Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Celtic punk band to Republican Governor: "Stop using our music ... we literally hate you"

Scott Walker’s use of their song is a “like a white supremacist coming out to gangsta rap” according to the Dropkick Murphys.

Mark Higgins / YouTube

US CELTIC PUNK band the Dropkick Murphys have effectively sent a ‘cease and desist’ warning to Wisconson State Governor Scott Walker, after the Republican politician used one of the most famous songs as his entrance music.

The recently re-elected Governor, known for presiding over controversial budget cuts, used their hit ‘Shipping up to Boston’ as his entrance music at an event on Saturday.

Walker was greeted with a standing ovation at the Iowa Freedom Summit, Bloomberg Politics notes — but the band weren’t happy with his choice of track…

GOP 2016 Iowa Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker speaks during the Freedom Summit. Charlie Neibergall Charlie Neibergall

According to Bloomberg:

Representatives for Walker, the Iowa Freedom Summit, and the Dropkick Murphys did not respond to a request for comment on the issue.

Walker certainly can’t say he wasn’t warned. The band also hit out at the Republican party for use of the track — best known as the main theme of ‘The Departed’ — back in 2012, writing on Facebook…

“We just got word that Wisconsin State Rep and Speaker of the State Assembly Jeff Fitzgerald used “Shipping Up To Boston” as his walk-on song yesterday at the Wisconsin GOP Convention in Green Bay.

The stupidity and irony of this is laughable. A Wisconsin Republican U.S. Senate candidate – and crony of anti-Union Governor Scott Walker – using a Dropkick Murphys song as an intro is like a white supremacist coming out to gangsta rap.

The group added:

We stand beside our Union and Labor brothers and sisters and their families in Wisconsin and all over the U.S.

High-profile Republicans have a long history of upsetting musicians by purloining their compositions for campaign use. Bruce Springsteen even had to take Ronald Reagan to task back in 1984 for his use of ‘Born in the USA’. The folks at Rolling Stone have put together an impressive chronology.

Read: Northeast US braces for “crippling and potentially historic” snow storm

Read: Trains from Cork, Galway and Limerick direct to Dublin Airport? It could happen… 

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Author
Daragh Brophy
View 43 comments
Close
43 Comments
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
    JournalTv
    News in 60 seconds