Dee Snider continued

This is an outright lie. Not only have we never sold a shirt of this type; we have always taken great pains to steer clear of sexism in our merchandise, records, stage show, and personal lives. Furthermore, we have always promoted the belief that rock ‘n’ roll should not be sexist, but should cater to males and females equally.

I feel that an accusation of this type is irresponsible, damaging to our reputation, and slanderous. I defy Ms. Gore to produce such a shirt to back up her claim. I am tired of running into kids on the street who tell me that they cannot play our records any more because of the misinformation their parents are being fed by the PMRC on TV and in the newspapers.

These are the only three accusations I have come across. All three are totally unfounded. Who knows what other false and irresponsible things may have been said about my band or me. There happens to be one area where I am in complete agreement with the PMRC, as well as the National PTA and probably most of the parents on this committee. That is, it is my job as a parent to monitor what my children see, hear, and read during their preteen years. The full responsibility for this falls on the shoulders of my wife and I, because there is no one else capable of making these judgments for us.

Parents can thank the PMRC for reminding them that there is no substitute for parental guidance. But that is where the PMRC’s job ends.

The beauty of literature, poetry, and music is that they leave room for the audience to put its own imagination, experiences, and dreams into the words. The examples I cited earlier showed clear evidence of Twisted Sister’s music being completely misinterpreted and unfairly judged by supposedly well-informed adults.

We cannot allow this to continue. There is no authority that has the right or the necessary insight to make these judgments, not myself, not the Federal Government, not some recording industry committee, not the PTA, not the RIAA, and certainly not the PMRC. I would like to thank the committee for this time, and I hope my testimony will aid you in clearing up this issue.

Exchange

Dee Snider: Are you going to tell me you are a big fan of my music as well?

Senator Gore: No, I am not a fan of your music. I am aware that Frank Zappa and John Denver cover quite a spectrum, and I do enjoy them both. I am not, however, a fan of Twisted Sister and I will readily say that. Mr. Snider, what is the name of your fan club?

Snider: The fan club is called the SMF Fans of Twisted Sister.

Senator Gore: And what does “SMF” stand for when it is spelled out?

Snider: It stands for the Sick Motherf*cking Fans of Twisted Sister.

Senator Gore: Is this also a Christian group?

Snider: I do not believe profanity has anything to do with Christianity, thank you.

Exchange

Senator Gore: Let us suppose the lyrics are not printed. Then what choice does a parent have? To sit down and listen to every song on the album?

Snider: Well, if they are really concerned about it I think that they have to.

Senator Gore: Do you think it is reasonable to expect parents to do that?

Snider: Being a parent is not a reasonable thing. It is a very hard thing. I am a parent and I know. Okay, I am a new parent. I only have one child. But I am learning that there is a lot to being a parent that you did not expect. It is not just always a cute baby. There is a lot of labor, a lot of time, and a lot of effort that goes into it. It is not totally pleasurable.

> Frank Zappa speaks