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City may be first with ban on murder music
9:50am Monday 5th February 2007
Music which encourages violence towards minority groups could be banned in Brighton and Hove in the first move of its kind in the country.
Proposals to outlaw so-called murder music in venues, pubs and clubs are being considered as part of a review of Brighton and Hove City Council's licensing policy.
Last year, Concorde 2 in Madeira Drive, Brighton, cancelled a Buju Banton gig after the council threatened to withdraw its licence because homophobic material is against council policy.
In 1992, the Jamaican musician wrote and recorded a song called Boom Bye Bye, which advocates the shooting of gay men.
He is banned from singing it in this country but gay campaigners claim he performed it abroad as recently as 2005.
Coun Jeane Lepper, chair of the licensing committee, said she believed this type of music contravened a number of council guidelines, including the prevention of crime.
The move could lead to artists such as Buju Banton, Beenie Man and Elephant Man never being able to perform in public in the city.
Coun Lepper said: "This could give us more power to deal with this awful murder music."
Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, who has long protested against murder music, praised the move.
He said: "We support a general clause in the licensing arrangements which prohibits artists who are on record as inciting violence against anyone for any reason.
"Congratulations to the people behind this proposal. It is a trail-blazing idea which I hope other local authorities follow."
But Buju Banton's promoter for his last UK tour said the offensive comments were made when he was just 15 and he had stopped performing the song.
Plans to limit the number of new licensed premises are also being drawn up and have received the backing of councillors, police and resident groups.
Central Brighton would become a cumulative impact zone, ensuring applications for new clubs and pubs would be refused unless the operator can demonstrate the venue would not add to violent disorder.
The proposals will be discussed at a meeting of the licensing committee on Thursday.
What do you think about the proposed ban? Have your say, leave a comment below.
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Neil Hopkins, Worthing says...
1:48pm Mon 5 Feb 07
I suppose I support B&H's move... After some detailed thought though
Nigel Tart, Brighton says...
2:05pm Mon 5 Feb 07
As for the predictable freedom of speech argument, I think freedom from violence kinda trumps it. Can you imagine a racist band being allowed to perform songs inciting the audience to shoot black people?
Emma, Brighton says...
11:09pm Mon 5 Feb 07
If you're going to ban that kind of music, you might as well ban metal music for its references to death and the devil, drum n bass for its reputation of violence and drugs, dance for the drugs - I could go on.
Ok, so there was a song making anti-gay references, which might be pushing it - but there's plenty of songs which aren't about such issues and are about great things.
Brighton is a music city and you can't 'ban' any kind of music.
Tighter management and security measures need to be taken if you want to prevent violence - the people causing the trouble are going to do it, regardless of the music they're listening to.
Come one Brighton - we've had this argument with other types of music - if urban music is banned then Brighton will be marring everything this city stands for: Variety, openness and freedom of opinion.
jack, says...
4:47pm Tue 6 Feb 07
Calum slater, Edinburgh says...
4:48pm Wed 7 Mar 07
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Chloe Sullivan, says...
1:38pm Mon 5 Feb 07
It is up to the venue to decide whether it will allow acts such as Buju Banton to perform. We can't silence a minority view just because we don't like it.
Does anyone else agree with me?