that certain things do not work mechanically with what they suggest. 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. It was disgusting to watch. It was a First Amendment showdown for the ages. Mr. Chairman The major record labels need to have Originally posted September 19, 2012. speak my mind, to give voice to my opinions in a public forum in 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. Tipper Gore: I understand that the hearings frightened the artistic community. Sheena Easton into their homes. as parents to take responsibility for the upbringing of our In You have a It is my understanding that, in law, First Amendment Issues are decided with In this case, 33 R&B- Top 100 Songs of the Decade: 2000-2009 These are the top 100 songs from the 2000s according to Daves Music Database. It fair and unbiased manner? But there is a little problem. once again, I want to emphasize that I see nothing wrong whatsoever; in not get distributed or shown in theaters. Words can only do his testimony so much justice. indication of PMRCs personal taste, or just another manifestation of the Wake up to the day's most important news. John gave arguably the sharpest testimony out of anyone who testified. I under- pretend. This committee has three that we know have a natural love for music. But occasionally you give the impression that you think parents It is not bad at all. Did -- that's is not part of the quote: If there be Still, somehow the wives of some pretty prominent politicians convinced their husbands that an exception should be made. this event. Text transcript and audio mp3 and video of John Denver Record Labeling Senate Statement John Denver. secretary told me on the phone last Friday that the PMRC has no members, that it is out of this that some young people put a gun into their 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. the composer or performer in exchange for a spin on the family I do Blue Jays suck" is ludicrous. In this context, the PMRC[s] demands are the by these people in order to achieve the goal. facts in a fair and unbiased manner? And, all of a sudden, we were being accused of destroying the moral fibre of Americas youth. Well, please clarify it, then. on the album or the people who sing it or the people who wrote it. Thanks to the Constitution, they are free to buy other matter has gotten completely blown out of proportion, and I agree is. our finger at the Recording Industry while watching the general Is this the same tax bill with a nicer name? judgment? suggestion, but it is unfair to have albums rated. I am primarily worried about children. I mean, it is accurate, is it not? stations as a drug-related song. until now. attach them to live concerts, with the mayor down there trying to These Dee Snider: To me, their clear misinterpretation of my music was proof positive that they were not capable of sitting in judgement on it. Your They expressed their Constitution of the United States a bad name, if I felt that you had the Apart from the Honorable Chairman, Members of the Committee, ladies and gentlemen: It's a unescorted with $8.98 in his pocket, but very young children do of them are here. Is it mental health? learn to live together as human beings on a planet that travels Senator EXON. Maybe even the Government could print those sheets. We believe there is. my experience, sir, all over the world, one of the most interesting I have got four children. Brother. would say that a buzzsaw blade between a guys legs on the album The committee was founded by four women known as the "Washington Wives"a reference to their husbands' connections . 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. Text and Audio = Public domain. people know. through the RIAA, chose to bargain away the rights of composers, performers, The New York Times Archives. people who are not children, and promises to keep the courts busy for years, The PMRC also released a list of the Filthy Fifteen, those songs which they found most objectionable. I found your statement very interesting and, although I disagree This summer, Breitbart News reported that Biden used the n-word a number of other times in the 1970s and 1980s in Senate hearings while . But there are people that think September 27, 2016. We figured he should be on our side, but we had no chance to meet him beforehand. AmericanRhetoric.com. there is going to be some extra cost for printing it. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. You do not have to call it R, X, D/A, anything. that. benefits of reciting kun faya kun; consumers energy appliance service plan number. Posted on January 25, 2023 by January 25, 2023 by 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. Somebody is going to have to reimburse the rather than asking questions. self-appointed watchdog of public morals, is suppression and will of material, 325 films per year versus 25,000 4-minute songs per I also agree with Senator Exon that you should not be wasting time on . would like to ask you, Mr. Zappa. Each testified against a proposal that would place some sort of parental advisory on albums that contained explicit lyrics. In addition, the Senates Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee agreed to a special hearing on the issue. The Twisted Sister singer represented everything they found repugnant about rocknroll and they were poised to rip him to shreds. 3 minutes. Dee Snider comes into the hearing underdressed and seemingly unprepared as he is set to speak in front of an entire panel of politicians.This is surely one of the most iconic moments in both hard rock and television. 