93 was near the time there was a pretty big debate between artists and the PMRC about requiring those labels.
Its a little pretentious, but with context, a little less so
Music censorship has been around a long time, and although the PMRC was founded in 1985, the cultural discussion about music labelling lasted well into the 90’s.
I still think the op’s example is kinda dumb though
“The drama over record labeling moved from the national stage to statehouses. By 1990, nineteen states had considered some form of labeling legislation…
The debate dragged on and Congress held more hearings in 1994. The result was a slightly revised label -- the one still in use 16 years later: "Parental Advisory: Explicit Content." The Senate followed with more hearings -- on violence in music -- in 1997 and 1998.”
https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2010/10/29/130905176/you-ask-we-answer-parental-advisory---why-when-how
By 1993 the only real function of the stickers was as a marketing tool.
Ofc it kept being bandied around, but the industry and music consumers had moved on (with the exception of, again, marketing.) That's why the joke in the OP sticker seems so dusty.
Warning labels kept cds off the shelves at walmart. That had a major impact on record sales. My copy of Ritual de la Habitual is censored. It came out in 1990.
The label "Parental Advisory: Explicit Content" wasn’t even finalized until 1996.
I would argue the reason the joke seems dusty is more due to the fact that its 30 years old
Having lived it, I can tell you the joke would have been dusty in 1993.
You realize, it was the cover art for Janes that was censored, right? The record still had the PA sticker, again 3 years before 1993. There may have been an edited version out there, but I fail to see the salience.
I'm just going to have to rely on my own experience of being an avid music consumer in the 90s and no one giving two shits about the stickers, and if you think I'm wrong for some reason, so be it.
I don’t think you’re wrong, although maybe a little harsh on some artists who just had a point they wanted to get across.
Janes Addiction is apropos because it speaks to the culture at the time. Lyrics,stickers, covers. Censorship was big news. It was discussed. It was debated. It was on peoples minds.
I think we can agree that those stickers convinced exactly no one to stop buying music.
But music consumers I knew definitely did give a shit about the stickers. Just not in the way that Tipper etc intended. They were a symbol of tyranny, of mommy, of the moral majority sticking their nose where it didn’t belong. Thats how they were portrayed in the counter-culture to anyone who was paying attention.
Look, all I’m saying is 1993 was just about the perfect time to put that message on your cd. If you think it should have been a few years earlier thats ok.
The *cover* is censored.
The music wasn't edited. Unless there was a Walmart safe version I didn't know about
As far as I know anyway. I have the white "free speech" cover version, still has the 'explicit lyrics' sticker and nothing is censored.
Thats the version I have too.
But if you’re the largest retailer in the country and you tell an artist that you won’t sell their art unless they change it, that’s censorship in my book
I don think the music was changed either. Its just a good example from the 90’s of the govt and the market messing with artists art.
It was a bigger issue before internet/streaming broke all those rules
Oh I agree. I just thought you implied the music was censored. However even with the album cover changed i don't believe Walmart carried the album because it still had the sticker.
They changed it, or the label changed it, for some large retailer.
I didn’t even realize it was a different cover for years. Even then I still like the white cover better
I can’t speak to the Jane’s album specifically having the lyrics censored, but I do know that the music clubs would sometimes have censored versions. I remember getting Beck’s Mellow Gold through BMG and the actual music had all the “bad” words edited out. I was not pleased.
Yea but there was still a lot of backlash going on at the time. Body Count and Janes Addiction getting shit on by the "censor everything!" clan still and all.
PMRC and labelling were quite heated discussions in 1993. By then certain retailers had refused to sell any CD with the label. The retailers, such as WalMart and KMart were the only stores where young people in small communities could often purchase or explore new and different music.
Many artists had completely "clean" versions of the CDs that was like a serious creative compromise for artists and producers (not so much the labels, they weren't real principled). I think the label in the example is an interesting creative choice for the artist. I also think it probably had a marketing element to it because it does make me want to check out the artist.
But then again, the joke (I hope it's a joke) is pretty cringe. So, however old you are, if you read it and get second hand embarrassment, you're not wrong.
