Via Ultimate Classic Rock: Sammy Hagar, Neal Schon of Journey, and Living Colour's Vernon Reid joined the chorus of classic rock artists reacting online to nationwide protests following the police killing of George Floyd. Hagar pleaded on Twitter for an end to "violence" and "prejudice," writing, "As if we don't already have enough problems with Covid-19." In a video accompanying the message, he commented, "Why would anyone kill innocent people and take it out on the whole race, the whole society we are living in because of a bad guy? A bad cop, a bad black man, a bad white man, a bad Chinese, Japanese, Hispanic, South American — what's the difference? Why would you take it out on the whole human race — people with families and children that are innocent? There are bad guys everywhere, every walk of life. You know it. I know it. We all know it. Stop the violence. Stop racism. Prejudice. Please."
David Crosby offered a somber message: "I confess ....I am stupidly trying to pretend light heartedness when I know perfectly well that I am going to lie here for long time tonight sad and adrift ...if I were a praying man ....I’d pray for my America."
Vernon Reid shared some wisdom with a fan who asked what to tell his son. "I'm not gonna lie-this situation is disheartening, rage inducing. Depressing. It is a time to be honest It is a time to not be intimidated. It is a time to make your voice heard. It is a time to ask your son how HE is feeling, how he is experiencing these events. It is a time to listen. It is a time to share perspectives & perceptions with him. Your son needs to know that you are there for him-to help prepare him to deal with racism as a multi-tiered institutional system, & most of all, have a GREAT LIFE. In UTTER DEFIANCE OF IT’S OBJECTIVES."
Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea looked toward a more peaceful future: "The world will be in a good place when I can chill and listen to Biz Markie do Albee Square Mall without thinking about how badly my fellow humans are suffering."
David Coverdale of Whitesnake sent "love" to his followers, writing, "I'm sure you've seen or heard of the riots throughout the US…truly dark, tragic days."
Benmont Tench, former member of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, retweeted a video that reportedly shows national guard members and police officers in Minneapolis shooting paint canisters at people on their front porch while "sweeping [a] residential street." The keyboardist wrote, "This is precisely what a totalitarian police state looks like, and it « does not have to be this way."
Journey's Neal Schon addressed the national turmoil in musical form, sharing a blues guitar solo.