This is an interview that I conducted with Mars which was used for a university's newspaper.
Recently there have been several much publicized school shootings that have occurred in the United States. The shootings at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia and the school shootings in Red Lake, Minnesota are two primary examples. How did you feel when you first heard that these tragedies occurred?
I always feel that those kids reach the point where they just can’t take the teasing and the bullying anymore, and they just snap. I feel for the kids themselves. I feel for the kids that were school shooters.
How did you feel when the media pointed the finger at you and showcased your face and music on TV?
I’ve always found it ironic that the media will blame violent media or music for school shootings. They say that it shouldn’t be in the hands of these kids, but then they publicize it by putting it out for the masses.
Some people put a lot of blame on music for murder, suicide, etc. What effects if any do you think that music has on teenagers?
Not only music, but video games, and movies too. There’s a guy writing a book about me, his name is Phil Chalmers. He makes a good point by mentioning how people believe that music can’t turn a good kid bad, but it can make a bad kid turn worse. If you’re a bad kid already, than the problems don’t stem from the music, you know what I mean? The only link between music and violence is within the kids and their own chemical structure. It’s about their upbringing. Kids tell me all the time that my music had kept them from committing suicide. They say that my music has changed their life for the good. The media says that the effect of my music is bad. So which one is it?
Why do you think that people and the media in general choose to blame artists such as yourself and your music for school shootings?
Not try to blame so much, but the influence it has. They see it as a negative influence. I think that it makes for a good article and a segment. They need coverage. You can blame the same people that have billions of dollars and report it, but aren’t trying to make a change, or a difference. They’re just putting out what’s entertaining and it makes for a good TV show. That’s why you see similar things on shows like Phil Donahue, or Bill O’Reilly. They want viewers and they choose to cover violent topics that seem interesting.
What do you think leads or drives teenagers to act out school murders?
I think bullying, and hazing, and harassing, and things like social groups or labels, like you have the jocks, and Goths, etc. So if you have people being outcast or harassed, they’re going to have problems. It’s like, if you fuck with a dog enough, it’ll bite you. This is like a kid saying, “I just can’t take it anymore.” and “This is what you get.” The media glorifies the murder and the suicides. Now it’s like if they do it, than they will be glorified. They will be made famous.
What responsibilities do you feel that artists have or should have when creating music that teenagers listen to?
I think that artists have the responsibility of making the best fuckin’ music possible for the fans. Should I stop making music because the media says it causes murder? Or should I keep making it because my fans tell me that it changes their lives? Charlie Manson and them listened to the Beatles and caused those murders, but did we all blame the Beatles?
The media points out some of your dark songs and lyrics. You have songs that deal with murder and suicide. Where do you find inspiration to write your songs?
All my suicide songs are written when I’m feeling depressed and suicidal. So instead of killing myself I make music. My genre is murder. I have nothing to glorify or to justify. My music is just in a genre about murder, and that’s why I want it to sustain how it is. It’s also a form of counseling for people that can identify and relate to it.
Can you tell me about your fans and what you think draws them to your style and genre of music?
A lot of them are… and I don’t want to offend anyone, I think that something in their life brings them from normal to a down. My fans are normal people, it’s just that something about them gives them interest for this music. Or some of them might have darker fantasies than other people. Some of them might just consider some of it funny. Reality will make you numb to my music.
Can you tell me about your relationship with your fans?
I just got off tour, and every fan that would show interest in me would talk with me. We would shake hands, and I give them the same amount of appreciation that they give me. You know, people would be like, “Mars, you’re the shit!”, and that’s exciting to me.
What do you have to say to people who are worried about the affects of your music on teenagers?
I grew up listening to the same type of music that I make ‘cause I was feeling and going through rough shit. You can say that weed and music are the two things that saved my life. If I can save kids, cool. I’m entertaining them long enough to keep them from killing themselves. I’ll write a song about being depressed and my progression through it. If I can show kids what I went through and that I made it, they can feel inspired to do the same. It took me 10 years to get to where I’m at right now. If I can do it, so can these kids.
The world has suffered a lot from tragic events such as these in the past several years. How do you think that society can prevent tragedies such as school shootings from happening in the future?
School uniforms are good, I think. I think that’s a good idea. This way, kids that can’t afford certain clothes won’t be made distant or segregated. It’s harder to label or to group kids with that enforced. More organization for counseling for kids and parents would help. Look more into what kind of parents they are. Make sure that the kids are getting a good education, a lot. Look into that with the teachers, parents, and adults in general. Instead of punishing kids, see what’s wrong. Watch the kids. They’re in class with the teacher for 8 hours a day, which is more time than they’ll spend that day with their parents. Make sure that they’re not bullying each other and observe how they treat each other. Make sure that they’re doing well for themselves and not hating, or out robbing. Get kids to respect you as an adult and teacher. You want them to really look up to you as a positive role model.
