Members of the British band The 1975 can’t be held personally responsible for losses of a Malaysian music pageant that was shut down by authorities after lead singer Matty Healy kissed a male bandmate on stage, a London decide dominated Monday (Feb 24).
The organizer of the Good Vibes Pageant is looking for 1.9 million kilos (S$3.2 million) in losses after Healy criticised the nation’s anti-homosexuality legal guidelines after which kissed bassist Ross MacDonald on the Kuala Lumpur present in July 2023.
Footage of the kiss sparked a backlash within the predominantly Muslim nation, the place homosexuality is against the law punishable by as much as 20 years in jail and caning. Some LGBTQ+ teams additionally criticised the band for endangering its neighborhood and disrupting the work of activists pushing for change.
Future Sound Asia sued The 1975 Productions LLP within the Excessive Court docket over breach of contract and stated its 4 members owed an obligation of care. However the band’s lawyer argued that the go well with ought to solely goal the corporate – not the musicians.
Decide William Hansen stated the claims towards the band members had been “dangerous as a matter of regulation and that there isn’t a good motive why the matter ought to go to trial.” He allowed the case to proceed towards the corporate, however ordered FSA to pay 100,000 kilos in authorized prices.
Band legal professional Edmund Cullen had argued the declare was an “illegitimate, synthetic and incoherent” try “to pin legal responsibility on people” as a result of FSA solely had a contract with the band’s firm.
FSA’s legal professional Andrew Burns stated authorities had initially refused to let the band carry out due to experiences about Healy’s drug habit and subsequent restoration. They relented after the band promised he would comply with pointers and rules, he stated.
When the band performed the identical pageant in 2016, that they had agreed to not swear, smoke, drink, take off garments or discuss faith and politics on stage, Burns stated.
Burns stated the band intentionally provoked Malaysian authorities in 2023 by smuggling a bottle of wine on stage, and thru Healy’s “obscene speech” and the kiss. He stated the band additionally carried out a “second-rate set of songs” to upset the gang.
“They might be argued to have been on a frolic of their very own relatively than merely performing throughout the course of their bizarre function as LLP members,” Burns stated.
The band was imagined to be paid US$350,000 (S$468,700) for a one-hour set, Burns stated.
The present wasn’t the primary time Healy made a political assertion within the identify of LGBTQ+ rights: he kissed a male fan at a 2019 live performance within the United Arab Emirates, which outlaws same-sex sexual exercise.
After the present within the Malaysian capital, The 1975 cancelled its live shows in Taiwan and Jakarta, Indonesia.
The Malaysian authorities has blacklisted the band.
