Jon Schaffer, founder and guitarist of Iced Earth, recently sat down with Marc J. Victor and Andy Marcantel of Attorneys On Retainer to discuss his involvement in the January 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol and to give a testimonial for the Attorneys For Freedom law firm.
Schaffer explained that his political activism stemmed from his deep respect for America’s founding principles, something he said was influenced by his father and years of study. He described himself as “pro-freedom” rather than tied to either political side, adding that he rejects the label of extremist and believes the country has drifted too far from its roots.
“I don’t like to get into the left-right part of this, ’cause that’s not where my passion is,” Jon explained. “It’s pro freedom. And I want our country and the world to get back to that, and that’s what I’ve tried to express. And a lot of people have put me in a box of being a right-wing extremist and this kind of stuff. And I don’t consider freedom to be extreme.”
He also talked about the aftermath of his arrest, recalling how difficult his time in custody was. During his detention hearing in 2021, his lawyer said Schaffer had endured threats and even attacks from other inmates. Schaffer shared that because of the attention around his case, he was moved into solitary confinement.
He described the experience as more intense than anything else in his life, even compared to the struggles of leaving home young and starting a heavy metal band. Despite the hardship, he said it became a period of self-reflection that changed his life in positive ways, helping him see who truly supported him.
Schaffer noted the challenges he faced inside, including being denied access to both the library and the law library, and waiting weeks before receiving a Bible. Still, he viewed the ordeal as a blessing that forced him to step back from the “hamster wheel” of the music business and reflect on his life.
Looking back on his career, Schaffer said his real passion was always songwriting. He admitted he was never interested in the “rock star lifestyle,” media attention, or the ego-driven side of the music industry. For him, the greatest reward came from the songwriting process itself and bringing his creative ideas to life.
He admitted the amazing opportunities music had given him; traveling the world, meeting people, and experiencing different cultures but also admitted that without the spark to write songs, he has no desire to return to the business side of the industry. For him, songwriting was the only reason he endured the challenges of his career.
“It was intense. I mean, it was definitely intense. I was in general population for a couple days, but because I was all over the news, they moved me into solitary.
“I’ve been through a lot of intense things in my life, lived hardcore, being a teenager splitting from home, starting a heavy metal band and doing what you’ve gotta do to make that happen was intense. But dude, nothing compared to J6,” Schaffer continued. “So it was a crucible. And I’m thankful for it. I feel blessed in so many ways because you find out who really loves you, who are the parasites, who are the ones that really love you. And I’m blessed, man, ’cause there were a lot of people that stood beside me, even if they didn’t publicly. And I get that, but that doesn’t matter… It was a blessing, the entire thing was, because it got me… I stepped off the hamster wheel of the music business and was able to look at my life and reflect, and for that, as brutal as it was, that time of self-reflection, which is all you can do… I mean, it took probably three weeks for me to be able to get a Bible. We weren’t allowed to go to the library. They denied us access to the law library. There was literally nothing. And it’s been an incredible journey, and it’s life-changing in all of the good ways. And that’s what I can say about it.”
