the rock and roll hall of fame must die.
Not that this is news to me, or any of you, but it is now official: the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a bloated carcass that makes a mockery of rock and roll.
The 2005 inductees have been announced, and they are:
U2
The Pretenders
Buddy Guy
Percy Sledge
The O’Jays
Now, that’s really not what the problem is – the problem is who DIDN’T get inducted, in some cases, YET AGAIN. (Although the fact that U2 got nominated oh-so-coincidentally the year of a huge album and worldwide tour makes me so fucking nauseous and angry I am spitting nails, and I haven’t even seen the ticket prices for this tour yet. (And you know, I LIKE them. They *are* good. They *are* special. The fact that it’s just the four of them up there making noise is something in this day.)
I cannot possibly quibble with Percy Sledge and call myself a rock and roll fan, although I don’t have a list of who didn’t make it in that genre to know if we’ve properly gotten to everyone yet. I don’t even begrudge the O’Jays, although every fucking year it feels like “Here’s a bunch of white guys who made us a lot of money, oh, and here’s some black men that we ripped off big f’in time so we’ll bring their families to the Waldorf Astoria and manipulate them one more time to our advantage” – oh, wait, it feels that way BECAUSE THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
[I realize this is not fair, entirely. I realize that there are probably people working at the R&RHOF, like there were/are at the Experience Music Project in Seattle, who genuinely care about the music and the history and the legacy. I also honestly believe (call me sucker) that most of the musicians who participate in the tributes and “jam sessions” are also genuine in their desire to pay homage and tribute. So if you are one of those people please do not hate me, because this is not directed at you, although it would be so much fucking better if you guys (and gals, when they let you in) would JUST SAY NO to this utter monstrosity which stopped representing the true spirit of rock and roll round about the time they started broadcasting it on network TV.
The Pretenders – sure, no problem. I adore Chrissie. Buddy Guy – no quibble, surprised he didn’t make it in beforehand. That, however, is not the problem.
The problem is the list of people who *didn’t* get inducted:
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Randy Newman
Gram Parsons
Sex Pistols
Patti Smith
The Stooges
Conway Twitty
CHRISSIE HYNDE OVER IGGY AND GRAM FUCKING PARSONS AND PATTI SMITH? What kind of enormous gigantic contradiction do we have here that we induct Chrissie BEFORE Patti? And you think Chrissie is going to dig being nominated before Iggy? Are these people smoking crack? This is beginning to resemble the Grammies the year that the “Best Heavy Metal (or is it Hard Rock?) Song” category got added and Jethro Tull won OVER METALLICA (not exactly in my top 10, but, geez).
From the R&RHOF web site – emphasis mine:
“The Foundation
yes, yes and YES.
The shark jumpeth.
(did several years ago, actually — only ec and the clash redeemed this recently).
Great line at the end about the popular kids putting their crap on in the lunchroom.
Why is there a limit on the number of acts that can be inducted in a year? Let ‘em all in. (except Pete Rose)…wait, what were we talking about again?
There is a limit because they want to have their little scripted show and make their money off Pringles and Viagra.
as someone (i can’t remember who) said not that long ago, the R&R HOF is the Hard Rock without the cheeseburgers and potato skins…..
Hey, popped over here from Readerville. Fabulous rant, which I’ve shared with my boyfriend, who’s a huge Gram Parsons fan.
Looks like I’ve found another website to add to my “favorites” – looking forward to reading more!
I agree wholeheartedly about Gram being denied entry into the HOF. You can’t pick up a music magazine without reading an interview with someone claiming to be influenced by Gram, or listing “$1000 Wedding” as one of their favorite songs of all time.
On the other hand, I don’t think I’ve ever read an interview with a musician claiming to be influenced by The Pretenders.
Love the commentary on Gram; fuck the eagles, if the stones got in then he should be in. Read anyhthing from Keith and he basically says that if he didn’t meet Gram the stones would have gone stale
I agree about the Stooges… The Hall of Fame (and I use this title loosely) needs to stop FUCKING around with the bullshit and let Iggy and the gang in…. The were doing in the 60s/70s what some of the assholes that are being inducted now have copied..
Vote for the artists you think belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame but have been overlooked at:
http://www.rateitall.com/t-2529-deserving-of-the-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame.aspx
NO SHIT!! Who are these fucking experts anyway? what about Micheal Jackson? what the fuck is that all about? they should should just call it what it is: the POP music hall of fame.
WHERE THE FUCK IS BLACK SABBATH!!.
The only thing that doesn’t drive me comepletely nuts thinking about such a lack of scope or history is that it’s pretty cool that they’re still taboo after 35 years. The whole place can fuck off and kiss my ass.
Man, once again, how many great artists are neglected? Two words: Van Halen.
Hello? They only changed the face of rock in 1978 and Edward only reinvented the electric guitar. I mean, how many people formed a band and picked up a guitar cuz of VH? My god, it’s absurd!
Funny, I have yet to hear ANYONE say the Pretenders were the reason they got into rock and formed a band. And I have yet to hear ANYONE say Chrissie is the reason the picked up a guitar. On the other hand, I have heard TONS of people claim VH is what got ‘em into rock and made ‘em form a band…and, of course, Eddie is what made ‘em pick up a guitar.
Musically speaking, it is fuckin’ tragic that the mighty VH has been eligible since 2003 and they have yet to get in. Even those who deserve it can not touch the vast impact and influence of VH. The rock hall truly disgusts me. And they way they keep hosing Sabbath is sick, as well.
Black Sabbath has been nominated several times but Ozzy Osbourne keeps declining the nomination until it is voted on by fans not “rock experts.”
Amen on the GP stuff. He is a god in my book. I’d love to let the HOF have a nice dose of
“kiss my ass you lame fucks.”
The tope 20 vote-getters at this point in time are:
1. Van Halen
2. Rush
3. Lynyrd Skynyrd
4. Blondie
5. Dire Straits
6. Doobie Brothers
7. Peter Gabriel (solo)
8. Chicago
9. Pete Townshend (solo)
10. Black Sabbath
11. Pat Benatar
12. Ben E. King
13. Alice Cooper
14. Deep Purple
15. The Cars
16. Heart
17. Yes
18. Joe Cocker
19. Genesis
20. Moody Blues
Vote for your faves