It's too bad the atmosphere of repression in the United States is preventing musicians from speaking out on matters political:
- In an unprecedented series of concerts in nine swing states, more than 20 musical acts — including Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam and the Dixie Chicks — will perform fund-raising concerts one month before the Nov. 2 election in an effort to unseat President Bush.
The shows, which will begin Oct. 1 in Pennsylvania, will take an unusual approach: as many as six concerts on a single day in cities across the states expected to decide the November presidential race. Other stops on the tour are North Carolina, Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin and the key state in 2000, Florida.
"We're trying to put forward a group of progressive ideals and change the administration in the White House," Springsteen told The Associated Press in the most overtly political statements of his 30-year career. "That's the success or failure, very clear cut and very simple."
The artists of different generations and genres will tour under the name "Vote For Change," with shows Oct. 1-8. But the money generated will go to America Coming Together, which promises on its Web site to "derail the right-wing Republican agenda by defeating George W. Bush."
The anticipated millions of dollars will be spent in the swing states before the presidential election, said ACT president Ellen Malcolm.
The shows will be presented by MoveOn Pac, the electoral arm of the liberal interest group MoveOn.org, with an official announcement expected Wednesday.
....The idea was hatched by several of the acts' managers, and quickly expanded. "Once we started talking to each other, ideas started percolating and other artists started reaching out to us," said Jon Landau, Springsteen's manager. [AP]
Artists participating thus far include:
Pearl Jam
Bruce Springsteen
R.E.M.
Dave Matthews Band
Jurassic 5
Dixie Chicks
Death Cab for Cutie
James Taylor
Ben Harper
My Morning Jacket
Jackson Browne
Bonnie Raitt
John Fogerty
Keb' Mo'
Bright Eyes
John Mellencamp
Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds
Sagacious words from the artists:
- "A vote for change is a vote for a stronger, safer, healthier America. A vote for Bush is a vote for a divided, unstable, paranoid America. It is our duty to this beautiful land to let our voices be heard. That's the reason for the tour. That's why I'm doing it."
Dave Matthews
"As concerned mothers, women and most importantly concerned Americans, we are compelled to do what we can to inspire other voters to get involved in this year's election. We hope our participation in the Vote For Change Tour will be a catalyst for positive change."
The Dixie Chicks
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Kurt Nordstrom
I'm glad that I learned a long time ago that the ability to act, sing, shred a guitar, dance or look pretty has absolutely nothing to do with the validity of your political opinions. Otherwise I'd only listen to music by conservative artists, and I mean, what's even out there? Pat Boone?
2 - Eric Olsen
I am of two minds on this: I agree entirely that celebrities are given far too much time to express their views, not because they are well-formed or logical or whatever, but simply because they are celebrities. But on the other hand, I do not wish to prohibit or inhibit anyone, even stupid celebrities, from speaking their minds.
The anti-Bush forces are showing very impressive organizational abilites and are highly energized. this is a very interesting and strange time.
3 - Kurt Nordstrom
Oh certainly, I think that people are silly to equate performance skills with good politics, but, by all means, let the show go on!
And encourage more Republican musicians ;-)
4 - Craig Lyndall
Death Cab for Cutie are famous because they sing beautiful songs about girls, relationships and other situations. I really hate mixing politics with their music by doing a concert. Write something on your website, do interviews, but don't combine it with the thing that I love you for. It is self-important.
Just my opinion.
5 - BRICKLAYER
Crap. Why does the Steel City get stuck with Dixie Chixxx and gramps Taylor and denied the Boss and REM?!?! How do those yokels on the eastern (RIGHT side if yer lookin' at a map!)rate? This is a heinous slap in the face to the fine people of Western PA, and the home of the Heinz-Kerry compound, to which I can only assume is some sort of vast right wing conspiracy to deny me of my right to rock. I feel quite sure that Rick Santorum is involved in this somehow!
6 - BRICKLAYER
Um, wait a minute, the yokels get Pearl Jam, and Philly gets the Boss. Okay, my bad. The city of brotherly luv deserves it, cos' that town rocks. I apologize. But we should have gotten Pearl Jam then, dangit all!
7 - Tom Johnson
I don't even know why people take their views seriously. People act like celebs are in on some special information, that they are gifted with extra vision and can see clearly things we pions obviously aren't privy to. Me, I look at it this way: if I wouldn't trust my neighbor or coworker's view on something, why would I trust the view of a rock star or actor? That also doesn't necessarily mean they're stupid - it just means they're just like us, they know just as much as the rest of us, or just as little depending on your view. Their viewpoints should be given no more creedance than the viewpoint of any random person you happened to bump into.
