Rock Band Bills US Government for using their music as torture.

When Metallica heard that guards at Guantanamo Bay were torturing detainees with their music, the thrash-metal pioneers requested the government cease and desist.

Skinny Puppy, which will perform Saturday at the Ritz Ybor, is taking it a step further. The Canadian industrial pioneers are billing the U.S. government for utilizing its songs to break down prisoners in America's war against terror.

“We thought we would invoice them properly, so we hit them with the evil numbers of $666,000,” Keyboardist CeVin Key said during a phone call from New Orleans. “We gave them a breakdown of the bill.”

According to a guard, who is writing a book about his Guantanamo experience, guards used Skinny Puppy songs on four occasions. “The funny thing is that one of those songs was used on a bootleg,” Key said. “What really bothers us is that they played our songs at an intolerable volume for hours on end. The guards would ridicule the detainees when they defecated or urinated themselves. How can there be a torture camp there? It's wrong. We've found out all about this over a year ago and it just ticked us off.”

Skinny Puppy, which also includes vocalist Ogre, channeled their anger into creativity. The Guantanamo flap inspired the band to create “The Weapon,” which dropped in May.

The album is filled with dense and intense industrial rock. The familiar ominous Skinny Puppy sound is present, but there's also a bit of funkiness and some catchy moments, unlike what the band presented throughout 2011's experimental “Handover.” “That was our 'Metal Machine Music,” Key said, referring to the late Lou Reed's inscrutable noise record.

Key and Ogre, longtime animal rights activists, are on the road 30 years after their debut album “Back & Forth” was released. The two lone original members of the industrial dance act co-exist peacefully.

“There was a time when that wasn't so,” Key said. “We had our rough patches.”

During the mid-'90s, the band's constant bickering led to a breakup. However, Ogre and Key, who weren't on speaking terms, ran into each other at a Bauhaus reunion show in Los Angeles in 1998. Ironically enough, the tandem, who were once best of friends, decided to reform Skinny Puppy at the event.

“We were at this incredible show with a band we respected, who were just great live,” Key said. “We decided to do it again just like Bauhaus and it's been nothing but positive ever since.”

The current Skinny Puppy configuration, which started playing live again in 2000, has been together longer than the initial version.

The band doesn't sound much different than Skinny Puppy did during its salad days. “I think that has something to do with the equipment,” Key said. “I remember buying analog synthesizers for about $180 back then. Nobody wanted them during the mid-'80s. Now if you go on Ebay, they're going for about $15,000. They still sound great. It proves that things from the '80s still sound good. Everything is good now. I think more people than ever are hearing our music.”

Even prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay. “That's the one group of people I would rather not have exposed to our material,” Key said. “Especially in the manner they're hearing it. It's just not right.”

Link: tbo.com...

UxoriousMagnus
When Metallica heard that guards at Guantanamo Bay were torturing detainees with their music, the thrash-metal pioneers requested the government cease and desist.

Skinny Puppy, which will perform Saturday at the Ritz Ybor, is taking it a step further. The Canadian industrial pioneers are billing the U.S. government for utilizing its songs to break down prisoners in America's war against terror.

“We thought we would invoice them properly, so we hit them with the evil numbers of $666,000,” Keyboardist CeVin Key said during a phone call from New Orleans. “We gave them a breakdown of the bill.”

According to a guard, who is writing a book about his Guantanamo experience, guards used Skinny Puppy songs on four occasions. “The funny thing is that one of those songs was used on a bootleg,” Key said. “What really bothers us is that they played our songs at an intolerable volume for hours on end. The guards would ridicule the detainees when they defecated or urinated themselves. How can there be a torture camp there? It's wrong. We've found out all about this over a year ago and it just ticked us off.”

Skinny Puppy, which also includes vocalist Ogre, channeled their anger into creativity. The Guantanamo flap inspired the band to create “The Weapon,” which dropped in May.

The album is filled with dense and intense industrial rock. The familiar ominous Skinny Puppy sound is present, but there's also a bit of funkiness and some catchy moments, unlike what the band presented throughout 2011's experimental “Handover.” “That was our 'Metal Machine Music,” Key said, referring to the late Lou Reed's inscrutable noise record.

Key and Ogre, longtime animal rights activists, are on the road 30 years after their debut album “Back & Forth” was released. The two lone original members of the industrial dance act co-exist peacefully.

“There was a time when that wasn't so,” Key said. “We had our rough patches.”

During the mid-'90s, the band's constant bickering led to a breakup. However, Ogre and Key, who weren't on speaking terms, ran into each other at a Bauhaus reunion show in Los Angeles in 1998. Ironically enough, the tandem, who were once best of friends, decided to reform Skinny Puppy at the event.

“We were at this incredible show with a band we respected, who were just great live,” Key said. “We decided to do it again just like Bauhaus and it's been nothing but positive ever since.”

