[The Soup Nazi]

From Under The Radar:

Robyn Hitchcock on Democratic Socialism, Kanye West and Trump (and more)

What are your thoughts on how the U.S. midterm elections have played out? What do you think the results mean for the Democrats' chances of taking back the White House in 2020?

Let's hope, let's pray, let's envisage that the Democrats take the White House back and keep it forever. Trump will crumble eventually, but what he represents will be harder to purge. If the Democrats pick a cartoon character, Americans will find them easier to identify with than a candidate with a complex message.

Despite compelling testimony from Christine Blasey Ford and sexual assault allegations from other women, Brett Kavanaugh was sworn in a Supreme Court Justice and many Republican women didn't believe Ford's story. What does this tell you about the general state of the #MeToo movement in 2018?

"Republican" and "women," funny to hear those words still together. Not even funny really...

Are you less of a fan of Kanye West now that he's visited the White House and has in other ways supported President Trump?

A biopsy may reveal that they have a similar cell-structure. There are creatures out there that we just don't understand. Sometimes they appear in the mirror, enlarged.

Scott Hutchison of Frightened Rabbit tragically took his own life this year. What should be done to improve mental health conditions for musicians?

Free and comprehensive medical and psychological healthcare would be a good start.

In 2018 there were more dire predictions about climate change and we witnessed some of its likely effects firsthand with various deadly storms and forest fires. What should touring musicians be doing to better offset their carbon footprint? How bad do you think it needs to get for governments and corporations to take stronger actions to fight climate change?

Children can see it already. For the adult powers that be, it will take the drowning of New York or San Francisco—any metropolis with a wealthy, white population—to make them change their tack. I hope I'm wrong.

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In the Trump era do you feel that it's a responsibility to make political music and/or speak out about political issues or do you think it's better to provide your listeners an escape from the never-ending bad news feed?

It's our responsibility, unless we're indifferent to the fate of the Earth and everything that lives on it. But you gotta give the bad news plenty of breaks, or nobody will watch your channel.

With the success of candidates like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, on top of Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential run, do you think that Democratic Socialism has a real future in America or do you think it will never be embraced by the mainstream electorate?

Fuck, I hope so. Reagan was a Democratic Socialist compared to this bunch.