Former Talking Heads’ frontman David Byrne is suing the Florida Governor and senatorial candidate Charlie Crist for $1m.
In the lawsuit, which was filed earlier today (May 24), the singer revealed that Crist had used the Talking Heads’ song ‘Road To Nowhere’, in a campaign advert without permission.
"[It] is not about politics," Byrne told Billboard.com. "It’s about copyright and about the fact that it does imply that I would have licensed it and endorsed him and whatever he stands for."
Despite Crist removing the song from the video, Byrne added that he was unhappy by the Governor’s actions.
"I was pretty upset by that," he admitted. "In my opinion the damage had already been done by it being out there. People that I knew had seen [the ad], so it had gotten around."
Byrne is being represented by Lawrence Iser, the same lawyer who successfully represented Jackson Browne when Senator John McCain used Browne’s song ‘Running on Empty’, in the 2008 presidential campaign.
Iser says the $1 million damages claim is based on previous offers Byrne has received for use of his songs in adverts.
