R.E.M. and Their Musical Friends Push to Shut Down Guantanamo Bay

The veteran alt-rockers of R.E.M. are joining forces with other musical acts such as Pearl Jam, Nine Inch Nails and Roseanne Cash in a bid to close Guantanamo Bay. Their group effort, the National Campaign to Close Guantanamo, sprung in part from their joint outrage about their music reportedly being blared at high volumes to upset prisoners held at the detention center in Cuba, a strategy that R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe called “anti-American.” It should surprise no one that members of Rage Against the Machine are also in on this act. –KA

MTV News:

Among the songs reportedly played at high volumes near prisoners in the detention camp are death-metal band Deicide’s “F— Your God,” Metallica’s “Enter Sandman,” the Meow Mix cat food jingle, music from “Sesame Street,” Don McLean’s “American Pie,” Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.,” Nine Inch Nails’ “March of the Pigs,” Queen’s “We Will Rock You,” the “I Love You” song from the children’s show “Barney,” as well as tunes by R.E.M., Pearl Jam, AC/DC, Britney Spears, the Bee Gees, Marilyn Manson, and others.

Read more