Taboo Media - Music Censorship

Taboo Tunes "romps through centuries of public outrage over music of every sort, from bawdy tavern ditties to gritty hip-hop."
—Annie Nakao, San Francisco Chronicle [sfgate.com](5/30/04)

"Taboo Tunes reads like an essential primer for a Culture Wars 101 course. Blecha...does a good job of exposing the morality police as they continue their self-righteous attacks."
—North Bay Bohemian (7/21/04)

"the book is an excellent overview of how censorship changes and morphs over the years into new ways for those anointed few to try and cram their morals down the throats of the music consumer."
—Ear Candy Magazine (8/05)

"Armed with two decades of research and a commendable agenda, Peter Blecha brings us Taboo Tunes, his new user-friendly tome that chronicles and comments on the censorship of popular musicians and their creations."
—DIW magazine (10/04)

"an engaging and informative read about musical censorship and hopefully one that'll encourage folks to fight for their respective music of choice next time it comes under attack."
—David Hill, Shredding Paper (1/05)

"The late Frank Zappa once compared censorship to 'treating dandruff by decapitation.' Peter Blecha's Taboo Tunes is a valuable history of the revolutionaries, their captors, and the guillotines. Like Howard Zinn's seminal 'A People's History of the United States,' Blecha's book is a study of the edges of sanctioned culture. ...The histories are immensely valuable, especially in the curent climate, where censorship in the mainstream often results in absurdly Victorian modesty."
—Jesse Jarnow, AM New York City (5/28/04)

"Music may have charms to soothe the savage breast, but it can also angry up the blood – to variously constructive, liberating, or oppressive results. Peter Blecha's excellent Taboo Tunes chronicles the history of popular music-related controversies and crackdowns in recent decades. It offers a studious yet highly entertaining reminder that the relationships among art, commerce, morality, and free speech are forever being renegotiated, often without our consent. ...Blecha's escalating outrage is refreshingly partisan, and many morsels throughout Taboo Tunes are revelatory."
—Dennis Harvey, San Francisco Bay Guardian [sfbg.com] (8/25/04)

"a superb work, and Blecha adds a personal touch as he repeatedly mounts the soapbox of indignation... editorializing his anger with the forces of reactionary suppression... today the bullying overclass is nearer than ever to achieving its censorious goal... If we’re ever going to mount a successful resistance, we’ll need heralds such as Blecha to point out the atrocities of the power elite. Bravo."
—Dennis P. Eichhorn, Scram magazine (Summer 2004)

"Things You Want To Read: Taboo Tunes is a treasure trove of facts and trivia about the often-losing battle fought for free speech in music. Musician and author Peter Blecha backs each paragraph with a heady density of factual information, names, dates and more, making this read educational and enlightening. Songs and albums that have been banned if not altered litter pop music and underground music history and Blecha gathers from those incidents to compile a fascinating story…"
—Tom Schulte, Outsight (11/14/04)

"A TOME FOR TIPPER: Censorship, says Blecha, is the tool used by the empowered to label forms of music as sources of social ills, rather than symptoms or responses to them. And in his well-historicized, forcefully argued book, Blecha categorizes the various ways and reasons used by authorities through history to justify banning artists and their music."
—Paste magazine (8/04)

"...a probing and exhaustively researched 'ode to scandal' that takes an intelligent look into the lengths to which the powers-that-be will go to keep us from the music we love. Filled with 'indecent' album covers, 'subversive' art and historical photographs, it is a fascinating read that chronicles music censorship from as early as the Qin Dynasty and moves us to the present, where not even a Dixie Chicks album is safe from mass burnings."
—Laura Francis, Exclaim! [exclaim.ca] (6/1/04)

An "engrossing examination of popular music's countless transgressions: The historical breadth of this book is quite astonishing. ...This is excellent. It is immaculately researched, and benefits from informed, insightful sociological commentary....Chillingly, we learn of the immoral lengths those in control will go to restrict what they believe has the capacity to inflame... Despite mostly pointing out the pettiness and insecurity of authoritative agencies, Blecha shrewdly is not always on the artist's side. He brands Guns N' Roses 'homophobic, racist, and anti-immigrant' and Eminem as 'divisive filth', and thus the book is given necessary balance. The icing on the cake is a fabulous list of sexually explicit song titles..."
—Record Collector magazine (8/04)

"Taboo Tunes is not the first book ever published on music censorship, but FINALLY we get one written with skill, serious spunk, attitude, and flair. The author lays out the basics of what arts-censorship is ...and then gets down to business: relating the story of censorship in America. Written in a humorous, fun, and wickedly wild style."
—20th-century-history-books.com

"HEAR NO EVIL: Not since Tipper Gore took on Twisted Sister has it seemed that so many busybodies want to stick their noses into what we hear and see. But who knew that Howard Stern's fellow outlaws included Olivia Newton-John and Mr. Ed? Taboo Tunes, by Peter Blecha, chronicles censorship's greatest hits."
—Playboy magazine (7/04)

"With wit and color, Blecha recounts the FBI's long and well-documented surveillance of musicians...and the controversy surrounding dance moves in the early 20th Century. ...Blecha covers the sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll ethos that authorities began scrutinizing in the '50s and '60s. ...Indeed, Tunes is an amazing and witty history of lawmen and moral busybodies with too much time on their hands. Blecha talks about 'fear of music' – as ridiculous as that sounds, it should be feared. Rhythm and melody can incite action. They can educate. They can enlighten. Clear Channel has taken control of the majority of radio stations in South Florida and across the nation. Yet we're so caught up in who's going to marry a millionaire that we don't seem to care."
—New Times Broward-Palm Beach [newtimesbpb.com] (6/3/04)

“Fear of music? Talking Heads didn't know the half of it. Peter Blecha’s tragicomic, comprehensive account of how paranoid conservatism has always ranged itself against artists and fans in its attempts to suppress the most innovative rock, jazz, blues and rap is an education, an entertainment and a warning of how the price of cultural freedom is eternal vigilance.”
—Charles Shaar Murray [author]

"THE PICK OF THE LITERATE: ...you'll need to read Taboo Tunes. It's Peter Blecha's world history of censorship, from Anti Rag-Time Girl magazine to the Dixie Chicks fiasco. Anyone concerned with civil liberties should read this book, then fight the power."
—bakerbooks.net

"‘Taboo Tunes’ is both a concise history of musical censorship and an argument against it. …Blecha is not nostalgic. He's vigilant at a time when religious dictators are able to do what communist regimes could not, which is outlaw pop music. When Wal-Mart can compel songwriters to write alternative lyrics. When Clear Channel can buy up radio stations and concert venues, then control what music is heard on and in them. When we are so worried about the erosion of values, or just too busy trying to stay afloat, we don't object.”
—Terry Lawson, The Detroit Free Press [freep.com] (5/23/04)

An "...angry rant...Taboo Tunes serves a worthy purpose."—Rolling Stone magazine (6/24/04)

"Now this sounds like a book I want to read!"—rockandrollreport.com (6/04)

"This thorough, breezy overview is a useful reminder that fulminations against supposedly degenerate music are as old as music itself – and invariably ebb. In Blecha's telling, for instance, the PMRC wars of the '80s seem as quaint as the white temperance fanatics' objections to jazz in the '20s. His historical excavations are terrific..."
—Blender magazine (8/04)

Taboo Tunes is "a scholarly, yet gripping, saga relating many of the myriad ways people have tried to silence other people's creative expressions over the years."
—Clark Humphrey, MISCmedia.com (5/14/04)

"From the Taliban to Tipper Gore, political establishment 'control freaks' have frequently responded to the perceived societal dangers of music by attempting to suppress its ability to communicate the 'wrong' ideas. Largely concentrating on attempts to censor American post-war popular music, but not infrequently bringing in examples from other places and times, this historical survey devotes separate chapters to censorship efforts based on charges of promoting licentiousness, drugs, devil-worship, violence, and political subversiveness..."
—Copyright © 2004 Book News, Inc.

