Pols using music without the artist's permission has been a problem here for some time now, though conflict usually only results when a musician finds their work used to help elect someone they would never dream of voting for. This reached new heights when John Hall, founding member of Orleans and now a Democratic Congressman, found John McCain using his song "Still the One" without permission.
We've now exported this problem to France, where Wesleyan-grad hipster duo MGMT are suing President Nicolas Sarkozy for the UMP Party's use of the song "Kids" in online videos. Sarkozy offered an apology and one measly euro as compensation. The band, miffed, rejected the offer:
"This offer is disrespectful of the rights of artists and authors. It is insulting," said MGMT's French lawyer, Isabelle Wekstein.
Sarkozy's party recently championed a new law calling for harsher penalties for online piracy -- no word on whether this law would exact a fine greater than one euro from the UMP party.
