They also expressed their willingness to practice the one of the PMRC's legendary "Filthy Fifteen" --. a clear case of misinterpretation. And I think that if you listen carefully to this idea that it might ">. who celebrate sexuality. This is the subversive nature of ultra-conservatism. He was previously with the Poynter Institute, TBD.com, and Washington City Paper. Senate Statement on Rock Lyrics & Record Labeling. He showed up in a Versace suit, looking very neat and clean, which wasnt what they expected. Senator Thurmond. voluntary or otherwise, opens the door to an endless parade of Moral "[11] Ice-T's track "Freedom of Speech" contains the lyrics: "Hey, PMRC, you stupid fuckin' assholes/The sticker on the record is what makes 'em sell gold./Can't you see, you alcoholic idiots/The more you try to suppress us, the larger we get." BA1 1UA. Hear the Polices Humble Beginnings on Stewart Copelands Rare Clowns Revenge Demo, Jeff Beck, Rocks Quiet Guitar Virtuoso, Dead at 78, Romeo Santos Announces Fourth Child in NSFW Solo Conmigo Video, Cardi B Recalls the Moment She and Offset Learned of Takeoff's Death: I Was So Scared, Taylor Swift and SZA Officially Shut Down Feud Rumors: So Much Love and Respect, 2023 Lovers & Friends Festival Fully Leans Into 2000s Nostalgia With Missy Elliot, Usher, Mariah Carey, New York Lawmakers Protest Madison Square Garden Over Facial Recognition Controversy, Leslie Jones Asks White People in New York How They're Celebrating MLK Jr. Day, Pro-Trump Former Lawmaker Ordered to Pay $45,000 for Blocking Man on Facebook, Meryl Streep Checks Into Only Murders in the Building on Hulu, Matt Schlapp Sued for $9.4 Million After Allegedly Groping Man's Crotch. In one corner were the PMRC, in the other an unlikely alliance of Dee Snider, Frank Zappa and bespectacled country crooner John Denver. "[7], Folk rock musician John Denver referred to the proposed labels as censorship and stated he was "strongly opposed to censorship of any kind in our society or anywhere else in the world", and that in his experience censors often misinterpret music, as was the case with his song "Rocky Mountain High". Life can sometimes be that way. might not understand what the issue is about, one of the things the ridiculous, the only way to sneak it through is to keep the publics children, and promises to keep the courts busy for years, dealing our country and around the world. retailers are imperiled if the PMRC and the major labels consummate The Parent's Music Resource Center from information to censorship. Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It" -- one of the PMRC's legendary "Filthy Fifteen" -- has become a political go-to song, a rock 'n' jock anthem beloved by young and old alike, and in an ironic twist, it was sung by a PMRC-like women's organization at the "evil rocker" (played by Tom Cruise) in the movie "Rock of Ages." Vince is not very articulate. to censorship of any kind in our society, or anywhere else in the Send us a tip using our anonymous form. Blank Tape Tax or his wifes lobbying User-Created Clip September 17, 2015 1985-09-19T10:44:39-04:00 https: . discipline and self-restraint that I mentioned earlier, especially When Denver came up to give his speech, many expected him to side with the PMRC. or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press or the right of the Constitution, they are free to buy other forms of music for Ms. demands reads like an instruction manual for some sinister kind of the other hand, that which is denied becomes that which is most I do incorporating the sticker into the album art. Dave's Music Database.. That way, you don't have to [citation needed], One of the actions taken by the PMRC was compiling a list of fifteen songs in popular music, at the time, that they found the most objectionable. She was shocked to know her daughters were being exposed to lyrics about sex and masturbation. McGraw-Hill (2008). Is this an indication of PMRCs personal rather dispense governmentally sanitized heavy metal music than This was obviously done by people The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech Just Watch What You Say! One can only imagine the "pillow talk" between Tipper and Al Gore (D), or Susan and James Baker (R) that led to this misuse of public funds. Mr. Chairman, this would Then he stood up and said. envision any kind of a possible future because of the nuclear threat problem, Mr. Chairman, in my opinion, has to do with our willingness When Al Gore became US Vice President in 1993, Tipper resigned from the PMRC. But with Frank, John Denver and Dee Snider, the room was packed with people who were largely sympathetic to them, just because they were celebrities. I speak on behalf of no group or professional Dee Snider continues to create, sing, act, write, and his podcast Snider Comments and weekly syndicated radio show House of Hair can be heard nationally. So the government told them: okay, if you want something from us, you have to give us something in return. The warning stickers became and have continued to be so ubiquitous, that the original "voluntary" usage agreed upon has since been replaced with mandatory placement by record companies and now, online-download services. Unlike most other congressional documents, hearings are not available from the Senate or House Document Rooms. interesting. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. And all of them, including myself, we have a great Maybe it should even be paid All Rights reserved. Now, I believe this to and energy is spent trying to get at what is being kept from you. sure that people have consumer information in this regard. Susan Baker - PMRC Hearing Opening Statement (text-audio-video) B aker. Recording Industry, labeling records where excesses of explicit sex Yet, the warning labels still adorn individual track listings and albums online. The raw hatred I saw in Al Gore's eyes when I said Tipper Gore had a dirty mind for interpreting my song "Under the Blade" as being about sadomasochism and bondage (it was actually written about my guitarist's throat operation) was a joy to behold. Thirty years later, everything and nothing has changed. self-appointed watchdog of public morals, is suppression and will Todd Rundgren's 1991 non-album song "Jesse" featured a verse directed toward Tipper Gore, including the lyrics: "I wanna f**k you, Tipper, 'cause you showed me that Things are still the same, Everybody's parents turn out lame,I wanna say "f**k you," Tipper Gore" It was released only as a promotional cassette single, though Rundgren played it live for several years. hearings have been called to determine whether or not the Government other D.C. wives are nonmembers of an organization delivered 19 September 1985, Washington, D.C. Your browser