- In August 1985, 19 record companies agreed to put "Parental Guidance: Explicit Lyrics" labels on albums to warn of explicit lyrical content. Before the labels could be put into place, the Senate agreed to hold a hearing on so-called "porn rock". This began on September 19, 1985, when representatives from the PMRC, three musicians—Dee Snider, Frank Zappa, John Denver—and Senators Paula Hawkins and Al Gore 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."
Frank Zappa spoke to Congress and the video is below.
Zappa put that testimony to music and released it on the album "the mothers of prevention". Not my favorite album of his, but I appreciate that he specifically included audio of one senator telling him he's not really smart enough to understand this issue. He also dedicated a significant portion of his autobiography to what an insufferable human tipper gore is.
I used to feel the same until I saw a Canadian news report that listed the following facts: 1) Walmart and other major retailers would not stock music with the PA stickers 2) Walmart counted for 70% of the retail music sales, and in many rural areas were the only place to buy music 3) Labels were eschewing bands that were not willing to produce a "clean" version of their music for sale to Walmart 4) Labels were signing fewer explicit artists because they were guaranteed a lower sales volume So there were legit chilling effects from the advisory stickers. I think that it's a testament to what a fucknut Bush was that most of us would be willing to suffer Tipper just to make him go away.
This is why I still, to this day, only give anything Al Gore is involved in the most limited support. Tipper Gore was the Gorgon of my day, and I will breathe a great sigh of relief the day she shuffles off this mortal coil. 1983 - D.A.R.E. starts it's decades of failure 1985 - PMRC starts it's decades of failure All the while, these very same people are doing lines of blow the size of green beans, off the asses of strippers at Republican fundraisers. Fuck em all.