David Byrne Sues Crist for Using `Road to Nowhere'

Source: Bloomberg

Former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne sued Florida Governor Charlie Crist for using the band’s song “Road to Nowhere” in a campaign ad without permission.

The complaint against Crist, a longtime Republican who’s now running as an independent for U.S. Senate, and his campaign was filed today in federal court in Tampa, Florida, said Byrne’s lawyer, Lawrence Iser. Byrne seeks $1 million in damages based on the estimated value of the licensing rights to the song, Iser said in a telephone interview.

Byrne said in statement that he has never licensed a song to be used in an advertisement.

“I’m a bit of a throwback that way, as I still believe songs occasionally mean something to people,” Byrne said in the statement. “A personal and social meaning is diluted when that same song is used to sell a product or a politician.”


Read more: http://preview.bloomberg.com/news/2010-05-24/david-byrne-sues-charlie-crist-for-using-road-to-nowhere-in-campaign-ad.html

Talking Heads music is sacred. Using it in a campaign ad is an abomination.

now the story is about the song instead of the message - FAIL on Crist's campaign

..big mistake if the artist makes a fuss. Like you said, story becomes about the song rather than the issues.

The trouble is, right-wing "musicians" generally suck ass. You'll notice no one is lining up to use The Nuge's songs for their campaign.

and yet somehow so 'par for the course'

Byrne. :kick:

...anyway

We're tapping phone lines, you know that ain't allowed...

:kick:

Clearly not a 21st century Republican anthem.

If the current Repub party was to choose a David Byrne song
to represent their true soul, it would be "What A Day That Was",
from his solo album "The Catherine Wheel".

That's a song written from the point of view of someone
who misses the "glory days" of the short-lived Nazi Empire.

Just sayin'.

I never thought it was so meaningful. It was head music to us.

4 decades later, I'm still discovering new layers of meaning
in some of his stuff.

His band had three dancers doing the craziest choreography. Very lighthearted and entertaining

What idiot (most likely whoever came up with the ad design or
some flunky staffer) would think that they could just "use" or "take" items
that are most likely copyrighted?

...that's just STOOPID.

I don't think Jackson Browne actually got any money from the McCain campaign did he? I think it was just a slap on the wrist kind of punishment or they played dumb or something.

I say give them the $1 Million and I promise - no candidate will EVER use a song again without permission. Nor will they probably be getting many more campaign donations since they're obviously pissing it away.

Edited to add -

Found an article here that says Jackson Browne was asking for $75,000 from McCain campaign and settled for an "undisclosed sum" and an apology letter. FYI

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8161728.stm

Good for DB.

but his eagle didn't soooaaaar much longer...

Oh yeah, there are none.

Of course the asshat had NO idea what the lyrics really mean

The Boss was NOT happy about that and as I recall his lawyers put a quick stop to Rayguns' BS

That whoever chose "Born in the USA" hadn't listened to the lyrics. They're hardly a ringing endorsement of life here.

Born down in a dead man's town
The first kick I took was when I hit the ground
You end up like a dog that's been beat too much
'Til you spend half your life just coverin' up

Although Mr. Reagan was certainly no stranger to "covering up"... but I digress

The same goes for "Born to Run" :

I'm pleasantly amused by the fact that "A Concurrent Resolution declaring Born to Run; as the unofficial theme of our State's youth" was introduced in the state legislature in 1980.
Had no one actually LISTENED to the thing?

Baby this town rips the bones from your back
It's a death trap, it's a suicide rap
We gotta get out while we're young
'Cuz tramps like us, baby were were born to run


Isn't life more interesting when you actually pay attention?

For Pete's sake, people keep repeating that story over and over every time another one of these incidents comes up with a politician using someone's song without permission--but it's not true.

Reagan referenced Springsteen once in a speech in 1984, implying that he was singing "songs of hope." This caused Springsteen to say that if Reagan thought Springsteen was singing about hope, he must not be paying much attention to the lyrics.

But Reagan never actually used "Born in the USA" or any other Springsteen song. Nor did he ask to.

this is a deep and meaningful piece of work, but you can't "read" it, it's fucking music, you have to hear it and feel it

I love a lot of T.H. stuff....just not that one.

Brian Eno and Fatboy Slim.

These righties kill me using 'lefty' music thinking they're being clever and patriotic. The best example is The Boss's "Born in the U.S.A.". All the conservatives and Republicans love that song until they realize it's not patriotic at all. Well...at least not in the sense of the word that they subscribe to.

Way to go, Dave.

... the song being about the disastrous consequences of the policies and people, Rush et al croon right after the song ends.

Like Reagan and Born in the USA.

Do these guys never actually listen to the songs? Or read the lyrics?

i.e., that Reagan used "Born in the USA."

No, he didn't. He probably wanted to, but he didn't.

Same as it ever was.

Nice choice of words by Byrne. Can't wait to see how this plays out.

Theme song of the Party Of No.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMtV4mdMRUA

:rofl:

When will these pathetic right-wing hacks figure out that most all of the good songs hail from literate, liberal fascist-hating song-writers?
It also makes me wonder what is behind the thought process that leads one to believe that the lyric "We're on a road to nowhere" is something one wants associated with one's campaign.

Who seek to loosen copyright laws until or unless they (songs, words, ideas) are used for profit.

Please google creative commons.

But I'm still glad Crist decided to run: he's up by 3.

the most brilliant mind in pop music and the kindest too

songs mean stuff to people and this one means a lot, kudos for not letting a sleazy politician deface it

The repukes should not fuck with the talking heads.

Though the songwriters/performers have the rights, they don't really control who uses them entirely. There are other means for song licensing besides the direct approach. Prime example is the use of "My City Is Gone" by The Pretenders. Arguably best known as the theme of Rush Limbaugh's radio show. There was an attempt to get the song off Limbaugh's show, but Chrissy Hinds said there really wasn't much she can do about it as long as licensing fees were paid. The people who wrote the songs that are afraid the conservatives will pervert it as their theme must demand an audience with congress to disuss more control over usage of the songs they crate from their own hearts.

It's not as if this hasn't happened before. Yet more proof that rethuglicans refuse to learn the lessons history teaches.

Just over the artists' heads though.

they'd be smart enough to talk with the musicians.

Some PR nerd just thought the 1st line of the song would be great.... ignoring what the song means or what its intent is or even what the rest of the lyric are. This happens all the time. "Fortunate Son" anyone? Crist probably never heard the song before one of his slick PR
Same as it ever was....


I'm glad Burne has made it about the song.