On March 14, 2005 the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame will induct The Pretenders, U2, the O'Jays, Buddy Guy, and Percy Sledge.
The very concept of a Hall of Fame for rock or any music is suspect; how can you quantify music? It's like the Rolling Stone list of the top 500 songs. What makes "Hey Jude" necessarily better than "Soul Man"? What makes "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" a better song than "Once In A Lifetime"?
The same goes for musicians and singers. Are the Pretenders, who get the nod, really better than Patti Smith, who was nominated, but not voted in? The Pretenders sold more records, but Patti Smith gets more mentions in rock history books. One could argue they both belong in there, and Patti will get in sooner or later, or the whole thing is a farce.
Are the O'Jays (in) really that much better than the Ohio Players (out, not even nominated)? Grandmaster Flash locked out, but Percy Sledge in? And what to do about Randy Newman? Sure, he's no more "rock" than the O'Jays or Percy Sledge albeit in a different way. But weren't his 70's albums supposed to be "seminal"? Don't all those Oscar nominations count for something? And what's up with Lynyrd Skynyrd? After all the times the 10-minute "Free Bird" has been sat through, often willingly, why can't they finally get some recognition? What'll it take, a plane crash to get the voters' attention? And didn't Gram Parsons, as vital to rock history as Patti Smith, just get a movie made about his short life, 30 years after it ended?
It's all silly. It's really just a fancy mausoleum, after all. But I won't be a curmudgeon and insult the whole thing. Visitors to the Hall of Fame in Cleveland seem to enjoy it; if they learn something about rock from the experience, all the better. It might be a Rolling Stone vision of rock, with a 25-year time delay. But why shouldn't Buddy Guy get a special day? Or the O'Jays, or the Pretenders? 100 years from now, people are going to need a little guidance. If the Hall can do that, well then, swell.
Article comments
1 - Mike Wu
Always a great education and a trip down memory lane, to boot! Thanks.
2 - Eric Olsen
thanks UAO, I am ambivalent on the meaning of it all too, but ultimately come down on the side of why not? Rock Hall induction has helped revive some careers (Solomon Burke, for one) and gives an excuse for a nice tribute party each year.
Speaking of which, I will be webcasting the induction ceremony tomorrow night live from the Rock Hall for Cleveland.com
3 - uao
That's my ultimate feeling too, about reviving careers, giving credit where credit is due, taking a last look at some (we'll see Cream at least once more, probably never Jefferson Airplane again)
Critics have an easy time making fun of stuff, and I'm as guilty of it as anyone.
But I also remember that there are some real musicians involved who have given me great pleasure over the years.
So if we can get a chance to learn about Buddy Guy or the O'Jays or Wanda Jackson, a rockabilly pioneer, and keep their names, and in some cases, livelihoods alive, it's a good thing.
So while I still can help giggling at the ultimate meaningless of it all (a complete list on nominees never voted in might be more compelling listening than a list of the inductees), I respect the sentiment involved.
4 - Marty Thau
Hey, what about the New York Dolls?
There are 60 bootlegs of DOLLS music out there, a film about Arthur Kane's life recently played at SUNDANCE, their biography has been re-issued, and a slew of bands regard the DOLLS as one of their major influences -- Sex Pistols, Ramones, Blondie, Morrissey, Clash -- the list is endless.
5 - Garrett
Vote for your favorite deserving but overlooked artists into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at:
http://www.rateitall.com/topic.aspx?OrderBy=&gender=B&Age=0&TopicID=2529&show=all
The top 22 vote-getters at this point are:
1. Joan Jett
2. Blondie
3. Van Halen
4. Rush
5. Black Sabbath
6. Doobie Brothers
7. Lynyrd Skynyrd
8. Dire Straits
9. Chicago
10. Def Leppard
11. Pat Benatar
12. Yes
13. Peter Gabriel (solo)
14. Heart
15. Genesis
16. Alice Cooper
17. John Mellencamp
18. Journey
19. Duran Duran
20. Deep Purple
21. Phil Collins (solo)
22. Pete Townshend (solo)