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David Rovics
The first chance local audiences got to see David Rovics, US performer of “songs of social significance,” was near the end of 2008 as part of his national tour with Alistair Hulett. Not even a year later, Rovics is back and touring by himself, fitting a couple of Adelaide shows into his schedule. The implication therefore is that the last tour was enjoyable enough to make a return visit attractive. This is confirmed when Rovics describes it as “a blast” and adds that he intends to tour with Hulett again, although no recording plans are imminent.
The major political event to happen in the meantime, of course, was the inauguration of Barack Obama; the concert to celebrate the event included the legendary Pete Seeger performing This Land Is Your Land, with verses previously seen as “seditious.”
Seeger himself is a Rovics fan, having purchased all his CDs and been in regular contact over time. There may not be any specific “passing of the flame,” but is certainly an indication of mutual respect and I’m curious if Rovics sees this as a sign of change?
“In some ways things have changed, and in others they’ve stayed the same. Pete Seeger receiving accolades from presidents is nothing new - Bill Clinton gave him an award. Last I checked, the US was actively bombing at least three countries and so far we still don’t have universal health care either, so check back with me next year...”
Rovics is continually adding new songs to his repertoire, sometimes with surprising speed. For example In The Name Of God was written about the murder of abortion doctor George Tiller, and appeared on Rovics’ site within days of the event. Was it outrage, emotion or something else that provided such a quick catalyst?
“There’s a mysterious mix involved. Strong emotions are key - something outrageous and full of symbolism and archetypal characters helps. In the case of In The Name Of Go, I was on my own, flying from somewhere to somewhere else with a newspaper and a notebook, which can often be ideal circumstances for writing songs for a variety of reasons.”
So can writing a song about an event or an issue actually make a difference in the scheme of things? “I’d say so. Just ask various folks who are engaged in political activism of one form or another how they first became aware that democracy and freedom isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and there are people out there trying to make the world a better place. Folks come to that point through various means, but you’ll probably hear more than a few people say it began with punk rock or hip-hop, or what have you. If there’s any value to communication of any sort - books, newspapers, TV, radio - then there’s certainly value to music. It can hit people in a way distinctly different from any other, with its inherent strengths as well as limitations.”
Along with the more serious aspects of his work, Rovics has more recently begun performing music for children, though this can still contain elements of social justice and the like as well. The birth of his own child in 2006 was the direct reason, although it is still a secondary part of his overall career.
The first of his upcoming Adelaide gigs will be a dual performance with Brisbane soul mate Phil Monsour, and is likely to have a slightly heavier Palestinian slant to the material, though the topical range will still be as wide as ever. However, either gig will be a chance to experience intelligent and relevant material from a leading exponent of what could generally be referred to as protest music, without the clichés that term may entail. The last word goes to Rovics, and the question of how he would like his music to affect the world, if it could.
“To help people keep on fighting for a more egalitarian world. To be a good cheerleader, as well as to help people learn a few things and think about some things in a different way.”
David Rovics plays the Adelaide South West Community Centre on Sturt St on Sunday 26 July, and the SA Folk Centre in Thebarton on Wednesday 29 July.
Michael Hunter
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