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Rammstein sue German government
By Andy Malt | Published on Monday 11 April 2016
Rammstein are suing the German government over a 2009 decision to restrict the sale of their ‘Liebe Ist Für Alle Da’ album.
As previously reported, the Federal Office For The Examination Of Media Harmful To Young People banned the album from being put on public display. The decision was made over concerns that one particular song on it, ‘Ich Tu Dir Weh’, and some photographs within the album’s artwork, were “brutalising” and “immoral”.
Advertising of the record was also restricted, so the band’s label Universal pressed a new version of the record with the offending content removed in order to circumvent the restrictions. The ban then was lifted after six months, after it was argued in court that the band’s right to artistic expression hadn’t been taken into account during the original decision.
However, in new legal action the band say that they were forced to destroy 85,000 copies of the original pressing of the record as a result of the government’s albeit short-lived ban, and they are now seeking €66,000 in damages, reports Deutsche Welle.
It’s not clear why it has taken until now for the band to file this lawsuit. The case is due to be heard in court this summer.