FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's ERIC 'A.K.' KNUTSON Explains Why He Tries Not To Insert His Opinion Into His Lyrics

In a new interview with Jorge Botas of Portugal's Metal Global, vocalist Eric "A.K." Knutson of veteran Arizona metallers FLOTSAM AND JETSAM weighed in on the debate about the place of politics in music, particularly his lyrical content. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There's pluses and minuses to writing your opinion on something. I try not to do that. I try to just tell a story and let everybody make up their own mind whether they wanna go this way or that way. But from the generation that I'm in, that our whole band is in, we grew up with the old verbiage that you don't talk religion or politics with people, because you're gonna lose someone. You're gonna lose a friend or a fan or a something if you talk politics and religion. It's so divided, and always has been since the history of man, that you just can't take a side. You will lose half of someone. Lose half of a crowd every time. So I try to write stuff that either side can take ahold of and make it their own, their own final idea of what it's about."

After Botas noted that heightened tensions have led to the deterioration of friendships and familial bonds, as certain people find themselves estranged from loved ones simply due to differing political beliefs, Knutson concurred. "My father worked public service his whole life, and he had a guy that would meet him at our house, one of his buddies, meet him at our house every day for lunch," the singer recalled. "And they'd sit there, and they'd either play a game of chess or play some cards or something and have some lunch, and they would argue and scream at each other because they were on the opposite ends of almost every issue. But they still had lunch every day, and it didn't matter if they left one guy going, 'Oh, you're an idiot. You don't know what you're talking about,' and blah, blah, blah. That same guy would be back the next day for lunch, and the same argument and the same game of chess... You know, that's the way that different sides should be. You can have your opinion. I'll have my opinion. Maybe you'll change each other's minds on one thing or another, getting closer and closer to thinking the same. But as long as you have the conversation and you keep in mind that that person is a friend — I don't care that his views are completely different from mine; if I need him in an emergency, he's gonna be there. And that's the way that society really should look at each other, but they don't. And I blame the newer generations, the younger generation. I think they were just coddled too much. It was just, like, 'Oh, it's okay. You can be anything you wanna be. It's all right. Just don't do it again,' blah, blah, blah. No. When I did something stupid, my dad would get the belt out and whoop my ass. And I learned, don't do that again. It made me respect people."

Eric added: "I have this theory that everyone gets my respect until they do something to lose it. And I don't care if they have a different opinion; that's not gonna lose my respect. I don't care if they view the world different. When they do something to me to lose the respect, then you're done at that point."

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's new album, "Rats In The Temple", came out on August 28, 2026 via Napalm Records.

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's current lineup is arguably its strongest ever. Knutson continues bringing the magic, steadily improving his craft with every album and tour. He's backed by the incredibly talented, exceptionally brilliant guitar duo of co-founder Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley, the powerful, precise and lightning fast magic of drummer Ken Mary (ALICE COOPER, ACCEPT) and the "fresh blood", extraordinary technical skills and prowess of bassist Bill Bodily.

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's new album marks 40 years since the band's groundbreaking debut, "Doomsday For The Deceiver" — one of the only albums to ever receive a 6K rating from Kerrang! magazine. Though bassist Jason Newsted departed to join METALLICA, the band pushed forward, following up with 1988's unstoppable "No Place For Disgrace". Since then, they have continued to evolve, showcasing some of their best work to date with recent releases "Flotsam And Jetsam", "The End Of Chaos", "Blood In The Water" and "I Am The Weapon".