Thread: Aerosmith frontman asks Trump campaign to stop using song

Originally Posted by JohnDoe2

Trump vs. R.E.M.: Why do politicians keep using songs without permission?

Members of the rock band R.E.M. are protesting Donald Trump's use of 'It's the End of the World as We Know It' at a Republican rally this week.

By Jessica Mendoza, Staff writer SEPTEMBER 10, 2015

• Jonathan Ernst/Reuter

Donald Trump has earned the ire of another musical act peeved at his use of their song for his purposes.

At a "Stop the Iran Deal" rally in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, Mr. Trump took the stage to the sounds of R.E.M.’s 1987 smash hit, “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” – a move that band members Mike Mills and Michael Stipe condemned harshly on Twitter:

They later released a more diplomatic statement on their Facebook page: "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."

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The band is right that candidates' musical choices say little about the strength of their political positions, which matter most in a presidential race. Yet flouting copyright law seems unwise for anyone running for public office.


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So why do politicians keep doing it?

One reason may be simple negligence. "Nine times out of 10, it's a young advance person who thinks it's a cool song to play when the guy's walking in and the candidate hasn't a clue what was playing," Joe Trippi, campaign manager for Howard Dean during the former Vermont governor’s 2004 presidential bid, told Rolling Stone.

Others chalk it up to arrogance.

Candidates "want to use music in order to associate [with] fans of the artists whose music they're using, and they think they can't get permission," said intellectual property lawyer Lawrence Iser to the magazine. "What's that expression? 'It's better to beg forgiveness than to ask [only] to get turned down.' "
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Still others say politicians may be out for publicity. "It’s a way to get attention," Andrew Stroud, a Sacramento attorney who has represented both musicians and political campaigns, told The Washington Post. Some candidates consider it good for business to "fight with liberal Hollywood," he added.

Under copyright law, politicians can use any song they want in a political campaign as long as they either obtain a public performance license from a performing rights group such as the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), or restrict playing the song to venues that already have such a license.

But even if the campaign secures the appropriate license, artists can still object to or sue against the use of their song to protect their brand, legally known as their "right of publicity," which "prevents the unauthorized commercial use of an individual's name, likeness, or other recognizable aspects of their brand or image."

R.E.M.’s Mr. Stipe invoked that right when he asked Trump – and presumably Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who also spoke at the Iran deal rally – to refrain from using his voice and music for what he called their "charade of a campaign."

Survivor frontman Frankie Sullivan did the same on Tuesday, when he protested former Arkansas governor and GOP presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee’s use of "Eye of the Tiger" to celebrate the release of Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis from jail.

"NO! We did not grant Kim Davis any rights to use 'My Tune – The Eye Of The Tiger,' " Mr. Sullivan posted on Facebook.

Another legal issue is false endorsement. In June, musician Neil Young – a self-described libertarian – denounced Trump’s use of his 1989 hit "Rockin’ in the Free World" during Trump's campaign kickoff. Mr. Young’s manager, Elliot Roberts, noted in a statement that the musician is a supporter of US senator and Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders.

"Donald Trump was not authorized to use 'Rockin’ in the Free World,' " Mr. Roberts said.

Other artists who have recently protested the political use of their music include Tom Petty, John Mellencamp, the rock duo Heart, and the Dropkick Murphys.

The best way to stay out of trouble? "Ask the artist,” Mr. Stroud advised.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politic...out-permission

Well, first of all this was not a Trump rally. It was an Anti-Nuke Anti-Iran Deal Rally headed up by Ted Cruz, not Donald Trump. Donald Trump was just invited to be there and to speak.

A coalition of three anti-Iran deal groups will host a rally on Sept. 9 on Capitol Hill, as members of Congress return from recess and prepare to vote on the deal.

The rally, hosted by the Tea Party Patriots, the Center for Security Policy and the Zionist Organization of America, will be staged on the West Lawn of the Capitol, the coalition said in a statement.

The rally will include two Republican presidential candidates, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and business executive Donald Trump.

http://thehill.com/policy/defense/25...ngress-returns

So, until the stupid musicians and the even more ignorant media can get their own act straight, I'm not too worried about who used their stupid songs and whether they got paid for it not, because it had absolutely NOTHING to do with Donald Trump, who was just a speaker at the event, invited by another speaker, Ted Cruz.

You know, all this HATE TRUMP crap really will back-fire on these ass-holes. They will NOT be invited to all the lovely big-whig parties Trump will have at the White House, and he will have a TON of them.

