The White Stripes singer Jack White called Donald Trump’s campaign “fascists” and threatened to sue after an aide apparently used a clip of the band’s hit Seven Nation Army on a pro-Trump social media post.
Trump’s deputy director of communications, Margo Martin, shared a brief 10-second video clip of Trump boarding a plane to campaign events with the music as a background soundtrack.
The move clearly angered White, who rapidly became the latest in a long line of musicians to take umbrage at their art being used as a soundtrack to Trump’s bid to retake the White House.
On Instagram White wrote: “Don’t even think about using my music you fascists. Law suit coming from my lawyers about this (to add to your 5 thousand others.) Have a great day at work today Margo Martin.’
I know that you can’t just assume things, but I’ve always found it telling that 95% of the people who make all the beautiful, and even just amusing, art in the world all seem to be left of center in their particular countries.
If the most sensitive among us, attuned to the human condition, almost universally trend one way, and so do the teachers and the scientists, maybe, I dunno, they’re onto something.
I forget where I read this (Jonathan Haidt maybe?) but someone said that conservatism is focused on in-groups whereas liberalism is broader, which requires more empathy. Empathy is also very useful when creating art, which is why there are so few conservative artists and the few who do exist tend to do very literal/realistic works.
Left = good for people
Right = good for the really rich
At the end of the day, the left is good people and right is full of fear and hate.
The best art requires empathy
The right has very little aesthetic. Their primary symbol looks like it took 14 seconds to make on a hat at RiteAid.
I imagine most artist being seen as dead-weight weirdos for a regular fascist unless they already achieved their respect or\and came from the right background. Excluding the effect of what consuming and making art for decades makes to a person, the one who does it is rarely seen and appreciated as a part of the machine. Taking the funny political compass meme as a framework, we see that from a capitalistic angle good art is the one that sells, and from an authoritarian - it’s the one that serves some utilitarian purpose. These limits are too tight for self expression and they don’t inspire creativity, but reproduction and continuation of something that works in either direction. Innovation and provocation that make art get written into history books are threats to what fascism implies, and it fears it unless it’s something on Wagner or Riefenstahl level they can coopt. Artists themselves can start or become fascists easily, and channel their hatred into words and strokes, but they are mostly either too ‘normal’ to be really invested in art and got somehow remembered (see nazi punks) or too weird to fit in the world they themselves wish (see Lovecraft and his dog).
I think its mostly that the other side is just so much More radical. I still refuse to believe half the americans would vote for Trump again after all that has happened
Never discount the religious right in the USA. They do what they are told. Zero critical thinking. None whatsoever. Cognitive dissonance be damned.
Don’t worry, your realization has a very simple explanation: tHeIr aLl BrAiNwAsHeD!
so its ok to use copyrighted material if you just use it until someone yells at you, then switch to the next piece youre not allowed to utilize?
at what point are you punished for clearly breaking the copyright law on purpose? or is that only for poor people?
if the punishment for breaking the law is a fine that law only exists for the poor
It’s a big club, and you ain’t in it.
It’s another custom that’s bound people only by the fear of constant public shame and ridicule that trump has shambled through like a toddler through a spiderweb.
Icky Trump
To bad we can’t send trump on a wagon to Mexico
No no no, Mexico is sending us their rapists, we’re not sending them our rapists.
Na [na na na] [na na na] [na na na] naa na.
Or give him the Goldfrapp treatment
Stop giving them warnings… Just do the thing
Per the article:
On Instagram White wrote: “Don’t even think about using my music you fascists. Law suit coming from my lawyers about this (to add to your 5 thousand others.) Have a great day at work today Margo Martin.’
It looks like “threatens a lawsuit” is being used here because “sues” would be inaccurate (since the suit has not been filed).
Oh wow that’s a beautiful qoute.
Good for Jack.
I saw part of the DNC where they went to representatives of each state and territory to have them announce their votes. For each and every one the DJ played a popular song associated with that region. I’m guessing they had to try to clear all of those. It was a kind of annoying and tedious procedure, but I feel like it was a big flex on conservatives. It seems like artists are rebuking the usage of their music by conservatives for political events on a regular basis.
I don’t know why or how this keeps coming up. All musicians who want or don’t want their music used by a politician or political party should be on a list. If the song is on the banned list and it’s used, instant fine.
That’s not really how copyright law works though.
It’s a civil issue which means the aggrieved party needs to file a suit.
It’s obviously just easier and cheaper for trumps team to do it this way. There’s no back and forth asking for permission (that would be declined anyway). They just do it, then pay a few grand to settle later
But we’re not talking copyright laws, we’re talking Fair Use and I think musicians should be allowed to say, it’s fair use or X and not for Y
Fair use is a (difficult) defense to being sued for infringing copyright. The copyright holder doesn’t get to say what is and isn’t fair use-- that’s a multifactor largely qualitative assessment preformed in the court room.
It’s easy to just reach out to the artist and request permission. They have agents for that sort of thing, the campaigns have staff that can do that sort of thing. It’s gotta be better than making assumptions with your blanket license and then getting bad PR and lawsuits after the fact.
It’s easy to just reach out to the artist and request permission.
Unless you’re Coolio. Then your agents agree to whatever, and cause drama with the most wholesome man in music.
but… but… it’s no place for hate
Trump’s campaign guy: “but I thought he was White!”
I’m opposed to most copyright laws.
Good. What a horrible taste in music anyway.
Is it now “hip” hating the White Stripes?
Not just the white stripes, Jack is one of the most prolific artists of this generation. The Raconteurs, Dead Weather, and his solo efforts are all amazing too.
He also did Danger! High Voltage with Electric Six for the hell of it. Didn’t put his name on it, didn’t publicize it, he just liked Electric Six and decided to do vocals on one of their songs. And it was a huge hit. They still don’t admit it’s him. (It’s definitely him.)
The Raconteurs, Dead Weather,
I literally can’t tell if you’re making these up as a joke I don’t get, or if he’s done more than that one song. You know the one. With the bassline.
you’re not sure… if a career musician has done more than one song. okay bro.
You’ve never heard even another White Stripes song besides Seven Nation Army? How old are you?
40
Were you just living under a rock in the 2000s? How can you have never heard songs like Fell In Love With a Girl or Icky Thump or The Hardest Button to Button?
Seriously, they got so much airplay 20 years ago and you were at the exact age to have been listening to them.
Fell In Love With a Girl, absolutely. I’ve got the single on CD.
Icky Thump? No idea at all. 😆
Never heard of Icky Thump. I think I had heard of “Fell In Love With A Girl” if it’s the one that Weird Al put in one of his polka melodies. I heard it a few years ago.
How does someone get seven down votes for starting their age?
Bands that he’s been a part of
Jack White is one of the most influential musicians of his era (his heyday would have been 2003 or so when Elephant by the White Stripes was released).
Yeah they should’ve just gone with the audible bliss that is Kid Rock and Ted Nugent.
/s with the mass of 1000 suns.