A "very comprehensive history of music censorship [that is organized] according to topic: sex, drugs, murder, etc....Virtually every act of censorship is covered and many of these stories of suppression and wrongful discrimination will perturb the reader...his research is topnotch and it's the various historical anecdotes that make the book a pleasant read."
—Adam Bregman, The Stranger [stranger.com] (5/27/04)

"With the current run of events, it seems Blecha’s publication timing is perfect."
—Steve Hochman, "Can’t Stop the Rock," The Los Angeles Times (4/25/04)

"Taboo Tunes couldn't arrive at a better time. In the wake of Janet Jackson's notorious Nipplegate, big-media paranoia about 'objectionable' content on our airwaves is at a point where songs that have been played unaltered for 25 years are being bleeped on the hippest rock stations... In chapters devoted to drugs, the devil and sex, among other taboo topics, Blecha traces the long, sad history of conservatives with too much time on their hands and overactive imaginations taking umbrage at music both harmless (Dean Martin's 'Ain't That a Kick in the Head' or the Kingsmen's 'Louie Louie') and undeniably scatological (2 Live Crew) without ever bothering to prove how or why such silliness is contributing to the decline and fall of Western Civilization – or why parents shouldn't be the ones responsible for monitoring what their kids listen to, instead of the government."
—Jim Derogatis, The Chicago Sun-Times [www.suntimes.com] (5/9/04)

"...the timing couldn't be better for Peter Blecha. ...Then again, Blecha and publisher Backbeat Books aren't lucky as much as they are smart. Anyone who pays attention to attacks on the arts knows that such outcries tend to coincide with election cycles. It's a safe bet that in a presidential election year, there will be someone blaming entertainment in general and music in particular for all of society's ills. Blecha's book is meticulously researched. ... Even as someone who's always followed First Amendment cases, Blecha uncovers many examples I never had heard. Some of the best research involves the pre-rock era. ...Blecha doesn't offer a blanket defense for every song included in the book. Instead, he puts them in historical perspective and shows how many of the controversies had less to do with the content of the songs than with the agenda of the groups that objected to them. He also argues that one can object vocally to the content of a song without advocating its censorship...The book is current enough to include the anti-war songs written in the wake of the invasion of Iraq. Blecha argues that the consolidation of radio ownership helped muzzle those songs from the airwaves..."
—Andy Gray, The Tribune Chronicle [tribunechronicle.com] (6/17/04)

Taboo Tunes "takes an evenhanded (though pro-music) look at the various attempts [at censorship] made on rock 'n' roll, blues and hip-hop. Blecha doesn't start with the banned songs, but instead lays out the various philosophical cases made for and against censorship and governmental control (from the Greeks to lawmakers during the Qin Dynasty in China to Thoreau and even Hitler). From this solid basis, he unloads what might be termed an excruciatingly detailed look at songs that have raised the public's (or authorities') ire..."
—Dave Chamberlain, New City Chicago [newcitychicago.com] (6/2/04)

"...Blecha examines the recurring phenomenon of music censorship in an entertaining and enlightening fashion in his new book: Taboo Tunes. ...Blecha’s encyclopedic knowledge of pop music affords him a unique perspective on the timely subject of music censorship and its relationship to political and popular culture.”
—Belltown Paper (5/1/04)

"Think the censorship uproar over Janet Jackson's breast at the Super Bowl is something new? Think again. Concern over musicians and music goes back more than 2000 years. Plato wasn't down. 'Forms and rhythms in music are never altered without producing changes in the entire fabric of society and it's most important political forms,'wrote the philosopher in 'The Republic.' It's all in the sometimes alarming, often fun and always informative tome on the subject of censorship, 'Taboo Tunes' by author Peter Blecha."
—Chris Jordan," Home News Tribune [thnt.com] (6/18/04)

"...an extremely unusual book that highlights the work of hundreds of controversial performers who have written tunes that have questioned authority or derailed trends. ...this offering traverses a dark area of the music business and attempts to assess history in a cultural context that rewards artists who have questioned the times in which they lived. This is certainly an interesting read – especially considering America’s current climate of fear – but not for everybody."
—Michael Mollura, Music Connection magazine (6/21/04)

“Peter Blecha tells a story of how free we aren't. It's a story every music fan needs to know. Otherwise, we might come to the false conclusion that ‘You Gotta Fight for Your Right to Party’ is just a slogan.” —Dave Marsh [editor, Rock & Rap Confidential]

"As America comes to terms with Janet Jackson's infamous wardrobe malfunction and the F.C.C.'s crackdown on 'indecency,' the subject of censorship is again a hot topic in the U.S.A. ...Peter has certainly spent some time on the subject of music censorship. ...This new book should be a fine addition to the library of any serious musicologist."
—The Louie Report (7/04)

"Taboo Tunes looks at the long, tortured history of music censorship. ...Blecha makes the point that while proponents of censorship will always be with us, those who oppose it remain determined to make their voices heard as well."
—Gillian G. Gaar, "Taboo Tunes examines music censorship, shines light on absurdity of suppression," Goldmine magazine (10/15/04)

"Taboo Tunes is a history of music censorship through the ages...packed with delightful trivia...it's a depressing litany of cultural obstruction that apparently has no end in sight..."
—Mojo magazine, London (7/04)

Taboo Tunes "could be called Censorship’s Greatest Hits. With so much saucy suppressed material to cover, it’s a shame this isn’t a large reference book. Instead author Peter Blecha offers as many amusing examples of senseless censorship he can find to bring us up to present day in this breezy overview...Taboo Tunes lets you chuckle at banned album cover art and recurring dopes like Jessie Helm (a radio commentator in the ’50s who broke Elvis records on air) to Texas governor George Bush (who passed corporate censorship legislation). ...You’ll also learn about lazy fact-checkers who rallied radio stations to ban anti-drug ditties like 'Kicks' and 'The Pusher' without getting past the title. That this book can boast so many recent examples of our nation overreacting like the stupid town in Footloose is a reality you may find both disturbing and oddly comforting."
—Detroit Metro-Times [metrotimes.com] (7/14/04)

“Fundamentally, we have to recognize that powerful music speaks to people in a way the censor can’t – and having a compiled history like Taboo Tunes at hand makes this realization most clear.”
—Krist Novoselic [Nirvana, founder: www.fixour.us]

"As we all know, Americans - particularly those in positions of authority - like the idea of free expression more than the reality of it. But what's particularly jolting about Taboo Tunes, Peter Blecha's compelling look at the history of censored music, is the way it reveals the absurd lack of reasoning that has often driven the suppression of popular songs. ...Over the course of our history, music has been censored for various reasons – either to chill dissent at a time of political crisis, to reassure frightened moral guardians, or to cynically make points with voters. ...'In my estimation, we are seeing right now a very opportunistic thrust of censorship and it seems to tie into the presidential election cycle, more than anything else,' Blecha says. ...'They're calling it the indecency debate and I'm just wondering when the debate part starts. It seems driven from the top down. I have not seen the Million Mom March against Steve Miller's "Jet Airliner." I haven't seen people marching on the Capitol with their pitchforks and torches demanding that Pink Floyd's "Money" never be played again. I haven't seen any grassroots uprising on this. So I consider it an imposition at an opportunistic moment.' ...With Taboo Tunes, Blecha compiles so many implausible censorship cases, both famous and obscure, that you're left with one overwhelming impression: Authority figures inevitably misunderstand popular music, finding scandal in the wrong places and missing it when it's right under their noses."
—Gilbert Garcia, The San Antonio Current (5/27/04)

"Sex, drugs and murder – back it up with an infectious beat, and you're sure to cause someone's neck hair to rise up along with their blood pressure. Author Peter Blecha has just tackled this subject in the well-researched new book, Taboo Tunes... Dotted with album covers, sheet music, cover art and historical photographs, the 214-page tome is a fascinating read."
—John M. James, The Cincinnati CityBeat [www.citybeat.com], Ohio's Dayton City Paper,
Kentucky's Louisville Eccentric Observer, Davenport, Iowa's The River City Reader, Des Moines, Iowa's Pointblank, & Alaska's Anchorage Press (5/12/04)

"Amusing as it is to remember how coy songs about ganja and copulations made sobersides shit their pants in the 50's and 60's, it's little comfort to see that right now, the Dixie Chicks and Steve Earle are banned from certain radio wavelengthes. Not too long ago, (September 11, 2001 to be exact), Clear Channel decided that its stations shouldn't be playing certain songs by Neil Diamond, Cat Stevens, Simon and Garfunkle, Elton John, Tom Petty and Steve Miller, all for the sake of what they thought was the public's interest (surely, you remember the catchy slogan 'If you play Rage Against the Machine, then the terrorists have won!'). Religious fanatics, self-righteous politicians and other self-appointed art critics are always out to save us from ourselves and Blecha provides some good historical perspective, especially as we could learn from this history so we don't repeat it. One question: can anyone demonstrate how trying to censor any of this music actually saved anyone's life or really did any of the intended good they were meant to?"
—Jason Gross & David Manning, Perfect Sound Forever, London (7/04)

