Europe frontman Joey Tempest wants the UK’s Conservative Party to stop using the band’s 1986 smash hit track The Final Countdown for political purposes.
It’s reported the song has been played at Tory HQ to motivate staff during the current general election campaign – but Tempest wants them to “cease and desist” as it’s not a political song.
Tempest made his feelings known to The Times through Europe’s manager Adam Parsons, who said (via the Daily Mail): “Joey does not condone any use in a political context. This was written as a good-time hard rock song back in 1986.”
Parsons added the Conservatives had misconstrued the lyrics of the track if they were playing The Final Countdown with Brexit in mind. The UK is due to leave the European Union on January 31, 2020.
Speaking to The Big Issue last year, Tempest said he would have voted to remain in the EU in the 2016 referendum.
He said: "I was born in Sweden but I consider London and the UK my home. I married an English girl and I’ve paid taxes for many, many years. I’m a domicile but I don’t have a British passport.
"If I’d had the vote, I’d be a Remainer. I’m in the music business, I’m an entertainer. Musicians all over the world, we write for each other and it doesn’t matter what country you’re from. Music is a free place and therefore we don’t want to fence anybody in.”
Many musicians have complained about their tracks being used for political means –in the US in particular.
In June, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne blasted Trump for using Crazy Train in a video, while in November last year, Axl Rose hit out at Trump’s campaign team for using Guns N’ Roses material during the midterm elections.
In August 2018, lawyers representing Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler send a cease and desist letter to the White House to insist that they stop playing Livin’ On The Edge, while the Rolling Stones, the estate of George Harrison and Queen have all objected to their music being associated with Trump.
Europe will tour across the UK in 2020 with Whitesnake and Foreigner – with the shows getting underway at The O2 in London on May 31.
