Gore Throws a Concert Using Musicians He and Tipper Betrayed in the 1980s

So Al Gore, the man that could have been president of these United States, is throwing a concert. This, of course, is the same Al Gore who spent much of the mid-eighties, along with wife Tipper, attacking music, culminating in Congressional Hearings which resulted in the Parental Warning labels, dubbed the Tipper stickers, that would warn parents of albums that might be objectionable–or might not.

Such stickers found there way on to albums such as Frank Zappa’s “Jazz from Hell” album – an all instrumental record. Frank testified at those Congressional Hearings, along with, the Gore families arch enemy at the time — Twisted Sister’s Dee Snyder. The exchange between Al Gore and Dee during those hearings is classic stuff that left Gore visually upset with the confrontational Snyder. Dee, in recent years, has softened on the Gores because of Al Gore’s commitment to environmental issues.

Gore is gathering, and no doubt the list will grow, many of today’s most popular and important musicians to help him promote his environmental agenda. Many of these artists would probably have been on Tipper’s hit list in the mid-80’s, but even the artists have forgotten or forgiven the Gores for their activities back then.

The only thing that would be more annoying would be if Dee Snyder ended up playing this event.

MIKE STARK is the author of Black Sabbath: an Oral History. He can be reached through his website.