Hey, this is cool. MGMT has settled its beef with French political party UMP, sparked when the organization used the song “Kids†at its national congress without clearing it first. Nicolas Sarkozy’s crew was eager to settle, because copyright infringement is one of their political pet peeves (apparently not to the point where they thought to make sure the band was properly compensated before using the song, but whatever), and they’ve now come through with the loot. And, in truly classy fashion, the band will use its gains for good and not for evil.
According to a recently released statement:
“Normally MGMT steers clear of mixing music and politics, but the fact that the UMP used our song without permission while simultaneously pushing anti-piracy legislation seemed a little wack … we didn’t want to be “typical Americans†and sue, despite the amazing monetary benefit and chinchilla coats and Navigators it would bring. Instead we’re using the settlement fee the UMP presented and donating it to artists’ rights organizations.â€
MGMT Release Statement Regarding French Political Party Stealing “Kids†[Prefix]