An interesting piece. The era for protest songs will never gain as much exposure as it did during the Vietnam war though (even Bobby Darin had a self penned tune to voice his concern), simply because it was something new at that time. And now it would just feel recycled. Besides, I don't think the current Republican Government in America would be too bothered about a folk singer demanding equality, civil rights or troop withdrawls. The writer also asked the question 'Where is the Edward Murrow of today?'. To which, I would reply 'Robin Cook'.

on a similar topic, Elbow's new song Leaders of the Free World is pretty good.

The problem as far as i can see it is that there is too many ways of outputting campaigns and too many campaigns themselves. In the 6T's the main thing was Vietnam yeah? Today there is poverty, war, natural disaster's, and all muscians and actors flock to help out on each matter, wrist bands are being bandied about for charity's, the whole impact of the thing is lost and it's diluted right down. So, for example, if I believe in make poverty history I'll go with it, but if someone else believes in make coldplay history they will go with that. All these different things are not rammed, but politley fed down our throats and I'm not bothered with listening to these things anymore, just because there's too many - the worlds just f**ked! My two pennies.

Aidan, I'm well aware of the sudden death of Robin Cook. Sure his funeral mass turned into a protest demonstration in itself. But Robin Cook is a divine example of a so-called 'Edward Murrow' of today. Also, the most stirring protest singer going at the moment has to be Steve Earle. With his song 'John Walker's Blues' and the recent 'The Revolution Starts Now' album, he voices his distaste for the current American Government and the Iraq War through top class songs.

....but is Steve Earle reaching anyone other than Steve Earle fans? Is he preaching to the converted? To be honest, I think the Dixie Chicks' outburst against Bush had much more protest-value, given that they would hardly have seemed maverick or outspoken before.

I suppose a lot of music written today seems like protest music, whereas it's just really a commentary - which at this stage is protest in itself given the state of the world and that we're all doomed etc. If you do a top o the head count, there's a lot of raging against the machine in the mainstream; Radiohead - Hail To The Thief Steve Earle - The Revolution Starts Now Green Day - American Idiot Bloc Party - Hellicopter and then with the whole host of music celebs and their 'VOTE OR DIE' campaign, although officially 'non-partisan'. Then there was Live 8, er, moving swiftly on...