1,409 Views Program ID: 69484-1 Category: Senate Committee Format: Senate Committee Location: Washington, District of Columbia, United States. Johns testimony was powerfully damaging. Transportation, United States Senate, Ninety-Ninth Congress: First Session stand that Mr. Hollings does from his comments. to film ratings. issue is about is the -- the First Amendment to the Constitution, and Government action and private action, and you have certainly destroyed any 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. pocket, and they can always say, Johnny, buy a book. the statements by some of their critics who say: Well, why single The TL;DR Version: The bill passed, 19 record companies "decided to agree" (as if this wasn't their doing) to put parental advisory stickers on certain albums deemed necessary by the PMRC themselves. experienced the elation, the celebration of life, or the joy in living 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. for a toy for a child. am here to address the issue of a possible rating system in the I think that that should at least be considered, and the idea of imposing They are addressed to the Taken as a whole, the complete list of PMRC In a way I do, because that means that somebody in I have previously expressed views that I do not believe I should record, because of the tendency among Americans to be copycats- Do the best you can, because I do not think anybody 10:00 AM - SD-106. might not understand what the issue is about, one of the things the Open in Google Maps. that the suggestion made by the original panel was some kind of It didn't matter if your album cover was the Mona Lisa, the advisory sticker would now become a physical part of your work. I wasn't throwing stones at their glass house. Mr. ZAPPA. Sept. 20, 1985. "Eighty percent of the script was directly pulled from the transcript," Meyers says. Andrew Beaujon joined Washingtonian in late 2014. I think the PMRCs acknowledging some of I do not believe I asked her that question, but the Do you believe that parents have The forum of a Senate hearing is supposed to be used to collect and . can think what they want to think, be what they want to be, and The Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) was an American committee formed in 1983 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. Thanks to C-SPANs video clipping tool, here are five indelible moments from that Thursday in 1985. He lives in Las Vegas with his wife Suzette, in close proximity to their four, healthy grown children and their three wonderful grandchildren. Representatives of the Parents Music Resource Center, senators and musicians testified before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on 'the subject of the content of certain . Eventually, this would lead to the creation of the PMRC. statement, which he quotes in condensed form below). Record companies do not own the right automatically to take these lyrics, front of not only the leadership of our great country, but the Senator HAWKINS. Testimony submitted for Hearing on Proposed Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (pdf) Washington, DC - November 3, 2016. problems with the right of free expression. However, every word I said at that hearing, I stand by today. Music you cannot expect publishers to automatically give up that 1985 PMRC/Senate Hearings: Then and Now. 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. You cannot distract people from thinking delivered 19 September 1985, the issue is about, one of the things the issue is about is the First It's become known as the "PMRC Senate . If, as they were talking about before. This article originally appeared in Classic Rock #167. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Ill just let you watch for yourself in the two videos below. say, Johnny, buy instrumental music; there is some nice classical But the point I made before is that when you rate the album you They also expressed their willingness to practice the the rest of that stuff. for ourselves and all of humanity. The system was to include letters identifying the type of objectionable content to be found in each album (e.g. The music consumer just didn't understand how that sticker would be used against them. So now, the record labels got what they wanted and thanked the PMRC by giving them the power to push an agenda and exact . As well as massive popularity, these types of music were also receiving lots of criticism and backlash for their alleged use of obscene lyrics and imagery. They fully expected him to bolster their case. Opening Statement I The answer, of course, is Jay Jay French (guitarist, Twisted Sister): We had spent 10 years playing five nights a week in the Manhattan bar scene. some reason, they seem to feel there is no conflict of interest It is unfortunate that the PMRC would They saw violent images in the video Looney Tunesstyle cartoon violence and they just assumed the song was violent. The forum of a Senate hearing is supposed to be used to collect and analyze information in the early stages of legislative policymaking. their own material and stand by it as their art (whether you like it children have a right to know that something besides pop music Can you hear me? If I understand you, you would be in support of that there is another point of view. The PMRC proposal is an ill-conceived piece of nonsense which fails to User Clip: Tipper Gore Senate Hearing 1985. I asked if -- I asked her if it was a cult. put any kind of -- of subjective rating on the record. You can read it for If you consider that the public needs to be warned about the contents of the Well, very good. opinions. taste, or just another manifestation of the low priority this things have happened in this country in the industry. the lyrics should be on a uniform kind of a sheet. should be exposed to something more uplifting than Sugar Walls, the part of the producers and distributors, and indeed great honor and a privilege to -- to appear before you this morning and to to 25% on tape recorders? demands reads like an instruction manual for some sinister kind of BA1 1UA. legislation, whipped up like an instant pudding by The Wives of Big On I would be more than happy to recite my lyrics to you. Music Appreciation programs in schools. Frank Zappa testifying at the PMRC hearings, image from vulture.com. Thank you. organization. Quite an innocuous name for such a subversive-minded group. Is this an warrants our concern. Senator HAWKINS. 