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Rocker Tommy Vext thinks differently than most of his peers.
He supports Donald Trump and opposes violent BLM riots as well as pandemic lockdowns.
These views have not yielded positive responses.
Despite lawsuits, band breakups, and Big Tech oppression, Tommy is not staying silent.
Previously with Bad Wolves, Vext finished the God Bless the Outlaws tour.
They tend to play at venues that do not enforce vaccine mandates.
“We’re making a stand,” stated Vext, who fought COVID-19 twice. He does not agree with forced unpaid leave for unvaccinated first responders or Fightfighters of New York.
His political thinking played a role in his departure from the band he co-founded.
Before this, Vext has not experienced political conflicts with band members.
“We were all friends … those guys were all liberal, a few being vehemently liberal,” he stated. Rock journalists lean the same way and have threatened not to listen to his music.
“I’ve been shadow banned on Facebook and Instagram,” he said.
Growing up poor affects how Vext views America and politics.
“My mom was a crackhead who abandoned me … I got sober in my late 20s and turned my life around,” he said, and I am thankful for a country that offers second chances.
“This is one of the countries where it doesn’t matter what you’re born into, just work hard and also learn and ask questions and take personal responsibility for your losses,” he continued. “You can become anything.”
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“It’s called the American dream for a reason,” adds Vext, who says he considered himself a Democrat until he “woke up” roughly seven years ago.
Vext remains proud of his Bad Wolves legacy, especially the way the group’s songs connected with fans.
“Our hit songs are all autobiographical,” he says. “It’s impossible for my experiences not to pour out into the lyrics.” Fans routinely approach him to share their personal stories and how they overlap with his songs. Those moments are therapeutic for the singer as well as his fans.
“It’s healing to have people say, ‘me too,’” he says of his confessional songs.
Vext knows firsthand how hard it can be to buck the mainstream. His travails have taught him the importance of having a solid group of friends at his back, for starters.
“I lost a lot of people in my life, but I gained a lot, too,” he says. “The actual quality of the people in my life is so different. I’ve replaced all the leeches and the takers with people who bring stuff to the table.”
Taking a stand has another vital side effect.
“You’ll attract other people of integrity to you,” he says. He wouldn’t mind having more support, though, and not just for his sake.
“A lot of the things that happened to me wouldn’t have happened if other big bands said what I said,” he says of his musical colleagues. It’s not just confined to music, though. He notes how outspoken stars like Dave Chappelle, Nicki Minaj and Nets star Kyrie Irving make an impact by challenging accepted norms.
