Classical Music Mayhem!!

Here's a thought-provoking news article - musicians objecting to their music being used in coercion:

A high-profile coalition of artists -- including the members of Pearl Jam, R.E.M. and the Roots -- demanded Thursday that the government release the names of all the songs that were blasted since 2002 at prisoners for hours, even days, on end, to try to coerce cooperation or as a method of punishment.

Dozens of musicians endorsed a Freedom of Information Act request filed by the National Security Archive, a Washington-based independent research institute, seeking the declassification of all records related to the use of music in interrogation practices. The artists also launched a formal protest of the use of music in conjunction with torture.

"I think every musician should be involved," said Rosanne Cash in a telephone interview Wednesday. "It seems so obvious. Music should never be used as torture." The singer-songwriter (and daughter of Johnny Cash) said she reacted with "absolute disgust" when she heard of the practice. "It's beyond the pale. It's hard to even think about."

Other musicians, including Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails and Tom Morello, formerly of the band Rage Against the Machine, also expressed outrage.

"The fact that music I helped create was used in crimes against humanity sickens me," Morello said in a statement. "We need to end torture and close Guantanamo now."

http://freedomeden.blogspot.com/2009/10/musicians-torture-and-guantanamo.html

What makes it coercive is not necessarily the type of music, but any music at a certain volume prevents people from thinking, according to Suzanne Cusick.

Do you agree that this is a misuse of this music? (Is Nine Inch Nails' and Rage Against the Machine's music inherently coercive anyway?) Or would you classify music as another nonlethal, noninjurious method of getting cooperation from enemy combatants?

You'll have to post that link again. Ensure to use the [url]your web address[/url] codes otherwise if you edit your post it corrupts the link.

Of course you missed out the most high profile use of AC/DC to 'disorientate' terrorist suspects. If they had any taste they should have enjoyed it! Of course in days not so long gone by they would have simply been shot before any questions were asked. So considering I have listened to AC/DC for over two decades with only minor tinnitus in the left ear as a result I think they've gotten off very lightly. Of course REM all day is surely a crime against humanity..

Conversely in parts of the UK they play Classical Music at night in public places to discourage riff raff kids from hanging around. Is that also a crime against musicians?

I fixed the link.

That's a good point. I first became interested in exploring Frederick Delius' music from an article about its use in the UK to dissuage groups of ruffians from congregating.

It has the opposite effect on me. In Nashville, on street corners, they have little boxes that pipe in country music, and at Symphony Hall, they broadcast classical music. More than once I've been known to stop and loiter over a choice sound clip with a stupid grin on my face.