Turkish Fans Won't Like This

Apparently Islamist media in Turkey are not happy about the advent of Rammstein specifically, and the Sonisphere festival in general. The reasons against the band seem to be the same as those cited in Belarus.

Eh.

Update 2010.06.24 2217hrs - From here:

The "Israeli company" in question is Purple Concerts, a big concert promoter based in Germany and run by two Israelis. The company recently brought to Turkey unwitting Mossad stooges such as Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood and the members of "WrestleMania Revenge Tour."

Mr Stupid Opens His Mouth

Belarus Morality Man, Cherginets, has been talking smack about Rammstein again. You may have read the post I made about Elton John being considered a corrupting influence in Belarus, just as Rammstein were. Well, apparently Belarus is having trouble keeping their homosexual population suitably oppressed and there is a fear that Sir Elton will come over all gay on stage. I have never considered the possibility that elton John might decide to pound the choccy starfish on stage, live, but after reading Cherginets's account of the Rammstein show maybe they are right to fear the balladeer:

Cherginets said the Council had already prevented outbreaks of “immorality” during a May concert by German industrial metal band Rammstein in the Belarusian capital.

“If we had not interfered, there would have been sex on stage and the relief of physical needs right in front of the audience,” the official said.

What did this interference involve I wonder? I have this wonderful image in my head of the band, standing in a row on stage, being chastised by Cherginets with their heads hanging and their tackle out.

Belarus Questions the Fabulous

Apparently Elton John may be as insidious and evil as Rammstein. Belarus, I am here crossing my fingers that this madness stops, eventually.

Rammstein's Crimes

Our friend on the Belarusian Morality Council really had some kick:

In a video interview to BelaPAN agency Mikalai Charhinets said again that “Rammstein” group which is to put on a concert in Minsk on March 7, glorifies fascism and immorality. The head of the Public Council on Morality stated that terrorists who took hostage schoolchildren in Beslan a few years ago, confessed after they were arrested that Rammstein music inspired them for crimes.

There's video on the page linked above. This is of course all moot, since the show went ahead, and as there has not been news of rape, pillage, or rampant Nazism in Minsk, or Belarus as a whole, I take it his predictions of awful doomy doom never came about.

Morality Head Demands Preview

I really thought this guy would have taken a chill-pill by now, but he apparently stands by his view that Rammstein propagates 'violence, cruelty and Nazi ideology', and wants the officials who approved the show to either revoke that approval or preview the show. Now, if I were in that position I would consider this as a perfect excuse to take a holiday and go to a great live show, with operatic scale, great music, and special effects from hell, but yeah, who knows.

The organiser of the show in Belarus has said that nobody has appealed the show going ahead yet. I assume this means there has been no formal objection. Why hasn't Charhinets done so? Ah, I reckon I have cracked it: He has NO POWER.

I notice that there are no reports that they have taken my advice and locked him up yet, so maybe he will attend. He really should, I think. The bass percussion might dislodge whatever has crawled up his arse and died.

Morality Head Should Get His Head Read?

I suggested incarceration for Cherginets as possible measure against the promised rape and pillage if Rammstein's show went ahead, but I've been one-upped by a Belrusian blogger, Yauhen Lipkovich, who wrote an open letter to the 'Last dictator in Europe':

...My wife and I can’t keep silence. My wife didn’t sleep at night and asked me to write a letter in the morning.

Dear Mr Alyaksandr,

The actions by Mikalai Charhinets have disgraced honour and dignity of our country, slandered our governmental bodies. We think you should point out inadmissibility of such statements, which may implant doubt of strength and power of our state system.

My wife and I think you should offer Charhinets medical examination in a special medical institution of the Republic of Belarus and propose him to resign from the post of head of the Union of Writers of the Republic of Belarus...

Wow.

Read the whole saga here.

Minsk Update

Rammchick has found a new post regarding the Belarus story. It would seem that the promoter for the Minsk show has done his homework, though why he would only now be investigating the show's content I can't fathom.

We have read a lot about the corrupting force that is Rammstein, and the deleterious super-powers they apparently have, so a leavening dose of rational thought is nice, but I can't help but see the humour in this situation. Imagine a mind that considers a band, performing to a small slice of the population, being considered influential enough to cause a crime-wave. Now imagine the owner of that mind in a mosh-pit, surrounded by adrenalised, mesmerised Rammstein fans. Laughing?

I will not be entirely reassured until the show is done and dusted, because the promoter's reassurance and the politicos' response are not by any means the same thing, but this is a positive step, at least, after hearing so much from the humourless prigs who oppose Rammstein. Now we need for the Morality Council to send one of their own to a show, to see for themselves what is on offer. I'm sure Till pouring 'molten metal' onto Flake so he emerges a sparkling butterfly, setting fire to a 'fan', and spraying the audience with mega-spunk will be a most refreshing change for them...

Minsk Still in the Air

Until the Rammstein site says otherwise I choose to assume the best, but it remains to be seen whether Belarus will get their Rammstein show on March 7. Deutsche Welle has reported on this (thanks Rammchick), amongst others, and while they provide some insight into the Belarusian Government there is no concrete news either way yet, and all the news on this issue is the same.

Whether or not Rammstein has the power to influence a population as strongly as the Morality Council seems to think can't be questioned. They absolutely do not. While I am a fan of the band I do not consider them to have so much power that they could drive an otherwise orderly society into sexual or social violence with their tongue-in-cheek innuendo.

To go so far as to declare Rammstein an enemy of the Belarusian state for this reason is a very bad joke. I would be more inclined to dub such a politically moderate, satirical band the antithesis of the politics that hold sway there, but certainly not a threat to the nation's morality. I'm sure any entity so vocal in their lyrics about humanity's flaws, narrowness, and political jack-booting is the bane of 'Europe's Last Dictatorship', but even in that context they do not have the ability to have such a serious affect on a population as this debacle implies.

Sometimes You Have to Wonder...

There is a group in Belarus, called the Council for Public Morality, which feels very strongly that Rammstein's live show will bring about dreadful behaviour in its citizens. Writers Union Chairman Nikolai Cherginets, who heads the group, had this to say:

"If what is shown during the concert is what the [Public Council for Morality] has been able to see, there will be an inevitable outburst of rapes and brutality in the Belarusian capital."

Are the people of Belarus such barbarians? I think not. This man has no respect for his fellow-citizens, their ability to act rationally, or their moral standards. Of course, if Belorussians have no critical faculties then he may be right. Belarus, please do comment if you feel yourself slipping into a sociopathic and/or sexually sadistic state when you listen to Rammstein. This could be a fascinating experiment. Thanks to Rammchick for the link.

Update 0914hrs: Now I consider it, I have to wonder if Cherginets is threatening to rape and brutalise Belrussians as a protest against Rammstein's live show. I recommend the Minsk Police incarcerate the man as a precaution.