In a new interview with Australia’s “Everblack” podcast, FILTER frontman Richard Patrick spoke about his relationship with his brother, actor Robert Patrick, who is best known for his role as T-1000, the antagonist of “Terminator 2: Judgment Day”. Robert has previously described himself as “a devout Episcopalian,” a member of the Episcopal Church, which is governed and pastored by bishops.
Richard said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Robert and I don’t spend a lot of time talking. We don’t spend a lot of time talking. I am an atheist, leftist, left-leaning, moderate Democrat who understands science and cares about the environment and understands climate change. I understand everything that’s going on. I’m an atheist because it sounds made up — religion sounds made up. You can’t be horribly crucified and then walk around after it. I think people kind of made it up. It sounds made up to me or exaggerated or whatever. And 2,500 years ago, people were fucking bizarre; they were bizarre people back then. The Bible is rife with, like, ‘And if your wife commits adultery, stone her’ — all that kind of wacky shit. So I don’t believe in religion. I am. And he does, like extensively. And so we just can’t talk. We just can’t talk about it.”
He continued: “I love my brother. I wish him well, but I understand what [former U.S. president Donald] Trump is. I see him for exactly what he is. He’s a con man. He’s been indicted four times. He breaks the law every time he does anything. He broke the law in New York. That’s why his businesses are being shut down because they were, because he committed fraud and exaggerated on all what his business really is and conned people out of millions of dollars. I see him for what he is — he’s a con man. And my brother’s not with me on that. He doesn’t get it. He’s kind of a Trump guy. And so sadly we don’t see eye to eye anymore. And I love him, but it is weird.”
Richard went on to say: “A third of the country is in a cult, and they are fucking doubling down on this guy [Trump] that literally does not like democracy, who is challenging democracy. In democracies, someone has to be the loser. Someone has to be the guy that goes, ‘You know what? I lost. I concede.’ And that’s what every presidential candidate has done since the dawn of our country. And he is the first one that said, ‘I’m not gonna concede. I’m gonna contest this.’ He’s been through 60 courts — 60 courts! — and he has no evidence. And the judges are, like, ‘There’s no evidence of voter fraud. There’s no evidence of voter fraud.’ Including the [U.S.] Supreme Court. So he’s lost — he has lost the election — but he’s lying because that’s what he does. He lies and he is tearing the country in half because of this — over this fucking guy.
“I look at Republicans, and I love them ’cause they come to my shows and everything like that. I’m, like, you’re losing your shit over this guy? A fucking con, someone who has been convicted of fucking sexual harassment, like a sexual predator. 30 women came forward. And they just [have] blinders [on]. They’re, like, ‘Oh, that’s just the left trying to tear him down.’ No.”
Patrick added that he doesn’t engage with people about politics on social media anymore. “I keep it off of social media because my audience is… Social media is so toxic and it’s so awful that I’m, like, you know what? I’m just gonna provide music. I’m just gonna put music to it. My lyrics are rife with statements about politics. The [FILTER] song ‘Summer Child’ is dedicated to Trump supporters. The whole thing is dedicated to them and how they’re being misled, and they wanna be misled. And so I’m getting my message out there. It’s just that I’ve chosen to stay off of social media. I’ve kicked it to the curb like about a year and a half ago, or a year and 10 months, or, excuse me, about a year and a month ago.”
FILTER‘s latest album, “The Algorithm”, arrived in August via Golden Robot Records.
FILTER recently completed the “Freaks On Parade” tour with ROB ZOMBIE, ALICE COOPER and MINISTRY.
