Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner removed as RRHOF director after claim that female and black musicians were not “intellectual”
Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner has been removed from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame board of directors after his claim that black and female musicians were not “intellectual” enough to be interview for his new book.
Wenner had, in fact, been a co-founder of the RRHOF, however, following his remarks in promotion of his new book about philosophers of rock, a vote was taken by existing members regarding his future. According to reports, only one vote was lodged in his favour.
Thus, Wenner, who served as the organisation’s chairperson from inception up until 2020 has been forced to step away. The 77-year-old has since issued an apology and accepts the decision made by the board.
The controversy began earlier this week during a promotional interview with the New York Times, during which, he was asked why every interviewee from his book, The Masters, was a white male. Wenner then claimed that black and female artists “just didn’t articulate at the level”.
“Insofar as the women, just none of them were as articulate enough on this intellectual level,” Wenner responded. “Joni [Mitchell] was not a philosopher of rock ’n’ roll. She didn’t, in my mind, meet that test. Not by her work, not by other interviews she did.“
Adding: “The people I interviewed were the kind of philosophers of rock… I suppose when you use a word as broad as ‘masters,’ the fault is using that word. Maybe Marvin Gaye, or Curtis Mayfield? I mean, they just didn’t articulate at that level.”
Following backlash, Wenner has since issued a public apology, reading: “In my interview with The New York Times, I made comments that diminished the contributions, genius, and impact of Black and women artists and I apologize wholeheartedly for those remarks.“
Continuing: “The Masters is a collection of interviews I’ve done over the years that seemed to me to best represent an idea of rock ‘n’ roll’s impact on my world; they were not meant to represent the whole of music and it’s diverse and important originators but to reflect the high points of my career and interviews I felt illustrated the breadth and experience in that career.“
Before concluding: “They don’t reflect my appreciation and admiration for myriad totemic, world-changing artists whose music and ideas I revere and will celebrate and promote as long as I live. I totally understand the inflammatory nature of badly chosen words and deeply apologize and accept the consequences.”
Presently, no public statement has been made by the RRHOF itself.
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