In the eight or so years we’ve been making music we’ve never once used our rights as the copyright holders of our music to have anything removed from YouTube. Infact we’ve enjoyed a lot of the ways people have used the music – the unofficial videos, the documentaries and video projects – and although we still reserve the rights to request removal when necessary, until this week we’d never had to intervene.
That said, earlier this week we became aware that a YouTube user had used our music (He Films The Clouds Pt. 2) to soundtrack a video promoting and attempting to Justify the recent English Defence League march in Birmingham. If you’re not aware of the organisation they ‘officially’ oppose radical islam, but generally exhibit even more prejudiced and sinister motives. Although we respect everyones right to free speech, we do not wish to be associated in any way with such an organisation, be it officially or by the use of our music by anyone representing or associated with them. We immediately requested the removal of our music from the video, and consequently the videos removal from YouTube via official channels.
We’re making this statement because two days later the video is still live, although we’re not going to link to it here. It’s views have skyrocketed, and someone has added a ‘buy this music from iTunes’ link, now directly connecting us to the video. We’re making this statement because if you’ve come here as a supporter of the organisation we want you to know that although we can’t ask you not to listen to our music, we’d like to pass on the following message: We as a band are disgusted that someone would think that our music was appropriate to soundtrack a video promoting an organisation which espouses hatred and inequality, stemming from ignorance and misplaced fear. We are not the band for you.
We’re proud to live in one of the most diverse and cooperative cities in the United Kingdom, and everything we’ve ever written comes from five people with an intensely positive worldview. We’re not naive, and we know the world isn’t a perfectly functioning ecosystem, but hatred and racism has no place in it. Do not use our music to soundtrack your videos. We will ensure every last one is removed from the internet.
We’d like to direct you to an organisations we do respect the views and opinions of, and encourage anyone reading this to show their support: http://lovemusichateracism.com
John
Maybeshewill