Hey! Stop what you're doing. You're not going to find that Arcade Fire live bootleg today, nor will you be stumbling across the b-side to "Hand In Glove", and there's no way you'll be finding that unreleased Pixies album. What you need to do is get ready to vote in the most important election of our lives. Figure out where your nearest polling place is and make sure you are registered. Tell your friends to vote, tell your enemies for that matter.

But just vote.

Worried that you're not informed enough to vote? You're on the internet - the information is out there waiting for you. Not a U.S. citizen? Then please call or email all your American friends and make sure they plan on voting. Many artists/organizations are stepping up and helping with the Get Out The Vote campaign, and now so are many of us in the music blogging community. Here are some links to help y'all figure out what's what:

Rock The Vote : Declare Yourself : Just Vote : My Polling Place
Music For America : Get Educated : IndyVoter.org : MoveOn.org
Vote Smart : Citizen Change : JohnKerry.com : GeorgeWBush.com

And since this is an mp3 blog...

MP3 Chris Stamey w/Yo La Tengo - "V.O.T.E." (Rockin' version)
MP3 Chris Stamey w/Yo La Tengo - "V.O.T.E." (Fifties version)
MP3 Chris Stamey w/Yo La Tengo - "V.O.T.E." (Old A.M. version)



Craig from songs:illinois found this 30 second PSA from Chris Stamey and indie rock vets Yo La Tengo, which will also appear on their forthcoming album of the same title out election day (aka tomorrow) on Yep Records.

MP3 Leonard Cohen - "Democracy"
Okay folks, I've shown up way late to the Leonard Cohen party, but I'm slowly catching up. This patriotic seven minute-plus track originally appeared on LC's 1992 The Future LP, though I got it from More Best of Leonard Cohen. And yes, I am aware that "greatest hits albums are for housewives & little girls," but I never claimed to be a perfect music blogger.

MP3 Trey Parker - "America, F**k Yeah"
My buddy Sam called me on Saturday nite after having seen Team America: World Police, which I have yet to pay money for. He especially liked the music in Trey Parker & Matt Stone's marionette extravaganza, and his description of this tongue-in-cheek track in particular prompted me to hunt down the film's soundtrack. Note that the "F**K YEAH!"s lose their oomph after the mention of republicans (and Bed Bath & Beyond).

Get out & vote on November 2nd. Regular blogging will commence on 11/3.

Music Bloggers For Democracy
songs:illinois : The Big Ticket : last sound of summer : moe rex
scissorkick : Kingblind : bars & guitars : TTIKTDA : The Napkin
Tuwa's Shanty : Radio Babylon : An Idiot's Guide To Dreaming
Pregnant w/o Intercourse : Rumage Through The Crevices
Telephone Thing : aurgasm : Republic of Replicants : Fingertips
largehearted boy : bradley's almanac : Mystery & Misery
the witness exchange : Alternate Tuning : Enchilada's Blog
Lost Bands of the New Wave Era : something i learned today
fat planet : 10:51am Toronto : Acousticwood : Pedaços de Céu
close your eyes : Rock & Roll Report : silence is a rhythm two
Bolt : Optimus Crime : chromewaves : The Naugahyde Life
The Oak Room and everyone else that has agreed to post

ETA: Look! We made the news. How 'bout that?

The front page of Tuesday's Pitchfork:



Also, a final message before the election from Michael Moore (via Frank).

This entry was posted by mr gilbert at 11/01/2004 06:00:00 AM.