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Filmmaker Duncan Jones—best known for directing the films Moon and Source Code and for being the son of the late rocker David Bowie—said he thinks former Republican President Donald Trump is playing his father's music during campaign events "to wind me up."
Jones, who has made clear he is no fan of Trump, expressed frustration after Trump played Bowie's song "Heroes" during his recent announcement that he will campaign for the White House in 2024.
Jones' previous attempts to block Trump from using his father's music have not been successful.
He said on Twitter he thinks at this point Trump is using these songs without permission "to wind me up."
\u201c@EdwardShultz19 Pretty sure he's just doing that now to wind me up.\u201d— Edward (@Edward) 1668611365
Another Twitter user stressed Jones should "stop" Trump from using Bowie's music without permission.
Jones responded Trump used his father's music on the campaign trail in 2016 and he was "told there is little we can do about it."
\u201c@e_cce @amandapalmer We've been though this before. He used the same track 6 years ago. Ive been told there is little we can do about it.\u201d— Amanda Palmer \ud83c\udfb9 (@Amanda Palmer \ud83c\udfb9) 1668568595
In light of these tweets, many empathized with Jones' frustration and offered advice on next steps.
\u201c@ManMadeMoon @e_cce @amandapalmer If you hold the intellectual property rights as your father's heir you can sue him to stop him from unauthorized use!\nJust like if it was used at a performance, especially if he is charging a fee/donation to enter.\u201d— Amanda Palmer \ud83c\udfb9 (@Amanda Palmer \ud83c\udfb9) 1668568595
\u201c@ManMadeMoon @e_cce @amandapalmer Trump doesn't care about ANYONE other than himself...try using his brand "TRUMP" somewhere without his consent or payment and you'll see a lawsuit. So how is that any different than him using your father's music without consent???\u201d— Amanda Palmer \ud83c\udfb9 (@Amanda Palmer \ud83c\udfb9) 1668568595
\u201c@ManMadeMoon @e_cce @amandapalmer How painfully exhausting & nauseating that\u2019s the case \ud83d\udc9c\u201d— Amanda Palmer \ud83c\udfb9 (@Amanda Palmer \ud83c\udfb9) 1668568595
\u201c@ManMadeMoon @e_cce @amandapalmer File a law suit for royalty \nCopy right infringement\u201d— Amanda Palmer \ud83c\udfb9 (@Amanda Palmer \ud83c\udfb9) 1668568595
\u201c@ManMadeMoon @e_cce @amandapalmer Lame. Sorry Duncan. That man is the Cheeto stain on human history.\u201d— Amanda Palmer \ud83c\udfb9 (@Amanda Palmer \ud83c\udfb9) 1668568595
\u201c@ManMadeMoon @DavidBowieGlam @e_cce @amandapalmer No worries. Fifty years from now Trump will be long gone, just a minor blip in history, but Heroes will live on as one of the greatest songs of all time.\u201d— Amanda Palmer \ud83c\udfb9 (@Amanda Palmer \ud83c\udfb9) 1668568595
\u201c@ManMadeMoon @e_cce @amandapalmer Who told you that? Yes you can do something about this and you should do so! Your father was a great man and he would be appalled with this disrespectful act!!\u201d— Amanda Palmer \ud83c\udfb9 (@Amanda Palmer \ud83c\udfb9) 1668568595
Jones is only the latest person to complain about Trump using musical artists' work without authorization.
In 2020, Trump was called out by the estate of the late rocker Tom Petty for using the song "I Won't Back Down" to promote his second presidential campaign.
At the time, Petty's estate said Petty—who made no secret of his progressive politics when he was alive—would have disapproved of Trump's use of the song, saying Trump "was in no way authorized" to use it "to further a campaign that leaves too many Americans and common sense behind."
Other artists—including Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, Elton John, and Adele—have complained about Trump using their songs during his campaign events, a point of contention for them as they don't identify with and don't want to be perceived as promoting Trumpian politics.
This week, the estate of soul musician Isaac Hayes indicated it would pursue legal action against Trump for using Hayes' song “Hold On I’m Coming" during the recent campaign announcement.