Musicians oppose having their music used as torture

[nancylebov]

Link thanks to solri:

A group of musicians, including bands such as Massive Attack, has backed a lobby group that is urging governments to stop the use of music in torture.

They're working with British law group Reprieve, which represents dozens of Guantanamo Bay detainees. Reprieve is reporting that audio torture is a common tactic in the U.S. war on terror, and detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo are subject to hours of loud music every day.

Using loud music "to create fear and disorient detainee(s) and prolong capture shock" was among a host of interrogation tactics authorized by then commander in Iraq, Lt.-Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, in a memo dated Sept. 14, 2003.

Songs by Nine Inch Nails, Metallica, AC/DC, Eminem and Bruce Springsteen were played up to 16 hours a day at high volume at the prison camps, Reprieve says.

The bad news, of course, is that this is necessary. The good news is that the musicians aren't taking a personal risk by doing so.

Addendum: There've been a couple of suggestions that the government could be sued for copyright violation. This has a certain absurdist charm, and satisfies a minuscule fraction of the desire to punish. However, it really doesn't solve anything to set a precedent that the government can use music to torture as long as it pays a royalty.

Comments

[subnumine.livejournal.com]

That should be a copyright violation...

[malkingrey.livejournal.com]

I say, sic the RIAA on them . . . I doubt the prison camps bothered to pay royalties. That would make a copyright fight I'd really enjoy watching.

(But the RIAA would rather go after Girl Scout camps and restaurant waitstaff singing "Happy Birthday," because they don't have guns and government lawyers.)

[twistedchick]

Um. No, it is not necessary to use music as torture. Do I really need to say that?

[avram]

It's the musicians' lobbying that she's saying is unfortunately necessary, not the torture.

[milimod.livejournal.com]

Really, all they need to play at top volume is one of Sarah Palin's convoluted, nonsensical campaign speeches. Those prisoners would be confessing, and then begging to have their necks wrung like those turkeys in the background last month...

[madfilkentist]

I'm reminded that during the 1993 Branch Davidian siege in Waco, the feds played "These Boots are Made for Walking" as well as Buddhists chants in an effort to keep the Davidians from getting any sleep. IIRC, Buddhists protested the use of their chants for this purpose.

[avram]

Jon Ronson's The Men Who Stare at Goats describes the origins of the program that led to the use of loud music as psychological warfare (first used in the 1989 invasion of Panama, when Noriega had fled to a Vatican diplomatic mission). It's a strange and hilarious book; I recommend it. Or you can wait for the upcoming movie with George Clooney.

[nancylebov.livejournal.com]

I've read it and liked it, but I'm not sure how far to trust it.

His Them, about conspiracies, seems more plausible. Who knew there was a niche for investigative humorist?

[subnumine.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's more than royalties; if you hold a copyright, you may refuse a request for a license altogether - this is your negotiating position for getting reasonable rates. It might compel some of these song to stop - and it would certainly get wide coverage.

[sethg]

The musicians might also have standing to sue for damage to their reputation caused by associating their music with torture.

Of course there's also the doctrine of "sovereign immunity" which makes it difficult to sue the government for anything; I don't know how that applies to this sort of thing.