Obama Inspiring Musicians To Action
Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama is stirring political passion in the music world unlike any candidate in recent history. According to RollingStone.com, the list of artists who’ve come out in support of the Illinois Senator ranges from veteran rockers like Chuck Berry, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, to alternative rockers Green Day and Fall Out Boy, to rap stars Jay-Z, Common and Lil Wayne, to neo-soul crooner John Legend.
Especially impressive was the endorsement from Dylan, who rarely makes direct political statements. Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz says, “What Dylan said was mind-blowing. It’s like, I don’t really need to talk about Obama anymore if Bob Dylan’s talking about him.”
Conor Oberst, leader of indie rock outfit Bright Eyes, notices a significant difference between this election and 2004, when he joined the likes of Springsteen, John Fogerty, Dave Matthews, David Crosby, the Dixie Chicks and others on the Vote for Change tour promoting the candidacy of John Kerry against incumbent George W. Bush. Oberst says, “Then we were campaigning and voting against something. Now we are campaigning and voting for something, which is a completely different dynamic.” Crosby adds, “I worked for Kerry but with large reservations because I thought he was kind of a wooden Indian. You look at Barack, and you can’t help feeling hopeful.”
R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe, who’s designed his own Obama T-shirts and worn them onstage, comments, “We are a country of ideas that have been squandered. With Obama, we have the possibility to have someone who represents what we are in the 21st century. My generation blew it, and for the first time in my life, I can vote for someone younger than me.”