Hunters & Collectors Explain Decision To Have Song Removed From Steve Price Show

Hunters & Collectors have responded on Facebook as to the reasons they have asked the producers of shock jock Steve Price’s radio show to stop using their song ‘Holy Grail’ as Price’s theme song.

Hunters & Collectors made the request days after Price went into misogynist male mode on the ABC’s Q&A. Price turned on his bully-boy charm on the top rating Australian news and comment show calling other guest Van Badham of The Guardian “hysterical” and talking over her when she tried to make a point about family violence.

Here is the statement from Hunters and Collectors explaining their actions.

This week Hunters and Collectors asked the producers of Steve Price’s radio show to cease using ‘Holy Grail’ in its intro segment.

In the ensuing days some wildly inaccurate claims have been made in the media as to why and how we did this.

So let’s set the record straight shall we?

First of all, Steve Price was not ‘forced’ or ‘made’ to stop using the song. No recording artist has control over radio airplay unless the song is used to sell or endorse a product.

Otherwise radio has no legal obligation to seek permission from the artist.

In making the request we acknowledged this fact. There was a clear understanding between the producer and our representative that Steve had to give his consent.

Secondly, the first time the band even became aware that Steve Price was using ‘Holy Grail’ in his show was at the beginning of this week when we received a flood of mail from fans expressing their concern and disappointment that ‘Holy Grail’ was being used in this way.

As to whether or not our fans were responding to Steve’s recent appearance on Q&A was never made clear. As we all well know, Steve travels far and wide. It may have been the central reason but we didn’t respond on that basis.

Rather, we were prompted by the deep respect we have for the feelings of all in the Hunters family so any concerns they might have as to how our music is used are taken very seriously indeed.

On balance, we came to the conclusion that our fans’ concerns were deeply felt and demanded a response.

Consequently we asked Steve Price politely would he consider changing the intro music to his show on the basis that we were uncomfortable with its use.

Steve Price agreed in good faith to our request and took ‘Holy Grail’ out of the show.

Lastly, the only direct comment we are prepared to make as to any underlying reason for making the request is that as a band, we simply do not agree with the political views Steve airs on his show. We acknowledge he has every right to express them as he sees fit but we still regard the use of ‘Holy Grail’ as a tacit endorsement of those views.

That’s it.

No further comment will be made.

See Ya!