“The Blackwater dudes would play Nickelback … “

Talk about the bar from hell — in the midst of Iraq’s Green Zone during the worst of the war, everyone’s favorite “security contractor” (nee Blackwater, nee Xe, now Academi) allowed its employees to frequent a speakeasy and soil the airspace with cover songs.

Hope this doesn’t ruin your holiday cheer, but from the link:

Bearman: There actually wasn’t a jukebox. They had a stereo system with an iPod attachment. They played random music. No one gave me a playlist, but they had to take Men At Work off because Aussie security contractors would go apeshit when Men At Work came on. Which I understand! When i’m in a war zone and drinking, I kind of want to let off a little steam, too.

But actually, sometimes they had live bands. Contractors who were over there a long time would bring instruments and musical equipment. There would be jammy, crappy cover bands. The Aegis guys would play the Kinks. The Blackwater dudes would play Nickelback. There was a strong cultural difference in what mercenaries were into, musically speaking.

Blackwater by any other name …

… is still Blackwater to me.

From the link:

Blackwater Worldwide is abandoning its tarnished brand name.

Blackwater officials said Friday its family of two dozen businesses will now operate under the name Xe, pronounced like the letter “z.”

The decision comes as part of a rebranding effort that grew more urgent following a September 2007 shooting in Iraq that left at least a dozen civilians dead.