Ask before using
But before getting to that, note the 70-year-old Young also has an opinion on fairness and as far as he’s concerned, even though Donald Trump is far from being the guy Young would back, it’s fair for Trump to use his music — providing he asks.
Back in June at Trump’s announcement for his nomination he used Young’s “Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World” at the rally. At that time the singer of “Southern Man” and his reps weren’t happy. They told Trump’s people not to use the song anymore and Trump complied.
But Young now says that all Trump had to do was ask. He was legally able to use it, Young acknowledged, because Trump’s people had obtained a license agreement from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, and that, along with asking, makes it okay.
“He actually got a license to use it,” Young told Reuters. “I mean, he said he did and I believe him. So I got nothing against him. You know, once the music goes out, everybody can use it for anything.
“But if the artist who made it is saying you never spoke to them,” Young added. “If that means something to you, you probably will stop playing it. And it meant something to Donald and he stopped.”
Young backs Sanders
Meanwhile, despite (sort of) making nice with The Donald, Young’s politics are far from Trump’s, witnessed by his backing of Sanders. The musician is still in Sanders’ camp, that despite the fact the senator from Vermont now has virtually zero chance of winning his party’s nomination.
“He’s the only one talking about the issues,” Young said. “About issues that matter to me, the issues on my mind (like) problems of corporate control of democracy, and everything slipping away and not being able to have six major companies owning all the media in the United States.”
Young, incidentally, is not the only artist who has had issues with Trump playing their music. The Rolling Stones have had to ask Trump to stop using their music at his rallies at least twice. R.E.M. and Adele have also told Trump to stop using their songs.
