Machine Gun Kelly has just unveiled a new signature guitar and it’s severely triggering the internet. The new MGK model Schecter (which will set you back about AU $2,442 discounted on the Schecter website) is shaped like a rectangular razor blade with a metallic silver finish.
The controversial design of the guitar is the subject of the backlash, with many commentators claiming it glorifies self-harm.
“Making tools that can cause self-harm look ‘cool’ is actually super lame”
“I know MGK sucks and people don’t like him… but what’s up with the guitar being a razor?” metal pundit METALBIRB tweeted on X. “It’s almost like it’s glorying self-harm? Schecter man… the scene has problems with mental health and making tools that can cause self-harm look ‘cool’ is actually super lame. Also the guitar is hideous, but that’s just obvious.”
MGK has also been responding to a lot of the heat. He clapped back at METALBIRB’s post, saying: “You show your lack of depth by taking art at face value. This has nothing to do with any of the subject matter you just presented. So no my friend, you suck.”
Meanwhile, Static Dress frontman Olli Appleyard also joined the pile-on, getting into a heated back-and-forth with MGK on X.
“I fucking hate living on this planet,” he posted, sharing METALBIRB’s take. To which Kelly replied: “Words from a jealous musician who never made it”.
“[Don’t worry] bro just continue to push horrific themes to literal children,” Appleyard shot back.
Then Kelly returned fire with: “And you can continue to show them how to be shallow minded and not look at art with any depth. I’ve done my job as an artist by creating a conversation, you’ve done yours as an idiot by not having the capacity to understand my message”.
No stranger to controversy himself, Falling In Reverse frontman Ronnie Radke has also since joined the debate, seemingly backing MGK.
“Have we gotten so lost we are now complaining about a razor blade guitar cuz it might trigger people to self harm? …Let the man live,” he wrote, later adding: “My timeline is just a bunch of 15 passenger van bands complaining about MGK. Makes me realize so much.”
MGK himself has also tweeted in response to the shitstorm of backlash, writing: “I’ll never explain my art, because true art is conversational and always up for interpretation, but I will say, most of you constantly interpret it wrong. and then blame me for your version of what you think my art is. Ultimately I’m sad at how people perceive me in general. Peace.”
Others coming to MGK’s defence have pointed out that razor blade imagery isn’t new to rock music, with Judas Priest notably featuring one on the cover of their iconic 1980 album British Steel and using it for a bunch of associated merch items.
You can suss some of the other commentary down below.
Further Reading
Machine Gun Kelly Punched a Fan in the Face on Request
You Can Now Play As Machine Gun Kelly In ‘WWE 2K22’
Real Life Vampires Offer Machine Gun Kelly & Megan Fox Advice On Drinking Human Blood
