Backmasking Controversy: The 1982 California Assembly Hearing on Hidden Satanic Messages in Rock Music
In the late 1982, the California Assembly’s Consumer Protection and Toxics Committee held a hearing to address the issue of hidden Satanic messages in rock music. Allegations were made against bands like Led Zeppelin, Styx, and the Beatles for using "backmasking" to convey messages praising the dark lord. Assemblyman Phil Wyman proposed a bill that would require record labels to label albums with subliminal messages, similar to explicit lyric warnings that would later be implemented.
The controversy surrounding backmasking was sparked by Paul Crouch's broadcast on the Trinity Broadcasting Network in January 1982. He highlighted Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" as an example of backmasked messages influencing the youth with Satanic ideas. This led to the introduction of the concept to a national audience.
During the hearing, Assemblyman Wyman and witness William H. Yarroll II distributed pamphlets containing the alleged hidden lyrics and played the audio for the committee. They claimed that when played backward, lyrics from songs like "Stairway to Heaven" revealed Satanic messages, suggesting that listeners could be influenced after just three listens.
Yarroll, the expert witness, argued that the subconscious mind could be affected by backmasked messages, turning listeners into followers of the Antichrist. Despite the proposed legislation and other failed attempts to regulate hidden messages in music, the accusations against rock musicians like Led Zeppelin were dismissed.
Led Zeppelin's record label, Swan Song Records, responded to the allegations by stating that their turntables only rotated in one direction. Other musicians, including James Young of Styx, refuted the claims of backmasking as a hoax. Industry insiders, like Bob Garcia of A&M Records, dismissed the idea of musicians intentionally including Satanic messages in their music.
Assemblyman Wyman defended his bill, stating that it was a response to concerns raised by his constituents and should not be dismissed as a fringe issue. Despite the controversy and hearings, the accusations of backmasking in rock music were largely debunked.
In conclusion, the 1982 California Assembly hearing on hidden Satanic messages in rock music brought attention to the concept of backmasking but ultimately failed to pass legislation requiring warning labels on albums. The allegations against bands like Led Zeppelin were met with skepticism and dismissed by industry insiders and musicians. The controversy surrounding backmasking highlighted the intersection of music, culture, and moral panic in the early 1980s.