I Shake My Head at the Rock Hall

Ok, I think we can all pretty much agree that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a joke. Or, that the people in charge of picking the bands that go into the hall are out of touch -- maybe that's more accurate. At any rate, I try not to think about the rock hall much anymore. After all, only "hipster" bands get in - I mean, any hall with the word "rock" in the title that doesn't induct Alice Cooper or KISS just seems a little nutty to me. All that said, I can accept and embrace the fact that artists from other genres are in the hall. I believe pop and rap artists have their place there. Sure, it should probably be called the "music hall of fame" but why pick? My real issue lies with the fact that the powers that be - perhaps mainly Jann Wenner, creator of Rolling Stone and major force behind the hall - wants to change the induction criteria.

Right now, a band (or solo artist) must have been in the business at least 25 years since their first record release. Now, there's word that the charter may change to 20 years. Why? So bands like Guns n' Roses and Nirvana can get in sooner. For what it's worth, BOTH those bands deserve a spot in the hall, but they can wait their due time - especially since there's so many bands that have already met the current charter and have been passed over (and over and over...)

So, what do you think? Is this a sad cop-out or a good idea?

Comments

[Metalboy!]

Al! So with ya on this!

A friend of mine's wife is on the Board and she always says she's ready to quit because they don't know what the heck they are doin', they are so out of it. Total squarezville, man!

Yeah, they are so un-Rock'n'Roll half the time, they should just change it to "Music Hall of Fame", as you suggest.

Wenner is so obviously out of it, when it comes to the kinda stuff we like. There's no mention of all our fave bands, new and old in RS. And remember his vendetta against Led Zep since day one. To see Wenner get his comeuppance check out a great movie, "Gonzo: The Life And Work Of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson". Thompson get's him good!

The music highlighted in RS is usually so boring.

Alternabore or Discobore or Rapbore. What is it? Boring people want to be more bored. Snore, snore, snore.

I wanna Rock more!

Yikes! Well, at least you all know two things about me now...

1) I can't write

2) I ain't no poet

Anywho...

Just ignore those Rock and Roll Museum jerks and...

How about startin' a new museum...

I play the lotto everyday, hoping to finance this one...

Ready...?

I bet you can guess where I'm goin' with this...

The Museum of Metal

It would be designed By famed Swedish Pop Artist, Claus Oldenburg (known for his larger-than-life everyday objects as sculpture schtick) and Frank Gehry (check out both of these dudes on Wkipedia), as a huge Marshall stack with a huge Gibson Flying V (exact giant replica of K.K's) through the front and completely glassed off in the back overlooking waterfront in a major city.

There would also be a huge "Rock Garden" in back, down to the water.

What city should it be in?

I'll let ya all know if I hit. Powerball all the way, baby for a Powermetal play!

Geez, what's with all my rhyming tonite? What a hack!

p.s. Hey, did I miss the inaugural run of the Chatroom yesterday? Shux! (Chrome halo above Metalboy!'s head) Well, I'll make it up to youz guyz, I promisk, heeheeheehee!!! (like Mutley from the "Dastardly & Mutley" show from way back when).

[Jeff Cooke]

The fact that Alice Cooper is not in the "Rock & Roll Hall of Fame" is just evidence that clueless morons decided to try to make a name for themselves by trying to look like they know what they are talking about when all they've accomplished is proving that they are clueless.

[Sweet Lou]

I believe the change in criteria is more to KEEP OUT certain bands. With the influx of bands 5 years younger you get a whole new pool to choose. This in fact makes it HARDER for bands and Artists such as KISS, MOTORHEAD, ALICE COOPER, etc to get in.

This is a Hall of FAME...what really IS the criteria? Album sales? Ticket sales? An Elvis Costello haircut? A skinny tie? Being anyone, but KISS? It's all subjective, there are no really "hard" stats like the Baseball, Football Halls of Fame.

As a huge fan of Guns N Roses, can you REALLY put them in the hall for one GREAT album, 2 good albums, 1 good EP, 1 COVER disc of "ok" tunes and an epic that took over 15 years to make with only ONE member? If I was on the board, they'd get my vote, but very underserving in most peoples eyes.

Motley Crue? Fun band, decent sales, but honestly were they "influencial"? They TOO would get my vote, but not very deserving on their "impact" to music as a whole.

Then again, what the F#@K has ABBA done that out does Alice, Kiss or even MOTORHEAD! UGH!!

Best,
L.

[bryon]

GNR may have only had one great album, but it is one of the most important albums in rock and they are both still culturally important today. Same with Nirvana.

[Rhodeislandrock]

It doesn't matter what the criteria is, until the people who have the power actually use their heads and vote for deserving bands, nothing will ever help the Hall of Fame.

KISS, Alice Cooper, Rush, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden.....these bands are not in and it's a crime! They should be in before GnR and Nirvana.

Steve
Heavy Metal Addiction
http://heavymetaladdiction.com

[Ace Steele]

Until Jaan Wenner pulls his head out of his ass, & inducts the following deserving acts,the so-called "Rock & Roll Hall of Fame" will remain a hall of shame.