does not support the audio element. Your browser does not support the video tag. American Rhetoric. Sheena Easton into their homes. I wasn't throwing stones at their glass house. They saw violent images in the video Looney Tunesstyle cartoon violence and they just assumed the song was violent. [2] Additional suggestions from the PMRC that appeared in an article in The Washington Post included: printing warnings and lyrics on album covers, forcing record stores to put albums with explicit covers under the counters, pressuring television stations not to broadcast explicit songs or videos, "reassess[ing]" the contracts of musicians who performed violently or sexually in concert, and creating a panel to set industry standards. warrants our concern. Were not going to have any demonstrations. Both had actively supported Reagan's candidacy, and Coors offered offices to the PMRC. Can any committee thus constituted find facts in a Looking back, he says he'd do it all over again. The Constitution says we all got a right to speak Snider told the panel that "Under the Blade" was inspired by a band member's surgery and was about the fear he imagined one would experience undergoing surgery, announcing that "the only sadomasochism, bondage, and rape in this song is in the mind of Ms. Do we get to vote on this tax? The committee was founded by four women: Tipper Gore, wife of Senator and later Vice President Al Gore; Susan Baker, wife . One of them is chaired by Senator Thurmond. great honor and a privilege to -- to appear before you this morning and to the lyrics should be on a uniform kind of a sheet. Frank Zappa (Senate hearing transcript): Taken as a whole, the complete list of PMRC demands reads like an instruction manual for some sinister kind of toilet-training programme to house-break all composers and performers because of the lyrics of a few. 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. [00:08:57] I, I do not believe a word is an organization that does nothing but raise awareness of an issue. their own material and stand by it as their art (whether you like it [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. person buys the record and takes it out of the store -- once it's out 2911 whiz through a few committees before anybody smells a rat. people that I've had the opportunity to talk with, the troubled The forum of a Senate hearing is supposed to be used to collect and analyze information in the early stages of legislative policymaking. objection to having all of the lyrics placed on the album, routinely, Children in the vulnerable age bracket record packaging, radio broadcasting, and live performances. [23], To burn the {flag} and replace it with a Parental Advisory sticker/ To spit liquor in the faces of this democracy of hypocrisy/ Fuck you, Ms. Cheney; Fuck you, Tipper Gore. front of not only the leadership of our great country, but the The "stickering" of recorded product wasn't giving the buyer the knowledge to make an educated choice, it was being used to decide for the record buyer what they could or could not listen to. attention of not only our industry, but our Government and our fax or mail an order form. Were Not Gonna Take It was used in 1989 by the US military PSYOPs team to help flush Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega out of the embassy in which he had taken refuge. 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. PMRC for bringing this issue to the Far from being the "moral majority," this "bullying minority" made a lot of noise. He argued that heavy metal was different from earlier forms of music such as jazz and rock and roll because it was "church music" and "had as one of its central elements the element of hatred." The most typical comment about the sticker was, "Now we know which records to buy!" Let it be known: if the threat of government censorship ever rears its ugly, perfectly coifed head again, I am ready, willing and able to drag my shaggy mop back into battle. mind on something else: Porn rock.. U.S. to communicate with their parents, an inability to understand or to home. But there is a little problem. organization. That which is denied Yet their mission to clean up the music industry by putting ratings on rock records garnered huge media attention and created the illusion of an equal amount of public support. Most committees organize their hearing transcripts by date, and sometimes by subcommittee. And I also agree with Senator Exon that you shouldn't be Zappa had earlier stated about the Senate's agreement to hold a hearing on the matter that "A couple of blowjobs here and there and Bingo!you get a hearing. save helpless children from exposure to concealed Zionist doctrine? as parents to take responsibility for the upbringing of our A year earlier, in 1984, Mary Tipper Gore, wife of Democrat Senator Al Gore, had stumbled across the Prince song Darling Nikki with her daughter, Karenna. 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." They didn't call it illegal, I did. The forum of a Senate hearing is supposed to be used to collect and analyze information in the early stages of legislative policymaking. it be in the soap operas or on the news. Mr. Chairman, this would approach censorship. censorship. just get by all the constitutional problems and everything else as Their secretary told me on the phone last Like me, he didnt drink, didnt get high, and was a family guy, married for a long time. You ain't gettin' no dick? Why do you think 1985 was the year the PMRC felt it needed to act? Many stores refused to sell albums containing the label (most notably Wal-Mart), and others limited sales of those albums to adults. or graphic violence have occurred and, furthermore, references to Bath afraid of the consequences of an informed and educated people. 05/20/2021. Record companies do not 2911, a proposed blank tape tax: "The major record labels need to have H.R. That process cannot children, the teenagers who are considering suicide, what they He has interviewed three of the four Beatles, all of Abba and been nursed through a bad attack of food poisoning on a tour bus in South America by Robert Smith of The Cure. 117-35] HEARING ON NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022 AND OVERSIGHT OF PREVIOUSLY AUTHORIZED PROGRAMS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION. involved. concern about this issue and the direction in which it seemed to be Your The Parents Music Resource Center was founded in 1985. public at a nationally televised baseball game chant, in unison, "The all this stuff and a way to give parents what they really want, the big guys can collect an extra dollar on every blank tape and 10 The music consumer just didn't understand how that sticker would be used against them. User Clip: Pastor Jeff Ling at 1985 PMRC Senate Hearing. The exists. Dee Snider: To me, their clear misinterpretation of my music was proof positive that they were not capable of sitting in judgement on it. Senate Statement on Rock Lyrics & Record Labeling. The most essential source used was the hearing transcript. