The two men Grace Slick called “a stain” on culture
The countercultural generation were a peculiar group. Initially unified by their suspicion of authority and rejection of the outdated values of their parents, they championed individualism and free will. Over time, however, this generation has diverged into two distinct ideological camps. Some have stayed true to the movement’s fundamentally left-wing principles, consistently advocating for progressive ideals. In contrast, others have veered into a world of conspiracy theories, right-wing populism, and, in some cases, hate. Yet, one figure who has remained steadfast in her commitment to the original cause is Grace Slick.
The Jefferson Airplane vocalist was always one of the counterculture’s brightest lights, refusing to water herself or her opinions down for anyone. Outspoken, defiant and incredibly musically talented, alongside writing some of her era’s most definitive songs in the likes of ‘White Rabbit’ – perhaps the first time the weirdness of LSD was instilled into popular music – she poked her creative flame by practising what she preached.
To be fair to the musical leading lights of the counterculture, most of them haven’t really changed. While they might have aged, and some’s status has waned slightly, those who were most central to the era and the advancements it made, whether artistically or philosophically, have never shifted their mindset or worldview.
Although Joni Mitchell was always openly disdainful of her longhaired peers, it only takes a minute or so to trawl through the annals of Neil Young, Graham Nash or the late David Crosby to realise that this set are still doing what they did back then, with their views on the world steadfast.
Like most devoted advocates of any cause, the convictions of the countercultural generation never truly fade. The significant shifts in the times have brought the world back to a state eerily reminiscent of their cultural heyday in the 1960s. Today, parallels abound: a new Cold War looms on the horizon, echoed in the ongoing crisis in the Middle East; Western society finds itself in a state of disarray, now layered with an even graver dimension—the real existential threat of environmental collapse, a concern that the hippies had foreseen long ago.
While some of their music might appear lighter today, given the gift of hindsight, cultural development, and technology that we now have, there can be no doubt that the countercultural ideal has never been as essential for those who abide by it. Although our version has evolved, the key tenets are the same, with younger folks and the likes of Slick more aligned than ever.
Slick clarified this during her interview with the Library of Congress in 2024. Asked if she was upset that people didn’t get the transgressive subtext of ‘White Rabbit’, she then provided a well-informed answer wherein she named the two men she believes are “a stain” on global culture and totally antithetical to peace.
Shifting from her own work to geopolitics she said: “No. I knew for a very long time, other people’s opinion of you is very personal to them. Their opinion of you is for their own reasons. That’s fine. There’s people who don’t like me. There are people I don’t like: Donald Trump is one of them. Netanyahu is another one of them. They are ruining the culture. They are a stain on the beautiful painting of our culture.”
Slick is correct; she knows a strongman when she sees one, as her era was full of them. Most people would agree that these two are among the biggest threats to global harmony. While it might be for different reasons, danger comes in many formats. This is why we need people like Slick to keep speaking up and lead by example by challenging power.
