No, it's a lot more sinister than that. Suppose it's not the Big Bad Evil RNC that's playing the song, but a small-town Liberal, let's call her "Wango," running for office. She plays "Wango Tango" by Ted Nugent at her campaign rally. Now along comes Big Bad Evil Ted Nugent who sues her with his crack, and I do mean crack, team of LA entertainment lawyers.

This behavior is about selective enforcement of copyright as it suits the holder for the purposes of attempting to supress political activity. What's next, will Hermes sue Joe Biden for wearing one of their ties? They hold a copyright in the pattern, don't they?

The RNC also used the Van Halen tune - Right Now, without their permission either.

http://newsroom.mtv.com/2008/09/05/van-halen-heart-peeved-at-gop-so-what-song-should-mccain-use/

Last week, right before Republican presidential candidate John McCain introduced the world to his running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, in Dayton, Ohio, he strutted out to the sounds of Van Halen’s “Right Now.” A few hours later, Van Halen’s publicist told MTV News that the POTUS hopeful was never granted permission to use the track, and had permission been sought, it would never have been granted.

Sammy Hagar rocks.

I kinda wondered about the Pretenders song on Rush's show. Chrissie Hynde is VERY political and 180 deg. opposite Rush's politics. I bet she'd have a real problem with it if they played her songs at the RNC Convention, since that's a one or two time thing and not on the radio. Rush gets her a lot of airplay every day, which gets her listeners. Actually, I can't stand that song, but love a lot of their other stuff.

All these years I thought it was the fat one married to the RS guy. I always thought a hollywood producer wouldn't settle for a fat girl when he could have so many other choices. Then there is Linda Rondstand. She used to be so hot. Back to the topic at hand.

I will not by Mellencamp or Sheryl Crow because they won't keep their big fat yappers shut about politcs. Shut up and sing/act.

She and Rush worked things out...not sure of the details.

I usually feel the same way, but I like Mellencamp enough, specifically his drummer, Kenny Aronoff, to forget politics and buy his stuff. It's one thing to be my political opposite. I can deal with that. Sheryl Crow is just downright stupid and that's crossing the line for me. Though Mellencamp's chain smoking on tv as soon as he got out of the hospital for his heart attack comes close in the stupidity dept. too.

My understanding the arena they had the RNC convention has a license, so its legal and fine to play heart's song.

Funny is that the Dubya song played 4 years ago was used by Obama during his speech.

it's easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.

I find this amazing. I was in Johnny Rockets for a bite last weekend, and I put a nickel in the juke box and played a song. What if I was announcing my candidacy for a local office and kept stuffing nickels in the juke box. You're saying I can be denied playing those songs if the author doesn't like my politics. What about if it's on the local news with the music in the background?

If you're a dem you could probably play anything and everything free. And to think I'm a musician. Oh the humanity of being a pitiful republican.

I'm with you Les - and I am a little disillusioned about the whole thing - I confused Art and Business. Silly me - Heart is a great band - their CD is currently in my 6 disk player in my truck - I'll think differently next time I hear em.

Just for *****s and giggles - say they "allowed" Mrs Palin to use Barracuda - how many EXTRA CD's would they sell? How much extra jack in their pockets that they could then give to the obama campaign?

stupid short sighted %^$ buckets.

Where is Jeremy (Gogar) on this one? Didn't they play some BHT & Monsters at the DNC?

How'd that settle?

Based on this discussion. I'm expecting McCain/Palin to consider the, "I Have A Dream" speech just because it sounds catchy. :rolleyes:

You'd think that after three publicized occurrences of playing commercial songs without permission from the copyright owner, they'd have gotten a clue. Maybe they're sucking up to the Chinese. "Anything you can do, we can do better."

BTW, the Rodgers and Hammerstein music library is up for sale. Some say it'll go for $150M. I wonder why? They're only songs to freely use aren't they?

I'm surprised so many here condon depriving someone of their livelihood, especially when their candidate of choice should know better. Geez, lawyers must outnumber people 10 to 1 in DC.

Sherwood

they need to get the rights to "hot for teacher". would make a perfect anthem for palin.

+1000!!!

Ha!

The difference with BHT, is that they actually played live at the DNC.

Oh.SmileWavy

Yeah, but the pig lady is gone. She was our neighbor, right across the street from my room mate and I on 124th. Close enough to crawl home from Waldo's. Another Waldo's favorite in those days was Johnny Limbo and the Lug Nuts. Or something like that... we crawled home a lot in those days...

I have no doubts they did.

The Wilson sisters simply get another '15minutes' by whining . .. and having the useful idiots whine for them.