The organization or agency that handles the licenses for recording and other artists in the US is called ASCAP. They give the permission and handle all those arrangements. No one calls up the songwriter personally, for permission, they contact ASCAP. That's who Trump's people had made the arrangements with on the Neil Young fiasco. I'm sure the same is true with REM and will probably the true with Aerosmith. I also doubt it was Trump for President who made the arrangements to begin with, it was probably the music and sound coordinators that work for the North Atlanta Trade Center in Norcross, Georgia, you know the same people who set up the chairs and erect the stage for all their events at the Center. The same was probably true in Mobile, Alabama and all the rallies.

Are musicians really this stupid? Or are they just wanting publicity to promote slipping old news songs?

http://www.ascap.com/Press/2013/0219...ers-award.aspx

February 19, 2013

ASCAP to Honor Aerosmith's Steven Tyler & Joe Perry with Founders Award at 30th Annual Pop Music Awards

Steven Tyler & Joe Perry of Aerosmith

New York, NY, February 19, 2012: The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) will honor Steven Tyler & Joe Perry of Aerosmith with the prestigious ASCAP Founders Award during its 30th annual Pop Music Awards, it was announced today by ASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams. The invitation-only gala will take place on April 17th , 2013 at the Loews Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles, California. The event will also celebrate the songwriters and publishers of ASCAP's most performed pop songs of 2012.

The ASCAP Founders Award honors pioneering songwriters who have made exceptional contributions to music, inspiring and influencing their fellow music creators. Past recipients include Ashford & Simpson, Burt Bacharach & Hal David, Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Jackson Browne, Elvis Costello, Billy Joel, Annie Lennox, Sir Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Smokey Robinson, Carly Simon, Patti Smith, Steely Dan, Rod Stewart, James Taylor, Tom Waits, Ann & Nancy Wilson (Heart), Stevie Wonder and Neil Young.

"To be recognized by ASCAP with the Founders Award is a huge achievement,” commented Steven Tyler. “It is humbling for Joe and me to be honored for our music alongside the likes of Stevie Wonder, Neil Young, Paul McCartney and Joni Mitchell. It's been a life-long love affair and it’s far from over. Besides, any society that lets Tom Waits in... I'm there!"

Joe Perry commented: “As songwriters, it is a great honor to have ASCAP recognize Steven and me with the Founders Award. We join an incredible list of honorees and we are grateful to ASCAP for their support throughout our career."

Co-founding members of legendary rock band Aerosmith, the songwriting team of Steven Tyler and Joe Perry has sold more than 150 million albums worldwide to date. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees since 2001, they are the recipients of countless awards including four Grammys, eight American Music Awards, six Billboard Awards and 12 MTV Video Music Awards, among many others. With scores of multi-platinum albums, their music remains influential to this day, inspiring listeners of all ages to get their wings, get a grip and just push play. The band’s 15th studio album, 2012’s Music from Another Dimension!, features songs penned by both Tyler and Perry, who also served as producers on the album.

"As part of one of our nation’s greatest and most iconic rock bands, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry crafted the music that defined a generation and continues to inspire songwriters today,” commented Paul Williams. “They are true musical pioneers whose contributions to American songwriting are immeasurable. We are extremely proud to honor these cultural icons with the ASCAP Founders Award."

The 30th annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards will also honor the songwriters and publishers of the most performed songs of 2012. Top awards will be given out for Songwriter of the Year, Song of the Year and Publisher of the Year.

Members of the press can request event credentials here.

The ceremony comes on the eve of the 8th annual ASCAP "I Create Music" EXPO, a three-day conference dedicated to songwriting and composing. Steven Tyler will also give a keynote interview at the ASCAP EXPO with entertainment news journalist Roger Friedman. The conference will take place April 18-20, 2013 at the Loews Hollywood Hotel, in Los Angeles, CA. A wide range of music creator and industry panelists will be announced soon. For more details, please visit www.ascap.com/expo.

