Parents Music Resource Center - Revision history

Spider of Destiny at 20:34, 13 June 2026

2026-06-13T20:34:47Z

Spider of Destiny at 13:06, 23 May 2026

2026-05-23T13:06:37Z

Spider of Destiny at 14:53, 25 April 2026

2026-04-25T14:53:46Z

Jason.Kreitzer at 19:48, 21 September 2024

2024-09-21T19:48:22Z

Jason.Kreitzer at 19:21, 15 September 2024

2024-09-15T19:21:07Z

Duncan at 11:16, 11 December 2021

2021-12-11T11:16:03Z

Duncan at 11:13, 8 December 2021

2021-12-08T11:13:51Z

Duncan at 11:26, 2 December 2021

2021-12-02T11:26:56Z

Duncan at 14:52, 1 December 2021

2021-12-01T14:52:25Z

Duncan at 14:26, 27 November 2021

2021-11-27T14:26:02Z

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 In the new year she raised her concerns with acquaintances who agreed that rock music put the moral development of their children at risk.  To counter the perceived threat of what was termed ''Porn Rock'' they formed the PMRC on  May 13, 1985.  Financed by Mike Love of the Beach Boys and Joseph Coors of Coors Beers and offered support by religious groups such as Pastor Jeff Ling<ref>Ling quoting objectionable lyrics was used on [[Porn Wars Deluxe]].</ref>,  [[Pat Robertson]] and Robert Demoss, Jr. of Teen Vision, Pittsburgh.
-The four women founding the committee were known as the "Washington Wives" - a reference to their husbands' connections with government in the Washington DC: [[Tipper Gore]], wife of Senator and later Vice President [[Al Gore]]; Susan Baker, wife of Treasury Secretary James Baker; Pam Howar, wife of Washington realtor Raymond Howar; and Sally Nevius, wife of former Washington City Council Chairman John Nevius.
+The four women founding the committee were known as the "Washington Wives" - a reference to their husbands' connections with government in the Washington DC: [[Tipper Gore]], wife of Senator and later Vice President [[Al Gore]]; [[Susan Baker]], wife of Treasury Secretary James Baker; [[Pamela Howar]], wife of Washington realtor Raymond Howar; and Sally Nevius, wife of former Washington City Council Chairman John Nevius.
 Zappa later gave his view of their founding:
@@ Line 53: / Line 53: @@
 [[Category:1984]]
 [[Category:1985]]
 [[Category:Targets]]
 [[Category:Conceptual Continuity]]

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 '''The Parents Music Resource Center''' (PMRC) was an American committee 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.  Although the PMRC  had not objected to any of Zappa's work he campaigned against their plans and appeared before the Senate committee discussing the issue.
-In late December 1984 [[wikipedia:Tipper Gore|Tipper Gore]] purchased a copy of Prince's chart topping album "Purple Rain" for her 11 year old daughter [[wikipedia:Karenna Gore|Karenna]].  The song [[wikipedia:Darling Nikki|Darling Nikki]] with its references to sexual deviancy upset the family:
+In late December 1984 [[Tipper Gore]] purchased a copy of Prince's chart topping album "Purple Rain" for her 11 year old daughter [[wikipedia:Karenna Gore|Karenna]].  The song [[wikipedia:Darling Nikki|Darling Nikki]] with its references to sexual deviancy upset the family:
 <blockquote>“At first, I was stunned — then I got mad! Millions of Americans were buying Purple Rain with no idea what to expect. Thousands of parents were giving the album to their children”<ref>Tipper Gore, Raising PG kids in an X-rated society. 1987, Bantam Books.</ref></blockquote>
@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 In the new year she raised her concerns with acquaintances who agreed that rock music put the moral development of their children at risk.  To counter the perceived threat of what was termed ''Porn Rock'' they formed the PMRC on  May 13, 1985.  Financed by Mike Love of the Beach Boys and Joseph Coors of Coors Beers and offered support by religious groups such as Pastor Jeff Ling<ref>Ling quoting objectionable lyrics was used on [[Porn Wars Deluxe]].</ref>,  [[Pat Robertson]] and Robert Demoss, Jr. of Teen Vision, Pittsburgh.
-The four women founding the committee were known as the "Washington Wives" - a reference to their husbands' connections with government in the Washington DC: Tipper Gore, wife of Senator and later Vice President Al Gore; Susan Baker, wife of Treasury Secretary James Baker; Pam Howar, wife of Washington realtor Raymond Howar; and Sally Nevius, wife of former Washington City Council Chairman John Nevius.
+The four women founding the committee were known as the "Washington Wives" - a reference to their husbands' connections with government in the Washington DC: [[Tipper Gore]], wife of Senator and later Vice President [[Al Gore]]; Susan Baker, wife of Treasury Secretary James Baker; Pam Howar, wife of Washington realtor Raymond Howar; and Sally Nevius, wife of former Washington City Council Chairman John Nevius.
 Zappa later gave his view of their founding:
@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 <blockquote>"The background history of the Parents Music Resource Center, or PMRC, would take up more space than it's worth to spell out in detail. There are several 'historical accounts' from which to choose. Let's arbitrarily choose this one:
-One day in 1985, [[wikipedia:Tipper Gore|Tipper Gore]], wife of the Democratic Senator from Tennessee, bought her eight-
+One day in 1985, [[Tipper Gore]], wife of the Democratic Senator from Tennessee, bought her eight-
-year-old daughter a copy of the soundtrack album to Prince's Purple Rain -- an R-rated film which had
+year-old daughter a copy of the soundtrack album to [[Prince]]'s Purple Rain -- an R-rated film which had
 already generated considerable controversy for its sexual content. For some reason, however, she was
-shocked when their daughter pointed out a reference to masturbation in a song called "Darling Nikki."
+shocked when their daughter pointed out a reference to masturbation in a song called "[[Darling Nikki]]."
 Tipper rounded up a bunch of her Washington housewife friends, most of whom happened to be married to influential members of the U.S. Senate, and founded the PMRC."<ref>Frank Zappa, ''[[The Real Frank Zappa Book]]''</ref></blockquote>

