The 2016 U.S. Presidential candidate, Donald Trump, has been making headlines, but mostly for the wrong reasons. Now, the Republican candidate is back in the news, but this time, it's because classic hair metal band, Twisted Sister, has allowed him to use their rebellious anthem, "We're Not Gonna Take It," for his campaign run.
"He [Trump] called and he asked, which I appreciated," said the band's frontman, Dee Snider, during a recent interview with Canadian Business. "I said, 'Look, we don't see eye to eye on everything - there are definitely issues that we're far apart on.' But thinking back to when I wrote the song and what the song is about, it's about rebellion, speaking your mind and fighting the system. If anybody's doing that, he sure is."
Snider continued: "Trump and Bernie Sanders are the two extremes. They're raising holy hell and shaking everything up. That's what 'We're Not Gonna Take It' is about. And we're friends. I have spent time with Donald and his family. I don't think either of us expected that we would like each other, but you know, Donald Trump is a pretty chill guy... He's a frontman. When that camera goes on, he furls his brow, he does his thing. Off-camera he's very self-deprecating. He makes jokes about being too orange and about his hair."
Some speculate that Trump and Snider's friendship date back to the singer's participation in the candidate's 2013 season of Celebrity Apprentice, from which Snider was fired. Trump had previously used R.E.M.'s "It's The End of The World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" and Aerosmith's "Dream On" for his campaign without approval, with both artists lashing out at him and with Aerosmith going as far as to issue a cease-and-desist letter.
Artists from Morrissey to Damon Albarn to Miguel have all been voicing their disdain for the presidential candidate. Political punk rockers Anti-Flag released a Halloween-themed anti-Trump t-shirt back in October and are now releasing a new "Donald Trump is a racist" limited edition t-shirt, in light of his stern immigration stance, currently available via their official website.
