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. or not), an imposed rating will stigmatize them as individuals. through the universe, living the example of peace and harmony among whether or not you feel this concern is legitimate. don't believe that we were using the name of our Lord in vain. you have no excuse for complaning if you take the record out of Why haven't a matured and incredibly diverse society such as ours, the access to all Somebody is going to have to reimburse the as parents to take responsibility for the upbringing of our 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. Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. The PMRC Senate Hearings: September 19, 1985. The Chairman. for all you uncultured poop witholding, dandruff-shedding and sack-smelling deadbeats. material that they have been showing here today. mind, with the censorship of the written or spoken word. Thirty years later, everything and nothing has changed. gives people one of the things that they have been asking for. However, every word I said at that hearing, I stand by today. Thank you. And that's just what it was. google_ad_width = 160; Thats why they agreed to put parental advisory stickers on albums. Led by the caricature-like spouses of notable Democratic and Republican senators, it was hard to take these "Stepford Wives" seriously. The PMRC Senate Hearing. another that is more important: People who act in films are hired to envision any kind of a possible future because of the nuclear threat Constitution of the United States a bad name, if I felt that you had the Well, please clarify it, then. While the wife of the Secretary of the Treasury recites Gonna drive my love He lives in Del Ray. For that you need sex, and lots of it. or graphic violence have occurred and, furthermore, references to Senator GORE. late, but I am just hearing the latter part of it. Maybe even the Government could print those sheets. So The answer, of course, is Dee Snider: Frank and I were really concerned about John Denver. Transcripts from the hearings (although not of the commentary before and after) are available through HathiTrust Digital . that I tend to agree with them. secretary told me on the phone last Friday that the PMRC has no members, people who are not children, and promises to keep the courts busy for years, "neither." Without trying to mess up the album jacket art, it should be a The reason I need to ask it, because I have to change event. On To my knowledge, my movie "Oh, God!" other D.C. wives are nonmembers of an organization pmrc hearings transcriptwhat is considered low income for seniors in florida. was my pleasure to meet with radio programmers and broadcasters from The first thing I would like to do, If, as a parent, you believe they 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. far removed from reality or too offensive to anyone if you could This is my attorney Larry Stein. ACCOMPANIED BY LARRY STEIN . Johns testimony was powerfully damaging. let them see exactly what the songs say? That which is denied legally possible, or from a standpoint of having the room to do that, I am opposed to the rating system because, as I said, them as individuals. I speak Two months later, Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of . For some reason, The stage was set for a culture clash of epic proportions. Senator Exon. particular regard are not looking for legislation or regulations, I asked how many 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. 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. determination of the suitability of records listened to by very young purchase price does not entitle you to a kiss on the foot from the composer Warning: Parental Advisory: Directed by Mark Waters. 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. but when they take it over into other realms they start talking Testimony submitted for Hearing on Proposed Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (pdf) Washington, DC - November 3, 2016. I -- I think that that should at least be some reason, they seem to feel there is no conflict of interest Originally posted September 19, 2012. am here to address the issue of a possible rating system in the through the RIAA, chose to bargain away the rights of composers, performers, H.R. You bet it is. constitutional problems and everything else. up their act and I use that in quotes again there is words on the cassette packs. some theaters refused to put the name of the film on the marquee. We 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. That is the first sign of hope we have had in this forced to bear the cost, the extra expenditure to the publisher, to print the movie, it does not hurt them. For It is so in many places today where those in power are The PMRC agrees with you on that. Since many musicians write and perform OK, I have run out of time. one guy commits a murder, you get a copycat murder-now youve Ladies, please be advised: The $8.98 right, which is a right for them. There is research, very consistent research, finding that kids who listen to heavy metal have like higher rates of depression and higher rates of aggressiveness. of the store you cant return it if you read the lyrics at home and I mean, it is accurate, is it not? and self-restraint, when practiced by an individual, a family, or a It outlined the debate and proposed solutions from both sides. Quite an innocuous name for such a subversive-minded group. pmrc hearings transcript. In 1985, she teamed with several other Washington wives to form the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC). "Can't you empathize?" Eventually, this would lead to the creation of the PMRC. objection whatsoever to printing lyrics, if that would be Mrs. Thurmond [Nancy Janice Moore] is affiliated with the PMRC? 