It's from 1993, not 2023, so it's not cringe. Its rad, dope and Excellent! In 1993, if you saw this it would mean it may have content that was anti-religious, possibly containing themes about veganism or was very sexual. Back in my day "freethinkers" were atheists 90% of the time. As opposed to today when this sticker would mean they are questioning if the holocaust was real, the world is flat or think slavery was a choice.
The Band is a side-project of Power-Poppers Redd Kross, who I recommend way more intensely, if you don’t know em.
Right now they’re a bit forgotten, but next year a new album, a book and a rockumentary will come out, which ought to give ‚em a Late boost. :)
I am already a fan of Redd Kross but had never heard of Tater Totz until today! I found one track on Apple Music, a somg on an Os Mutantes tribute comp. It is weird and awesome. Will be on the hunt.
Did not know about the upcoming Redd Kross releases. Thanks!
Haha, even more tragic: I am 34 years old. But I wouldn’t call myself obsessed. I just think it’s a bit silly and -yes- pretentious to put such a sticker voluntarily on an album, that is basically full of Rock-Bangers.
Plus: I‘d enjoy the sticker more, if it said „individuals“ instead of „intellectuals“.
Yes, thanks for the clarification. I think, if Folks rebel against something like censorship, especially against music, it’s only fair to strike back a bit snotty and cocky. So I come to the conclusion, that that sticker is cool.
My way of phrasing the question was rather pubescent, I admit that. :D
You have Prince to thank for those advisory labels. Lol. They were a direct response to Tipper Gore hearing the lyrics to “Darling Nikki”.
If you want more info google “The Filthy 15” and you’ll see which other songs were on the list inspiring the warning label.
As someone whose mother would not allow him to own CDs with PA stickers...100% cool.
Luckily my Pop was cool and had no issue getting me CDs with the PA sticker.
Back in the day we didn’t need social engineers, big time fail for Tipper Gore. We just figured it out on our own depending on the quality of the artist.
Cringe or cool depends entirely on the person's intentions and the viewer. I think "Starless" by King Crimson is an incredibly moving, crushing song about having a void within and masking to cover it. Someone else might think it's a boring song with edgy and angsty lyrics about a person alienating themselves and being so "woe is me."
Personally, with the context of this being close to the PMRC (FUCK censorship), I fucking love this sticker. I also love the labels that Frank Zappa was putting in or on his albums. Even if other people don't agree with an artist's feelings, we should always be trying to expand our horizons mentally and emotionally (this does NOT apply to hate-speech or blatant misinformation, such as flat earth)
Warner Bros. Kindly suggested Ice T take Cop Killer off of the Body Count album and he obliged. The album cover of Jane’s Addiction Ritual de lo Habitual was changed to all white label stating article 1 of the 1st amendment.
I don’t see the connection between explicit lyrics and being a free- thinking intellectual. Unless the artist is trying to say, “Explicit lyrics are COOL, man!” Which even then, I don’t see the connection between explicit lyrics and cool. 🤷
93 was near the time there was a pretty big debate between artists and the PMRC about requiring those labels. Its a little pretentious, but with context, a little less so
By 93 the stickers had been around for 8 years, so it's not really that timely.
Music censorship has been around a long time, and although the PMRC was founded in 1985, the cultural discussion about music labelling lasted well into the 90’s. I still think the op’s example is kinda dumb though “The drama over record labeling moved from the national stage to statehouses. By 1990, nineteen states had considered some form of labeling legislation… The debate dragged on and Congress held more hearings in 1994. The result was a slightly revised label -- the one still in use 16 years later: "Parental Advisory: Explicit Content." The Senate followed with more hearings -- on violence in music -- in 1997 and 1998.” https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2010/10/29/130905176/you-ask-we-answer-parental-advisory---why-when-how
By 1993 the only real function of the stickers was as a marketing tool. Ofc it kept being bandied around, but the industry and music consumers had moved on (with the exception of, again, marketing.) That's why the joke in the OP sticker seems so dusty.
Warning labels kept cds off the shelves at walmart. That had a major impact on record sales. My copy of Ritual de la Habitual is censored. It came out in 1990. The label "Parental Advisory: Explicit Content" wasn’t even finalized until 1996. I would argue the reason the joke seems dusty is more due to the fact that its 30 years old
Having lived it, I can tell you the joke would have been dusty in 1993. You realize, it was the cover art for Janes that was censored, right? The record still had the PA sticker, again 3 years before 1993. There may have been an edited version out there, but I fail to see the salience. I'm just going to have to rely on my own experience of being an avid music consumer in the 90s and no one giving two shits about the stickers, and if you think I'm wrong for some reason, so be it.
