(Writer's disclosure: Foo Fighters have been "my" band since 1995.)
Donald Trump has a long history of taking things from people without permission, from grabbing women's body parts to appropriating music for his rallies by artists who would never support him.
Trump is currently being sued by the estate of Isaac Hayes for using "Hold On, I'm Coming" at a recent rally without the family's okay. The Trump campaign has also used songs by Neil Young, Elton John, and Celine Dion without permission.
Trump campaign spokesman Steven "Oddjob" Cheung posted a 13-second video on his Twitter account of footage of Trump stepping off a plane as Beyoncé’s “Freedom” played. The song is the official theme for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris after Queen Bey granted official permission weeks ago.
On Wednesday, August 21st, Beyoncé’s record label and music publisher sent a cease-and-desist letter to Trump’s campaign over its use of “Freedom.” Later that night, the video was deleted from Cheung’s Twitter account.
And now, the flailing Trump campaign has done it again, this time at Friday's rally in Glendale, Arizona, where Trump introduced Robert F. Kennedy Jr--who was there to "endorse" him after failing to secure a meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris--to the strains of "My Hero" by legendary rock band Foo Fighters.
The song's lyrics include the famous couplet: "There goes my hero, watch him as he goes/There goes my hero, he's ordinary." Nothing about the song applies to either Trump or RFK Jr, obviously.
The band quickly responded to questions from fans regarding their permission, with a spokesperson telling Billboard that the Trump campaign never contacted the band. "Foo Fighters were not asked permission, and if they were, they would not have granted it,” the spokesperson said.
"Appropriate actions are being taken” against Trump, the statement continues, and any royalties from this usage will be donated to the Harris/Walz campaign.
There goes our real hero, Dave Grohl. Watch him as he goes after Trump--just like I did in 2015.