“The thing the incident reveals to me is a much larger problem – the idea that profits are more important than people”: George Lynch breaks silence following resurfaced allegations that Peavey used prison labor

Earlier this year, comments made by George Lynch during a podcast appearance back in 2018, which alleged Peavey used prison labor to build its guitar amps, were resurfaced by YouTuber KDH.

Upon the release of the video, the guitar amp manufacturer came out to categorically deny the allegations, and asked the Lynch Mob electric guitar star to retract his statements owing to their “slanderous nature”.

Now, in an upcoming interview with Guitar World, Lynch has finally broken his silence following Peavey’s request for a retraction.

Lynch’s words were first unearthed in August this year. During a feature on Island Music Co’s Determination and Overdrive podcast, the Dokken maestro reflected on his experiences as a Peavey signature artist in the 2000s.

It was during this part of the conversation that Lynch recalled a visit he made to the company’s base of operations in Meridian, Mississippi.

“The town sort of exists for two things – it’s the headquarters of Peavey, and there’s a lot of prisons,” he alleged at the time. “And I also found out, a lot of the prisoners work for Peavey.” 

“I don’t think having slaves do your work, for for-profit corporations, is the right thing to do. But the thing is, they’ll get away with it, which they were.”

Lynch claimed he was also approached by Peavey to sign a nondisclosure agreement (NDA), so that he’d “promise to never reveal the fact that they use prison labour to build their amps”. He said he refused to agree.

After KDH shed new light on the allegations, Peavey issued a statement to Guitar.com, saying, “Lynch is apparently confused with some other manufacturer or story that he was told, and is mistaken in his comment about Peavey using prison labour.

“Mr Lynch should retract his statement, confirming his comments and his understanding were incorrect.”

Lynch has now shared his thoughts on the issue, saying in his upcoming interview with Guitar World, “Hypocrisy is the problem. The thing that the incident reveals to me, as it should for everybody else, is a much larger political and economic problem.

“It’s the idea that profits are more important than people,” he continues. “We need to mature as a society and align our priorities with what is inherently and morally the right way to exist and be truly good to each other.”

When asked to elaborate on his point, Lynch chose not to.

Peavey were approach for comment in light of Lynch's answer, but pointed to its previous statement issued to Guitar.com, in which they refuted any allegations of using prison labor.