June 29, 2006 14:20

Fun-Da-Mental man hits out at new album controversy

Aki Nawaz says he's 'amazed'

Fun-Da-Mental frontman Aki Nawaz has admitted he’s “amazed” at the controversy over his new album, which describes suicide bombers.

The BBC reported today (June 29) that Nawaz could face prosecution under glorification of terrorism laws for the content of ‘All Is War (The Benefits of G-Had)’.

It was also reported that Martin Mills and Andrew Heath, two "silent" directors of Fun-Da-Mental's label Nation Records, have threatened to quit their posts if the album is released. It's currently scheduled to come out on July 31.

Mills and Heath both declined to comment when approached by NME.COM today.

One of the songs, called ‘Cookbook DIY’, has caused the most controversy. It contains the lyrics: "I'm strapped-up 'cross my chest, bomb belt attached, deeply satisfied with the pain I hatched, electrodes connected to a gas cooker lighter."

The BBC quoted Nawaz as saying: "If it means taking the rap and promoting the album from Belmarsh prison, I'll do it.”

Speaking on the band’s official website today (June 29), Nawaz said: “It amazed me that such a fuss could be made, bearing in mind the countless amounts of documentaries, books, films, plays that are made about the state of our current political situation, all I was doing was creating a soundtrack for the background, if Spielberg asked me to do a soundtrack I would do the same intense and emotional tracks providing his film was displaying the subject matters.”

He added: “Do I condone terrorism is a question that is constantly thrown at me - No I do not BUT would it not be correct that we all, yes every single one of us are condoning terrorism by contributing our taxes and silence to Terrorism committed by the STATE albeit on innocent people thousands of miles away."

And Nawaz fiercely defended ‘Cookbook’, the song which the media have picked up on most.

He stated: “On the ‘Cookbook’ track the media is in frenzy with some of the lyrics but they totally ignore the 3rd verse which explains scientists employed by Governments to create as much murder as possible – judge me on the whole track not just the introduction.

“All other tracks which form part of the build up and the emotional aspect of pain and hurt by the reality is ignored.”