The Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame is Bullsh*t!

Category: Well...Hello There!

Neanderpaul's BlogFigured this might be a great time to get this off my chest.

The Hall Of Fame is bullsh*t!

First of all, music is not a competition, but we somehow need to label it as such and bestow upon a segment of the artists that have created amazing music via their talent, and creativity, and some who’re properly manufactured and in the right place at the right time. With that in mind…Here’s EVERY artist currently inducted into the R&R Hall Of Fame and my thoughts on some who make me ask WHY THEM?: (I’m only including performers…non-performers and others are arbitrarily considered and their inclusion is relevant ceremonially at best.)

• John Mellencamp – Nothing more than the Bruce Springsteen of the Midwest. Should he be in? Really? Because he wrote a few hit songs? Then make room for Huey Lewis & Hall & Oates
• Leonard Cohen
• Madonna
• The Dave Clark Five
• The Ventures
• Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
• Patti Smith
• R.E.M. – What makes REM Hall Of Fame worthy? They’re not pioneers. They’re a great band, but certainly not legendary. They didn’t change music like Devo did. But, because they’re critical darlings…they’re in.
• The Ronettes
• Van Halen
• Black Sabbath
• Blondie
• Lynyrd Skynyrd
• Miles Davis
• Sex Pistols
• Buddy Guy
• Percy Sledge – 4 top ten singles and one song you can name. Not a Hall Of Famer. Sorry.
• The O’Jays
• The Pretenders – Why them? Great band. But Hall Of Fame?
• U2
• Bob Seger
• George Harrison – As a solo artist? Really? Is it because of his music, or his humanitarian contributions? He stole “My Sweet Lord” from The Chiffons. I guess being a Beatle gets him in.
• Jackson Browne – Why? He’s in the same category as Mellencamp & Tom Petty. They all did great songs, but nothing that makes one sit back and think music wouldn’t be where it is today without his contributions
• Prince
• The Dells
• Traffic
• ZZ Top
• AC/DC
• Elvis Costello & the Attractions
• Righteous Brothers
• The Clash
• The Police
• Brenda Lee
• Gene Pitney
• Isaac Hayes
• Ramones
• Talking Heads
• Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – Great songs. But what about Tom Petty makes him a Hall Of Famer? His vocal style is The Byrds-meets-Dylan. So, he wrote great songs, but he’s not someone I’d see as “OH WOW!”
• Aerosmith
• Michael Jackson
• Paul Simon
• Queen
• Ritchie Valens
• Solomon Burke – Who? He wrote a couple of songs, but was a 2nd tier artist his whole career. Certainly not a legend that one would consider for the Hall Of Fame
• Steely Dan
• The Flamingos – Do you know any of their music? Shouldn’t you if they’re Hall Of Famers. Isn’t a Hall Of Fame for legends?
• Bonnie Raitt
• Earth, Wind & Fire
• Eric Clapton
• James Taylor
• Lovin’ Spoonful
• The Moonglows – Does EVERY 50s-era DooWop group get in? name a Moonglows song. Just one!
• Billy Joel – Not a Hall Of Famer. The American Elton John. He’s talented. Wrote some great songs. But a huge critical darling. Not a Hall Of Famer
• Bruce Springsteen
• Curtis Mayfield
• Del Shannon
• Dusty Springfield
• Paul McCartney
• The Staple Singers
• Fleetwood Mac
• Gene Vincent
• Lloyd Price – Look. I get that certain musicians were overlooked because of racism. But EVERY R&B singer can’t be considered Hall Of Fame worthy. I’m sorry. This guy wrote “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” did you know that? No. You didn’t
• Santana
• The Eagles
• The Mamas and the Papas
• Buffalo Springfield
• Crosby Stills and Nash
• Joni Mitchell
• Parliament-Funkadelic
• The (Young) Rascals
• The Bee Gees
• The Jackson Five
• David Bowie
• Gladys Knight and the Pips
• Jefferson Airplane
• Little Willie John – Another unknown pioneer. But if they’re unkown, are they “Fame-worthy”
• Pink Floyd
• The Shirelles
• The Velvet Underground
• Al Green
• Frank Zappa
• Janis Joplin
• Led Zeppelin
• Martha and the Vandellas
• Neil Young
• The Allman Brothers Band
• Bob Marley
• Duane Eddy
• Elton John
• John Lennon
• Rod Stewart
• The Animals
• The Band
• The Grateful Dead
• Cream
• Creedence Clearwater Revival
• Etta James
• Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers
• Ruth Brown
• Sly and the Family Stone
• The Doors
• Van Morrison
• Bobby “Blue” Bland
• Booker T. and the M.G.’s
• Johnny Cash
• Sam and Dave
• The Isley Brothers
• The Jimi Hendrix Experience
• The Yardbirds
• Ike and Tina Turner
• Jimmy Reed
• John Lee Hooker
• LaVern Baker
• The Byrds
• The Impressions
• Wilson Pickett
• Bobby Darin
• Hank Ballard
• Simon and Garfunkel
• The Four Seasons
• The Four Tops
• The Kinks
• The Platters
• The Who
• Dion
• Otis Redding
• Stevie Wonder
• The Rolling Stones
• The Temptations
• Bob Dylan
• The Beach Boys
• The Beatles
• The Drifters
• The Supremes
• Aretha Franklin
• B.B. King
• Big Joe Turner
• Bill Haley
• Bo Diddley
• Carl Perkins
• Clyde McPhatter
• Eddie Cochran
• Jackie Wilson
• Marvin Gaye
• Muddy Waters
• Ricky Nelson
• Roy Orbison
• Smokey Robinson
• The Coasters
• Buddy Holly
• Chuck Berry
• Elvis Presley
• Fats Domino
• James Brown
• Jerry Lee Lewis
• Little Richard
• Ray Charles
• Sam Cooke
• The Everly Brothers
Jeff Beck – Why is Jeff Beck going in as a solo artist? He’s a great guitarist, but if that’s going to be the criteria…make room for Yngwie, Vai, Satriani and EVH as a solo artist.
Little Anthony & the Imperials
Metallica
Run-D.M.C.
Bobby Womack
Wanda Jackson
Bill Black
DJ Fontana
Spooner Oldham

