Foo Fighters have made their stance perfectly clear after former President Donald Trump used hit song, My Hero, at a rally – and they are not happy.
The song was originally released by the US rock band – made up of Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett and Pat Smear, Rami Jaffee, and Josh Freese – in 1997 and has become the latest tune to land Trump in hot water.
It was played at an Arizona rally on Friday to introduce wildcard Robert F. Kennedy Jr. onto stage after he suspended his independent candidacy and endorsed Donald Trump as the Republican nominee and hopeful to win the US election.
When asked on social media if the band had given permission for its use, the account decisively replied: ‘No’.
A statement later issued to PA confirmed: ‘Foo Fighters were not asked permission, and if they were they would not have granted it.’
Representatives for the band later followed up with Billboard to add that ‘appropriate actions are being taken’ and that any royalties received as a result of this usage will be donated to the Harris/Walz campaign.
Let us be clear. pic.twitter.com/gexHWjPMYh
— Foo Fighters (@foofighters) August 24, 2024
A video of his entrance is currently still up on Kennedy Jr’s X account with the caption: ‘Unite America’.
The nephew of the US’s 35th president, John F Kennedy, said he has been a Democrat since birth but has accused the party of ‘abandoning democracy’ and embarking on unjust ‘legal warfare’ against him and Trump.
This is far from the first time the Republican presidential hopeful has faced issues for unauthorised music use.
In the past few weeks alone, it has been reported that Beyonce threatened the Trump campaign with a cease-and-desist letter after her song Freedom was used in a 13-second social media video.
The clip, uploaded by Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung, showed the Republican nominee deplaning in Michigan overlayed by the singer’s Lemonade hit and has since been deleted.
Freedom is currently the unofficial anthem for the Democratic campaign run by vice-president Kamala Harris.
Other artists who have voiced complaints this year also include Celine Dion for My Heart Will Go On and The Smiths with their song Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want.
‘In no way is this use authorized, and Celine Dion does not endorse this or any similar use,’ Celine’s statement read. ‘…And really, THAT song?’
As for Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, he responded: ‘Ahh…right…OK. I never in a million years would’ve thought this could come to pass. Consider this s**t shut right down right now.’
They are in good company. The Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Black Sabbath and Rihanna have also hit back against Trump over the years.
Metro.co.uk has reached out to Foo Fighters for comment.
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