"Culled from the annals of the naughty, provocative, blasphemous, heretical, outrageous, anarchical, and downright dirty, this compendium of two centuries of censored song lyrics covers everything from 'Puff the Magic Dragon' to Marilyn Manson. Original."—www.ein-gutes-buch.de

"...censorship of sound recordings has been going on for nearly 100 years. Whether it was that 'awful jazz', those songs about illegal drugs or sex or even wild dances like the 'turkey trot' or 'bunny hug', there was usually someone who thought the music was immoral. Author Pete Blecha covers the spectrum in Taboo Tunes a breezy new paperback."—Steven Ramm, In The Groove (7/04)

A review titled, "'Taboo Tunes' is anything but objective," cautions readers to: "be warned that Blecha's writings read as if he's preaching to the choir. The book takes on a … subjective angle when he takes potshots at, and ridicules lawmakers in their attempts to put a lid on 'questionable music.'” Iwasaki further argues: "This is the foundation of Blecha's book. The message is clear: Regardless of the First Amendment of the Constitution, music is not considered a guaranteed right of free speech."—Scott Iwasaki, Salt Lake City's Deseret News (6/4/04) [Author’s Note: First criticisms accepted, but the latter point is a rather puzzling conclusion for Mr. Iwasaki to have reached, given that it is both historically and legalistically incorrect – and clearly the exact opposite of the foundational arguments set forth throughout the book. Perhaps a re-reading by him is in order. Nowhere in Taboo Tunes is an argument made that the First Amendment does not protect musical expression.]

"Ever since The Nipple That Shocked the World buzzed across TV screens for a millisecond during the Super Bowl, the Federal Communications Commission has been taking its mothering role more seriously, fining the pants off people for airing material it considers harmful to America's eyes and ears, even if, as is the case with Howard Stern, the material in question has been part of the culture at large for a quarter-century or so. A new book, Taboo Tunes, is a lengthy, detailed account of similar efforts by our government and others to control what the people are exposed to, and more than anything, author Peter Blecha shows what a history there is when it comes to government acting as a societal baby-sitter."
—Dan Nailen, The Salt Lake Tribune [sltrib.com] (5/12/04)

"Taboo Tunes is an entertaining little tome about the history of music censorship... Starting from the early 20th century, it charts the various attempts by US governments and media concerns to ban music... In the process, the book exposes ludicrous excesses...and the fact that many of the campaigners rely on tired-old mantras that were once applied to music that they regard as uncontroversially acceptable. (The standard invective about the lascivious “jungle rhythms” of the latest form of black music was being used to demonise ragtime back in the 1910's.)"
—filmcement.org, Australia (6/17/04)

"Taboo Tunes shows that the flap over what should and shouldn’t be aired over the airwaves or released to the public dates back far before the dawn of popular music in America. Indeed, Blecha traces the urge to censor back to the Roman empire, the Greeks, and King Henry V before bringing it into the present. The common thread running through all these attempts is the acknowledgement by those in positions of power that music has the ability to inspire and incite to action, and that songs can illuminate oppression, expose corruption and document the feelings of oppressed populations so effectively that censors will do almost anything to keep audiences from hearing them. The list of artists whose material has been deemed offensive is lengthy and impressive, ranging from jazz and folk acts to rock, punk and reggae performers. Sometimes the censorship was done for political reasons, other times for religious ones, but the impact was the same no less. Blecha took more than 20 years researching and compiling the songs he examines in this book. Some like 'Strange Fruit' or 'Eve of Destruction' aren’t surprising, but the story behind some others such as Led Zeppelin’s 'Stairway to Heaven' (supposed devil worship) or 'Puff, the Magic Dragon' (supposed drug themed) is enlightening. Blecha brings the narrative into the present near the book’s conclusion, spotlighting Clear Channel’s list of banned songs and continued stranglehold over American radio playlists."
—Ron Wynn, The Nashville City Paper [nashvillecitypaper.com] (5/21/04)

"If 'Rock ‘n’ Roll is Here to Stay,' as Danny & the Juniors first sang in 1958, it’s equally certain that music censorship will also be sticking around to monitor the influence of the stuff originally derided as 'the devil’s music.' But, as Seattle writer and Northwest music historian Peter Blecha’s new book, Taboo Tunes makes clear, music censorship is not just a modern phenomenon. ...Blecha charts a fear of ideas, and the power of music, that’s continued through the ages. ...Blecha’s intention with the book was to both inform and entertain his readers. 'My goal was to assemble in a fun and readable fashion a definitive telling of American history regarding censorship,' he explains. 'And what I really want is for Americans in particular to look at this and go, "This is our history. We need to face it. This is where we’ve been on the path of music censorship, and we’ve had proud moments of resisting unnecessary or ridiculous censorship, and we’ve had low points." 'I wanted to point out that censorship began in ancient Rome and China; now let’s focus on American history and try to learn from it.'”
—Gillian G. Gaar, The Seattle Times (5/4/04)

"There's a rather interesting book out now called Taboo Tunes. It's not just recent times; Mr Blecha covers music censorship in the Roman and mediaeval period to modern day, although much of the emphasis is on the 20th century onwards. He covers different areas of music censorship, for example, how record packaging has frequently come under attack by what he calls 'moral busybodies'; how the corporate music business itself does most of the censoring; and how the intentions of the artistes are frequently negated by record companies and radio who turn tail when challenged by any Important Presence from the outside. ...Mr Blecha isn't going all conspiracy theorist, shouting in paranoia; he's got solid, tangible evidence for his research. And, as he points out none of this sort of thing is new."
—davedavies.com (5/25/04)

"Taboo Tunes, takes an in-depth look at songs, artists, and record/CD covers that have been censored in the last 50 years. Blecha says he was negotiating the publication terms of his book long before music censorship and the Federal Communications Commission made the headlines again…The Taboo Tunes website also contains updates on current musical events some might consider objectionable, so it's much more than just a promotional tool to sell the book. Very informative."
—da bookman, Musicforamerica.org (5/8/04)

Taboo Tunes "examines censorship in society and the conflicting motives behind it."
—Goldmine (7/9/04)

Taboo Tunes is "an amazing compliation of noteworthy facts about music censorship."
—Phyllis Pollack, Valley Scene (6/11/04)

“From Plato to the Sex Pistols and beyond, Taboo Tunes is a lively and valuable survey of censorship and its discontents.”
—Doug Honig [Communications Director, ACLU of Washington]

"What music weren't you supposed to hear? Find out in Peter Blecha's book Taboo Tunes."
—KBCO 97.3 [Boulder, Colorado "World Class Rock"]

“It was little stretch for the right-wing to target freedom of speech on American radio. Even innocent songs like Pink Floyd's "Money," and The Who's "Who Are You," have become targets of rightist airwave control. In Taboo Tunes, Seattle writer Peter Blecha explicates the way of all censors.”
—Powell’s Books [Portland, OR]

“The publicity flowing from the FBI’s lengthy investigation and the 1964 banning of “Louie Louie” due to alleged lascivious lyrics, transformed it from a mere hit into the anchor of an unending career for The Kingsmen. Thank you, Mr. Hoover! And may a similar fate befall Peter Blecha’s Taboo Tunes.”
—Barry Curtis [The Kingsmen]

"Rolling Stone reports: 'Nirvana, Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones, Sheryl Crow and the Dixie Chicks are discussed in 'Taboo Tunes,' a book to be published later this year."
—Nirvana News: www.nirvana-music.com (5/6/04)

“Taboo Tunes, "explores the socio-political causes behind censorship campaigns and documents the repression of various forms of music on a global scale."
—Northwest Historian (11/03)

Freemuse.org, the esteemed Copenhagen, Denmark-based international anti-censorship organization, posted a news item about (and link to) tabootunes.com, along with a "Recommended Reading" citation for the book, Taboo Tunes, on their website.
—[freemuse.org] (5/25/04)

The Centre for Political Song (based from Glasgow, Scotland's Caledonian University – and which "exists to promote and foster an awareness of all forms of political song"), posted a link to us headlined, "New book on music censorship," and forwarded an e-mail to offer congratulations on "a wonderful web site."
—[politicalsong.gcal.ac.uk] (5/24/04)

ODDS & ENDS
MISCELLANEOUS MEDIA SIGHTINGS...

