A tumbling stone or a spinning stone Co-founder Jane Wenner has apologized following controversial comments about black and female musicians not being “articulate” enough to be included in her new book.
The apology came Saturday night, hours after the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation announced he was being removed from his position on the board of directors.
In an interview with The New York Times — which was published online Friday to promote her new book, Masters – Weiner said he did not include interviews with black and female musicians in his book because they were not “clear” enough. On Saturday, he said he apologized “wholeheartedly” for his comments.
“In my interview with The New York Times, I made comments that belittled the contributions, talents and influence of black and female artists, and I sincerely apologize for those comments,” he said in a statement. The Hollywood Reporter. “Masters It’s a collection of interviews I’ve done over the years that I feel best represent the idea of rock ‘n’ roll’s impact on my world; They weren’t meant to represent music as a whole and it’s diverse and important originators but to reflect the high points of my career and interviews I felt illustrated the breadth of career and experience. They do not reflect my appreciation and admiration for the countless totemic, world-changing artists whose music and ideas I respect and will celebrate and promote as long as I live. I fully understand the inflammatory nature of the ill-chosen words and sincerely apologize and accept the consequences.”
Weiner’s book features interviews with rock legends such as Bono, Bob Dylan, Jerry Garcia, Mick Jagger, John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen and Pete Townshend. However, it does not include any interviews with black or female musicians.
was asked by Time As for how he chose the musicians to feature, Weiner responded: “When I was referring to the zeitgeist, I was referring to black artists, not female artists, okay? Just to get that specific. The choice was not a deliberate choice. She was kind of intuitive over the years; It just fell together that way. People had to meet two criteria, but it was just my personal interest and love for them. As women, none of them were as clear on this intellectual level,” he said.
Time Reporter David Marchis, a one-time online editor A tumbling stone or a spinning stoneCiting Joni Mitchell, he returned the claim.
“It’s not that they don’t have creative talent,” Weiner replied. “It’s not that they’re obscure, though, so deep in conversation with Grace Slick or Janis Joplin. Please be my guest. You know, Johnny was not a rock ‘n’ roll philosopher. She didn’t meet that test, in my mind. Not through her work, not through other interviews she’s done. The people I interviewed were philosophers of rock. About black artists – you know, Stevie Wonder, genius, right? I suppose when you use a broad term like ‘masters’, the fault is in using that term. Maybe Marvin Gaye, or Curtis Mayfield? I mean, they just weren’t clarifying on that level.
Weiner said he based his statement on his own intuition and from reading interviews and listening to music.
“I mean, look at what Pete Townshend writes about, or Jagger, or any of them,” he continued. “They were deep things about a certain generation, a certain spirit and a certain attitude about rock ‘n’ roll. Not that there weren’t others, but these were the ones that could really articulate it.”
Weiner admitted that he could have included a black musician and a female musician “just for the sake of public relations” to avoid criticism.
“Maybe I should go and include a black artist and a female artist who doesn’t measure up to the same historical standard, just to avoid that kind of criticism,” he said. “Yes, I understand. I had the opportunity to do that. Maybe I’m old fashioned and I don’t give a shit [expletive] or whatever. I wish in retrospect I could have interviewed Marvin Gaye. Maybe it was the guy. Maybe Otis Redding, if he had lived, would have been that person.”
Several readers — including reporters — criticized Weiner on social media for his comments shortly after the story was published on Friday.
On Saturday, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced Wenner’s removal from the board with the following, simple statement: “Jane Wenner has been removed from the Board of Directors of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation.”
led by Wenner A tumbling stone or a spinning stone For five decades before departing in 2019. He is also a co-founder of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Julian Sancton contributed to this report.
