Hoodoo Gurus Slam One Nation Party Over Unauthorized Use of Their Music

The legendary Hoodoo Gurus have issued a scathing condemnation following the unauthorized use of their music at a recent political demonstration linked to the One Nation party. The Australian rock icons released a blunt statement to distance themselves from the right-wing organization and its ideologies.

In a social media dispatch shared on January 26—a date celebrated as Australia Day by some and recognized as Invasion Day by others—the band expressed their “disgust” upon learning that their work was featured at the rally. They left no room for ambiguity regarding their stance on the party’s platform.

“Like most Australians, we have always been appalled by Pauline Hanson and the toxic nonsense she spouts,” the band declared. “We want nothing to do with you. In fact, we wouldn’t p*** on you if you were on fire.”

The group’s ultimatum to the party and its supporters was equally direct: “Don’t play our music, don’t listen to our band, do not pass go!”

The Hoodoo Gurus’ reaction highlights an escalating friction regarding how creative works are co-opted for political messaging without artist consent. This is particularly sensitive surrounding January 26, a date that has become a flashpoint for national debate over the impact of colonization on First Nations peoples.

This incident follows a similar stand taken by Men at Work frontman Colin Hay. Recently, Hay publicly denounced the misappropriation of his band’s global anthem, “Down Under,” at anti-immigration protests.

“I most strenuously disapprove of any unauthorized, unlicensed use of ‘Down Under’ for any ‘March for Australia’ events,” Hay stated in his own address. He emphasized that the track, which he co-authored, was never intended to fuel the “xenophobia” currently being woven into the national fabric.

Hay characterized the song as a “celebration of pluralism and inclusion,” noting that it was written to foster unity rather than division. He concluded his message with a sharp directive for political organizers to “go write your own song” and signed off pointedly as an “immigrant.”

These dual rebukes underscore a growing movement among Australian artists to establish firm boundaries around their creative legacies, ensuring their art is not used to bolster political movements that contradict their personal and professional values.

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