Ted Leo rushes a benefit ep

Ted Leo has recorded a four-track digital ep to raise money to cover legal fees of those arrested for daring to protest outside the Republican National Convention. Other slices of the raised funds will go to Food Not Bombs Minneapolis and Democracy Now; anything left over will be sent to Sarah Palin who seems to be very fond of money.

McCain ignores cease-and-desist letters

There's a degree of irony in John McCain - a man who has helped the current administration dance to the whim of the copyright industries - choosing to pointedly ignore a cease-and-desist letter. The Wilson sisters from Heart made it clear they didn't want him using their music:

Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart have informed the McCain/Palin Campaign that Universal Music Publishing and Sony BMG have sent a cease-and-desist notice to not use one of Heart's classic songs, "Barracuda," as the congratulatory theme for Sarah Palin.

The Republican campaign did not ask for permission to use the song, nor would they have been granted that permission.

"We have asked the Republican campaign publicly not to use our music. We hope our wishes will be honored."

So what came parping out of the speakers once McCain had got to the end of his "I'm not my own man" speech?

Yep. Barracuda.

Copyright law is for other people. John McCain is a scofflaw.

Revenge against the Machine

Following on from the Rage Against The Machine march on the Xcel Centre and the RNC, it looks like last night, the police were out for revenge.

The band were playing a proper, legal, ticketed gig at the Target Centre in Minneapolis (for now, let's leave aside the question of how they're playing a gig at a venue which is a marketing tool for a major Republican Party Contributor as that might just make my head pop). As Coldsnaplegal's Twitter feed witnessed, the cops were waiting for revenge:

Concert goers @the rage against the machiene show are taking to the streets. riot cops on every corner, 1 arrest. need legal observers.

Front of target center cleared. 7th & Hennepin blocked by riot cops. Pepper spray deployed.

folks from after show protest are being arrested and ordered on to city busses at 7th and marquette in minneapolis. arrest numbers unknown.

riot cops have left 7th st. and 2nd ave, 31 people confirmed arrested and taken.

On MnIndy's Twitter, there was a suggestion that media attention might have increased the tension:

I'm hearing the omnipresent buzz of overhead helicopters in Minneapolis. Media's hyping violence threat as Rage lets out downtown.

Rage is not yet letting out. The crowd is mostly looky-loos anticipating violence and beating drums

But, clearly, even before the concert started the police were looking for confrontation:

spp just ticketed everyone here for parking facing the wrong direction icluding the guy parked in his own driveway. huh? -robin

Is the McCain - Mayor McCheese ticket really so petrified of Rage Against The Machine they need to send police out to pepper spray young people who actually show an interest in the political process?

[via Boing Boing]