Radiohead has issued a joint band statement decrying the use of the group’s song “Let Down” in a pro-ICE video, telling the U.S.’s Department of Homeland Security to “go fuck yourselves” for misappropriating the track.
A spokesperson for Radiohead said it “goes without saying it was without the band’s permission” and passed along their statement, which reads:
“We demand that the amateurs in control of the ICE social media account take it down. It ain’t funny, this song means a lot to us and other people, and you don’t get to appropriate it without a fight.
Also, go fuck yourselves… Radiohead.”
A choral version of “Let Down” appears as the soundtrack to a video appearing on ICE’s social media accounts that shows a montage of victims of violence that the government agency attributes to “illegal aliens” in the U.S.
The text accompanying the video reads: “Thousands of American families have been torn apart because of criminal illegal alien violence. American citizens raped and murdered by those who have no right to be in our country. This is who we fight for. This is our why.”
The plain-talking message from Radiohead follows a more polite message that Radiohead member Jonny Greenwood and director Paul Thomas Anderson sent to the makers of the “Melania” documentary, asking that a piece of scoring from “The Phantom Menace” used in the doc be taken out of the film. Greenwood contended that his contract for working on the film mandated that he at least be made aware of any future licensing for the music, which he said did not occur.
In an interview with “Melania’s” producer with Variety, he said Radiohead was one of his favorite bands, and he would entertain a conversation with Greenwood, but that the “Phantom Thread” cue was properly licensed and would never come out of the movie.
Radiohead’s objection to ICE using its music follows other pop stars decrying their songs being picked up for viral videos depicting the roundup of immigrants.
variety.com
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