Wake up, vote

Voting is a duty each one of us has to fulfil, says Bruce Lee Mani, lead guitarist and vocalist of Thermal And A Quarter. The band is on a five-city tour as part of the Jaago Re campaign

Voting is a duty each one of us has to fulfil, says Bruce Lee Mani, lead guitarist and vocalist of Thermal And A Quarter. The band is on a five-city tour as part of the Jaago Re campaign

How did the association with Jaago Re happen?
Bruce Lee Mani: We were invited to be part of the Jaago Re campaign. They approached us to do a song for them. As a band we were excited by the idea. Personally, I think it's very important for every Indian to vote, so the campaign is very relevant.

Gung-Ho! (right top) Thermal And A Quarter performs at Chennai and Kolkata; Bruce Lee Mani (far right) with his band mates

Have you voted previously?
Bruce: No, I have never voted before because I thought my vote wouldn't make a difference, but my fellow band members have voted previously. The campaign has been an eye opener for me. I will definitely vote this time.

What is your message to youngu00a0 voters?
Bruce: The message is very clear in the song. If someone listens carefully to the song, 'Shut up and vote', they will understand why it is every citizen's duty to vote. 'Shut up' is a forceful word but it implies that if you do not vote, you have no business to whine and complain about the system. Your vote may not change the system in a day but it is sure to have powerful, far-reaching effects.

Other than 'Shut up and vote', have you created any other special songs for this campaign?
Bruce: No. 'Shut up and vote' is the song especially created for Jaago re. But we have written songs on social relevant subjects and we will be singing them at these concerts. There are songs on issues that we feel strongly about.

So far you've performed at Chennai and Kolkata. How was the response?
Bruce: In Chennai, it was brilliant. The crowd was superb.u00a0 We are looking forward to concerts in Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi.

The shows are at: