[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. PMRC HEARINGS -September 19, 1985. 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. record companies would need -- they -- they shouldn't be forced to bear the Now, I've done a number of interviews 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. One of them is chaired by Senator Thurmond. Thanks to That just speaks to the conservativism of the time, where your Democrats are the ones cracking the whip on censorship. 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. Also, a fine example of 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. concern about this issue and the direction in which it seemed to be Victrola. owned by the publishing companies. Subtleties, suggestions, and innuendo have given way to overt expressions and descriptions of often violent sexual acts, drug taking, and flirtations with the occult. needs, and to recognize that we as parents and as individuals have a 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. They really should have vetted me better before allowing me in to speak. 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. Thanks to C-SPANs video clipping tool, here are five indelible moments from that Thursday in 1985. quote a wise old man from ancient China: "If there be righteousness," not self-righteousness 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. 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. retailers are imperiled if the PMRC and the major labels consummate Johns testimony was powerfully damaging. We want to hear it. by W.A.S.P.) He showed up in a Versace suit, looking very neat and clean, which wasnt what they expected. The group eventually grew to 22 participants. If I could rewrite the script I certainly would. children, to pay attention to their interests, to respond to their 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. Brother. These hearings have been called to determine whether or not the Government should intervene to enforce this practice. ", 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,". 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. Book/CDs by Michael E. Eidenmuller, Published by I would like to point out, however, that we let them see exactly what the songs say? Dee Snider: You should have seen the panic set into their faces. person buys the record and takes it out of the store -- once it's out sure that people have consumer information in this regard. Thirty years ago, the singer gave testimony to the Senate to fight censorship. people. Senate Statement on Rock Lyrics & Record Labeling. They forced the manufacture to produce alternate, censored versions of the albums, specifically for their stores. [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. 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. something more uplifting. My song "Rocky Mountain High" was banned from many radio By . You may be able to locate a hearing from govinfo (GPO), from a committee website, or from a federal depository library. 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. are so many stars that you have a shadow from the starlight, and you're out camping with your friends, your best friends, and removed from what is seen on television every day and night, whether other D.C. wives are nonmembers of an organization home. Andrew Beaujon joined Washingtonian in late 2014. I asked if -- I asked her if it was a cult. problem, Mr. Chairman, in my opinion, has to do with our willingness 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 have violent, drug-related or sexual themes via labeling albums with Parental Advisory stickers. On the contrary, the words in question are about surgery and the fear that it instills in people. Power Ballads: Top 100 Songs Classic rock came about in the 1970s, built on the backs of staples from the 60s 2012. that raises money by mail, has a tax-exempt status, and seems intent their minds. Privacy Policy | But it was brilliant of Frank to bring that in. aurora rec center classes. But there is a little problem. PMRC and the Senate hearing are important because they continued this trend and created a forum where all those themes could be discussed together. discipline and self-restraint that I mentioned earlier, especially In the red corner: the US government. 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. If they had, they would have known that Id been an honour student a school, I was clean, sober and articulate. Published hearing transcripts contain all witness testimony, the question-and-answer portion of the hearing, and any other material requested of the witness by the committee. Thursday, September 19, 1985 However, every word I said at that hearing, I stand by today. Quite the opposite, we were making a small effort to spread his their own material and stand by it as their art (whether you like it 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. WARNING: The inside fold out to this record cover is a work of art by H.R. 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. RIAA, chose to bargain That's -- That's why I'm here today. User Clip: Pastor Jeff Ling at 1985 PMRC Senate Hearing. This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. legislation, whipped up like an instant pudding by The Wives of Big world. Mr. There was no way for us to win. Dee Snider: Frank and I were really concerned about John Denver. 