Face The Music.
My friends we live in a world where mostly we can have a choice in what we do, what we wear and who we associate with and what music we listen to. This year marks the 35th anniversary when the king of Rock ‘N Roll himself, Dee Snider, stood tall in the line of fire and defended his right to make music that he believes in. His band, Twisted Sister, have been continually vilified in the media and labelled as immoral and irresponsible citizens. His eloquent and intelligent account – you can watch the full statement here
– is insightful and educational, you can learn a lot from someone who despite the scorn can remain calm and collected and speak in such a beautiful tone. Alongside Dee, another Rock legend Frank Zappa, also gave his testimony and stood up for our rights to listen to whatever music we choose. Between them they eviscerated the panel, pointing out the hypocrisy and double standards that are prevalent when something is not compatible with your own thinking. Their steadfastness and fearless accounts have led to a certain amount of acceptance, as Rock music is still the scourge of many people’s lives.
Heavy metal music has been disparaged since day one, it has not been welcomed into the mainstream and consequently it survived and evolved on the fringes of society. Similar to a snowball gathering momentum, it gained a loyal and committed following, in the face of anger and mockery from their families and peers. There is something abiding in the knowledge that you are not alone, many people who felt disenchanted quickly jumped on board and held on for dear life. Finally, someone was speaking their language. Over in the USA however a group of parents, PMRC – Parents Music Resource Centre- dedicated their time in attempting to undo all the good that Rock music had done. An attempt to damage reputations by demonising artists and accusing them of obscenity and profanity, which would lead to their work being heavily censored. I am very interested in lyrics, and if you have read my reviews you will see that I often reference them. What a writer is trying to say can be interpreted in many ways, depending on the readers own state of mind and life experience. There is always room for manoeuvre and misappropriation. When the censorship muzzle is strapped on, there is a tragic loss of freedom of expression and creativity. Some would say an infringement of our rights. Dee Snider and Frank Zappa strode into the courtroom that day and braved the stares, the glares and the how dares to fight for our freedom, to fight for our artistry and our right to enjoy our favourite bands. That day they gave us all something to believe in.
If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything and if you stand for something, you won’t die for nothing. A formidable way to secure your epitaph.