lean conservative, in order to more successfully break through and influence the culture, must “be real and put the art first” and the broader message “second or last.”
Bray said that is what Madison Rising is seeking to do by producing good content above all while signaling to its listeners that “someone out there is on their side.”
“We want to bring back an unabashed and hard core style of patriotism without another world war or another 9/11 having to happen,” Bray said. “It’s the ‘ounce of prevention’ theory.”
As for their rendition of the National Anthem, Bray said his group (Breitbart News profiled the group in March) tried to stay as “respectful to the original version as possible” while also being “absolutely unique.”
“Our version updates and re-energizes one of the best-known songs in American history in way that will lift the American spirit and instill once again that incredible sense of pride in our great nation,” Bray said. Their mission is not only to make great music, but also send a message that American culture is alive and well.
“We love America and we’re not afraid to say that,” Bray said. “Every drone in Hollywood could come after us, but we’re not changing our tune and we’re not playing their game … We’d rather salute the builders than bow down to cowards.”
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