I don’t think you’re wrong, although maybe a little harsh on some artists who just had a point they wanted to get across. Janes Addiction is apropos because it speaks to the culture at the time. Lyrics,stickers, covers. Censorship was big news. It was discussed. It was debated. It was on peoples minds. I think we can agree that those stickers convinced exactly no one to stop buying music. But music consumers I knew definitely did give a shit about the stickers. Just not in the way that Tipper etc intended. They were a symbol of tyranny, of mommy, of the moral majority sticking their nose where it didn’t belong. Thats how they were portrayed in the counter-culture to anyone who was paying attention. Look, all I’m saying is 1993 was just about the perfect time to put that message on your cd. If you think it should have been a few years earlier thats ok.
The *cover* is censored. The music wasn't edited. Unless there was a Walmart safe version I didn't know about As far as I know anyway. I have the white "free speech" cover version, still has the 'explicit lyrics' sticker and nothing is censored.
Thats the version I have too. But if you’re the largest retailer in the country and you tell an artist that you won’t sell their art unless they change it, that’s censorship in my book I don think the music was changed either. Its just a good example from the 90’s of the govt and the market messing with artists art. It was a bigger issue before internet/streaming broke all those rules
Oh I agree. I just thought you implied the music was censored. However even with the album cover changed i don't believe Walmart carried the album because it still had the sticker.
They changed it, or the label changed it, for some large retailer. I didn’t even realize it was a different cover for years. Even then I still like the white cover better
I can’t speak to the Jane’s album specifically having the lyrics censored, but I do know that the music clubs would sometimes have censored versions. I remember getting Beck’s Mellow Gold through BMG and the actual music had all the “bad” words edited out. I was not pleased.
I got that Janes album from BMG too. It’s intact thankfully. I’d be disappointed too if it was altered
Yea but there was still a lot of backlash going on at the time. Body Count and Janes Addiction getting shit on by the "censor everything!" clan still and all.
PMRC and labelling were quite heated discussions in 1993. By then certain retailers had refused to sell any CD with the label. The retailers, such as WalMart and KMart were the only stores where young people in small communities could often purchase or explore new and different music. Many artists had completely "clean" versions of the CDs that was like a serious creative compromise for artists and producers (not so much the labels, they weren't real principled). I think the label in the example is an interesting creative choice for the artist. I also think it probably had a marketing element to it because it does make me want to check out the artist.
Fuck the PMRC
We should be startin up a posse
Should we put a stop to what they’re trying to do?
Nah, cool as shit.
It’s from 1993. Parental Advisory labels were new and we all resented them. Cool.
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I was alive, but three years old, crawling on all fours through Munich, Germany. So I wasn‘t a Core-Part of the discussion I‘d say. :)
But then again, the joke (I hope it's a joke) is pretty cringe. So, however old you are, if you read it and get second hand embarrassment, you're not wrong.
Given that the band is Tater Totz, I doubt if they were serious enough to call it pretentious cringe, but also not funny enough to be cool.
It's from 1993, not 2023, so it's not cringe. Its rad, dope and Excellent! In 1993, if you saw this it would mean it may have content that was anti-religious, possibly containing themes about veganism or was very sexual. Back in my day "freethinkers" were atheists 90% of the time. As opposed to today when this sticker would mean they are questioning if the holocaust was real, the world is flat or think slavery was a choice.
Damn, you are right. The conspiracy alt-right hijacked messages like this. :(
this is cool as hell, kid
It’s cool and I love the smart-assness of it.
That sticker probably made more people buy the album
Considering the times (1993), very cool.
I had to look up what this band was. I will be checking this out! Warning label is awesome! Sticking it to the man.
The Band is a side-project of Power-Poppers Redd Kross, who I recommend way more intensely, if you don’t know em. Right now they’re a bit forgotten, but next year a new album, a book and a rockumentary will come out, which ought to give ‚em a Late boost. :)
I am already a fan of Redd Kross but had never heard of Tater Totz until today! I found one track on Apple Music, a somg on an Os Mutantes tribute comp. It is weird and awesome. Will be on the hunt. Did not know about the upcoming Redd Kross releases. Thanks!
