Musicians Demand Answers Over Guantanamo Torture

[Andy Chalk]

Musicians Demand Answers Over Guantanamo Torture

Musicians and bands including REM and Pearl Jam have endorsed a series of requests filed under the Freedom of Information Act to discover whether their music was ever used during interrogation sessions at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility.

The requests are being filed in conjunction with CNN [http://closegitmonow.org/], even children's tunes, at extremely high volumes during questioning.

The problem in the eyes of musicians like Trent Reznor and Tom Morello, whose music is known to have been used during questioning, is that the technique amounts to torture - and they object to their art being put to such uses. Similar concerns have been expressed by others, including Rosanne Cash, Billy Bragg, Jackson Brown and Steve Earle, all of whom have endorsed the requests to determine whether their music was in fact used during torture sessions.

"The use of music as no-touch torture at Guantanamo is nothing new. In fact, most of the abuses we've become far too familiar with... are part of a comprehensive arsenal of techniques first institutionalized in the CIA's cryptically named KUBARK manual from 1963," the website says [http://www.newsecurityaction.org/pages/music-used-to-torture]. "Outraged over these tactics and the thought that their music might have been used to torture has compelled a growing list of artists to act. Encouraged by the the unequivocal call to end torture and close Guantanamo by President Obama and respected military leaders like former Secretary of State, General Colin Powell, they've courageously spoken out."

I'm not sure how much "courage" is required to give the thumbs-up to a FOIA request being filed by somebody else and more to the point, I'm unclear as to what the next step will be if the military says, "Yes we did." I suppose the group could ask for receipts to prove that former Vice President Cheney did in fact pay for that copy of The Downward Spiral, but assuming there's no copyright violation involved, what's left? Debates over the definition of torture notwithstanding, do musicians have the right to determine what people do with their music?


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[johnman]

Sorry REM, but your just not that enjoyable to listen too.

It would be an even bigger kick in the balls if they pirated it too

 

[HardRockSamurai]

Frankly, I doubt that Pearl Jam and Tom Morello will have much to worry about. Everyone knows they only use Vanilla Ice for torture.

 

[The Kangaroo]

That must suck knowing your music is used as a form of torture

 

[Textbook Bobcat]

Publicity.

This is most likely the only reason as to why an "objection" has surfaced for these artists.

How bad would it look if REM gave a thumbs down to said enquiry, given their publicised views. I continue to view industry's with increasing scorn when even something such as this has undoubtedly gone through PR prior to an answer being supplied.

Hypothetically, it makes no odds what happens to a product after it has been purchased (copyright notwithstanding); whether I merely place it in my discman (are these even used anymore?) or use it to fillet an entire university campus.

Hold me to this: if it indeed comes to light that a song was used, there WILL be a single released for it. As sickening as it is, it is inevitable.

 

[Aardvark]

Nobody really cares about the torture involved. Someone in the Music Lobby just realised that if the rumours of this melodic torture are true, then the US Government owes them performance fees.

 

[Virgil]

I'm unclear as to what the next step will be if the military says, "Yes we did."

I suppose they could try to sue based on the fact that it could possibly be interpreted as a "public performance" or something similar. Maybe. I'm sure they think they can do something though, which means they have a lawyer making a lot of money that told them they definitely can.

Of course, that assumes that there's actually a document somewhere listing the music they used, and they didn't just plug in a random soldier's iPod. The Freedom of Information Act doesn't actually let you ask questions and get new information, it just lets you get your hands on already-existing documents.

 

[ae86gamer]

So their music was used to torture people? I'm sorry, but that is kinda funny. Not the torture part of course.

 

[cobra_ky]

the entire point of this is shed light on and call attention to what's going in Gitmo. this is an interesting enough angle that certain news organizations will probably pick up on it if it goes through.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

@ The Team Fortress Group: You know that Spice Girls singalong last night? We might be in trouble.

 

[MR T3D]

I'd prefer vanilla ice

 

[setvak]

If the government wanted to torture me with Automatic for the People, I'd start mailing out the letterbombs in a second.

 

[The Rockerfly]

I would hate to be in the position of any musician that had their music used for torture
Unless I was Vanilla Ice or Slayer, then I would completely understand

 

[Credge]

So I take it the Escapist is now a place for general news instead of being specifically about gaming and like-mediums?

