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Olympics' Artist 'Muzzle Clause' Causes Uproar
- Posted on Feb 17th 2010 5:30PM by Jenny Charlesworth
Dallas Green, singer for Alexisonfire and solo project City and Colour, is the latest to speak out against the Vancouver Olympics. "I feel like the IOC just swoops in and takes over the entire city for the period of time that it's there and then just leaves devastation in its wake," the Toronto musician tells Spinner, likening the International Olympic Committee to Marvel Comics' most powerful supervillain, Galactus, who "just moves in and consumes a planet and then leaves and goes to the next one."
Green's remarks come despite what the media has dubbed a "muzzle clause" in Cultural Olympiad performers' contracts, which forbids artists -- including the brightest lights of Canada's music scene, ranging from Feist and K'naan to both of Green's bands -- from making any negative comments about the Games.
Green admitted he had been previously unaware of that provision in the artist contracts, but knowing didn't prevent another Olympics rant during Monday night's City and Colour Cultural Olympiad performance, where he slammed "paying $1,500 to watch a bunch of people lip-sync" at the Opening Ceremonies -- not counting k.d. lang's 'Hallelujah,' of course. (Alexisonfire's gig Tuesday night was cancelled after the crowd rushed the stage, injuring 20 fans.)
The so-called muzzle clause has recently been the subject of heavy criticism. On the eve of the Games, Raymond T. Grant, artistic director of Salt Lake City's 2002 Olympic Winter Games Arts Festival, sent an open letter to the Vancouver Olympic Committee urging it to drop the controversial clause from the contracts, which he deemed "both dangerous and unnecessary."
The clause states, "The artist shall at all times refrain from making any negative or derogatory remarks respecting VANOC (the organizing committee), the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Olympic movement generally, Bell and/or other sponsors associated with VANOC."
Grant's letter came on the heels of Vancouver's Poet Laureate Brad Cran railing against the clause's "unjust attack on free speech." In protest, Cran recently withdrew from one of the few literary events included in the cultural component of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Cran, who earlier this week participated in an anti-Olympics protest over Vancouver's homelessness rates, also blasted dramatic cuts to arts funding by the British Columbia government, which recently cut some arts grants by 90 percent. This may be stoking the uproar in the arts community, which has been concerned over censorship since at least last November when The Crying Room art gallery was forced to take down a vaguely anti-Olympics mural (though the city eventually caved and it was back up bymid-December).
Frog Eyes frontman and Swan Lake member Carey Mercer was one of the first musicians to publicly challenge the "muzzle clause" last fall. "It's not the responsibility of artists to enforce our collective right to expression and to safeguard artistic freedom," he says. "That is the responsibility of our elected officials."
Mercer has openly criticized the Olympic committee for their frivolous use of tax dollars and general disregard for pressing social issues such as homelessness and soaring child poverty rates plaguing his hometown. He further slammed VANOC for refusing "to acknowledge that their actions are going to increase the hardship of a great many citizens of Vancouver, who already feel the proverbial boot on the back of their neck."
Frog Eyes frontman and Swan Lake member Carey Mercer was one of the first musicians to publicly challenge the "muzzle clause" last fall. "It's not the responsibility of artists to enforce our collective right to expression and to safeguard artistic freedom," he says. "That is the responsibility of our elected officials."
Mercer has openly criticized the Olympic committee for their frivolous use of tax dollars and general disregard for pressing social issues such as homelessness and soaring child poverty rates plaguing his hometown. He further slammed VANOC for refusing "to acknowledge that their actions are going to increase the hardship of a great many citizens of Vancouver, who already feel the proverbial boot on the back of their neck."
Leftist punk legend Joe "S---head" Keithley, founder of seminal West Coast punk band DOA, told Spinner, "I thought the anti-democratic Olympics already happened in Beijing."