"Need some fun songs to sing around the ol’ summer campfire this year? There’s a new 'Taboo Tunes' songbook, featuring some easy-pickin’ chord charts and lyrics for wanna-be musicians of all ages. Apparently, Peter Blecha’s critical analysis of controversial songs was a hit in music book business, and the Hal Leonard Corporation asked him to assemble a little songbook of the same name. Will Peter Blecha extend this 'branding campaign' to include other products under this moniker? Will the world see a 'Taboo Tunes' CD compilation? Maybe a 'Taboo Tunes' iPod? How about a 'Taboo Tunes' mouthwash? Time will tell..."
—Eric Predoehl, louielouie.net (6/1/05)

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer published a news item titled "Starbucks tunes out the Boss – Dust-up over why Springsteen's new CD gets a cold shoulder," by K. Milares Bolt & D. Parvaz, that included a quote by Peter Blecha who questioned the coffee company's lame explanation that their sudden refusal to stock Bruce Springsteen's album (which includes a song – "Reno"– that, they noted, has sexual lyrical content) was based on various factors including "shelf space" and "scheduling" issues. The same essay was also published by the Philly Daily News with this title: "Starbucks puts a lid on Boss' CD - Denies song with sex reference is reason." [seattlepi.nwsource.com] (5/7/05)

TheSeattle Times published an essay titled "Worshipping at the altar of vinyl: Music buyers of all ages get nostalgic for records," by Heather McKinnon, that included information and quotes from Peter Blecha about the history and current state of collecting rare records." (12/29/04)

"As a veteran rock journalist, senior curator of Seattle's Experience Music Project and member of JAMPAC (Joint Artists & Music Promotions Political Action Committee), Peter Blecha is something of an elder statesman in the fight for free speech in rock 'n' roll...his obvious passion for civil liberties and an encyclopedic knowledge of American pop culture history...Censorship, its history and the way this history repeats within such a short period in America are topics well worth expansive discussion."
—Syracuse New Times Net (12/22/04)

"BEST OF THE WEB 2004" Tabootunes.com places in Maxim magazine's Top-25 listing.
—maximonline.com (11/04)

Tabootunes.com is noted as the "WEB SITE OF THE MONTH"
—Musictank.co.uk (11/04)

"MUSIC CENSORSHIP: Seattle author, music historian and Olympia native Peter Blecha discusses the phenomenon of music censorship to mark the publication of his new book, "Taboo Tunes: A History of Banned Bands and Censored Songs". An exhibit of rare banned music artifacts opens at 2 p.m., and a presentation by Blecha is from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday November 14 at Plenty Restaurant, Olympia. The event is free."
—The Olympian (11/12/04)

"Song censorship irks student listeners, DJs," was the title of an essay by Erin Hendricks published in the Syracuse University Daily Orange that included a positive review of Taboo Tunes. (9/22/04)

"National Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to choose what to read and the freedom to express your opinion – even if those choices or opinions are considered unorthodox or unpopular. ...To kick off Banned Books Week at the Eugene Public Library, on Sunday, September 26... Seattle author Peter Blecha will deliver a fascinating multimedia presentation based on his new book Taboo Tunes. A respected advocate for free expression, Blecha declares that from the medieval era to Elvis to Eminem, 'crusades to ban music – usually in the guise of "protecting society"– have been woefully misguided, often destructive, occasionally comical, and remarkably unsuccessful.' ...Blecha is a music historian and pop culture commentator who is quickly becoming established as a leading expert in the subject area of music censorship."
—[eugene.or.us/Library/news] (9/04)

"'Esto es censura, amigos: Con un juego de palabras que remite a los dibujitos animados de loony tunes, Peter Blecha recopilio ejemplos de prohibiciones en la musica popular. Censura vieja y obsoleta, en filmes, revistas e historietas'", cantaban Los Violadores. Pero, aunque viejísima, agrega el historiador especializado en música Peter Blecha: tristemente vigente, "'de la mano de cruzadas moralistas, la Iglesia o el poder gobernante.'" (book review / author interview feature)
—Silvina Marino, La Mano magazine, Argentina / Uraguay (9/2004)

"Election 2004: Pop music leads charge in urging youths to vote – It's no secret – and no surprise – that most of the music-related politicking this year has come from the left side of the spectrum, which has long-established roots in protest music dating to the 1960s and earlier. Author Peter Blecha, whose book 'Taboo Tunes' talks about the intertwining of pop and politics, points to Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger as forerunners of the genre..."
—James Hebert, San Diego Union-Tribune [sandiego.com/news] (9/20/04)

"ART FIGHTS THE POWER: Thanks to foul-mouthed comedians like Whoopi Goldberg and Dick Cheney, the tenor of our political dialogue is enough to give some poor FCC censor an aneurysm. It’s time for an injection of artistic civility into the discussion: “Art vs. Bush,” sponsored by No Vote Left Behind, collects subversive works by Peter Blecha, Ellen Forney, and 11 more. Looking for art that isn’t by a bunch of pinko hedonist commies? Ah, go screw yourself. Fri., Aug 6. Free. Crespinel Gallery."
—Seattle Weekly (8/4/04)

"Art vs. Bush: Knock Him Out Before Round Two!: Opening night Art sale and silent auction benefit for NVLB featuring a group showing of some of Seattle's best known and loved artists including Wally Bivins, Peter Blecha, Stacey Bott, Richard Drews, Ellen Forney, Rob Johnson, David Kane, Emily Rieman, Charles Peterson, Anthippy Petras, Randolph Sill, David Walega, and Scott Wilson. Seattle's own liberal lion - Rep. Jim McDermott, speaking at 6:30 PM. Plan to see some great art and think about how politics, art and music interact! Get your culture on with NVLB!"
—[www.novoteleftbehind.net/events] (8/6-8/04)

"Speak no evil: With presidential campaign, celebs are taking sides" – Kristin Dizon's essay about the most recent spate of patriotic musicians who have stepped up to criticize President Bush's questionable leadership – included quotes from Peter Blecha. Whether such artists are now facing booing at concert apparances, right-wing radio condemnations, and/or boycott threats, the upside Blecha says, is that 'It's hard to find someone who has been the target of a boycotting campaign who has not recovered and, in the long run, benefited."
—The Seattle P-I [seattlepi.] (7/27/04)

"WEBSITE OF THE WEEK: If you feel curious about how censorship has controlled music in history, including album covers, bands, and lyrics, Taboo Tunes is the site for you."
—Intuitive Magazine (6/1/04)

“Taboo Tunes watches controversy and censorship in music, and has an exhibit of some of the most venomous perpetrators.”
—The Morning News (5/21/04)

London's The Guardian highlights a display of banned and censored LP and CD jackets and captions provided by Tabootunes.com: "The Covers They Didn't Want You To See: From phallic fingers and bare bums to terrorist targets and rape, Peter Blecha on the record sleeves that went that little bit too far."
—[guardian.co.uk] (5/21/04)

"SITE OF THE WEEK: Before Courtney Love’s breasts became a fixture in America’s tabloids, musicians pushed the envelope for a worthy cause: record sales. Gallery of the Forbidden chronicles the ongoing war between album cover art and Wal-Mart."
—Maximonline.com (5/10/04)

Taboo Tunes "romps through centuries of public outrage over music of every sort, from bawdy tavern ditties to gritty hip-hop. 'I absolutely sympathize with parents, who have every good reason in the world to protect their children from being exposed to questionable stuff,' Blecha says [in a phone interview]. 'But the world has never been perfect. It's always been full of dangerous things, wild and crazy ideas and bad language.' Not to mention songs. ...Blecha...has studied public alarm over controversial songs and artists for 20 years. He views the censoriously inclined as mostly 'woefully misguided, often destructive, occasionally comical and remarkably unsuccessful.' ...Blecha believes history justifies his protectionist stance on behalf of 'unintimidated music making.' ...Today, record companies have voluntarily put warning stickers on CDs with objectionable lyrics, ... [but that] may be attracting more youth than repelling them. Blecha's more worried that the stickers might result in censorship if retail giants and stations are pressured to drop records that carry them. 'It was one thing in the old days, when there were a couple of thousand independent radio stations in America,' Blecha says. 'It's the same with record stores. The problem is, media consolidation has changed all that. If the head of a chain decides he doesn't like an artist's look, language or career arc, he can impact that artist's ability to get records out to the entire community. That's the threat we're facing now. ...They, like every record company in the land, always rush in to say they support free-speech rights,' Blecha says. 'When someone powerful complains, however, they'll lean on the artist and have them shape up.'"
—Annie Nakao, "Throwing The Book At Censors," San Francisco Chronicle [sfgate.com] (5/30/04)

