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The Politics of Randy Rampage

What the late, great punker had to say about life and duty in the time of Trump.

David Beers 16 Aug 2018TheTyee.ca

David Beers is founding editor of The Tyee.

Randy Rampage, bass player for Vancouver’s D.O.A., one of the greatest punk bands of all time, died Tuesday at 58. In its heyday, D.O.A.’s lyrics channeled blistering anarchic rage, calling for the murder of Pierre Trudeau (along with Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher) in “Smash the State” off their classic album Hardcore ’81. This year Rampage’s former bandmate Joe Keithley (aka Joey Shithead) is running for city council in Burnaby as a Green, having fallen short in a bid for the B.C. NDP in Coquitlam-Burke Mountain in 2013.

Two years ago, Rampage published his autobiography, co-authored with Chris Walter, titled I Survived D.O.A. An interviewer for the magazine BeatRoute asked Rampage whether an “overdose” of political correctness was to blame for the rise of Donald Trump. Here’s what Rampage had to say:

“I really don’t know, but something has gone horribly awry. People are sick and tired of political administrations that whip them like rented mules. But instead of going with far left or moderate options, voters swing farther to the right. I get that they’re rebelling against the system, but how can they possibly believe Trump will ever help anyone but himself?... Life is about survival in a fucked up world. There was Fucked Up Ronnie, Fucked Up Bush I, Fucked Up Bush II, and now Fucked Up Donald. Did my generation create Donald Trump? No, he created himself. And we are due for a shake-up. That’s the appeal of Trump.

“We were wanting to do something about the world but not knowing how to put it together. Our hearts were there but we didn’t know how to go about getting social change. We were all dreamers like all outsiders are. Now I know if you don’t do something about it, it can’t change. So vote.”

D.O.A. playing “World War 3”

Rampage’s coauthor Walter, whose tattooed punk pedigree is rock solid as well, added this:

“Most of us lucky enough to still be alive are starting to realize we’re not bulletproof and that maybe we should take it easy just a bit. Nowadays, we’re losing the old crew to things like heart attacks and other health-related issues. Ultimately, I see us as idealists that slowly acknowledged we couldn’t save the world from people like Trump. Like the hippies before us, we gradually assimilated into society, gathering occasionally at shows featuring musicians older than our parents were when we first steered away from the mainstream. Perhaps I’m being too harsh. I know a lot of very talented and creative people, and the punks in my circle are fairly intelligent. I can tolerate all manners of bullshit, but I have a limited threshold for stupidity.”

Bonus track: Here are lyrics to D.O.A’s “Watcha Gonna Do?” (listen to it here) from their 1980 album Something Better Change.

Hey, right
Whatcha gonna do
Bout whatcha gonna do?
Whatcha gonna be?
Cause ya been thinkin
That your nothin
Ya already are
Ya already are
You need some kickin, not just sittin
You need some action, not just talkin
Ya gotta get out your stupid world
Just quit your a-talkin
Been sittin around thinkin
About your sinkin
Around on down
You wanted everything
But you took nothin
So now you lie
About the way that you tried
So when ya gonna do somethin about it
Times runnin out, don't wait and doubt it
Ya gotta do somethin, or it'll be too late
Ya better not wait, or it'll be too late
Ya better not wait, or it'll be too late
Here's a chance
An ya gotta get out
Of your statue stance
Cause ya been thinkin
That your nothin
Your makin sure
Ya already are
So whatcha gonna do about what you do?
And whatcha gonna do about what you be?
Ya gonna do somethin or your gonna go under
And ya better not wait!  [Tyee]

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