The Politics of Dad Rock: How Tim Walz and Kamala Harris Are Bringing Indie Music to the Fore
When Beto O’Rourke and Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota served together in Congress, they would often go on early morning jogs and talk about their shared love of music from Minnesota, from iconic bands like Bob Dylan and Prince to the indie rock scene that thrived in the Twin Cities in the 1980s.
A Shared Love of Music
Mr. O’Rourke and Mr. Walz would often discuss music during their jogs, sharing their love for bands like the Replacements and Hüsker Dü. "Music would come up a lot," Mr. O’Rourke recalled of those runs when they were both serving on the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Mr. Walz, a native Nebraskan, seemed impervious to Washington winters, wearing T-shirts and shorts despite the cold weather.
Mr. Walz’s Affinity for Rock
Mr. Walz’s affinity for rock music is deep-seated, as vouched for by multiple sources. As his running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris, he is a true lover of dad rock. Three years ago, Mr. Walz wished Bob Dylan, born in Duluth, raised in Hibbing, a happy 80th birthday on social media, identifying "Forever Young" as his favorite Dylan tune. Last year, he used purple ink to sign a law honoring the Minneapolis native Prince by renaming a stretch of Highway 5 the "Prince Rogers Nelson Memorial Highway."
Mr. Walz’s Taste in Music
Mr. Walz periodically texts about upcoming rock concerts in the Twin Cities or Mr. O’Rourke’s hometown, El Paso. "I love that he has got one of the most intense jobs in the world, all these things on his plate, but he finds time to reach out, to listen to music, to go to concerts," Mr. O’Rourke said in an interview. Mr. Walz is also a fan of Bruce Springsteen and has been known to text Patrick Murphy, a former Democratic congressman from Pennsylvania, about upcoming Springsteen shows.
A Fan of Vinyl
Like Ms. Harris, who was photographed at a record store in Washington with a trove of LPs by jazz greats, Mr. Walz is a fan of vinyl. A few years ago, Mr. Walz posted photos to Facebook of himself and his daughter listening to fellow Midwesterners John Mellencamp and Bob Seger on vinyl. Last December, he displayed a haul of LPs from the Minneapolis record store Electric Fetus.
Concerts and Commemorations
Mr. Walz caught a Springsteen show last year at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, where he brought Mr. O’Rourke as his guest. Before the show, Mr. O’Rourke said, they discussed an upcoming remastered version of the Replacements’ 1985 album, "Tim." When the new "Tim" came out, Mr. O’Rourke mailed it to Mr. Walz on vinyl. Mr. Walz replied with an appreciative text.
A Changing of the Generational Guard
Bob Mould, the former Hüsker Dü frontman, said Tuesday that he had only just learned from Mr. O’Rourke’s post on social media that Mr. Walz knew his band’s music. "I’m pretty speechless," he said. "I was doing a happy dance." Michael Azerrad, whose 2001 history of indie rock "Our Band Could Be Your Life" has chapters on both the Replacements and Hüsker Dü, said in an interview that Mr. Walz’s appreciation for such bands signaled a changing of the generational guard, as Mr. Walz, like Ms. Harris, was born in 1964, at the dawn of Generation X. "It makes sense," Azerrad said, "that our post-Boomer politicians would be into indie rock."
Conclusion
Tim Walz and Kamala Harris’s love of music is more than just a hobby – it’s a reflection of their shared values of authenticity and community. As they work together to shape the future of our country, they bring with them a deep appreciation for the music that has shaped their lives.