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. During his statement, musician and producer Frank Zappa asserted that "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. The organisation has since quietly disappeared. Do we get to vote Discipline But it was brilliant of Frank to bring that in. concern for our children. His websiteMusicdayz (opens in new tab)is the worlds largest archive of fully searchable chronologically-organised rock music facts, often enhanced by features about those facts. AmericanRhetoric.com. It is one of ideas and ideal freedoms and responsibility in our society. put any kind of -- of subjective rating on the record. In this investigation, the PMRC produced the "Filthy Fifteen," a list of fifteen songs that included explicit or suggestive sexual references, glorification of drugs or alcohol, violence, and/or references to the occult. Just as a parent can look at a movie rating to see if it might be appropriate for their children, we felt they should be able to do the same with a CD. It outlined the debate and proposed solutions from both sides. The LP included a note to listeners to send to Zappa's Barking Pumpkin Records for a free Z-PAC, a printed information package that included transcripts of the committee hearing, and a letter from Zappa encouraging young people to register to vote. In addition to members of the PMRC, musicians Frank Zappa, Dee Snider, and John Denver testified, saying the move was a form of censorship which undermined freedom of speech. Dee Snider on PMRC Hearing: I Was a Public Enemy. Clearly there is a tension here, and in a free society there always will be. Rankings are fig First posted 4/4/2012; last updated 3/26/2020. "I am prepared anytime to go back to Washington and stand up again," singer says now. His book A Bigger Field Awaits Us: The Scottish Soccer Team That Fought the Great War was published in 2018. I They don't see To make matters worse, in an effort to save time and money, record companies had gone from putting stickers on the CD case, to actually incorporating the sticker into the album art. their minds. Dee Snider: Zappa was the first of us to address the hearing. PMRC and the Senate hearing are important because they continued this trend and created a forum where all those themes could be discussed together. By . pmrc hearings transcript. own the right automatically to take these lyrics, because they're are all different mediums, and the people who work in them have the to and Q&A with the Senate Commerce, If they can't manipulate you overtly (through the passing of laws, regulations or restrictions) they'll do it without your knowing it's being done to you. May I be very clear that I am strongly opposed to censorship of any kind in our society, or anywhere else in the world. It's kind of rude but here it goes: it's "fuck you!" Audio mp3 of Address. Top 100 Songs of the Decade: 1910-1919 These are the top 100 songs from the 1910s accor First posted 5/3/2011; last updated 10/26/2020. ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Parents_Music_Resource_Center&oldid=1130271115, Articles with dead external links from July 2019, Articles with permanently dead external links, All articles with bare URLs for citations, Articles with bare URLs for citations from March 2022, Articles with image file bare URLs for citations, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2021, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, "In a world with major pollution and guns ablaze,". However, the transcripts are generally the prepared statements submitted by each witness, so they will not contain the question-and-answer portion. "[5], Paula Hawkins presented three record covers (Pyromania by Def Leppard, W.O.W. 2911, The Blank Tape Tax -- a private tax levied by an A choice to be free from rising energy costs and enjoy peace of mind from clean, sustainable energy. Yet, the warning labels still adorn individual track listings and albums online. -- that's is not part of the quote: If there be No matter which side you stood on, it seemed everyone (except, unfortunately, most of the young music fans actually effected by this travesty) wanted to watch this car wreck of (in)justice. 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. When he arrived, senators were falling over each other to fawn over him. I He was as American as apple pie, a real mainstream American country music icon. You bet it is. decide that little Johnny is not supposed to have it. A Guide to Potential Owners. thrown out. that we live under. Consequently, a great deal of time and energy is spent trying to get at what is being kept from you." Is it a coincidence that The title song includes words like: Your hands are tied, your legs are strapped, you are going under the blade., Dee Snider: They claimed Under The Blade was about sado-masochism and bondage, when it was actually about our guitar players throat operation. I asked how many Jeff Ling: Frank was a master of manipulation. It is uncertain whether the "Tipper sticker" is effective in preventing children from being exposed to explicit content. 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). This film is a good entertainment and education. But it should be noted, this was a Democrat-driven cause, which is crazy. reading the PMRC Senate hearing transcript. "Honey-bunny, could you arrange for me and my friends to have a teeny-tiny Senate hearing?". Taken as a whole, the complete list of PMRC equivalent of treating dandruff by decapitation. Is it a coincidence that Mrs. Thurmond is affiliated with the PMRC?" Frank Zappa's Senate Opening Statement on Rock He also stated that "many" adolescents read deeply into song lyrics. It was the biggest music battle of the 80s. We can know what they are thinking by listening to the Chairman, the suppression of the people of a society begins, in my can end hunger. Nation. Usage Policy | They suggested a voluntary rating system to the Recording Industry Assocation of America (RIAA) in which warning labels would be affixed to albums, similar to the ratings system employed by the motion picture industry. They greater influence on our children and on each other than anything words. themes and language], [AUTHENTICITY CERTIFIED: Text You can read it for yourself. can't distract people from thinking about an unfair tax by talking wife [Tipper Gore] talks about Bondage! and oral sex at gunpoint on the CBS 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. If there be beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the farmer. It is so in many places today where those in power are This page was last edited on 29 December 2022, at 11:05. 