Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider stood up alongside Frank Zappa and a number of others in 1985 against the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) regarding the censorship of music before the senate. Which is why it's kind of surprising that in an interview with Noisey, he talks about throwing out Cannibal Corpse's first album because it was "just for shock value" and how it "isn't art" to him.
Snider's comments are a little harsh, considering in the third paragraph he says he wishes they wouldn't have been allowed to make music at the time (though he wouldn't advocate against them).
“I have been in radio for 25 years, and I once threw a record into the garbage: Cannibal Corpse‘s first record. I was disgusted, because to me, it wasn’t being artistic in any way. It was being vulgar and disgusting just for shock value. You talk about fucking a nun in the ass with a knife, it was literally—that was one of the songs!
I was reading the lyrics, and you know, I’m an artist, I’m for creativity, for exploration, give me something to say that this is your artistic statement, but when you’re just writing down the most despicable things you could possibly think of for the sake of shock, well, that to me isn’t art.
So, it that too far? That’s too far. Who am I to judge? Everyone can judge for themselves. Would I say they should still be allowed to make their music? No. Should their music be kept form people getting it? No. That’s the difference between a person who wants to decide for others, or who wants to decide for themselves.
That was one of my positions when I went to testify. As a parent, listen to this shit, decide, and control your world. Don’t ask the government to babysit your children. Judge for yourself, and do what you gotta do.”
Wind got around to Barnes, who then called Snider out on Twitter, and the two had a very short and cordial conversation that ended with an apology. So that's nice.
Fair enough Chris. I talked shit about your band, you talk shit about me. Quid pro quo.
— Dee Snider (@deesnider) October 30, 2016
It was just kinda dicked out to say that Dee https://t.co/A8dmF8gFmC
— Chris Barnes (@sixfeetofficial) October 30, 2016
I apologize to @sixfeetofficial & @CorpseOfficial for what I said. Could have made my point without it. As Chris said, "It was a dick move."
— Dee Snider (@deesnider) October 30, 2016
I love you Dee! thank you, sorry I was so harsh. You're a hero of mine#YouCantStopRockAndRoll https://t.co/R6g0djCD36
— Chris Barnes (@sixfeetofficial) October 30, 2016
