Kerry concerts and Steve Earle

[zulchzulu]

I was talking with Steve Earle today in Madison, WI and we were talking about how musicians have been very careful about making political positions ever since the near character assassination of bands like the Dixie Chicks and the power of Clear Channel to shut them down and demonize them.

Steve says hi. He backed Dennis but is now firmly a Kerry fan. He realizes this election is too important to just act like a silenced carnival worker.

Anyway, he is thinking about getting out and backing Kerry and helping out with the Kerry Concert efforts.

http://www.concertsforkerry.com/

He's a damn good man and an amazing songwriter and I hope he goes on and helps out.

What was interesting about the conversation was how Clear Channel has become what I call the Police state form of the musical industrial complex.

On edit: Steve is in Madison for the annual Progressive Magazine conference. He's playing at a couple events.

http://www.progressive.org/

[NMDemDist2]

1. link no good n/t

[zulchzulu]

2. My Bad...

http://www.concertsforkerry.com/

[flpoljunkie]

3. That's great news! I hope it happens.

Steve Earle is a great songwriter with a social conscience--something we can use more of in this country.

[kanrok]

4. Copperhead Road

came on my Ipod whilst I was cutting the lawn. What a great song.

[riverwalker]

5. I love Steve Earle

he did a song a few years back about a prison guard tormenting a prisoner, "he's no less a prisoner just because he thinks he's free".
Gawd, everything he writes is a masterpiece.

"Alway's remember, it is NEVER, EVER unpatriotic to criticize your government in a FUCKING DEMOCRACY!!!!" Steve Earle intro on "Just an American Boy"

[John_H]

6. Steve Earl is the greatest.

Guitar Town was one of the records we blasted contintually at our state Clinton HQ in 92. Your post brought back some great memories. Thanks.

[zulchzulu]

8. The funny thing about Steve Earle today

He was really fired up about being a participant in the Progressive Magazine conference in his way of speaking his mind politically through his songs.

I asked him if he's been writing songs about recent events and he said he'd been a tad busy. I told him that Fallujah and Iraq are pretty easy to do rhyming poetry to and it was like a light bulb popped out of his head.

I'd expect him to do some tunes about the recent Iraq war events sometime soon.

Fuck Clear Channel.

[mac56]

7. I've been a fan since "Guitar Town".

nm