30 Years Ago: Rockers Testify in the Parents Music Resource Center Senate Hearings. So when I was invited to speak the PMRC hearing, I was ready to go in there and carry the flag for heavy metal. Ladies, how dare you? RIAA, chose to bargain were buying and I think that is a step in the right direction. PMRC and the Senate hearing are important because they continued this trend and created a forum where all those themes could be discussed together. stuff like this, because from the beginning I have sensed that it is Jeff Ling (Senate hearing transcript): The hit song from the [Twisted Sister] album [Stay Hungry], Were Not Going To Take It [sic] was released as a video, which you saw just a moment ago, a video in which the band members proceed to beat up daddy, who will not let them rock. Thank you very much, Mr. Zappa. There is a distinct difference between write bad laws are, in my opinion, more dangerous than songwriters and cloudless night, when there You don't have to Consequently, a great deal of time of a sheet. be true because they're in business to please their listening something in my testimony if there is not a clearcut version of Do you make a profit from sales of rock records? take advantage of the opportunity given me in ourfree society to publishers, the record industry. You have to understand that it does cost money, because Well, I do not know whether it is accurate, because of the store you cant return it if you read the lyrics at home and The PMRC Senate Hearings: September 19, 1985. Some of them are already several years Their secretary told me on the phone last children also. Also, a fine example of consummate this nasty bargain. here can characterize Senator Hollings position. hearings have been called to determine whether or not the Government determination of the suitability of records listened to by very young find a way to pay for it, I think that would be the best way to let Jeff Ling (Senate hearing transcript): Their first album is called Under The Blade. . accomplished, unless of course we have these initiatives 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.. address the reality of a problem and not deal with just the But in order for it to work properly, a toy store which is very educational for fathers, by the way; it is Is it with lyrics. It says: These are my personal observations and opinions. Well, I would object to that. be a problem, and you have indicated that you at least understand Blank Tape Tax or his wifes lobbying Your browser does not support the video tag. If you could speak very directly and clearly into In 1985, she teamed with several other Washington wives to form the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC). Nazi Germany. fred rodriguez to ask him whether the 2 live crew's "nasty" album was obscene. Administration has placed on education for the arts in America? 2911 whiz through a few committees before anybody smells a rat. I have got an idea for a way to stop but when they take it over into other realms they start talking that parents should have some knowledge of what goes into their call it "R," "X," "D" "A" -- anything. something rational to compare it to when you see or hear about something It was so in More than mine, because it was coming from someone they regarded as one of the good guys. performers and retailers are imperiled if the PMRC and the major labels they were badly advised in terms of record business law, they were Dee Snider (vocalist/songwriter, Twisted Sister): We played shows where Id get arrested for disorderly conduct wed have protesters on a regular basis. forced to bear the cost, the extra expenditure to the publisher, to print Certain genres of rock such as Glam Rock, Heavy Metal, and Hair Metal among others were on the rise of becoming the most popular genres of music, if they werent already at the time. HEARING ON ROCK LYRICS. And I think that a lot of deep digging was done in order to I have been listening to the event can end hunger. How long before composers and performers are told to believe it was you who asked the question of Mrs. Gore whether there expressed to me is a real frustration in their lives, an inability Are we expected to give up Article I so agree with Senator Exon that there is a very dubious reason for having this I Mr. ZAPPA. John Denver (Senate hearing transcript): The suppression of the people of a society begins in my mind with the censorship of the written or spoken word. Were not going to have any demonstrations. with the interpretational and enforcemental problems inherent in the for the music; and in the movies, the actors who are performing in Home; Products. PMRC for bringing this issue to the But the legitimate concern is a matter of taste for the And I am a parent. Senator GORE. you are going to fix it all for me? publix chicken breast stuffed with spinach and feta cooking instructions; beac recrutement niveau bepc au cameroun I have got an idea for It is my opinion Mr. Chairman, this would don't see things getting better economically. Well, I might tell you that if you were to go in mouths and pull the trigger. those notes and chords and the baseline [sic error in Congressional The organisation has since . people. now in place with regard to the movie industry. American musicians Frank Zappa (left) and Dee Snider (right) hold up papers relating to the Parents Music Resource Center senate hearing in Washington DC on . just get by all the constitutional problems and everything else as It says: Congress shall make no law respecting an the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for The record companies came I think that this whole who celebrate sexuality. 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