CMU reports on punkers banding together against the President.
Rock The Vote - but with a political agenda - we like it! Good Charlotte,
Pennywise, Green Day, NOFX, Alkaline Trio and Sum 41 have all agreed to
participate in a new compilation album called 'Rock Against Bush'. Organised
by NOFX singer Fat Mike, who owns independent label Fat Wreck Chords, the
album will try to encourage the punk community to take an interest in
politics, and more importantly to use their vote against the Bush administration. The album will be accompanied by a number of live shows immediately after its release, and in the lead up to the election itself.
Fat Mike: "About a year ago I decided to use my influence to get bands together to speak out about the president. I think it's our responsibility as citizens and musicians to do so. He's wrecking the country and the world.
He's starting wars for no reason, our economy is in the toilet, he's ruining the environment, and he does things like cut taxes when we need money. We're trying to build a coalition of kids 18 to 25. We want punks and other disenfranchised young people to vote as a block, which no one has ever done
before. Kids are the biggest group of people that don't vote. We want to change that."
Mike admits that the name 'Rock Against Bush' might cause opposition at some
colleges and radio stations and that a name change may be required. "Certain
colleges won't advertise it as Rock Against Bush, and a lot of radio stations won't mention the name either. So we may just call it the Punkvoter tour or something, but to us it will always be Rock Against Bush."
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Alex
NOFX made much better albums before they got a social conscience. They have a huge catalog of catchy, clever, funny music. Between "The Decline" and the new CD, it seems like every other song is just another whine about how everyone who doesn't see the world their way is a stupid sheep. I'd rather hear more songs about Fat Mike's obsession with big lesbians than his new love affair with Michael Moore.
2 - Kel
What these "punks" fail to understand is that voting for Democrats will inevitably lead to statist solutions to purported problems. Where did the anarchist ethos go? They should be towing a small government, libertarian line -- not shilling for Democrats.
3 - frost@work
I think what Alex and Kel both seem to be missing is that one of the key idealogical points behind punk rock is the freedom to speak for yourself. Fat Mike tells people to use their brain, then turns around and says "think whatever you want as long as it's this _______." It's a shame that he's rallying behind one specific party. Punk rock isn't about political parties... it's about issues.
4 - Eric Olsen
I don't even think it's about issues - I think it's about questioning authority of all kinds, questioning underlying assumptions, popping pomposity and false morality. None of these things in volve any particular political leanings or issues. It's more of a mode of operating than anything else, and that mode can be applied to anything.
5 - frost@work
absoultely Eric... I agree with you. Questioning authority includes the infamous Fat Mike.
What I meant by 'issues' is that punk rock ideals focus much heavier on issues than on broad-based group support.
Ultimately punk rock ethics boil down to a post-modern realistic version of fairness and equality. Telling me to dump bush and vote democrat isn't punk rock... well maybe pop-punk, who knows?
6 - Andrew Ian Dodge
Most punk is far too left-wing/anarchist for my taste, whereas metal/hard rock was always more libertarian.
There are metal bands that tried to be political and lefty like Warrior Soul. Most people werent really impressed with Cory Clarke's left-wing polemics. There were others who tried it, but they tended to be more subtle than Clarke.
7 - BRICKLAYER
But the ethics you speak of would certainly not pertain to all that is considered punk. I don't believe Antiseen, G.G. or Poison Idea are much concerned with "a post-modern realistic version of fairness and equality".
Their "Punk rock ideals" are more along the lines of taking a dump in public and making you eat it. And hey, isn't that more punk rock than Food Not Bombs?
8 - BRICKLAYER
But yo Marty, I think alot of that is because the bands know where their bread is buttered. Prototypical (but truly not typical)Harry Hessian (son of Joe Sixpack) wants to shoot guns, rob graveyards, and defile the school nurse. He wants the Pantera soundtrack of his life to validate his lifestyle. He does not wish to hear Phil Anselmo blather on about fixing the Medicare prescription drug problem (now, the non-prescription drug problem, that being they can't get enough of them, is fair lyrical game). Of course, alot of metal goons like Zakk Wylde and psycho Phil seem like the militia type anyway. Or at least the lone gun man at a McDonald's type (but not the "Lone Gunmen" type-those dudes were cool. Curse you Fox for another cancellation of a great show!) Harry wants free access to weapons, narcotics, and he wants to ride his bike without a helmet. Hey metal heads are Libertarians!
9 - Andrew Ian Dodge
How about my "blood brother" Ted Nugent? He is very libertarian...guns, huntin' and loud guitars.
Of course some the death-metallers want to defile the local graveyard, shoot guns and shag the local animal population. (Or is that just in Norway?)
10 - BRICKLAYER
Truly. And I can't wait for Ted's reality series.
I believe some Long Island Slayer fans also share the affinity for graveyard frolic and exhumation.
11 - Eric Olsen
This is a good discussion - the other problem with politics and music is that most musicians are content to let you know how they see it, they feel the need to know you see it their way. There is a place in art for advocacy, but it must sell itself from within, not because (insert misician) says so.
And lastly (for the moment), artists in general tend to be absolutists and rather naive about the real world, which again is fine in the context of art: war IS bad for children and other living things, love IS the answer, and it's swell for a story or painting or song or poem to point these things out, but this generally does not translate well to the real world of policy.
