New musical agenda

SUPPORT for Labour leadership contender John McDonnell has grown in recent months and awareness of his "another world is possible" platform has risen sharply.
One way of reaching people, especially young activists who are often turned off by traditional party politics, is through music, which explains why protest songs are more popular and numerous than ever before.

With samba bands, sound systems and even socialist choirs regularly part of demonstrations, it seems that a political message can be just as easily sung as spoken.

That's the logic behind next Saturday's national rally in support of McDonnell's bid to replace Tony Blair, according to organiser Chris Ford.

"We want to show that politics can be accessible and fun. That's very much the focus with John's campaign - to bring in people who think that all politicians are against them."

Among the acts performing on the day are the First of May Band, which is the "musical wing" of West Midlands-based Banner Theatre company.

Co-founder Dave Rogers believes that Blair and Brown are as rotten as each other, which is one of the reasons that he's backing McDonnell for leader.

"I come back from gigs up and down the country having heard the same slogans that we used to say about Thatcher. New Labour is even worse than the Tories."

The theatre group is currently involved in projects revolving around anti-racism and supporting asylum-seekers, which is another reason why their members are drawn to McDonnell's campaign.

"You have young kids locked up in detention just because they don't have the right papers. It's a disgrace," storms Rogers. "McDonnell's always stood up for their human rights."

The band sings about other issues that are in the McDonnell manifesto, such as withdrawing troops from Afghanistan and Iraq and reversing NHS privatisation.

The group is a regular sight at demonstrations across the country, as is another performer at Saturday's rally, Rob "the Rub."

For Rob, what's important is that protests are more than just symbolic acts and are creative enough to attract new generations of activists.

"When you see 200 riot cops being faced down by 50 'rebel clowns' doing the hokey-cokey, it's an inspiration."

New technologies, too, are changing the balance of power. Because of this, some of the basic rules of socialist struggle may have to be rewritten.

"Every musician knows that the means of production are now in the hands of the workers. In the ideas economy, computers are the means of production," he explains.

Just as Marx was writing in response to the industrial revolution, maybe we need a new philosophy for the information revolution.

For example, the internet has transformed the way that Rob interacts with the wider public, as both a musician and political activist.

Websites such as MySpace are busy building high-tech online communities which are swapping and sharing new ideas, photos, songs and videos, often with a heavy political agenda.

No wonder, then, that both John McDonnell and his latecomer left-wing rival Michael Meacher have a big presence there. Unfortunately for them, neither have as many "friends" - people who add a link to your page - as Rob.

But why is someone with such strong views about Rupert Murdoch - "a lying thief" according to one of his songs - hanging out at a website owned by the evil media emperor himself? And what does he feel about possibly giving away his copyright on anything published there?

"I uploaded a tune the other day and afterwards it said: 'Thanks, our song is now stored on the site.'

"Our song? You're kidding. I hope that Murdoch does try to claim copyright on it, because I'd love to have my day in court with him."

Also playing at the rally are the Lost Marbles String Band, which got on board after banjo-playing David Stacey read a list of McDonnell's campaign pledges. "I thought, right on! I like this platform," he reveals.

His Appalachian blues band, which has held weekly sessions in pubs around London for over 15 years, doesn't normally do political gigs, although it is involved in local regeneration projects.

But the prospect that Brown will get the top job unelected has clearly upset him. "It's unhealthy to have a coronation."

Stacey wants to help McDonnell get the 44 Labour MPs' nominations needed to stand for leader.

Ensuring that, says Ford, is a big part of what the rally is about. "This is a way to mobilise people to put pressure on their MPs, to ensure that there's a proper democratic election for leader and that a true Labour candidate gets on the ballot."

Billed as an afternoon of "comedy, music and socialism," it also features speeches from parliamentary heavyweights such as Tony Benn and Jeremy Corbyn and union leaders including Jeremy Dear, Mark Serwotka and Matt Wrack, with satirical stand-up Steve Gribbins providing comic relief.

Adding to the musical mix will be Dave Sharp of The Alarm, Sheik "Crystaltones" Thompson and Panjabi folk and dance group Jago.

The rally is expected to attract an eclectic crowd, from peace activists and trade unionists to members of the public who are just sick of new Labour. Together, they will all be doing something to make another possible world a reality.

• The John4Leader national rally is on Saturday March 31 from 12pm to 4pm at the Shaw Theatre, next to the British Library, Euston Road, London NW1, free entry.