Donkey versus Elephant

One of the most influential aspects of politics has yet to come to attention in this year's election: music.

From the protest songs of Vietnam to the anarcho pop-punk of today, music has been at the forefront of nearly every political scandal and event.

One of the most infamous recent political protest songs comes from Bright Eye's frontman Connor Oberst, who shocked many when he performed this song on the Late Show with Jay Leno in May of 2005:



I was recently given the opportunity to shoot for Against Me! and Ted Leo, both of whom are very active in voicing their political opinions. Seeing the sentiment that the crowd had when both acts referred to politics was intense (and it is actually kind of scary to stand in front of over 1,000 kids screaming "Fuck the Man"). Nonetheless, I think that music is a vital source of getting kids involved in the political scene. I remember being 13 and seeing Green Day, and at every entrance, there was a table of people registering voters.

Mr. Chesler often mentions that the people that vote the least are the youth, but I think with the activism taking place in music today, that may eventually become untrue.



"But after listening all morning, as I drove down 95
To a story of detainees who were barely kept alive
I could deal with trying to process pigeons acting like they're doves
But not with interference from the power lines above"
- Counting Down the Hours, Ted Leo

"Regime change under a Bush doctrine of democratic installations.
Constant war for constant soldiers.
What are we gonna do now?
De-escalation, through military force.
Increase the pressure, Oh Condoleeza
What should we do about the situation in Iran and North Korea?"
- From Her Lips To God's Ears (The Energizer), Against Me!

(From top to bottom: The Future of the Left, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, and Against Me! perform at Starland Ballroom on 10/10/2008)

http://www.myspace.com/futureoftheleft
http://www.tedleo.com/news.php
http://www.againstme.net/am.php