12 - mike
This idea that punks are leftists and metalheads rightists or libertarians is way overblown. When I was living in Hermosa Beach and Torrance in the early 1980s, an awful lot of punks I met were very racist and homophobic. Most of the rest were totally nonpolitical. It was the violence that got them all excited. The "anti-hippie" rhetoric of early punk often came across as right wing and anti-leftist.
Henry Rollins would ramble on on and on at concerts and nobody would pay any attention to him. Then the kids would all get drunk and go beat the crap out of some Van Halen fans.
I've met quite a few metal kids over the last few years who are leftist partly because of listening to Mudvayne, System of a Down, and Rage.
13 - Al Barger
Wait, NOFX is against Bush? Well, why didn't they say so earlier. I'ma write a check to the DNC right now!
14 - Andrew Ian Dodge
Are you implying that being racist and homophobic is rightist? That seems to be the gist of some of the thing said. Are straight-edge punks extreme right or extreme left? It is certain they aren't libertarian that is for sure.
Punk has always been far more political than metal or hard rock, and that politics tends to of an left variety. Metalheads/hard rockers tend to be of a libertarian ilk with a few more rightist than that. Most rock bands are publically a-political for reasons of practicality, mostly due to career.
15 - Frost
andrew: breaking news... not all people who would classify themselves as 'punk' are racist or homophobic. same goes for straight-edge (that just means they are vegan, don't drink alcohol, no promiscious sex... nothing that's 'bad' for your body). That's like saying that if someone call himself a Christian then they are allied with the Klan.
Oh, and in many cases it has been the outright stance against certain political policies that has propelled bands into the position they now hold.
16 - Andrew Ian Dodge
Er Frost why are you telling me this? I never said punks were, it was Mike who mentioned those two things, not me.
I know what are straight-edge too.
17 - frost@work
ohh, sorry andrew...my bad. I misread your post and jumped the gun a bit.
18 - Andrew Ian Dodge
Heh, no problem.
It seems some other rock musicians don't want to let the punkers get all the glory.
19 - Yossarian
I have to say, I'm a big fan of Fat Mike and NOFX. In fact, I think their music gets better and better with each CD (although, I should say that I enjoy Pump Up the Valuum a bit more than War On Errorism). They're tight.
Having said that, I can't help but get irked every time Fattie opens his mouth on politics. He's just another punk spouting off on things that piss him off, offering no solutions. He does little more than give the 14 and 15 year olds out there (who are mostly too young to understand or even care about the true issues) a reason to yell, "Fuck Bush!"
Bush is wrecking the country and the world? How so? Is there a decent, logical, valid explanation for this? Of course not. It's just the typical rhetoric.
He's ruining the environment? How? He's done no such thing. Anyone that says this is not looking closely at the facts. He's ruining the economy? Not hardly. Look at the stock market. When did it start it's steady decline? At the end of 1999... one year before Bush took office. Even more, the economy is turning around now faster than most economist had thought possible. Starting wars for no reason? This makes me giggle the most. Obviously, he's never heard of a U.N. resolution.
I don't mind a punk band standing behind a party. That's no big deal. But, for a band, or for anyone, to have such blind hatred of another party is absurd.
As long as NOFX is a band, I'll enjoy their music and go to their shows. But, I'll be the one in the crowd that truly thinks for myself, rather than think the way Fat Mike wants me to.
(my two cents)
20 - mike
The White House is going to be devastated to learn that it's lost the punk vote.
21 - Eric Olsen
Very well-put and thoughtful Yossarian: love the music, ignore the rhetoric. People are supposed to grwo out of an ehtos of negativity when they get older, but some never do.
22 - allison
of course president bush is ruining the economy! we aren't even aloud to look at the energy policy, a lot of which was written by the oil comapanies themselves!
president bush didn't even sign the kyoto treaty.
in 50 years if things go as they are now at least half of the animals on the endangered list will be extinct.
and yossarian, i'll agree with you that mike does just give kids a reason to yell "fuck bush" but i really don't care why people hate bush just as long as they hate bush, and a lot of kids do know their stuff against bush
23 - Zack
Yossarian-You admitted yourself that you are a NOFX fan.....14 or 15 year old?
24 - Scott
For everyone who thinks that Fat Mike is saying "Vote Democrat" perhaps you should take a stroll over to the punkvoter site. Nowhere does it say vote democrat it simply encourages for young people to register to vote and vote against Bush. I believe there is a third party canididate by the name of Ralph Nader.
Secondly, what is the difference between Fat Mike organizing the Rock against Bush tour and the soon to be endless supply of commercials slandering John Kerry being paid for by "Friends of George W. Bush"?. Isn't it the same thing? At least Fat Mike is trying to get young people to vote.
25 - kent
the whole political punk thing isn't a surprise to those of us up in Canada, as we have grown up with bands like D.O.A. and the Dayglo Abortions. There are a number of left wing political bands (and not just recently either). Kreator have recorded a number of anti-fascist songs, for example. The whole notion of metalheads not being political is changing. It surprises me that more metalheads are not left simply because the right represents the greater threat to their ability to listen to the music they (and I) love.