“FREE SPEECH ADVISORY: CENSORSHIP IS BACK – Given The Huffing and Puffing Over Indecency, Author's 'Taboo Tunes' Book Certainly Hits A Timely Note,” a feature essay by D. Parvaz quotes Blecha as saying; "I think of censorship as probably the most important civic issue that we face. Because it's ultimately a challenge to free speech." [Originally published (5/7/04) by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer – online version at: seattlepi. – it was later published by the Indianapolis Star as "Timing's right for book on banned songs" (5/16/04); by Minnesota's Twin Cities paper, The Pioneer Press, as "Often hilarious 'Taboo Tunes' hits timely note" (5/14/04); by Kentucky's Lexington Herald-Leader as "'Taboo Tunes' Strikes Timely Chord, Author Says: Recent Hubbubs Draw Attention To Censorship" (5/20/04); by Australia's Sydney Morning Herald as "Taking the puff out of free speech" (5/12/04); and by Grammy Magazine as "New book's look at censorship in music shows today's decency debate has a long history." (5/12/04).]

"Censorship, or the threat of it, has had a huge effect on the development of culture...from the beginning of time. Today's Pick is a collection of those songs, albums and music artists that have fallen foul of the censors over the years. Obviously, as the nature of the content would suggest, the site isn't suitable for children. Created as a supplement to the book version, the site does have plenty of interesting, stand-alone content worth a look. There is the Gallery of the Forbidden which features information on censored bands and albums and the steps, if any, the bands took to get back on the right side of the censorship laws. There is also a section collating news on the subject of censorship. The site is an American one, but its focus is international and contains many examples of the madness of British censorship." —Yahoo! UK & Ireland Picks! (6/23/04)

"Weird News: Musician and censorship scholar Peter Blecha says media organizations don't announce when a song is banned because, as he puts it, 'they discovered long ago that banning something increases interest in it.' Blecha says censorship goes back centuries and tends to swing between extremes: conservative people objecting to lyrics about sex and intoxication and liberals protesting references to sexism, violence and racism. But now censorship isn't as much a community effort as a corporate one. Most decisions to censor songs are made by a few powerful executives, who make musical decisions based on business and political expediency. He figures that's the only reason to explain why the Steve Miller song 'Jet Airliner' has been banned from the airwaves 25 years after it was a hit. Blecha is the author of a new book, 'Taboo Tunes.'"
—Wireless Flash [ncbuy.com/news] (5/14/04)

"Seattle writer Peter Blecha shares from his new book on oppressive right-wing radio censorship, Taboo Tunes. Powell's Books, 7:30 pm, Monday 5/17."
—The Portland Mercury

"...if you haven't checked out music critic/local historian Peter Blecha's exhibit of banned/censored record covers, I suggest you do so before it disappears on Saturday, May 15. I went to the opening night just in time to hear Mark Arm DJ while kids were literally smashing up old vinyl on the floor. The walls of the gallery were adorned with 'scandalous' images from decades of censorship, when AC/DC, Prince, and John Lennon shared notoriety with the Scorpions, Alice Cooper, and Body Count as far as dirtying the minds of the innocent was concerned. It's an especially relevant show for a time when the FCC still attempts to mandate morality in this country, and as humorous as it is to see what was considered shocking in the past, it's pretty damn sad to see how little has changed with the square censors these days."
—Jennifer Maerz, "SMASH IT UP," The Stranger (5/13/04)

"Latest news and updates: On May 7, I mentioned a new book, 'Taboo Tunes.' The same night there was a release party in Seattle. The author explains: 'We threw a very successful Book Release party Friday night at a big art gallery, Seattle's Crespinel Studios. To help celebrate I developed an exhibit of rare/ banned/ censored LP (and CD) covers and posters. For four hours 300-400 people partied to the sounds of "'taboo tunes" spun by guest DJ's, Krist Novoselic and Mark Arm (Mudhoney's singer/guitarist). Both DJ's played lots of wild and interesting stuff, and Krist even played "Love Buzz" by Shocking Blue! A very special moment.'"
—The Internet Nirvana Fan Club

"Banned Songs – In a country where our soldiers are getting blasted by guerrilla warfare daily and we have reality shows about cutting and pasting new shells on empty people (The Swan, anyone?), it never ceases to amaze me how something like music can be seen as degrading for society. Tonight's release party forTaboo Tunes, by local music critic Peter Blecha, offers not only a peek at the new book but also pieces from Blecha's personal collection of banned artifacts, as well as celebrity DJs Mark Arm and Krist Novoselic."
—Jennifer Maerz, The Stranger magazine (5/7/04)

“Blecha examines the recurring phenomenon of music censorship in an entertaining and enlightening fashion in his new book: Taboo Tunes. To celebrate the publication of the book, the author is hosting a party and exhibition preview on Friday, May 7… Blecha’s encyclopedic knowledge of pop music affords him a unique perspective on the timely subject of music censorship and its relationship to political and popular culture. The book publication party and companion exhibition promises to be a lively affair. The show includes a compelling collection of banned music artifacts, including album covers, sheet music, posters, and related ephemera from Blecha’s personal archive. Guest DJs include Mudhoney’s Mark Arm and former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic.”
—Belltown Paper (5/1/04)

“Tabootunes.com provides historical information and witty commentary about music censorship. The TABOO NEWS portion features global updates about ongoing "morality crusades," "decency debates," "cultural wars," and other music/arts events of note. The GALLERY OF THE FORBIDDEN portion has eye-popping exhibits showing fifty years worth of controversial LP covers. Review the origins of censorship; how governmental responses to 9/11 have affected music; how music & pop culture are being weaponized by the Pentagon in the Iraq War; how America's traditions of musical dissent have been attacked; how the FCC is now focusing on selected targets and ignoring Right-Wing hate-speech radio broadcasts. A fun, unique, and timely approach to viewing these very serious topics...”
—SmirkingChimp.com (4/29/04)

"As a pop culture historian, Peter Blecha has some discouraging observations for those supporting the Federal Communications Commission's recent crackdowns on indecent or obscene material... 'Looking at centuries worth of censorious efforts, they have almost always failed,' says Blecha... 'It’s a hopeless cause.' That’s a conclusion he reached in the course of writing 'Taboo Tunes,' a book exploring the contentious controversies of several generations of pop music... From Elvis’ hips through Janet Jackson’s body jewelry, he says, attempts to quash even extreme forms of expression in the context of art have generally backfired – not that he isn’t sympathetic with those who believe that the public has a right to be shielded from things that cross certain lines. With the current run of events, it seems Blecha’s publication timing is perfect. But he notes that it would have been just as perfect last year with the controversy over the Dixie Chicks’ criticism of President Bush and the resultant protests and boycotts, or a dozen years ago with the Ice-T 'Cop Killer' controversy. And actually, he finished the book before the Jackson flap flapped... 'I keep coming back to the thought that what a coincidence this is, or isn’t, that this is happening in an election year,' he says. For those who think the crackdowns are excessive, though, he does remind about earlier eras. 'In ancient Rome, if you were the censor and felt a balladeer in a tavern was mocking the Empire or singing blasphemous tunes, you could impose death sentences by clubbing.' Makes a $500,000 fine seem almost reasonable."
—Steve Hochman, "Can’t Stop the Rock," The Los Angeles Times (4/25/04)

Eric Alterman features a link to Tabootunes.com in his MSNBC / Slate column, Altercation, at msnbc.msn.com (4/26/04)

Alexander Cockburn & Jeffrey St. Clair’s counterpunch.org (“America’s Best Political Newsletter”) spotlights tabootunes.com as their “Web Site Of The Weekend.” (4/10/04)

Pamela Scott & Benji host Peter Blecha for an interview about Taboo Tunes & music censorship on their Atlanta, Georgia-based radio show on WVCC. (5/24/04)

Mike & Ken host Peter Blecha for a 15-minute interview about Taboo Tunes, “Louie Louie,” and the history of censorship on Portland, Maine's WGAN Morning News show. (5/21/04)

