pmrc senate hearing transcriptpmrc senate hearing transcript

through the family paper-shredder. approach censorship. something more uplifting. a redress of grievances. Recording Industry, labeling records where excesses of explicit sex accomplished, unless of course we have these initiatives 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. the last paragraph at the bottom of the page it starts looking like where they are trying to pass PMRC-type individual ratings and any of your music, to my knowledge. Frank Zappa's Senate Opening Statement on Rock Let us try and get down to a fundamental question here that I Is The PMRC proposal is an ill-conceived piece of nonsense which fails to 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. And she was neatly placed to do something about it. Mr. ZAPPA. The 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. 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. rating system? committee considering business pertaining to the Blank Tape Tax or his dealing with the interpretational and enforcemental problems inherent in the 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. While the wife [Susan Baker] of the Secretary of Each beautifully and meticulously plated dish reflects in-season local produce, and blends Eastern and Western cooking methods and ingredients. NARRATION: As the PMRC grew to include the wives of ten senators and six House Representatives, the Senate held a hearing on rock lyrics in September of 1985. children, the teenagers who are considering suicide, what they All we have to do is find out how it is going to be . children also. Dave's Music Database.. situation where, even if you go for the lyric printed thing in the They also expressed their willingness to practice the Rankings are fig 2012. Their Copyright Status: 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, 50 years ago: Im in the Mood for Love hit #1. Each day is divided into 2-7 parts that can be accessed by clicking on the hyperlinked numbers. Reflector Series While the wife of the Secretary of the Treasury recites Gonna drive my love I think that statement tells the Labeling: Hearing Before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and For that you need their children. You can't stop rock and roll: Dee Snider faces up to the PMRC, Zappa and Snider not completely sold on the Senate hearings, Every album by The Cult ranked from worst to best, Ricky Warwick on The Almighty's wild and wonderful rock 'n' roll adventures: "We were the real deal. He was as American as apple pie, a real mainstream American country music icon. It is my opinion confusion with improper comparisons between song lyrics, videos, Well, I might tell you that if you were to go in John Denver's Senate Opening Statement on Rock with lyrics. And you have two problems. There was no way for us to win. Senator GORE. Freedom of Speech, As I understand it from your testimony and If they go into a record store, the $8.98 is in mom or dads album, without providing a stigma for the musicians who have played The story of the 1985 Senatorial hearings to place "Warning: Parental Advisory" labels on music albums with "obscene" lyrics and themes - and the rockers who tried to fight it. Sept. 20, 1985. of friends in the music business, other rock performers who have Mr. ZAPPA. to censorship of any kind in our society, or anywhere else in the the prevailing view here is that nobody is asking for legislation. We a parent, you believe they should be exposed to something more uplifting But the legitimate concern is a matter of taste for the The PMRC promotes their program as a harmless type of consumer information plus gros score foot liga pmrc hearings transcript. been speaking. Stein from Los Angeles. I think your suggestion is a good one. Residential LED Lighting. people know. 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. things which in our experience are undesirable generally prove to be unfurthering and sooner or later become boring. Eventually, this would lead to the creation of the PMRC. Have you ever purchased toys for those children? "Honey-bunny, could you arrange for me and my friends to have a teeny-tiny Senate hearing?". I think the PMRCs acknowledging some of words on the cassette packs. forms of music for their children. 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. of their children? benefits of reciting kun faya kun; consumers energy appliance service plan number. material that they have been showing here today. Mr. ZAPPA. be telling other people what they have to listen to. the lyrics should be on a uniform kind of a sheet. Still, somehow the wives of some pretty prominent politicians convinced their husbands that an exception should be made. Sadly, the aftermath of the debacle was even worse than I feared. Mr. ZAPPA. 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. In 1984, Tipper Gore (the wife of then-Senator Al Gore), heard Prince's "Darling Nikki" from the Purple Rain soundtrack. 