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Post by SweetNadine on Jul 31, 2004 14:24:50 GMT -5
www.app.com/app/story/0,21625,1015977,00.html Is Bruce in tune with Kerry campaign? Published in the Asbury Park Press 7/31/04 "We made a promise we swore we'd always remember No retreat, baby, no surrender Like soldiers in the winter's night with a vow to defend No retreat, baby, no surrender" -- From "No Surrender" by Bruce Springsteen By MICHAEL T. RILEY STAFF WRITER John Kerry may endorse Bruce Springsteen, but so far, the Boss hasn't returned the favor. "No Surrender," from Springsteen's 1984 album "Born in the U.S.A.," has become the Kerry-Edwards campaign theme song. It is piped through speakers at campaign stops, and was played on Kerry's arrival at Boston's FleetCenter during this week's Democratic convention and again at the convention's finale. A link on the Kerry campaign's Web site names "No Surrender" as the Massachusetts senator's favorite song. "That's what happens to art," said Patricia Ard, associate professor of English at Ramapo College in Mahwah. "It gets appropriated. Whether Springsteen appreciates it is a separate question. Kerry was smart in using that song, which takes a tough-guy stance, as his theme song. It is a smart move to take something from popular culture that may resonate with the people you are trying to reach." This is not the first time a presidential candidate has dropped the Freehold native's name or music to court the electorate. In 1984, President Reagan, at a re-election campaign stop in Hammonton, said, "America's future rests in a thousand dreams inside your hearts; it rests in the message of hope in songs so many young Americans admire: New Jersey's own Bruce Springsteen . . ." Reagan's critics were quick to point out at the time that he misunderstood the meaning of Springsteen's music, particularly "Born in the U.S.A." Springsteen himself hinted at that later that September at a concert at which he said: "The president was mentioning my name the other day, and I kinda got to wondering what his favorite album must have been. I don't think it was the 'Nebraska' album . . ." "Nebraska," a 1982 acoustic album, was filled with songs of despair. "The appropriation has to be appropriate," Ard said. Issue-oriented Unlike fellow Garden State rocker Jon Bon Jovi, who recently hosted a fund-raiser for Kerry at his Middletown estate, Springsteen's involvement in politics has been more circumspect, identified with issues rather than candidates. In the past 20-plus years, the Colts Neck resident has lent his name and talent to a number of causes, including the 1980 concerts for Musicians United for Safe Energy (MUSE) and the left-leaning Christic Institute. He has toured on behalf of Amnesty International and campaigned against a 1996 California anti-affirmative action ballot initiative. A little more than two years ago, Springsteen was the object of a half-serious attempt to draft him in a New Jersey U.S. Senate Race, prompting the musician to restate the famous political dictum, "If nominated, I will not run; if elected, I will not serve." The Kerry choice of theme song comes at a time when rumors of Springsteen's participation in the ongoing presidential campaign abound. There was the rumor, for instance, since repudiated, that Springsteen was planning a free anti-Bush concert in Central Park during the Republican National Convention. There are other rumors making the rounds. One is that Springsteen has rented Convention Hall in Asbury Park for the entire month of September, possibly for rehearsals. Larry Fishman, chief operating officer of Asbury Partners, which owns and manages the venue, did not return a phone call from the Asbury Park Press yesterday. A rock star summit? And the Los Angeles Times recently reported that Springsteen, Neil Young, R.E.M., Pearl Jam and other rock stars will stage a series of concerts in a strategic swing state beginning in October to bring out the anti-Bush vote. As of yesterday, however, there were no official statements concerning any fall concerts from Springsteen on either his official Web site or on the Web site of Springsteen's publicists at Shorefire Media. A spokesman for Shorefire advised that fans should "keep checking the 'breaking news' section of the Web site for any new statements." The Los Angeles Times reported that the official tour announcement will be held in New York on Wednesday. Go Back | Subscribe to the Asbury Park Press