The current Skinny Puppy configuration, which started playing live again in 2000, has been together longer than the initial version.

The band doesn't sound much different than Skinny Puppy did during its salad days. “I think that has something to do with the equipment,” Key said. “I remember buying analog synthesizers for about $180 back then. Nobody wanted them during the mid-'80s. Now if you go on Ebay, they're going for about $15,000. They still sound great. It proves that things from the '80s still sound good. Everything is good now. I think more people than ever are hearing our music.”

Even prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay. “That's the one group of people I would rather not have exposed to our material,” Key said. “Especially in the manner they're hearing it. It's just not right.”

Link: tbo.com...

edit on 6-2-2014 by UxoriousMagnus because: (no reason given)

Oh. I love every single part of this.
It would be nice to find out later, that Uncle Sam actually paid the valid bill.
Great article.

reply to post by StarlightNine


Same here...LOL

it looks like they might even have a lawsuit as if appears they might have used a pirated copy of the song.....

too funny

Rock band? This is Metallica we're talking about here!

God bless them for taking a stand and not being okay with their music being used in such ways.

reply to post by UxoriousMagnus


I saw these guys at a bar in Halifax when I lived there... Absolutly awesome! Is a shame their art is being abused like this. I hope they get every well deserved penny..
I used to wake up passed out party guests in the morning by cranking the hindu music channel before I left for coffee, I guess thats almost the same thing.

Skinny puppy? FUC&ING CANADIAN S AGAIN! If you didn't make your stupid CANADIAN skinny puppy music, there wouldn't be any stupid Canadian sloppy pussy ...cat. music for the U.S. M A R I N E S....
..SEMPER FI! DO OR DIE!! GUNG HO! GUNGHO! ...to use to torture some poor Arabic slob whose just defending The Prophet and a stretch of sand. They're using Michael Bolton and Barbara Streisand now.....sick bastards

Swills
Rock band? This is Metallica we're talking about here!

God bless them for taking a stand and not being okay with their music being used in such ways.

edit on 6-2-2014 by Swills because: (no reason given)

no, no....Metallica has also had to tell the government not to use their music for torture....this article is about the group Skinny Puppy

reply to post by UxoriousMagnus


Oh I see, then the title is very fitting cuz I have no clue who skinny puppy is but bless them as well.

HUMBLEONE
Skinny puppy? FUC&ING CANADIAN S AGAIN! If you didn't make your stupid CANADIAN skinny puppy music, there wouldn't be any stupid Canadian slooppy pussy ...cat. music for the U.S. M A R I N E S....
..SEMPER FI! DO OR DIE!! GUNG HO! GUNGHO! ...to use to torture some poor Arabic slob whose just defending The Prophet and a stretch of sand.

You always seem to crack me up Humble1

If it were my music, I'd attempt to determine exactly how many times it was played, and charge them on a per play basis....

I'd go for as large a sum as humanly possible.

The US Gov't is not immune to laws, and not cannot simply do what they wish.

If they want to use Yngwe Malmstein or something, fine...let them approach the performer and either ask for permission, or negotiate a contract.

That's how our wonderful world works. And it's only fair.

Good for sharing, beat me to it lol. Happy that they are taking that approach.

ETA, ironic probably at least one of the songs that was used to torture with was one of the band's Human Rights songs.

reply to post by UxoriousMagnus


I hate to sound like a VERY old blues - rock kinda fan... but, for once - I sympathize with the jihadists.

Pure torture ( most of it ) indeed ! Ouch...

reply to post by UxoriousMagnus


I'm not sure I entirely agree with this.

People are being tortured to their music and now they want money for it? wouldn't that be profiteering from other peoples misery? If they did win the money MUST go towards a cause rather then their own, if they hope to profit from this then they should take their place in the pantheon amongst the other schemers.

I like Metallicas approach personally, a cease and desist order. But this silly puppy is going to need a lot of luck if they are to get any money out of this, if their music was purchased legitimately then there is not much they can do.

Thecakeisalie
reply to post by UxoriousMagnus

 

I'm not sure I entirely agree with this.

People are being tortured to their music and now they want money for it? wouldn't that be profiteering from other peoples misery? If they did win the money MUST go towards a cause rather then their own, if they hope to profit from this then they should take their place in the pantheon amongst the other schemers.

I like Metallicas approach personally, a cease and desist order. But this silly puppy is going to need a lot of luck if they are to get any money out of this, if their music was purchased legitimately then there is not much they can do.

edit on 7-2-2014 by Thecakeisalie because: (no reason given)

They were going to donate it to PTSD victims, as the article- and similar articles do-states, namely those suffering from "music torture". As a long time fan, I know this band would not exploit such a thing. Not that they would get the money anyway, just a kind thought from a Human Rights aligning act.