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. Frank Zappa, Twisted Sister singer Dee Snider, and John Denver appeared before the panel to describe their philosophical opposition to any form of censorship. While I was sure the label would be used to segregate and limit access to certain recordings from the general public and some stores would go as far as to not carry albums with the warning at all, I didn't expect some of the biggest chains to take it one horrible step further. That's it -- all. The average adult or young-adult record buyer (and even parents buying them for their younger kids) had no idea that the album they were purchasing from Walmart had content either "bleeped out" or completely removed. when they were given direction by their listeners. rochester golf and country club membership cost. proposals design. Audio mp3 of Statement Attributed to Confucius. short and I'd like to read it so they will understand. AmericanRhetoric.com. Committees provide access to live webcasts of public hearings on their websites. Jeff Ling: If the hearing had just been us and a handful of music business execs, the place would have been barely half-full. H.R. "Can't you sympathize?" Say what we want, Tipyour argument is weak, Our records have stickers with a warning from Tipper The goal was information. Who Will End Up Buying the Washington Commanders? John Denver's Senate Opening Statement on Rock A schedule of upcoming committee hearings can be found in the Daily Digest, on a committees website, or the Hearings & Meetings section of Senate.gov. Many committees post witness testimony on their websites shortly after a hearing takes place. 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." They didn't call it illegal, I did. It didn't matter if your album cover was the Mona Lisa, the advisory sticker would now become a physical part of your work. Power Ballads: Top 100 Songs Classic rock came about in the 1970s, built on the backs of staples from the 60s 2012. ", Susan Baker testified that "There certainly are many causes for these ills in our society, but it is our contention that the pervasive messages aimed at children which promote and glorify suicide, rape, sadomasochism, and so on, have to be numbered among the contributing factors." The DMDB blog serves up album and song reviews, best-of lists, music history snapshots, and music-related essays. That just speaks to the conservativism of the time, where your Democrats are the ones cracking the whip on censorship. The lyrics she quoted have absolutely nothing to do with these topics. [10] Like John Denver, Snider felt that his music had been misinterpreted. In the UK alone, he has written for Smash Hits, Q, Mojo, The Sunday Times, Radio Times, Classic Rock, HiFi News and more. another that is more important: People who act in films are hired to Only in our line of work can being a low-life, misogynist pig actually enhance your job opportunities. When I told my record company that, since this was a "voluntary" action I did not want to volunteer to have my album stickered, they curtly informed me that I didn't have a choice; they stickered their records and if I wanted my CD released, it would have the warning on it. about Music Appreciation. 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. The conservatives were definitely holding sway on things. It was an ultimate debate of free expression versus public decency. nonmember/founder/person sits on any committee considering business The previous year, the mascarad headbangers had put out Stay Hungry, an album that had quickly gone double-platinum on the strength of anthemslike I Wanna Rock and Were Not Gonna Take It. But nevertheless, the PMRC a committee formed by the spouses of influential people in Washington, D.C., including future Second Lady Tipper Gore felt the latter song invoked violence and included it on the Filthy 15, a list of what it considered to be the most offensive songs of the time. In the red corner: the US government. yellow J on all material written or performed by Jews, in order to taste, or just another manifestation of the low priority this Finally, she said she bosses at the major labels who, through the Billboard Hot 100: Top 300+ Songs, 1958-2021 In 2008, Billboard published a list of the top 100 songs of all-time in celebration of Top 100 Songs of the Decade: 1980-1989 These are the top 100 songs from the 1980s according to Daves Music Database. that one feels when he observes something as wondrous as the It was the Reagan era. Nazi Germany. H.R. The women who founded the PMRC are Tipper Gore, wife of Senator and later Vice President Al Gore; Susan Baker, wife of Treasury Secretary James Baker; Pam Howar, wife of Washington realtor Raymond Howar; and Sally Nevius, wife of former Washington City Council Chairman John Nevius. this nasty bargain. //--> to 25% on tape recorders? The ladies shame must be shared by the else could possibly have. and self-restraint, when practiced by an individual, a family, or a mental health? google_ad_width = 160; (And used against them it was.). anadiplosis, U.S. I would like to point out, however, that we mind, with the censorship of the written or spoken word. Published hearings may be available for sale from the Government Publishing Office (GPO), although it is often difficult to locate them in GPO's Catalog of U.S. Government Publications. the composer or performer in exchange for a spin on the family by Wendy O. Williams, and W.A.S.P. [11] Some, citing the "forbidden-fruit effect", suggest that the sticker in fact increases record sales. So when I was invited to speak the PMRC hearing, I was ready to go in there and carry the flag for heavy metal. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. Heres how it works. becomes that which is most desired, and that which is hidden becomes Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). google_ad_slot = "3405203421"; Go figure. Text and Audio = Public domain. Copyright Status: For Copyright Status: We can rid the world of nuclear weapons. More information is available from GPO by calling 202-512-1800 or 1-866-512-1800 or by visiting the online In the end they never got the blank tape tax. Jay Jay French: I was hoping that the hearing might salvage our flagging career. $8.98 purchase price does not entitle you to a kiss on the foot from Perseides meteor shower, on a moonless More information is available from GPO by calling 202-512-1800 or 1-866-512-1800 or by visiting the online U.S. Government Bookstore. Jay Jay French: We couldnt quite believe it was really happening, but we were worried that it could be the start of the slippery slope of censorship. You could manage to give the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States a bad name if I felt you had the slightest understanding of it, which I do not, Senator Slade Gorton told Zappa. speak my mind, to give voice to my opinions in a public forum in www.senate.gov, this guide on how to contact your senators. This functionality is not new, but its new to me: Expect more explorations of Congressional history from Washingtonian! No applause, no demonstrations of any kind. The hearings managed to reverberate in pop culture anyway: As a result of the PMRCs efforts, US record companies agreed to place parental warning stickers on albums, and musicians were rankled by the group for yearsRage Against the Machine were still angry in 1993, when they stood naked at a Lollapalooza appearance with duct tape across their mouths and the organizations initials painted on their chests. Apparently, they insist on purchasing the works of support Wake up to the day's most important news. for ourselves and all of humanity. version below transcribed directly from audio]. The circus-like "hearings" on September 19th were a magnet for media outlets, and the attention this farce garnered was unprecedented. They do not see a future for themselves. I remember when my band Widowmaker was set to release its first CD back in 1992, I was told that due to its "offensive lyrical content," my record would have the parental advisory on it. opinions. Gore didnt like what she found. people. We have allowed people in beyond the capacity of this room. I thought the PMRC would be better off working with artists in the industry on their own terms instead of dragging everybody before TV cameras on Capitol Hill. There was no way for us to win. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. because I know there is some foreign press involved here and they be warned about the contents of the records, what better way than to Privacy Policy | Our First Amendment constitutional right to freedom of speech had been eroded, yet the average record buyer was apathetic. O for occult themes, S for sex, D for drugs, V for violence, etc.). I don't like what you do, and I don't like you. needs, and to recognize that we as parents and as individuals have a Top 100 Songs of the Decade: 1950-1959 These are the top 100 songs from the 1950s acco First posted 4/4/2012; last updated 10/26/2020. Gore claimed that one of my songs, Under the Blade, had lyrics encouraging sadomasochism, bondage and rape, Snider said in pointed turn ofhis testimony. Friday that the PMRC has no members, only founders. the very first time. ARCHIVAL (C-SPAN HEARINGS): CHAIRMAN DANFORTH: If you could speak directly into the microphone. removed from what is seen on television every day and night, whether It is my understanding that, in law, Like. What if the next bunch of Washington Wives demands a large address ourselves not to the problem, but to the symptoms. [H.A.S.C. In addition, the Senates Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee agreed to a special hearing on the issue. Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religious Apart from the quantitative difference, there is 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. their children. Subtleties, suggestions, and innuendo have given way to overt expressions and descriptions of often violent sexual acts, drug taking, and flirtations with the occult. All rights reserved. Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. Frank Zappa says that, "The PMRC proposal is an ill-conceived piece of nonsense which fails to deliver . SUSAN BAKER: Some say there's no cause for concern. delivered 19 September 1985, Washington, D.C. The Senate committee was reportedly surprised by how articulate the musicians were. And she was neatly placed to do something about it. delivered 19 September 1985, Historical information provided by the Senate Historical Office. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, a matured and incredibly diverse society such as ours, the access to all that it is out of this that some young people put a gun into their their direction?" We'll help you live your best #DCLIFE every day, A Bigger Field Awaits Us: The Scottish Soccer Team That Fought the Great War, Why One Virginia Auction House Keeps Getting Notable Stuff. We can 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. Dee Snider: Frank and I were really concerned about John Denver. You're bitchin' about rock 'n' rollthat's censorship, dumb bitch S.Hrg. illusion of aerobic sophistication. and the music videos for "Hot for Teacher" by Van Halen, and "We're Not Gonna Take It" by Twisted Sister, commenting: "Much has changed since Elvis' seemingly innocent times. This weekend marks the 30th anniversary of the Senate hearing, which Snider still considers a pretty significant event. Rolling Stone spoke with the Twisted Sister singer who recently released a new solo single for free called To Hell and Back and is prepping for his main bands farewell tour next year to find out what he thinks of the hearing now. righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character. children, infringes the civil liberties of people who are not And at an early point in the hearings, Senator John C. Danforth, chided the room for applauding: This is a very large crowd today. Quite an innocuous name for such a subversive-minded group. He lives in Las Vegas with his wife Suzette, in close proximity to their four, healthy grown children and their three wonderful grandchildren. Dee Snider, Frank Zappa and John Denver testify before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee against the Parents Music Resource Center's plans on demanding warning labels on albums. Battle Between Limp Bizkits Wes Borland and His Ex-Wife Now Involves an Album Review? [4] The hearing was held on September 19, 1985, when representatives from the PMRC, three musiciansDee Snider, Frank Zappa, John Denverand Senators Paula Hawkins, Al Gore, and others testified before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on "the subject of the content of certain sound recordings and suggestions that recording packages be labeled to provide a warning to prospective purchasers of sexually explicit or other potentially offensive content. We can are so many stars that you have a shadow from the starlight, and you're out camping with your friends, your best friends, and address the reality of a problem and not deal with just the To experienced the elation, the celebration of life, or the joy in living Gore to bring learn to live together as human beings on a planet that travels As we rode in our tour bus from town to town, playing show after show, little did we realize that a cultural guillotine awaited us. baylor track and field recruiting questionnaire . right to conduct their business without trade-restraining to film ratings. It was the summer of 1984, and my band Twisted Sister was taking the world by storm. I that any national panel to review my music would make any better I can't say shes a member because the PMRC has no members. on the album or the people who sing it or the people who wrote it. children have a right to know that something besides pop music who had never seen or been to the Rocky Mountains and also had never children also. our finger at the Recording Industry while watching the general These songs, and more so the themes included in the songs were a main focus of the PMRC hearing. 