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Post by LS on Aug 3, 2004 21:50:35 GMT -5
Yo snizz...word up- I can unzip the lips now ;D ...the official unofficial announcement's been made: Top Artists To Rock Swing States Edited By Jonathan Cohen August 03, 2004 An announcement is expected tomorrow (Aug. 4) with details of the upcoming Vote for Change tour, presented by MoveOn.Org's political action committee MoveOn PAC and America Coming Together (ACT), an organization advocating change in government. The series is set to begin Oct. 1 in Pennsylvania and will include in the neighborhood of 40 shows in such presidential election "battleground" states as Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Missouri and Florida. Sources say the format will be several concerts in different cities in one state on a given night; shows include R.E.M. with Bruce Springsteen, Dixie Chicks with James Taylor and Jackson Browne with Bonnie Raitt, along with performances by such acts as Jimmy Buffett, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews Band. A host of additional acts are expected to participate. Tentative plans call for a major concert featuring several acts on Oct. 10 in Miami. Among those spearheading the effort are Springsteen's manager Jon Landau and R.E.M. manager Bertis Downs. A number of artists will be hitting the airwaves tomorrow to discuss the tour; Springsteen will be interviewed by Ted Koppel on ABC's "Nightline," Matthews will appear in the morning on NBC's "The Today Show," while R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills will be interviewed by Al Franken at 1:30 p.m ET on the Air America Radio Network.
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snizz
Full Member
I'm sure I'd be more upset if I weren't quite so heavily sedated
Posts: 322
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Post by snizz on Aug 4, 2004 0:02:40 GMT -5
Yo snizz...word up- I can unzip the lips now ;D ...the official unofficial announcement's been made: I'm too old for this playing cybertag crap. You're over there, then you're over here. Damn you kept it zipped but good! This sounds very intriguing, but my money was on him popping up unannounced somewhere.
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Post by Roughneck on Aug 4, 2004 0:07:51 GMT -5
I'm in a swing state. Maybe I'll get a good show outta this. ;D
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Post by LS on Aug 4, 2004 0:24:35 GMT -5
I'm too old for this playing cybertag crap. You're over there, then you're over here. Damn you kept it zipped but good! This sounds very intriguing, but my money was on him popping up unannounced somewhere. LOL!! I wouldn't count that one out yet snizz...there's still a ways to go and he's famously unpredictable and just does what he does when the mood strikes him... I'm not so sure he supports Kerry as much as he's against what the Bushies and their policies stand for...and the attempts at surpressing the freedom of speech thing's really gotten to everybody the most I think. But you notice the difference- he directly requested Reagan to stop using his song...but he hasn't asked Kerry to.
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Post by LS on Aug 4, 2004 0:26:53 GMT -5
I'm in a swing state. Maybe I'll get a good show outta this. ;D Yeah sounds that way... Bands Gather to Stump Against BushBy LARRY McSHANE NEW YORK (AP) - In an unprecedented series of concerts in nine swing states, more than 20 musical acts - including Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam and the Dixie Chicks - will perform fund-raising concerts one month before the Nov. 2 election in an effort to unseat President Bush. The shows, which will begin Oct. 1 in Pennsylvania, will take an unusual approach: as many as six concerts on a single day in cities across the states expected to decide the November presidential race. Other stops on the tour are North Carolina, Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin and the key state in 2000, Florida. "We're trying to put forward a group of progressive ideals and change the administration in the White House,'' Springsteen told The Associated Press in the most overtly political statements of his 30-year career. "That's the success or failure, very clear cut and very simple.'' The artists of different generations and genres will tour under the name ``Vote For Change,'' with shows Oct. 