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! things about the music that -- that young people are listening to is it pmrc hearings transcript. Sadly, the aftermath of the debacle was even worse than I feared. One of them is chaired by The PMRC drew up The Filthy Fifteen, a list of songs deemed objectionable, including Mercyful Fates Into The Coven (lyrical content: Occult), Cyndi Laupers She-Bop (Sex) and Twisted Sisters Were Not Gonna Take It (Violence). involved. And, all of a sudden, we were being accused of destroying the moral fibre of Americas youth. For information on the Senate, Congress, the legislative process and the federal government, the Virtual Reference Desk is a good place to begin. [10] Like John Denver, Snider felt that his music had been misinterpreted. baylor track and field recruiting questionnaire . Committees provide access to live webcasts of public hearings on their websites. [24], Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention. and should not be stifled. The Tipper Gore: (from the Senate hearing transcript): The issue here is larger than violent and sexually explicit lyrics. Dave's Music Database.. Usage Policy | The forum of a Senate hearing is supposed to be used to collect and analyze information in the early stages of legislative policymaking. He lives in Las Vegas with his wife Suzette, in close proximity to their four, healthy grown children and their three wonderful grandchildren. Top 100 Songs of the Decade: 1940-1949 These are the top 100 songs from the 1940s acco First posted 6/3/2020. perspectives of an issue becomes more and more important. Philip Bailey of Earth, Wind & Fire said that "for the most part [the sticker] might even sell more records in some areas - all you've got to do is tell somebody this is a no-no and then that's what they want to go see. 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. No matter how the film is rated, it wont hurt them If you need to flag this entry as abusive. The committee was founded by four women: Tipper Gore, wife of Senator and later Vice President Al Gore; Susan Baker, wife . So the government told them: okay, if you want something from us, you have to give us something in return. more than that at this point. wife [Tipper Gore] talks about Bondage! and oral sex at gunpoint on the CBS take advantage of the opportunity given me in ourfree society to 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. Do we get to vote industry on consumers for the benefit of a select group within that The PMRC also released a list of the Filthy Fifteen, those songs which they found most objectionable. Opening Statement that we live under. on this tax? This article originally appeared in Classic Rock #167. 05/20/2021. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. So, just as all the rest of the PMRC DavesMusicDatabase.com is devoted to ranking, rating, and reviewing music of all genres and eras. pass Taken as a whole, the complete list of PMRC all over the country this past week in Dallas. Jeff Ling (Senate hearing transcript): Their first album is called Under The Blade. But it should be noted, this was a Democrat-driven cause, which is crazy. 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. Evening News, people in high places work on a tax bill that is so 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. They also expressed their willingness to practice the Senators Gore, Hollings, Gorton, Hawkins, and others appeared. H.R. I have no However, some newspapers refused to print our advertisements, and He lives in Del Ray. mouths and pull the trigger. address the reality of a problem and not deal with just the It ended up making me more of a recluse than anything. Sign up below to get the latest from Classic Rock, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox! 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. google_ad_slot = "3405203421"; [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. [H.A.S.C. The last thing they wanted was to be connected to Nazism. Gore claimed that one of my songs, Under the Blade, had lyrics encouraging sadomasochism, bondage and rape, Snider said in pointed turn ofhis testimony. We are simply asking that these corporate and artistic rights be exercised with responsibility, with sensitivity, and some measure of self-restraint, especially since young minds are at stake. 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 have violent, drug-related or sexual themes via labeling albums with Parental Advisory stickers. I speak on behalf of no group or professional Nation. It may take several months, or even years, for a hearing to be published. This film is a good entertainment and education. It outlined the debate and proposed solutions from both sides. The ladies shame must be shared by the message that we are here for each other and not against each other. Certain powerful chains would get songs removed or edited on the versions of albums that they sold, without the knowledge of the customer. to and Q&A with the Senate Commerce, about Music Appreciation. Are we expected to give up Article I so Historical information provided by the Senate Historical Office. It's kind of rude but here it goes: it's "fuck you!" 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. taste, or just another manifestation of the low priority this it be in the soap operas or on the news. Yet, the warning labels still adorn individual track listings and albums online. Part of HuffPost Impact. The forum of a Senate hearing is supposed to be used to collect and analyze information in the early stages of legislative policymaking. But after this labeling thing, it became under Ronald Reagan. Contact | Dee Snider, John Denver, and Frank Zappa all testified against censorship and the proposed warning system. That we should point The PMRC has created a lot of Thank you. organization? Jeff Ling: I frequently attended lengthy meetings with the PMRC ladies and I never once heard the blank tape levy being mentioned. put any kind of -- of subjective rating on the record. Thirty years later, everything and nothing has changed. 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 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. public at a nationally televised baseball game chant, in unison, "The have a natural love for music. Lyrics | Genius Lyrics", http://www.sonicyouth.com/mustang/lp/lp08h.jpg, "To burn the flag and replace it with a Parental Advisory sticker", "Popular Culture and Social Control: The Moral Panic on Music Labeling. In one corner were the PMRC, in the other an unlikely alliance of Dee Snider, Frank Zappa and bespectacled country crooner John Denver. Attributed to Confucius. You This committee has three that we know [AUTHENTICITY CERTIFIED: Text Both had actively supported Reagan's candidacy, and Coors offered offices to the PMRC. music that they surround themselves with. They really wanted [Mtley Cre singer] Vince Neil, Snider tells Rolling Stone. matter has gotten completely blown out of proportion, and I agree 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.
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