Red Hot Chili Peppers music used to torture prisoners in Guantánamo Bay

[n2doc]

The CIA reportedly used Red Hot Chili Peppers music to torture prisoners in Guantánamo Bay.

US officials speaking anonymously to Al Jazeera confirmed details techniques used by the CIA during the George Bush administration following the declassification process for the report on its own "enhanced interrogation" procedures used after September 11. Among the techniques used to torture those suspected of being terrorists was exposure to the Californian band on repeat.

One specific segment of the Senate Intelligence Committee report states that a suspect, named as Zayn al-Abidin Muhammad Husayn Abu Zubaydah, was subjected to the technique at a black site prison out of Guantánamo Bay between May and July in 2002.

The report also reveals the fact that Abu Zubaydah was stuffed into a pet crate and was shackled by his wrists to the ceiling of his cell as well as being subjected to an endless loop of loud music.

Read more at http://www.nme.com/news/red-hot-chili-peppers/76639

[TwilightGardener]

1. Maybe the guards just liked RHCP, and hoped their prisoners didn't.

I'm kind of offended, who doesn't like the Chili Peppers? Actual torture would be dubstep "music".

[n2doc]

4. Anything played in an endless loop, loudly, while you are trying to rest

becomes torture eventually. And these prisoners are from a different culture.

[pinboy3niner]

7. I can think of a Disney ride that qualifies

[Aerows]

10. Damnit

now that song is stuck in my head. :sigh:

[pinboy3niner]

11. Sorry

It was in the news lately--50th anniversary, I think. I couldn't WAIT 'til that news cycle was over!

[hfojvt]

12. the only song of theirs I know is

City of Angels

And I've always considered listening to it to be torture.

YMMV

[Alittleliberal]

22. First of all, that song is called Under the Bridge

and it is a fucking masterpiece.

[Jefferson23]

2. Ha ha ha, so funny..so innocent..no big deal, loud music? Stuffed in a pet crate? Shackeled?

So who are the criminals again?

[Brickbat]

3. I find that really sad. I know many high-profile musicians have protested the use of their and

others' music as torture.

[cyberswede]

9. +1

[Jefferson23]

5. Music and Torture

The past few posts on this blog have looked at how music and sound has been used to wreak violence on people. This post looks specifically at how music is used to torture people.

Music as a form of torture? This is very far away from what most of us believe about music and its role in our society. Suzanne Cusick is a key thinker and writer on this topic. Here is a link to an in-depth interview with her. In one of her articles, Cusick states:

“It would be possible to assume from the evidence in the popular press that the use of music in “interrogation” is (as one of the sources for the 2003 BBC story, claimed) “rather new”. I’m sorry to report that my reading suggests otherwise; nor is it the random, rogue behavior of particularly sadistic (or musical, or creative) interrogators and MPs. Rather, it is one component of a standard set of interrogation practices developed by the CIA (in cooperation with English and Canadian intelligence agencies) over the second half of the 20th century–a standard set of practices that includes the hooding, stress positions, and sexual/cultural humiliation that the photos leaked from Abu Ghraib prison enabled us to see. Its advocates call this set of practices “no touch torture”.”

http://thenoisecurmudgeon.wordpress.com/2013/02/17/music-and-torture/

[Puzzledtraveller]

6. Muy caliente!

Lol

[lpbk2713]

8. And their email was rick rolled.

[JHB]

13. Did the Feds pay for usage?

If not, RHCP should follow the Skinny Puppy example.

Although, if it becomes accepted that they have to pay for the music, it'll become another Wingnut Welfare cash cow of "patriotic" bands that use flag-waving to hide their absence of talent.

[Jenoch]

16. That invoice will not generate a payment of money.

The music has to be played as a public performance to generate any royalty fees.

[KamaAina]

14. Under the bridge I go...

...here in ol' Gitmo...

[KamaAina]

15. Get us away, get us away,

get us away, yo!

[WinkyDink]

17. Ahem. The correct lyrics:

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/r/red+hot+chili+peppers/give+it+away_20114705.html

[KamaAina]

21. Ahem. Those are Gitmo-centric lyrics.

"Additional lyrics by KamaAina. (C) 2014. All rights reserved."

[hack89]

18. I would have gone with Dan Fogelberg myself. nt

[Vashta Nerada]

19. Ugh. Just listening to one song by RHCP is torture.

I can't fathom listening to them on repeat.

[Iggo]

20. Torture is happening in our names.

[Warren DeMontague]

23. I thought I was the only one who didn't "get" that band.

Most of their stuff I find about as listenable as a jackhammer.