As the date for the September election draws nearer, the worlds of music and politics continue to overlap, with the most high-profile cases being Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s creation of the National Live Music Office with $560,000 of government funding and yesterday’s news that the Greens Party will pledge $27 million towards community radio and TV should they come into power.

Now the spheres are crossing again with news that ABC’s long running, all night music clip show rage is getting some guest programmers that may bring about new meaning to the show’s title.

A future episode of the iconic ABC show will see the deputy leaders of three major Australian parties – Labor’s Anthony Albanese, the Greens’ Adam Bandt, and Julie Bishop of the Liberal Party – guest program with a selection of their favourite clips and tunes.


“They all picked artists that will surprise a lot of the viewers,” an ABC representative tells News Ltd, adding that: “between them there are some absolute classics and some very cool alternative choices too.”

So can we expect some Death Grips, Die Antwoord, and Cannibal Corpse? Or a run of REO Speedwagon, Status Quo, and plugs for Midnight Oil? Maybe Adam Bandt will have the foresight to drop some Adam Ant and call it ‘Bandt Music’ (but probably not).

Reports from a News Ltd review from a Pogues show however, describing Albanese swanning through the crowd in a Pixies t-shirt(!), suggest that the Deputy PM may actually provide some more tasteful selections – including The Smiths, The Triffids, PJ Harvey, Hunters and Collectors, and Joy Division.

Despite their assurances that the ‘Election Special’ won’t just be a plug for their various political platforms, the forthcoming episode has already drawn criticism online with a long list of commenters on rage‘s Facebook post (with the above image).

“Way to make me hate you rage. These liars and tricksters don’t deserve the privilege,” wrote one user. Another commented “I care how they run this country, not what they like to sing in the shower.” While another detractor highlighted that: “no politician has any place programming rage. Surely there are Australian musicians with far deeper insight into music and culture worthy of the spot.”

While other critics called the appearance from Albanese, Bandt, and Bishop as “thinly veiled electioneering”, others called the use of political guest programmers “brave” and “interesting.” Either way, you’ll be able to witness (or boycott) the episode when it goes to air on Saturday 31st August.

You can even relive the music (minus the pollies) courtesy of the mad rage fan who hosts Rage Again, the amazing online database of episodes that uses YouTube clips and online streams to recreate every episode of rage that’s gone to air since 1998. Someone at ABC should give him a guest program slot.

Still, rage producer Tyson Koh is happy with the results, tweeting the following promo:

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