Skinny Puppy Sues US Over Use of Their Music at Gitmo

[bayonetbrant]

From the "you can't make this up" files

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-26055297

A Canadian rock band has sent a bill to the US military after being told its music was used to torment suspected terrorists at the US prison at Guantanamo Bay, a member has said.

Skinny Puppy keyboardist Cevin Key told CTV News the band sought $666,000 (£409,000) for use of its music.

Key said a fan who had served as a guard there informed the group its music had been used.

A US military spokesman told the BBC it had not received an invoice.

Lt Col Todd Breasseale said the defence department would not comment on procedures at Guantanamo Bay.

"I am not only against the fact they're using our music to inflict damage on somebody else but they are doing it without anybody's permission," Key said in the interview.

The US has been widely criticised for the reported treatment of prisoners at the military detention centre on Cuba, including the waterboarding of detainees in what has become known as "enhanced interrogation" practices.

It has been reported that the US military there and at other detention facilities in Iraq and Afghanistan blasted loud music into detainees' cells, ranging from Metallica and Nine Inch Nails to Queen and Sesame Street.

'Taken aback'

A US Army general who authorised the practice said it would "create fear, disorient... and prolong capture shock", according to the Associated Press.

The BBC has not independently confirmed Skinny Puppy's songs were used at Guantanamo.

In the interview with CTV, Cevin Key said the former guard had written a book about his time in Guantanamo and had reached out to the band.

"I think he was quite taken aback our music was being used in such a manner," Key said.

The Vancouver-based band, which has been active for about 30 years and was one of the originators of the dark rock subgenre known as industrial, said it would consider suing the military for using its music without permission if it received no response to the invoice.

[Centurion40]

Some people will try anything to either grind a political axe, or to buy groceries.

[BanzaiCat]

Has Skinny Puppy not heard Skinny Puppy?

[MIGMaster]

They shoulda used Celine Dion tunes - there are few fates worse than that !

[DoctorQuest]

Yoko Ono.

My question is: Did the military legitimately buy the music in the first place? If so, the band really has no leg to stand on. If you want to have a party for your "friends" and blast loud music there is really not much they can say.

[GDS_Starfury]

I used to love there music.  ;D

[BanzaiCat]

Yeah, I don't recall this being an issue with Def Leppard when they blasted their music at Manuel Noriega during that little Panama fracas. 8)

[Gusington]

I hear these kinds of stories all the time about my favorite bands...Zeppelin and AC/DC are two that I hear about a lot.

[GDS_Starfury]

whoever is selecting the music is going about it the wrong way.  24/7 Dean Martin and Disney tunes.
Its a small world 2000 times is going to mess you up.  couple that with sponge bob....

[bayonetbrant]

the macarena

[bayonetbrant]

or air supply

[BanzaiCat]

or air supply

I can see Gus listening to Air Supply in the dark, singing along to the lyrics, lamenting lost loves and missed chances, whilst clutching his Hello Kitty stuffed animal tightly to his chest...

...but then again, what REAL man hasn't done that? Anyone? Bueller?

[Gusington]

Hahaha it's like you were in the car with me on the way to work today!

[Centurion40]

I hear these kinds of stories all the time about my favorite bands...Zeppelin and AC/DC are two that I hear about a lot.

Hmmm, a steady diet of Zep & AC/DC along with an unlimited supply of beer, mojitos, nachos, burgers, pizza & weed could go a long way to reprogram those terrorist f$%^ers.  Make'em sit next to a kick-ass pool/waterslide with bikini-clad babes to top things off.  Who'd bitch about Gitmo then?!!

[Martok]

whoever is selecting the music is going about it the wrong way.  24/7 Dean Martin and Disney tunes.
Its a small world 2000 times is going to mess you up.  couple that with sponge bob....

I'm pretty sure that would be a flat-out violation of the Geneva Convention.