KISS - (good enough to have their costumes, but snubbed?)
ALICE COOPER (Same thing)
RUSH
DEEP PURPLE (Seriously? Along w/ Alice, only the BIGGEST bands of the early 70's!)
THE RUNAWAYS (these female icons are too important to ignore)
RANDY RHOADS (again, they use his guitar & Quiet Riot stage outfits in the hall. Randy is the epitome' of a rock star, and a major influence and talent. He deserves to be honored)

[Jack]

Agreed, totally bogus and stupid move. Maybe if they didn't include so many artists/bands that fall outside the realm of Rock music, or at least did a separate, more low key induction for artists/bands (country, doo wop, soul, etc) that may have only been an influence on some rock acts then they wouldn't be scrambling to induct bands like Guns and Nirvana when bands like KISS, DP, Cooper, etc. are not in there.

I agree that a group like Run DMC are deserving of recognition, but that's why there are shows/ceremonies like the Hip-Hop Honors - which is strictly for rap/hip-hop artists.

I love ABBA, and based on the number of metal bands from Europe that have covered them so do a lot of other metal heads. They deserve tons of praise for being one of the greatest pop acts of all time, but they are not rock and shouldn't "steal" a spot from a band like Rush.

[:D]

Dude, the R&RHOF is a piss stain. :[

How can they not have Alice Cooper in?
And Kiss, but..if they induct Kiss before Cooper, I'd still be somewhat annoyed because they wouldn't exist without him.
The New York Dolls should be in, so should Deep Purple, Rush...the list goes on and on.
Before they even consider acts outside of the rock genre, they should induct the people who made rock what it is today.

[Metalboy!]

I'm with all of you guys except for one band...

Rush

Puleez...

And you forgot one Glam killer that's gonna get in this go around...

Iggy Pop (Heard him, seen him, met him, talked to him -- at those GnR warm ups at the Roxy in NYC, a couple of the last times Izzy played with 'em)... Now, he's ROCK'N'ROLL! The only thing Pop about him is his name (Oh, well, that and "Candy" off 'Brick by Brick').

Good luck, Jim Osterberg!

p.s. The Sex Pistols (now that's more like it, too) got it right.

[Kenny Ozz]

The RNR HOF is a bigger joke than the MLB HOF.

[Sean]

That would be a sad copout. Frankly, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a waste. Alice Cooper, UFO, John Mayall, Ten Year After, Mc5 have all been passed over again and again by the likes of ABBA and Genesis. So why shorten the charter by 5 years except to add yet more artists who are more popular but not really rock & roll. At this rate, Flogging Molly will be inducted before John Mayall, or Steppenwolf and that's sad.

[Metalboy!]

Worse still, disingenuous, mediocre MOR king and total schlockpopmeister, John Cougar Mellencamp is already in and has been for awhile... What a frickin' crock!

p.s. Don't agree with ya on ABBA, though. Without ABBA there would be no Yngwie cover of "Gimme, Gimme, Gimme", which just cranx, don't care what anybody says. But I don't think they needed to be inducted yet.

Take care of the real rockerz first while they're still alive, if possible!

[Gator]

A little late to respond to this subject, but here I go stepping on the soapbox: The R'n'R HOF is well meaning, and the museum in Cleveland is great, but the overall selection process is an absolute JOKE. Who votes? Who actually chooses the bands eligible for induction? Why does Rolling Stone, that anachronistic piece of @#$% get to assist/make these decisions?? Etc.

I know that all of us here are major glam/metal fanatics, and that's why I love this site. But realistically people, it will be a cold day in hell before many of our favorites get in: Poison, Bon Jovi, Skid Row... forget about it, and those are 3 of the biggest and most popular names in our genre. When it comes down to it, there is little respect or admiration for the music we love. I mean, when major, popular 'classic rock' bands can't get in (i.e. Moody Blues, Rush, Journey, Bad Company, Yes), what hope do we have for our favorites?

The thing that irritates me the most is that the selection process seems so arbitrary... We need more females in the HOP, so let's induct Blondie and Madonna. Seriously? Both influential acts to be sure, but why not Heart or Pat Benatar?? You know, actual ROCK 'N' ROLL female acts. Now that rap and hip-hop acts are eligible, look for a slew of them to be inducted.

Occasionally they will induct a 'heavy music' artist, such as AC-DC, Van Halen, and Metallica (all worthy), but except for Metallica, all of these artisits waited several years to get in. Black Sabbath had to wait almost TEN YEARS after initial eligibility to get in. The godfathers of metal, for Pete's sake! As I stated, heavy music gets little or no respect.
It's sad and depressing, but that's the way it is.

As for the idea of moving the eligibility to 20 years, let's not kid ourselves: This makes bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Jane's Addiction and Radiohead eligible for induction that much sooner. Hey, I like a lot of those bands, but wait your turn! There are too many classic rock and glam/metal artists that deserve induction first.

For what it's worth, I see Alice Cooper getting in eventually. But sadly, probably not KISS. I hope I'm mistaken here, but there is no respect or appreciation for KISS in the "respectable" music press. Which is pathetic.