'We wouldn't piss on them if they were on fire': Horslips slam conference for song usage

Tue, 06 Feb, 2018 - 20:45

Stephen Barry

Rock band Horslips have hit out at the organisers of the Irexit conference for using their hit Dearg Doom as a soundtrack without permission, writes Stephen Barry.

In a namecalling exchange, the rockers hit out at the "saddos" and "little Irelanders" who organised the conference, saying "we wouldn't piss on them if they were on fire".

Meanwhile, the Irexit organisers, who are calling for Ireland to follow the lead of Brexit and leave the EU, hit out at Horslips for being "as out of touch as their 1970s flop hairstyles", adding "they should be damn thankful we played their music, few other people listen to it now".

The conference, which featured former UKIP leader Nigel Farage as keynote speaker, played the 1973 hit Dearg Doom while displaying the band's The Táin album cover.

Emm... horslips time. #Irexit pic.twitter.com/PrmufQPW1c
— Richard Chambers (@newschambers) February 3, 2018

Horslips said they intend to look into possible copyright infringement.

"Needless to say, they didn't ask us.

"If they had, we'd have pointed out that we wouldn't piss on them if they were on fire - which they're unlikely to be, anytime soon. Five hundred damp, self regarding eejits being patronised by the Crazy Frog lookalike Nigel Farage isn't going to set the heather blazing in the near future."

They pointed out the difference in values of the band, which stood for "a hopeful, outward looking, inclusive vision of Ireland with plenty of drink and a Blue Range Rover", and the conference organisers, which, according to the band, stand for "a diminished, fearful, xenophobic state".

Hermann Kelly, spokesman for the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy Group who organised the event, said: “Like most glam rock bands, Horslips music is great, and their views on politics are crap.

"The 600 Irexit supporters and young people turned up because they believe in a self-governing Republic where the Irish people make their own laws rather than having them imposed by unelected Brussels bureaucrats."