Matt the Cat – whose popular XM Satellite Radio Network oldies/R&B-oriented specialty show, 50’s On 5, recently got in a bit of “hot water” after an airing of the naughty 1947 song, “Mother Fuyer,” by Dirty Red – hosts Peter Blecha for a rollicking discussion about the hilariously convoluted saga of that ill-fated ‘50’s R&B tune, “Louie Louie,” the historical patterns behind music censorship, and the fear of musical-innovation down through time. (5/19/04)

KUOW 94.9 FM radio's The Beat show features this topic, "Banned Songs: In the wake of 9/11, radio titan Clear Channel distributed a list of songs to pull from rotation for sensitive topics. Songs included Steve Miller’s Jet Airliner, the Talking Heads Burning Down the House, even John Lennon’s Imagine. Obviously, that was not the most sensational, nor the most recent, example of music censorship. While all forms of expression can be limited, music is a terrific target for censorship because it is both incredibly affecting and disarmingly ambiguous. When it comes to music censorship, we’ve got a history that stretches back before 2 Live Crew, before the earliest jazz, and all the way to Plato’s time. Peter Blecha, a musician and writer and former curator with the EMP joins Megan Sukys for a survey of censored music. His latest book is Taboo Tunes." [www.kuow.org] (5/4/04)

The Robin and Maynard Show airs banned records and yuks it up during the morning drive-time with guest, Peter Blecha, on Seattle’s The Buzz (100.7 KQBZ FM) radio. (5/13/04)

Radio ace, Allan Handleman, hosts Peter Blecha as his interview guest on Rock Talk, a live 3-hour national call-in broadcast, where they discussTaboo Tunes & music-censorship history. (4/18/04)

A British film crew interviewsTaboo Tunes author, Peter Blecha, in Seattle for eventual broadcast in a documentary on the BBC. (5/2/04)

Doug Honig (Communications Director for the ACLU of Washington State) hosts Peter Blecha as his interview guest on Speaking of Freedom, a Seattle-based cable-TV show broadcast on SCAN-TV. (3/8/04)

"The Forbidden -- Galerie des Verbotenen... Taboo Tunes ist ein Buch, das Zensurmassnahmen in der Musikbranche dokumentiert. In der Gallery of the Forbidden, sind einige zensierte Plattencover ausgestellt, vom Butcher-Cover der Beatles, (aus 7 englischen Alben wurden 10 für den US-Markt) bis zu den Strokes, deren Song "New York City Cops" in der Folge von 9/11 auf amerikanischen CDs nicht mehr erscheinen darf, usw. Auf Taboo News finden sich aktuelle Auseinandersetzungen von Musikern mit der Zensur...(oder Repressionen durch die US-Regierung. Make Love, Fuck War...)"
—Time For Time, Germany, (10/3/05)

"Verbotene Stücke: Okay, in den 50ern war man sicher prüder als heute. Aber dass auf einem Album-Cover ein Daumen nur ein Daumen ist, und ganz bestimmt nicht ein Penis, selbst wenn es - Gott bewahre im damaligen Virginia in Amerika, das die Mischehe noch verbot - schwarze Musiker waren, hätte jedem klar sein können und müssen. Aber obwohl sich Rudy Wests bestes Stück auch nach eingehender Prüfung immer noch als Daumen des Five-Keys-Sänger heraus stellte, musste Capitol Records aufgrund des öffentlichen Drucks eine neue Pressung in Auftrag geben. Damals Zensur: Hat sich die Prüderie gebessert? Wie die Rolling Stones 1968 und 1976 herausfinden mussten, nur langsam. Das gefesselte, verletzte mit gespreizten Beinen da sitzende zänkische Weib brachte jedenfalls die Feministinnen und Frauenrechtlerinnen in Rage und auf die Barrikaden. Roger Waters von Pink Floyd hatte mit seiner nackten Anhalterin 1984 auch kein Glück. 1994 mussten die Black Crowes wegen leicht sichtbarem Schamhaar auf ihrer Scheibe Amorica nochmals hinter die Bücher. Und heute auch: Auch in diesem Jahrtausend geht die Zensur munter weiter. Allerdings müssen die Bands viel weiter gehen. Titel der CD von Dilated People: Target Practice (dt. Zielübungen), Datum: nach 9/11, Bild: Weltkarte mit rot markierten, möglichen Zielen von weiteren Terror-Anschlägen. Es ging nicht lange und ... man kann's erraten. Eine Geschichte der Zensur in der Musikbranche auf der Webseite TabooTunes."
—http://www.t-online.ch, Czechoslovakia (2005)

"Musica bandita dalle televisioni, radio e negozi. A muovere la spada della censura su Beatles, Alice Cooper, The five Keys, Sex Pistols sono stati i motivi più strani e a volte divertenti. Peter Blecha storico della musica e abilissimo scrittore, propone nella sua certosina ricerca per parole chiave - quali censura e offesa alla pubblica morale - l'applicazione della più dura delle istituzioni della nostra società (la censura appunto) agli artisti della musica dell'era moderna. A fare scalpore fra gli anni 50 e 60 pare fossero soprattutto le copertine dei vinili. Si parla di musica bandita nel caso di Yesterday and Today del famoso quartetto di Liverpool. I Beatles posano in completo bianco con fette di carne sanguinolenta e membra di bambola adagiate sulle gambe e sulle spalle. La censura si scaglia su "On stage!" dei Five Keys, perchè il profilo equivoco dell'indice di Rudy West sembra scatenare la fantasia impudica della censura. Su internet troverete moltre altre curiosità, basta visitare il sito www.tabootunes.com"
—xanthocom.infair.it, (9/20/2005)

"Webs Del Dia: Música censurada – Els Sex Pistols, els Beatles, Guns N’ Roses... Tots ells, i molts d'altres, tenen una cosa en comú: en algun moment, la seva música ha estat censurada. Ho pots veure en aquest web."
—lamalla.net, Spain, (1/12/05)

"An interesting gallery featuring albums related to various historical censorship incidents."
—octopusdropkick.net, Japan, (1/13/05)

"Forbudte toner – Censur af musik er igen blevet et varmt emne i USA. Læs om den forbudte musiks historie og se pladecovers, der ikke er for sarte sjæle. Musik du ikke bør høre – Bogen 'Taboo Tunes' tager fat på musik og censur. Med fokus på sit hjemland USA, der ellers bryster sig af at være bannerfører for ytringsfriheden, tager forfatteren Peter Blecha fat på al den musik, der er blevet forsøgt undertrykt, fordi den ikke passede i magthavernes kram eller simpelthen bare var grænseoverskridende for de mest puritanske af landets indbyggere. Eksemplerne i bogen er mange og spænder fra Billie Holiday over 60ernes ungdomsoprør frem til nutiden med kunstnere som Rage Against The Machine og Ice-T. Og ifølge Peter Blecha er musikcensur blevet et varmt emne under George W. Bush."
—DR [www.dr.dk/musik/rock/artikel], Denmark, (1/6/05)

"WEB DE LA SEMANA: Si sientes curiosidad por saber cómo la censura ha controlado la música en la historia, incluyendo portadas de álbumes, grupos, y letras, entonces taboo tunes es la web que buscas."
—Intuitive E-Magazine (intuitivemusic.com)

"Taboo Tunes.com...also has an excellent blog covering the latest moral crusades. Read it and weep and ask yourself why the same risible attempts at censorship are allowed to happen over and over again."
—The Joint rdu 98.5 radio, New Zealand

“Kontroverseill och forbjüden musik/albumomslag.”—lankarkive.com

Tabootunes.com: "Music they don't want you to hear, art they don't want you to see!"—skreed.com

"Sai ainda este ano nos EUA o livro Taboo Tunes, sobre bandas vetadas e musicas que não passaram pela censura."—MTV.com Brasil

"Musiikki Sensuurin Hampaissa: Ei ole mikään varsinainen uutinen, että musiikki on kautta aikojen herättänyt intohimoja paitsi rakkauden, myös vihan ja epäluulon merkeissä. Sekä sanoitukset että musiikkityylit ovat yllättävänkin usein yhteiskunnallisen kiivailun keskipisteessä. Aihetta ei ole kuitenkaan laajemmin käsitelty kirjallisuudessa, mitä voi pitää sekä yllättävänä että pahoiteltavana asiana. Peter Blechan kirjalla on ansionsa, mutta myös rajoituksensa. Se on erittäin perusteellinen kartoitus Yhdysvalloissa esiintyneeseen - ja edelleen esiintyvään - populaarimusiikin kokemaan vainoon ja sensurointiin... Kirjoitustyyli on terävä ja älykäs, sensoreiden puuhia kuvatessaan erittäin ironinen ja voimakas..."— Heikki Poroila, kirjastot.fi, Finland