8 - Craig Lyndall
I actually covered this topic a few months ago over here:
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/05/13/135029.php
9 - Distorted Angel
At least in this case, ticket buyers will know up front that there's an agenda, and I wouldn't expect anyone who didn't agree with the agenda to buy a ticket. My feelings about musicians spouting their political views from the stage are pretty simple -- it's fine, just as long as they happen to be *my* political views, too :-)
10 - JR
Hmmm, the only act mentioned above that I've actually paid to see is Ted Nugent. (Well, I also saw Keb' Mo', but he was an opening act.) So the Democrats aren't yet the run away leaders for my musical dollar.
11 - Jill McFarland
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN? The guy has no musical talent whatsoever. Not only does he sing like a dead cow, but his songwriting skills are like those of a 6-year-old. Anybody can write songs about how bad police officers are and anybody can exploit 911 for every penny that it's worth.
12 - Kurt Nordstrom
Hey, don't hate on the Boss like that. He may have some twisted political views (in my not so humble opinion), but songs like "Thunder Road", "The River" and "Dancing in the Dark" will always have their place in my heart (and CD collection).
13 - Eric Olsen
there is a vast amount of talent and almost innumerable great songs in this lineup, and Springsteen is the msot important American rocker of the last 30 years.
14 - Greg
Bruce has the op ed in Thursday's NY Times--"Chords for Change"
http://nytimes.com/2004/08/05/opinion/05bruce.html
pretzelboy
15 - Sussman
Weak-willed fans: "Oh, if John Cougar is gonna vote for Kerry, so will I!"
16 - Lono
This is indeed a strange and interesting time. My blog also is often a mouthpiece to eliminate the Bush regime. It is true that musicains aren't any more knowledgable than us... but at least they are taking a stand and making a commitment to something they regard as important... how many of us do that?
Viva Democracy,
Viva John Kerry
regards,
Lono
17 - Eric Olsen
Thanks for the link Greg, Lono, they guys should get blogs like we do
18 - Shark
re:
Pearl Jam, R.E.M., Dave Matthews
- vs -
Toby Keith, Ted Nugent, Kid Rock
Our pretentious, has-been, past-their-prime, marginalized, rock singers can whip your pretentious, has-been, past-their-prime, marginalized, rock singers!
19 - Eric Olsen
like the Dream Team vs Uganda
20 - Mark Edward Manning
I love how you kicked this entry off with "It's too bad the atmosphere of repression in the United States is preventing musicians from speaking out on matters political." Yeah, I'm waiting for Bush to call out the National Guard when these concerts start too!
For Fogerty, Browne, and Mellencamp, it's just their way of striving to remain relevant in the the music biz.
As for Eddie Vedder, he has always been the most prominent character screaming, "We're losing our free speech rights!" Yeah? Well, dude, you must be quivering with fear at the thought of taking the stage at these concerts, mustn't you?
21 - Shark
RE: "...atmosphere of repression..."
Oh, and don't forget:
Hundreds of radio stations NEVER pulled the Dixie Chicks from their play lists;
and there really WERE Weapons of Mass Destruction.
Feh.
"Atmosphere of repression" is the PERFECT phrase.
22 - Distorted Angel
Weak-willed fans: "Oh, if John Cougar is gonna vote for Kerry, so will I!"
Give the fans a little more credit than that. I stayed up way past my bedtime last night to catch Bruce on Nightline. His fans give him a piece of their collective mind when they disagree with his politics. If you spent any time on the Springsteen boards, you'd know that he's pissed off a sizable portion of his fan base by stating his position. I'm not at all interested in Mellencamp, so I don't know if he talks politics during his live performances, but I would imagine his fans might respond in much the same way if they disagreed with him.
Springsteen certainly doesn't need any more money, so while he's not going to suffer financially by alienating a segment of his fan base, I do give him credit for taking a stand in spite of the boos and the "New Jersey salutes" (his words to Ted Koppel last night).
23 - daniel
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN THE MOST IMPORTANT ROCKER OF THE PAST THIRTY YEARS? lol! Please give that title to someone who has at least an OUNCE of talent. Bruce can't write, can't sing, and can't play guitar well. He spoke out against police officers, exploited 911 for every penny it was worth, and is now trying to exploit the current political situation. The most important rocker of the past thirty years would have to be someone like Elton John or Kurt Kobain.
24 - Kurt Nordstrom
It is a sad day when the youth of America see Nirvana as more influential in the currents of Rock than Bruce Springsteen. And it's spelled "Cobain".
I might agree with you on Elton John, though.
25 - Distorted Angel
?? Elton John ?? Really?