Reviews
Indiana Daily Student/University Wire Review of Parental Advisory
(April 25, 2001)
Copyright 2001 Indiana Daily Student via U-Wire University Wire
April 25, 2001
SECTION: BOOK REVIEW
LENGTH: 452 words
HEADLINE: Music censorship under 'Advisory'
BYLINE: By Jason Gaddis, Indiana Daily Student
SOURCE: Indiana U.
DATELINE: Bloomington, Ind.
BODY: Music censorship is nothing new to American culture. In fact,
government officials and special interest groups have been trying to
censor music since before the 1950s. From Elvis' appearances on the "Ed
Sullivan Show" to Marilyn Manson concerts, popular music always
seems to make someone mad.
With "Parental Advisory: Music Censorship In America," author
Eric Nuzum, a pop-culture critic and program director of WKSU-FM at Kent
State University, details and follows the evolution of music censorship
in America.
The book is divided into two sections: themes and dates. With the first
section, Nuzum confronts such controversial topics as sex, religion and
drugs. With the second, Nuzum gives a year-by-year rundown of big events
in the realm of music censorship.
Easily the most powerful and compelling argument Nuzum makes is the
relationship he finds between race and music censorship. Nuzum finds
that far more black artists are stuck with the Recording Industry Association
of America's "Parental Advisory" sticker than white artists.
He also brings up many cases involving discrimination in music censorship
and labeling. One example Nuzum brings up is that when Eric Clapton released
his cover of "I Shot the Sheriff," few even raised an eyebrow,
but 18 years later, Ice-T's "Cop Killer," which featured an
almost identical theme (combating police brutality), raised cries from
as high up as then-President George Bush for censorship of the song.
In "Parental Advisory," Nuzum manages to expose several conspiracies
and shed light on murky topics related to music censorship. Nuzum explains
the history behind the Parents Music Resource Center, founded in part
by Tipper Gore. He points out that her husband, then-Senator Al Gore,
took part in the Senate hearings of PMRC. That group is partially responsible
for pressuring the RIAA's "Parental Advisory" sticker.
Nuzum also recognizes how musicians can become scapegoats for public
tragedies. After the Columbine shootings, government officials and some
media outlets were quick to put the blame on Marilyn Manson, despite
the fact that the shooters disliked Manson's music.
The chronology section of "Parental Advisory" is strongest
in its comparison of music censorship from 50 years ago to today. While
the music has changed, the same arguments made by advocates of music
censorship in 1950 are surprisingly similar to the ones being made today.
Be it the Beatles or Eminem, the songs have changed but the critics have
not.
Nuzum knows how to make his argument. "Parental Advisory" is
a detailed and well-researched book that is a must-read for music censorship
fighters and advocates alike.
(C) 2001 Indiana Daily Student via U-WIRE
LOAD-DATE: April 25, 2001
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