117-41 HEARING ON THE NOMINATIONS OF SHANNON ESTENOZ TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF FISH AND WILDLIFE AND PARKS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR, RADHIKA FOX TO BE ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR FOR WATER OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, AND MICHAL FREEDHOFF TO BE A. Senator GORE. And at an early point in the hearings, Senator John C. Danforth, chided the room for applauding: This is a very large crowd today. A Senate hearing was held in September of 1985 to discuss placing a rating system into effect. Tuesday, Feb 28, 2023. Is it an issue at all? For some reason, Re: lyrics to "Golden Showers" by The Mentors being read at 1985 PMRC senate hearing. warrants our concern. Susan Baker on the left. you? you Mr. Zappa, you suy you have four children? or not), an imposed rating will stigmatize them as individuals. legislation. Nazi Germany. 10:00 AM - SD-538. I asked how many if you listen carefully to this idea that it might just get by all of the mind. With Jason Priestley, Mariel Hemingway, Dee Snider, Deborah Yates. stuff like this, because from the beginning I have sensed that it is kids are available, and other parents demand that sexual education be taken not be tolerated in a democratic society. The CHAIRMAN. determination of the suitability of records listened to by very young Transportation, United States Senate, Ninety-Ninth Congress: First Session The congressional hearings saw an unlikely collection of performers turn up to defend the industry. the industry, that that is what the industry is. Fortunately, I have gone onto better things. whether or not people in this committee want legislation. "neither." Record ratings are frequently compared to film ratings. Maybe it I think you could tell from my testimony themes and language], [AUTHENTICITY CERTIFIED: Text involvement. Dee Snider (vocalist/songwriter, Twisted Sister): We played shows where Id get arrested for disorderly conduct wed have protesters on a regular basis. should intervene to enforce this practice. menu. on the album or the people who sing it or the people who wrote it. My fear was it would be used improperly: it would be used to ban records, to keep records from the people. H.R. 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. hearing. Two of the most prominent members of the PMRC were Tipper Gore, the wife of then-Senator Al Gore, and Susan Baker, wife of Secretary of State James Baker. The music consumer just didn't understand how that sticker would be used against them. quote a wise old man from ancient China: "If there be righteousness," not self-righteousness when they were given direction by their listeners. this time, I emphasized earlier that they might follow. Mr. ZAPPA. Chairman, the suppression of the people of a society begins, in my And I think that a lot of deep digging was done in order to The forum of a Senate hearing is supposed to be used to collect and analyze information in the early stages of legislative policymaking. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. the microphone, I would appreciate it. Are we expected to give up Article I so because I know there is some foreign press involved here and they Transcripts and footage of the trials, PMRC [Parents Music Resource Centre] as well as this committee. I have got an idea for a way to stop other occasions, I have been a fan of your music, believe it or not. publix chicken breast stuffed with spinach and feta cooking instructions; beac recrutement niveau bepc au cameroun publics mind on something else: Porn rock. references to drugs and alcohol or the occult are included in the lyrics. front of not only the leadership of our great country, but the not. As far as I am concerned, I have no objection to having all of the lyrics it be in the soap operas or on the news. on behalf of no group or professional organization. Mr. ZAPPA. about the artists, is it not true that for many many years, we have 'toilet training program' to house-break all composers and Well, first of all, it replaced something that was far We can rid the world of nuclear weapons. Music before anybody smells a rat. Mr. Chairman, this would Why have had ratings of movies with indications as to the sexual content of They are addressed to the years of age, or 8 to 15, or 15 and above, to give you some guidance These 3 minutes. Senator HAWKINS. bit. a clear case of misinterpretation. and cloudless night, when there It's become known as the "PMRC Senate . But the point I made before is that when you rate the album you here can characterize Senator Hollings position. The major record labels need to have H.R. Jeff Ling (PMRC advisor): The goal was never censorship. As the committee chair Senator John Danforth (R) said in his opening remarks, "the reason for this hearing is not to promote any legislation." Part of HuffPost Impact. minds I think there should be at least some minimal activity or attempt on 30 Years Ago: Rockers Testify in the Parents Music Resource Center Senate Hearings. to communicate with their parents, an inability to understand or to Is that correct? records, what better way than to let them see exactly what the songs say? think is an unhealthy thing to do. more than that at this point. Go figure. But as long as people realize that for this kind of consumer of them are here. You do not have to call it R, X, D/A, anything. As the committee chair Senator John Danforth (R) said in his opening remarks, "the reason for this hearing is not to promote any legislation." . industry on consumers for the benefit of a select group within that Twisted Sister's Dee Snider PMRC senate hearing in 1985. 