Guns N' Roses stopped Melania' documentary from using their music

"There was music that we tried to get, but sadly, there were politics to it. According to Beckman, the band responsible for hits including November Rain and Sweet Child O' Mine were divided on whether their songs could be used in his movie. There was a beautiful song we wanted to use, and one of the guys said, 'You got it. Go.' And the other one was basically like, 'There's just no way.'"

"It's not clear what song or songs the producers wanted to use, though Beckman said they needed consent from all of the band's members and didn't receive it. Guns N' Roses was definitely a disappointment for us. It's also unclear which bandmates were in support of the documentary using their music and which opposed it, though lead singer Axl Rose has been openly critical of the president and first lady in the past."

"Beckman said Melania producers were also unsuccessful in getting the rights to music from Grace Jones and the Prince estate. It's disappointing when people put politics so far ahead, and that happened a little bit with the film, he said. Beckman also accused Radiohead guitarist and composer Jonny Greenwood of being politically motivated after he recently requested that a piece of music he composed for Paul Thomas Anderson's Phantom Thread be removed from Melania."

The Melania Trump documentary features music from Michael Jackson, Tears for Fears, and the Rolling Stones, but faced obstacles acquiring songs from other artists. Producer Mark Beckman revealed that Guns N' Roses members were divided on licensing their music, with one member approving and another refusing. The filmmakers also unsuccessfully pursued music from Grace Jones and the Prince estate. Additionally, Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood requested removal of his orchestral composition from the film, though producers claim they properly licensed it and will keep it. Beckman expressed frustration that political considerations influenced these licensing decisions, describing it as disappointing when artists prioritize politics over collaboration.

Read at www.nydailynews.com