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Ian Brown: Stone Roses singer ‘alienates fans’ with controversial anti-lockdown song and Twitter outburst

One person described the song as ‘like something a teenager has written in his bedroom’

Louis Chilton
Friday 18 September 2020 06:58 EDT
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The Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown has shared an anti-lockdown song entitled “Little Seed Big Tree” and re-affirmed his widely criticised stance on coronavirus.

The singer-songwriter posted a tweet earlier this month which read: “NO LOCKDOWN NO TESTS NO TRACKS NO MASKS NO VAX.”

Now, Brown posted again on the social  media website, writing: “NOBODY IS NO F***ER TO TELL YOU TO WEAR A MASK.”

This was followed by the release of a new track, which directly addresses the Covid-19 pandemic.

The lyrics feature lines such as: “A sonic lockdown, state shakedown, a mass breakdown / Put your muzzle on, get back in your basket / Get behind your doors cos living here is drastic.”

Reactions to the track on Twitter were mixed, with some praising the track, and others taking issue with its political message. 

One commenter described it as “like something a teenager has written in his bedroom”.

Another accused the singer-songwriter of “slowly alienating old fans of yours with this garbage whilst succeeding in getting a flurry of the tin foil hat brigade following you”.

“Your next gig will be a supporting act for David Icke at this rate,” they said.

Others speculated that Brown’s controversial coronavirus comments were made to drum up publicity for a forthcoming album.

Brown is not the only musician to be criticised for his scepticism about the validity of coronavirus safety regulations.

Van Morrison released a series of anti-lockdown songs (“No More Lockdown”, “Born to Be Free” and “As I Walked Out”) in which he condemned the “crooked facts” of scientists during the pandemic.

Former Oasis frontman Noel Gallagher also recently came under fire for his apparent refusal to wear legally mandated masks, with people deeming his words “ignorant” and “selfish”.

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