Lemmy tells the EU nanny state to screw off
Posted on April 20th, 2008 by bile Categories and Tags: Uncategorized, Brussels, censorship, European Union, freedom, fucking retarded, healthcare, heavy metal band, Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister, liberty, metal, nanny state, politics, regulation, Scotland, UK, your rightshttp://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/…
THEIR high-pitched skirl has put fear into the hearts of Scotland’s enemies and sent sensitive tourists reaching for the cotton wool.
Now, however, the bagpipes are to be quietened by an edict from Brussels.
From this month, pipers must adhere to strict volume limits or risk breaking European Union health and safety laws. Bands have been ordered to tone down or wear earplugs to limit noise exposure to 85 decibels.
Pipe majors claim it is virtually impossible to play quietly or to tune a band when the musicians are wearing earplugs, raising the prospect of a cacophony at showcase events such as the Edinburgh military tattoo.
“You can’t play the pipe quietly; they haven’t got a volume switch.”
The rules are part of the control of noise at work regulations, introduced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following a Brussels directive.
The rules cap weekly average noise exposure at 85 decibels, meaning periods of loud play need to be cancelled out by quiet periods. The idea is not to protect audiences at concerts but performers and other staff.
Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister, lead singer of Motorhead, the heavy metal band, said he would resist any attempt to force him to turn down the music.
“The essence of rock’n'roll is loud music,” he said. “How the hell can we be expected to enjoy ourselves if we’ve got to turn it down?”
I’ll really enjoy seeing the officials enforce this on the metal and punk bands. They could end up with riots or the bands just won’t play in the EU any longer. If these people wish to wear ear protection they will. They are fully aware of the damage loud music can cause.
