Third Eye Blind decided that it would play at a concert linked to the Republican National Convention, just so they could have the chance to make fun of Republicans.
Four years ago, Third Eye Blind, the hit '90s alt-rock band, declined to play at the Republican National Convention. In an op-ed piece he wrote for the Huffington Post back in 2012, the band singer's, Stephan Jenkins, explained his distaste for the GOP. He wrote, “The Republican National Convention is not a private event, though. It’s a public sales pitch, and everyone is supposed to help deliver the script.”
“Though I am happy to play for Republican fans, like my life-long Republican mom, playing the RNC convention is a tacit endorsement of the Republican presidential candidate and his party platform, and this is not my mom’s Republican Party anymore," he continued.
His distaste for the Republican Party and their platform is palpable in his article, and it is a wonder why anyone would ask the band to headline a charity event during the Republican National Convention. However, that is what happened. Third Eye Blind was scheduled to headline a charity event for Musicians on Call, a charity with the mission of bringing live and recorded music to the bedside of dying patients.
Although the event was not officially a part of the RNC, it was heavily advertised that the event would be just down the street from the convention, and would be taking place at the same time. Consequently, most of those who attended the concert were members of the Republican Party.
What no one expected to happen (although looking back it was pretty obvious) was that the band took the golden opportunity to insult the GOP and their platform.
The band's even excluded their biggest hits, such as “Semi-Charmed Life” and “Never Let You Go,” leaving the audience disappointed.
The one hit song they did perform, “Jumper," was turned into a political statement. Jenkins prefaced the song’s performance by calling for the Republican Party to be more accepting of gay people and to “accept them into the American fabric. To love this song is to take into your heart the message and to actually have the feeling to arrive and move forward and not live your life in for [not] imposing that fear on other people.”
According to an interview with Vulture, the song “Jumper” was written about Stephen’s gay friend who committed suicide.
Another song played during the set was called “Non-Dairy Creamer.” The song featured a refrain that sings about “two gay Republicans.”
At one point during the concert, Jenkins poked fun at the controversial conservative view about climate change. “Raise your hand if you believe in science!” he taunted. The crowd responded in resounding boos. He responded: “You can boo all you want, but I’m the motherf--king artist up here.”
When angry fans took to Twitter to announce their discontent, Jenkins decided to fan the flames further. One discontent fan claimed that she had “never been more disappointed.” The band simply responded: “good”: