The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation has taken the decision to remove Jann Wenner, co-founder of Rolling Stone magazine and a co-founder of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, from its board of directors. This move comes in response to remarks made by Wenner that were widely viewed as derogatory toward Black and female musicians.
Wenner’s controversial comments arose during an interview in which he was promoting his new book, “The Masters,” featuring interviews with prominent musicians like Bob Dylan, Jerry Garcia, Mick Jagger, John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, Pete Townshend, and U2’s Bono, all of whom are white males. When asked why he hadn’t interviewed women or Black musicians, Wenner responded in a manner that raised eyebrows.
Jann Wenner stated, “It’s not that they’re inarticulate, although, go have a deep conversation with Grace Slick or Janis Joplin. Please, be my guest. You know, Joni [Mitchell] was not a philosopher of rock’n’roll. She didn’t, in my mind, meet that test.” He also commented on Black artists, saying, “Of Black artists – you know, Stevie Wonder, genius, right? 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.”
Founding in 1967
Wenner’s association with Rolling Stone dates back to its founding in 1967, where he served as its editor or editorial director until 2019. He also played a crucial role in founding the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which had its inauguration in 1987.
In the interview, Wenner appeared to acknowledge that his comments might provoke backlash, stating, “Just for public relations sake, 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.”
It’s worth noting that Rolling Stone magazine published its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” last year, prominently ranking albums by Black and female artists such as Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On,” Joni Mitchell’s “Blue,” Stevie Wonder’s “Songs in the Key of Life,” Prince and the Revolution’s “Purple Rain,” and Ms. Lauryn Hill’s “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.”
In light of these events, Wenner’s removal from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation’s board of directors signifies a response to the controversy surrounding his comments.
