Jesus built my fanbase

>> Anarcho-vaudevillians Rhythm Activism hang tough in the incorrect '90s

by CHRIS YURKIW

The title of Rhythm Activism's 15th release (count 'em) since the rebel wedding band was formed back in 1985 is Jesus Was Gay, and I must say that I am shocked. Not shocked because I find such a statement offensive, but because it makes me think that this is what "activism" for social justice in the late '90s has come to: being forced to use the same, uh, shock tactics as Howard Stern or South Park.

It's even going exactly according to plan, Mr. Norman "The Nicest Guy You Will Ever Meet" Nawrocki informs me. Jesus Was Gay is actually the first Rhythm Activism release not to appear on the band's own label, Les Pages Noires, and while the host imprint in Winnipeg's G-7 Welcoming Committee (which also releases Propagandhi and Consolidated) is certainly a kindred spirit to RA, it seems that some manufacturers don't want to reproduce the CD and some stores don't want to stock it.

Controversy!

"That's the whole point of the album," says Norm. "Like, 'What's the big deal?' It's not a big deal. In fact, look at the cover: Jesus is happy. It only took six beer to get him that way before he posed for the photo, but he's happy. I mean, Jesus preached love and a message of tolerance and understanding and respect and accepting diversity, so we're just singing along with Jesus here."

Blatant provocation?

"Sure, but any time you challenge fundamental prejudices you're going to be provocative. The people who first said 'free the slaves' were being provocative. People who said 'women should have equal rights' were provocative. This is how things change: by people making those kind of statements and publicly speaking up and breaking the silence."

And what about the centre-right '90s, far from RA's roots in the "activist" '80s and a place where it's cool to be politically incorrect? I mean, even Norm watches South Park.

"Jesus has got this smile on his face and he's totally at peace with what we're doing here because homophobia is not cool. Poverty is not cool. Working for McDonald's is a shit job that people do as a last resort, and it's not cool. What's cool is telling McDonalds to go fuck themselves. What's cool is telling right-wing fundamentalist preachers to go fuck themselves, after they've ripped off all the people. What's cool is telling Conrad Black to go fuck himself with his National Post. To tell Lucien Bouchard and Jean Charest to go fuck themselves because it's not cool to cut people's medication and allow them to die by the hundreds in this province. That's not cool."

Rhythm Activism + Interférence Sardines at Petit Campus next Friday, December 4, 8:30pm, $8