he Dropkick Murphys, the Boston rockers known for their left-wing politics, have voiced outrage after union-busting Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin played their music at a conservative forum.
"Please stop using our music in any way. We literally hate you!!! Love, Dropkick Murphys," the band tweeted over the weekend.
Walker, who became a national name for stripping most public-union workers of their collective bargaining power, took the stage to the Dropkick Murphys' music Saturday at the Iowa Freedom Summit, a conservative gathering seen as a venue for White House aspirants to test the waters.
While it is not new for US musicians to oppose politicians' use of their songs, the Republican governor could scarcely have found a less sympathetic band.
The Dropkick Murphys, who mix punk elements with Irish-inspired melodies, in 2011 released the song "Take 'Em Down" in support of Wisconsin workers fighting against Walker's anti-union agenda.
The track played in Iowa for Walker, "I'm Shipping Up to Boston," was the Dropkick Murphys' cover of a song by Woody Guthrie, the folk singer famous for his left-wing protest music.
With musicians often leaning left, Republican candidates have faced particular difficulty finding suitable music on the campaign trail.
In the last presidential race, the Somali-born rapper K'naan protested when his music was used by Republican candidate Mitt Romney, whose playlist later featured musicians with conservative views such as Meat Loaf.