Vie’s Verses – How The PMRC Defeated Blackie Lawless
Anyone who remembers WASP from back in the day knows what a rowdy, raunchy, and exceptional metal band they were. These wild boys from the Sunset Strip did everything in excess – pills, booze, women, and cursing; a whole lot of cursing. One of the bands signature songs was called Animal (F*CK Like A Beast). Such language and themes brought the ire of parents who did not like their children hearing that kind of music. This then brought forth the rallying cry of the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC), fronted by (then Senator) Al Gore’s wife, Tipper.
The PMRC was a group of senators wives formed in 1985 with the intent to make parents aware of albums that contained “explicit content” by putting warning stickers on album covers. The PMRC claimed that the change in rock music was destroying the core of the American family. They recommended that the Recording Industry Association of America come up with a rating system for albums.
Blackie fought the PMRC with venom and refused to back down. At concerts, before playing Animal, he would curse the PMRC and call out Tipper Gore specifically. He would talk about freedom of speech and how WASP had a right to record and perform any songs that they wanted without being censored. He talked about the uptight Washington wives and what a joke they were. Then the band would cut into Animal.
This went on for years. As recently as 2007, Blackie was still cutting down the PMRC and Tipper Gore. Blackie was still fighting the fight and still singing Animal, to the delight of many WASP fans. Then a strange thing happened. Blackie found religion. He started to censor his own lyrics and the band completely stopped playing Animal.
Most notably the lyrics to Chainsaw Charlie were changed (in the live format) from “I’m a cocksucking asshole, yes that’s what they call me” to “I guess I’m a rock star, because that’s what they call me.” What? That doesn’t even make sense, Blackie. Charlie wasn’t the rock star, he was the record executive.
Lawless even went as far as saying he wasn’t proud of the songs he released in the past, specifically Animal. He didn’t find it right for 13-year-old kids to be singing that song. He said that the band would never play it live again.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m all for a man’s religious beliefs, but doesn’t that make Blackie a total hypocrite? Here is the man who vehemently fought the PMRC and played his song with passion, only to years later remove it completely. Isn’t that what the PMRC wanted to do in 1985? Doesn’t this mean that in the end, the PMRC really won the battle?
The biggest disappointment in all of this though, is the knowledge that we will never hear Animal live again. I suppose we’ll never hear another Blackie rant on the PMRC again either, but perhaps that’s for the best. Tipper has other battles to fight these days, mainly her soon to be ex-husband, Al. Maybe Blackie will say a prayer for them.
Leave A Comment ↓
Hard Rock Hideout 
Wait one minute here! Blackie Lawless a hypocrite? ARE YOU OFF YOUR ROCKER!!!
First and foremost Blackie Lawless is not writing Legislation restricting any ones freedom of expression or speech. That is exactly what the Federal Government did in the 1980’s using the “Washington Wives” as a cover to legislate to take some of our 1st amendment rights away from us!! He and others fought hard and ferociously for us against an ever expanding federal bureaucracy that is slowly taking more and more of our basic liberties away. Heck we are being told how much water our toilets can use, or how much salt can be added to our food. Soon it will be what kind of car we have to drive or what Health Insurance policy we have to buy and from whom.
You’re accusing Blackie of being a hypocrite because he found religion and he no longer sings a particular song during his concerts and because he changed the lyrics of another song? That’s weak!! Nowhere did I read that Blackie Lawless is mandating or suggesting a mandate telling others they shouldn’t listen to a particular song because of it‘s lyrics. He’s using his freedom to choose what content he wishes to perform publicly. Plain and simple! That’s not censorship, and it’s surely not hypocritical either. I bet if you ask Blackie today face to face how he feels about the PMRC and the limits that legislation put on our freedom of speech, he would still speak loudly and passionately against it.
Hmmm… this is an interesting dilemma indeed. If what you say is true, I haven’t read anything about this yet, but I certainly understand your rage. “Animal (Fuck Like A Beast)” is one of my all time favorite songs. I have bought the damn thing EVRYTIME they release it. Mostly cause of the PMRC’s outcry against it. I don’t know about the rest of the readers here, but I’m old enough to remember these hearings. I followed it as close as I could (we didn’t have the internet back then, you youngings, lol) and thought the ratings system was bullshit. I do not support censorship in anyway. In the USA we are SUPPOSE to have freedom of speech, but we don’t.
I sure understand being older, so maybe some of the things I did and said when I was younger wasn’t the brightest shit in the world. Still, even as I approach 43, “Animal” remains one of my favorite songs. Blackie might be emabarrased by it, but I am not. It’s still as much as a sexual anthem to me as Jackyl’s “She Loves My Cock”. Just seen them in Toledo, OH last night and they still ROCK! But I digress.
