- Controversial Stage Incident: The 1975 Faces Legal Action After Malaysia Performance
- Breach of Contract Allegation: Future Sound Asia Sues The 1975 for Over £2 Million
- Ramifications and Blacklisting: Fallout from the Incident and Concert Cancellations
Healy spoke about homosexuality, which is prohibited in Malaysia, and kissed bassist Ross MacDonald during the Good Vibes Festival. Later, in 1975 were forbidden to perform in the country.
After frontman Matty Healy criticized Malaysia’s homosexuality laws and kissed a male bandmate on stage, 1975 are being sued for more than £2 million in damages.
Future Sound Asia accuses the group of infringing a contract, claiming it received a “pre-show written assurance” that its performance would comply with all local regulations.
Healy spoke about homosexuality, which is prohibited in Malaysia, and kissed bassist Ross MacDonald during the Good Vibes Festival.
FSA explicitly linked the cancellation of the three-day event to Healy’s “abusive language, equipment destruction, and indecent stage conduct.”
According to the PA news agency, FSA is now seeking damages totaling £2,099,154.54.
David Mathew, the company’s legal counsel, added, “Their actions have had ramifications on local artists and small businesses that relied on the festival for creative opportunities and livelihoods.
Future Sound Asia desires to proceed forward in a manner that will bring closure to the affected Malaysian community.
FSA had previously warned that it was prepared to initiate legal action in English courts. And that the incident had “tarnished the reputation of the 10-year-old festival.”
The 1975 are now prohibited from performing in Kuala Lumpur and are on a blacklist for the country.
Subsequently, two additional Asian tour dates, one in Indonesia and the other in Taiwan were cancelled.