Recently there have been several much publicized school shootings that have occurred in the United States. The shootings at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia and the school shootings in Red Lake, Minnesota are two primary examples. How did you feel when you first heard that these tragedies occurred?
I always feel that those kids reach the point where they just can’t take the teasing and the bullying anymore, and they just snap. I feel for the kids themselves. I feel for the kids that were school shooters.
How did you feel when the media pointed the finger at you and showcased your face and music on TV?
I’ve always found it ironic that the media will blame violent media or music for school shootings. They say that it shouldn’t be in the hands of these kids, but then they publicize it by putting it out for the masses.
Some people put a lot of blame on music for murder, suicide, etc. What effects if any do you think that music has on teenagers?
Not only music, but video games, and movies too. There’s a guy writing a book about me, his name is Phil Chalmers. He makes a good point by mentioning how people believe that music can’t turn a good kid bad, but it can make a bad kid turn worse. If you’re a bad kid already, than the problems don’t stem from the music, you know what I mean? The only link between music and violence is within the kids and their own chemical structure. It’s about their upbringing. Kids tell me all the time that my music had kept them from committing suicide. They say that my music has changed their life for the good. The media says that the effect of my music is bad. So which one is it?
Why do you think that people and the media in general choose to blame artists such as yourself and your music for school shootings?
Not try to blame so much, but the influence it has. They see it as a negative influence. I think that it makes for a good article and a segment. They need coverage. You can blame the same people that have billions of dollars and report it, but aren’t trying to make a change, or a difference. They’re just putting out what’s entertaining and it makes for a good TV show. That’s why you see similar things on shows like Phil Donahue, or Bill O’Reilly. They want viewers and they choose to cover violent topics that seem interesting.
What do you think leads or drives teenagers to act out school murders?
I think bullying, and hazing, and harassing, and things like social groups or labels, like you have the jocks, and Goths, etc. So if you have people being outcast or harassed, they’re going to have problems. It’s like, if you fuck with a dog enough, it’ll bite you. This is like a kid saying, “I just can’t take it anymore.” and “This is what you get.” The media glorifies the murder and the suicides. Now it’s like if they do it, than they will be glorified. They will be made famous.
What responsibilities do you feel that artists have or should have when creating music that teenagers listen to?
I think that artists have the responsibility of making the best fuckin’ music possible for the fans. Should I stop making music because the media says it causes murder? Or should I keep making it because my fans tell me that it changes their lives? Charlie Manson and them listened to the Beatles and caused those murders, but did we all blame the Beatles?
The media points out some of your dark songs and lyrics. You have songs that deal with murder and suicide. Where do you find inspiration to write your songs?
All my suicide songs are written when I’m feeling depressed and suicidal. So instead of killing myself I make music. My genre is murder. I have nothing to glorify or to justify. My music is just in a genre about murder, and that’s why I want it to sustain how it is. It’s also a form of counseling for people that can identify and relate to it.
Can you tell me about your fans and what you think draws them to your style and genre of music?
A lot of them are… and I don’t want to offend anyone, I think that something in their life brings them from normal to a down. My fans are normal people, it’s just that something about them gives them interest for this music. Or some of them might have darker fantasies than other people. Some of them might just consider some of it funny. Reality will make you numb to my music.
Can you tell me about your relationship with your fans?
I just got off tour, and every fan that would show interest in me would talk with me. We would shake hands, and I give them the same amount of appreciation that they give me. You know, people would be like, “Mars, you’re the shit!”, and that’s exciting to me.
What do you have to say to people who are worried about the affects of your music on teenagers?
I grew up listening to the same type of music that I make ‘cause I was feeling and going through rough shit. You can say that weed and music are the two things that saved my life. If I can save kids, cool. I’m entertaining them long enough to keep them from killing themselves. I’ll write a song about being depressed and my progression through it. If I can show kids what I went through and that I made it, they can feel inspired to do the same. It took me 10 years to get to where I’m at right now. If I can do it, so can these kids.
The world has suffered a lot from tragic events such as these in the past several years. How do you think that society can prevent tragedies such as school shootings from happening in the future?
School uniforms are good, I think. I think that’s a good idea. This way, kids that can’t afford certain clothes won’t be made distant or segregated. It’s harder to label or to group kids with that enforced. More organization for counseling for kids and parents would help. Look more into what kind of parents they are. Make sure that the kids are getting a good education, a lot. Look into that with the teachers, parents, and adults in general. Instead of punishing kids, see what’s wrong. Watch the kids. They’re in class with the teacher for 8 hours a day, which is more time than they’ll spend that day with their parents. Make sure that they’re not bullying each other and observe how they treat each other. Make sure that they’re doing well for themselves and not hating, or out robbing. Get kids to respect you as an adult and teacher. You want them to really look up to you as a positive role model.
