Photo by Photo by Maor Attias
Arno Michaelis’ remarkable transformation from hate to harmony stands as a testament to the unifying power of music and culture. Once the lead singer of a neo-Nazi metal band and a key member of Hammerskin Nation, one of the most notorious white supremacist gangs in the US, Michaelis now dedicates his life to combating hate. As an anti-hate activist with organizations such as Parents for Peace, he works tirelessly to help others leave extremist ideologies behind. But for Michaelis, this path to redemption was unexpectedly shaped by the vibrant, inclusive world of rave culture.
In a revealing interview on Business Insider’s Authorized Account series, Michaelis spoke candidly about how the Midwest rave scene played a pivotal role in his deradicalization. “My deradicalization process was the Midwest rave scene,” he shared. “Within a year and a half of leaving the hate group, I found myself on the South Side of Chicago, 4 in the morning on Sunday, shaking my ass to house music with 3,000 people of every possible ethnicity, socioeconomic background, gender identity, sexual orientation—and loving every minute of it.”
The scene, he explained, became his refuge, offering the sense of belonging, purpose, and identity that had once been distorted by his involvement in hate groups. For Michaelis, the global rave ethos of PLUR (peace, love, unity, and respect) stood in stark contrast to his previous life of violence and paranoia. It was this community-driven, accepting space that helped him rebuild his sense of self, transforming from a spokesperson for hate into an advocate for peace and understanding.
For someone who once thrived in a world of division, Michaelis’s experience illustrates the unexpected power of music and culture to heal, offering a blueprint for redemption and a reminder of rave culture’s role as an inclusive force for change.
You can watch his interview with Business Insider below. See chapter 9, The Departure, for his discussion about rave culture.
