2020.05.13 - Blabbermouth - Guns N' Roses Takes Jab At Donald Trump With 'Live N' Let Die With Covid 45' Shirt (& related articles)

Guns N' Roses Takes Jab At Donald Trump With 'Live N' Let Die With Covid 45' Shirt

Guns N' Roses has begun selling a new t-shirt that appears to take a jab at U.S. President Donald Trump.

Earlier in the month, Trump visited a manufacturing plant without wearing a face mask as Guns N' Roses' rendition of "Live And Let Die" played on loudspeakers during his visit. Video footage of Trump's visit went viral because he and his entourage were at a Honeywell factory in Phoenix to witness the production of anti-Covid-19 N95 masks, with the soundtrack also reportedly consisting of the likes of Survivor's "Eye Of The Tiger" and Animals' "House Of The Rising Sun".

In response to the Internet hoopla, Guns N' Roses has just released a shirt features the slogan "Live N' Let Die With Covid 45", apparently referencing the fact that Trump is the 45th president of the United States.

The shirt is priced at $25 and available for order in sizes small through double XL. Look for the shirt to ship on June 10.



https://blabbermouth.net/news/guns-n-roses-take-jab-at-donald-trump-with-live-n-let-die-with-covid-45-shirt

A few hours later it would be clarified on GN'R's official website (and reported in the media) that all proceeds from the sales of the shirt would be donated to the Musicares charity. There was also a disclaimer of non-endorsement from Universal:

Variety, May 14, 2020:

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Guns N’ Roses Tears Into Trump With ‘Live N’ Let Die With COVID 45′ Shirt

By Jordan Moreau

Guns ‘N Roses slammed President Donald Trump and his response to the coronavirus pandemic with a t-shirt for sale that reads “Live ‘N Let Die With COVID 45.”

The rock band unveiled the new shirt on its Twitter account on Wednesday, and posted it on its merchandise website.

The shirts sell for $25.00 each and all proceeds go to the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund.

The jab at Trump comes a week after the president visited an Arizona factory that makes protective N95 face masks. During the visit, however, he did not wear a mask of his own. While Trump was there, employees played Guns N’ Roses’ 1991 hit “Live and Let Die” in the background. The music was so loud, it was nearly impossible to hear Trump speaking.

Watch a video of the moment posted by Reuters on YouTube.



The band’s frontman Axl Rose is no stranger to slamming the current administration. Last week, he tweeted at Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin and called him an “a–hole.”

“It’s official! Whatever anyone may have previously thought of Steve Mnuchin he’s officially an a–hole,” Rose wrote to his 1.2 million followers.

Mnuchin then replied back, saying “What have you done for the country lately?” However, he mistakenly included an emoji of the Liberian flag, then deleted it and reposted the same message with the American flag.

Rose noticed the emoji error and replied, “My bad I didn’t get we’re hoping 2 emulate Liberia’s economic model but on the real unlike this admin I’m not responsible for 70k+ deaths n’ unlike u I don’t hold a fed gov position of responsibility 2 the American people n’ go on TV tellin them 2 travel the US during a pandemic.”

https://variety.com/2020/music/news/guns-n-roses-tears-into-trump-with-live-n-let-die-with-covid-45-shirt-1234606450/

Vulture, May 14:

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Guns N’ Roses Troll The White House, Sell ‘Live N’ Let Die With COVID 45’ Shirt

By Chris Murphy

If you thought Axl Rose was gonna stop publicly taunting Steve Mnuchin and the Trump Administration, then you were sorely mistaken. After prompting the Treasury Secretary to confuse the U.S. and Liberia last week, Rose and his bandmates have simply refused to take their foot off of the White House’s proverbial neck. Guns N’ Roses has revealed that they are selling a brand new piece of merchandise that is almost certain to fly off the shelves: “Live N’ Let Die With COVID 45” t-shirts. Got him.

The shirt was inspired by real life events, of course. Trump recently toured Arizona’s Honeywell factory, which makes protective N95 face masks, and, believe it or not, he did not have the health and safety of the workers at the forefront of his mind. Ignoring CDC guidelines (as well as a sign at the facility which clearly states that face masks are required to be worn on-site), Trump chose not to don a protective mask, leading workers at the facility to play Guns N’ Roses 1991 hit “Live N’ Let Die” so loudly that his interview was practically drowned out. That is some truly expert level of satirical political commentary right there.

The shirts sell for $25.00 each (a steal!) and 100% of the proceeds go to the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund. What could be more American than finding a way to financially capitalize on the success of a viral video? Mnuchin must be proud. Donate to charity and buy someone you love a “Live N’ Let Die With COVID 45” shirt. Remember: Father’s day will be here faster than you know it.


https://www.vulture.com/2020/05/guns-n-roses-sell-live-n-let-die-with-covid-45.html

The Independent, May 14:

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Guns N’ Roses mock Trump’s failure to wear face mask with ‘Live N’ Let Die Covid 45’ shirt

Singer Axl Rose has previously been outspoken about his dislike for Trump’s administration

By Annie Lord

Guns N’ Roses have unveiled a new T-shirt that appears to criticise Donald Trump’s decision to go maskless on a recent visit to Arizona’s Honeywell factory.

The factory produces N95 masks for the federal government and there’s a sign at the site which states that masks are required.

As the president walked around the factory without a face covering, workers blasted Guns N’ Roses’ version of “Live N' Let Die”.

The rock band have now released a T-shirt which reads “Live N’ Let Die With COVID 45”.

All of the proceeds from T-shirt sales will be donated to the Recording Academy’s MusiCares, which provides services and resources to those in need in the music community.

