Heavy metal bands told to stop swearing at Bloodstock music festival
Heavy metal rock musicians were told to avoid bad language when they played a festival in the shadow of a Staffordshire war memorial.
Artists playing the Bloodstock music festival , which took place next to the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas, were asked to mind their language so they did not disturb visitors paying their respects.
Royal British Legion officials had been concerned people would be disturbed by the festival, which included bands Slayer, Death Angel, Anthrax and Merciless Terror.
Organisers of the annual open air festival have confirmed they told artists to avoid swearing in case they caused offence. The request to ban swearing split opinion on the festival's own website, with some messages of support and also disapproval. One fan who used the name 'cm329' online claiming it deterred them from buying tickets.
Adam Gregory, a co-director of the festival, said organisers asked bands orally, rather than any request being made in writing. He said: "We are very conscious of the local community.
We have the Arboretrum very close by and we try to respect that. Most of the bands were very obliging when we told them. I don't think it detracted one iota and I think the fans were in agreement."
Arboretum chiefs thanked festival organisers for considering their visitors as well.
