© Joel Ryan / PAMichael Stipe proved REM are back at the top of their game
The band's 1987 song, "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" was used to rouse the crowd at a Tea Party rally at the US Capitol on Wednesday as Trump emerged. After a slew of horrified tweets from fans, lead singer Michael Stipe reacted with fury that their music had been used via R.E.M bassist Mike Mill's Twitter feed.
Mills was more reluctant to blast Trump publicly for fear of giving him even more of a platform. "Personally, I think the Orange Clown will do anything for attention," he wrote in a separate tweet. "I hate giving it to him."
R.E.M also issued a general statement reiterating their opposition to the song and any of the music being used by Trump or other political candidates. "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 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."
In March, Stipe also told Indiana Governor Michael Pence to go f**k himself after he signed a discriminatory "religious freedom" bill into law.
His latest rant came after Frankie Sullivan, the co-founder of Survivor, expressed his anger at his song "Eye of the Tiger" being used by Mike Huckabee as a triumphant Kim Davis was freed from prison on Tuesday. The Kentucky county clerk was detained after refusing to grant gay and lesbian couples marriage licenses. Sullivan reacted with horror to the move, writing: "NO! We did not grant Kim Davis any rights to use 'My Tune -The Eye Of The Tiger.' I would not grant her the rights to use Charmin! C'mom Mike, you are not The Donald but you can do better than that."
Comment: The singer was probably echoing the feelings of lots of people.