The Grammy-winning Foo Fighters have issued a statement demanding theGOP presidential contender stop using their 1998 hit "My Hero" at campaign rallies—saying they don't approve his message.
"This isn't the first time the McCain campaign has used a song without making any attempt to get approval or permission from the artist. 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 Foos said in a statement.
"The saddest thing about this is that 'My Hero' was written as a celebration of the common man and his extraordinary potential. To have it appropriated without our knowledge and used in a manner that perverts the original sentiment of the lyric just tarnishes the song. We hope that the McCain campaign will do the right thing and stop using our song—and start asking artists' permission in general!"
A rep for McCain's camp was unavailable for immediate comment.
The Foo Fighters previously hit the campaign trail in 2004 on behalf of John Kerry.
Van Halen, John Mellencamp, Jackson Browne and Heart are among the artists to grouse about McCain and running mate Sarah Palin using tunes without permission.
