Not Exactly Rockin' The Vote

The onslaught of campaign lit, radio ads, tv commercials and outright election mania can only mean one thing: it's time to elect a new president. The fall of 2008 only promises to get worse for Joe Q. Pubic as the mindnumbing assault on our political leanings will continue throughout the fall season. While I'm not going to attempt to sway you or slay you with my own personal political truths and ideals, I do find it interesting, surprising and somewhat disgusting when we find some of our favorite musicians entering into the fray of politics. Not that we all shouldn't be involved (Vote Kids!) its just that sometimes, well, enough is enough. And before you break in with the whole "politics is part of rock and roll" Bob Dylan spiel, you might as well save it cause while it may have been cool to be Country Joe & the Fish back in the day, it just seems difficult to apply the same "give a damn" that protested the Viet Nam conflict to hybrid cars, government health care or immigration.

However, musicians will find themselves in the middle of this political debate much as each of us will. Some more than others. Jackson Browne recently sued John McCain for $75,000 for using his song "Running On Empty" on a RNC television ad. This amid reports that both ABBA and John Mellencamp have also asked that McCain quit using their songs. Perhaps Senator McCain should turn to some tunes from his own era - it was the Baroque era right? A nice little diddy by Beethoven, perhaps? Whatever the case, Browne (who donated $2400 to Obama's campaign last year) must have been ticked when he heard his tune open up the McCain ad. Maybe the McCain camp thought it was a James Taylor song?

Barak Obama, on the other hand, has a slew of musician support for his candidacy. Which pretty much follows tradition except for the fact that this time around the contrast between who will get the coolest musician's in their corner is staggering to say the least. Consider the following from Newsweek : "So far Will.i.am, the Decemberists, Arcade Fire, The Gratefull Dead, Macy Gray, and Wilco have serenaded Obama fans. In contrast, McCain claims but a single prominent musical supporter: California pop maestro Burt Bacharach." Even "Dubya" brought in Ted "The Motor City Madman" Nugent!??


At any rate, as the political machine begins to push the red line, we are sure to see more and more of our musician friends entering into the political spectrum. Perhaps it would do all musicians well to take a lesson from the Dixie Chicks, who lost a ton of revenue after speaking out politically, but then also made a killer album and won a Grammy and critical acclaim. Oh well, even I may be mixed up on this whole thing. But one thing is for sure, if you listen to this - even you will understand what I'm sayin'.

So without dividing up the RHT'ers into left aisle and right aisle, I ask you - what is your take on this election and music as we know it? Do you care what they think? Will it influence your vote? Do you just want me to stop posting nude pics of Macy Gray? (now you're clicking that link, aren't you?)


I wonder who Neil Young and Toby Keith will back this time around . . . .??

Vote or Die!