This is the report that was printed in the Sunday Times
Newspaper on June 25 2000



			CENSORS THROTTLE WA BAND
	A struggling local band has been forced to recall its debut album after 
     the State Censorship Office branded it`s lyrics offensive.
     Police told heavy metal outfit, CHOKE, its album, Smokin` Tailpipe Action,
     had been classified a resticted publication.
     The action stemmed from a complaint to Cheryl Edwardes, minister responsible
     for censorship, about lyrics and certain artwork on the cd`s cover.
     Choke which survives on one or two gigs a month, was forced to recall dozens
     of unsold cds.
     Choke guitarist and manager Glenn Dyson admitted the album contained
     sexually explicit material: "There are a few songs dealing with pornography,
     haemorroids, sex and the like - buts it`s all tongue in cheek," Dyson said.
     "We`re not condoning anything. There`s no violence in our lyrics. Sure,
     there`s some explicit lyrics - I will agree to that. But refusing it
     classification, it`s basically putting our stuff in the same category as
     child pornography and bestiality"
     Dyson said the Censorship Office and its eight member advisory committee -
     with an average age of 51 - were out of touch.
     "I keep thinking where is the broad range of the community?" he said.
     "where`s the 18 - 25 year old male or female from a lower-middle class home,
     or where`s the 35 - 45 year old from a middle class home. How come they`re
     all over 50?"
     Brian Bennett, of the Censorship Office said of the CD: "It contains lots
     and lots of ordinary language.Just words that were totally off the planet.
     In a musical context it`s a load of crap. You can`t understand the words"
     There were calls for the Censorship Office and its advisory committee to be
     scrapped last month afte it ordered pictures in Penthouse magazine to be
     blue-pencilled.
     The committe includes Gwen Roderick 71, primary school principal Jim Ford
     59, and Anglican Priest Father Dennis Claughton 55.

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