About ASCAP

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) is a professional membership organization of songwriters, composers and music publishers of every kind of music. ASCAP’s mission is to license and promote the music of its members and foreign affiliates, obtain fair compensation for the public performance of their works and to distribute the royalties that it collects based upon those performances. ASCAP members write the world’s best-loved music and ASCAP has pioneered the efficient licensing of that music to hundreds of thousands of enterprises who use it to add value to their business – from bars, restaurants and retail, to radio, TV and cable, to Internet, mobile services and more. The ASCAP license offers an efficient solution for businesses to legally perform ASCAP music while respecting the right of songwriters and composers to be paid fairly. With over 450,000 members representing more than 8.5 million copyrighted works, ASCAP is the worldwide leader in performance royalties, service and advocacy for songwriters and composers, and the only American performing rights organization (PRO) owned and governed by its writer and publisher members. www.ascap.com

There are 2 other organizations similar to ASCAP, BMI and Pandora, but the biggest one for public type events is ASCAP.

Originally Posted by JohnDoe2

1. Why Politicians Keep Using Songs Without Artists' Permission
   
   www.rollingstone.com/politics/.../why-politicians-keep-usin...
   Rolling Stone
   Jul 9, 2015 - Why Politicians Keep Using Songs Without Artists' Permission .... music they're using, and they think they can't get permission," Iser says.
   
   
   When politicians use music without asking permission
   
   www.dailykos.com/.../-When-politicians-use-music-without-as...
   Daily Kos
   Jan 26, 2015 - I would happily grant the Obama campaign use of my song without .... They can't make any decent music of their own, so they're forced to be ...
   
   The Long History Of Musicians Telling Republicans To Stop ...
   
   fivethirtyeight.com/.../the-long-history-of-musicians-telli...
   FiveThirtyEight
   Jun 17, 2015 - (The Trump campaign said it obtained a license to use the song from ASCAP.) ... Bon Jovi objected to McCain using “Who Says You Can't Go Home. .... that politicians ought to get permission before they roll with a song--it's a ...
   
   
   Donald Trump campaign fires back: We paid to use Neil ...
   
   www.foxnews.com/.../neil-young-donald-trump-wasn...
   Fox News Channel
   Jun 17, 2015 - Political. Donald Trump campaign fires back: We paid to use Neil Young's song. Published June... Neil Young doesn't like Donald Trump using his song.... The reason Neil can't remember is he is too stoned. ....I remember New Jersey tax amnesty using Blondies song"gonna get ya" without permission.
   
   
   12 Songs Republicans Used Without Permission - BuzzFeed
   
   www.buzzfeed.com/.../12-songs-republicans-used-without-permission
   Aug 17, 2012 - 12 Songs Republicans Used Without Permission ... Politicians have been using music inpolitical campaigns for years, and are typically obliged touse whatever songs they want as ..... You can\'t restore it with "Cancel" button!
   
   
   Politicians Using Music Without Permission | POPSUGAR ...
   
   www.popsugar.com › Celebrity › Politics
   PopSugar
   Sep 20, 2015 - Just this month, three presidential hopefuls were called out by musicians for using their songs without permission during their respective ...
   
   
   Romney and Gingrich Pull Songs After Complaints - The ...
   
   www.nytimes.com/.../romney-and-gingrich-pull-so...
   The New York Times
   Feb 3, 2012 - G.O.P. Candidates Are Told, Don't Use the Verses, It's Not Your Song ... in almost every instance, Republican candidates can't use the song ... season the issue of politicians' use of pop songs without permission crops up, ...
   
   
   REM Slams Donald Trump for Using Their Song in - Billboard
   
   www.billboard.com/.../rem-donald-trump-end-world-unauthori...
   Billboard
   Sep 9, 2015 - Donald Trump Is Not 'Free' to Use Neil Young's Song ... "do not authorize or condone the use of our music at this political event, and do ask that ...
   
   
   When Politicians Use Music Without Permission It's Not a ...
   
   www.thelegalartist.com/.../when-politicians-use-music-without-permissio...
   Sep 15, 2015 - It seems like every time there's an election, you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a band upset at a politician for using its music. And with a ...
   
   

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What the politicians ought to do when these musicians make these claims and they turn out to be false like Neil Young's, is sue them for defamation, because that's what it's about, it's not about these measly little royalties, it's about trying to discredit or embarrass a political candidate who doesn't even make the arrangements to begin with, the facility or a sound team or a local political group makes the arrangements, the same way they hire a team to set up the chairs and erect the stage or set.

It's funny to me how these musicians want to exercise their political rights and free speech for millions and millions of dollars, but they don't want their published music to be used as part of the political process that guarantees and protects those rights?!

Americans, regardless of party, regardless of political candidate should boycott any and every music punk that wants to politicize their stupid music. And that includes all these old has beens like Steven Tyler, which isn't even his real name. His real name is Steven Victor Tallarico.

