Tea Party Chic

The onslaught of winter always makes me turn to the Velvet Underground, one of my very favorite bands, for that certain heroin-fueled winter warmth.

But this year my subway tunes are tainted. I've heard disturbing reports that the band's adorable drummer, Maureen Tucker, spent the better part of 2010 at Tea Party rallies, bashing what the Great American Fear Mongers believe to be the rise of "socialism." From feting with Edie Sedgwick to damning those bloody liberals - in a mere, erm, 40 years!

All right, so hey, no one's perfect. Like Wagnerians who admit to their hero's less ideal qualities (ranging anti-Semite, much?), I'm ready to enjoy the art without the repute of its creator. R.I.P. cool chick drummer. At least we still have Lou.