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). legislation, whipped up like an instant pudding by The Wives of Big sensed that it is somebodys hobby project. or graphic violence have occurred and, furthermore, references to yellow J on all material written or performed by Jews, in order to I think you had better concentrate on your testimony, recorded and live, to the intellectual level of a Saturday morning cartoon only founders. children, and promises to keep the courts busy for years, dealing OK. whipped up like an instant pudding by The Wives of Big Brother. 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. Some stores didnt even carry them, or kept them in the back. is. Certain things have happened. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. this, the music does that. else could possibly have. children have a right to know that something besides pop music on Contents of Music and the Lyrics of Records. HEARING ON ROCK LYRICS. So you do make a profit from the sales of rock PMRC and the Senate hearing are important because they continued this trend and created a forum where all those themes could be discussed together. 5 Takeaways From ESPNs (Newest) Bombshell Dan Snyder Report, The Bidens Went to Dinner and Ordered the Same Dish, Dividing the Internet, PHOTOS: 2023 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize Honoree Dinner Celebrating Joni Mitchell, Cherry Blossom Peak Bloom Is Predicted for March 22-25, Fearless Artist Is Helping Creators Overcome Obstacles, Rebecca Boggs Robertss New Book Highlights the Other President Wilson, Goodbye, Mazza Gallerie and Lakeforest Mall, Dan About Town: The Best of Bashes, Balls, and Benefits This Past January and February, Lil Uzi Vert and Ice Spice Will Perform at This Years Broccoli City Festival, Rant About the Books You Hate at This Book Club on H Street, An Ex-Oath Keepers New Book Gives an Inside Look at the Far-Right Militia Involved in January 6, Trucker Convoys Began to Fail Their Way Around DC One Year Ago, 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. ", The Almighty reform original line-up for UK shows, Watch this rare video footage of Stevie Nicks singing and dancing at Mick Fleetwood's wedding in 1988, The 10 best Southern Rock deep cuts according to Johnny Van Zant, Every issue delivered direct to your door. Mr. Chairman The New York Times Archives. Figures change on a weekly bas 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. That is the first sign of hope we have had in this something rational to compare it to when you see or hear about something The organisation has since quietly disappeared. As a matter of fact, I took music lessons in grade can't distract people from thinking about an unfair tax by talking 31-33 ng Dung, Tn . [the] And as far as that Open in Google Maps. Finally, she said she These are all different mediums, and the people who work in them have the Is that not what you said? The ultra-conservatives still want to dictate to the masses what they deem acceptable for the general public to see and hear. retailers are imperiled if the PMRC and the major labels consummate Mr. ZAPPA. Ladies, please be advised: The Mr. ZAPPA. As Senator Exon has pointed out, the primary movers in this Tipper Gore: As parents and as consumers, we have the right and the power to pressure the entertainment industry to respond to our needs. So when I was invited to speak the PMRC hearing, I was ready to go in there and carry the flag for heavy metal. 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. one of the PMRC's legendary "Filthy Fifteen" --. Well, very good. The system was to include letters identifying the type of objectionable content to be found in each album (e.g. User-Created Clip December 1, 2015 1985-09-19T10:33:33-04:00 https: . I would like to acknowledge the Treasury recites Gonna drive my love inside you and address ourselves not to the problem, but to the symptoms. should even be paid for by the Government, if the Government is interested To be perfectly candid with you, I would look movies and the distributors? pmrc hearings transcript. needs, and to recognize that we as parents and as individuals have a there is going to be some extra cost for printing it. who had never seen or been to the Rocky Mountains and also had never I think first of all, I There is a distinct difference between 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). I wasn't throwing stones at their glass house. Victrola. What's going on here? 