Maroon 5 Join Arizona Boycott Over Immigration Law

By Steve Baltin Posted Jul 23rd 2010 12:15PM

Maroon 5 aren't known as a political band, but they've now joined the likes of Rage Against the Machine, Nine Inch Nails, Kanye West, Ben Harper and many others in protesting Arizona's controversial new immigration law.

When PopEater recently visited Maroon 5 in Los Angeles, frontman Adam Levine said it was a tough choice to cross Arizona off any touring they'll be doing for their upcoming 'Hands All Over' album.

"I did an interview in Tucson on the radio. [The host] asked about playing there," Levine recalled. "I said it was a really difficult decision to make because we have fans out there that are being penalized essentially by us not playing, so it's a really difficult decision to make. It really kind of comes down to what feels right, and it really didn't feel right to play there and reward Arizona for what we thought was a really bad decision."

Levine and the rest of his bandmates are aware that with controversial issues like the Arizona law, which will go into effect July 29, there is often a backlash against artists speaking out.

"We're just citizens. It's always good to look at everything that we're talking about, discussing, debating or standing up for as an issue," he said, "not to grandstand, necessarily, our beliefs, but kind of just follow our hearts, as cheesy as that sounds, and say, 'Look, this is how I feel, so I'm going to do this.'"

Maroon 5's tour kicks off July 30 in Saratoga Springs, NY, and runs through October. 'Hands All Over' is due out Sept. 21 from A&M.

Watch Maroon 5 Perform Live at Sessions

Tags: Adam Levine, Maroon 5

Comments

(141)

Friday 23 July

By george clooney

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Ask the band about one of the members having pedofile conviction? I do not need a band telling me about ILLEGAL immigration from a convicted pedofile.

By flashback6713

I think more people will boycott Moron 5. I know I will.

By GrCmp5

Vote down Vote up Report this

Screw you aol.

By Fu** You

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

this is for all you close minded bigots that are so offended by the illegal immigrants how many of you have never broken the law, for example smoked under the legal age, smoked weed or done any other drugs, drunk and drove, provide under age kids with alcohol or cigarettes, etc I bet all of you have broken our laws one time or another!! What everyone needs to understand that the majority of illegal immigrants are good people so a few are bad, besides have you actually seen how much of a joke our immigration system is!

By Reply

Curious rant....nonsensical but curious

By lp424

No one is saying that a majority of ILLEGAL'S are bad people, LOSER! We just want them to enter our fine country the proper way - LEGALLY so.......Fu**You go Fu** yourself!

By RicH

Yea almost as big a joke as you!

By George Clooney

Hard to believe the idiots and idiotic statements by people like you. How many times did you use the word ILLEGAL? It is scary to think people are walking the streets legally, who think like you. BUT then again, we have OBAMA...so I guess I should not be surprised!

By greeleytomg

Maroon 5 is from Schenectady, New York and that is a far fling from what they are protesting. They should stick to what they know (music) and let Arizona stick to what they know (the right for their citizens to run their own state). What is at stake here is the soverign rights of States vs. the absolute control of the Federal Government. Can anyone say Politoburo?

By Mark

Then in that case, I'll be boycotting Maroon 5. If I happen to like any song they put out, I'll download it without giving them one red cent.

I 100% SUPPORT Arizona for having the guts to do with the Federal government won't. I did intedn on seeing Maroon 5 where I live in the Northeast, BUT WON"T BE GOING TO SE THEM ANYMORE>

By floridamoon

Love your music Maroon 5 but stay out of politics.
Gather all the illegals send them home to make THEIR country
what they want it to be. Yes, they are hard workers SO go home
kill all the drug bosses and make Mexico how you want it to be.
They actually have a goldmine there with vacationers. WAKE UP AND TAKE YOUR COUNTRY (MEXICO) BACK.

By 12dieNgo2Heaven

Arizona is doing great! Real action to enforce laws, AND now the AZ citizens don't have to put up with a whiny wuss "band" polluting the place. AZ is growing into a model state. Moron 5 should be more concerned about the waste of resources that their yodelling is. As in, do everyone a favor and hang it up.

By scottol12

Once again another group who has not read the law!

By RYAN

Well well,the moron 5 just lost a listener....Arizona made the law because the federal government wont stand behind the federal law that already exist....if the uncle samBO wont do what he is supposed to do then there is nothing wrong with the state doing what is supposed to be done.....fck you moron 5 a*sholes.....illegals,get the hell out.

By wendy

I say boycott the boycotters . I stand 100% with AZ . They have a right to protect their citizans. It doesn't matter who likes it and who doesn't. GOD BLESS AZ And Jan Brewer.We don't need turncoats.

By TB

It's funny how people are so eager to boycott something when it does not effect them. Maroon who?

By DUDE

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

"HA HA HA , I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING."

By Eugene

Because this is America, they have the right to play where they wish. But to pick this particular issue, like all of the other misinformed bandwagon jumpers, is insane. Arizona has a history of problems with illegals and took action. All they did was to enact on the state level a law already on the books at the federal level. They felt that the law would never be enforced strongly (correct), so they took it into their hands to clean up their own mess. What is the problem with that??? Listen: IT"S THE SAME LAW THAT IS ALREADY ON THE BOOKS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL!! They didn't create a new law, they just made it a state law.
As for the state, I will be taking another road trip through Arizona. I loved the last time I went and and ready for the next one! Nice people and great scenary!! Good luck to you people in Arizona!!!!!!!

By Mary

How in the world did you make it "through Arizona:" and still be alive to write about it?

By dj

who gives a crap what maroon 5 thinks,all these groups and others dont live in az and have to deal with the problem, so its easy for them to be monday morning quarterbacks,play music and stay out of politics!!!!!

Page 3 of 8