Music | February 26, 2009 | 15 comments

MGMT suing French President. Not kidding

source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7912423.stm

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MGMT claim Nicolas Sarkozy's UMP party used the track 'Kids' at its national congress and in two online videos.

UMP has admitted using it, but said it was a mistake and has offered a symbolic gesture of one euro (£0.89).

But MGMT's French lawyer Isabelle Wekstein rejected the offer, telling AFP the offer was "insulting".

"This offer is disrespectful of the rights of artists and authors. It is insulting," she said.

"We are dealing with acts of counterfeiting, an infringement of intellectual property."

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the funniest part is that in a week, Sarkozy is considering tougher anti-piracing and file sharing legislation.
'faites pendant que je pour dire, pas comme le fais je!'
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15 comments // MGMT suing French President. Not kidding

  • emmahill
    • 0
      emmahill  

    • I agree with Exotic_Blue, musicians should be allowed to be a bit more sensitive to their rights of ownership when their tracks get used in political scenarios or in political campaigns.

      It suggests an association between musician and politician which might be false.

      Party conferences / speeches should stick to muzak soundtracks.

    • 2 years ago
  • kaps145
    • 0
      kaps145  
    • emmahill:

      I suppose so...

      Actually, yeah that's a pretty solid point. I'd have to agree.

      One could look at Etta James' reaction to Beyonce.

      The problem lies in music itself. Is it art or entertainment? DUN DUN DUN ;)

    • 2 years ago
  • Exotic_Blue
    • 0
      Exotic_Blue  

    • You guys are forgetting the political side to this. If they do not agree with Sarkozy and they didn't gave him permission to use as for his political agenda, then they shouldn't be allowed to use it.

    • 2 years ago
  • kaps145
    • 0
      kaps145  

    • Was the song being played over a PA system? You know like at a sports arena or party. Did it just so happen to be playing at moments caught on tape? If so I really don't see this as counterfeiting.

      Now if the song was EDITED into a video and the artist was not properly notified/compensated, there would be a case. I'm sure their government is competent enough to know NOT to do this.

    • 2 years ago
  • RaceBannon
    • 0
      RaceBannon  

    • One euro? Haha, you can't even take the metro in Paris for that much. I think mgmt could buy a croissant, but they'd have to split it.

      So I guess they might wanna sue.

    • 2 years ago
  • cerealforeal
    • 0
      cerealforeal  

    • Even though people suing for dumb reasons is one of the lamest things that citizens are doing now days, this is pretty damn badass since they are suing a president; the French one at that.

    • 2 years ago
  • The_Final_Chapter
  • myaccentfromnowhere
  • lyndzstyles
  • MissG
    • 0
      MissG  

    • This is amazingly ridiculous... (!!!). These kids went to school my a good friend of mine at Wesleyan, graduated in the same class and allegedly, the song "Kids" was written about the soon-to-be entrance into "real life." Is part of "real life" in America indulging in the age-old ability to slap a lawsuit to someone?

      Sarkozy should have used one of his wife Carla Bruni's breathy songs...

    • 2 years ago
  • BenDorries
  • mattbrawn
  • eyeswideshut
    • 0
      eyeswideshut  

    • Well I guess now we know why MGMT is in the music biz - for the money! What a bunch of assholes. You would think they would be happy about the free publicity they got!

    • 2 years ago
  • Lina1980
  • JJLESLIE
    • 0
      JJLESLIE  

    • I am more concerned that a relatively talented new band like MGMT is going to get stuck with a bad record deal. So, take all the money they can get.

    • 2 years ago
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