Band sued after defiant kiss shuts down music festival in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP):

The 1975 is being sued after Matty Healy’s kiss of a bandmate in an on-stage protest shut down a music festival last year in Malaysia.

Healy used profanities as he criticised Malaysia’s stance against homosexuality before kissing bassist Ross MacDonald during the band’s headline performance at the Good Vibes Festival in Kuala Lumpur. Homosexuality is a crime in Malaysia, punishable by up to 20 years in prison and caning.

The lawsuit from the festival organiser Future Sound Asia seeks 1.9 million pounds (US$2.5 million) for breach of contract and losses. It filed the lawsuit against The 1975 Productions LLP and all four of the band members in the High Court in London on July 23, lawyer David Dinesh Mathew said Thursday.

The government slammed Healy’s conduct, blacklisted the band from the country and cancelled the three-day festival. Some in the LGBTQ+ community also criticised the band, saying Healy had disrupted the work of activists pushing for change and had endangered the community.

In its lawsuit, FSA said the band previously performed at the festival in 2016 and had been reminded that performance rules included no swearing, smoking, drinking alcohol, talking about politics and religion, or indecent action such as kissing.

Malaysian authorities initially refused to let the band perform amid reports about Healy’s drug addiction and his subsequent recovery but relented after the band promised Healy would adhere to all guidelines and regulations, FSA said.

The band’s fee for its one-hour show was $350,000, of which the bulk was paid, but their conduct was a “clear and deliberate breach” of their contract, FSA said.

Representatives for The 1975 did not respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit.

The lawsuit came after attempts to claim compensation from the band last year failed. Mathew said the defendants are expected to file their defence in September.

The band cancelled shows in Taiwan and Indonesia last year after the fiasco in the Malaysian capital.