MGMT on Sarkozy

New York duo talk 'influencing French politics' in light of UMP row

05 March 2009 - Last month (26 February) it surfaced that MGMT were suing the French President for copyright infringement, after they claimed he used their song Kids at the UMP party’s national congress and in two online videos.

Nicolas Sarkozy’s party admitted to using the track, and in a gesture of apology for their mistake offered one euro (£0.89) to the psychedelic indie-synth pair.

But MGMT's French lawyer Isabelle Wekstein hit back at the offer and told AFP: "This offer is disrespectful of the rights of artists and authors. It is insulting.”

We caught up with the band who gave us their take on the dispute.

Speaking to 6 Music, singer Andrew Van Wyngarden explained what happened: “They used it on a speech or something in the background without asking us and that kinda struck us as a little odd. They didn’t really ask permission.”

He went on: “There’s kind of weird things happening, but somehow we’re influencing French politics. That’s cool.”

Appearing to see the humour in it all, VanWyngarden added: “What’s funny is the last thing we did in France was a nationally broadcast TV variety show, where we dressed up as pilgrims and like, had a Thai masseuse, and a barrel of pudding, and these puppies on stage; and then Sarkozy decides to use it.”

"Somehow we’re influencing French politics. That’s cool."
Andrew VanWyngarden

To which Ben Goldwasser continued: “If that’s the image that they want to be promoting that’s actually maybe a good thing, it might be a nice change.”

According to Wekstein, a fee of 53 euros was paid to SACEM, the French music licensing body, which she argued did not cover subsequent uses of the song.

New album

Speaking about their Oracular Spectacular follow-up, the duo reckon it could see the light by the end of 2009.

VanWyngarden said: “We’ve started writing and recording it already because we’re trying to get it out this year sometime.”

With Goldwasser adding: “We’ve been living with this album for a while down because it’s really been done for almost two years. We’re ready to have some new songs to go out and play live.”

The band recently scooped NME Awards for Best New Band and Best Track for Time To Pretend.

Georgie Rogers