Disturbed’s David Draiman has responded to Billie Joe Armstrong’s viral moment at Coachella in which he changed the lyrics of “Jesus of Suburbia” to “Running away from pain like the kids from Palestine.”Draiman has been very vocal on social media in his support of Israel since tensions reignited after Hamas militants launched an attack and took hostages at the Tribe of Nova music festival east of Gaza in 2023. More than 400 people were killed and over 40 were kidnapped by the terrorists in the attack. Among those who lost their lives was former Desolated bassist Jake Marlowe, who had been working security at the festival.Since that attack, Israel has countered with a military offensive in Gaza, which, according to Reuters as of March 25, 2025, has killed over 50,000 people.What Happened With Green Day at CoachellaOver the years, Green Day have not shied away from making political statements within their music. They’ve often changed lyrics to their songs to reflect some of the issues of the day. A common change of late has featured Armstrong changing the lyrics to “American Idiot” to share that they’re “not part of a MAGA agenda.”READ MORE: Green Day Rip JD Vance With ‘Jesus of Suburbia’ Lyric ChangeBut within the performance at Coachella, Armstrong weighed in with one of his first references to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine. As stated, he changed the lyrics of “Jesus to Suburbia” to comment, “Running away from pain like the kids from Palestine.”What David Draiman Said in ResponseAfter Armstrong’s lyric change at Coachella made the rounds, Disturbed vocalist David Draiman has publicly reached out to Armstrong through social media. The frontman made an offer to engage in a discussion about the ongoing war.”Open offer to #BillyJoeArmstrong from @GreenDay. You know I respect you brother. I’d love to have the opportunity for you to hear the Israeli/Jewish side of this horrific war,” wrote Draiman on social media.”I’m available to discuss whenever you are. No judgement, nothing preconceived. Let me know,” he added.The Israel-Palestine Conflict’s Impact on MusicThe conflict between Israel and Palestine has led some in the entertainment industry to find different ways of voicing their opinion. In 2024, four acts chose to bow out of the Download Festival after learning that Barclays was one of the main sponsors of the event.The London-based Barclays is a bank that Stereogum said had “strong ties to arms companies that sell weapons to Israel.” Among the acts bowing out as a sign of protest included Scowl, Speed, Pest Control and Zulu.Back in 2021, prior to the 2023 Hamasattack on the Tribe of Nova festival, Rage Against the Machine spoke out on Twitter in relation to a showdown between the Israeli Army and Palestinian militants that had escalated with rockets being launched into civilian areas of Gaza.”The violence and atrocities we are witnessing in Sheikh Jarrah, the Al Aqsa compound and Gaza are a continuation of decades of Israel’s brutal apartheid and violent occupation of Palestine. We stand with the Palestinian people as they resist this colonial terror in all its forms,” the band tweeted at the time with the #FreePalestine hashtag.In relation to the most recent conflict between Israel and Palestine, Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello tweeted in 2023, “I’d like to make the radical proposal that the harming of children, no matter who they are & no matter who does it, is always wrong and should be condemned.” In another 2023, tweet, he urged that there is “no room for antisemitism” amid criticism.Rock + Metal Songs With Social MessagesMusic has the power to move people. It also has the power to move them to action.Gallery Credit: Taylor Markarian
