Green MP woos youth on eco CD

By IRENE CHAPPLE

Green MP Nandor Tanczos makes a surprise appearance in independent music label Loop Recordings' latest compilation.

The election-year tactic is aimed at attracting the youth vote, but Tanczos says his involvement spreads a wider message.

The CD, The Green Room 001: Eco-Nation, features prominent New Zealand artists such as Che Fu, Salmonella Dub and Pitch Black.

Tanczos appears in the last track, promoting an "eco-nation".

He does not mention the Green Party in the track, which features him talking over music, but quips, "Yes, this is political - everything you do is political".

Tanczos says the manoeuvre is unique. His party is probably "the only political force with the credibility and contacts within the music industry to make it possible.

"For us it's about promoting Aotearoa.

"We are not just promoting the Green Party - it's much bigger than that.

"In this country there are clear boundaries between politics and art, and this is blurring the line."

The party's involvement has cost the Green's campaign coffers "less then ten [thousand]", says campaign manager Cate Faehrmann - enough to pay for half the CD's initial run of 1000.

Faehrmann says the party wanted to show support for New Zealand music, and the opportunity with Loop "fitted in nicely to what we were trying to do".

Tanczos says the Greens will get positive publicity: "I see it as a way of promoting the green message to hard-to-reach political [groups].

"Largely the CD is aimed at a younger audience, which is typically more cynical and much less inclined to participate in parliamentary activity."