Michael Stipe had harsh words for Donald Trump after the billionaire used a famous R.E.M. song at a Tea Party rally Wednesday.
Just one day after Survivor band members denounced and later sent a cease and desist letter to Mike Huckabee and Kim Davis for use their top hit, “Eye of the Tiger,” at a rally welcoming the Rowan County clerk back from jail, another top music industry group is making it clear just how angry they are about the unauthorized use of their music.
Michael Stipe, lead singer for the alternative rock band R.E.M., last night attacked billionaire GOP frontrunner Donald Trump, who had used the band’s famous “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” song at a Tea Party rally Wednesday afternoon.
“Go fuck yourselves, the lot of you—you sad, attention grabbing, power hungry little men,” Stipe said via Twitter. “Do not use our music or my voice for your moronic charade of a campaign.”Â
The rally was an attempt by Tea Party activists and politicians to try to stop President Barack Obama’s nuclear treaty with Iran. In attendance were also Ted Cruz, Michele Bachmann, Glenn Beck, and others. It reportedly also became an ugly immigrant bashing event, when actual immigrants showed and were attacked.
The comments were posted to Twitter by Mike Mills, a founding member of R.E.M., after journalist David Corn asked for comment.
Mills’ personal response was also, “I think the Orange Clown will do anything for attention. I hate giving it to him.” Mills also retweeted another Twitter user’s response: “They should have played something by Simple Minds.”
On Facebook, the band offered a more official and intellectual response.
“While we do not authorize or condone the use of our music at this political event, and do ask that these candidates cease and desist from doing so, let us remember that there are things of greater importance at stake here. The media and the American voter should focus on the bigger picture, and not allow grandstanding politicians to distract us from the pressing issues of the day and of the current Presidential campaign.”
There of course is great irony and hypocrisy in these conservative politicians who grandstand about the rights of Christian anti-gay bakers, florists, and photographers they claim must be “protected” from having to do business with same-sex couples – and actual business transaction in which the maker of a product gets paid – while they freely engage in what some might call theft of intellectual property that’s protected by copyright by people who clearly do not share their conservative values.
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Image by kris krüg via Flickr and a CC license
Hat tip: Gawker
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