The Republican Party in America is back to its old tricks again, using a hit song in its presidential campaign without the consent of the band. This time it’s My Hero by the Foo Fighters, which is being blared out at Senator John McCain’s public appearances. Needless to say, the Foos aren’t too pleased about it.

“This isn’t the first time the McCain campaign has used a song without making any attempt to get approval or permission from the artist,” the band said in a statement. “It’s frustrating and infuriating that someone who claims to speak for the American people would repeatedly show such little respect for creativity and intellectual property.”

No doubt anyone who has listened to My Hero would appreciate the irony of McCain using it as his anthem. Republican rabble-rouser it ain’t. “The saddest thing about this is that My Hero was written as a celebration of the common man and his extraordinary potential,” continues the statement. “To have it appropriated without our knowledge and used in a manner that perverts the original sentiment of the lyric just tarnishes the song.

“We hope that the McCain campaign will do the right thing and stop using our song – and start asking artists’ permission in general!”