 

[Therumancer]

Well, to be honest many people here do not like my attitudes on torture. Including some luminaries like Nilcypher. Truthfully I think not only should Gitmo stay open, but we should get off it's case and basically tell them "go to town guys".

I'll also point out that for all of the politicians speaking out about Gitmo, you'll notice that very little has actually been done (it's still there). I think this is because a lot of politicians like to talk out both sides of their mouths (so to speak) and realize that it's nessicary, but also realize that a lot of people in the US don't like it. This is why nobody has been in an actual hurry to kick the prisoners to the curb and shut the doors.

I'd imagine the basic reality check is when some politician rants and raves about it, and then gets shown actual footage taken by undercover agents explaining WHY someone is there (and also why the agent can't be outed for regular trials), they don't like it on a lot of levels, but really can't fight it. So on one hand they say one thing and make a show, and on the other hand Gitmo and similar army programs continue to operate under duress.

It's sort of like how Obama talked a huge game about getting our troops back home, but it hasn't actually happened. When he sat in the big seat one of the first realizations was probably "Sh@t Bush was right" when he got all the information that only a President has.

No politician wants to take the RISK of coming up and basically educating the American people on certain things, since they can't share a lot of the details, and basically pulling an about face and saying the opposite of what you did before is as likely to backlash and destroy your poliitcal career as anything.

As far as the actual subject, it sounds like a chance to get a quick five minutes of fame. Speaking against torture being a hot button that "everyone can empathize with". Not to mention the fact that I feel guys like Trent Reznor are being hypocritical.

See, "Nine Inch Nails" is pretty much known for it's dark, evil, malevolent, and surrealistic performances and music. After so many years of producing stuff broadcasting specific messages and images, I can't help but feel Trent simply wants to get his name in
the news.

Honestly, if *I* had to pick a soundtrack to torture people with/by his stuff would be near the top of the list... along with probably like 70% or more of the soundtrack from Brutal Legend such classics as "Am I Evil?" (Yes I am!!!). You can only give so many interviews defending and talking about macabre stuff and the dark side of humanity before turning around and taking a stance like this one merits a giant "WTF".

That said, I suppose it comes down to the tastes of the interrogators. According to some stuff I learned in college years ago, the music of one culture (raised and trained to expect certain sounds) can be painful to another one, at least for a time. Combine that with some dude who believes he's a pinnacle of virtue due to his terrorism, and doing god's work, and yeah I could see how something like the music of Trent Reznor would get under their skin. If it works, that's a good idea. As others might remember I'm not opposed to actual torture in these cases, but if you don't have to resort to taking a cheezegrater to someone's unmentionables to get results so much the better. I guess it comes down to what annoys the prisoner, while being tolerable to the interrogator.

As far as the rights of musicians to decide what can be done with their music... nope. Once you buy the CD it's yours to do whatever you want. No real differance to me, between playing it on say a casino count room to make the work more tolerable, and playing it in a Gitmo interrogation room to make my day brighter and annoy the prisoners.

Plus let's be honest... they haven't even been accused of using Polka, so obviously they have been holding back.






>>>----Therumancer--->

 

[MasterSqueak]

Frankly, I doubt that Pearl Jam and Tom Morello will have much to worry about. Everyone knows they only use Vanilla Ice for torture.

Don't forget the Spice Girls.

 

[shMerker]

"Science does not have a moral dimension. It is like a knife. If you give it to a surgeon or a murderer, each will use it differently." -Wernher Von Braun

I feel like we're listening to an answer to a stupid question. "Do you approve of your music being used for torture?" A yes or a no imply that they would have approved of the torture if only copyright law was followed, or that there are circumstances where they would approve of their music being used as a weapon.

Also I don't see how the content of the music, the only part that musicians are really responsible for, has anything to do with this.

That said, I can see a pragmatic angle on this. If the government really does owe someone in the recording business for the music (Does torture qualify as a kind of performance?) then that could be leveraged to, say, get some money donated to humanitarian organization that fights this kind of thing. That seems like a worthy goal, even if it is a kind of ethical hack.