http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-concert25jul25,1,4145315,print.story?coll=la-news-a_sectionRock Royalty to Join Voices Against Bush With Fall Concerts
Musicians will perform in swing states to try to affect election. Playing for a cause is a tradition, but injecting political views can be risky.
By Geoff Boucher
Times Staff Writer
July 25, 2004
Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, R.E.M., Pearl Jam and a deep roster of other rock stars will unite for politically minded concerts this fall that will give voice to dissatisfaction with the Bush administration.
The all-star rock shows, which are expected to begin in October and target campaign swing states, are in the planning stage but were confirmed by half a dozen music industry sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Insiders disagree on the unifying rhythm of the celebrity coalition. Some say it is the promise of the John F. Kerry candidacy, but at least one emphasizes the fear of President Bush's reelection. "There is a range of feeling about Kerry," the source said, "but a uniform belief that Bush must go."
The tour turns up the volume of the rock scene's role in politics, but it is not the only example of an apparent surge of commentary among artists. Rockers seem virtually unanimous in their anti-Bush stance, just as country music has seen a wave of passionate patriotism and support for the president, exemplified by the songs of Toby Keith.
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