40 Years of Propaganda

Zev Chafets has a funny piece in the LA Times on Rolling Stone's 40th anniversary.

Three-chord propaganda

The editors of Rolling Stone are not at all apologetic about turning rock 'n' roll into three-chord propaganda and laying down a lasting line of generational grievance. On the contrary, they see it as their great accomplishment. Which is why they appeared disconcerted, in recent interviews, by the unwillingness of some family members to follow the script.

Mick Jagger, for example, offered a critique of the war in Iraq that owed more to Brent Scowcroft than Abbie Hoffman. Keith Richards, asked for his views on social change, ventured that it is all a bit confusing these days and steered the conversation to Mozart and Billie Holiday.

Poor Jack Nicholson even admitted that he was "incapable of hating a president of the United States." This was considered so amazing that the editors displayed the quote prominently in a box.

"We seem to be hellbent on destruction," Wenner said during his interview with Rolling Stone's idol-in-chief, Bob Dylan. "Do you worry about global warming?"

To which Dylan replied: "Where's the global warming? Its freezing in here."

Bless his rock 'n' roll heart.

Another look from Ben Fong-Torres.