This Ain’t Rock ‘n’ Roll: Pop Music’s Complicated Fascination with Nazism

A new book, This Ain’t Rock ‘n’ Roll: Pop Music, the Swastika and the Third Reich by Daniel Rachel, meticulously examines the surprising and disturbing history of pop and rock music’s engagement with fascist imagery and ideology. Published in hardback, eBook, and audio formats, and featuring an introduction by Billy Bragg, the work delves into a phenomenon largely unaddressed within the music industry and its critical discourse.

A History of Troubling Associations

For over seven decades, prominent figures in rock ‘n’ roll have, at times, deliberately or carelessly incorporated imagery associated with the Third Reich into their performances and public personas. Examples cited include Keith Moon and Vivian Stanshall adopting Nazi uniforms and reportedly harassing Jewish communities, and the provocative use of swastikas by Siouxsie Sioux and Sid Vicious during the punk era. Rachel’s work questions whether these actions were motivated by shock value, ignorance, a misguided attempt at subversion, or something more sinister.

Beyond Shock Value: A Deeper Examination

The book challenges the common dismissal of these instances as mere attempts to provoke. Rachel argues that, in many cases, artists demonstrated a deeper understanding of, or connection to, the source material. Research revealed surprising details, such as John Lennon’s private collection related to Nazism, and a more extensive interest in the subject from David Bowie than previously known.

Accountability and the Music Industry

This Ain’t Rock ‘n’ Roll raises critical questions about accountability. Rachel asks who – fans, the media, or the music industry itself – should be held responsible for a fascination with the aesthetics and perversions of a fascist regime. The book highlights a historical lack of challenge to the use of such imagery, with little condemnation from peers, the press, record labels, or audiences. The swastika, in particular, is often presented as simply a symbol of shock, obscuring a more complex and troubling narrative.

A Delicate and Necessary Inquiry

Daniel Rachel’s work navigates these sensitive issues with “extraordinary delicacy and care,” prompting a reevaluation of artists who have shaped popular culture and a consideration of the reasons behind their attraction to the iconography of one of the 20th century’s most horrific movements. The book, available now in the UK and released in the US on February 3rd, aims to spark a much-needed conversation about the intersection of music, art, and political ideology.