A judge tossed the claims against the four band members, but a lawsuit against their corporate entity will be allowed to continue
The 1975 perform at the 2024 iHeartRadio ALTer EGO festival in Anaheim, California. Harmony Gerber/Getty Images
A judge in England has spared the members of the 1975 any individual liability in their ongoing dispute with a Malaysian festival over an onstage kiss between Matty Healy and bassist Ross MacDonald.
In a ruling yesterday, Feb. 24, Judge William Hansen tossed out claims brought by the festival organizers Future Sounds Asia that specifically targeted the four members of the band. After arguments on the matter last week, Hansen concluded that these claims were “bad as a matter of law and there is no reason why” they should go to trial.
Future Sound Asia will, however, be able to continue its lawsuit against the 1975’s corporate entity, The 1975 Productions LLP, which signed the contract with the festival. “There were no personal dealings between [Future Sound Asia] and the band members,” Hansen wrote. “The band members were entitled to limit their liability by incorporating the LLP to enter into contracts for their foreign performances. They are not the same as the LLP, which is a distinct and separate legal entity.”
Lawyers for the 1975 and Future Sounds Asia did not immediately return Rolling Stone’s request for comment.
The dispute between the band and the festival erupted when the 1975 played the Good Vibes festival in Kuala Lumpur in July 2023. During the band’s set, Healy criticized Malaysia strict laws against same-sex relationships, then kissed McDonald. The 1975’s set was cut short and the Malaysian government canceled the rest of the festival. Future Sounds Asia eventually took the band to court for £1.9 million ($2.4 million) over claims of breach of contract.
The 1975 have denied any responsibility and previously claimed that festival organizers should’ve known the band’s history of supporting LGBTQ rights onstage and that by booking the group, they “voluntarily accepted” the possible consequences, including a revoked permit. (In 2019, for instance, Healy kissed a male fan on the lips in Dubai and unfurled a pride flag in Russia.)
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