by CHRIS BARRY

Aren’t musicians cute when they decide to get all political? Sure, these guys can teach you a thing or two about stringing a guitar, but when it comes to hardcore political realities, how many of these longhaired hepcats truly understand the issues they choose to lecture the rest of us about? And don’t say Bono if you know what’s good for you—and not just Vox, that goes for the late, great Sonny as well.

Perhaps I’m being unfair here. Perhaps some music makers really do possess enough insight into policy and legislative matters that we should all stand up and take note of their respective worldviews. Maybe if they tell us to vote NDP, that’s what we should do. Hey, it’s better than having to think for yourself, isn’t it?

To this end, the Mirror cornered reps from three local bands—the Mission District’s David Rancourt, Edmund Lam from Hexes & Ohs and Roger White of Dead Messenger fame—and asked them what it is that’s so wonderful about the New Democratic Party that they’ve chosen to do a benefit gig for them at la Sala Rossa this week. This is what they told us.

Mirror: What good will an NDP government do for you, or anyone, for that matter?

David Rancourt: Simple—better health care, a better environment, better schools.

Edmund Lam: Improvements on the health care system would be nice because since turning 27 last month, I’m starting to experience aches and pains I always thought I was immune to as a kid. So I’m looking out for us ageing hipsters.

Roger White: The NDP allows me not to vote for Tweedledee or Tweedledum but still consider myself “Canadian.”

M: Is your support for the NDP rooted in your distaste for having to pull your own weight in Canadian society, or more about these silly non-issues they’re always harping on about—global warming, improved public health care, more equitable tax legislation?

DR: Yeah, actually it’s ’cuz we’re a bunch of lazy pinkos who want free shit without working for it. I mean, we’re musicians after all. And also because we want crazy communist services like health care.

EL: Less working for money, more working for a healthy planet, that’s what I always say. Some people think environmentalism is ’80s, but I’ve always been fond of the ’80s—and of Jack Layton’s moustache.

RW: Well, I am a musician, and I don’t have a job right now, but the global warming thing is worrying. Can I say yes to both?

M: Being a Quebecer, how did you become aware that some party called the NDP even exists?

DR: I met Jack Layton at a party.

EL: I saw one of their ads once and noticed their party colour was orange. I thought to myself, “Hey, it’s not red or blue, that’s pretty gutsy.” I’m a designer, things like that score big points with me.

RW: My lady is from Ontario.

M: What is it about the Green Party you hate so much that you’re actively trying to steal votes away from them?

DR: They’re conservatives in disguise.

EL: They are a bunch of hippies. The NDP is like the Green Party sans all the pot-smoking.

RW: Well, for starters, they’re hippies. C’mon!

M: Or might your “support” for the NDP really just be a Tory ruse to divide the Liberal vote so we can all soon live under Emperor Harper and his band of God-fearing merrymen?

DR: No, we support them on principle.

EL: I like how “support” is in quotation marks. You shouldn’t be looking at us anyway, it’s the Liberals that have done all they can to ensure us Canadian taxpayers don’t vote for them. And since Harper’s crazy scary, who else am I gonna support? Those Green party hippies?

RW: You know, bands with something to say always seem to hawk more t-shirts when conservatives are in power!

M: Are you aware that even a minority NDP government might be upsetting to the Bush administration? Why would you ever want to upset those good people?

DR: I don’t think Bush would know the difference... he can’t even remember the Prime Minister of Russia’s name.

EL: Because if we direct their anger over here a little, they may ease up on poor old Iraq over there. It would be a step towards world peace, really.

RW: I’m sure there’s a lot of things my band does that would upset those people. n

With Didier Boutin, Alexis O’Hara and NDP representatives Léo-Paul Lauzon and François Grégoire at the Vote Your Heart NDP fundraiser at la sala Rossa on Sunday, Jan. 15, 8 p.m., $10

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