Saturday morning tunes: Rush versus Rush

This isn't a post about Republicans using rock music for their campaign events without getting permission of the copyright holders -- although lord knows there are plenty of those incidents.

This is about one particular Republican using music he has the legal right to use -- rarity of rarities! -- and the artists who object because the Republican in question is, to quote one band, “a racist, misogynist, right wing clown.” (Love their use of the serial comma.)

Unlike, say, the Bush 1992 presidential campaign, or the Dole 1996 campaign, or the McCain/Palin 2008 campaign, when Rush Limbaugh's radio show uses copyrighted rock music as background, or bumpers between segments, they have the legal right to do so, since Clear Channel (through its subsidiary syndication network Premiere, which distributes Limbaugh's show) has already paid for the rights to use the music on its network.

The artists can't sue for copyright infringement, and they can't pull advertising (like around fifty of his sponsors, and counting). But that doesn't mean that the artists whose work can be heard along with some of Limbaugh's recent misogynistic rants are going to go down without a fight.

And so, without further ado, p3 proudly presents:

Artists: Rage Against the Machine [thanks, Ryan, for spotting the error!]
Music in question: Sleep Now in the Fire.
Quote:

Stop using our music on your racist, misogynist, right wing clown show.

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Artist: Peter Gabriel
Music in question: Sledgehammer
Quote:

Peter was appalled to learn that his music was linked to Rush Limbaugh's extraordinary attack on Sandra Fluke. It is obvious from anyone that knows Peter's work that he would never approve such a use. He has asked his representatives to make sure his music is withdrawn and especially from these unfair aggressive and ignorant comments.

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