Heh. When MY parents started to talk about politics, I ran to my room and put on the MC5 as loud as I could.

If you're listening to a rock star in order to get your information on who to vote for, you're a bigger moron than they are.

Agreed.

Why are we rock stars? Because we're morons. We sleep all day, we play music at night and very rarely do we sit around reading the Washington Journal."

Hahahahahaha! Good point, but I think you should speak for yourself.

And this is coming from a guy who calls himself "Alice" and wears ridiculous makeup.

Marko,

You are way too young to comment on this one. ;-)

Yeah. How old do you think I am, Rosemary?

Oh, you have Marilyn Manson on your side too. The man, the woman, or the "it" is a freaking Republican. Kind of scary group of people you have.

WE are evil, ya know?

I think you are 21 - tops!

The Beatles weren't political. Hmmmm.....

Your crystal ball almost had it right. Shave off a year and you had it right.

You're my favorite Republican, Mrs. Esmay. I'm not only saying this so you won't ban me from posting on your blog. You really are my favorite Republican...annoying, but still my favorite.

I very rarely ban people, Marko. It has only happened twice and both times it was after repeated warnings. I have a very "liberal" commenting policy!

Thanks though!

Billion dollar babies? I tried to point the fraud of this whole thing out to Ara previously and he's impervious. You're wrong about John Mellencamp. "Little Pink Houses" was a great song and will stand the test of time.

Mellencamp blows sperm whales. Ick.

Omigod, Ralph and I agree on something.

Geez Rosemary, you losing your soul? This convervative thing is mighty enticing but don't lose sight of the big picture.

Little Pink Houses?

The song that claims the biggest butchering of the English language?

"I can not forget from where it is that I come from."

Rock stars are great when they "rock" but let's face it, most of 'em, liberal or conservative, are unique if they finished 12th grade, have been sober the last 10 years or can manage their own finances. Same goes for most of the Hollywood names although it's not so unusual for some in that group to have been to college. I have nothing against anyone who didn't go to college (that includes myself so why would I be prejudiced) but I just can't get myself to take these people seriously when it comes to persuading the rest of us what direction the country ought to be going. Jeannine Garafolo? Please. Get-oudda-here.

Alice Cooper, a public figure and rock star, has publicly endorsed George Bush, thereby encouraging his fans to vote Republican, but is objecting to Springsteen and others using concerts to endorse Kerry? A difference without a distinction. By publicly speaking out for Bush, Cooper is involving rock in politics just as much as Springsteen.

I like Mellencamp. Never was a fan of Alice Cooper. I like Ted Nugent as long as I don't have to listen to him rant.

When did Jennine Garafolo start playing the guitar?

Rose, next time you go to a Karaoke Bar (like mine for instance) do Jack & Diane as a Rap tune. Totally hillareous! I can't get half-way through it anymore without laughing Guiness through my nose.

The Boss OTOH used to rock and sing about America and Jersey and getting laid alot. But once he wrote about "My Home Town" (not that one -- the song about Youngstown) he went on my "do not buy or download" list. Actually when "The River" came out I was done with him. He's written a total of 2 songs I can stand since '79, and I only say that because I want to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Cooper Still Rocks!! And most impressive is that he can still fit into leather pants he bought back in '76. Bon Jovi has been mouthing off lately and should shut up and sing, or play queer leader for the NE Patriots.

Personally the only rocker who politicians should ever have taken seriously was Zappa, the Anti-Tipper. Ted Nugent though should just be left alone so as not to get your ass shot off for getting him pissed. He's a bit nuts you know, like most Wolverine fans, and dangerous.

But really folks, Britney? You really want to claim Britney Spears as a republican. I wouldn't want that to get out, but of course she really isn't a rocker is she. That's lame.

Mark,
You are too funny.

Joel,

Cooper says he's a repub and he supports Bush but he didn't encourage his fans to do the same. He doesn't mix his concerts with politics. That was his point.

Mark,

Where is your bar? Toledo?

Rosemary,

Why else would he make his support public, then? People make their support public into order to influence people. I listened to an interview with him where he said Bush was his choice. He could have easily answered that he doesn't get in politics. That would be like you continuing to bash Kerry as you do but claiming that you aren't trying to influence anyone.

Ben Affleck doesn't endorse Kerry in his movies, but he is using his position as a movie star to influence the election. To me, it's all the same.

On the other hand, unless things have changed, personality endorsements aren't worth that many votes. I mean I love Charlton Heston, John Wayne and Clint Eastwood, but whom they support(ed) matters not to me.

Mark: agreed, mostly. Lord knows I don't want "skank" Britney on my side, but then again, I'm not a conservative Republican, either.

Thank God... :)

Yes, Zappa was a very smart mofo. Which is why the media ignored him. Heh.