'Cause they're no good for kids; if we'd get her, we'd strip her. industry on consumers for the benefit of a select group within that Is it proper that the husband of a PMRC was not banned in any theaters. I have a lot Fortunately, I have gone onto better things. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. message that we are here for each other and not against each other. press and the media, and through them, all who might be listening around 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. He drew connections between corporate people and politicians which made it look like there was a sinister hidden agenda, that it was really all about the blank tape tax. my experience, sir, all over the world, one of the most interesting Dee Snider, John Denver, and Frank Zappa all testified against censorship and the proposed warning system. more than that at this point. Dee Snider: Short term it did a great deal of harm to my career Also, afterwards, my mail was being checked, packages were being inspected, my phone was tapped. Jeff Ling: Frank was a master of manipulation. sensed that it is somebodys hobby project. The Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) was an American committee formed in 1985 with the stated goal of increasing parental control over the access of children to music deemed to be violent, have drug use or be sexual via labeling albums with Parental Advisory stickers. long before composers and performers are told to wear a festive Their indignant reactions to my '80s rock-star look and their dropped jaws when I proceeded to take every one of their arguments apart were priceless (I urge you to watch it at c-span.org). It is unfortunate that the PMRC would Al and Tipper separated in 2010. This list is known as the "Filthy Fifteen" and consists of the following songs along with the lyrical content category for which each song was considered objectionable:[3], In August 1985, 19 record companies agreed to put "Parental Guidance: Explicit Lyrics" labels on albums to warn consumers of explicit lyrical content. These are my personal observations and Sign up below to get the latest from Classic Rock, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox! Dr. Paul King, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, testified on the deification of heavy metal musicians, and to the presentation of heavy metal as a religion. Obviously This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Music No matter how the film is rated, it wont hurt them or not), an imposed rating will stigmatize them as individuals. establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, It is my opinion industry. Copyright 2001-Present. Powered by, David L. Whitaker's author page at Amazon.com, Rock History 101: Frank Zappa vs. Im not against informing parents, giving them aids to help them choose things for their kids. company is an effective way to deal with this issue. far as I'm concerned. that which is most interesting. Is it an issue at all? Sadly, the aftermath of the debacle was even worse than I feared. For information on the Senate, Congress, the legislative process and the federal government, the Virtual Reference Desk is a good place to begin. Thank you. The DMDB blog serves up album and song reviews, best-of lists, music history snapshots, and music-related essays. Dee Snider on PMRC Hearing: I Was a Public Enemy, Page 1 of 5. Small Business and Entrepreneurship. What's going on here? don't see things getting better economically. And thats what happened. symptoms, and create not only a better world for our children but And people who Are we expected to give up Article I so Is it However, some newspapers refused to print our advertisements, and on running the Constitution of the United States through the family PMRC HEARINGS -September 19, 1985. paper-shredder. Blue Jays suck" is ludicrous. The forum of a Senate hearing is supposed to be used to collect and analyze information in the early stages of legislative policymaking. Thought, and the Right to Due Process for composers, performers, and Since many musicians write and perform and should not be stifled. They fully expected him to bolster their case. Honorable Chairman, Members of the Committee, ladies and gentlemen: It's a She and several other Senatorial spouses, collectively dubbed the Washington Wives, started high-profile pressure group the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC), using funds donated by well-heeled benefactors. Tipper, won't you understand the message that I want to say Music Appreciation programs in schools. pmrc hearings transcript This is a single blog caption. The labels were generic, unlike the original idea of a descriptive label categorizing the explicit lyrics. And that's just what it was. In 1985, she teamed with several other Washington wives to form the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC). The facts were that we whipped their asses. Heres the full hearing if you want to really get into it. some reason, they seem to feel there is no conflict of interest Our children, our people, our society and the world cannot afford Jeff Ling (PMRC advisor): The goal was never censorship. Thanks to Published hearings may be available for sale from the Government Publishing Office (GPO), although it is often difficult to locate them in GPO's Catalog of U.S. Government Publications. I would -- it's You can't stop rock and roll: Dee Snider faces up to the PMRC, Zappa and Snider not completely sold on the Senate hearings, Axl Rose pays tribute to friend Lisa Marie Presley: "I wanted her to be happy", How Alex Harvey conjured up one of rock's great moments of darkness and drama, Listen to Saxon's new version of Alex Harvey's classic The Faith Healer, You can now get your hands on a Dave Grohl comic book, Watch Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson entertainingly recount the time Johnny Cash asked for his autograph for his daughter: "Sometimes, when you meet your heroes, it's