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R.E.M. Doesn’t Feel Fine About Donald Trump Using Its Song

Members of R.E.M. had the hugest, the classiest, the most luxurious putdowns Wednesday night for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

At a “Stop the Iran Deal” rally in Washington, DC, today, Trump took the stage to the Athens band’s 1987 hit, “It’s the End of the World as We Know It.” (Which, truth be told, Republicans have been predicting since 2008, and it hasn’t happened yet.)

Bassist Mike Mills banged and blamed on Twitter:

Singer Michael Stipe was perhaps at his most beautiful (depending on where you fall on the political spectrum) in his comment to The Daily Beast“Go fuck yourselves, the lot of you—you sad, attention-grabbing, power-hungry little men,” he said in an email. “Do not use our music or my voice for your moronic charade of a campaign.”

Another Republican presidential candidate, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, also spoke at the rally.

Here’s the band’s official statement:

“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 media and 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.”

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