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:53, 25 April 2026
Line 51:		Line 51:
	*[[wikipedia:Parents Music Resource Center\|Parents' Music Resource Center - Wikipedia article]]		*[[wikipedia:Parents Music Resource Center\|Parents' Music Resource Center - Wikipedia article]]

−	[[Category:~~Articles about Zappa~~]]	+	[[Category:1984]]
		+	[[Category:1985]]
		+	[[Category:Targets]]
		+	[[Category:Conceptual Continuity]]

@@ Line 42: / Line 42: @@
 <references/>
 ==See also==
 *[[Edward O. Fritts]]
 *[[Stanley Gortikov]]

@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 *[[Stanley Gortikov]]
 *[[Paula Hawkins]]
 *[[Z-Pack - Opening Letter]]
 *[[Porn Wars]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:16, 11 December 2021
Line 1:		Line 1:
		+	[[image:FZpmrc.jpeg\|right\|thumb\|250px\|Zappa at the Senate hearing]]
	'''The Parents Music Resource Center''' (PMRC) was an American committee 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. Although the PMRC had not objected to any of Zappa's work he campaigned against their plans and appeared before the Senate committee discussing the issue.		'''The Parents Music Resource Center''' (PMRC) was an American committee 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. Although the PMRC had not objected to any of Zappa's work he campaigned against their plans and appeared before the Senate committee discussing the issue.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''The Parents Music Resource Center''' (PMRC) was an American committee 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.
+'''The Parents Music Resource Center''' (PMRC) was an American committee 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.  Although the PMRC  had not objected to any of Zappa's work he campaigned against their plans and appeared before the Senate committee discussing the issue.
 In late December 1984 [[wikipedia:Tipper Gore|Tipper Gore]] purchased a copy of Prince's chart topping album "Purple Rain" for her 11 year old daughter [[wikipedia:Karenna Gore|Karenna]].  The song [[wikipedia:Darling Nikki|Darling Nikki]] with its references to sexual deviancy upset the family:
@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 The four women founding the committee were known as the "Washington Wives" - a reference to their husbands' connections with government in the Washington DC: Tipper Gore, wife of Senator and later Vice President Al Gore; Susan Baker, wife of Treasury Secretary James Baker; Pam Howar, wife of Washington realtor Raymond Howar; and Sally Nevius, wife of former Washington City Council Chairman John Nevius.
-Zappa's view of their founding:
+Zappa later gave his view of their founding:
 <blockquote>"The background history of the Parents Music Resource Center, or PMRC, would take up more space than it's worth to spell out in detail. There are several 'historical accounts' from which to choose. Let's arbitrarily choose this one:
@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 The PMRC started contacting companies in the music business and wrote to the Record Industry Association of America (RIAA) who were responsible for 85% of the total sales of recorded music in the U.S. The RIAA response was to initially reject all of the PMRC’s demands, invoking First Amendment rights of the free exercise of speech.  However, on August 5, 1985, RIAA President Stanley Gortikov sent a letter to PMRC President Pam Howar agreeing that the RIAA would be placing warning sticker on future albums that contained songs with explicit lyrical content. The sticker would read: “Parental Guidance: Explicit Lyrics.”  Zappa responded by writing [[Z-Pack - Cashbox guest editorial|"Extortion, Pure and Simple" - An Open Letter to the Music Industry for Cashbox magazine]]. This was followed by [[Z-Pack - Letter to the President|a letter to the President]] on 29th August 1985.
