VietNamNet Bridge - "Thang Mo 1" is said to have vulgar and reactionary content. The authorities wanted to see Ngoc Dai but the musician said he was sick.

Senior songwriter release sensitive album without license

According to a dispatch of the Performing Arts Agency on May 10, sent to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of all provinces in the country: "The CD Thang Mo 1 has the content that goes against the policies and the laws of the Party and the State, speaking ill of the regime. The language used in the songs is very vulgar, inconsistent with traditions, habits and customs of the nation... Based on the contents of the CD, the Performing Arts Agency saw this as the recordings with objectionable and depraved contents."

The Agency concluded that Ngoc Dai simultaneously violated Section 1 - Article 6 of Decree 79 of the Government on performing arts, circulation and business of music and dance records and Section 4 - Article 13 of Decree 75 on the sanctioning of administrative violations in the field of culture.

In the dispatch, the Performing Arts Agency asked the Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism of all provinces to coordinate with the authorities to inspect, withdraw and destroy CD Thang Mo 1.

Mr. Quoc Chiem, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said before the dispatch was released, Hanoi began withdrawing the CD. Chiem hoped the people to join the authorities in this task.

Ngoc Dai is in the difficult days in both health and economics. Photo: Khanh Paradise.

According to Chiem, those who bought Thang Mo 1 should voluntarily hand over the CD because the CD has the lyrics with vulgar words. Curious people should not try to listen to it, he said.

Also on May 10, the Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism invited Ngoc Dai to the department to work on the issues related to his CD Thang Mo 1. However, Ngoc Dai said his health was very poor because of high blood pressure to refuse the invitation. He confirmed that when his health is improved, he will see the Department’s officials. His letter to the Department was transferred through his friends because Ngoc Dai was not health and he could not leave the house.

At the time receiving the Department’s letter, Ngoc Dai did not know about the conclusions of the Performing Arts Agency about his CD and the decision to withdraw and destroy it. The musician thought that he was summoned for producing the CD without a license.

Regards to the contents of the CD, which is said to have "reactionary content and is depraved," Ngoc Dai said he did not write the lyrics. He only set poems of Bui Chat and Nguyen Dinh Chinh to music and performed the songs.

Ngoc Dai said he did not intend to challenge and resist the authority.

CD Thang Mo 1 was not distributed by any firm. Ngoc Dai sold it directly. In the last two weeks, he was very ill and had to stay at home. The audience went to his home to buy the CD. Nearly 1,000 copies have been sold.

Several days ago Ngoc Dai said he wanted to produce some more copies but in this situation, when he faces both health and financial problems he will not do it.

"Moreover, no one dares to produce the CD for me because they are afraid of the authorities," Ngoc Dai said.

Compiled by T. Van