Queen not kosher with Donald Trump’s use of ‘We Are The Champions’
Jul 20, 2016, 5:57 AM
Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump applauds as he steps to the podium to introduce his wife Melania during the opening day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Monday, July 18, 2016. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
CLEVELAND — When Donald Trump made his initial appearance at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, he did so in grand fashion.
The now-GOP nominee spoke very briefly before his wife, Melania, gave her controversial speech on Monday, but that didn’t stop him from entering like a rock star, to a popular rock song.
Trump’s entrance, silhouetted against a silver-white backdrop and set to Queen’s “We Are The Champions,” seemed the stuff out of movies.
It got quite a lot of cheers from convention attendees, but the band behind the song was hardly thrilled.
An unauthorised use at the Republican Convention against our wishes – Queen
— Queen (@QueenWillRock) July 19, 2016
However, Republican National Convention chief strategist Sean Spicer said the event had paid for the use of the song.
Big fan but you are wrong @GOPconvention paid to license the use of song in the arena #RNCinCLE https://t.co/sjQWFGp2ge
— Sean Spicer (@seanspicer) July 19, 2016
This isn’t the first time Queen has been upset at Trump’s use of their music during his campaign.
This is the second time the band has objected to Trump using its music. In June, Queen guitarist Brian May said on his blog that Trump’s use of We Are The Champions at a campaign event was “was neither sought nor given.” He also said it was against Queen’s policy for their music to be used in political campaigns.
As the convention still has two days to run — and Trump is believed to be speaking at both — only time will tell if he opts to use a Queen song again.
KTAR’s Jim Sharpe and Carter Nacke are in Cleveland for the Republican National Convention all week. Stay with us for ongoing coverage, both on-air and online.