1-8. But the money generated will go to America Coming Together, which promises on its Web site to ``derail the right-wing Republican agenda by defeating George W. Bush.'' The anticipated millions of dollars will be spent in the swing states before the presidential election, said ACT president Ellen Malcolm. The shows will be presented by MoveOn Pac, the electoral arm of the liberal interest group MoveOn.org, with an official announcement expected Wednesday. There was no immediate word on prices for tickets, which were going on sale for all shows Aug. 21. The shows will pair artists, such as Springsteen and REM or the Dixie Chicks and James Taylor. There will be 34 shows in 28 cities. Natalie Maines, of the Dixie Chicks, who memorably told a London audience last year that she was ashamed to share her home state of Texas with Bush, echoed a Springsteen comment that this was the most important election of their lives. "A change is in order,'' Maines said. ``There's never been a political climate like this, which is so the polar opposite of me as a person and what I believe in.'' The idea was hatched by several of the acts' managers, and quickly expanded. ``Once we started talking to each other, ideas started percolating and other artists started reaching out to us,'' said Jon Landau, Springsteen's manager. Other artists participating in the shows include hip-hoppers Jurassic 5, John Mellencamp, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Babyface, Bright Eyes and the Dave Matthews Band. Most have a history of social activism, from Browne's anti-nuclear concerts to Mellencamp's Farm Aid shows. Pearl Jam front man Vedder was a Ralph Nader backer in 2000. "At some point, you can't sit still,'' said Vedder, a harsh critic of the Iraq war. ``You can't spend your life, when people are getting killed, without asking serious questions about why.'' Springsteen said he didn't fear any backlash over going public with his personal politics. "It's a pretty clear-cut decision in November,'' said Springsteen, whose songs have provided a backdrop for some Kerry events. "We're chipping in our two cents. That's all we're trying to do.''
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Post by LS on Aug 4, 2004 10:21:10 GMT -5
Vote For Change The tour will kick off Oct. 1 with a concerted effort in Pennsylvania, where Springsteen & the E Street Band will play Philadelphia with R.E.M., John Fogerty and Bright Eyes, while Pearl Jam will play Reading, Pa., with Death Cab For Cutie. State College, Pa. will get the Dave Matthews Band, Jurassic 5 and My Morning Jacket on that date and the Dixie Chicks will team up with James Taylor to play Pittsburgh. John Mellencamp and Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds will perform together in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt and Keb' Mo' will stir things up in Williamsport, Pa. Pearl Jam/Death Cab For Cutie tour dates:10/1: Reading, OH 10/2: Toledo, OH 10/3: Grand Rapids, MI 10/5: St. Louis, MO 10/6: Asheville, NC 10/7: Kissimmee, FL Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band/R.E.M./John Fogerty/Bright Eyes tour dates:10/1: Philadelphia, PA 10/2: Cleveland, OH 10/3: Ann Arbor, MI 10/5: St. Paul, MN 10/8: Orlando, FL Dave Matthews Band/Jurassic 5/Ben Harper/My Morning Jacket tour dates:10/1: State College, PA 10/2: Dayton, OH 10/3: Detroit, MI 10/5: Madison, WI 10/6: Ames, IA 10/8: Gainesville, FL Jackson Browne/Bonnie Raitt/Keb' Mo'/ tour dates:10/1: Williamsport, PA 10/2: TBA 10/3: Grand Rapids, MI 10/5: Kansas City, MO 10/6: Des Moines, IA 10/8: Jacksonville, FL Dixie Chicks/James Taylor tour dates:10/1: Pittsburgh, PA 10/2: Cleveland, OH 10/3: Detroit, MI 10/5: Iowa City, IA 10/6: St. Louis, MO 10/8: Tampa Bay, FL John Mellencamp/Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds tour dates:10/1: Wilkes-Barre, PA 10/2: Cincinnati, OH 10/3: Flint, MI 10/5: Milwaukee, WI 10/8: Miami, FL ***Other Artists TBAPre-Sale Ticket Orders: www.moveon.org All proceeds will benefit America Coming Together
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Southbound
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Just a flesh wound!
Posts: 105
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Post by Southbound on Aug 4, 2004 21:25:18 GMT -5
Backstreets just posted a great interview with Da Boss today. www.backstreets.com/news.htmlIn an update on TV appearances, Steve (Van Zandt) guests on Craig Kilborn Aug. 5.
