As Donald Trump continues to lead presidential polls, the Republican front-runner has attracted the attention of a new opponent from abroad who’s no stranger to speaking out against the establishment.
John Lydon — better known as Johnny Rotten, the London-born singer who rose to fame in the late ’70s as the frontman of infamous punk band the Sex Pistols — urged Americans not to cast their ballots for the billionaire real estate mogul during an appearance Tuesday evening on “Late Night with Stephen Colbert.”
Performing with Public Image Ltd., the rock group Lydon launched more than 30 years ago after the dissolution of the Sex Pistols, the singer closed down Tuesday’s episode with words of advice ahead of the 2016 election aimed at would-be voters.
“Don’t you dare vote Donald Trump,” he snarled as the group wrapped up a performance of their latest single, “Double Trouble.”
The punk singer has hardly been reserved in the past about his politics. In 1977, his punk band was essentially banned from radio and television in the U.K. as a result of their anti-crown chart-topper, “God Save the Queen.”
Lydon isn’t the only rock singer to speak up this campaign season against Mr. Trump. Neil Young took aim at the presidential hopeful early on when his tune, “Rockin’ in the Free World,” was used without permission during the Republican contender’s candidacy announcement, as did R.E.M. when Mr. Trump adopted their 1987 hit “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” as his theme song.
“Do not use our music or my voice for your moronic charade of a campaign,” R.E.M. lead singer Michael Stipe said.
Conversely, Twister Sister lead singer Dee Snider said he gave Mr. Trump permission to use his 1984 anthem “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” Newsweek reported, albeit without offering any endorsement.
“I guess I do support Donald and Bernie Sanders, both for turning politics-as-usual on its head,” he told Newsweek. “They’re calling people out on their s—-. Of course, they’re laying out their own stream of s—- as well. It’s just making for a much more interesting campaign.”
Mr. Trump, meanwhile, was named this week the top candidate among likely Republican voters in New Hampshire, according to the results of a WBUR Radio poll, while a separate study put out by Quinnipiac University saw the businessmen slip to third.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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