Court Acquits The 1975 of Allegations, Matt Healy’s On-Stage Kiss Not Against the Law

British band The 1975, which was embroiled in controversy during the Good Vibes Festival 2023 in Sepang, has officially been cleared of any legal claims. The issue stemmed from frontman Matt Healy’s bold act of kissing bassist Ross MacDonald openly on stage, sparking widespread outrage.

A London court ruled that The 1975 cannot be held liable for the financial losses incurred by the festival organizer, Future Sound Asia (FSA). Judge William Hansen emphasized that while their actions caused controversy, they did not violate any clear legal provisions that would justify the lawsuit.

In a surprising turn of events, the court also ordered FSA to pay RM557,224 in legal fees after its case was dismissed. Previously, FSA had sought RM10.5 million in damages, arguing that the band breached their contract by engaging in such actions on stage.

The 1975’s legal team, led by Edmund Cullen, asserted that any lawsuit should have been filed against the band’s management company rather than individual members. He described FSA’s legal action as an invalid attempt to hold The 1975 accountable for an issue that should have been addressed at a corporate level.

Interestingly, FSA’s lawyer, Andrew Burns, revealed that Malaysian authorities had considered banning the band from performing due to concerns about Matt Healy’s ongoing recovery from drug addiction. However, they were ultimately given approval after promising to adhere to the event’s regulations.

The on-stage kissing incident received strong backlash from Malaysians, including from the LGBTQ+ community, which criticized Healy and MacDonald for allegedly endangering their movement’s progress in the country.

Source: SAYS