Robby's Words on Bush & Corporate Domination
From SEE
Magazine, June 2002
by Dave Alexander
You wouldn’t think rock radio darlings the Goo Goo
Dolls would run in the same circles as that bane of corporate
existence, Michael Moore, but just because you’re on
a major label, doesn’t mean you have to act blind.
"This whole business has just become so heinous at this
point," explains bassist Robby Takac of the industry
his band’s been part of for the last two decades. "It’s
really a joke. Everything got deregulated here in the United
States years ago, so now there’s these incredible radio/media
outlet/venue/concession monopolies going on. There’s
three or four companies running just about everything right
now."
While on tour to promote their latest release, Gutterflower,
the band is alleviating some of their angst by providing computer
stations at some of their shows to educate fans on a variety
of issues. They also plan on throwing their clout behind Moore
in a youth-empowerment plan inspired by Moore’s latest
book, Stupid White Men.
Takac says the Dolls want to work with Moore this summer
on a plan to educate kids about ways to get empowered through
involvement with school boards.
But it’s more than just admiration for Moore that motivated
the band; it’s also a deep loathing of the Republicans.
"I can safely say the [band members] are not fans of
the current situation. It’s kind of a self-serving –
in modern times,the most self-serving – presidency that
has ever existed. It’s unreal."
The band was so alarmed at the prospect of another Bush government
they did an Al Gore fundraising event during the election.
After the show, the group was given 15 minutes to sit down
with the candidate and his wife Tipper, the notorious founder
of pro-music-censorship organization, the PMRC (Parents’
Music Resource Centre).
"[The promoters] brought them back and the first thing
I asked her was what her favourite artist was. Do you know
what she told me? James Brown! And I started to laugh, and
she’s like, ‘What are you laughing about?’
"We were on tour with a band called Gang Green, and
Gang Green sang the song "PMRC Sucks." It was a
punk rock anthem when we were kids. I brought up their name
and she started to defend herself about it, and what she said
was kind of interesting.
"She said, ‘Look, I made some statements and some
people ran with them and I got caught up in something I wasn’t
agreeing with anymore, you know what I mean?’ And I
half believe her. I’m not a huge Al Gore fan, but the
fact that she took the time to defend herself made me think
"
Takac and the rest of the Dolls may not be sure where they
fall precisely on the political spectrum, but he says they’ll
be doing whatever they can to keep the Bush Gang from being
re-elected in 2004. For a guy whose band makes relatively
inoffensive music, he’s surprisingly vitriolic when
it comes to George W. and crew.
"They just gave themselves free reign to do anything
they want. These guys are some evil motherfuckers."
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