The feud between Senses Fail and Attila is caught in a blaze once again.
It all started on the Vans Warped Tour in the summer of 2015 when Senses Fail vocalist Buddy Nielsen was outspoken about his distain for Attila's usage of homophobic slurs in their music. He claimed it was an insult to the LGBTQ+ community and stood his ground to defend his stance publicly on stage and via social media. Attila vocalist, Chris Fronzak, was quick to clarify that the slurs were not used in a homophobic way.
As you can imagine, the gang mentality ensued and the four year long beef stayed strong. Now that the controversy has resurfaced, I want to take a second to share my personal thoughts on the issue.
I think I am somewhere in the middle. I don't agree with Attila and I don't agree with Senses Fail either. Before you freak out, let me start by saying that it is distasteful and unnecessary to use homophobic slurs, even if you are the most LGBTQ+ friendly band in existence. Sometimes the intention isn't the issue; it is the history behind the term that can invoke a negative reaction. I don't understand why Attila feels inclined to use these words in their music when all of this controversy could be avoided if they replaced it with something else.
So perhaps Attila is doing all of this because they want to invoke a reaction and stir the pot. I know they are not homophobic but they definitely enjoy controversy. Personally, that is not my style, but that is what Fronz is infamous for...getting publicity for getting people riled up. The more we continue to fuel their fire, the more they will continue what they are doing. They thrive off of negative reactions from people like Buddy Nielsen.
On the other hand, I don't agree with Buddy Nielsen's methods for sharing his opinions either. Nielsen came out in 2014 and identifies as queer. Now he is using his platform to stand up for other members of his own community after having his own negative experiences with the slurs used in Attila's lyrics. Despite Nielsen's positive intentions, he is guilty of cyber bulling, name calling, and contributing to the callout culture of the internet that I desperately wish would fade away.
According to Vans Warped Tour Founder, Kevin Lyman (via twitter), he sat down with both parties to hash out their differences and find mutual respect for each other. In my opinion, this is always the proper course of action in these circumstances.
Nielsen could continue to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and make the music scene a safer place for everyone, regardless of gender identity or sexual preferences, without aiming to attack one individual and making himself seem like a bully. I am in favor of being outspoken for equality, taking steps to be inclusive, and building safe spaces. However, there are other methods for create positive change without spreading more hate in the process.
Not everyone is going to see eye to eye with Attila but as long as they aren't doing any considerable damage, I think there are more pressing issues to focus on within our music scene. Misogyny, homophobia, and inequality are still prevalent in the music industry and there are more harmful perpetrators than Attila. Sure, homophobic slurs aren't a wise idea, but they welcome everyone at their shows and never discriminate against their fans based on their sexual preferences. I respect them for that.
Fronz and Nielsen are both guilty of bullying; attacking other people is never the answer. A calm, rational and respectful conversation could have been enough to end their beef but they both resorted to childish tactics instead. It is unfortunate that their discussion with Lyman wasn't enough to reach a peaceful resolution to the issue.
Comment below and share your thoughts on the Attila vs Senses Fail controversy. What side are you on?
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