Even Keithley, a guy who's built his career on being controversial, admits to being derailed by VANOC's might. "I wrote this song called 'The OWE-lympics Can Go to Hell,' but given the amount of legal control that the Olympic people exercise, a bunch of people told me I was f---ing crazy [to put it out]," he says. "Usually I like being crazy, but maybe in this case it wasn't a good idea."
Even Keithley, a guy who's built his career on being controversial, admits to being derailed by VANOC's might. "I wrote this song called 'The OWE-lympics Can Go to Hell,' but given the amount of legal control that the Olympic people exercise, a bunch of people told me I was f---ing crazy [to put it out]," he says. "Usually I like being crazy, but maybe in this case it wasn't a good idea."
In reaction to what VANOC has dubbed "misinformation," Burke Taylor, vice president of Culture and Celebration Programs, sent out a letter to performers explaining the clause was "common for big events. Its intent is to reasonably ensure that the integrity of our partners is respected."
Taylor goes on to say that "since 2007, literally hundreds of artists and organizations have thought it reasonable, signed the agreement, and gone on to be presented in Cultural Olympiad programs in '08 and '09. It is important to note that they have done so without the slightest meddling or interference from VANOC ... I wanted to reaffirm for you that VANOC has no intention whatsoever of restricting any artistic content essential to your production."
Though VANOC doesn't appear willing to strike the clause, it has told artists it will make the contract terms clearer in the future. And with Olympic festivities going full-tilt, it's extremely unlikely we will witness a scene like the one Mercer jokingly imagined, in which Feist unfurls "a massive canvas portrait of the anarchist prince Kropotkin, inciting a cop-car-smashing riot, the likes of which Vancouver has not seen since Axl Rose cancelled his 2002 concert."
Even Keithley expects it to be business as usual. "We all knew for the most part they were going to hire really non-controversial acts," he says. "So VANOC had a pretty safe bet to begin with..."
Maybe so, but legally they're not taking any chances.
- Filed under: News, Exclusive, Between the Notes, Canada
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Add a Comment
John McLachlan
Though I think VANOC is ridiculous putting this clause in, I still believe:
A) Nobody forced the artist to sign the contract, perform and take the money.
B) I very much respect artists and what they do, but they are just people and I don't know why they think their views are more important than anyone else's just because they stand on a stage with a large amplifier for their voice (paid for by VANOC, and unfortunately, the citizens of Canada). Get off your high horse.
Karen
Dallas Green you were given a phenomenal opportunity and are obviously ungrateful for it. If you were working for ANYONE, the same expectations of loyalty would apply. Seriously, have some integrity please and let the rest of us enjoy the games. The athletes have been amazing, tourists have been awesome, and VANOC has done a superb job. There are always mishaps however considering the sheer amount of people in town, VANOC has definitely done well! Stop complaining and do something useful. Bashing the people who pay you is just rude and displays poor character on your part.
February 19 2010 at 2:32 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Zeek
I'm so glad to see everyone having a similar thought. Its frustrating when a musical star says stuff like this and its almost like he expects his fans to rally behind him. I enjoy his music but he is way out of line.
February 18 2010 at 8:26 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
buzz
Wow, How hypocritical. Take the money and bitch. Who is this guy anyway? Please leave town and return to your perfect world. What, it doesn't exist -- welcome to reality. HYPOCRITE!!!!!
February 18 2010 at 7:39 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Patrick
Quite Frankly speaking this musician is a phenomenal artist but I say shame on you on one hand you take Vanoc funds on the other hand you wish to be be quite harsh and malicious. I am proud to be a Canadian, I am proud of our atheletes. Can find a country per capita whom has done more for Haiti as an example, yes there are homeless people in every city in Canada but I dare you to compare with any other country in terms of homeless people at least in Canada we are working together for the most part to solve this problem unlike other countries whom are indifferent to this issue I have been all over this planet this is a fact.
