TWISTED SISTER’s DEE SNIDER Talks About Rock Hall’s Louder Than Words Exhibit - “We Were The Poster Child For Everything The PMRC Was Saying Was Bad About Rock ’N’ Roll”
May 21, 2016, 8 years ago
The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's new exhibit, Louder Than Words: Rock, Power And Politics opened up this past Thursday and Twisted Sister singer Dee Sider was on hand for a pre-opening event where he spoke and played an acoustic version of his classic ”We're Not Gonna Take It”.
Part of the exhibit features the infamous era of the PMRC (The Parents Music Resource Center) which was formed in 1985 and had a “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,” according to Wikipedia. Snider, along with Frank Zappa and John Denver were among the musicians who testified during the hearings in Washington.
“When I was asked to testify I viewed it as carrying the flag into battle for the rock 'n' roll army, so I jumped at the opportunity,” Snider tells Billboard. Turns out I wasn't leading an army; There was nobody behind me with the exception of a couple of other people (Frank Zappa and John Denver, who also testified). Rock fans were pretty apathetic, the rock community rolled over, the RIAA caved before we even opened our mouths."
"At the time parents were like, 'OK, go see that Mötley Crüe but we don't want you going to see that Twisted Sister!' We were the poster child for everything (the PMRC) was saying was bad about rock'n'roll," Snider remembers with a laugh. "But I'm extremely happy with my position, and I did the right thing. At the end of the day it was what needed to be done, and through the passage of time I'm viewed very positively for it."
Read more at Billboard.
Twisted Sister will perform their final Tri-State Area farewell performance over the weekend of September 30th - October 2nd at First Energy Park in Lakewood, NJ.
Special Guests currently confirmed include Overkill, Ace Frehley, Monster Magnet, Fuel, Tom Keifer’s Cinderella, Dokken, Texas Hippie Coalition, Doro, Four By Fate, Killcode, Jester, and American Angel.
Says the band: “So many more bands to be announced that your head will spin! Plan on spending a 3-day weekend with us! Details on which days each band will be playing will be announced soon!
Stay tuned for more details, to be revealed soon.
