"With a string of hits going back to It's a Long Way to the Top in 1976, Acca Dacca kicks Midnight Oil's butt all the way from here to Sunbury," Prime Minister John Howard said, announcing Young's candidacy last night.

"I'll tell you this much right now: it isn't going to be a long way to the top of my Government for Angus Young.

"He is a high-voltage candidate for the people of Adelaide."

The conscription of the head-banging, school uniform-clad rocker is the latest volley in a musico-political war that has escalated rapidly since the announcement that Oils frontman Peter Garrett would contest the Sydney seat of Kingsford Smith for Labor.

Labor leader Mark Latham, having added guitar legend Tommy Emmanuel (Eden-Monaro, NSW) to the Labor ticket, was last night desperately looking for a rhythm section to back his lead singer.

Having already been rebuffed by former Skyhooks drummer Freddie Strauks, Latham is reportedly leery of conscripting Midnight Oil's drummer Rob Hirst in case an Oils faction forms within caucus, possibly with more discipline than the Left or the Right.

Nevertheless, Latham's problems pale into insignificance next to those of Howard, who is in the precarious position of facing an election this year without, as yet, having settled on a lead singer.

Jimmy Barnes's style is considered too "shouty" for the federal parliament, and would be likely to earn stern rebukes from Speaker Neil Andrew. Angry Anderson is considered too egotistical for politics, John Farnham too ingratiating. Marc Hunter is a New Zealander . . . and also dead.

Howard will need to make a decision fast if he does not want to fade into music history.

Latham has also fired all of his speechwriters and announced that folk-rock legend Paul Kelly will stand for the seat of Ballarat, in Victoria, and will write all the lyrics for Labor's campaign, which will be promoted by Paul Dainty and managed by Glenn Wheatley.

Dainty told The Australian last night that, with the musical talent on offer to Labor, the campaign launch would turn into a "super jam" and election night itself would be "bigger than Woodstock".

The Greens have meanwhile decided to appeal to a more contemporary musical taste by conscripting Silverchair as their entire NSW Senate ticket. Greens leader Bob Brown suggested last night that attempts by Labor and the Coalition to appeal to the musical tastes of baby-boomers illustrated how out of touch they were with the electorate: "We present a genuine alternative. And we present it via alternarock."

The Nationals, of course, have settled on a country format for their campaign, conscripting country music legend John Williamson for the seat of Gippsland, in Victoria. Williamson says he is accustomed to going solo. But the Nationals' plans were thrown into musical disarray when maverick independent Bob Katter announced he would be standing the four miniskirted models from Robert Palmer's famous Addicted to Love video in the four "sugar seats" strung along the north Queensland coast.

Tasmanian independent Brian Harradine struck an incongruous figure in the Senate last night, with his drum kit, a harmonica brace and a range of crude wind instruments attached to stands.

Senator Harradine has ignored the musical shenanigans around him and announced he'll soldier on as a one-man band.

The author of this article was having a little fun. This was written with  heavy tounge and cheek bent. But I guess the Angus Young announcement is true?

And we thought the recall election in California got out of hand. Looks like the Aussies not only stole a page from our book, but uped one on us as well.