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Metal band Skinny Puppy send US government invoice after finding out their music was 'used as torture device in Guantanamo Bay'

Use of their songs 'didn't sit right' with the band

Christopher Hooton
Friday 31 January 2014 17:55 GMT
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If their music was going to be used for torture without permission, the band at least wanted to be paid
If their music was going to be used for torture without permission, the band at least wanted to be paid (Skinny Puppy/Facebook)

The US Army's use of Metallica's oeuvre as a tool in its interrogations in Iraq is well documented, but it opted for something a little more esoteric in Guantanamo Bay, according to one Canadian industrial metal band.

"We heard through a reliable grapevine that our music was being used in Guantanamo Bay prison camps to musically stun or torture people," founder cEvin Key told the Phoenix New Times. "We heard that our music was used on at least four occasions."

While Metallica politely asked the US military to stop using their music for the sleep deprivation of detainees, Skinny Puppy took it one step further.

"So we thought it would be a good idea to make an invoice to the US government for musical services," Key added. "Thus the concept of the [band's new] record title, Weapons."

Despite the band's aggressive sound, they said they had never envisioned their music being used in such a way.

Asked how he felt about their songs allegedly being used in the detention camp, Key replied: "Not too good. We never supported those types of scenarios. … Because we make unsettling music, we can see it being used in a weird way. But it doesn’t sit right with us."

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