ZAPPA THE SOCIAL CRITIC: PMRC debates & congressional hearings

To be honest, I had never even heard of Frank Zappa before watching VH1 one day, and happening upon a program about the PMRC's call to develop a censorship system for music.  I could not tell you one single song he had sung.  But after watching the documentary (the name of it slips my mind, and I have been unable to find it for about 10 years), I had learnt one thing about Frank Zappa - his politics.

Frank held himself well, was extremely articulate and well put-together (sporting a fresh haircut - part of his "infiltration" theory and technique ... a long-haired, moustachio'd Zappa would not be heard by the mainstream).  He was determined to stop government intervention into his beloved music and the lives of the American people - to him, words were words and they had no business being censored according to FCC regulations.

Before the debates were over and most of the media frenzy had died down, America and the world got to hear the other side of the debate from a well-spoken, intelligent man who believed in the freedom of expression.  Frank's infiltration made sure that people heard him, and thus heard Prince, Cyndi Lauper, Metallica, and all the other artists who had been maligned by the PMRC, right-wing demagogues and Republicans.  There may be labelling on your CD's now, but at least you can still buy them.