Green Day Refuses to Censor Album; No Wal-Mart

I don't think any of us were surprised about this story, but Wal-Mart has refused to sell Green Day's new album, 21st Century Break Down, because the band refused to allow Wal-Mart to censor the album and sell a "clean" version. According to lead singer Billy Joel Armstrong: "There is nothing dirty about our art." You can read the entire story on Yahoo! News here.

While Wal-Mart does sell CDs with PA stickers on them, it is apparently their policy that any CD bearing the PA sticker must also allow Wal-Mart to sell an edited version of the CD. A crappy policy? Yes. Is Wal-Mart within their rights? Sadly, yes. They're a private company, and they can make any decision regarding what they will and will not sell and how they'll go about doing that.

Now, it's no secret that I'm an artist advocate, so I have an issue with Wal-Mart on a number of levels beyond the "art" aspect (which I believe no one has a right to alter). First, I sincerely believe there are times when only a well-placed "fuck you" will suffice. I watched this great segment on 20/20 a few years ago about the "necessity" of profantity. They did a social experiment with some college theater students and challenged them to find a non-profane way of getting across the same message that Rhett Butler gets across in Gone With the Wind when he says "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn." You had to give these kids an "A" for effort - they tried everything from "I don't care" to "I don't give a hoot." Nothing worked. Another case in point is this clip from the BBC's "Rush Hour." I don't think that's what NWA was going for.

Even if there is a way for musicians to get their message across without cussing, let's not kid ourselves - if you buy a "clean" version of a cd for your kid, do you really think they don't know what word goes where the "beep" is?? Come on now.

If parents simply educated themselves about what their children were listening to, this wouldn't be an issue. My boyfriend used to manage a video game store, who had a policy that "M" rated games could not be sold to anyone under 17. However, any adult could buy them. The following scenarios played themselves out over and over again in his store: 1) "I can't sell that to you kid, you're under 17." [Parent comes in store, screaming] "What the hell is your problem, I can't believe I had to come in here to buy this game, etc."; 2) [Parent returns, more screaming ensues] "How the hell could you sell this game to kids? Do you have any idea what's in it! I can't believe you guys sell this crap, etc." "Yes sir, I do know... which is why I couldn't sell your kid the game." If you don't want your kid exposed to profanity and obscenity, first of all, you're dreaming. However, if you insist, the only way to do so is to educate yourself and make informed decisions about the entertainment your kids are exposed to. Either you accept the content as is, or you avoid it all together. "Clean" versions are the definition of half-assed.

In summary, "Clean" versions of records hide nothing except the art. My though is: If you can't handle the fucking heat, get out of the god damn kitchen. Unconsored comments welcome.