Caroline Lynott launches battle against Mitt Romney use of Thin Lizzy music

A Cease and Desist order is being issued to prevent the Mitt Romney presidential campaign from making any further use Philip Lynott and Thin Lizzy's music.

The Vice Presidential candidate Paul Ryan made his entrance at the Republican National Convention two weeks ago to the strains of the Thin Lizzy classic, 'The Boys Are Back In Town', written by Philip Lynott. The track has also been used at the Superbowl, confirming its status as one of hard rock's great anthems.

The order, Hot Press understands, is being issued by Universal Music, the record company which has rights to the Thin Lizzy catalogue, on the instructions of Caroline Lynott-Taraskevics, who is one of the controllers of the Philip Lynott estate. Caroline was Philip's wife and is mother of his two daughters, Sarah and Cathleen.

"It is too late to stop it happening, but it will prevent a recurrence," Caroline said in a message, the contents of which have been passed on to Hot Press with her consent.

"In America, the record company gives permission, so we have told them to issue a Cease and Desist order to the Republican Party," Caroline added. "Absolutely in no way would Philip have supported Mitt Romney or Paul Ryan and he would have been so happy about Obama becoming US President."

While the controls that the estate can put into effect are limited in certain respects, Caroline has asserted her determination that the music should not be mis-used for political purposes of which Philip would not have approved.

"I don't know how this happened," Caroline stated, "but it will be rectified. As far as I am able, I want to try to ensure that Philip's legacy remains true to him as an individual. I am powerless over much of what goes on, but where I have a say, I do what I believe Philip would have done."

Caroline was alerted to the issue by Jim Fitzpatrick, the artist who designed many of Thin Lizzy's album sleeves.

"She was as upset as I was when I heard the music being used in this way," Fitzpatrick told Hot Press. "Philip would have been appalled, I have no doubt about that. Apart from anything else, being mixed race, he'd have identified very strongly with Barack Obama."

Philomena Lynott, mother of Philip Lynott, has already expressed her indignation at the use of Philip Lynott's music to support the Romney campaign, insisting that Philip would not have supported the tax cuts proposed by Romney which favour the rich elite; and that he would have abhorred the Romney campaign's opposition to same sex marriage.

The Thin Lizzy guitar player Scott Gorham, who played on the track has also expressed his opposition to the use of the music to bolster the Romney campaign. "Mitt Romney would not be a guy I would vote for," he told Hot Press.

In an editorial in the Hot Press Yearbook, just published, Hot Press editor Niall Stokes reflects on the groundswell of opposition to the misuse of the Irish rock hero's music by the Republican party – a development which is deeply embarrassing for both Romnay and his running mate Paul Ryan.

"Music has an astonishing power," Stokes – the author of Into The Heart - The Stories Behind The Songs of U2 – reflects. "It burrows its way deeper and takes a hold of us with a power that nothing else can match – apart perhaps from sex. This is why the opening chord of ‘The Boys Are Back In Town’ is such a potentially powerful political card to play.

"In Philip's absence," Stokes adds, "his mother Philomena had done a very effective job, making people all over the United States aware that as far as she was concerned the use of the music was an act of political larceny."

Now that has been confirmed by the active opposition of the Philip Lynott estate.

Stokes concludes with a suggestion that, if President Obama wins a second term he might like to kick-start it by playing 'The Boys Are Back In Town' at his inauguration.