Topics: Music, Rock and Roll, Politics, election, Entertainment News, Politics News
Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider recently protested against Paul Ryan for playing anthem “We’re Not Gonna Take It” at a campaign event. Snider told Talking Points Memo,”There is almost nothing on which I agree with Paul Ryan, except perhaps the use of the P90X.”
Upon discovering that Paul Ryan is a fan of band Rage Against the Machine, guitarist Tom Morello wrote an Op-Ed in Rolling Stone saying, “Paul Ryan’s love of Rage Against the Machine is amusing, because he is the embodiment of the machine that our music has been raging against for two decades.”
Survivor guitarist Frankie Sullivan sued Newt Gingrich for illegitimate use of the band’s iconic “Eye of the Tiger.” The suit was not politically motivated, however. Former member Jim Peterik offered mild support for Gingrich.
Rapper K’Naan fired back at Romney for not asking permission to use his song “Wavin’ Flag” at a political event earlier this year. K’Naan’s real issue is Romney’s politics, not the copyright infringment. The Somali-Canadian star said to MTV, “If I had been asked, I would certainly not have granted it. I would happily grant the Obama campaign use of my song without prejudice.”
In 2011, Tom Petty issued a cease and desist letter to Michele Bachmann for playing “American Girl.” He issued a similar order 11 years earlier to George W. Bush for playing “I Won’t Back Down.”
David Byrne, frontman of 1980s band Talking Heads, sued ex-Florida Gov. Charlie Crist for using “Road to Nowhere” in a campaign commercial. Crist has since issued a public apology to Byrne, and the two settled for an undisclosed amount.
In 2009, American indie favorite MGMT sued French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s party for using their hit single “Kids” without permission.
Female rock group Heart repeatedly denounced Sarah Palin’s use of their hit song “Barracuda,” telling Entertainment Weekly, “Sarah Palin’s views and values in NO WAY represent us as American women. We ask that our song ‘Barracuda’ no longer be used to promote her image.”
British pop band Keane took to Twitter to protest the Tory Party’s use of their song “Everybody’s Changing.” Drummer Richard Hughes tweeted, “Told the Tories played Keane at their manifesto launch. Am horrified. To be clear – we were not asked. I will not vote for them.”
John Mellencamp, a Democrat, asked John McCain to stop playing his music on the campaign trail. Bands Boston, Foo Fighters and Heart joined Mellencamp in protesting the use of their music at GOP events during the 2008 election season.
The Rolling Stones were not pleased when Angela Merkel used their song “Angie” as part of her campaign when running for chancellor of Germany in 2005. Though Merkel insists she received permission via a German music distribution agency, a rep for the band maintained that she did not have permission, and added, “We would probably have said ‘no’ if they had asked.”
Ronald Reagan played Bruce Springsteen’s 1984 hit “Born in the USA” when he ran for reelection, even though Springsteen is a liberal. Of Reagan’s use of the song, Springsteen told Rolling Stone, “I think people have a need to feel good about the country they live in. But what’s happening, I think, is that that need — which is a good thing — is getting manipulated and exploited. You see in the Reagan election ads on TV, you know, ‘It’s morning in America,’ and you say, ‘Well, it’s not morning in Pittsburgh.’”
Prachi Gupta is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on pop culture. Follow her on Twitter at @prachigu or email her at pgupta@salon.com. More Prachi Gupta.
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