Singer Axl Rose has been outspoken about his dislike for Trump’s administration and its response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

After Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin claimed that “This is a great time for people to explore America”, Rose tweeted: “It’s official! Whatever anyone may have previously thought of Steve Mnuchin he’s officially an a**hole”.

Mnuchin then responded to Rose’s tweet with, “What have you done for the country lately?” followed by an emoji of the flag of Liberia.

After being widely mocked on Twitter, Mnuchin then deleted the tweet and replaced it with one bearing the same question and an American flag emoji.

Rose, who caught the original post, tweeted back, “My bad I didn’t get we’re hoping 2 emulate Liberia’s economic model but on the real unlike this admin I’m not responsible for 70k+ deaths n’ unlike u I don’t hold a fed gov position of responsibility 2 the American people n’ go on TV tellin them 2 travel the US during a pandemic.”

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/guns-n-roses-trump-live-n-let-die-axl-rose-coronavirus-face-mask-a9513531.html

Earlier article about the song being played during Trump's visit at a mask factory in Arizona; Los Angeles Times, May 5, 2020:

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‘Live and Let Die’ blasts as Trump visits mask factory

By Randall Roberts

As President Trump toured an N95 mask manufacturing plant in Phoenix on Tuesday, his visit through the facility was accompanied by a head-scratching musical soundtrack: the Paul McCartney-penned “Live and Let Die,” as performed by Guns ‘N Roses.

The president and his entourage were touring a Honeywell factory that produces the masks, worn by medical workers to protect them from breathing in the deadly COVID-19 virus. Standing next to a green bin filled with hundreds of masks, a notably un-face-masked Trump watched an employee work as the music segued from the Animals’ “House of the Rising Sun” into the song McCartney wrote and recorded for the James Bond film of the same name.

The background music for the tour also included Trump rally stalwarts such as Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the U.S.A.” and Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger.”

In a tweet, Jimmy Kimmel noted: “I can think of no better metaphor for this presidency than Donald Trump not wearing a face mask to a face mask factory while the song ‘Live and Let Die’ blares in the background.”

So far, Rose, an outspoken Trump critic, has yet to comment. But a few years ago he called the president the “gold standard of what can be considered disgraceful.” More recently, he tweeted a photo of an anti-Trump baseball cap.

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2020-05-05/live-and-let-die-trump-mask-factory-mccartney-wings

And Rolling Stone, May 5, 2020:

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Arizona Workers Blast ‘Live and Let Die’ While Maskless Trump Tours Factory

President visited Honeywell, which is producing N95 masks, on Tuesday

President Donald Trump did not wear a face mask — as is recommended by health officials to aid in preventing the spread of COVID-19 — during his tour of a Honeywell factory in Phoenix, Arizona on Tuesday.

As Trump toured the factory, which is producing N95 masks for the federal government, he and other officials wore safety glasses but did not wear masks. In a clip from Reuters, at one point on the tour, workers blasted Guns N’ Roses’ cover of the James Bond theme song from Wings, “Live and Let Die.” As Trump spoke to a worker that was wearing a mask, he could barely be heard over the din as he asked how many masks were made in a day and the worker’s response is hard to discern. Afterward, Trump gave a thumbs up to the camera. A sign in the factory stated that masks were required in the factory, per CNBC.

Trump, who early into the coronavirus pandemic advised against masks, has refused to wear them despite mounting recommendations from health experts advising everyone to do so. Though he told reporters prior to his factory visit that he would wear a mask if it was mandatory at the factory, a White House official said Honeywell told the White House that masks did not need to be worn, according to CNBC.

In April, Vice President Mike Pence, who is head of the White House’s coronavirus task force, ignored Mayo Clinic’s policy of requiring a face mask. Instead, Pence toured the medical facility and visited patients maskless.

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-tours-factory-maskless-live-and-let-die-song-994546/

Despite all the backlash, Live and Let Die would be played again at another Trump campaign event in August 2020. Blabbermouth, August 6, 2020:

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Guns N' Roses' Cover Of 'Live And Let Die' Played Before Trump's Speech In Ohio

Guns N' Roses' rendition of "Live And Let Die" was played on loudspeakers earlier today (Thursday, August 6) before President Donald Trump's scheduled speech at the Whirlpool Corp.'s washing machine manufacturing plant in Clyde, Ohio.

A reporter covering the event tweeted video of the Guns N' Roses version of the Wings track blaring on the live feed. The Intercept writer Robert Mackey wrote in an accompanying message: "The White House is playing "Live And Let Die" before Trump's arrival at a thinly disguised campaign event in Ohio that the state's governor cannot attend because he just came down with Covid-19, the disease that killed over 1,400 Americans yesterday."

Earlier today, Ohio governor Mike DeWine tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of meeting with Trump. According to his office, DeWine took a test as part of the standard protocol to greet Trump on the tarmac at Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland.

This is not the first time Guns N' Roses' cover of "Live And Let Die" has been played at a Trump event in the pandemic era. Back in May, Trump visited a manufacturing plant without wearing a face mask as the song played on loudspeakers during his visit. Video footage of Trump's visit went viral because he and his entourage were at a Honeywell factory in Phoenix to witness the production of anti-Covid-19 N95 masks.

In response to the Internet hoopla, Guns N' Roses released a shirt features the slogan "Live N' Let Die With Covid 45", apparently referencing the fact that Trump is the 45th president of the United States.

https://blabbermouth.net/news/guns-n-roses-cover-of-live-and-let-die-played-before-trumps-speech-in-ohio