Foo Fighters demands McCain stop using their music.
Foo Fighters demands McCain stop using their music.
Throughout the campaign season, Sen. John McCain’s presidential campaign has continually drawn the ire of musicians by using their copyrighted material without permission. Now yet another band is complaining. Yesterday, the Foo Fighters issued a statement telling McCain to stop using their song “My Hero“:
“The saddest thing about this is that `My Hero’ was written as a celebration of the common man and his extraordinary potential,” the band said in a statement. “To have it appropriated without our knowledge and used in a manner that perverts the original sentiment of the lyric just tarnishes the song.”
As ThinkProgress has previously noted, McCain’s continual copyright infringement contradicts his campaign pledge to protect “copyrighted works.”
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This sort of continuing behavior on the part of McPain/Stalin sures shows how much respect they’d show for the rue of law once they’re in the WH, huh?
October 9th, 2008 at 10:23 amThe McCain camp keeps stealing other’s intellectual property. Palin won’t cooperate with legal subpoenas.
McCain-Palin Above the Law
October 9th, 2008 at 10:25 amstateofthedivision Says:
McCain-Palin Above the Law
______________
Uh… I think you misspoke… didn’t you REALLY mean “Beneath the law”???
Hmmm… mebbe there’s a new job to be had there… misspokesperson.
October 9th, 2008 at 10:27 amI’m far from a McCain applogist, but I think the Foo Fighters (and other artists) are out of luck with this…Of course McCain (or anyone else) can’t just buy a CD and play a song at an event without permission…as I understand it, the McDepend’s camp bought the rights to a catalog of music that includes the rights to use Foo Fighters and other bands music…so I don’t think this is as simple as “copyright infringment.” Regardless McCain is an a$$.
October 9th, 2008 at 10:29 amI heard he is supported by at least one band – Big & Rich. I’m not too familiar with their music, but the name alone sounds like a McCain supporter…
October 9th, 2008 at 10:34 amThe Foo Fighters could always do what Heart apparently did: take the money from McPalin for the song license and make a contribution to Obama.
October 9th, 2008 at 10:36 amSarDickah ChePalin: So?
PEACE
October 9th, 2008 at 10:36 amI have this vision of McCain walking around with a “Kick Me” sign taped to his back. It’s a very pleasant vision.
October 9th, 2008 at 10:43 amWhy don’t Foo Fighters play live for Obama like they were going to do for Matt Santos??
October 9th, 2008 at 10:44 amMcCain should be using Slim Whitman songs at rallies.
Just like in ‘Mars Attacks’, we could watch both their heads explode when Slim hits his falsetto high notes.
Fun!
October 9th, 2008 at 10:47 amvinylspear Says:
I have this vision of McCain walking around with a “Kick Me” sign taped to his back. It’s a very pleasant vision.
OMG FUNNY :)
Maybe if they kicked him hard enough in his tush it will restart his brain
October 9th, 2008 at 10:48 amMocha,
You are right about the copyright business. Grohl doesn’t have any control over whether McCain can use his songs or not. The record label that owns the song Hero chooses who the sell the rights to, etc.
Although it is nice he is stepping up and clarifying the meaning of the song, there’s nothing he can do about it legally.
October 9th, 2008 at 10:49 amThis may be the october suprise for this election cycle !
October 9th, 2008 at 10:49 amposse comitatas where are you when we need you .
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article20975.htm
If elected, McBush/Pallid will install Martial law so — none of this will matter anyways…
October 9th, 2008 at 10:53 amPerhaps we should let Johny Mc shame steal this election after all !!!
October 9th, 2008 at 10:53 amWe may find ourselves confronted by our own military on our own streets in our own Country !!!!!!!!!!!
Good morning Nancy !
If McShitstain used music written by artists that would be proud of being used by him, he would be relegated to using music by the likes of Mike Meehan (the nut from Florida who leased a bill-board to knock Obama with images from 9/11) and that other idiot Lee Greenwood.
October 9th, 2008 at 10:54 amfreeman you have just scared the crap out of me
October 9th, 2008 at 10:54 amIf McCain just uses Britney ” I think we should just trust our President” Spears’ music he’d wouldn’t be having these problems. How about “Oops I Did It Again“
October 9th, 2008 at 10:58 amMcCain-Palin have repeatedly shown total disregard for intellectual property rights. Disgraceful Republicans!
October 9th, 2008 at 11:00 amMocha and progressive veteran are correct.
These artists signed away the right to decide WHO gets to play their music.
It’s the same licensing fee a bar or restaurant would have to pay for property rights.
What these bands CAN do is stand up and state very clearly that they are for, or against a candidates positions, and that they disagree strongly that the meaning of their art is being misrepresented by the campaign.
Then they can donate accordingly.
That of course, is a gamble….. (remember the dixie chicks?)
Can’t have it both ways though.
October 9th, 2008 at 11:45 amI’ve always loved the Foo Fighters. I love them even MORE now!
October 9th, 2008 at 11:54 amTracy_5….Obama did do that once.McCain seems to do it continuously…like the rules weren’t meant for him. See the difference there?
