Band addresses YouTube’s selective censorship
YouTube has censored tribal-industrial drum project CHANT, removing the band’s extended music video for their track “Need” late last week.
The video-hosting super-website did not cite specific reasons for the ban, simply noting it had been “flagged as inappropriate”, and later removed after determining that “the video content was in violation of their Community Guidelines”.
CHANT joins Angelspit, Hirsute Pursuit, and other bands in the electronic-industrial genre that have been
censored by YouTube for their content. Bands such as Die Antwoord, Flaming Lips, Micronauts, and Lenny Kravitz continue to host sexually graphic videos and remain unbanned to this day.
“To quote Bill Hicks, ‘I almost forgot this was the USA… the United States of Advertising!'” says Bradley Bills of CHANT. “On one hand, I knew what I created was pushing limits – that it would invoke an emotional response and possibly make some people uncomfortable, but regardless of the subject matter: there’s no mistaking that the ‘Need’ video is an Art film and Art by nature needs no censorship. The video was set to the proper YouTube guidelines, viewable by mature audiences only, and if I were an established artist making coveted ad revenue for YouTube – this would not have been an issue.”
CHANT fans had the opportunity to own/view a copy of the ‘Need’ music video by purchasing a limited edition copy from the Band’s site, stored on a USB Thumb drive, along with physical props used in the actual video shoot – all of which have now sold out.
“I’ll take the ban as a compliment and find satisfaction knowing that copies of the ‘Need’ film are also in the hands of my Fans, and as with all Art it will find its way into the public forum again, no matter how many corporations try to censor and decide what we all should or should not have access to see,” says Bills.
Later this week, CHANT will re-host the extended, uncensored cut of “Need” to VIMEO.
ABOUT CHANT
CHANT, an Austin, TX based industrial rock project created by Bradley Bills, has toured the US nationally, and released 2 independent albums paving the way to work with many acclaimed artists within the underground music genre (Pigface/Evil Mothers/Die Krupps). For more information, music downloads, and social media links, go to www.chantproject.com/info. For live show preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=032mr19pqso
CHANT Website http://www.chantproject.com
CHANT MySpace http://www.myspace.com/chant
CHANT Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Chantproject
CHANT Twitter http://www.twitter.com/chantproject