"Heard your delightfully informative discussion on public radio. Touche !! Congratulations also for your website....which I immediately visited. Thanks so much for your great work, and for exposing censorship for what it is – often without rhyme or reason, and often a tool of nefarious purpose."—Cecil, USA

“Taboo Tunes...is especially resonant in the interesting times in which we live.”—Anastasiav

"'Taboo Tunes' av Peter Blecha handlar om musikvärlden mest kontroversiella verk. Fylld med flera sekel av oanständiga sexvisor, sjukliga mordballader, hädiska sataniska sånger, lovsånger till berusande substanser och radikala politiska hymner. Boken får censorer att lägga bena på ryggen."—fajaf.com

"As many music collectors know, popular music is as much about music, as the accompanying art and video. Tabootunes details in imagery and story, an extensive list of banned/censored album covers."—requiem.net, Australia

"'Peter Blecha schreef Taboo Tunes over gecensureerde of verboden songs en platenhoezen. Met een overzicht en een online tentoonstelling op tabootunes.com."—Weblog De Leeskamer

"I am a PhD candidate in Clinical Psychology. I currently working on my doctoral dissertation. ...It is my contention that there is no causal connection between music and aggression, yet as you so skillfully demonstrated in your book Taboo Tunes, even to this day many see or believe there is a connection. I hope to put some "science" behind it. I very much appreciate the information in your book. ...congratulations...It was a book that had to be written. Your web site also contains extremely useful info."—GC, USA

“Lo mejor, la galeria, corta pero interesante.”—elastico.net

"Musica Clandestina: Chissa perchè la musica più bella e dirompente è stata sempre bollata come fonte di pericolo soprattutto in America, paese notoriamente “liberal”. A ricostruire la storia della musica messa al bando, delle copertine di dischi “ pericolosi” e delle immagini scandalose ci ha pensato Peter Blecha storico musicale americano, collezionista di dischi, rarità e cimeli vari, creando Taboo Tunes. Ovvero, una serie di eventi spettacolari tra cui una mostra un sito e un libro “A History of Banned Bands & Censored Songs”. Blecha ripercorre la storia della censura musicale non solo negli Usa ma in tutto il mondo. Sul sito e sul libro si trova di tutto. Dalle provocazioni dei Sex pistols al satanismo di Charles Manson fino alle copertine censurate dal Patriot acts, il comitato istituito all’indomani dell’11 settembre." —waytrend.net / suoni maestro

"Il libro e il sito dello storico di musica, Peter Blecha documenta i molti casi di musicisti e canzoni che hanno osato mettere nelle copertine dei loro dischi nudi o immagini ritenute dai soggetti del perbenismo un po’ troppo indecenti. Così perfino i Beatles sono stai fatti allo spiedo dai tasti caldi della società che ha ritenuto inaccettabili certe scelte grafiche. ...Qui troverete un compendio unico fatto scandali, canzoni sataniche e blasfeme, pieni sostanze stupefacenti e quant’altro la storia della musica ama raccontare. Taboo lancia anche una sorta di forum in ci si chiede il perché di determinate scelte da parte delle forbici della censura. Secondo lo scrittore si tratta molto più spesso di “governi repressivi”, troppo intenti a guardare la morale (ormai perduta) attraverso la storia hanno tentato di limitare il comportamento di altri e le forme dell'espressione pubblica e artistica, in buona sostanza la libertà."—Libero News, Italy

"The government is bad enough at censorship but...the music industry...itself is probably worse according to the Taboo Tunes site. Their gallery has interesting examples of censored cover art, a few of which actually make sense, but most of which are reactionary, and others of which are dumbfounding." —hickswithsticks.com

"Galerie des Verbotenen: Taboo Tunes ist ein neues amerikanisches Buch, das Zensurmaßnahmen in der Musikbranche dokumentiert. In der Website zum Buch gibt es die Gallery of the Forbidden, in der vor allem zensierte Plattencover ausgestellt sind, vom Butcher-Cover der Beatles, mit dem sie gegen die Ausschlachtung ihrer Musik durch die Plattenindustrie protestierten bis zu den Strokes, deren Song 'New York City Cops' in der Folge von 9/11 auf amerikanischen CDs nicht mehr erscheinen darf und auf dem Album vom Sommer 2001 in einer neuen Version durch ein anderes Stück ersetzt wurde. Unbedingt angucken sollte man sich auf der Website auch die Taboo News über aktuelle Auseinandersetzungen von Musikern mit Zensur, Irak-Krieg und Repressionen durch die augenblickliche US-Regierung."—stichpunkt.de

"Verboten! Artikel über verbotene Plattencover und gebannte Songs. Räumt mit dem Gerücht auf, Puff the Magic Dragon wäre ein Drogensong und erklät, was unpatriotische Schamhaare sind."
—evolut.ionismus.de

“Une exposition et historique en ligne des pochettes d'albums censurées aux États Unis. Très instructif sur l'absence d'évolution de la mentalité des censeurs.”—gatsugatsu.com, France

"Musik und Zensur: Taboo Tunes ist eine Website rund um das kürzlich in den USA erschienene Buch 'Taboo Tunes' und beschäftigt sich mit allen möglichen Varianten von Zensur (versuchen). Eine 'Gallery of the Forbidden' zeigt Beispiele von den Beatles bis zu den Strokes. Natürlich zeigt man auch nicht zu viel, schließlich soll ja das entsprechene Buch verkauft werden. Dafür gibt es noch einen umfangreichen Newsteil mit Vorfällen, die nach Drucklegung geschahen. Und der immer heißer werdende US-Wahlkampf wird hier bestimmt noch für einige Einträge sorgen."—hinternet.de

"Dall'ossessione dell'FBI per Billie Holliday al conturbante movimento pelvico di Elvis, dalle provocazioni antimonarchiche dei Sex Pistols al satanismo di Marilyn Manson. Certa musica è sempre stata avvertita come una minaccia dai benpensanti, dai conservatori e dai guardiani della morale. Taboo Tunes progetto ideato dallo storico musicale americano Peter Blecha che comprende un libro, una mostra e il sito www.tabootunes.com, offre una mappa dettagliata di ballate lascive, canzoni sovversive, danze scandalose e copertine proibite. ...Poco tempo dopo il brano venne tagliato e la copertina completamente ridisegnata. Senza dubbio l'esempio più brutale di politica contro la musica rimane quella dei Talebani afferma Blecha. È certo – continua - che il governo statunitense non avrebbe mai abusato della propria autorità per stilare una lista di brani ufficialmente proibiti. Il motivo principale – oltre alla forte tutela della libertà di espressione garantita dalla Costituzione – è l'efficace (quanto informale) sistema di censura che è già in funzione: si fonda sul quotidiano processo decisionale che coinvolge i singoli artisti, le etichette, l'industria radiofonica e i distributori. Il prezzo per chi infrange queste regole non scritte è 'il sacrificio finanziario'”.—DWeb [dweb.repubblica], Italy

"Forbidden Gallery: An amusing collection of the albums forbidden by censorship. It appears, that in the West there are moralists assiduously struggling against anyone nasty. Clearly among the "derelicts" are the Sex Pistols, Dead Kennedy's, Guns N' Roses and Jane's Addiction. Read and look further." —squadron.ru/blog, Russia [Translated]

