Frontman Michael Stipe Tells Trump to F-Off After Using R.E.M. Song

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Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 06:12 pm

R.E.M./Photo: Facebook

Donald Trump, speaking to an anti-Iran Tea Party rally on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol yesterday, used R.E.M.’s “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine),” as his entrance piece, which led to this exchange between Salon’s David Corn and R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills:

Mill’s also had this to say:

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R.E.M. later responded officially in a statement posted to 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. The media and the American voter should focus on the bigger picture, and not allow grandstanding politicians to distract us from the pressing issues of the day and of the current Presidential campaign.”

But that was not the end of the affair. The band’s frontman Michael Stipe, may have lost his religion, but he has lost none of his fire. Though he does not tweet himself, Mills was more than happy to tweet for him:

“Go f*ck yourselves, the lot of you-you sad, attention grabbing, power-hungry little men. Do not use our music or my voice for your moronic charade of a campaign.”

You can be sure Trump will be telling us today that R.E.M. is great, they love him, etc. Just like Mexicans love him. Just like women love him. Everyone loves Trump in the Trumpverse.

Unfortunately for Trump, as he demonstrated last night, he is sadly out of touch with everyone but his fellow white supremacists.

Trump used “really, really” a lot last night. And you’ve got to admit: A Tea Party rally was the perfect venue for Trump to again mindlessly unleash an angry response by being really, really clueless.

Hrafnkell Haraldsson

Hrafnkell Haraldsson, a social liberal with leanings toward centrist politics has degrees in history and philosophy. His interests include, besides history and philosophy, human rights issues, freedom of choice, religion, and the precarious dichotomy of freedom of speech and intolerance. He brings a slightly different perspective to his writing, being that he is neither a follower of an Abrahamic faith nor an atheist but a polytheist, a modern-day Heathen who follows the customs and traditions of his Norse ancestors. He maintains his own blog, A Heathen’s Day, which deals with Heathen and Pagan matters, and Mos Maiorum Foundation www.mosmaiorum.org, dedicated to ethnic religion. He has also contributed to NewsJunkiePost, GodsOwnParty and Pagan+Politics.