Music as a weapon

I was watching this interesting documentary on the swedish television about music used as torture instrument. It was scarying to notice that if music is most of the time associated to good feelings and pleasure it may be turn to a real torture instrument if you have to listen to it during a long time and loud. If you cannot move, then the effects are stronger, it means you are loosing your sensitivperception and become crazy.

There is a playlist called “torture playlist” about songs playing to prisonners in Guantanamo in order to soft them before questionning or in order to avoid them to sleep. Music as weapon was also used during the G8 manifestation in Seattle. This is a powerfull weapon because it doesn’t let any physical mark but really long term psychological marks. Afterwards people can’t listen to this music without reexperiencing the moment when they were torturing with it.

But this is not that complicated to understand me thinks. I’ve got dozen of songs associated to guys i was in love with, and when i hear the songs now, then emotions come up. Or situations, or places. So i am not very surprised of that.

Some examples:

John Frusciante, the will to death –
2004, Road B5 between Karlsruhe and Rastatt, Germany

Justin Timberlake, loosing my way –
2010, Hjulstabron, Sweden

Red Hot Chili Peppers, i could have a lied –
1998, Clos Malprés, France

Janis Joplin, get it while you can –
1999, Foyer Mozart, Metz, France

Counting Crows, mistr Jones –
2003 Karlshof gang nummer 5, Darmstadt Germany

Kent, Glider –
june 2006, train between Eskilstuna and Katrineholm, Sweden

Placebo, I’ll be your –
august 2004 trainstation in Karlsruhe, Germany

Robyn, cry when you get older,
a sunday morning in october 2010, Fors kyrka Eskilstuna, Sweden

the white stripes, seven nation army,
early mornings summer 2003 motorway A43 to Lyon

Smashing pumpking, tonight tonight,
1997, library Saint-Dié, France

Timbuktu the botten is nådd,
2007, Rabat, Marocco

well, now i have to run to the cinema.Some others songs another time maybe!