It’s been almost 18 years since the release of the Grammy Award-winning song “Smooth” by Carlos Santana featuring Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20. The track remains immortal, but the world has changed in that time: presidents have come and gone, idols have passed away, the fedora has had its share of peaks and troughs. Through it all, Rob Thomas has been living among us, observing our ways as though we were, collectively, a Spanish Harlem Mona Lisa.
The Hill found Thomas at the American Society for Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Foundation’s “We Write the Songs” event at the Library of Congress last week, where Thomas was among a number of artists pushing lawmakers to update copyright laws. Naturally, the political website asked Thomas for his opinions on racist, misogynistic friend of fascists Donald Trump.
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“I’m not a fan of Donald Trump, but I am so tired of hearing celebrities talk about not being a fan of Donald Trump, that it almost seems like white noise,” Thomas said, presumably whispering and melting everyone. “I think that he’s a man that’s not really equipped for the job, but I think no one really cares what I think about that.”
“I have opinions,” he continued, “but my opinions are as a 45-year-old husband, father, taxpayer. No matter what I say, they always kind of come across as a guy who sings music and it’s always, ‘Well you need to shut up!’”
Rob Thomas, never shut up. But if you’re going to criticize Donald Trump, make it real. Or else forget about it.
Alex Robert Ross is seven inches from the midday sun. Follow him on Twitter.