October 9th, 2008 at 11:56 amTracy__5 Says:
typical stupid republican mindset. mccain does it repeatedly and Obama does it once so you want to say they are the same…..you are too easy my friend.
mccain does it maliciously as he does everything.
October 9th, 2008 at 12:00 pmSo, Tracy_5, do you hate n*****s too?
October 9th, 2008 at 12:03 pmcomeon t5, don’t be bitter, tell us how the financial meltdown is the democrat’s fault.
October 9th, 2008 at 12:17 pmHey, Tracy, it’s not MY candidate, Barack Obama, encouraging rednecks and bigots to scream, “KILL HIM!!!”
It’s YOUR candidate. Own it, ahole.
October 9th, 2008 at 12:20 pmLeftside Annie Says:
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Hey, Tracy, it’s not MY candidate, Barack Obama, encouraging rednecks and bigots to scream, “KILL HIM!!!”
It’s YOUR candidate. Own it, ahole.
October 9th, 2008 at 12:20 pm Recommend (0) | Report Abuse
——————————————————————————–Hell, T1-99, is probably part of that crowd.
tony and lido
October 9th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Maybe Sinatra won’t mind if McPalin uses his stuff.
¶ AIO
October 9th, 2008 at 12:30 pmcome on t5, you came here and pretended to want a discussion. Are you afraid to discuss things?
Guess you would just rather throw one little monkey wrench into the works and hope that will be enough to derail Obama’s campaign…..then run like a coward.
If you want to be taken seriously, you have to defend your statements.
October 9th, 2008 at 12:37 pmTracy__5 babbles: Oh, so now it’s all relative? That’s typical.
From your own link:
Tommy Vietor, an Obama campaign spokesman, responded in a brief e-mail Saturday that they received the letter and will stop using the tune.
It’s all about common decency. The Obama campaign vowed to stop using the tune as soon as the author complained. The McCain campaign, on the other hand, have ignored the Foo Fighters’ complaints, and continue to use their tune.
I don’t trust you will be able to muster enough brain power to see the difference.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:12 pmCopyright infringement and public performance are not the same thing.
It sucks, but if an artist signs away the rights to public performance to ASCAP, then ASCAP calls the shots and can license it to whoever they want to give public performance rights to. They do it for sports arenas all the time, and as we’re finding out, they can license it to political groups as well so long as its within the bounds of the recording contract. McCain is restricted, fortunately, from using the songs in recorded advertising, which would be copyright infringement. In other words, if he was to make a commercial with it, he would have to get the artist’s permission.
This can serve as a lesson to recording artists to think long and hard about what they are signing when a record company tempts them with a contract. Maybe talk to Neil Diamond to see how he made sure that his songs are not used for political purposes.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:40 pmTracy_5….Can you use the brain God gave you? One mistake might be understandable…but McCain truly thinks that 1) We’re stupid and won’t notice or care that he violates copyright infringement laws 2) Feels like the rules don’t apply to him. Pick one. Either one is bad!Which choice makes YOU feel better about your candidate? The liar, or the cheat?
October 9th, 2008 at 1:59 pmdesertflower, I’ve conversed with T_5 many times on these boards and I can quite confidently tell you that he is using the brain God gave him.
Your mistake was in assuming that God treated Tracist fairly in that regard.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:03 pmralph the wonder llama…..OOPS! My bad:)Got left out when they were giving them out? Life is cruel.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:52 pm“There goes my hero
October 9th, 2008 at 3:34 pmWatch him as he goes
There goes my hero
He’s ordinary”
I hate to say it but they are legally allowed to do this, if the artist has put his music into the realm of allowing liscense for public performance, which most mainstream artists have..I think there should be an exception for idealogically based gatherings (as opposed to say, a school dance), but at this point for copyright purposes a prom or a club is not any different from a political rally or a klan bar-b-q
October 9th, 2008 at 6:05 pmThey could write another hit song called, “Not that one.”
October 9th, 2008 at 6:44 pmQuit demanding, and start SUING!
October 9th, 2008 at 7:44 pmFoo Fighters are a great band and I would be embarrassed if Grampie McSame was ripping of my music too.
October 9th, 2008 at 7:48 pmTracy__5 Says:
——————————————————————————–
Has the Obama campaign sought permission for every song that they have used at their rallys? NO, but then again groups or artists like the Foo Fighters are only complaining because of which candidate is using their material. I think these guys need to take a lesson in class from Brooks and Dunn and be thankful their song is getting air time for free.
Permission?….
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You are such a jerk. Of COURSE groups ought to have a right to say how THEIR ART CREATED BY THEM is used. They DONT want it used for McCains purposes and THAT is their right. This isnt UP TO YOU YOU ARROGANT MORON. It isnt our FAULT that Mcstrokeye cant get premisson from any decent artists to use their creations. It IS UP TO THEM. They dont NEED any publicity you insufferable moron. Of their six albums ALL have been nominated for Grammys and three of them won the Grammys for BEST ROCK ALBUM. You are such an ignoramus everytime you post on this subject you just show that you know NOTHING about music. Every one of their first five albums sold more than a million copies. YOU are an idiot
October 10th, 2008 at 11:20 am