Explosions in the Sky "Not OK" With Ted Cruz Using Their Music in Campaign Video

Photo by Nick Simonite

Explosions in the Sky are “absolutely not OK” with Ted Cruz using their music in a campaign video, the band has tweeted. “Your Hand in Mine,” from 2003′s The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place, appears in a video on Cruz’s YouTube channel that shows Texas Governor Greg Abbott endorsing the Republican presidential candidate. “Those are two people we don’t like very much,” Explosions in the Sky wrote in response to a question from The Stoner’s Journal.  

@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

Though Explosions in the Sky said they’ll “get to the bottom of this,” it’s unclear if they have any legal recourse. Last year, YouTube pulled a Rand Paul video over copyright claims, but candidates usually treat music in online campaign videos as fair use.  For more context, see NPR‘s 2012 primer “Music in Political Campaigns 101.”

Previously in the current presidential race, Donald Trump has come under criticism from Adele, R.E.M., and Neil Young for using their music.

On April 1, Explosions in the Sky will release The Wilderness, their first studio album since 2011′s Take Care, Take Care, Take Care. They’re also set go on a tour that includes U.S. and European dates.

Listen to the new album’s “Disintegration Anxiety” below:

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