EARLY AGITATION: Electo-pop

Amongst the first musicians to notice there's an election on, like, officially now was Audioslave's Tom Morello. He's not even English, and probably hasn't even seen how old and tired John Snow is sounding (thank god it's only a four week campaign), but he's worried that people might stay at home and that could be bad. Although, ahem, Audioslave's involvement in the US election didn't really secure a victory for commonsense, did it, Tom?

"That really is a testament to the fact that despite the enormous amount of propaganda put up by the Bush administration, there were a lot of artists that were able to see through it.

”I think had all those artists not done that you would have seen a landslide in the Amercian election, and I think it was artists like that that did help to energise young people not only in the election, but hopefully beyond it so they continue to fight against this unjust war."

Morello wants British youth to stand up and be counted. Or, at least, get their undertoned arses down to the polling station:

"I'd say first of all, you shouldn't be waiting around for you leaders to change the world, that's your job, and young people have always been at the forefront of progressive, radical and revolutionary change. In history classes (in the US) they try to teach history like it's a bunch of stuffy dates and kings and queens of the past. History is people like me and you standing up where we live, where we work, where we go to school and fighting for what's right, and that's something that you can do today."

So how woud Morello vote if he had a cross to cast in the UK election? Erm...

"I don't know what the slate of candidates is, I'd have to call my friend Billy Bragg. I defer to his opinion on that one!"

So, there you have it: wait for Billy Bragg to tell you how to vote, and get a new world.

music election audioslave tom morello