Explosions In the Sky 'not okay' with Ted Cruz using their song in campaign video
Explosions In the Sky may share a state with Ted Cruz, but they don’t share a political mindset. The Austin post-rockers are less than thrilled about the Republican presidential candidate’s latest campaign video, a clip promoting his recent endorsement from Texas governor Greg Abbott that samples the band’s serene 2003 single, “Your Hand In Mine.” The Stoner’s Journal alerted the group via Twitter to Cruz’s soundtrack, to which the band quickly responded they were “absolutely not okay” with it.
@AlibiPierce we are absolutely not okay with it. Those are two people we don’t like very much. We’ll get to the bottom of this. Thanks.
— ExplosionsInTheSky (@EITS) February 24, 2016
The band join other artists like Adele, Neil Young, Steven Tyler, and REM have come out against politicians’ using their music in campaign ads this season.
Cruz is not the first southerner to pull from Explosions’ ambient instrumentals. Friday Night Lights used a collection of their tracks for the 2004 film. The four-piece hasn’t indicated any plans to take legal action against the ad, but we doubt Cruz will get a shout out on their upcoming seventh studio album, The Wilderness, due out April 1. Lead single “Disintegration Anxiety” is streaming below.
