The judge throws a part of a lawsuit against a British band for Gay Kiss at the Malaysian Music Festival
Members of the British band in 1975 cannot be considered personally responsible for the losses of the Malaysian Music Festival who closed the authorities after the lead singer Matty Healy kissed a male band on stage, the London judge judged Monday.
The Good Vibes Festival is looking for £ 1.9 million ($ 3.4 million CDN) of losses after Healy criticized the laws of anti-homosexuality in the country and then kissed Basista Macdonald at the Kuala Lumpur Fair in July 2023.
The kiss recordings caused a return reaction in a predominantly Muslim country, where homosexuality was punished for up to 20 years in prison and Kanga. Some 2slgbtq+ The groups also criticized the band for threatening its community and disorders of the work of activists committed to change.
The future sound of Asia (FSA) sued the 1975 LLP Productions in the High Court for violating the contract and said that his four members owed a duty of care. But the band lawyer claimed that the lawsuit only needs to target the company – not musicians.
Judge William Hansen said that the claims against the band members “are as bad as the law and that there is no good reason why the question should go to trial.” He allowed the case to continue against the company, but ordered FSA to pay £ 100,000 (179,000 CDN) in legal costs.
Watch | Matt Healy talking to CBC Q About the leaning of honesty:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqzqkxzjo0a
The band lawyer Edmund Cullen claimed that the claim was “illegitimate, artificial and incoherent” attempt “to respond to individuals” because FSA had a contract only with the band.
FSA lawyer Andrew Burns said the authorities initially refused to release the band for a report on Healy’s drug addiction and a subsequent recovery. They relented after the band promised to follow guidelines and regulations, he said.
When the band played the same festival in 2016, they agreed not to swear, smoke, drink, take off their clothes or talk about religion and politics on stage, Burns said.
Burns said that the band deliberately provoked the Malaysian authorities in 2023. By smuggling a bottle of wine on stage, and to Healy’s “obscene speech” and a kiss. He said the band also performed the “second -rate set of songs” to upset the crowd.
“It could be argued that they were in their own part, not simply behaving in their usual role of LLP members,” Burns said.
The band was supposed to be paid £ 276,000 (£ 494,000) for a one-hour set, Burns said.
The show is not the first time Healy has made a political statement on behalf of 2SLGBTQ+ rights: he kissed a male fans at a concert 2019 in the United Arab Emirates, which forbids same -sex sexual activity.
After a show in Malaysian capital, in 1975 he canceled his concerts in Taiwan and Jakarti in Indonesia.
The Malaysian government is on a black band list.