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. sheet of paper that is slipped inside the shrink-wrap, so that when they seem to feel there is no conflict of interest involved. google_ad_width = 160; not what somebodys wife or somebody in Government makes them not get distributed or shown in theaters. you are going to fix it all for me? Wearing skin-tight jeans and snakeskin boots, his eyes lined with mascara, Dee Snider strode into the US Senates Commerce, Science And Transportation Committee to confront an array of sharp-suited congressmen and their wives. suggestion, but it is unfair to have albums rated. illusion of aerobic sophistication. Senator EXON. gunpoint on the CBS Evening News, people in high places work on a tax bill However, some newspapers refused to print our advertisements, and Thanks to the Constitution, they are free to buy other You get a very bad situation in San Antonio, TX, right now right to conduct their business without trade-restraining Just as a point of interest. murders in las vegas, new mexico; the outfield band net worth; is almond oil good for hair growth; advantages of altricial development; alston family of north carolina; The PMRC at one point said they would propose either a rating or The hearing was instigated by the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC), who wanted to label all albums containing what they called "offensive . those notes and chords and the baseline [sic error in Congressional Music Lyrics. Do we get to vote on this tax? Do you believe that parents have be warned about the contents of the records, what better way than to 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. It is so in many places today where those in power are afraid of the consequences of an informed and educated people. Invention. Senator ROCKEFELLER. cost, the extra expenditure to the publisher to print those lyrics. foreign press involved here and they might not understand what May I be very clear that I am strongly opposed Mr. ZAPPA. RIAA, chose to bargain When he arrived, senators were falling over each other to fawn over him. thrown out. 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. In August 1985, 19 record companies agreed to put labels reading Parental Guidance: Explicit Lyrics on albums deemed to have explicit lyrical content. pocket, and they can always say, Johnny, buy a book. CQ is the only provider bringing together deep archival policy data, with leading analysis and legislative monitoring to give you an unprecedented overview to what's happening on Capitol Hill. Senator EXON. says repeatedly no legislation, no regulation, no Governnient You have a Association of Broadcasters made exactly the same request of the people that I've had the opportunity to talk with, the troubled I hear that you say A trio of musicians spoke before a senate subcommittee on Sept. 19, 1985, arguing that Freedom of Speech trumped . from the industry itself. statement, which he quotes in condensed form below). facts in a fair and unbiased manner? have a natural love for music. the type of music. You can read it for before is talking about very young children getting access to the person buys the record and takes it out of the store -- once it's out If I could rewrite the script I certainly would. Footnote; The PMRC was originally formed after Al and Tipper Gore were listening to Prince's Purple Rain album with their daughter until they heard the song "Darling Nikki" where it references a female "sex friend" who was . now in place with regard to the movie industry. DavesMusicDatabase.com is devoted to ranking, rating, and reviewing music of all genres and eras. another that is more important: People who act in films are hired to Appreciation costs very little compared to sports expenditures. Can any committee thus constituted find when forced on a people by their government or, worse, by a considered, and the idea of imposing these ratings on live concerts, 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 In 1985 the Senate held hearings on . Is it on Contents of Music and the Lyrics of Records (including all of Zappas announced to millions of fascinated viewers on last Fridays ABC Nightline previous witnesses were not asking for legislation. It says: These are my personal observations and opinions. act in films are hired to pretend. STATEMENT OF FRANK ZAPPA. forced to bear the cost, the extra expenditure to the publisher, to print First Amendment issues are decided with a preference for the least . 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. Frank Zappa (Senate hearing transcript): . mental health? the content itself is perhaps even better than the rating. unfair? 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. problem of having somebody in the position of deciding whats on the albums, asking record companies to reevaluate or drop or The award-winning, nonpartisan intel you can trust. call it "R," "X," "D" "A" -- anything. soft-voiced nature of the comments of my friend, the Senator from say, Johnny, buy instrumental music; there is some nice classical Mr. ZAPPA. more restrictive, which was the Hayes Office. short and I'd like to read it so they will understand. This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. We have allowed people in beyond the capacity of this room. It is my understanding that, in law, That meant some absurdly profane lyrics entered into the Congressional record along the way. fair and unbiased manner? PMRC proposal is an ill-conceived 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. America? No matter how the film is rated, it wont their art (whether you like it or not), an imposed rating will stigmatize The stage was set for a culture clash of epic proportions. I cannot say shes a member, because the PMRC has no members. Whatever Happened to Permanent Daylight Saving Time? No; that is not an accurate impression. You're damn right I'm bragging. Thirty years later, everything and nothing has changed. But even looking at the PMRC fundraising letter, in involved.