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Roland
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Robert Johnson King of the Delta Blues
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Post by Roland on Aug 4, 2004 23:24:39 GMT -5
I just watched Nightline. As usual with TV, there were more commercials than interview. There wasn't enough time for Bruce to clearly make his points and the edit job was awful, but I thought he did manage to raise some very valid ones. The interview Southbound posted was a lot more in depth in explaining his views. I salute those who are putting it all on the line and are standing up for what they believe in. I only wish I lived in or close enough to one of the swing states to be a part of it.
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snizz
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I'm sure I'd be more upset if I weren't quite so heavily sedated
Posts: 322
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Post by snizz on Aug 5, 2004 0:36:28 GMT -5
I just watched Nightline. As usual with TV, there were more commercials than interview. There wasn't enough time for Bruce to clearly make his points and the edit job was awful, but I thought he did manage to raise some very valid ones. The interview Southbound posted was a lot more in depth in explaining his views. I salute those who are putting it all on the line and are standing up for what they believe in. I only wish I lived in or close enough to one of the swing states to be a part of it. That's about what I expected from that one. And he was his characteristically off-stage reserved self. But yea, he got in some good points like it's true there's not much difference in their policies on Iraq, but what he alluded to was it's all in the style baby! and that's the Gods honest truth. I liked some of the other comments from the other artists. Steve Earle, he's the man! I'll have to tune in to Kilborn to see Steve. That one should be good and I don't think we'll be seeing "reserved". ;D
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Post by LS on Aug 5, 2004 22:28:37 GMT -5
E Street To Back Fogerty On Tour
Barry A. Jeckell, N.Y. and Ray Waddell, Nashville
In what promises to be fulfill a classic rock fan's dream, Bruce Springsteen says he and the E Street Band will serve as John Fogerty's backing band on the upcoming Vote for Change tour.
"We're gonna back John," Springsteen tells Jay Lustig in today's (Aug. 5) edition of the New Jersey Star Ledger newspaper. "John's coming, he doesn't have a band right now, so we're gonna do our best for him."
Asked if he would be on stage for that part of the show, Springsteen says, "Are you kidding me? I'm going to be playing those John Fogerty songs. You better believe it."
The five shows they'll play together will kick off Oct. 1 in Philadelphia and also feature R.E.M. and indie rock act Bright Eyes on the bill.
An unabashed fan, Springsteen and the E Street Band have frequently covered Fogerty's Creedence Clearwater Revival-era songs in concert, including tapping "Who'll Stop the Rain" during bad weather at outdoor stadium shows.
<<<<In the midst of a handful of solo dates that wrap Sunday (Aug. 8) in Houston, Fogerty is readying the release of a new album, "Deja Vu (All Over Again)," due Sept. 21 via Geffen. The title track is a sharp critique of the war in Iraq, with such lyrics as "Day by day we count the dead and dying / Ship the bodies home while the networks all keep score."
The album includes guest appearances by Tom Petty organist Benmont Tench, drummer Kenny Aronoff, dobro master Jerry Douglas, and Dire Straits leader Mark Knopfler.>>>>
As for the Vote for Change tour, it will feature various groupings of artists playing concerts in electoral swing states across a few days in early October in an effort to oust George Bush from the presidency. The entire tour is being presented by MoveOn.Org's political action committee MoveOn PAC and America Coming Together (ACT), an organization advocating change in government.
Springsteen tells the Star Ledger that idea for the tour came out of conversations with his manager, Jon Landau about "wanting to do something this election season." Landau convened with the managers of other participating acts, such as Pearl Jam and the Dixie Chicks, and the tour was born.
"These artist citizens all feel the need to speak out," Landau tells Billboard. "They will do that respectfully and intelligently, then let the chips fall where they may."
The tour is sophisticated in its targeted approach, instead of grandstanding in major media markets. While Philadelphia, Cleveland, Milwaukee and Orlando, Fla., are on the route, so are Ames, Iowa; Kalamazoo, Mich.; Toledo, Ohio; and Asheville, N.C.
