It’s only Rock-n-Roll…isn’t it?
October 12, 2008
In case you’re not sure, we’re less than a month away from one of the “most important elections” ever.
I’m reminding you because, since SC is seen as a state that’s not really in play (McCain should carry the state), you haven’t seen too many ads flooding the airwaves like the folks are seeing in the “swing states”.
I put the phrase “most important election” in quotes because….well….it seems like every election is labeled like that. At least this year, I think we have an election that will certainly change history. Whether Republicans win or Democrats win, our country will either have the first African-American President or the first female Vice-President. Both are pretty big news, if you ask me.
But tonight’s post isn’t about labels like black/white, male/female, Republican/Democrat though. We have enough labels in the world that separate us already.
One label I had to write about though is the ever present record-label and the music industry. I mean, forget the issues! Don’t we all just really listen to the songs that play when candidates walk out on stage and base our decision then who our guy (gal) is?
I mean, I’m the biggest Boston fan you’ll find; so when Huckabee played “More than a Feeling”, that was it! He was my man! But wait….then Tom Scholz got upset and told Huckabee to stop playing and using his song. Huckabee couldn’t really be my man if Boston didn’t like him, right?
Seems McCain’s DJ must not have passed around the permission slips either because John Cougar Mellencamp (does he still live on Hilton Head?) got into the act too.
Then you have the ladies from Heart. They rock pretty good (for ladies) I kinda figured they’d be Palin supporters. Not so fast though!
At what point do you ask yourself “Has it come to THIS?”
Of course, I like U2 too (had to put the cheesy pun there) and they’re a pretty good band. Saw ‘em years ago at Williams-Brice. Bono’s supporting Obama. Well, ok. Guess I’ll support him as well, right?
Most recently Jackson Browne (a little more mellow than some above) sued the McCain camp for playing one of his songs. I figured a laid-back dude like Browne would really not care so much but hey….I guess with all the Napster stuff years ago, every artist is a little touchy about his/her work.
To me, it makes no difference. In my opinion the music/entertainment industry is majority Democrats anyway and I think the country knows that. So what’s the big deal? I don’t think anyone assumes a band or singer has endorsed a candidate just because their song is played during a campaign event.
I also think it’s silly for folks to even think their endorsements matter. It’s about the issues and leadership. But hey….you go vote for anyone you want. Just don’t stop thinking about tomorrow!
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4 Responses to “It’s only Rock-n-Roll…isn’t it?”
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You would think that they’d think it was great that someone still remembered them and would be appreciative of still having fans.
But if they paid attention to their fans, instead of being jaded and petty, many of them might still have active music careers, instead of playing a few shows a year to just a few hundred people at a stop.
Last time I looked, Jackyl and Ted Nugent, those great hard rocking Americans, were on our side. They won’t mind us borrowing their songs, and you can bet I’d love to hear them rocking some of our campaign events.
Earl’s right….I can’t think of any conservative musicians besides Ted Nugent. I don’t know why they all cry about Republicans using their music…most of them are washed up has-beens and are lucky anyone hears their music anymore.
Mellencamp dropped the “Cougar” somewhere along the way and I see him in Hilton Head a good bit driving his black Range Rover. I think his primary residence is still Indiana though.
Here’s what they should be sining….http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE-LDfroa1w
Music is music — but it’s a business as well.
The Dems do seem to be more deliberative (less flippant) in their use of electoral tuneage. I’m quite sure, for instance, that our Hillary handled all the legal rigamarole before she OK’d the use of Tom Petty’s ‘American Girl’ on her tribute video at the DNC this year. Sometimes a little respect and recognition goes a long way.
Totally the opposite with how the Repubs did it this year — with no friggin’ clue, for example, that the song ‘Barracuda’ was a protest song of sorts about the male-dominated recording industry. Heart had to work very hard to prove they had substance that would sell records — they didn’t need to flash skin. And they would be about as in line with John McCain’s treatment of women as say his ex-wife, Carol.