Ed Campaigning for Barack Obama Options

[jaybb]

Ed is on the campaign trail with will.i.am, campaigning for Barack Obama at his various campaign stops:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=3SPfOHqXSEI (will.i.am and EK playing "Where is the Love"; starts about 2 mins in; Ed sounds really good)

http://www.mynews2u.com/video.php?vid=133 (Ed solo, singing Imagine)

From Newsweek blog:

Mr. Obama's sole Clinton references were aimed to etch a contrast between her as an exemplar of old-fashioned politics and himself as a harbinger of change. That strategy was on display in two stops on opposite ends of the state yesterday, as he rallied supporters at an invitation-only "town hall" meeting at the Penn State Behrend Campus in Erie, then in a mass open-air rally at Independence Mall in this city, where hip-hop artist Will.i.am and Ed Kowalczyk of the York, Pa., alternative rock band Live were his opening acts in front of a crowd of just over 40,000 people.

To answer your first, and most important, question: no, a thin, foot-long braided rat tail no longer dangles from the back of Kowalczyk's otherwise bald head; he's fully shaved now. And as for your second, the answer is yes: Kowalczyk did indeed play "Lightning Crashes," the brooding ballad that spent much of 1995 in heavy rotation on Discmen nationwide and is now the only Live song that anyone actually remembers.

The problem was, he played something else as well.

Don't get me wrong. I'm teasing Kowalczyk, but I don't actually think there's anything wrong with celebrities, new or old, getting involved in politics (although having to Google them to figure out who they are kind of defeats the purpose). And earnest, unbridled idealism is fine. But I'll tell you what's not: covering John Lennon's "Imagine"--a song that's pretty much unimprovable in the first place--and proceeding to add your own, Obama-inspired lyrics. Introducing "Imagine: The Kowalczyk Remix":

Imagine change in Washington
It isn't hard to do
Everybody working together
Listening to me and to you
Imagine all the people believing in 'Yes, we can'


This post has been edited by jaybb: Apr 20 2008, 10:50 pm

[+Ed+]

I doubt most people would even know who the bald guy with the guitar singing for Obama even is now.

Honestly celebrities and politics drives me nuts. I understand it's to get publicity and trying to get more people involved but seriously. Who gives a fuck what someone with a better voice than me is voting for in an election, I want to hear more from the person actually involved in the election. Same with over here, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd holds the 2020 meeting and all we hear about is how Cate Blanchett will be there, so fucking what?

Either way I'm not liking Ed jumping on the band wagon, I suppose every bit of exposure for Live helps, but honestly. If he thinks he's doing his part for bringing attention to Obama then that doesn't say much for how much faith he/celebrities have in him if they don't think he can win the election without him. Then again i'm sure there are idiots out there that will vote for him because Oprah says so.

I might not be American, but give me Ralph Nader, if you don't turn on to Ralph Nader, he's going to turn on you.

I bet it is just the fact that he got payed. As simple as that. And anyway there are zounds of Live fans who will now go and vote Obama. Imo.

Got to admit, whilst I think Imagine is a catchy tune, I don't get why it's held in such high regard, so much so that changing the lyrics is "unholy". It is one of the preachiest songs ever (artists get their balls stamped on for being preachy), littered with cheese and to be honest, sang by someone who is one of those guys who's terribly over-idolised due to them being dead which suddenly makes them a GENIUS LEGEND OMFG.

Catchy tune, changing the lyrics wasn't the best decision maybe, but not as bad as some are making out. He altered the words a little to make the song relevant to the cause - big whoop.

It is a John Lennon song. I think this says it all...

And I still have to read Luke's post... Too hard now for my trembling after the football mind...

[jaybb]

I bet it is just the fact that he got payed. As simple as that.

That Ed got paid to do that? I highly doubt it. Perhaps just for expenses and a stipend, but that's it. He genuinely supports Obama. In case you haven't seen this:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=oXEdWzB8U1Q

[+Ed+]

That Ed got paid to do that? I highly doubt it. Perhaps just for expenses and a stipend, but that's it. He genuinely supports Obama. In case you haven't seen this:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=oXEdWzB8U1Q

Is it the proof he was not paid?

[jaybb]

Is it the proof he was not paid?

I just don't think he was paid any large sum just to perform. I'm sure he did it because he supports Obama and was willing to come out to voice his opinion. After all, if they were going to be dropping some cash to get an artist to come out and play at the rally, I think they would have gotten somebody a little more well known to that audience.

He perhaps got some small salary and/or re-reimbursed for expenses, but I definitely don't think the money was why he decided to do to participate in the will.i.am video or the Obama rally. He genuinely supports Obama, I'd gather, as do millions of Americans.