The passing of music icon Prince is still raw, but I’m reminded how he came to the fore just as Tipper Gore and the Senate Committee tried to censor what we could hear – and wound up boosting record sales instead. It was a satisfying outcome, because Republicans in drag like Tipper are the people who just make you want to shock them. Decades later, I can now safely testify, the impulse never goes away.
Rachel Maddow covers the kerfuffle in an admirable piece. Artists like Frank Zappa and even John Denver appeared before the Committee, but Dee Snider from Twisted Sister is shown giving a stellar statement. Gore had attacked Snider’s song “Under the Knife’ in his hometown paper. Snider defends his work, and lets it be known that the only smut resides in Tipper Gore’s mind.
Prince Rogers Nelson was much more than shock, and others will write his praises with more eloquence. His amazing life is much like the liner notes from the album Purple Rain: Arranger, Bass, Composer, Guitar, Keyboards, Primary Artist, Producer, Vocals, Vocal – background – Prince…All Prince.
RIP Prince – And I think he’d like it if we all party like it’s 1999