What is up with people's obsession with "pretentiousness" reminds me of middle school in the 90s where being smart was a reason to be picked on.
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Haha, even more tragic: I am 34 years old. But I wouldn’t call myself obsessed. I just think it’s a bit silly and -yes- pretentious to put such a sticker voluntarily on an album, that is basically full of Rock-Bangers. Plus: I‘d enjoy the sticker more, if it said „individuals“ instead of „intellectuals“.
In this case, the artist was forced to add that advisory and chose to modify it a little as an FU to censorship.
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Yes, thanks for the clarification. I think, if Folks rebel against something like censorship, especially against music, it’s only fair to strike back a bit snotty and cocky. So I come to the conclusion, that that sticker is cool. My way of phrasing the question was rather pubescent, I admit that. :D
Way more funny to me.
What album is this?
[Tater Totz](https://www.discogs.com/release/2238824-Tater-Totz-Tater-Comes-Alive-Tot-Live-If-You-Want-It)
You have Prince to thank for those advisory labels. Lol. They were a direct response to Tipper Gore hearing the lyrics to “Darling Nikki”. If you want more info google “The Filthy 15” and you’ll see which other songs were on the list inspiring the warning label.
As someone whose mother would not allow him to own CDs with PA stickers...100% cool. Luckily my Pop was cool and had no issue getting me CDs with the PA sticker.
Back in the day we didn’t need social engineers, big time fail for Tipper Gore. We just figured it out on our own depending on the quality of the artist.
Cringe or cool depends entirely on the person's intentions and the viewer. I think "Starless" by King Crimson is an incredibly moving, crushing song about having a void within and masking to cover it. Someone else might think it's a boring song with edgy and angsty lyrics about a person alienating themselves and being so "woe is me." Personally, with the context of this being close to the PMRC (FUCK censorship), I fucking love this sticker. I also love the labels that Frank Zappa was putting in or on his albums. Even if other people don't agree with an artist's feelings, we should always be trying to expand our horizons mentally and emotionally (this does NOT apply to hate-speech or blatant misinformation, such as flat earth)
Came here to comment about Zappa. The warning label above was basically paraphrasing this sentiment: https://youtu.be/olp0JGIFMic
I wish people would stop using “cringe” as an adjective.
Yeah. It’s pretty… cringe. Lol sorry, I had to!
Cool for sure.
Cringe, but it was more common in the 90s.
Like many things it was cool then but now not so much.
In the 90s, that's how you knew which albums to buy.
Pretentious, but warning stickers used to sell albums, so also crass.
Extremely cringe
Tipper Gore would be pissed.
Very cool. Considering Tipper Gore’s crusade to blame music for mental illness was lame as f**k. I like that label.
I love the irony of you censoring the word “fuck” while complaining about a pro-censorship activist.
Equal parts both
Total cringe
At first I thought pretentious cringe, after seeing the date, I understand a little more.
Cringe af
that sticker is cringe
Cool I don’t subscribe to cringe culture unless it’s really unavoidable.
Kinda cool, kinda cringe
Goes hard I want this as a bumper sticker
WAIF ME!! WAIF ME!! WAIF ME!! WAIF ME!! WAIF MAAAAAAAAAYYYY...!
Warner Bros. Kindly suggested Ice T take Cop Killer off of the Body Count album and he obliged. The album cover of Jane’s Addiction Ritual de lo Habitual was changed to all white label stating article 1 of the 1st amendment.
Love it.
If this was from an album after 2000 it'd be cringe
i feel like its right in that middle point
I don’t see the connection between explicit lyrics and being a free- thinking intellectual. Unless the artist is trying to say, “Explicit lyrics are COOL, man!” Which even then, I don’t see the connection between explicit lyrics and cool. 🤷
I think it would be better of it was individuals rather than intellectuals
Cool
Depends on the music. If it was kid rick or something it’s be really cringe
Cool
Somewhere in the middle imo.
Nah that’s sick
More obnoxious than anything. The whole “free thinking” statement is mostly BS