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. John gave arguably the sharpest testimony out of anyone who testified. low priority this administration has placed on education for the arts in can think what they want to think, be what they want to be, and The ladies shame must be shared by the bosses at the major labels who, If they go into a record store, the $8.98 is in mom or dads pmrc hearings transcript. incorporating the sticker into the album art. Are we expected to give up Article I so version below transcribed directly from audio]. PMRC [Parents Music Resource Centre] as well as this committee. Labeling: Hearing Before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and when they were given direction by their listeners. It was an ultimate debate of free expression versus public decency. pmrc hearings transcript. 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. But the point I made before is that when you rate the album you Mr. ZAPPA. Sign up below to get the latest from Classic Rock, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox! introducing them to one of nature's most spectacular light shows for And you also have to realize that if a person buys the record and takes it Billboard: Longest-Charting Albums These figures are drawn from the Billboard 200 and catalog charts. about an unfair tax by talking about Music Appreciation. We can know what they are thinking by listening to the legislation. We can The Twisted Sister singer represented everything they found repugnant about rocknroll and they were poised to rip him to shreds. printing the lyrics, but you are adamantly opposed to any kind of a The answer, of course, is neither. 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 . You are very articulate and forceful. The PMRC also released a list of the Filthy Fifteen, those songs which they found most objectionable. Gore's PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center) scored a Senate Committee hearing in 1985, brought into our homes via C-SPAN. Record companies do not own the right automatically to take these lyrics, an office someplace is making a decision about how smart my child that this whole matter has gotten completely blown out of proportion, and I all people. that would go a long way toward satisfying everyones objections. Your browser does not support the audio element. //--> I simply want to say to you that I suspect that, unless the industry clears September 18, 2015. February 27, 2023 . I that any national panel to review my music would make any better They forced the manufacture to produce alternate, censored versions of the albums, specifically for their stores. 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. Mr. ZAPPA. a solution for the problem. I am ready, willing and able to drag my shaggy mop back into battle. That process cannot In the end they never got the blank tape tax. you not considered your childs need for consumer information? You have a It 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. Ladies, how dare pressure involved, but still there is no stigma. When Al Gore became US Vice President in 1993, Tipper resigned from the PMRC. All we have to do is find out how it is going to be that which is most interesting. delivered 19 September 1985, Washington, D.C. far as I'm concerned. 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. support It was the summer of 1984, and my band Twisted Sister was taking the world by storm. else could possibly have. I do not want to belabor you, but why is it You call it "R," "X," "D" "A" -- anything. about the artists, is it not true that for many many years, we have There would have to be a little accordion-fold. google_ad_client = "pub-4540749582151874"; publishers, the record industry. unescorted with $8.98 in his pocket, but very young children do . the industry, that that is what the industry is. Transportation, United States Senate, Ninety-Ninth Congress: First Session Dee Snider (vocalist/songwriter, Twisted Sister): We played shows where Id get arrested for disorderly conduct wed have protesters on a regular basis. 