Artists Sound Off on Proposed Warning Labels for Records : Backstage: Don Henley knocks finger pointers, Bonnie Raitt reveals the secret of her success and Paul McCartney backpedals on the Beatles reunion question.

Backstage at the Grammys, one of the biggest topics was the proposed legislation in several states to require warning labels on recordings deemed offensive.

“There’s been a lot of negativity dredged up by many groups, from liberals to conservatives, about the record industry,” said an agitated Don Henley. “There is a lot of finger-pointing going on and these people would be better off tending to parenting and stop wasting time beating up on rock ‘n’ roll.

“I’m tired of the music industry being singled out and picked on.”

The Fresh Prince, of nominated rap group DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, said: “In America we have freedom of speech, and either we do or we don’t. It’s no gray area. (Public Enemy’s) Chuck D. said, ‘Fight the power,’ and I fight the power with my mind.”

But some of the artists addressing the issue were less forceful in their views. Said Paul McCartney: “I see both sides, as a parent with four kids. That puts me in a difficult position. Censorship is a dangerous thing, but I’m on the fence, unfortunately.”

That comment illustrates the difficulty National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences president Mike Greene has had in unifying the recording industry on the issue, which he views as a genuine threat. A bill requiring the labeling of potentially offensive records passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in December. Similar bills have been filed in four other states.

Greene characterized the record industry as being “in trouble” as he spoke backstage. “Now that the right wing doesn’t have communism to fight, they’re putting their attention on the record industry,” he said.

“Every day I get to make a living doing this, as I have for 20 years, is great,” said Bonnie Raitt, following a four-award sweep that led the field of relative senior citizens winning Grammys. “A lot of people over 40 got nominated, so I guess we’re not going out to pasture.”

At 40 herself, Raitt finally had her day after three earlier nominations for rock female vocal awards. A lot of the credit, she said, goes to the recent outlets for her generation’s music, specifically the VH-1 cable music channel and adult-contemporary radio stations.

Raitt also stressed that the award represents her own maturity, coming for her first work since she quit drinking three years ago. “My sobriety means I’m going to feel great tomorrow,” said the singer, who once had a reputation as the California rock party girl.

But she credited “divine intervention” for the success of “Nick of Time.” “I made a lot of changes in my life, but I don’t take responsibility for that,” she said.

McCartney took a slightly different tack regarding the perennial Beatles reunion question than he did during his November concert stand at the Forum. At that time, he encouraged speculation by stating that he hoped to work with George Harrison and Ringo Starr on new music projects. But Wednesday, facing the press after accepting his lifetime achievement Grammy, he flatly stated: “Rumors of a Beatles reunion are not possible because John’s dead.”

But he added: “I’d still hope we can get together to do some new music for the film we’re working on.”

Asked why not tonight, McCartney pointed out the obvious: “George and Ringo are not here.”

Ironically, as the academy has aggressively recruited younger members to vote for the Grammys, more and more hitherto unrecognized veterans have won awards. This year, John Lee Hooker, a bluesman who influenced such noted rockers as the Rolling Stones and ZZ Top, took his first Grammy for best traditional blues performance for “I’m in the Mood,” a duet with Raitt from Hooker’s “The Healer” album.

“So many have been influenced by me, but I’m pleased and have no regrets,” Hooker said in the press area after accepting the award during the pre-broadcast ceremony. “I musta been doing something good for them to follow my footsteps.”

Rob Pilatus, one half of the best new artist winner Milli Vanilli, dismissed the widespread criticism of the act’s hugely successful dance-pop as lightweight.

“As long as you’re good, there are going to be some people who don’t like you,” he said. “There are a lot of jealous people out there. I’d be jealous too if I looked at Milli Vanilli. We don’t listen to what the critics say. It’s not important what they think of us.”