Embarrassment for Primal Scream as band bash Tories over wrong song

A furious tirade launched against the Conservatives by rock band Primal Scream appears to have been sparked by confusion between two similar riffs.

The group issued an angry statement railing against the use of their music amid reports on Twitter that Home Secretary Theresa May left the stage to the strains of 1994 top ten hit Rocks.

Not only were the famously left-wing Scottish band upset at being associated with the "sick" party, they said, but lyrics about drug taking and prostitution hardly seemed appropriate.

However the party, which had initially appeared to confirm the song had been used, later insisted that in fact the track chosen was Bohemian Like You by the Dandy Warhols.

Rocks did not feature among the music on an electronic playlist used for the conference, they said.

The confusion appears to have begun when Labour MP Kerry McCarthy, tipped off by someone in the hall, wrote on Twitter than the Primal Scream song was used and posted a link to the lyrics.

Tipped off by journalists at the conference who had received confirmation that the offending track was played, the band's management issued the strongly-worded statement from the musicians.

It said they were "totally disgusted", strongly opposed the Tory-led coalition Government which was "waging a war on the disenfranchised" and "would like to distance ourselves from this sick association".

After doubts emerged over the truth of the Twitter reports however, the official in charge of sound at the conference confirmed that he had no Primal Scream on the iPod used to store the conference soundtrack.

Ms McCarthy said the two songs "admittedly sound similar".

Shadow business minister Chuka Umunna said: "On the day that official figures confirmed the economy has stagnated since last autumn, David Cameron told Britain that he would continue with an austerity plan which is hurting but not working.

"This is a Government which is out of touch with the needs and values of hard-working families who worry about how to make ends meet and what the future holds for their children.

"This morning David Cameron was lecturing families about the need to pay off credit card bills. By the afternoon he had been forced to drop the offending language. But his policies are still squeezing living standards and choking off the economic recovery.

"Labour has set out a clear five-point plan to create jobs, help struggling families and support small businesses. David Cameron's speech today offered nothing but platitudes and more of the same.

"This is a Prime Minister who talks a lot about leadership but, because he and his party are wedded to outdated thinking and refuse to learn the lessons of the past, he has shown the Tories are unable to lead Britain to a better future."

Primal Scream's statement in full

Primal Scream are totally disgusted that The Home Secretary Theresa May ended her speech at the Tory party conference with our song Rocks.

How inappropriate. Didn't they research the political history of our band?

Hasn't she listened to the words? Does she even know what getting your rocks off means? No. She is a Tory; how could she?

Primal Scream are totally opposed to the coalition government, Cameron, Osborne, Gove, Howard, Clegg etc. They are legalised bullies passing new laws to ensure the wealthy stay wealthy, taking the side of big business while eradicating workers rights and continuing their attacks on young people, single parents and OAP's by slashing education and social security budgets, and persecuting the poor for being poor.

We would like to distance ourselves from this sick association.

The Tories are waging a war on the disenfranchised, They are the enemy.

Primal Scream

PA