R.E.M. is the latest band to lash out at a politician for unauthorized usage of a song during a campaign rally after Donald Trump used the band's hit song, "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" during today's anti-Iran deal rally.
While the song may have seemed like appropriate entrance music to Trump's foes, the song seemed meant to stoke more fear over the Iran deal that Trump was there to criticize alongside other conservative superstars like Senator Ted Cruz and Sarah Palin, in front of a Tea Party crowd.
Whatever the intent, the band, which called it quits four years ago, issued a statement on its official Facebook page last Wednesday afternoon after the rally.
(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));"While we do not authorize or condone the use of our music at this political event, and do ask that these candidates...Posted by R.E.M. on Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Lead singer Michael Stipe also issued his own statement, posted on Twitter via bandmate, bassist Mike Mills.
"Go fuck yourselves, the lot of you--you sad, attention grabbing, power-hungry little men. Do not use our music or my voice for your 1)— Mike Mills (@m_millsey) September 9, 2015
...moronic charade of a campaign."--Michael Stipe— Mike Mills (@m_millsey) September 9, 2015
Mills lamented only that the statement would give Trump more attention.
Personally, I think the Orange Clown will do anything for attention. I hate giving it to him.— Mike Mills (@m_millsey) September 9, 2015
During their tenure, R.E.M. was a prolifically political band with songs like "Fall on Me" (acid rain), "Orange Crush," (the Vietnam War), and "Ignoreland" (the Republican reign of the 1980s). The band was also among the big names on the 2004 "Vote For Change" tour that sought to help elect Democrat John Kerry over George W. Bush.
Trump last tangled with a musician in June when Neil Young told him to stop using his song, "Rocking in the Free World" during a campaign announcement to which Trump responded with his usual bluster.