Censorship in muisc

[wonderboy]

I’ve heard some rumours recently and I was hoping someone on this msg board might have a few more details about it?

Basically I’ve heard that some bands are currently having trouble getting their albums pressed, never mind actually distributed in shops!! Apparently their lyrical content and artwork is ‘too political’ and controversial for the pressing plants.

If it’s true, what does this say about freedom of speech?? Anyone know any more?

 

[Cold Gin]

Which bands are you talking about ? This more or less happens regularly - and that is good. Things like racissm and too much brutal violence have nothing to do with freedom of speech but with missing respect and stupidity.
Cheerz

 

[union9]

Originally posted by Cold Gin
Which bands are you talking about ? This more or less happens regularly - and that is good. Things like racissm and too much brutal violence have nothing to do with freedom of speech but with missing respect and stupidity.
Cheerz

So true.Bands that naively use racissm and neo-nazi subject matter we can all do with out.Other than that i feel censorship is a curse to all artists all over the world.

 

[Sonnenritter]

Wow. We're not hypocrites here are we? "Let's censor this, but not this". How is that different from Christians trying to censor bands with a satanic image? Freedom of speech with limitations isn't really freedom, now is it. If a band wants to use lyrics/artwork of sex, excessive violence, or swastikas then let them have at it.

As for the original topic, it's not surprising. Puritan society in America has been trying to ban anything non-Christian for years. And some of these people pressing the covers and such are, for lack of a better word, pussies. They don't want to stir up any controversy and be labeled a nazi or any other word that the media has made out to be socially unacceptable.

 

[LeonBlank]

Personally I think it's OK to censor sex, nazism, racism and overly-brutal violence, since I'm used to that, because it has been done all the time I've lived, and wheter I like it or not, there has been nothing to be done to it..

But Sonnenritter does have a good point: what is freedom with limitations? Not freedom at least. And limitations tend not to stay where they are set, they tend to crawl further, soon it'll be completely unapproved to write songs with any kind of political or religious content, and I think then we are going too far.

My opinion is of course the use of common sense. I understand why distributers don't want to relate to any kind of nazi-shit or that stuff and I understand that many people don't want hc-porno seen in "public" stores, but some kind of line must be drawn.

t.

 

[wonderboy]

I just heard rumours and wondered if anyone can help me out. I don't necessarily agree with what you're saying but each to his own. Surely if a band want to release an album about anything that is their right to do so. They must, however, accept responsibilty for their actions (be that lynching or whatever). I also don't think that agressive music automatically transposes into lack of respect or stupidity. It's just one form of expression? Surely??

 

[DanW]

I've read with interest the posts made on this thread and thought I'd post as an actual example of this. I work for Cacophonous Records and we are currently the victim of censorship. Our latest release; Scalplock's 'Spread the Germs Over the Human Worms' has been refused by two of the UK's biggest pressing houses on the grounds that the content is too political. As has been said in previous posts this is mainly due to the imagery of the product combined with the political content of the lyrics.

However, at no point is the release racist, pro-Nazi or anything else offensive, illegal, blasphemous or the like. It is simply an informed, educated view of world politics. OK, so this album focuses heavily on American foreign policy, the views held in the album are by no means exclsuive to the band.

I think there are some interesting points made but would love to know what people think of this issue. Should a pressing plants be able to refuse something on no good grounds at all? Surely there should be no censorship (ie no limitations) at all? If a band want to release an offensive album then they must take the consequences. This album IS NOT offensive in any way.

 

[dimensionidol]

censorship is idiocy!

stop

 

[Board]

Originally posted by Sonnenritter
Wow. We're not hypocrites here are we? "Let's censor this, but not this". How is that different from Christians trying to censor bands with a satanic image? Freedom of speech with limitations isn't really freedom, now is it. If a band wants to use lyrics/artwork of sex, excessive violence, or swastikas then let them have at it.

