Aerosmith rocker Steven Tyler has warned Republican candidate Donald Trump against using the rock band’s songs at public rallies during his campaign. Tyler says it creates the false impression that he is endorsing Trump’s candidature. Trump has been served a ‘cease and desist’ notice by Tyler’s lawyer, asserting that he must stop using the band’s popular hit ‘Dream On’ on his campaign trail.
Tyler is registered as a Republican voter but says that has nothing to do with the matter at hand. The blatant use of the song at rallies breaches permission and copyright issues, and taking offence at Trump is not personal.
Donald Trump seems to have a penchant for rubbing musicians the wrong way. This is the third time he’s been in trouble with them. When his campaigners started with Neil Young’s ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ to heap contempt on Bush Sr.’s policies, it drew an angry response from Young, who announced that he supported Bernie Sanders, not Trump.
REM’s ‘It’s The End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)’ was another hit that was used, but singer Michael Stipe was quick to say he was not feeling fine about his song being used to promote Trump’s ‘moronic charade of a campaign’, and warned him to stay away from his music.
Politicians using popular songs to further their agendas has been creating controversies earlier too. Bruce Springsteen was miffed at Ronald Reagan when the ex-President tried to cash in on his hit song ‘Born in the USA’ at rallies for his re-election bid.
Singers complain that their image is compromised when candidates use their music without being endorsed by them. So it seems that Donald Trump will have to change his tune; or maybe, acquire the services of our very own DJ Butt!