"There goes my hero, watch him as he goes.", Dave Grohl sings in the Foo Fighter's famous rock song "My Hero".
Now his song is discovered by the Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain. He uses the song during his campaign: It was played after speeches during the Republican conventions and for other public events.
Of course, the image of being a hero is what McCain wants to create: The hero, who can rescue the American nation from the financial crisis and from terrorism.
The song, that is really strong in lyrics and in his guitar play, reveals this attitude.
But the use of this song has not been permitted by the band. McCain's campaign, again, disregarded the intellectual property rights of artists.
You can read a statement of the Foo Fighters, which says:
"It’s frustrating and infuriating that someone who claims to speak for the American people would repeatedly show such little respect for creativity and intellectual property."
The Foo Fighters claim that the song "My Hero" was written as a celebration of the common man and his extraordinary potential. To have it appropriated without their knowledge and used in a manner that perverts the original sentiment of the lyric just tarnishes the song.
What can be the punishment for the McCain campaign? Are there any laws, which will touch McCain's behavior?
Now his song is discovered by the Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain. He uses the song during his campaign: It was played after speeches during the Republican conventions and for other public events.
Of course, the image of being a hero is what McCain wants to create: The hero, who can rescue the American nation from the financial crisis and from terrorism.
The song, that is really strong in lyrics and in his guitar play, reveals this attitude.
But the use of this song has not been permitted by the band. McCain's campaign, again, disregarded the intellectual property rights of artists.
You can read a statement of the Foo Fighters, which says:
"It’s frustrating and infuriating that someone who claims to speak for the American people would repeatedly show such little respect for creativity and intellectual property."
The Foo Fighters claim that the song "My Hero" was written as a celebration of the common man and his extraordinary potential. To have it appropriated without their knowledge and used in a manner that perverts the original sentiment of the lyric just tarnishes the song.
What can be the punishment for the McCain campaign? Are there any laws, which will touch McCain's behavior?
Of course, the election campaign team of the candidate must had bought the authorization, sold by the Foo Fighter's record company, to play the song in the public.
But there is another right, which is called "intellectual property" - the artist's freedom to forbid the use of his songs, if the use is not compatible to its original meaning or the artist's point of view.
But there is another right, which is called "intellectual property" - the artist's freedom to forbid the use of his songs, if the use is not compatible to its original meaning or the artist's point of view.
You may think that because their song is played at his events, that the Foo Fighters are great supporters of John McCain. But they are not. And that's why they ask McCain to stop playing "My Hero" on his election campaign.
Let's see if the Republican candidate will comply to that wish. But with this constant violation of the artists’ intellectual property and the continous showing of the disrespect, he might have gambled away the consent of the musicians, of the music scene - a scene, that has a wide public influence. The bands and artists can reveal their political opinion through their songs and through statements, which reache many people.It will be interesting to see if this has an impact on the presidential election in a few weeks.
Let's see if the Republican candidate will comply to that wish. But with this constant violation of the artists’ intellectual property and the continous showing of the disrespect, he might have gambled away the consent of the musicians, of the music scene - a scene, that has a wide public influence. The bands and artists can reveal their political opinion through their songs and through statements, which reache many people.It will be interesting to see if this has an impact on the presidential election in a few weeks.
"My Hero" - The Foo Fighters
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