Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) could just be the nation’s most unlikely new pop icon — if you can consider someone who doesn’t sing or dance an icon.
The 63 year-old former premier under the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government isn’t about to give up this role just yet, not even after being dealt a devastating setback last November.
“Some people might not like me, but they like the band and the music,” Su said in an interview with the Taipei Times late last month.
Photo Courtesy of Samuel Chen, The Chairman Music Band
“This is how we continue the dialogue — the very thing that is missing in Taiwanese politics today,” he said.
In an ambitious campaign to give his political message wider appeal, Su has turned to music, dance and all that jazz not normally found in political campaigns.
The balding politician, known affectionately among supporters as the “e-ball,” in reference to his shiny forehead, relies on a group of indie rock bands and underground rappers to rouse old supporters and attract new fans.
Certainly, it was a surprising move for the one-time Pingtung County commissioner to suddenly transform himself and base his message on an untested medium that has so far yielded mixed results. However, he appears undeterred and hopes that more will follow.
Take a look at any of his “Open Taipei” concerts — which he has continued even after losing a bid for Taipei mayor last November. His most recent, at Daan Park, is more reminiscent of a music festival featuring a dozen young performers than a political event.
Under the glare of the spotlights on stage, Su waved his hands to the heavy beat by Dog G (大支), a rapper best known for his pro-Taiwan lyrics and Taiwan Song, a piece that questions the lack of Taiwanese assertiveness.
Su said he didn’t do it for show; he simply liked the music.
“To be honest, I don’t know music, I only recognize what I think is good,” he said. “And these artists, these bands, they’re the best in Taiwan.”
His transformation — he now wears a pink polo shirt more often than a black suit — can be attributed to his group of assistants, none of whom is over 40. Most of them started as trusted staffers during his tenure as Taipei County commissioner and followed him despite his setbacks — first in a vice presidential bid and then for Taipei mayor.
“He is very trusting of young people and willing to try what we recommend,” said Xaviar Chang (張惇涵), a 29-year-old responsible for Su’s campaign ads and YouTube videos, which have so far received 2.1 million views.
“He doesn’t think of age as a number, but rather how you feel at heart,” Chang said.
Indeed, it was intuition and not coincidence, Su said, that led to his choice of music as a way to disseminate his message. He had never received any musical training and even now, after spending countless hours with bands and artists, he can only beat the drums, albeit off rhythm.
“I met [some of the bands] at the Hohaiyan Rock Festival, when I was Taipei County commissioner,” he said, referring to the annual beach fest on the outskirts of the now renamed New Taipei City (新北市). “I realized then that we have similar ideals for Taiwan ... and thought that we can accomplish them together.”
His roster of bands and artists who frequently appear at his events includes The Chairman (董事長樂團), who combines traditional Aboriginal beats with Taiwanese rock, Dog G, soft-rock singer Suming (姜聖民) and September Campers (九月露營人), an indie band with roots in Toronto, Canada.
It’s a win-win situation, Su said.
Many people that come to see the bands often find themselves agreeing with his message, while many of his supporters, who are far removed from the music scene, wind up enjoying the tunes.
“So far, I am still amazed at the result,” he added.
The message that Su and the artists share is an outpouring of “emotions, dreams and ideals” for the city that they have vested so much in.
Through music, he said, all of this could be expressed as an agent for greater change, and not just necessarily politically.
“It’s really not ‘political music,’” he said.
There are no lyrics bearing his name, his trademark phrase of “Go, go, go,” or anything indicating that voters should support Su in the 10-odd songs that his campaign office had compiled into a CD and sold in music stores. Two songs can also be found in national KTV chains.
“No, these artists, they value their works and the emotions they’ve put into these works too much. While we may be working toward the same ideal, we retain our different perspectives of how it should be done,” he said.
Disagreement between Su and the artists is rare and just as importantly, there is an atmosphere of mutual respect for both their crafts. Su doesn’t try to overshadow the music with his politics — an example that is sadly missing in the larger political scene, the artists said.
That interaction was apparent on a Friday afternoon when Su walked into the recording studio of The Chairman to record his newest television spot, standing alongside band members.
“It’s a very friendly relationship, Su is approachable and outgoing,” said Wu Yung-chi (吳永吉), the guitarist, smiling at Su’s irregular tempo on the drums.
Su, in return, tells the camera that he hopes their newest album will “sell like hotcakes.”
“I think that between us ... we don’t want to see politics return to the way it was in the past, full of attacks and anger,” Wu said. “And I still have the naive hope that we can still change society through music, despite that setback in November.”
However, that setback has led Su, still raw from the bruising, to keep his plans — including whether he’s considering running for president next year — a mystery.
However, for all the young people that see him as simply another politician coming and going, it’s clear that Su hopes the music can drive home his message, and his intentions.
He plans on being “here to stay,” as the song by September Campers is titled — for the “beautiful smiles and the faces of Taipei.”
And if he doesn’t plan on leaving, neither will the music.
His method has been a success, despite its setbacks, he said.
“There are of course people who have criticized my method and say that they are not used to it, but I have no regrets. This is what politics should be like,” he said.
“I do believe that someday this [kind of dialogue] will become the norm. What we are doing is not wrong — all it will take is more time,” he said.
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