ZT FROM WIKI:
Rammstein is a German band that incorporates elements of metal/hard rock, industrial metal, and electronic music. Their songs are performed almost exclusively in German. Formed in 1994, they have sold over 12 million records worldwide.
In April 1999, it emerged that Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, the two boys who perpetrated the Columbine High School massacre, were fans of Rammstein and had declared it to be one of their favorite bands. Rammstein came under heavy criticism from some conservative and Christian groups in the United States who claimed (among other things) that the members of the band were "demonically influenced"[21] and by the German media that Till Lindemann's rolling Teutonic r's were an imitation of Adolf Hitler's diction. In response, the band issued a statement:
The members of Rammstein express their condolences and sympathy to all affected by the recent tragic events in Denver. They wish to make it clear that they have no lyrical content or political beliefs that could have possibly influenced such behavior. Additionally, members of Rammstein have children of their own, in whom they continually strive to instill healthy and non-violent values.
Ironically, on September 10th 2001 the single and video clip of Ich will was released which portrays the band as terrorists who want to get a message across and receiving a kind of terrorist award for their "actions". The video clip was broadcasted only late at night after the attacks of September 11th 2001 although many media officials and politicians requested the video to be removed from the program completely.
Following the tragic conclusion of the Beslan school hostage crisis in Russia in September 2004, the Russian authorities claimed that the hostage-takers had "listened to German hard rock group Rammstein on personal stereos during the siege to keep themselves edgy and fired up." The claim has not been independently confirmed.
Band members said about this issue:
There's been a lot of talk about that, but if there are radical feelings in people anything can wake them – a painting, a picture, whatever. It's just a coincidence that it happened to be our music. It's important to think about what caused them to make their decisions, how they became animals, not their taste in music. Whenever something like this happens it's like ‘Okay, let's blame the artist.’ Such bullshit. (Till Lindemann)
Our music is made to release aggression, and people listening to it are also needed to do that, but it's not our fault. Should we stop making hard music because bad people might like it?
