For better or worse, the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame has announced their newest members who will be inducted April 14, 2012. And yet again there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth from fans of Rush, Kiss, The Moody Blues, Deep Purple, and a number of other artists who should have been honored long ago. But take heart, The Lovin’ Spoonful is still safely ensconced in the Hall Of Fame.
The Hall went for something new, something old, and some hoped for star power on stage at their induction ceremony. Guns N’ Roses, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Small Faces/The Faces, Donovan, The Beastie Boys, and Laura Nyro will all be honored at the Cleveland ceremony. While I could probably make a better argument for some of the bands excluded, the new additions are okay, but I’m not really excited. Still, it will be an eclectic group that will take the stage together. I regret that Laura Nyro passed away in 1997, as she is the inductee I am most emotionally tied too.
Guns N’ Roses and The Beastie Boys are bands of my daughter’s generation, (what can I say I’m old). I do know that one of the Beastie Boys appeared on Top Chef: Just Desserts recently, so times do change. I have listened to the Red Hot Chili Peppers down through the years but not as much as Deep Purple, The Moody Blues, and the like. I preferred Donovan’s early gentle folk material but recognize that his psychedelic/folk creations of “Mellow Yellow” and “Sunshine Superman” were creative and unique. Likewise, the psychedelic rock of the Small Faces “Itchycoo Park” and “Tin Soldier” stood above the norm. Tying the band to Faces was probably a wise choice, but I found that incarnation of the band a little less interesting.
Article comments
1 - donnie wombough
The Moody Blues should never be in the rock and roll hall of fame. It would be an insult to their genius to place them in the same catagory as Madona. Please don't insult their brilliance. The Moody Blues were lightyears ahead of anyone out there in their time.