-On 19th September 1985 Zappa attended the Senate Commerce, Technology and Transportation Committee hearing to discuss the PMRC's proposal (five of the Committee's members had wives in the PMRC).  Zappa was joined by [[wikipedia:Dee Snider|Dee Snider]] and [[wikipedia:John Denver|John Denver]]. They would all make statements to the committee. Zappa and Snider were concerned that Denver may speak in support of the PMRC's proposals<ref>[https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/dee-snider-on-pmrc-hearing-i-was-a-public-enemy-71205/ Dee Snider on PMRC Hearing: ‘I Was a Public Enemy’, Rolling Stone, September 18, 2015]</ref> but he spoke against the PMRC and resolutely objected to any form of censorship and likened the proposals to Nazi book burnings.
+On 19th September 1985 Zappa attended the Senate Commerce, Technology and Transportation Committee hearing to discuss the PMRC's proposal (five of the Committee's members had wives in the PMRC).  Zappa was joined by [[wikipedia:Dee Snider|Dee Snider]] and [[wikipedia:John Denver|John Denver]]. They would all make statements to the committee. Zappa and Snider were concerned that Denver, with his wholesome clean-cut image, may speak in support of the PMRC's proposals<ref>[https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/dee-snider-on-pmrc-hearing-i-was-a-public-enemy-71205/ Dee Snider on PMRC Hearing: ‘I Was a Public Enemy’, Rolling Stone, September 18, 2015]</ref> but he spoke against the PMRC and resolutely objected to any form of censorship and likened the proposals to Nazi book burnings.
-[[image:ZPAC-01.jpeg|right|thumb|200px|Introductory Z/PAC letter]]
+[[image:ZPAC-01.jpeg|right|thumb|200px|Introductory Z/PAC letter]]There was a response to the PMRC's proposals by the music industry<ref>The Musical Majority organised by [[wikipedia:Gold Mountain Records|Danny Goldberg]] which included the likes of  [[wikipedia:Hall & Oates|Hall & Oates]], [[wikipedia:The Pointer Sisters|The Pointer Sisters]] and [[wikipedia:John Melloncamp|John Melloncamp]].</ref> but Zappa was dismissive of their efforts and, at his own expense, initiated his own campaign against the proposed classification of recordings.  He distributed the Z/PAC which contained a typical PMRC letter, the letter Zappa had written to the President and the  Cashbox editorial piece.  As the campaign progressed the contents would vary.
 ==Media==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''The Parents Music Resource Center''' (PMRC) was an American committee formed on May 13, 1985 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. The committee was founded by four women known as the "Washington Wives"—a reference to their husbands' connections with government in the Washington, D.C. area. The women who founded the PMRC are Tipper Gore, wife of Senator and later Vice President Al Gore; Susan Baker, wife of Treasury Secretary James Baker; Pam Howar, wife of Washington realtor Raymond Howar; and Sally Nevius, wife of former Washington City Council Chairman John Nevius. The PMRC eventually grew to include 22 participants before shutting down in the mid-to-late 1990s.
+'''The Parents Music Resource Center''' (PMRC) was an American committee 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.
 <blockquote>"The background history of the Parents Music Resource Center, or PMRC, would take up more space than it's worth to spell out in detail. There are several 'historical accounts' from which to choose. Let's arbitrarily choose this one:
@@ Line 27: / Line 37: @@
 [https://www.c-span.org/video/?69484-1/rock-lyrics-record-labeling The whole 4 hours 55 minutes session video]
+[https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4551293/user-clip-pastor-jeff-ling Pastor Jeff Ling statement video]
 ==Notes==

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 ==Media==
-[https://youtu.be/hgAF8Vu8G0w Zappa's statement]
+[https://youtu.be/hgAF8Vu8G0w Zappa's statement video]
-[https://youtu.be/VgSjjD6rRu4 Denver's statement]
+[https://youtu.be/VgSjjD6rRu4 Denver's statement video]
-[https://youtu.be/S0Vyr1TylTE Snider's statement]
+[https://youtu.be/S0Vyr1TylTE Snider's statement video]
-[https://www.c-span.org/video/?69484-1/rock-lyrics-record-labeling The whole 4 hours 55 minutes session]
+[https://www.c-span.org/video/?69484-1/rock-lyrics-record-labeling The whole 4 hours 55 minutes session video]