Australian mining magnate Clive Palmer has responded to TWISTED SISTER after they threatened legal action against him for using a re-written version of the band's classic song "We're Not Gonna Take It" in connection with his political party.
The former federal MP for Fairfax from 2013 to 2016, Palmer's now-defunct Palmer United party has become the United Australia party and its made-for-television advertisements feature a vocalist singing the "We're Not Gonna Take It" melody along with the lyrics: "Australia ain't gonna cop it, no Australia's not gonna cop it, Aussies not gonna cop it any more."
In TWISTED SISTER's original, Dee Snider sings: "Oh we're not gonna take it, no we ain't gonna take it, oh we're not gonna take it anymore."
"I wrote the words personally that appear on our promotion and hold the copyright for those words," Palmer told The Sydney Morning Herald.
"If [TWISTED SISTER] attempt to use my lyrics in any of their songs, I'll not hesitate to take legal proceedings against them. As foreigners, they should stay out of Australian domestic politics and stay where they are. Aussies are not going to cop it at all!"
Palmer also took a shot at Snider, claiming that the singer's upcoming Australian solo tour had been slow to sell tickets. "This is understandable given how long ago they had any influence in the world of music," he said.
Snider will perform four shows in Australia at the end of January.
On Monday, TWISTED SISTER guitarist Jay Jay French tweeted: "TWISTED SISTER does not endorse Australian politician Clive Palmer, never heard of him and was never informed of Clive Palmer's use of a re-written version of our song Were Not Gonna Take It. We receive no money from its use and we are investigating how we can stop it."
Snider concurred, tweeting: "No we do not endorse @PalmerUtdParty! We are contacting our legal team to address this and if that doesn't work...I'LL BE DOWN UNDER IN THREE WEEKS TO DEAL WITH IT MYSELF!"
This is not the first time "We're Not Gonna Take It" has been used for purposes that have made TWISTED SISTED displeased. Back in 2015, Dee gave then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump permission to use the song on his campaign trail because they were friends. However, as the campaign raged on, Snider began to develop a greater understanding of Trump's ideology and changed his mind.
"In the history of the song being out there, whenever a left-wing politician has asked to use it, they've always called and asked," French said. "It seems that every time the song gets used illegally, it's by an ultra-conservative, right-wing politician."
He added: "I don't know why parties that consider themselves law-and-order parties have traditionally been the least adherent to the law. I'm kinda astounded by that."