If Blackie doesn’t wanna sing dirty lyircs anymore, then so be it. It’s his right and yeah, I think it makes him a little bit of a pussy. However, you can’t really blame him. He’s getting up there in age. Death is rearing its ugly head and calling our names. Its a lot better facing death, wondering if there is a Heaven, hoping you ain’t going to hell, right Blackie?
I got to see WASP in Ft. Wayne, IN about 6 years ago (maybe 7, as I get older the memory doesn’t work as good, lol!) and got to see them perform “Animal”. So, if Blackie chooses not ot play it anymore… thanks for fulfilling my dream, sir. To me personally, WASP hasn’t been the same since the dropped the sex stuff. Several albums after The Headless Children, I feel, haven’t lived up to their earlier stuff. But I feel the last 2 have been great.
So my advice to everyone is to calm down and enjoy what WASP did in the beginning. And if you don’t enjoy it now, find another band that is doing a similair thing. There are a lot of bands out there that will be happy to recieve your support. Personally, I can’t wait for the new Lordi album. Closet thing to to WASP this generation has produced so far.
And as for Frank Zappa, John Denver, Dee Snider & yes, even you Blackie, thanks for what you stood up for in the 80’s. You were right. The PMRC was wrong and Al paid for it when he lost the election to George W Bush, lol! We remembered the bullshit you tried with the PMRC. You paid for it. We got the last laugh.
Blackie Lawless has every right in the world to “censor his own music”. Not every human mellows out with age… yet Blackie Lawless has to an extent. “Babylon” is no tamed beast of a Heavy Metal album, so I don’t see Blackie Lawless turning W.A.S.P. into Stryper any day soon. With that stated, it’s not an insult to Stryper, I am a Stryper fan as much a W.A.S.P. fan my entire Metal life.
The PMRC did get their funny warning stickers on albums, yet we came close to no longer having “free thinking” within the lyrics of songs… period. Stryper wasn’t even immuned to what the PMRC wanted to control. Sheena Easton as well!
In my opinion, Blackie Lawless did not buckle down to the PMRC nor is he a hypocrite. Blackie is a man, a musician, who is making up his own mind on how to deliver his music which he created. If censorship is to take place, it should be an individual censoring themselves and that is what Blackie obviously wants and has done. I respect Blackie Lawless way too much as a musician and song writer to hold against him his refusal to play the original version of “Animal”.
Blackie Lawless is an artist of Heavy Metal, who credibly was a part of sculpting and laying the foundation for young bands today. To pass judgement on Blackie Lawless for his wanting to mellow some lyrics down, at this stage of his life and career, is not paying tribute to the true Heavy Metal warrior he was and always shall be.
It’s inevitable that people change over the course of their lives. Thoughts, opinions, likes and dislikes change. I once listened to Sean Cassidy as a kid… do I now? Of course not! People change political parties and make career changes on a daily basis.
I’ll never forget how Dee Snider, Frank Zappa, John Denver and yes… Blackie Lawless stood up for my rights to listen to the music I love. To say the PMRC defeated Blackie Lawless, is giving the PMRC a pat on the back and press which they DO NOT deserve.
Stone
Your logic is flawed, and Blackie is not a hypocrite. I’ve been a fan since I saw them on their debut album tour, and I know how he was/is.
I used to like chasing the ladies and getting a hold of anything I could. Then I matured, and realized how empty that kind of life is. Does that make me a hypocrite? No, it makes me an adult.
Maybe Blackie realizes now that parents are responsible for what their kids listen to, and he feels like he doesn’t want to contribute to that. But hey, do what we all do – vote with your wallet. But my hunch is, he’s going to sell the same amount of tickets and albums as always.
How truly sad. I got thrown out of Raven/Slayer/W.A.S.P. at the Starry Nite in downtown Portland -back in the day-on acid-grabbing chicks asses and then saying ;”OH christ I’m sorry I thought you were someone else!” I even put one chick up on my shoulders-I was really high-have no idea who she was but turn about fair play and all someone tried to steal my wallet-or actually tried to grab my ass-one or the other-anyway I just turned around and slugged the guy behind me in the mouth and security had had enough-the show hadn’t even started yet. My friends told me tha I missed a great show. I regret to say that in my old age I have somewhat mellowed out a bit. tamed down perhaps-or something. But about Blackie? That’s just sad. I’m Agnostic to this day but if I understand the fragments of scripure that I’ve been subjected to on random occasions even JC recomended prayers in private as aposed to out on a soap box. No more Animal? That sux.