DISTURBED's DAVID DRAIMAN On His Ukraine Support: 'I Am Pro-Peace, As Most People Should Be'

DISTURBED frontman David Draiman spoke to MoreCore.TV about his decision earlier this year to record a video message for World United Live, a campaign set up to help stop the conflict in Ukraine before it spirals out of control. When the interviewer pointed out to Draiman that a lot of other musicians have remained surprisingly quiet on the topic, David said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's interesting how selective some of them are, isn't it? Look, a lot of people don't wanna conflate any type of politics at all with their music, and typically that's how we are as a band. But myself, as an individual, I have a voice, and I am pro-peace, as most people should be. And whatever I, or we, can do to encourage that, we certainly try. We try to encourage peace and unity and shared coexistence between everybody, and that goes for our shows and for everybody else. I think there's been too many people taking sides in just about everything of late, as opposed to just saying, 'Everybody, calm the fuck down.' [Laughs] Let's step back for a minute. Let's remember the good things in life. Let's remember the things we have in common with each other. Let's celebrate our shared humanity as opposed to finding reasons to continue to attack each other."

DISTURBED's eighth full-length album, "Divisive", includes the song "Bad Man", which was inspired by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. "It was happening as we were writing the song, and it seemed very, very appropriate," Draiman told HardDrive Radio. "I feel for the people of Ukraine and everything that they've had to deal with and experience and are continuing to experience. It's horrific to watch the play-by-play of a full-scale war. And it's a shame that it's become just a matter of, like, 'Oh, this is what we do. We check in to see what happened.' As opposed to — I don't know — doing more as a world, other than just throwing tons of money at the situation and contributing to more death and violence. I wish there was more that we could do as a planet to just apply enough pressure in the right places from the right people to make the madman stop."

Released on November 18 via Reprise, "Divisive" was recorded earlier this year with producer Drew Fulk (MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, LIL PEEP, HIGHLY SUSPECT) in Nashville, Tennessee.

In his three-minute message for World United Live, which can be seen at WorldUnited.Live, Draiman stated in part: "David Draiman of DISTURBED here, and I am a World United Live messenger. You know me over my many years of fronting the band DISTURBED, obviously.

"I want to speak directly to the Russian people now. I will read out to you a report that has been documented and verified. Please listen to us. It's not as your leaders are telling you. Millions of people are suffering.

"Below my video you will see the text that I am relaying to you, including links to credible, verified news sources. You may not be able to reach those links because your government is blocking access. If they are blocked, ask yourselves why. What is it that my government does not want me to see? And why can't I make up my own mind?

"Please listen to us. You are our only hope of trying to stop this insanity."

After reading out a news report on Russia bombing a theater in Mariupol where hundreds of people had taken shelter, David said: "We all have to do what we can to shed some light in this incredible darkness and to try and expose the truth on the ground, the harsh reality of war, and do all we can to try and stop it and bring it to an end.

"We all want peace. Hopefully we can see that sometime soon.

"Support World United Live. Support the Ukrainian people. And I still support and love the Russian people as well. I think that it's going to take individuals to rise up and to stand for peace and to make a resounding statement together. We can, if we join our voices together."