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David Gray warns on torture music in Guantanamo

by Amy Judd | July 3, 2008 at 10:44 am

1075 views | 2 Recommendations | 10 comments

The US singer David Gray has spoken out about the use of his songs played at extremely loud volumes as a form of torture, and has said it is no laughing matter.

"Only the novelty aspect of this story gets it noticed... Guantanamo greatest hits," he said.

"What we're talking about here is people in a darkened room, physically inhibited by handcuffs, bags over their heads and music blaring at them."

His track Babylon is reportedly a favourite of US interrogators in Iraq.

Repeatedly playing loud music to suspected terrorist detainees is also a standard interrogation technique in Guantanamo and other US bases.

"That is torture," the singer-songwriter told Radio Four's World Tonight programme.

"That is nothing but torture.

"It doesn't matter what the music is - it could be Tchaikovsky's finest or it could be Barney the Dinosaur.

"It really doesn't matter, it's going to drive you completely nuts."

He said such torture formed part of a US "retaliation to a few terrorist acts".

"No-one wants to even think about it or discuss the fact that we've gone above and beyond all legal process and we're torturing people," he added.

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Rachel Nixon

at 11:51 on July 3rd, 2008

In Jon Ronson's book on US psychological warfare, The Men Who Stare at Goats, the author attempts to discover - amongst other things - which music is used by the US military during their interrogation of terror suspects.

Among random "screeches and bangs" that were often played, one inmate at Guantanamo recounts being subjected to: an all-girl Fleetwood Mac covers band, Kris Kristofferson's greatest hits, and Matchbox Twenty.

Jarrett Martineau

at 12:53 on July 3rd, 2008

"Let go your heart

Let go your head

And feel it now..."

Even just reading this story got that saccharine song stuck in my head.

(NB: Not the most recent comment on the link. Just sayin...)

martinbizarro

at 22:28 on July 3rd, 2008

This is the headline from my local paper, about a local anti-Guantanamo protes march. I have photos and video of the march itself if anyone wants it.

martinbizarro has contributed a photo to this story.

mnoo

at 00:26 on July 4th, 2008

victoire

at 12:02 on July 6th, 2008

I went to David Gray's concert in South Africa on my birthday, 11 June 2006. The photo was taken with my Sony Ericsson phone camera of the video feed on the side screen.

victoire has contributed a photo to this story.