"We don't have a show in New York or Los Angeles, because [those cities] don't need this," Landau adds. "These artists are not out there to play for their buddies. The last time Bruce played Ann Arbor [Mich.] was 1980. We want to make sure people there know."
"The goal is very clear," Springsteen says in the Star Ledger. "We want to change administrations in November... It's a combination of voter mobilization and some education. It's going to be a lot of fun and entertaining for people -- and inspirational, hopefully."
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Post by LS on Aug 10, 2004 1:19:27 GMT -5
LOL...I hear ya snizz!! ;D Three of 'em I'd really love to hit- and have relatives in the proper strategic places but problem is- can't be in three places at one time. But...I can't help but wonder- if we all cross the border is it gonna defeat the whole purpose?? Like they said- they're not holding any here cause they don't need to...they're trying to raise awareness and get people to register to vote in places they need to- and if the venues get filled up with out-of-staters...well that's not their goal...kinda a catch-22 situation. Steve was a rip...like 'don't even go there' And Bruce...he's taking a lot of heat. But hey- them that don't like it- screw 'em. Mark Chesnutt's gonna be at the GOP convention. I don't agree with his political views- so I'm supposed to stop liking his music?? What's one thing got to do with the other?? Toby Keith's a totally different story- he was being personally insulting- calling people who didn't agree with his views unAmerican, unpatriotic and unsupportive of our troops. Thing that cracks me up is most of the 'outraged' are boomers who were probably carrying peace signs and singin' along with Country Joe's "Fixin' To Die Rag" at Woodstock...but now all the sudden everybody's supposed to just sit down and shut up. This country's suddenly reverted back to the sicko McCarthy mindset when everyone in the entertainment field was automatically deemed a left-wing wacko.
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Post by LS on Aug 12, 2004 0:03:43 GMT -5
Remake of 1970s Hit to Mobilize Voters By EMILY FREDRIX
WASHINGTON (AP) - Putting a current spin on a 1975 hit, anti-Bush musicians Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott and Eve are remaking "Wake Up Everybody'' to mobilize new voters.
In 1976, Democrats blasted the song by Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes to court black voters to back Jimmy Carter's first White House bid. Today, the artists are recording the remake, Kenny "Babyface'' Edmonds announced Tuesday and is scheduled to hit U.S. radio outlets Monday, Aug. 16. An album will be available September 16th on Universal/Bungalo. A 50-minute DVD spotlighting the "Wake Up" recording sessions will also be included.
Sales of the album, which also includes songs by Yoko Ono, Marvin Gaye, Eric Clapton and Linda Rondstadt, will benefit America Coming Together (ACT), which is mobilizing voters to support progressive candidates in a variety of elections.
"This song is the spirit of the country and all these artists have the will to change it,'' Edmonds said in a release.
The song encourages people to take action, saying, "The world has changed so very much from what it used to be. There's so much hatred, war and poverty.''
Other names on the album include hip hop guru Russell Simmons, who is running his own Hip-Hop Summit Action Network this election year and Wyclef Jean.
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Post by SweetNadine on Aug 14, 2004 11:02:44 GMT -5
I just watched Nightline. As usual with TV, there were more commercials than interview. There wasn't enough time for Bruce to clearly make his points and the edit job was awful, but I thought he did manage to raise some very valid ones. The interview Southbound posted was a lot more in depth in explaining his views. I salute those who are putting it all on the line and are standing up for what they believe in. I only wish I lived in or close enough to one of the swing states to be a part of it. I watched the Nightline show featuring The Boss. He spoke on many issues. I think his main concern is his 14 year old son and the possibility of the draft being reborn. I am glad The Boss and the other artists are standing up for what they believe in. I don't think they care if they piss-off people or lose sales because of their perspective. I read the article over on Backstreets...got to love The Boss. I saw a good picture in The Forum of this week-end's edition of USA Today. The shelf of Political Science books with a cassette of The Boss and Pearl Jam and a DVD of Ben Affleck tucked in between books of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. I think these two men would be proud to see Artists and an Actor who do not want to go abroad creating monsters.
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