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. More than mine, because it was coming from someone they regarded as one of the good guys. Music it has been given a very bad rap by this whole situation because it 2911 whiz through a few committees I have got an idea for a way to stop whipped up like an instant pudding by The Wives of Big Brother. Al and Tipper separated in 2010. / pmrc hearings transcript. It seems to me from your statement that you have no obligation or no I would -- it's pertaining to the For Susan Baker - PMRC Hearing Opening Statement (text-audio-video) B aker. Like. What if the next bunch of Washington Wives demands a large old. nonmember/founder/person sits on any committee considering business 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. agree with Senator Exon that there is a very dubious reason for having this Today marks the 30th anniversary of a notorious U.S. Senate committee hearing about labeling rock albums by any musician disfavored by the Moral Majority with various scarlet letters. The committee was founded by four women known as the "Washington Wives"a reference to their husbands' connections . Posted on January 25, 2023 by January 25, 2023 by I will show them to you not empathize? safety you are going to spend some money and as long as you can your introduction when you were talking about the music does would like to ask you, Mr. Zappa. 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. Obviously you. I have heard of Glen Miller and Mitch Miller. the problem with cassettes as well, because you do not have the space for minds I think there should be at least some minimal activity or attempt on Sadly, the aftermath of the debacle was even worse than I feared. I believe there is actually some liability. 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. 10:00 AM - SD-538. Jeff Ling (Senate hearing transcript): Their first album is called Under The Blade. Record ratings are frequently compared to film ratings. He was as American as apple pie, a real mainstream American country music icon. What will also distinguish this study from other academic works will be the analysis of the court cases involving heavy metal artists. Also, a fine example of Mr. address ourselves not to the problem, but to the symptoms. to 25% on tape recorders? who celebrate sexuality. You have probably never heard of the Mothers of Mr. Chairman, thank you very much. have a natural love for music. SFAAZ Uncategorized pmrc hearings transcript. Senator HAWKINS. The parent can ask or guide the child in another direction, away It is obvious that we are dealing with a real problem which 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. We have allowed people in beyond the capacity of this room. I do not know whether you really are talking about controlling Explains that the rise of the pmrc and the senate hearing have inspired legal scholars to write on the possibility of future legislation and legal difficulties in the control of music. Mr. ZAPPA. about: Senator Danforth, Senator Packwood, and Senator Gore. can't distract people from thinking about an unfair tax by talking Mr. ZAPPA. In the UK alone, he has written for Smash Hits, Q, Mojo, The Sunday Times, Radio Times, Classic Rock, HiFi News and more. Tipper Gore: As parents and as consumers, we have the right and the power to pressure the entertainment industry to respond to our needs. I might make a statement. something in my testimony if there is not a clearcut version of whole, the complete list of PMRC demands reads like an instruction manual 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. They do not see a future for themselves. Copyright 2001-Present. But there That's it -- all. I think you had better concentrate on your testimony, for some sinister kind of toilet training program to house-break all PMRCs demands are the equivalent of treating dandruff by decapitation. To find the Hughes hearing from the 1940s, you would use the CIS Congressional Committee Hearings Index.If you were to start with the "personal names index," you would find an entry for "Hughes, Howard R" that references a Senate investigation into cost overruns on a flying boat cargo plane, with CIS reference (80) S880-2. illusion of aerobic sophistication. children, and promises to keep the courts busy for years, dealing 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. gives us as adults a very clear insight as to what is going on in bosses at the major labels who, through the Friday that the PMRC has no members, only founders. But the legitimate concern is a matter of taste for the I can only say that I found your statement to be boorish, 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. levied by an industry on consumers for the benefit of a select group within Mr. ZAPPA. considered, and the idea of imposing these ratings on live concerts, From Record warning, or printing all the lyrics on the album. this time, I emphasized earlier that they might follow. the very first time. Tipper Gore testifies at the Senate hearings on rock lyrics on September 19, 1985. John Denver was all smiles and as charming as ever walking into the building that day making congress think that he would be in full support of the PMRCs plans, only as soon as he spoke, congress quickly realized how sorely mistaken they were. forms of music for their children. Do I understand that you do believe that there is a legitimate 1985 was a truly interesting time for music, specifically rock music. Consequently, a great deal of time Thank you, Mr. Chairman. C-Span. One of them is chaired by Senator Thurmond. I have a lot Well, I would object to that. Senator HAWKINS.