On that whole tour of rockers for Kerry, I'm willing to predict:

Half the people who attend that festival won't vote at all.

10% of those who do vote will vote Nader, 40% Bush, and 50% Kerry.

Why? Because most people think for themselves, that's why.

Alice Cooper has made the most rational political statement of the year. He says he is a Republican, but he also says that people souldn't base their decisions on what celebrities "think".

I say if you are going to be a vapor-headed voter, then at least follow your favourite blogger, instead of your favourite musician.

The Political Compass shows where various of the great composers (Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Wagner, etc.) of the West's High Culture were on their spectrum.

Rose....yes! Live renditions of drunks singing baddly every Friday and Saturday. Louie's Cafe, forner of Sylvania and LaGrange.

On, and one more pointed stick poke at a rocker who thinks he's self important enough to speak to congress (with all due respect to Sonny Bono who earned the right to be there) Mettalica can kiss my Napster loving ass.

erp! forner=corner

Alice Cooper is a Democratic mole putting

mascara on the Republican pig.

Despite the fact that I think Tom Cruise is an arrogant jerk and a Scientology Tool, I'm gonna have to go with him on this one and say that it's wrong for celebrities to use their influence to get people to vote one way or another.

Also, I disagree with either side staging a concert or a rally under the guise of getting people to register to vote, saying things like "vote for who you want, but please vote" and then adding something like," But GWB is really evil so vote for (Not Bush)" (using Dems as an example since I have seen this with my own eyes.

Finally, for Big Dan, another of the worst lyrics of all time: "This... world in which we live in" from Live and Let Die (either version)....

No, Garafolo doesn't play guitar. I had elaborated my comments to include other entertainers such as film stars, etc and I think she qualifies in that catagory. Jeannine Garafolo's claim to fame as a political activest lately IMO seems to rest on her unique ability to say "Duh" repeatedly in a rather gutteral tone of voice. I admit I have not heard the talk radio program she is reported to be a member of. Maybe her wit has returned.

Jane,

No, her wit hasn't returned. She's turned into some sort of militant.

Air America! Finding us on the air is half the fun!

Jeninne has become shrill. It was funnier when she would use that tone on her mom. She was the 1st person I heard call the "private contractors" in Fallujah "mercenaries." That got my attention and kinda shocked me -- until I realized how close she was, but still it was pretty inflamatory. I also hear Atrios speak on her show. Hard to take him seriously after that girly/nerdy voice came out of my speakers. Much like someone so hard to look at you know they have a "face for Radio," Atrios has a voice for Blogging.

By the way, Kerry has been smoozing Rock Stars for over 30 years, because of course, Kerry Rocks.

But so did Nixon.

The only Jeanine for me is Jeanine Ring.

BD: that's a different song. Speaking of butchering the English language, get a load of this sentence from the article:

The list of pop-culture Republicans includes Britney Spears, Toby Keith and Ted Nugent, the latter being one of Cooper's old buddies from his early days in Detroit.

Alice Cooper said he supports Bush.

But I don't see him using his music to push that, at least in the article.

He's not holding Concerts For Bush, is he? He's not writing songs about how Bush Rocks! or Kerry Blows!, is he?

Seems to me there is a difference between what he's doing and what he's complaining about other people doing. And, hell, he even tells people not to listen to him or them.

He complained about treason to rock and roll, after all. As long as Alice doesn't try to make the music do his political water-carrying, he's free of hypocrisy.

Forgive me for my usual cynicism, but I have a strong feeling that this whole "Shut up and sing!" movement wouldn't exist if there were scores of right-wing celebrities willing to make movies, attend premieres, hold benefit concerts, dedicate songs, and otherwise speak out for conservative causes and President Bush.

When all you've got is Jessica Simpson and Ted Nugent, it's easy to be a little jealous.

Adam

Speaking as a conservative, you nailed it. 8^P

And your response in that event would be ? Shut up an sing something non-political, assholes, yes? 8^P.

Sorry, Rosemary but Alice Copper was still in his crib (original meaning) playing with his, er, python when CSNC, Jefferson Airplane, Ten Years After, etc., were schooling us on politics and The Mothers, Hendrix, The Doors, the Beatles, etc. were schooling us on culture (confession: I did play “Eighteen” for my son when he came of age). Then rock-and-roll died (choking on its own vomit, if I recall).

Ted Nugent’s just been out in the sun in his loincloth a bit too long.

>>"Sorry, Rosemary but Alice Copper was still in his crib..."

Actually, Alice was doing decent garage punk stuff as far back as '65. Check out some of the Pebbles compilations. Anyway, I digress...

http://www.musicweb.uk.net/encyclopaedia/c/C230.HTM

Ted bought a ranch about 30 miles from here...ran into him at the local Academy. Really nice guy.

I always call JCM 'John Cougar MELLONHEAD'.

Now I know why.