songs used as torture device [article]

[eye2i2hear]

Quote:Music used as torture device
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sunday, December 14, 2008

Some rock bands and other songwriters said last week they were outraged by the government’s use of their songs for “musical torture” of terrorism suspects.

Piping loud music into the cells of detainees — sometimes the same song for hours or days on end — has been an approved interrogation technique since September 2003. A declassified Army document approves “yelling, loud music, light control: used to create fear, disorient detainee and prolong capture shock.”

The technique is brutally effective, one inmate says. The man, who was held at the “Dark Prison” in Afghanistan, said repeated plays of rap by Eminem and Dr. Dre left inmates screaming and smashing their heads against the wall.

What sort of music has the United States used to subdue interrogation subjects? Here’s a sampling...
“Enter Sandman”
Metallica

“Bodies”
Drowning Pool

“Hell’s Bells”
AC/DC

“March of the Pigs”
Nine Inch Nails

“I Love You”
(The Barney Song)

“We Will Rock You”
Queen

“Stayin’ Alive”
The Bee Gees

The Web site ZerodB.org (for zero decibels) says it is “committed to ending this barbaric practice” and asks users to sign a petition demanding an end to torture by music. The site notes that the U.N. and European Court of Human Rights have banned music torture, “but to this day its widespread use in secret prisons around the world is widespread.” Zero dB is a project of Reprieve, a British law group that represents several inmates at Guantanamo Bay.

WHAT THEY SAID

Quote:“I suggest that they level Guantanamo Bay, but they keep one small cell and they put Bush in there … and they blast some Rage Against the Machine.”

— Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine during a recent concert in San Francisco.

Quote:“We’ve been punishing our parents, our wives, our loved ones with this music forever. Why should the Iraqis be any different?”

— Metallica co-founder James Hetfield

Quote:“People assume we should be offended that somebody in the military thinks our song is annoying enough that played over and over it can psychologically break someone down. I take it as an honor to think that perhaps our song could be used to quell another 9/11 attack or something like that.”

— Drowning Pool bassist Steve Benton, quoted by Spin magazine.

Quote:“If I was a prisoner at Guantanamo Bay and they blasted a load of music at me, I’d be like, ‘Is this all you got? Come on.’ I certainly don’t believe in torturing people, but I don’t believe that playing loud music is torture either.”

— Deicide drummer Steve Asheim, whose band’s song “[Obscenity] Your God” is said to be interrogators’ No. 1 hit.

Quote:“I would rate the annoyance factor to be about equal with hearing my neighbor’s leaf blower. It can set my teeth on edge, but it won’t break me down and make me confess to crimes against humanity.”

— Bob Singleton, author of the Barney song “I Love You.”

Quote:“I wouldn’t want my music to be a party to that.”

— “Sesame Street” composer Christopher Cerf

[right]---source[/right]I suspected all along commercial radio/Top 40 was/is torture; this confirms it for me!

And what, no Temple 8 on the list?!? j/k :winkwink: [image=160,150]http://www.cathedralstone.net/Pics/BeeGees2.jpg[/image]

[3rdear]

eye2i2hear Wrote:... what, no Temple 8 on the list?!? j/k :winkwink:

Why not? It even tortures the crap out of me anymore ... :frown:

[Marc Stevens]

:eekeek: Wow eye2. :eekeek:

I think some of the bumpers from yesterday's show would qualify for that list.

[creolefood]

They didn't use Barry Manilow songs to torture prisoners?