Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums35 years ago today: James Watt bans The Beach Boys from Independence Day celebration
http://ultimateclassicrock.com/beach-boys-4th-of-july-band-1983/
President Ronald Reagans Secretary of the Interior had been in office for two years and was known as an anti-environmentalist who once vowed to mine more, drill more, cut more timber, and upset many conservation bodies in the process. But Watt achieved a new height of hatred when he went after Brian Wilsons band on April 5, 1983.
The Beach Boys had marked Independence Day at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in 1980, 1981 and 1982, performing to large audiences each time, and it had been expected that a fourth appearance would take place. Watt, however, had other ideas without naming the band directly, he announced that no more rock acts would take part on July 4, saying they attracted the wrong element. Were not going to encourage drug abuse and alcoholism, as was done in the past, he said.
***
It probably wasnt the bands comments that landed Watt in deep water; it was almost certainly the comments of his bosses. Vice President George H.W. Bush described the Beach Boys as my friends and added, I like their music. First Lady Nancy Reagan apologized to the group on behalf of the White House. The Department of the Interior was said to have received 40,000 complaint calls. On April 7, two days after Watt had introduced his ban, the president reversed it. But press coverage of the dispute had led to increased interest in the band, and they had secured another booking for July 4 that year.
By way of resolving the situation, they were instead invited to play at the White House on June 13 at an event marking the 15th anniversary of the Special Oympics. I just wanted to thank the Beach Boys for coming here on this very special occasion, Reagan told the crowd. We were looking forward to seeing them on the Fourth of July Im glad they got here early.
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
5 replies, 1793 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (3)
ReplyReply to this post
5 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
35 years ago today: James Watt bans The Beach Boys from Independence Day celebration (Original Post)
Miles Archer
Apr 2018
OP
Eliot Rosewater
(31,131 posts)1. Reagan and team , nightmares
Targeted working people, destroyed them
no_hypocrisy
(46,250 posts)2. The Beach Boys want to dedicate this little number to James Watt:
trackfan
(3,650 posts)3. Watt was the guy who, touting the diversity of his staff said,
"I've got a Black, a woman, two Jews, and a cripple".
Submariner
(12,512 posts)4. He changed the Bison from facing left to facing right for a few years
Aristus
(66,487 posts)5. What a pissy, bigoted little prig that asshole was.
He's the reason Wyoming is the least-populous state in the Union. No one wants to be around that ass-clown...