Jann Wenner Book Talk Canceled In Montclair Amid Controversy

MONTCLAIR, NJ — An event in Montclair featuring Jann Wenner has been canceled in the wake of the Rolling Stone co-founder’s controversial comments involving Black and female musicians.

Wenner has been thrust into the spotlight for comments he made during an interview with The New York Times about his new book, “The Masters,” which delves into conversations he has had with famous artists such as Bob Dylan, Bono of U2, Jerry Garcia, Mick Jagger, John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen and Pete Townshend – all white males.

When asked why no female or Black artists were featured in the book, Wenner said the musicians he chose to feature were “philosophers of rock,” and no female musicians were “as articulate enough on this intellectual level.”

“It's not that they're inarticulate, although, go have a deep conversation with Grace Slick or Janis Joplin – please, be my guest,” Wenner said, adding that he also didn’t consider Joni Mitchell to be one of the “philosophers of rock 'n' roll.”

As for Black musicians of the period covered in his book, here’s what Wenner had to say:

“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.”

“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,” Wenner told The Times.

Wenner has since apologized for his remarks, saying that his comments “diminished the contributions, genius and impact of Black and women artists.” He told CNN that the book is intended to be a collection of interviews he has done over the years that “seemed to me to best represent an idea of rock ‘n’ roll’s impact on my world,” and that “they were not meant to represent the whole of music and its diverse and important originators, but to reflect the high points of my career.”

“I totally understand the inflammatory nature of badly chosen words and deeply apologize and accept the consequences,” Wenner said through a publicist for the book’s publisher, Little, Brown and Company.

CANCELED IN MONTCLAIR

Wenner was scheduled to appear for a book talk and signing as part of the Montclair Literary Festival on Sept. 28. That event has since been canceled.

Spokespeople for the nonprofit that sponsors the festival, Succeed2gether, didn’t directly address the reason for the cancelation in a statement, but said that all current ticket holders will receive a refund.

According to Succeed2gether, the Montclair Literary Festival “aims to exchange ideas, inspire future literary works and engage and celebrate our diverse community.”

The nonprofit – which addresses unequal access to educational resources by providing free enrichment and academic programs to children and families in need – noted that it has two other in-person events scheduled for 2023: Colson Whitehead discussing the second volume of his Harlem saga, “Crook Manifesto,” on Sept. 23, and Tracy K. Smith, author of “To Free the Captives: A Plea for the American Soul,” on Nov. 16. Tickets can be purchased at bit.ly/ColsonSept23 and bit.ly/TracyKSmith1116.

The Montclair Literary Festival isn’t the only organization to cut ties with Wenner in the wake of his comments.

Wenner has been removed from the board of directors of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, a representative told CNN on Sunday.

Rolling Stone distanced itself from its former founder in a public statement:

“Jann Wenner's recent statements to The New York Times do not represent the values and practices of today's Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner has not been directly involved in our operations since 2019. Our purpose, especially since his departure, has been to tell stories that reflect the diversity of voices and experiences that shape our world. At Rolling Stone's core is the understanding that music above all can bring us together, not divide us.”

Meanwhile, artists such as Living Color – who have been widely noted for their social commentary on racism – have bashed Wenner’s apology.

“The very idea of a book called ‘The Masters,’ which blatantly omits the essential contributions of black, people of color and women to rock and pop culture speaks to a much larger and more systemic problem,” the band wrote in a social media post.

“For someone who has chronicled the musical landscape for over 50 years, it is an insult to those of us who sit at the feet of these overlooked geniuses,” Living Color’s members wrote. “To hear that he believes Stevie Wonder isn't articulate enough to express his thoughts on any given subject is quite frankly, insulting. To hear that Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell, Tina Turner, or any of the many women artists that he chooses not to mention are not worthy of the status of ‘Master,’ smacks of sexist gatekeeping and exclusionary behavior.”

“Mr. Werner's apology only solidifies the idea,” the band concluded. “That his book is a reflection of his worldview suggests that it is narrow and small indeed.”

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