Van Halen to McCain: Stop Using Our Song Right Now
09/02/2008
He don' need no steenking permissions!
By Randy Harward
Ya gotta wonder what would possess the McCain campaign, just after getting spanked by a wuss like Jackson Browne, to tempt the unstable four-headed hydra called Van Halen.
McCain drew Browne's ire for using "Running On Empty" in an ad attacking Barack Obama. Now he's used VH's "Right Now" as his entrance music at the Republican National Convention--again, without seeking permission, prompting the legendary rock band to play the cease-and-desist card. From TMZ.com:
Van Halen management tells us the band had no idea McCain was planning on using "Right Now" during his big entrance in Ohio telling us, "Permission was not sought or granted nor would it have been given."
For the record, Dubya used the same song during a bunch of his campaign speeches back in 2004, but sources close to the band tell us, "They're not political, they're just rock and roll."
Yeah, but it's probably fine with Sammy Hagar, who actually sings the song--and gave money to George W. Bush's 2004 campaign and consistently donates to California Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R). That's one more reason you should support the real Van Halen when they manage to get their act together and record some new stuff. Unless it sucks.
Er, did we just flip-flop?
