Shona Laing - (Glad I'm) Not A Kennedy

What this video is

Released in 1987 during New Zealand's defining anti-nuclear moment — the country had declared itself nuclear-free in 1987 under the Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament, and Arms Control Act. The song, written by Shona Laing after watching Edward Kennedy's 1984 Democratic Primary campaign, channelled anxiety about American political dynasties and Cold War nuclear brinkmanship. Its integration of JFK speech audio gave the…

Why it matters

A landmark of New Zealand synth-pop, the track reached No. 2 on the NZ chart and No. 14 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, demonstrating that politically engaged pop could achieve international crossover from the South Pacific. Its success helped pave the way for New Zealand artists to…

The director

New Zealand-born director and producer. In the 1980s, was the top graduate at a recording engineering school at Auckland's Harlequin Studios and a member of band Everything that Flies. Directed music videos for Greg Johnson, the Headless Chickens, the…