"Eric Clapton is doubling down on his criticisms of COVID-19 safety protocols, arguing that those who are getting vaccinated are victims of “subliminal advertising” by pharmaceutical companies on social media.
The 17-time Grammy winner made the eyebrow-raising claim in a video interview with “The Real Music Observer” that first appeared on YouTube last week. In it, he was asked about his decision to team up with Van Morrison, another vaccine skeptic, on the 2020 single “Stand and Deliver,” which compared COVID-19 lockdowns to slavery.
“Whatever the memo was, it hadn’t reached me,” Clapton said. “Then I realized there really was a memo — a guy, Mattias Desmet, has talked about it. It’s great, you know, the theory of mass hypnosis formation. And I could see it, once I kind of started to look for it.”
“I saw it everywhere,” he continued. “And then I remembered seeing little things on YouTube, which were like subliminal advertising. It’s been going on for a long time — that thing of ‘you will own nothing and you will be happy.’”
Clapton appeared to be referring to a concept promoted by Desmet, a professor of clinical psychology at Ghent University in Belgium. Desmet’s widely discredited theory suggests people have been “hypnotized” into believing mainstream ideas about COVID-19 such as testing procedures and vaccinations.
The term gained momentum after it was discussed by Dr. Robert Malone, another vocal skeptic of COVID-19 vaccines, in an episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast that aired last month.
Later in the interview, Clapton criticized the media for perpetuating what he described as “completely one-way traffic about following orders and obedience” and implied he’d channeled his frustrations into music. In addition to “Stand and Deliver,” he released an anti-vaccination anthem, “This Has Gotta Stop,” in August of last year.
“These guys that were in power really started to piss me [off] ... but I had a tool,” he explained. “I had a calling and I can make use of that, so I set about it and started writing.”
Okay Eric, but now explain "Old Sock."
(h/t Snakeboy)
23 comments:
Guess Eric and Neil won't be exchanging Christmas cards this year.
WOW!!!! This is the same tactic he used on Patti when he was trying to convince her to leave George
I suppose it never occurred to Eric that the "mass hypnosis" thing could also explain the antivaxxers' behavior. Duh.
Yes, Eric, you have a calling- shut up and play yer guitar.
Have we been hypnotized to falsely believe that more that 800,000 people died in the US from Covid. Quite sad, on many levels.
When is the album with Morrisey coming out?
I am so tired of this bullshit. If there was a vaccine to prevent cancer, would all of these morons take a pass? If only there was a vaccine for idiocy.
Slowmind...
Anyone anywhere who's panties get bunched by something a celebrity says or doesn't say is of no more concern to me than the celebrity's latest comment on ANY subject.
Thanks for your commentary Deadmandeadman, speaking of bunched panties.
It's wild that we found the part in the ven diagram where the hippies and Trumpers overlap with the vaccine.
dumped my Cream records this weekend. I haven't kept any of Clapton's solo stuff, but I couldn't part with the Delaney & Bonnie in concert. Yet.
Maybe Clapton can now take his expertise on vaccines and medicine and demonstrate his brilliance on immigration policy...
paulinca
I've got no Eric in my collection. He may be a good guitar player, but his music never spoke to me.
Eric “Cocaine” Clapton. Please.
Roy
If we don't answer the door maybe he'll go away.
Dr. Captain Al
Excuse me for upsetting anyone here..it's not my intention...but Clapton has been an arsehole long before his half arsed comments on Covid.
A complete and utter f***ing wanker and his ability on the guitar doesn't excuse that.
Maybe not getting vaccinated works for "God" but what about us mere mortals? EC...shut up & play yer guitar. As far as Van the Man, he's always been a curmudgeon.
People of significant wealth can set up their lives so that, to a large extent, they can minimise their exposure to illnesses. The vast majority of people however, don't have this luxury. They have to continue to work, often putting themselves in much greater exposure situations. For them, anything that reduces their chance of falling seriously ill is very important. The vaccines have now been the most studied forms of medicine in human history, with clear benefits and virtually no drawbacks. Surely this is obvious, even to cushioned rock stars?
I've always loathed Eric Clapton, long history of racism, self-centered behaviour, elitist and bore. His music since leaving the Yardbirds in a huff has been drivel (some exceptions with Cream - but that was only as third of a group of better, more interesting musicians and Delaney and Bonnie, again basically a sideman). He's the Nickleback of the blues.
Total drivel of course; and the sad thing is that he matters so little to me musically that it is the most interesting thing he's done in 50 years.
john
Sad to say the old boy has become even more prone to talking a load of old bollocks. Can no longer bring myself to listen to his music after hearing his patently nonsensical claptrap (see what I did there?). Cheers!
Probably Eric is better with a guitar than providing medicines to ill people. The Eric position against vaccines is symptomatic of a very old age of a tired people .... and this position has no interest, such as the opinion of a doctor relatively to a guitar practice !!!!
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