ABBA

Otis Blackwell

Jimmy Cliff

Genesis

The Hollies

The Stooges

Alice Cooper

Neil Diamond

Dr. John

Darlene Love

Tom Waits

Beastie Boys

Blue Caps

The Comets

The Crickets

Donovan

The Fabulous Flames

Guns N’ Roses

Small Faces/Faces

Freddie King

The Midnighters

The Miracles

Laura Nyro

The Red Hot Chili Peppers

And now…a list of bands that SHOULD be inducted NOW:
Devo, KISS, ( nobody were bigger from 75-79?) Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy, Cheap Trick, Ozzy as a solo artist, Moody Blues, Smiths, Duran Duran, SRV, Journey, B52s, T Rex, Yes, Chicago, Hall & Oates, Boston, Frampton, Bad Co. The Cure, Jethro Tull, MC5, Steve Miller, ELP, Jan & Dean, Devo, Styx, Tina Turner as a solo artist, Carole King, Jim Croce, REO Speedwagon, J Geils, Ted Nugent, Robert Plant, Huey Lewis & The News, Free, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Sting, Pete Townsend, Steve Winwood.…Feel free to add yours. If they’re going to put the questionable people in that they have….make room for: Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, and Def Leppard. Scorpions too. 4 of the biggest bands of the 80’s. If Tom Petty goes in…so does Def Leppard. & Motley. They’ve had just as many hits, and were the foundation for an entire musical movement. Which brings me to Motorhead, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest. Without those 3, no Metallica. What about Thomas Dolby? Is Barry Manilow not in? How the F*CK can you justify THAT????? He sang the f*cking THEME to American Bandstand!!!!

See what I’m saying?

To me..Hall Of Fame means “Someone without whom music wouldn’t be where it is today” Someone who changed the direction…a LEGENDARY band or artist. I love the Pretenders…but…how come them, and not Devo? Or hell…Where’s the Sugar Hill Gang? Kurtis Blow? The B-52s? Peter Gabriel as a solo artist? Didn’t Harry Chapin and Jim Croce change music? …Donna Summer? Madonna’s in but Donna Summer isn’t? How are Blondie and Pretenders in, but Heart isn’t? And if we’re going to induct disco & hip hop…where’s KC & The Sunshine band? The Commodores? The Smiths? Depeche Mode…do I not see Screamin Jay Hawkins? Memphis Minnie? Bill Broonzy? But Dusty Springfield is in? WHATTTTTTT???????

And yeah…Rush. The Moody Blues…why not? ELP…Apparently not “too much” Prog Rock allowed. I see now why so many people think the Hall is crap…cuz it is.

This year, we finally see Deep Purple, Heart, RUSH, and Joan Jett on the preliminary list. Will they make it? Guess we wait and see.

…point made for another year.

I will continue to clown the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame until they get it right! And they never will.