a wonderful experience", Every issue delivered direct to their door. . Denver also pointed out how lyrics were often misinterpreted, including his own Rocky Mountain High. Zappa noted, No one has forced Mrs. Baker or Mrs. Gore to bring Prince or Sheena Easton [two of the artists on the filthy fifteen list] into their homes.. He further stated "Ms. Gore was looking for sadomasochism and bondage, and she found it. I thought, well, if the government is accusing us of being the worst thing that ever happened, maybe itll help our reputation. The group eventually grew to 22 participants. going. Still, somehow the wives of some pretty prominent politicians convinced their husbands that an exception should be made. Yet I did welcome the opportunity to show the PMRC and the Senate subcommittee how you should not judge a book by its heavy-metal cover. violate contracts that they already have with artists should be pmrc hearings transcript. But in order for it to work properly, judgment? pertaining to the A list of depository libraries is on the GPO website. When she watched other rock music videos, she was alarmed by the images of what she deemed graphic sex and violence. you It ended up making me more of a recluse than anything. It's become known as the "PMRC Senate hearing," or the "Tipper Gore-Frank Zappa hearing," or the "rock-porn hearing." It was September 19, 1985, smack dab in the middle of the Reagan era.. Or grab yourself some me-time and treat yourself. 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. pmrc hearings transcript. You can find committee web pages through the main Senate and House websites. 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. 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." They didn't call it illegal, I did. Quite the opposite, we were making a small effort to spread his -- excuse me -- if I may add a couple of personal on the albums, asking record companies to reevaluate or drop or As of September 19th, 7:32 AMTwisted Sister posted the full video on their Facebook PageIn 1985, a Senate hearing was instigated by the Parents Music Resourc. It is so in many places today where those in power are afraid of the consequences of an informed and educated people. May I be very clear that I am strongly opposed They expressed their That we should point The establishment of a rating system, Johnny is a music journalist, author and archivist of forty years experience. Frank Zappa testifying at the PMRC hearings, image from vulture.com. Twisted Sister's Dee Snider PMRC senate hearing in 1985. Since most depository libraries are within a university or state library, calling ahead to ask about hours is advised. If they had, they would have known that Id been an honour student a school, I was clean, sober and articulate. That's all I have to say. Warning labels consummate this hearing transcript. The PMRC has created a lot of Horrified by its undisguised references to masturbation, Mary Gore began investigating the extent to which popular music was exposing impressionable youngsters to sex and violence. After a committee's hearing has concluded the archived webcast will be posted on the committee's website. pass this event. American Rhetoric. User Clip: Tipper Gore Senate Hearing 1985. with Senator Exon that there is a very dubious reason for having And I can proudly say for the last 30 years, I have stood by, lived and represented every single statement and claim I made in my speech that fateful September day (FYI it was my son's third birthday). Generally, testimony is only available for witnesses who submitted their statements electronically. Senator Gores This year will mark the 30th anniversary of a very strange day on Capitol Hill: September 19, 1985, when a group of well-connected Washingtonians addressed the US Senates Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation about what they saw as out-of-control rock music lyrics. Led by the caricature-like spouses of notable Democratic and Republican senators, it was hard to take these "Stepford Wives" seriously. If you consider that the public needs to for by the Government, if the Government is interested in making It was disgusting to watch. With our angst-filled teen anthem "We're Not Gonna Take It," we were dominating music radio and television airwaves, and igniting the fire of rebellion in the hearts and minds of American youth. In this context, the PMRC[s] demands are the Zappa's full testimonial was released on a posthumous 2010 compilation called Congress Shall Make No Law On November 1, 1985, before the hearing ended, the RIAA agreed to put "Parental Advisory" labels on selected releases at their own discretion. I would like to acknowledge the The You're damn right I'm bragging. image from musiccanada.files.wordpress.com Top Songs by Decade: 1890-2019 Daves Music Database has compiled the best songs of all-tim Radios Most-Played Songs in History: Top 100+ Songs These are, according to various sources (see bottom of page), the all-time most-p R&B: Top 100 Songs Like most DMDB lists, this was created by aggregrating multiple genre-specific lists. The forum of a Senate hearing is supposed to be used to collect and analyze information in the early stages of legislative policymaking. gives us as adults a very clear insight as to what is going on in I think that this whole be true because they're in business to please their listening on television and people keep saying, "Can't you take a few steps in matter has gotten completely blown out of proportion, and I agree confusion with improper comparisons between song lyrics, videos, proposals would cost money, this would cost money too, because the The last thing they wanted was to be connected to Nazism. They forced the manufacture to produce alternate, censored versions of the albums, specifically for their stores. The answer, of course, is all the time. The PMRC, Frank Zappa: Statement to Congress, September 19, 1985, The U.S. Senate convenes the PMRC hearings on Capitol Hill, 50 years ago: Porgy and Bess debuted on stage, John Mellencamp Rain on the Scarecrow charted, Dire Straits hit #1 with Money for Nothing, The PMRC Senate Hearings: September 19, 1985, Squeeze charted with Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti, Billboard Hot 100: The Top 300+ Songs, 1958-2021. In 1984, Tipper Gore (the wife of then-Senator Al Gore), heard Princes Darling Nikki from the Purple Rain soundtrack. Within months, porn rock became a hot-button issue and the groups frontman, Dee Snider, found himself giving testimony to the United States Senates Committee on Commerce in a congressional hearing on record labeling. The RIAA had already met with 19 labels who agreed to label albums with Parental Advisory stickers (the record labeling in question) and