It’s 2023 and Famous Musicians are Still Not Responsible for the Moral Deficiencies of Their Fans by Michael W Malone, Jr.
One of the most beautiful things about being human is that we have the free will to make choices in this life. It is a mostly shared belief that we each have the power to make choices regarding our lives, our families, and relationships and it is widely accepted that whether good or bad we must face the consequences of the choices we make. Tis essay’s subject is centered around some dark choices made by a few troubled fans of Rock and Roll music. What happens when we, as a society, need answers to questions we do not understand, understanding in situations that we consider unfathomable, and closure regarding tragedies that happen abruptly and were seemingly preventable? Te short answer is: We try to extinguish anything that seems like a cause to that tragedy. And, that is understandable. We as civilized humans want to do everything in our power to keep devastating things from happening again. But, what happens when we try to extinguish the voice of artists whose work may have influenced those troubled fans to commit horrible acts of murder or suicide? Tat question has been the source of debate since a form of Rock and Roll called Heavy Metal was started in 1968 and still has relevance today considering the dark themes and violence depicted in current day Rock and Roll and Rap music. For years now, many people have asked the question, “Are famous Rock and Roll musicians responsible for the murders and suicides carried out by their fans?”, and the answer is NO. I have given this topic much thought and have done extensive research to support my stance. And, it is not without a heavy heart for the victims and the families of victims of these
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travesties that I still stand in defense of the artists and their work. Tere are three main points that I believe must be considered in order to protect artists, their work, and artistic freedom as a right we have as Americans. Te first point to consider is that this matter was settled in 1985 when Dee Snider, the frontman of the Heavy Metal band “Twisted Sister” addressed the PMRC at the senate hearing and effectively helped in the preserving of free speech while also helping to provide for a “Parental Advisory: Explicit Content” disclaimer for works of Rock and Rap which provided warning to parents of America of dangerous content. Te second point to consider is that there are examples of modern society making misconceptions and the media making fallacies that blame artists for actions that are in no way their fault. And, the third point for consideration is that humanity has always had a dark and murderous element as well as the mentally ill who commit self-murder. And, these things existed long before any form of Rock and Roll ever did.
Te Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) was a group formed in 1985 whose primary goal was to monitor the popular music that teenage fans were listening to. Te founding members were wives of prominent political leaders. Te most notable was Tipper Gore, wife of democratic senator Al Gore. With the best of intentions, the PMRC had set out to “clean up” popular music and keep America’s kids safe from the horrors of Rock and Roll music. Te problem was that Ms. Gore and her respected colleagues grossly misinterpreted much of the content, which led to a problem. Who has the right to judge an artist’s work based on their personal interpretation? And, What laws are in place to protect an artist and their work
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