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KUALA LUMPUR: The Star
Norwegian black metal group Mayhem will not be allowed to perform in Malaysia because it promotes “unacceptable” values, Deputy Cultural, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Wong Kam Hoong said.
“I assure you that the ministry will do all it can to prevent this group from coming in,” he said in Parliament yesterday.
He said he had seen the group's song lyrics and felt disgusted by them.
An advertisement had appeared in a local newspaper saying that the group would be performing at an entertainment joint in Kuala Lumpur on Feb 4.
Responding to concerns raised by Idris Haron (BN – Tangga Batu) while winding-up the Budget 2006 debate at committee stage, Wong said Mayhem’s application had not reached Puspa, the agency in charge of allowing foreign groups to perform in Malaysia.
Idris said the group promoted Satanic worship and drug use, as could be seen from its motto “Bringing hell to your doorstep” and their song titles included Carnage, A Time to Die and Deathcrush.
He also said that a group called “Say No to Black Metal” would hold a demonstration if Mayhem was allowed to perform here.
Banning 'em would only give them more publicity and notoriety.
ReplyDeleteBetter to juz ignore 'em as their influence are quite limited to a very narrow section of youths I think ... My 2 sens worth lah!
Not sure if they're getting air-play here but having them perform here would provide them some exposure. Like you said, their influence may be quite limited.
ReplyDeleteThere's an interesting human nature. The more you ban something, the more you restrict the access to certain taboo topic, the more people are interested and intrigued. After all, curiosity always get the better of us.
ReplyDeleteI do not enjoy black metal personally, but i think people have their freedom of choice of what they want. Being mature citizens, i think we are able to think what is suitable for us, and listening to different various music does not make us get influenced and adopt certain culture.
Well, that, is conditioned on individuals who have enough maturity to think.
I used to love heavy rock, acid rock, heavy metal, punk rock - whatever rock music as long as its loud and angry!! That was when I was young(er), sigh, but now I prefer silence but I still haven't learnt to love classical music yet - i fall asleep! Heck I must be getting old! But I love Enimem's music! (but not his profanities).
ReplyDeleteI love rock, the less noisy one lah and I love Linkin' Park too but not so about Eminem.
ReplyDeletefh2o, you're right about the lyrics. I don't mind classical music. Certain pieces are really good. I was told Baroque music enhances the retentive power as in learning.
The fairer sex is a sucker for sentimental love songs. I'm no different. ;)
I like ANY kind of music...including classical (sorry fh20!). I like to listen to it, I like to compose it, and I like to perform it.
ReplyDeleteI feel bad when any artist ends up being suppressed...unless it's a sham act that's only in it for the money. But hey, if people didn't like them, they wouldn't be around, right?
MM, you're so right about the last bit - like cause and effect or demand and supply scenario.
ReplyDeleteThank you all. Freedom of music afterall.