Pribek

We’ve been following the case of guitarist Led Zeppelin Tuyay who has been detained in Dubai for a couple of months on a bush league pot bust.
Looks like Led finally gets to go home to the Philippines. From the Khaleej Times.

The lead guitarist of the popular Filipino band Kamikazee, Led Zeppelin Tuyay, will be deported to Manila today, after spending nearly two months in detention at the Dubai International Airport on the charges of illegal possession of prohibited drugs…

…After reviewing Tuyay’s case, the prosecution decided to deport him to Manila, said Ahmad Bajunaid of the Philippine Consulate-General in Dubai. “Tuyay confessed to the prosecution that he used marijuana, but never shared it with anyone,” Bajunaid added.

Well, deported isn’t probably your best case scenario and there will surely be additional process to go through back in Manila but, it beats the hell out of being stuck in Dubai.

Good luck Led and keep it between the ditches.

Last month, I wrote about guitarist Led Zeppelin Tuyay of the Philippine group Kamikazee who was being held in Dubai on suspicion of marijuana possession. He was taken in to custody on December 4 and remains at an airport detention center nearly a month later. From ABS-CBN.

The guitarist has not been formally charged, according to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) newspaper, which said the prosecutor was awaiting results of urine tests.

The newspaper said Tuyay was found with 0.87 grams (0.03 ounces) of marijuana in his possession which he insisted he had not intended to bring with him or to use in Dubai.

So, here you have a young guy who was carrying a tiny amount of pot, very tiny amount, he admits it, says he didn’t intend to bring it with him and he’s still sitting there in limbo after a month.

Clearly, the authorities in Dubai are the ultimate red asses. It doesn’t take a month to get blood test results. The guy didn’t even have a gram on him and they are holding him indefinitely, using protocol as a lame excuse.

I sympathize with Led. And, I’m not looking at it as a pot deal, I’m looking at it as a musician deal. I sympathize with Led but, at the same time, he brought this predicament on. If you are in a position where you are traveling for work, you got to know where you are going.

OK, so there is this news item about a member of a rock band from the Philippines. The name of the band is Kamikaze. Anyway, the guitar player from this band is being held at Dubai International Airport because of “residue of suspected marijuana”. So, a lot of musicians smoke dope and you figure that Dubai is pretty intolerant, shall we say, about such matters. I mean Canada is “intolerant” with musicians walking around the airport reeking of weed; just guessing that you really wouldn’t want to try it in Dubai.

Anyway, that’s off the point here. What caught my eye in this story is the guitarist’s name.

Led Zeppelin Tuyay

Dude’s first name is Led, middle name is Zeppelin.

I don’t know about you but, if I were to meet a guy name Led Zeppelin, it would be real hard for me not to ask something like; “Is that what your mother calls you”? I probably wouldn’t because, I try to uphold some tact but, that would run through my mind.

These quotes from Led Zeppelin Tuyay’s mother were found at Inquirer.net.

“Ang hirap (It’s so hard),” said Ellen, trying to keep from sobbing. She said her son has been there since he arrived with the other band members on December 4 for a concert.

“Mabait na bata yang si Led (Led is a good boy). He has been sending his five siblings to school. Siya pa ang nagbibigay ng baon (Even their allowances come from him),” Edwin said.

There you have it; she does call him Led. And, he seems like a good guy. You would think those knuckleheads in Dubai would have bigger things to worry about.

That’s a picture of Kamikaze, don’t know which one is Led though. (Led is the one in the re shirt; see comments)