The Scottish band Franz Ferdinand reacted strongly after the release of an Israeli military propaganda video using their hit song "Take Me Out." The video, which shows fighter jets and bombings in Iran, features the band's song alongside footage celebrating the military strikes.
According to Libération, the video, published on social media by the Israeli army, was associated with the title "Operation Roaring Lion – this is how it's done." It notably showed images of bombings and soldiers discussing the offensive against Iran.
"These assassins are using our music."
The band's singer and guitarist, Alex Kapranos, denounced this use on Instagram. "These warmongering assassins are using our music without our consent. It revolts us and makes us furious," he wrote, as quoted by Libération.
In this message, the artist also accuses those responsible for the video of appropriating a work that does not belong to them. The group, formed in Glasgow in the early 2000s, is best known for "Take Me Out," released in 2004 and which became one of its biggest hits.
A video related to the strikes in Iran
The release of this video comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East. On February 28, Israel and the United States conducted airstrikes against several sites in Iran as part of an operation dubbed "Roaring Lion," according to Libération.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented this campaign as a response to what he describes as a threat emanating from the Iranian regime.
A controversy reminiscent of other cases
The use of popular songs in political or military videos without the artists' consent has already sparked several controversies. Libération reminds us that Antonio Romero Monge, one half of the Spanish duo Los del Río, also recently protested against the use of "La Macarena" in a video related to military operations.
For Franz Ferdinand, associating their music with images of bombings remains unacceptable. The band states that they did not give their consent for this use and strongly condemns the exploitation of their song in a military propaganda context.
