Murder music record agreement does not affect retailers
8 February 2005
The big record chains should follow the music production industry in tackling the problem of 'murder music' and pledge to take albums permanently off-sale that advocate the murder of lesbians and gay men, says Brighton Green Party Councillor Simon Williams.Following an agreement between anti-murder music campaigners and some record companies to stop the production of music with murder lyrics, Simon Williams, who has spearheaded the campaign in Brighton and Hove against the city's three large record chains HMV, Virgin Megastore and MVC that refuse to pledge to take 'murder music' off-sale, said:
Simon Williams displays CDs by murder music artists
"However, the agreement does NOT affect the retail sector. The big record retailers with local outlets in Brighton and Hove and elsewhere - HMV, Virgin Megastore and MVC are NOT part of this agreement and the onus is on them to take this illegal music off-sale. Don't forget that murder music is already illegal. The big stores should take a moral lead."
Simon Williams, who is gay, added: "These stores still refuse to agree to take music off-sale containing lyrics that incite the hanging, burning and shooting of lesbian and gay people and other groups, in a city with a large lesbian and gay community.
"We hope the stores follow the lead of the music production industry and agree, voluntarily, to take action against murder music and withdraw the offending tracks from sale.
"The long-term solution is for the Government to introduce legislation to protect ALL groups from incitement to hatred. But, before that happens, the big record stores should take a moral lead and withdraw from sale the small minority of tracks with murder lyrics that they promote and sell. Our campaign against the big stores will continue until they agree to this," he added. (1)
Councillor Simon Williams is the Green Party's Parliamentary Candidate for Brighton Kemp Town in the General Election.
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Notes to editors:
For more information please contact Geoffrey Bowden Brighton Green Party Press Officer on 07958 682 683.(1) Brighton and Hove has a large lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender(LGBT) population and, in August 2004, Cllr Williams wrote to
the three large record chains in the city - HMV, VirginMegastore and HMV -to ask them to withdraw from sale, voluntarily, the small minority of albums and tracks with murder lyrics. To date none have agreed to this.
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OutRage! News Statement - 4th February 2005
Reggae deal to halt homophobic violence
Stop Murder Music campaign suspended as industry pledges to clean up act
Following months of constructive negotiations and discussions the Stop
Murder Music coalition (SMM) have suspended their campaign after reaching a
satisfactory understanding with the reggae music industry.
The parties have acknowledged each other's concerns and have agreed to
create a framework for conflict resolution. This includes a series of
on-going meetings to evaluate progress.
This framework was entered into by OutRage! and the Black Gay Men's
Advisory group with a consortium of U.K. and U.S. concert promoters and
record labels . The promoters include Jammins, Apollo Entertainment. The
labels are VP Records, Greensleeves and Jetstar Records.
Dennis Carney, head of Black Gay Men's Advisory Group, and spokesperson for
the SMM coalition, acknowledged the efforts of all parties. "This is the
first step in an important process" said Carney.
Media strategist, Glen Yearwood, who mediated the resolution on behalf of
the industry, is confident that all parties can now build on this framework
that will help shape a new and positive future.
Responding to the framework agreement with the reggae music industry, Brett
Lock of OutRage!, which is a part of the Stop Murder Music campaign, said:
"We welcome this framework agreement and are suspending the Stop Murder
Music campaign. We are giving the singers and the music industry an
opportunity to draw a line under the promotion of lyrics that incite
violence against lesbians and gay men.
"Providing the singers do not in future encourage violent attacks on gay
people, the campaign will remain suspended.
"We hope the singers will respect our show of good faith and will choose to
make music with a positive message, rather than promoting prejudice," said
Mr Lock.
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Councillor Simon Williams
The Green Party Parliamentary Candidate,
Brighton Kemp Town Constituency
c/o Brighton and Hove Green Party
39-41 Surrey Street, Brighton
BN1 3PB
Tel: 01273 766 670 (answer machine)
Visit Simon's campaign blog at: http://www.simonwilliamsforwestminster.com
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