I couldn't agree with you more! Although I think nazi shit is super-stupid I feel that they should have as much freedom of speech as I should have. Why make a difference? What if a nazi-punk says something non-nazi related, should he be censored as well?
I think we shouldn't censor stuff, but then again it might be good sometimes. I don't think you should expose kids to stuff like racism, nazi-shit and porn, as kids are easily influenced. I was myself like this once and this wasn't that long ago. I think it was when I was around 16 or such and I jumped on the wagon with some stuff just because some metal bands said it was cool and shit. I've commented this before (if you're feeling a deja-vu now). I wasn't strong enough to tell right from wrong or have my own opinions and my own mind and this is why I think censorship might be good in some cases. Not that I totally freaked out and killed people or some shit (and I wasn't a nazi or some shit like that either), but some people are too easily influenced and I was one of them. Now I think I'm stronger ("than yeeesterday. Now it’s nothing but myyy way. My loneliness ain’t killing me no more. I’m stronger. Oooh yeah!").

 

[dimensionidol]

Originally posted by Board
I don't think you should expose kids to stuff like racism, nazi-shit and porn, as kids are easily influenced. but some people are too easily influenced and I was one of them. Now I think I'm stronger ("than yeeesterday. Now it’s nothing but myyy way. My loneliness ain’t killing me no more. I’m stronger. Oooh yeah!").

porn is good!



if a child see a porno picture he probably think that we adults are all stupid and laugh!

censorship is idiocy!

now you are stronger but not like my dick!

 

[opacity]

yeah, stop the violence in music-business, censor porn-elements in music, protect the kids, dammit!! .... and cut out 4/5 of all chart-music videos

 

[Board]

Originally posted by dimensionidol
porn is good!



if a child see a porno picture he probably think that we adults are all stupid and laugh!

censorship is idiocy!

now you are stronger but not like my dick!

I don't know if it went over y'all heads, but the stuff I wrote ("Now I'm stronger than yesterday...") was from Britney Spears' "Stronger"

 

[opacity]

yeah and the video is pathetic, still :Smokedev:

 

[Sacrilicious]

It's not really censorship if its just privately owned businesses that are refusing to carry the albums. It's only a violation of freedoms if its the government itself restricting their sale. It's shitty but just as the artist has the right to say whatever they want the store also has the right not to carry it.

 

[Mazinger]

I wouldn't call it censorship. No one is telling these bands that they can't sing about this or that, or they can't put a certain picture on their album.

You can do whatever you want with your own record (at least in the USA), no one is getting censored.

Trying to find a store to carry your music, a record company to release it, etc.... is a different story. That's not censorship.

 

[dimensionidol]

Originally posted by opacity
yeah and the video is pathetic, still :Smokedev:

i think this is really good video!

she is sexy as hell!:Shedevil:

 

[SoulVomitor]

Didn't we already confront this in the 80s and win....we can say whatever but we get a Parental Advisory sticker (which will boost sales)

 

[iamunicron]

fuck it, let all have there say but if some pressing places dont want to work with such stuff then so be it, there life there choise, so what. if bands do come across this i dont think releasing a censored version of the record is right because its just not what it;s supposed to be, and nazi's should have there say, they make me laugh

 

[Vienyard]

Originally posted by Sacrilicious
It's not really censorship if its just privately owned businesses that are refusing to carry the albums. It's only a violation of freedoms if its the government itself restricting their sale. It's shitty but just as the artist has the right to say whatever they want the store also has the right not to carry it.

Fuck!! This happens to me all the time here at UM. I have a point to make and someone beat me to the punch!! Heheh, oh well.

I totally agree-if it's a private business, with freedom, they have the right to choose what they find objectionable and what they dont. I may not agree with it, but hey, it's their call.

It's almost similar to a controversy we got here in the states where Augusta National, a prestigious golf club, is being pressured to let in female members. Everyone here is crying foul that it's predjudice and what not, but what they neglect to see is that its a private club and theyre allowed to do what they want-they can make their own rules. It's their business, so they can run it how they see fit, as long as it's within the law.

Yeah, I'm getting a little off the topic again...sorry. But the point kinda relates to it....I think!

 

[Board]

Originally posted by dimensionidol
i think this is really good video!

she is sexy as hell!:Shedevil:

I think Britney overall is alright. Whenever I see an interview with her or on some pictures she looks to much like a little girl and nerdish (pony rider), but in most of her videos she's nice, especially "Stronger"!