The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame yesterday announced what very well may be the least exciting batch of inductees in recent memory.
In the performer category, the inductees are:
- Alice Cooper Band
- Neil Diamond
- John
- Darlene Love
- Tom Waits
In the non-performer, Ahmet Ertegun Award category:
- Jac Holzman
- Art Rupe
And in the renamed Musical Excellence category (formally sideman):
- Leon Russell
The casual music fan most likely knows Alice Cooper and Neil Diamond (if they are boomer age or older). As for the other inductees, if Jay Leno did his Jaywalking sketch, I’m sure he’d find massive ignorance of the others “accomplishments” in the general population at Citywalk.
This begs the question music fans have been asking for years, what’s up with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame anyway? Does this institution, begun so nobly years ago have any relevance anymore? Is this really a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at all or has it become with the induction of Billy Joel, the Bee Gees, Madonna and Abba a Pop Music Hall of Fame? Will Brittany Spears and Lady Gaga one day be inducted alongside Nirvana, Led Zeppelin, Wilson Pickett and Chuck Berry? With a few more hits maybe Justin Bieber and Micheal Buble can make it! Clearly this is the beginning of the Apocalypse.
I have resisted the “RRHOF is a joke!” mantra believing omissions and questionable inclusions are endemic with any subjective recognition enterprise and not germain to the RRHOF itself. Mistakes are bound to happen and there will always be disagreement – it simply comes with the Hall of Fame business. So while KISS, Rush, Chicago, the Moody Blues, Yes (and many others) are passed over year after year – pissing off their many fans in the process – I understand a Hall of Fame simply isn’t going to make everyone happy. I have view the fans whining with a bit of contempt, just because an artist has rabid fans doesn’t make them worthy of the the RRHOF – they still need to be evaluated. But this years crop really makes me question the criteria, it just doesn’t make any sense to me. Then again, what do I know?
To better explain let’s review the nominees for 2011 discussed previously on this blog.
- Alice Cooper
- Beastie Boys
- Bon Jovi
- Donovan
- John
- Geils Band
- Donna Summer
- Darlene Love
- Chic
- LL Cool J
- Tom Waits
- Neil Diamond
- Laura Nyro
- Joe Tex
- Chuck Willis
This was a very weak list of ROCK AND ROLL nominees in my opinion. Honestly, they could have passed on all of them and I don’t think there would have been a huge outcry (except for the Alice Cooper fans). Are there any real bona fide pioneers here? Anyone like Link Wray who motivated Jimmy Page to pick up a guitar? I think not, Link Wray might be more deserving than all of them.
I guess it surprises many that Neil Diamond wasn’t in already, but really he’s more pop than rock. So if this is the Pop Hall of Fame, I guess he’s in. I am, I said, mazel tov!
But then if it is pop, how can you pass on Donna Summer, Chic, or Bon Jovi? Plus, in what world is Darlene Love, clearly an artist in the shadow of Phil Spector, more deserving than Donna Summer who actually wrote many of her hit songs? I just don’t get it. It seems very clique-y and arbitrary to me.
All I know is this at the 25th RRHOF anniversary concert, Bruce Springsteen said, “if there is justice in the world, this lady (Darlene Love) will be inducted into the RRHOF!” Well boss, justice is served – New Jersey style I guess.
I guess I have no real quarrel with Dr. John. He’s a character and played at the Last Waltz. He had part of his finger shot off while protecting a friend – pretty rock and roll. I bet he’s got a story for everyone in the business and he’s played on tons of sessions. Leon Russell too. A member of LA’s fabled The Wrecking Crew – he’s played on hundreds of hits – let em in. Without Leon, no ZZ Top – he invented the look. Plus where would George Benson be with This Masquerade?
Alice Cooper, OK, he pushed rock and roll to theater paving the way for KISS, Meat Loaf, and Garth Brook! Glen Buxton and Micheal Bruce were great guitarists. Glad they are recognizing the band. Those early hits have some monster riffs and were the soundtrack for a few summers. Fine, let them in.
Tom Waits? Wow, not sure about that one. Distinctive, yes, lyrically interesting, yes, listenable – not for me. I prefer him as an actor, but I am in the minority. Has he sold a million records total in his lifetime? I doubt it. He did provide the theme song to the greatest series in TV history (The Wire – Way Down in the Hole) – that’s worth something.
The suits, well, sure bring em in. They do bring the business to the music business. Got to keep letting them in so that there is hope for the ten people still in the music business.
As for the future of the RRHOF, I can’t prognosticate. It’s sort of like music itself – hard to call. I just know if I were a Yes fan, and saw Darlene Love rather than them getting in, I’d be pissed.That’s just not right. Sure she was great as Danny Glover’s wife in the Lethal Weapon movies, but does singing “Please Come Home for Christmas” every year on Letterman compete with The Yes Album, Fragile, and Close to the Edge in terms of musical accomplishment and inspiration to musicians? I think not.
What I would suggest is if you ever had a favor to call in and wanted to attend the induction ceremony, this is the year to do it. I am sure there will be some extra tickets this year.