Music Banter - Most Controversial Bands/Artists/Musical Genres?

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http://coolstuffhappening.files.word...008/06/nwa.jpg

Pretty much the American equivalent to the Sex Pistols, except alot more badass.

Quote:

Originally Posted by djflames (Post 590315)

grime/garage has to be the most controversial

You could explain a bit more

I was going to say NWA, but Sweet Nothing beat me to it. They were very controversial concerning their anti-police and pro-gang related lyrics.

Ice-T also stirred up some negative media attention with his release of "Cop Killer".

Public Enemy had a few controversial moments.

Louie Louie by the Kingsmen was pretty controversial in it's day. That's pretty funny when you listen to it now.

Elvis always comes to mind to because of the way he moved on stage (pelvic thrusts).

Madonna was fairly controversial because of the way she used her sexuality in her music and live performances.

I believe Judas Priest had to go to court because parents were blaming their music for causing a teenager to commit suicide. A similar instance happened to Marylin Manson after the Columbine killings minus the court room.

I also seem to remember some controversy about hidden messages or backward messages in music, but I can't remember who the band(s) was.

There was huge controversy over Milli Vanilli lip syncing their music.

I guess there are different types of controversy. Which type are you looking for?

This is actually a good topic but will be discussed by the majority on a topical level unfortunately. The history of music from the very beginning of time is littered with controversy and we, living in our little cocoon of contemporary music, will only scratch the surface unless we look deeper.

Lets look at 2 events from early in the 20 century.

Porgy and Bess by Gershwin.
Read this from The Guardian. Gary Younge on the enduring controversy surrounding Porgy and Bess | Music | The Guardian

To quote a passage.

Quote:

Harry Belafonte refused the role of Porgy in the 1959 film version (which won an Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy). Sidney Poitier, who took the part instead, playing opposite Dorothy Dandridge, later said he wished he had turned it down too, telling Oprah Winfrey in a 2000 interview he felt coerced to take it. "There was almost no frame of reference for us except as stereotypical, one-dimensional characters," he said.

Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk by Shostakovich
Read Shostakovich's revenge on Stalin in the International Herald Tribune and any other items one can find via google. Shostakovich's revenge on Stalin - International Herald Tribune

To again quote

Quote:

Then in January of 1936 Stalin went to see the production in Moscow and, he let it be known that he was offended by the explicit eroticism of the story and the music.

The composer was in the northern city of Arkhangelsk, where he picked up a copy of the newspaper Pravda in which he read an unsigned article entitled "Chaos Instead of Music" that condemned the work as "degenerate and decadent."

The opera was banned from the stage in the Soviet Union, even though it was enormously successful in other countries, including the United States. There was not much doubt that Stalin was the real author of the review. A few days later Pravda carried another negative review, this time of the relatively innocuous ballet "The Limpid Stream."

And from an online bio Dmitry Shostakovich

This was such a controversial ballet that it became a matter of survival for Shostakovich.

Quote:

Shostakovich’s career appeared to be over. Musicians and writers close to him were arrested, as were his mother-in-law, brother-in-law, uncle, and former lover Konstantinovskaya. Shostakovich attempted to reason with Stalin through intermediaries, but to no avail. Nevertheless, Shostakovich himself was not arrested, and he gradually rose from the ashes. He modified his music, making it seem more melodic and approachable, at least on the surface.

In my time I think that the punk revolution in the UK in the late 70's has been the most controversial but I ask this. Were any of the artists in contemporary music under the same threat as Shostakovich? Villi Manilli lip syncing is just not in the same league.

Probably Varg Vikernes, y'know the whole burning down churches and murder thing, not exactly what society subscribed.

Since many of the famous ones are already taken, I'll mention the relatively obscure Rockbitch, an all-female punk/metal/goth band started in the late 90s who did pagan rituals onstage as well as relatively kinky sex acts like fisting and ****ing the heads of penis-helmet wearing members of the audience.

Rather stupid and pathetic, but fun to know about for the occasional drunken trivia.

Little Richard

Let's see you lot travel around the south in the US in the 1950s as a flamboyant black man who wore make up.

But was he controversial? Or just hated because of how the south was?

Well of course he was.

He didn't have to act in that way , he chose to despite the negative reaction he'd get from some people. Which in my book in what controversy is.

Okay yeah I agree with you then. I can see how that would stir up some controversy haha.