The band “The 1975” was threatened with legal action after the lead singer went on a profanity-laden rant at a July festival in Malaysia.
Organizers of the Good Vibes Music Festival, Future Sound Asia, issued The 1975 with a letter of claim in recent days, claiming that the band is financially responsible for damages caused by lead singer Matt Healy’s behavior, according to the BBC. The Kuala Lumpur-based event was cancelled the day after Healy screamed at the audience about Malaysia’s anti-gay laws, and then kissed a fellow male band member.
Malaysia’s Communications Ministry issued a directive following the incident, stating their “unwavering stance against any parties that challenge, ridicule or contravene Malaysian laws.” Homosexuality is punishable by up to 20 years in prison in Malaysia. But even members of the LGBT community have called Healy’s behavior “performative activism” that will make their lives harder, according to another BBC report.
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“FSA would like to reiterate their strong disapproval of the Band’s behaviour during their performance at GVF2023,” festival organizers said in a statement, according to NME. “In particular, lead singer Matthew Timothy Healy’s use of abusive language, equipment damage, and indecent stage behaviour not only flagrantly breached local guidelines and Malaysian laws but also tarnished the reputation of the 10-year-old festival.” (RELATED: Legendary Rockstar Loses It Over Biden And Offers Solutions On How To Save The USA In Epic Interview)
Healy’s actions allegedly “intentionally contravened the agreement [The 1975] had with FSA,” the statement continued. The event organizers plan to pursue legal action against the band in British courts should they refuse to meet the demands.