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Master - Forced To Cancel US Tour


Death metal legends Master, who were scheduled to kick off their long-anticipated U.S. headlining tour earlier this week with support from Lightning Swords Of Death and Mobile Deathcamp, were denied entry into the country and forced to fly back to Europe.

Said Master mainman Paul Speckmann in a statement: "We arrived Tuesday morning in Holland and after intense questioning we proceeded to the eye and body scan machine. Along with the other passengers, we proceeded to the plane. We arrived in Detroit and went to passport control. I waited for about two hours for any word on the guys. The police came to explain that the visa waiver program didn't apply to musicians. So they sent me to customs and proceeded to tear apart everything and sent me on my way. I waited for six hours to get on another airplane and return to Europe.




Thankfully the lady at the Delta checkout counter was very helpful and confirmed that the guys would be on the next plane in the evening and I could return with them. The guys were escorted to the plane by four police officers and returned their passports when we arrived in Amsterdam. Since when are musicians and terrorists in the same category? Again I apologize to all the bands, organizers and fans of course. I guess the CD cover of The Human Machine CD has become a reality!"

Source: master-speckmetal.com
Band profile: Master
Posted: 03.03.2011 by Thryce


Comments

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Comments: 8   [ 1 ignored ]   Visited by: 84 users
04.03.2011 - 00:33
Mechanixxxx
This is completely absurd...
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04.03.2011 - 02:59
LeChron James
Helvetesfossen
"visa waiver program doesn't apply to musicians"?

what? aren't they American citizens?
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Kick Ass, Die Young

Less is More
Stay Pure
Stay Poor

Music was my life, music brought me to life and music is how I will be remembered long after I leave this life. When I die there will be a final waltz in my head that only I can hear.
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04.03.2011 - 09:49
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Staff
I'm confused, but I do understand this sucks for the fans as much as it does for the band.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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04.03.2011 - 10:33
Valentin B
Iconoclast
The USA's visa regime is tighter than a virgin hamster's ear and i'm not able to logically comprehend it in any way. the paranoia and absurdity of the "war on terror" is a mockery to the basic human right to wander around the globe and should be enforced to people with travel motives that really might pose a risk, and even then not in order to make that person feel like a threat just because of how he/she looks like. but i do not agree with the band here, they could have informed themselves if they can get the visa waiver thing, and if not, to get the damned visa like everyone else. if the US tour was such a huge thing why didn't they treat it professionally?
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04.03.2011 - 12:19
Written by LeChron James on 04.03.2011 at 02:59

"visa waiver program doesn't apply to musicians"?

what? aren't they American citizens?

Master are now based in the Czech Republic and I'm pretty sure the guitarist and drummer are European. This is why Speckmann walked through and the others were held behind.
To be honest whoever was managing their tour really has no excuse for not taking care of this before hand, but that still doesn't excuse this from being a completely fucked up and wrong regulation imposed by the US immigration.
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Allt E Skit
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04.03.2011 - 20:21
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Written by Bastard Child on 04.03.2011 at 12:19

Written by LeChron James on 04.03.2011 at 02:59

"visa waiver program doesn't apply to musicians"?

what? aren't they American citizens?

Master are now based in the Czech Republic and I'm pretty sure the guitarist and drummer are European. This is why Speckmann walked through and the others were held behind.
To be honest whoever was managing their tour really has no excuse for not taking care of this before hand, but that still doesn't excuse this from being a completely fucked up and wrong regulation imposed by the US immigration.

2004- Alex "93" Nejezchleba - guitars edit
2004- Zdenek Pradlovsky - drums

Czceh or slovak names, so .... thay are not americans

Vali Bala, americans are stupid, if there be palestiniabn or Lybian terrorist he enter in USA because of good visa and FBI hardly catch them 1min before explosion,
----
I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens.

Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die"

I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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05.03.2011 - 08:48
Symmachus
It has got to suck experiencing that, considering how Speckmann used to live in America and how the band was flown to Detroit only to get sent back. "The police came to explain that the visa waiver program didn't apply to musicians." I wonder what that is supposed to mean.
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05.03.2011 - 13:31
Elodie Artour
Slania
Written by Valentin B on 04.03.2011 at 10:33

The USA's visa regime is tighter than a virgin hamster's ear and i'm not able to logically comprehend it in any way. the paranoia and absurdity of the "war on terror" is a mockery to the basic human right to wander around the globe and should be enforced to people with travel motives that really might pose a risk, and even then not in order to make that person feel like a threat just because of how he/she looks like. but i do not agree with the band here, they could have informed themselves if they can get the visa waiver thing, and if not, to get the damned visa like everyone else. if the US tour was such a huge thing why didn't they treat it professionally?

I completely agree with you, man. The whole US visa regime is totally fucked up but still, the band should have got informed better about the whole situation. After all, that tour was supposed to be their first one in the States which is, like, a HUGE thing for every single metal band that doesn't originate from North America. :
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Speak up dear 'cause I cannot hear you...
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