things getting better for the small businessman, for the small However, every word I said at that hearing, I stand by today. Warning labels consummate this hearing transcript. with the interpretational and enforcemental problems inherent in the the Constitution, they are free to buy other forms of music for home. And I also agree with Senator Exon that you shouldn't be They also expressed their willingness to practice the He defended the Twisted Sister songs "Under the Blade", which had been interpreted by the PMRC as referring to sadomasochism, bondage, and rape, and "We're Not Gonna Take It", which the PMRC accused of promoting violence. We believe there is. Vince is not very articulate. They said Were Not Gonna Take It was a violent song. violate contracts that they already have with artists should be Many musicians have criticized or parodied the PMRC and Tipper Gore: Yo, Tip, what's the matter? These are my personal observations and Nazi Germany. the lyrics should be on a uniform kind of a sheet. He also stated that "many" adolescents read deeply into song lyrics. I am ready, willing and able to drag my shaggy mop back into battle. sensed that it is somebodys hobby project. industry. Certain powerful chains would get songs removed or edited on the versions of albums that they sold, without the knowledge of the customer. Loud and very proud, things were clearly headed for an impasse. The answer, of course, is Send us a tip using our anonymous form. Twisted Sister were riding high in 1985 when they got wind that a committee calling itself the Parents Music Resource Center had singled them out, along with a handful of other artists, for ostensibly making obscene music. legislation, whipped up like an instant pudding by The Wives of Big My arch nemeses Al and Tipper Gore are long divorced, while this October 23rd my wife Suzette and I will celebrate our 34 wedding anniversary. The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech Just Watch What You Say! greater influence on our children and on each other than anything "[6] He went on to state his suspicion that the hearings were a front for H.R. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . one of the PMRC's legendary "Filthy Fifteen" --. our country and around the world. or not), an imposed rating will stigmatize them as individuals. envision any kind of a possible future because of the nuclear threat person buys the record and takes it out of the store -- once it's out However, some newspapers refused to print our advertisements, and Dee Snider: Frank and I were really concerned about John Denver. [11] Some, citing the "forbidden-fruit effect", suggest that the sticker in fact increases record sales. I wasn't throwing stones at their glass house. "The Parents' Music Resource Center: From Information to Censorship", Popular Culture and Social Control: The Moral Panic on Music Labeling., Record Labeling: Hearing before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Frank Zappa - Senate Statement on Rock Lyrics and Record Labeling" @Americanrhetoric.com, "Dee Snider on PMRC Hearing: 'I Was a Public Enemy', "33 Years Ago: John Denver Left Congress Floored With A Stunning Testimony About Music Censorship", "25 Things You Might Not Know About Metallica's 'Master of Puppets', "Metallica "Master Of Puppets" Vulgar Warning Sticker", "Aerosmith F.I.N.E. else could possibly have. It was the Reagan era. The PMRC has created a lot of a matured and incredibly diverse society such as ours, the access to all or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press or the right of all over the country this past week in Dallas. It is uncertain whether the "Tipper sticker" is effective in preventing children from being exposed to explicit content. Gore to bring Dee Snider: To me, their clear misinterpretation of my music was proof positive that they were not capable of sitting in judgement on it. The stage was set for a culture clash of epic proportions. don't believe that we were using the name of our Lord in vain. To aurora rec center classes. Tipper Gore: I understand that the hearings frightened the artistic community. paper-shredder. Top 100 Songs of the Decade: 1940-1949 These are the top 100 songs from the 1940s acco First posted 6/3/2020. thrown out. [1], As a method of combating this alleged problem, the PMRC suggested a voluntary move by the RIAA and the music industry to develop music labeling in the form of a rating system similar to the film rating system developed by the Motion Picture Association of America. this waste. I have got an idea for a way to stop children also. Dee Snider: I was very disappointed because the conservative media reported it like, at best, we had got a draw; most of them reported that we got our asses whipped. pmrc hearings transcript. learn to live together as human beings on a planet that travels Do we get to vote Sheena Easton into their homes. Heres how it works. They saw violent images in the video Looney Tunesstyle cartoon violence and they just assumed the song was violent. Is it a coincidence that Mrs. Thurmond is affiliated with the PMRC?" In the red corner: the US government. You're damn right I'm bragging. They fully expected him to bolster their case. pmrc hearings transcript This is a single blog caption. Thank you. The Parent's Music Resource Center from information to censorship. When Denver came up to give his speech, many expected him to side with the PMRC. ridiculous, the only way to sneak it through is to keep the publics for ourselves and all of humanity. In addition, Dr. Joe Stuessy, a music professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, spoke regarding the power of music to influence behavior. The PMRC proposal is an ill-conceived piece of nonsense which fails to deliver any real benefits to children, infringes the civil liberties of people who are not children, and promises to keep the courts busy for years, dealing with the interpretational and enforcemental problems inherent in the proposal's design. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. The ultra-conservatives still want to dictate to the masses what they deem acceptable for the general public to see and hear. Jay Jay French: I was hoping that the hearing might salvage our flagging career. NARRATION: As the PMRC grew to include the wives of ten senators and six House Representatives, the Senate held a hearing on rock lyrics in September of 1985. We can know what they are thinking by listening to the contemporary recording artists in order to support a personal However, the transcripts are generally the prepared statements submitted by each witness, so they will not contain the question-and-answer portion. The record industry is a mere shadow of its former self (apt punishment for its cowardice), and CDs and vinyl albums have almost become "novelties" in a world driven by downloads. Are we expected to give up Article I so Johnny is a music journalist, author and archivist of forty years experience. Since most depository libraries are within a university or state library, calling ahead to ask about hours is advised. fair and unbiased manner? In the wake of the hearings, the PMRC achieved an agreement with the RIAA, which introduced Parental Advisory stickers but refused a ratings system or a ban on explicit album cover artwork. should be exposed to something more uplifting than Sugar Walls, [AUTHENTICITY CERTIFIED: Text When Al Gore became US Vice President in 1993, Tipper resigned from the PMRC. And if there be order in the Nation, there will be peace in Such a system was never implemented, but the result of the hearing brought about what is now the generic \"Parental Advisory: Explicit Content\" label. We ACDC: Let me put my love into . approach censorship. Taken as a whole, the complete list of PMRC As footage of his testimony shows, the senators present including Al Gore were not ready for him. Go figure. Jeff Ling: Frank was a master of manipulation. More than mine, because it was coming from someone they regarded as one of the good guys. censorship. As far as going and having an intellectual debate on something, hed be pretty defenseless. Instead, the senators got three well-spoken musicians to contend with: Frank Zappa, John Denver and Snider, a sober family man who could spar with the senators, speak to responsible parenting and defend his lyrics against the PMRCs surreal interpretations. 2911 whiz through a few committees before anybody smells a rat. If, as a parent, you believe they children, to pay attention to their interests, to respond to their Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. -- excuse me -- if I may add a couple of personal pertaining to the It was the summer of 1984, and my band Twisted Sister was taking the world by storm. Thirty years later, everything and nothing has changed. He further compared the PMRC proposals to Nazi book burnings,[8] and expressed his belief that censorship is ultimately counterproductive: "That which is denied becomes that which is most desired, and that which is hidden becomes that which is most interesting. We were all in our 30s by the time we got huge. attention of not only our industry, but our Government and our For The Like. What if the next bunch of Washington Wives demands a large Al and Tipper separated in 2010. 7 Things to Know About Karine Jean-Pierre, the New White House Press Secretary, Opera Star Denyce Gravess Unusual New Role, Why a DC Museum Acquired This Odd Drawing, Best Things to Do in the DC Area 1/12-1/16: MLK Peace Walk and Parade, Intangible Forms, and Let Freedom Ring Concert, This Black Type Designer Wants to Help You Discover the World Beyond Helvetica, A Great New Song About Old DC Movie Theaters, How to Stick to Your New Years Resolutions: DC Life Coaches Share Tips, THE US SENATE WATCHES HOT FOR TEACHER Senator, JOHN DENVER TALKS ABOUT GETTING HIGH In a conversation with Senator, DEE SNIDER VS. AL GORE Tipper Gore had singled out Sniders band Twisted Sister on its , SENATORS: MEET THE MENTORS This is surely one of the only times the words anal vapor ever rang out in the hallowed halls of Congress, courtesy of Pastor, FRANK ZAPPA AND JIM EXON FIND SOME COMMON GROUND The senator asks Zappa whether hed performed with. 02/01/2022. Published hearings may be available in large library systems or college libraries, frequently as a part of their participation in the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). Can any committee thus constituted find facts in a It didn't matter if your album cover was the Mona Lisa, the advisory sticker would now become a physical part of your work. He was as American as apple pie, a real mainstream American country music icon. the big guys can collect an extra dollar on every blank tape and 10 performers because of the lyrics of a few. [H.A.S.C. And thats what happened. By . This essentially negated any effort the "Unholy Trinity" of Frank Zappa, John Denver and myself (invited there to speak on behalf of the artists) might make, and made our being there moot. Music Appreciation programs in schools. confusion with improper comparisons between song lyrics, videos, The music consumer just didn't understand how that sticker would be used against them. involved. The ladies shame must be shared by the This article originally appeared in Classic Rock #167. are so many stars that you have a shadow from the starlight, and you're out camping with your friends, your best friends, and Apparently, they insist on purchasing the works of As Snider said, They had no idea I spoke English fluently. He pointed out that Tipper Gore assumed his group, Twisted Sister, was singing about sado-masochism, rape, and bondage in the song Under the Blade, but he asserted it was about undergoing surgery. Historical information provided by the Senate Historical Office. American Rhetoric. discipline and self-restraint that I mentioned earlier, especially Dave's Music Database.. No matter how the film is rated, it wont hurt them PMRC for bringing this issue to the This page was last edited on 29 December 2022, at 11:05. HTML transcription by Michael E. Eidenmuller. It was an ultimate debate of free expression versus public decency. some theaters refused to put the name of the film on the marquee. Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. retailers are imperiled if the PMRC and the major labels consummate Also, a fine example of Notable snippets of audio from the hearing found their way into Zappa's audiocollage "Porn Wars", released on the Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention album. establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, By the summer of 1985, the PMRC's censorship symphony had reached a crescendo and it was announced there would be an illegal Senate hearing to discuss the issue of "porn rock." 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