"Cançons tabú: una història de les bandes prohibides i les cançons censurades, el llibre escrit per l'historiador musical Peter Blecha, fa un repàs dels músics que s'han atrevit a parlar dels temes polèmics que la societat ha qualificat d'inacceptables. ...En aquest context s'entén un projecte com Taboo Tunes, una iniciativa multimèdia que inclou una web, un llibre i una exposició itinerant. Les cançons tabú són aquelles que han desencadenat la polèmica a través de totes les èpoques, i per això resulten molt interessants d'escoltar. Hi ha campanyes periòdiques per suprimir o censurar aquesta música, que estan absolutament dedicades a no treure l'ull de sobre de qualsevol cosa que considerin sospitosa. Això justifica l'existència d'un projecte com Taboo Tunes. La selecció de la música com a blanc d'atac per part dels seus variats enemics no és més que un vulgar intent de limitar quines idees són "acceptables" i de controlar quines idees estan admeses per esdevenir 'veritats' acceptades per la societat. En el llibre hi ha un compendi de diversos segles farcits de morboses balades d'assassinats, cançons satàniques blasfemes, odes a substàncies tòxiques, picants cançonetes sexuals i himnes polítics radicals. Taboo Tunes llança una llum necessària sobre la història mai explicada de les diverses forces socials -ja siguin governs repressius o guardians de la moral- que a través del temps han intentat regular la conducta dels altres."—ritmes.net [www.ritmes.net]

"I appreciate your work...No better and more crucial time than the present to make the public aware of
the issues and intricacies of censorship and the impact on democracy!"—RG, USA

"Svi glazbenici koji su ostali upamc´eni po uspjesÌnom provociranju javnosti nac´i c´e se u vrlo zanimljivoj monografiji! Danas, kad su americÌki moralisti glasniji i aktivniji nego ikad, odlicÌan je trenutak za objavljivanje knjige o glazbenim zvijezdama koje su ponajvisÌe uznemirile krute cÌuvare drusÌtvenih vrijednosti i obicÌaja. OpsÌirno izdanje nazvano je 'Taboo Tunes' ili, u prijevodu, "Tabu melodije: Povijest zabranjenih grupa i cenzuriranih pjesama", a u knjizÌarama c´e se pojaviti do kraja ove godine. U knjizi c´e se nac´i najzanimljiviji i najuzbudljiviji slucÌajevi u kojima su izazovne pjesme i izjave buntovnih glazbenika naisÌle na osudu javnosti. NajvisÌe stranica zauzeli su Rolling Stonesi, Nirvana, Sheryl Crow i Dixie Chicks."
—www.hrt.hr/briljanteen,Croatia

"Banned Album Covers: It's amazing what has passed for offensive so recently."—offmessage.com

"Capas censuradas: O Taboo Tunes tem uma interessante galeria com algumas capas de discos que foram censuradas..."
—olifante.blogs.com

"Amerikan censorship of album art from the dirty-minded 50s to the oh-so-PC present.”
—Datumzeile: Bonn

"This is a very good site with info about things that have been banned in the record industry."
—cynical-c.com

"So manches Albumcover gefiel zwar den Künstlern, aber nicht der Plattenfirma. So kam es dann immer mal wieder vor, dass schon gedruckte Cover ersetzt und eingestampft wurde. Hier wird die Erinnerung an die nie veröffentlichten wach gehalten."—strange-links.de

"PROHIBIDAS: No todas las portadas de discos tienen la misma acogida que las de los cedés de Bisbal. Muchas portadas han sido censuradas en la historia del pop por las compañías discográficas. Aquí tienes una galería comentada de esas carátulas prohibidas."—freakolinks

"Freedom of Speech ... Just Watch What You Say: Check out Tabootunes.com, a website dedicated to 'songs that have sparked controversies down through the ages.' It features a weblog with the latest news in music censorship."
—L.A.C.K. ("A newsblog that covers latest challenges, bans, and even book burnings.")

“TABOO YOU! The tabootunes.com site contains a gallery featuring albums which have drawn criticism and censorship over the many years of rock and roll. Many of these are well known to one and all (Led Zep's bare butted cover art, supposedly salacious 'Louie Louie' lyrics. etc). But a lot of it, and the backstories, are not that well known. Enjoy.”—plastic.com

Latest News and Updates: "Nirvana will be featured in a book entitled 'Taboo Tunes: A History of Banned Bands and Censored Songs', along with the likes of The Rolling Stones, Sheryl Crow and Dixie Chicks! The book is written by musician, historian and JAMPAC member Peter Blecha and will hit the stores this month.”—nirvanaclub.com

"Banning Tunes: Taboo Tunes [has] an informative news page, and a Gallery of the Forbidden featuring music packaging related to various censorship incidents."—Steel White Table [cairns.servehttp.com]

“As you read this book, you will see how the censor's long arms still encircle $ingapore.”
—Big O Worldwide, Singapore

“Forum: Érdemes elolvasni, hogy mennyire veszik komolyan az alkotmányt az USA-ban napjainkban (épp mint angliában a 70-es években). tabootunes.com/gallery Csak azért, hogy ne essetek hanyatt Andy meséito½l, ami papíron le van írva, az nem csak itthon nem mu½ködik hibátlanul."—www.haon.hu, Hungary

“An interesting gallery of famous instances of music censorship from The Beatles to The Strokes.” —Idlethreats.org

"Tabu-Tunes: Galerie der Zensur: Es gibt außergewöhnlich gute Platten, schöne Platten, seltene Platten. Und dann gibt es immer mal wieder die ganz besonderen Platten, die sich mehr oder weniger direkt gegen die eigene Plattenfirma oder Vater Staat richten. Zeugnis dieser Machtprobe ist die Tabootunes Galerie, sie zeigt eine umfangreiche Cover-Schau von den Beatles bis zu den Strokes. Platten, die wir nie zu Gesicht bekommen soll(t)en."—myblog.de

“An interesting look back into history.”—QuirkyNet.co.uk

"Kategória: Ismeretterjeszt – Betiltott lemezborítók... Érdekes, meg minden...Az szinte semmi az Ívol Dikkhez képest... gonosz bré! ... a dzsimi hendrixes a legzsírabb ... Peter, Paul & Mary – “Puff, The Magic Dragon” hm.. ismerõsen hangzik ... nemtom mit kell ennyire ráizgulni a wtc-re, akkor mindent meg kell semmisíteni, amin rajta van (volt)? ... Aszontam térítsd meg a népet, nem térítsd el a a gépet! ... osama: ha elolvasod a sztorit hozzá, rájössz, hogy miért tiltották be... nem tudok angolul. azert, mert egy neger nem lehet karmester? ... Nem! Azért, mert nem hordhat napszemüveget ...COOL!"
[Postings by various bloggers]—www.szanalmas.hu, Hungary

"On n’est jamais trop prudent: Tout est à interdire, tout peut être banni, il suffit pour cela d’avoir un peu de créativité, d’être capable de voir la perversité pousser là où le commun des mortels ne la conçoit pas. La censure est presque un art, un terreau fertile pour des imaginations obsédées par la déviance. Regardez cette page, Taboo Tunes, et son exposition de pochettes de disques censurées. On y trouve certes des cas célèbres (le groupe de hip hop qui fait sauter le World Trade Center), mais aussi de délicieuses exagérations. Ainsi de cette pochette des gentils ouap-doo-wap Five Keys, qui fut censurée parce que le premier des chanteurs avait son pouce droit qui dépassait juste du pli de la veste, trop près de la ceinture: on aurait pu croire à un pénis. Il y a aussi les tours jumelles dans des flammes, Led Zeppelin qui n’aurait pas du produire une peinture avec des fesses d’enfants, The Black Crowes et les poils qui dépassent du maillot. Bref, que du bonheur."
—fluctuat.net/blog, France

"Het album van Roger Waters, Pros & Cons Of Hitch Hiking komt voor in een nieuw boek, Taboo Tunes. De kaft, die het achterste van een naakte liftende vrouw kenmerkte, werd ontworpen door Roger Waters en Gerald Scarfe, uitgegeven in de V.S. in 1983 maar kreeg spoedig weerstand van feministische activisten. Uiteindelijk werden alle exemplaren teruggetrokken en het album verscheen 2 weken later met een strategisch geplaatste zwarte band, die de naakte modellen verborg. Peter Belcha, de auteur van het boek, heeft ook een website opgezet die de meeste aspecten behandelt die door het boek worden behandeld."—members.home.nl/floydiantheo (6/04)

"The Sweetest Taboo: Galeria dos discos Probidos – O projecto Taboo Tunes – que inclui um livro, uma exibição e um website – fala das capas, das alterações exigidas e também das letras que causaram controvérsia. E atenção, que não se fala de meros fuck substituídos por um bip."
—substrato.blog-city.com

NOTE: The source material referenced on this page is copyrighted by its original publishers. Tabootunes.com references it strictly for the purpose of informing the public about various opinions that have been set forth regarding the book, Taboo Tunes, and this web-site.