Steven Tyler, the lead singer of Aerosmith, has ordered Donald Trump to stop playing Aerosmith songs at his political rallies.
Aerosmith’s Livin’ on the Edge was played at a Trump rally in Charleston, West Virginia, on Tuesday. In a cease-and-desist letter, Tyler’s lawyers argued: “Mr Trump is creating the false impression that our client has given his consent for the use of his music, and even that he endorses the presidency of Mr Trump.”
The letter adds: “Mr Trump does not have any right to use the name, image, voice or likeness of our client, without his express written permission.”
Tyler tweeted: “This is not about Dems vs Repub. I do not let anyone use my songs without permission. My music is for causes not for political campaigns or rallies. Protecting songwriters is what I’ve been fighting for even before this current administration took office ... No is a complete sentence.”
THIS IS NOT ABOUT DEMS VS. REPUB. I DO NOT LET ANYONE USE MY SONGS WITHOUT MY PERMISSION. MY MUSIC IS FOR CAUSES NOT FOR POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS OR RALLIES. PROTECTING COPYRIGHT AND SONGWRITERS IS WHAT I’VE BEEN FIGHTING FOR EVEN BEFORE THIS CURRENT ADMINISTRATION TOOK OFFICE.
— Steven Tyler (@IamStevenT) August 22, 2018
This is not the first time Tyler has ordered Trump not to use his music. The Aerosmith song Dream On was played during Trump’s 2015 election campaign, prompting a letter stating that playing the song violated Tyler’s copyright. Performance rights for the song were removed, though Trump tweeted: “Even though I have the legal right to use Steven Tyler’s song, he asked me not to. Have better one to take its place! ... Steven Tyler got more publicity on his song request than he’s gotten in 10 years. Good for him!”
This week’s letter to Trump adds: “We demanded Mr Tyler’s public performance societies terminate their licences with you in 2015 in connection with Dream On and any other musical compositions written or co-written by Mr Tyler. As such, we are unaware of any remaining public performance licence still in existence which grants Mr Trump the right to use his music in connection with the rallies or any other purpose”.
Some noted an unwittingly loaded meaning to the song title Livin’ on the Edge, as well as the choice of Andrea Bocelli’s Time to Say Goodbye, as they were both played shortly after the convictions of Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen.
