Love or hate the guy, his leadership at both Rolling Stone and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame made him very powerful. That is until he started speaking freely...
In the Times interview, conducted by David Marchese, Wenner, 77, explained why his new book, “The Masters” — a collection of his interviews over the years with rock stars like Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger and Springsteen, mostly from the pages of Rolling Stone — included no women or people of color as subjects. He said that none were “as articulate enough on this intellectual level,” and that he did not view them as “philosophers of rock.”
“You know, just for public relations’ sake,” he added, “maybe I should have gone and found one Black and one woman artist to include here that didn’t measure up to that same historical standard, just to avert this kind of criticism. Which, I get it. I had a chance to do that. Maybe I’m old-fashioned and I don’t give a [expletive] or whatever.”
That resulted in this at the RnR Hall of Fame:
At the board meeting, a few members expressed their dismay over Wenner’s comments. Wenner also spoke briefly, though his remarks failed to sway the assembled directors, who include some of music’s most powerful figures at major record labels, music publishers and in the touring world.
The entire meeting was over in about 20 minutes, and the hall then announced the decision with a brief statement. The vote to remove Wenner took effect immediately.
Maybe rock can move past his kind of taste.
“The more you can increase fear of drugs, crime, welfare mothers, immigrants and aliens, the more you control all of the people.”
― Noam Chomsky
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