This whole thing has really got me steamed.

TRUMP should never use another one of the whining punks piece of music, so tell all your people and facilities, you only want black or women artists from now on. And be sure to get their permission. Jackie Wilson's Higher and Higher would be perfect, as would Helen Reddy's song, I AM WOMAN, for all the women who attend the rallies. They would love this. Her song, I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar, that song was selected by the United Nations in 1975, when it declared 1975 as the Year of the Woman, as their Theme. This was Helen's first song that she wrote that became a hit and Number One on the Charts. This is 2015, so this is the 30 year anniversary of the Year of the Woman by the United Nations.

So many great ideas for great music from people who would be thrilled to have their music used at these rallies, because it's an honor really and great publicity. So forget all these overpaid has been long-haired spoiled punks. Get some real music to play at the rallies.

And isn't there some Beach Boy music that would fit? Talk about All-American, that's them! How about:

"Help Me, Rhonda, Help Help Me, Rhonda"

Asking for the woman vote?!!

We're going to need more women to win and Trump will do more to help women with good jobs and benefits than any other candidate out there.

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-34504013

Aerosmith protest over Trump campaign using their hit Dream On

1 hour ago

Aerosmith star Steven Tyler has asked Donald Trump to stop using his band's song Dream On on the campaign trail.

The singer's lawyers have sent a cease-and-desist letter, saying the use of the song "gives a false impression" he endorses Mr Trump's presidential bid.

The politician has been playing the power ballad all summer, even air-drumming to it at a rally in Las Vegas.

Tyler, who is a registered Republican, says it is not a "personal" issue but one of permission and copyright.

It is the third time a musician has confronted Trump about using their songs to promote his presidential bid.

When the businessman announced his candidacy, his campaign played Neil Young's Rockin' in the Free World - a song that contains the lyrics "He's just a rich old man / He never cared for anyone".

Young, a well-known liberal, demanded that Trump stop using the song and declared his support for Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders instead.

Trump's campaign responded that "despite Neil's differing political views, Mr Trump likes Neil very much."

He then used REM's It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine), prompting singer Michael Stipe to issue a strongly-worded statement, saying: "Do not use our music or my voice for your moronic charade of a campaign."

Conversely, Tyler is not politically opposed to the billionaire, who is the current frontrunner in the Republican race for the White House.

The singer even attended the second GOP (Grand Old Party) debate in August as Trump's guest, according to the Washington Post, but his representatives issued a legal letter to Trump's campaign over the weekend.

"Trump for President does not have our client's permission to use Dream On or any of our client's other music in connection with the campaign because it gives the false impression that he is connected with or endorses Mr Trump's presidential bid," the cease-and-desist letter read.

"If Trump for President does not comply with our demands, our client will be forced to pursue any and all legal or equitable remedies which our client may have against you."

Trump was initially asked to stop using Dream On, which features the refrain "dream until your dream comes true" after a rally in Alabama two months ago, but he has continued to use it on the campaign trail, reports Rolling Stone.

Representatives for his campaign did not immediately respond to request for comment.

Politicians using songs by musicians who do not support them has been a thorny issue for decades, since Bruce Springsteen castigated President Reagan for planning to use Born in the USA as a backdrop for his 1984 re-election campaign.

Technically, copyright laws give politicians carte blanche to use recorded music at their rallies - as long as the venue has a public performance licence issued through a songwriters' association such as ASCAP or BMI (in the US) or PRS (in the UK).

However, there is some leeway for an artist to complain their image and reputation is being damaged by the repeated use of a song without their express permission.

Technically, copyright laws give politicians carte blanche to use recorded music at their rallies - as long as the venue has a public performance licence issued through a songwriters' association such as ASCAP or BMI (in the US) or PRS (in the UK).

However, there is some leeway for an artist to complain their image and reputation is being damaged by the repeated use of a song without their express permission.

So the issue isn't that the political candidates are doing anything wrong, it's a "leeway" that the artist wants to create to dissociate themselves from a candidate. Maybe people are calling them or tweeting or blogging on their fan mail websites they hate Trump and don't want the artist to let Trump use the music even if he or the venue (the facility) has a license and has paid for it.

Again, just dump all these old hippies and find some nice music from some real artists who think enough of our political system to take their money and be honored that someone still wants to play their mustic at an event that wants to "Make America Great Again".

So much ado over nothing.

Originally Posted by MW

So much ado over nothing.

I was thinking the same thing. Just hadn't put it into words.