Radiohead has issued a blunt joint statement after their song “Let Down” was used in a controversial social media video by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The clip, which was posted to ICE’s social media accounts, features a choral version of the song over a montage that allegedly depicts victims of violence carried out by “illegal aliens.”
Band’s Strong Response
In a statement provided to The Independent, Radiohead made it clear they were displeased with the video’s use of their music. The band demanded that the “amateurs in control of the ICE social media account take it down.” They went on to add, “It ain’t funny, this song means a lot to us and other people, and you don’t get to appropriate it without a fight.”
The statement ended with a blunt message from the band: “Also, go f*** yourselves,” before signing off as “Radiohead.”
Radiohead’s History with the Trump Administration
This is not the first time this month that the band has found themselves at odds with the Trump administration. Just two weeks ago, the band’s guitarist Jonny Greenwood and director Paul Thomas Anderson requested the removal of a segment of music from their 2017 film Phantom Thread from Melania Trump’s controversial Amazon documentary.
Jonny Greenwood’s Music in Melania Trump Documentary
Greenwood, who composed the score for Phantom Thread, claimed that the usage of the music in the documentary was a breach of his composer agreement.
His legal representatives stated that while Greenwood does not own the copyright of the score, the film’s distributor, Universal Pictures, “failed to consult Jonny on this third-party use, which is a breach of his composer agreement.” As a result, Greenwood and Anderson asked for the music to be removed from the documentary.
The segment in question includes a long excerpt of the song “Barbara Rose,” which was composed by Greenwood for the film.
“Melania” Documentary’s Reception
The Melania documentary, directed by Brett Ratner, followed the first lady during the 20 days leading up to her husband’s second inauguration. Despite its controversial nature, the film earned $13.35 million domestically after two weekends of release, exceeding box office projections, partly due to organized groups of Republican women who made up a significant portion of the audience.
However, the film has been widely criticized, with many giving it poor reviews. The Independent’s Nick Hilton gave the film a one-star review, calling it “transparently not a documentary.”
Greenwood’s Shift to Film Composition
In recent years, Jonny Greenwood has become more active in the world of film composition than in rock music. He has contributed to the scores of numerous films, including There Will Be Blood, Licorice Pizza, and One Battle After Another.
