quality... fair play. good link.

I hope that everyone in ireland who gets involved with the US 'rock the vote' will be equally committed and interested in our own local political issues and general elections - or are they not glamorous enough? riot squad/civl disorder in dunsink, huge majority voting for the citizenship amendment, struggling and inadequate health services, developments/public works clashing with local heritage.... it seems that we only hear of our 'protest' singers when that big bad war-mongerer george w. bush is involved (although in fairness, christy moore has an honourable record of highlighting irish social issues). perhaps if bush loses the US election he can become taoiseach and then we'll have some interest and action.... 'too many protest singers, not enough protest songs' (edwyn collins)

"Kids think voting is a chore, it gets in the way of shopping..." -Christina Aguilera

Well said Aidan. I think we'd be better off worrying about the political situation here than in the US. I mean does it really matter to us if George W stays in power or not? I don't think who's president across the Atlantic affects us at all. Maybe our singers etc could start a protest to get/keep Bertie and Fianna Fail out of power. Now that would be interesting!

it is non of our business, the only thing that will matter is if kerry gets in and implements his policy on FDI. This pretty much means that all American business in Ireland will be negotiated with and to return to USA, hence loosing many a job in Ireland. But apart from that, there are lads being beaten up every week in Belfast regarding whether they support Rangers or Celtic, does no-one care about them? I dont see blabbermouth Bono protesting to the irsh goverment about them or the little brats with their white nike runners going around and intimidating every man,women and child in the country. And i another point i do not agree with the use of music to forward you own political views. I am anti-bush but i do not like these highly known celebrities telling me mine reasons to like or dislike Bush. Musicians are there for a reason, to perform music. I have my own opinion on political issues, and the abuse of a high position by musicians, to me anyway, completly undermines any repsect i have for their ability and their priorites help people to enjoy the characteristics that music have

Jules disagree with Cheesy if you must but you should really show him a bit more respect on his views on the role of musicians. After all, music is an art and one is entitled to hold ones own entirely subjective view on such matters. For example in the late 19th Century the Aesthetic movement was quite popular. To quote Wikipedia: "The artists and writers of the Aesthetic Movement tended to hold that the Arts should provide refined sensuous pleasure, rather than convey moral or sentimental messages. As a consequence they did not accept John Ruskin and Matthew Arnold's utilitarian conception of art as something moral or useful. Instead they believed that Art does not have any didactic purpose, it need only be beautiful. The Aesthetes developed the cult of beauty which they considered the basic factor in art. Life should copy Art, they asserted. The main characteristics of the movement were: suggestion rather than statement, sensuality, massive use of symbols,and synaesthetic effects - that is, correspondence between words, colors, and music." Obviously this is a rather extreme view, and some might say potentially morally irresponsible. I neither entirely agree nor disagree with the ideals of the aesthetic movement, but rather believe that it holds some merit. After all one could argue that politcs is merely the petty squabbles of mere mortals and unimportant in the grander scheme of the universe. (wow, getting awfully highbrow today, must have smacked me head off something hard earlier today, don't worry it'll probably wear off soon, do not adjust your set, normal service shall resume shortly..)

Rev Jules, you should really respect the opnion of other people, its not very becoming when you take such an autocratcic stle of "moderating". Get down of your high horse and respect that people think diefferantly than you. Just because i believe the ability to perform music should be kept separate from the ability to "sway votes" and influence political opinion. Can you honestly tell me artist like Moby etc who literally stand up on the stage and say vote Kerry are not using their celebraty power? If you understand politics at all Rev Jules you should undestand that many people's opinions are formed by what others say (particularly highly recognised celebrities). Does it not take away from the very fundamentals of democracy if someone has the ability to influence votes by the nature of them being famous? All i said was that I FEEL, (see that Rev Jules, personal opinion) that politics should not bea tool in a musicians toolbox

I am really with Jules on this one. My view is that, while politics & music (thank God) do not depend on each other, they both stand to benefit very much from each other. And their point of intersection down through the ages has resulted in some of the most invigorating, most enduring, most moving, most inspiring music. Ever. Be it Dylan, be it Bruce Cockburn, be it Billy Bragg, be it Elvis Costello, be it U2, be it the Clash, be it Midnight Oil, be it John Mellencamp, be it the Boomtown Rats, be it Woodie Guthrie, be it Christy, be it…. one could go on. <detour> Hey, let’s not forget Spandau Ballet and their political epic ‘Through the Barricades’. Alright maybe scrap that last one. But while I scrape the barrel, Simple Minds just came in to my mind, I really have to admit to having had a soft spot for ‘Mandela Day’, but just don’t tell anyone. </detour> And in the other direction some of the most dramatic political / social moments in recent history have taken place in the context of (varying degrees of) musical provocation. Be it Live Aid in ‘85, be it the movement against the Vietnam War, be it Bono bringing John Hume and David Trimble together on stage in Belfast in ‘98, be the pressure to end Apartheid (The Specials in ‘84, Artists against apartheid in ’86, the Free Mandela concert in Wembley stadium in ’88 for example). Again, one could go on. <detour #2> And when it comes to dramatic political / social moments let’s not of course forget the end of mass unemplyment in Ireland heralded by, er, Self Aid in ’86 and the complete REforestation of the Amazon forest after Sting introduced to the world his Amazonian mate with the massive lip. </detour #2> I’m not saying that any one of these pivotal moments / movements would never have happened if it wasn’t for music’s engagement in the issues in question. But I really believe that music has proven itself time and time again to be a positive and vital force in achieving necessary political and social change – be it by raising the visibility of an important issue, or powerfully articulating in song a sense of injustice, or presenting a vision of how a wrong might be righted, or by simply providing a dose of brazen celebrity to secure column inches or broadcast time for an urgent cause. It may be considered a cliché by now, but music is not a matter of life or death. It is WAY more important than that. eoghan PS - I’d really encourage Cheesy to take up Jules’ offer of writing an Opinion piece for CLUAS on why artists shouldn't involve themselves in politics. Cheesy – go for it. And maybe we’ll see you and Jules one day spitting bits of pizza at each other as you furiously discuss this topic in some cheap’n’greasy Pizzeria at a future “have-a-pizza-and-glass-of-dodgy-plonk” CLUAS writer get-together thingie (very rawk’n’roll, innit?)

Apology accepted, but i do feel that patronising comments are untoward of a moderator and in fairness, you were. But apart from that fair enough i take your points on board and feel that your points are valid. But i must re-iterate that my opinions are my own, and hence are valid, just becuase i may believe differently to what others believe doesnt mean they don't have any weight. Regarding the article, i would love to write one but i was never one for sentacne consruction,grammer, or getting my points across well, but send me an email and i will see what i can do. I understand where you are getting at. Music has been built on political beliefs, ideologies, facts, opinions and lies. But my underlying opinion is that when your opinion can be swayed by the voice of a celebrity rather than by finding out by your own ways and means, then i dont think this is right. I agree completly with what you say about Bob Geldof, he has been a fine adversary for eveything that has been good for Live Aid etc, but his underlying reason was and undoubtetly good cause.In an election to say wheter one candidate is good or bad, is in fact a matter of personal opinion. There is no set defined Kerry is bad, Bush is good. Take this instance in USA for instance. Everyone in the country has a democratic right to vote, they have a democratic right to their own opinion, they have the ability to have their voice heard. So does Moby, so does Bruce Springsteen etc. The more outspoken a musician is, the more influence he/she has and the more it mutues the opinion of an "on the fencer" voter.