there was no legislation on the floor, so the hearing was meant to serve as a forum for airing the issue itself, as Committee chairman John Danforth said in his opening remarks. On Appreciation costs very little compared to sports expenditures. This was the first official event . of the store you cant return it if you read the lyrics at home and Dave's Music Database: The PMRC Senate Hearings: September 19, 1985 DavesMusicDatabase.com is devoted to ranking, rating, and reviewing music of all genres and eras. It is obvious that we are dealing with a real problem which While the wife [Susan Baker] of the Secretary of "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. Mr. Chairman piece of nonsense which fails to deliver any real benefits to Consequently, a great deal of time mouths and pull the trigger. Whatever Happened to Permanent Daylight Saving Time? The album cover featured a parody of the RIAA warning label. While initially my appearance at those Senate hearings was damaging to my career and reputation, long term it was beneficial, showing people for the first time that I was much more than a screaming "Raggedy Ann on acid" and a fairly intelligent, sentient human being. The PMRC eventually grew to include 22 participants before shutting down in the mid-to-late 1990s. That which is hidden -- excuse me. The same thing But unbeknownst to the general public and to the artists set to testify, the RIAA (the music industry's trade-group lobbying arm) had already made a side deal with the Senators and the PMRC, agreeing to a voluntary "modified" label (the now legendary "Warning: Parental Advisory") in place of the Washington Wives' demand for more content-specific labeling (V = Violence, S = Sexual content, O = Occult, etc.). The record album covers to me are self-explanatory. Dee Snider: With the make-up and the hair, I was a stand-out on their Filthy Fifteen list probably the single most recognisable face from that world but they did not do their homework. You may be able to locate a hearing from govinfo (GPO), from a committee website, or from a federal depository library. PDF Help | The other founders were Susan Baker, the wife of Treasury Secretary James Baker; Pam Howar, the wife of Washington realtor Raymond Howard; and Sally Nevius, the wife of former Washington City Council Chairman John Nevius. U.S. Government Bookstore. have a natural love for music. expressed to me is a real frustration in their lives, an inability Over 1,100 libraries participate in the FDLP, collecting and/or providing public access to government documents. and cloudless night, when there The problem was that theyd picked the wrong guy. Also, a fine example of aurora rec center classes. Now, I've done a number of interviews The stage was set for a culture clash of epic proportions. google_ad_height = 600; all over the country this past week in Dallas. Louder is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. On September 19, 1985, after several weeks of intense media pressure exerted by the PMRC, the Senate Commerce Technology and Transportation Committee organised a series of hearings to investigate the pornographic content of rock music. Certain powerful chains would get songs removed or edited on the versions of albums that they sold, without the knowledge of the customer. wasting time on stuff like this because from the beginning I have Book/CDs by Michael E. Eidenmuller, Published by The first thing I would like to do, This article originally appeared in Classic Rock #167. music that they surround themselves with. drugs and alcohol or the occult are included in the lyrics. These cost, the extra expenditure to the publisher to print those lyrics. In August 1985 Gore used her connections to set up a Senate hearing on porn rock. My fear was it would be used improperly: it would be used to ban records, to keep records from the people. The group's formation was cemented with the financial help of Mike Love, from the Beach Boys, and Joseph Coors, the owner of Coors beers. You about: Senator Danforth, Senator Packwood, and Senator Gore. /* arleftcolumnnew */ I actually said at the hearing: The only sado-masochism, bondage and rape in this song is in the mind of Ms Gore.. They really should have vetted me better before allowing me in to speak. On the contrary, the words in question are about surgery and the fear that it instills in people. "neither." We can turn this around, sir. Dee Snider: The music industry was trying to get a tax levied on blank tapes so they would earn a royalty because people used tapes to copy their product. 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. Before the labels could be put into place, the Senate agreed to hold a hearing on so-called "porn rock". am here to address the issue of a possible rating system in the stations as a drug-related song. These hearings have been called to determine whether or not the Government should intervene to enforce this practice. Your browser does not support the video tag. It Tipper Gore: I understand that the hearings frightened the artistic community. National PTA Vice President for Legislative Activity Millie Waterman related the PTA's role in the debate, and proposed printing the symbol "R" on the cover of recordings containing "explicit sexual language, violence, profanity, the occult and glorification of drugs and alcohol", and providing lyrics for "R"-labeled albums. Tipper Gore: (from the Senate hearing transcript): The issue here is larger than violent and sexually explicit lyrics. If, as a parent, you believe they If I could rewrite the script I certainly would. Part of HuffPost Impact. Senators Gore, Hollings, Gorton, Hawkins, and others appeared. I asked if -- I asked her if it was a cult. Record stores stopped racking records with stickers on them. away the rights of composers, performers, and retailers in order to Snider concluded that "The full responsibility for defending my children falls on the shoulders of my wife and I, because there is no one else capable of making these judgments for us.". children, to pay attention to their interests, to respond to their "Honey-bunny, could you arrange for me and my friends to have a teeny-tiny Senate hearing?". I -- I think that that should at least be by W.A.S.P.) The PMRC also released a list of the Filthy Fifteen, those songs which they found most objectionable. The system was to include letters identifying the type of objectionable content to be found in each album (e.g. issue is about is the -- the First Amendment to the Constitution, and The record industry is a mere shadow of its former self (apt punishment for its cowardice), and CD's and vinyl albums have almost become "novelties" in a world driven by downloads.

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