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I am trying to find out from you, how you develop that discipline
a little bit better than what has been developed?
Mr. DENVER. Well, I think that a good beginning to addressing this real
problem is this hearing that is taking place. What most concerns me,
aside from potential legislation which might be enacted, which we have
heard today is not going to be the case, is that the whole presentation
by the PMRC comes from in my experience a foundation of fear.
The only thing we have to fear, as President Roosevelt said, is
fear itself. I am not afraid of anything. I am not afraid of what my
children might see. I am not afraid of anything that might be
shown them or done in their presence that would lessen my influence
on them or their opportunity to grow, to be fine upstanding
adults, and perhaps some day serve in this very august body.
Senator HOLLINGS. Well, most respectfully, President Roosevelt never
heard these records.
The CHAIRMAN. Senator Gore.
Mr. DENVER. I think the things that he heard were far worse, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Senator Gore.
Senator GORE. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
It is an honor to be able to ask some questions. I have been a fan
for a long time, Mr. Denver, not only of your music but also of your
contributions to efforts such as Farm Aid at the present time,
world peace, and your trips to the Soviet Union and elsewhere.
Do you see the trend of increased sexual explicitness and violence
in some rock music that is outlined by this presentation?
Have you ever been to a Motley Crue concert, for example?
Mr. DENVER. No, sir.
Senator GORE. Do you agree that there does seem to be a growing
trend, at least in the heavy metal area, that emphasizes explicit violence
and sex and sado-masochism and the rest? You are aware of that music, are
you not?
Mr. DENVER. Yes.
Senator GORE. Why do you think that has been growing in popularity?
Mr. DENVER. Again, sir, my experience, not only in this country but
all over the world, is that music today is that medium which
most specifically tells us what is going on in young people's minds,
not what is being put into them but what reflects what they are
interested in.
I think that this addresses itself to a much graver problem in
fact, the source of the symptom that we are discussing here today.
Senator GORE. Well, if a 10-year-old listens to a song glorifying
rape, that is not reflecting what is in that 10-year-old's mind, is it?
Mr. DENVER. I do not think so. I do not think there are many
10-year-olds who know what rape is.
Senator GORE. I am not sure I would agree with that.
If you have an explicit description of a suicide, in a song that
seems to glorify and promote suicide, young people are aware of
that.
Mr. DENVER. Senator Gore, excuse me for interrupting. If I could
count the number of times that a mother or father has come up to
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