"If fans are going to turn on me because of this, they weren't my fans anyway. I couldn't betray a whole 25 years of record making and not do this. I had to"

John Mellencamp is expressing his dedication to his craft and his fans. He is saying that if a few of his fans switch on him because of a choice he has made, then they weren't truly his fans in the first place. He is implying that he has actually been making music for 25 years and he could not betray that by refraining from doing something. He is showing his devotion to his music and his fans by making a decision that he thinks is right, even if it implies losing some of his fans. He is likewise revealing that he is willing to take risks and stand by his decisions, even if it means losing some of his fans. He is revealing that he is not afraid to take threats and stand by his decisions, even if it implies losing a few of his fans. He is showing that he is devoted to his craft and his fans, and that he will not betray them by not doing something he thinks is right.