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John Farnham and his manager Glenn Wheatley have strongly attacked the organisers of the racist
activist group Reclaim Australia, calling their use of iconic songs including Farnham’s You’re The Voice “disgusting”.
“I have successfully pulled down the use of You’re the Voice from Youtube that these guys have been using,” Wheatley said in a statement. “The use was disgusting as it showed the decapitation of those poor souls who lost their lives.”
Jimmy Barnes and John Farnham, seen here performing at the 2009 AFL Grand Final, have made it clear they do not support Reclaim Australia’s use of their songs.
Jimmy Barnes and John Farnham, seen here performing at the 2009 AFL Grand Final, have made it clear they do not support Reclaim Australia’s use of their songs. Photo: Justin McManus
Farnham’s signature song was one of several famous Australian songs used by the organisation at their small but media-attracting rallies held across Australia at the weekend. Among the other songs played as part of a “patriotic” playlist were Cold Chisel’s Khe Sanh and Lee Kernaghan’s Spirit Of The Anzacs.
After Cold Chisel’s Jimmy Barnes demanded on his Facebook page that Reclaim Australia stop using his songs as he did not support their aims or their actions – “Australia needs to stand up for Love and Tolerance in these modern times,” he wrote – Wheatley and Farnham repeated the demand.
“John and I are seriously opposed to the use of John’s song at the rallies. It no way reflects our support in any way,” said Wheatley.
Lee Kernaghan has not yet given an opinion on Reclaim Australia’s use of his song, <i>Spirit of the Anzacs</i>.
Lee Kernaghan has not yet given an opinion on Reclaim Australia’s use of his song, Spirit of the Anzacs. Photo: Dave Langley
“There are other means to conduct protests. Just don’t use our song or Jimmy Barnes and Lee Kernaghan’s.”
Neither Barnes, nor Cold Chisel’s Don Walker, who wrote Khe Sanh, made any further comments but their management did point to the fact that the band had linked Barnes’ comments to their website with the comment “well said Jimmy”.
However, Barnes’ comment did attract abuse from an affiliated group of anti-Islamic protesters who said
he had “just showed the world and every Australian who grew up loving your music that you are nothing but a political correct, fold at your knees idiot.”
Lee Kernaghan was approached but unavailable for comment.
Source Sydney Morning Herald
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