The issue here Mr.Green this is an Olympic venue it is not the Time and place to bring in up unlike yourself there are many artist in Canada that actually do something's constructive, Like Tom Cochrane, Brian Adams , Celine, whom work pro-actively with the Canadian Government, Canadian business to solve many problems not only at home in Canada but the world over and they do it without even taking credit for it.
It's the olympics these young people train and work hard to compete on fair basis and 99% of them are great ambassadors for Canada and for them its not about money.
You need to apologize to the Canadian public and you need to start looking around this world before you start bashing your own country, we are not perfect and we have issues at home but you cannot honestly state we do nothing about these issues.
We are free!!in this country and truly multicultural and for the most part we can realize our dreams and aspirations even if we want to be a recording artist.
This is not a free speech issue at all I am a business owner and if I was paying you as a private business person I would run you out of town as fast as I could for the rights reasons.
Bomba
I agree with the Chris post, contribute to the problem instead of creating one. If everyone is so concerned then do something CONSTRUCTIVE about it. The clause only points out that you are hired as entertainers, not politicians. Raise the money through your concert to help the homeless. In the meantime, just shut up and sing.
February 18 2010 at 3:06 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Erich
If you work for me or any boss and you get paid and get paid well, it is only reasonable to demand integrity. You shoot your mouth off, despite signing a contract, you are out of my office, you are out of a job and most of all you will be ridiculed for being dumb. To Vanoc the clause may not have been the best to insert in a contract, but it does not constituted infringment of free speech. So Vanoc Get rid of the bum.
February 18 2010 at 2:20 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
twonewport
Does Canada even have a Bill of Rights? America does but they always side step it using commerce($), or special powers (IRS-ATF...).
February 18 2010 at 1:44 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Dan
Do people like Dallas Green not realize that their concerts are played in buildings and arenas paid for mostly or in part by the government. How man cities has City in Colour played where there are also homeless people. To suggest that money spent on the Olympics could have been spent on improving living conditions in Vancouver is a very valid point. But to single out the Olympics is silly. I think Dallas Green is a tremendously talented musician/singer/songwriter. But d he can have venues and a main stage to present what he does best, shouldn't athletes as well?
February 18 2010 at 12:01 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
tf
1 reply to tf's comment
every single day,someone has their hand out. We give .. give and give. Checks are written from governments every month that add up to billions even trillions over the years. Every single day there is a tragedy somewhere needing more. Funds to build drug rehabs, funds for second chance. Funds to make someone else feel better. BUT once every 4 years the Olympics come to a town. Kids that's not taken the short cut in life of drugs, gangs.Most of that work they put into it last a mere seconds. And that's all they ask of you. Watch me for a few seconds. I've heard that money.. should have been put here or there.. the homeless.... They Olympics did cost nothing compared to the price of the checks written out at the top of the month that live off the system. I'm sick of it.. I am so sick of it.. I will NO longer give. I will not give, time nor money again until I see that this crap has stopped. My children and family deserve to see something other than.. a hand out. Other than someone else's opinion of where my money should be spent.. No more..
I will urge others to also stop.. let the protesters pay the difference
Michael
[quote]BUT once every 4 years the Olympics come to a town. Kids that's not taken the short cut in life of drugs, gangs.Most of that work they put into it last a mere seconds. And that's all they ask of you. Watch me for a few seconds.[/quote]
Yes, so? I don't have a problem with the Athletes wanting to compete, I have done Ironmans etc. myself, but you know what? I did end up paying my own way there too, bought my own bike, spent countless hours of training too to get there and there are millions who do that too.
People like Sean White (or however he's spelled) who makes millions in sponsorship money every year is not an "amateur athelte", neither are the hockey teams that face off on the ice.
While the idea of the Olympic movement I find laudable, the current version of it isn't about the athletes, they are just the reason that they put the games on. If they could just have people come to the host city, consume sponsor products and get the exposure for their brands without the athletes they would be quickly forgotten.
Anybody who claims that "this is for the athletes, just think of them" is either willfully blind or utterly ignorant on how the business of the Olympics is performed and why.
18 Comments