How About A Series Of Democratic Fundraising Concerts...

... featuring only musical acts whose music Donald Trump is using at his political events, even though they've asked him to stop?

Trump isn't breaking any US law by doing this, as far as I know. But traditionally, if a musical act asked a politician to stop using their music, they'd stop. One more way that Donald Trump is new and different. One more way he's an asshole.

Adele, the Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, REM, Elton John, Luciano Pavorotii, Queen, Aerosmith... Those could be some really kick-ass concerts. In between sets they could play records by George Harrison, whose estate has asked Trump to stop using his music. (I'm not sure whether Twisted Sister would fit in in this line-up, or if they would be interested in participating: front sister Dee Snider asked Trump to stop using their music, and Trump actually stopped. Apparently Snider and Trump are old pals.) And the fact that every single one asked Trump to stop using their music, and he didn't... Those acts have a huge amount of fans. Concerts like these, with the musicians free to say political things between songs, might get a lot of people interested in politics who otherwise ignore it.

Admit it: this is not the kookiest political idea you've ever heard. It beats talking to an empty chair hands-down.

So Long, Paul Simon

Does anybody else remember "This Note's For You," the title track of an albumfrom 1988 by Neil Young and the Bluenotes? Neil mocked Michael Jackson and others who let their music be used in commercials: "Ain't singin' for Pepsi/Ain't singin' for Coke/Ain't singin' for no one/Who makes me look like a joke" -- man, those were the days. Back then it was still comparatively rare and shocking when a record originally released as a piece of music for its own sake was recycled as the soundtrack of a commercial. Nowadays it's business as usual. Nobody seems to get upset about it any more. No musicians seem worried that such a thing might make them look like a joke.

Latest case in point: a piece of the lovely multi-track vocal harmonies from Simon & Garfunkel's "The Only Living Boy in New York" is on a new Honda commercial. The commercial has been circulating for probably weeks now, and it's become so common for pop music to be used in commercials that it took me until tonight to realize that there went another one: another musician who doesn't mind looking like a joke, in exchange for a nice big slice of that sweet advertising money.

I used to respect you, Paul Simon. What was I thinking?

Who's left? Who hasn't sold their music yet as a backing track to peddle cars or soda pop or sneakers? Neil? Bruce? I think the Clash bit that dust a while back, after Joe Strummer died or was already critically ill.

I'm warning everybody: when Rage Against the Machine is the backing music for a commercial for Oreo's, I'm going to get REALLY mad.