I have no problem with Neil Diamond, I like Steve and Edyie for cripes sake, but honestly can he seriously be considered RandR?
http://rockhall.com/inductees/neil-diamond/

I've always conteneded the Hall of Fame suffers from a poor name choice. Might have been better if they had more accuratly named it the "pop music of the 2nd half of the 20th century hall of fame". Or at the very least and in all seriousness "the Rock Hall of Fame". Without going to the effort of a wiki search, I smell a hippy at the dirty unwashed head of the naming commitee.

Jann Wenner of Rolling Stone Magazine heads up the Rock Hall Board of Directors - that's probably all you need to know in terms of the "dirty unwashed hippie" pedigree.

I thought it was funny when Paul Simon was inducting Neil Diamond the other night, and he pondered as he noted Neil had been eligible for many years. "What took you so long?" Then he proceeded to cite the Diamond-Streisand duet "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" as a possible reason for the delay.

For every ABBA, Neil Diamond, and Madonna they induct, they usually recognize 3 or 4 worthy others. This year, it seems like they're after less obvious choices: Tom Waits, Dr. John, Leon Russell, Darlene Love... I definitely agree with Waits and Leon Russell, but even though I'm a big Dr. John fan and I dig the Phil Spector Wall of Sound staples (Darlene Love, the Ronnettes, even the Righteous Brothers), I don't know that Darlene Love or Dr. John have distinguished themselves enough to be in the Hall. Alice Cooper and Neil Diamond were easily the choices this year who were most instantly recognizable, meeting the "Fame" criteria.

My favorite inductee of this year's class was Specialty Records founder Art Rupe. Larry Williams, Little Richard, Lloyd Price, Jimmy Liggins, Sam Cooke/The Soul Stirrers all hit their stride with Art's Specialty label. In additon to founding the label, and signing the talent, he was a very hands-on producer who helped shape some of the early sounds of Rock-n-Roll. I have a few Little Richard studio sessions where you can hear Rupe's direction from the soundbooth, and his influence is undeniable. He definitely deserves the recognition that Sam Phillips, Ahmet Ertegun, and The Chess brothers have received before him as a pioneer of early Rock-n-Roll.

Wop-Bop-a-Loo-Bop-a-Wop-Bam-Boom-a-billy

Rick, what's your opinion on the Stray Cat's eligibility?

I would love to see the Stray Cats get in, but it seems you have to have enduring success (Stones, Springsteen, Aerosmith) , lasting influence (Beatles, Elvis, Buddy Holly) , or critical acclaim (Tom Waits, Talking Heads, The Clash) to attract enough attention. I don't know that Stray Cats hit on any of those cylinders - at least, not with the dirty-hippie-laden voters of the Rock Hall. Had there been a rockabilly explosion of commercial significance in the 80s, perhaps they would merit some consideration as an influence. That there was a lot of jealousy and backbiting among the rockabilly/roots rockers in the 80s doesn't help their cause as a critical darling or cult band. Commercially, their flame didn't burn bright enough for long enough in the US. And yet, I could say the same about Darlene Love or Dr. John from this year's class, or numerous other past inductees. When disco acts and rap acts and Madonna get in, it's not hard to wonder what happened to the "Rock-n-Roll" in the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame. To Vic's point, they routinely refer to themselves as the "Rock Hall" in the various emails I get from them.

Sometimes, you have to resort to campaigning to get in. Bob Seger cited several Classic Rock Radio jocks for organizing a publicity blitz to get him in a few years back. Ritchie Valens - a pop sensation for roughly 9 months - finally got in after years of campaigning by his family. I don't know what amount of schmoozing would have to happen to put Stray Cats or even Brian Setzer on their radar. Certainly, there ought to be a significant number of people in the coming years who could tell stories of how Stray Cats and later Brian Setzer led people to the music of Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, Carl Perkins, Johnny Burnette, Bobby Darin and Louis Prima. It could take years and years before Brian or the the Cats get their token Wanda Jackson moment.

I fear the average Rock Hall voter views Stray Cats as a flash-in-the-pan 80s act to be lumped in with The Fixx, A Flock of Seagulls and Dexys Midnight Runners. Having said that, I could see them someday considering Brian Setzer, especially if he were to cozy up to the Rock Hall for a special event or two down the line. I still remember with great fondness the tribute he and Marty Stuart gave for Chet Atkins a few years back. Setzer's upcoming instrumental album should cement his status as a encyclopedic guitarchivist. (I think I just made up a word.) There are plenty of phenomenal guitarists out there - Tommy Emmanuel, Deke Dickerson to name a couple - but none of them have reached the number of people Brian has over the years. While it started with the Stray Cats, it's Brian's enduring body of work in subsequent years that deserves the attention of the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame.

Who knows what can happen these days? Evidently, social networking can overthrow regimes and help heal a nation battered by earthquakes and tsunamis. Something as small as getting Setzer in the RNR HOF should be a piece of cake.

Keep Hope Alive-a-billy

(Now I eagerly await the "Who gives a f*** about the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame?" response. I realize the HOF has zero credibility in the eyes of many. Personally, I think it's harmless. I don't lose any sleep over it, and I rather enjoy watching the induction concerts. In fact, I'm about to watch my DVR of this year's ceremony.)

Having just reviewed the resume of Darlene Love and watched her induction, I have to amend my previous position that she may have been a questionable inductee. If the Ronettes are in, then unquestionably Ms. Love should have been there right with them. Darlene Love was not only a success on her own, but was an integral part of The Crystals and sang backup on a large number of the songs to come out of the Wall of Sound. She has remained an in-demand session singer for many years, and at nearly 70 years old, she still sounds amazing.

As for Dr. John, well, he's in now, largely on the strength of championing a form of music (New Orleans piano-based rock-n-soul gumbo) that thrived years before he had a recording career. Even though he only had 2 or 3 chart hits, he has endured a career of several decades largely riffing on an art form that was current 50-plus years ago.

Sound like anyone we know?

Right Place, Wrong Time-a-billy

I too enjoy the Hall of Fame ceremonies, and jam sessions; I have been since they started televising the ceremonies back in the '90s. I think Setzer deserves to be inducted. I had mentioned the Stray Cats only because of the 25 yr since the first record criteria. Maybe we should start a campaign....

Speaking of that 25-year criteria, The Knife Feels Like Justice was released 25 years ago last month. So Brian would finally be eligible as a solo artist this coming year. It may take a number of years of campaigning - even McCartney didn't get in his first year of eligibility. But at the moment, I can't recall any artist fitting the bill better than Brian who also released their first record in 1986. Possibly Guns-n-Roses (not my opinion, just trying to predict the nominating committee's actions.) The Hall could probably fill a few years playing catch-up with previously overlooked candidates. The only artist I can think of who became eligible recently that I'm itchin' to see there would be Stevie Ray Vaughan. But there are probably quite a few 60s and 70s artists I'm missing at the moment.

The tough thing for the Hall going forward, and it really has been a problem for a number of years, is that people's access to music seemingly exploded from about the late 1980s on, giving people musical attention deficit disorder, making it tougher and tougher for an artist to have the lasting influence artists from previous decades had. Who are the heavy hitters who will grab the Rock Hall's attention in future years? Nirvana? Eminem? Those two are probably shoe-ins, but it will be interesting to see if the Hall will embrace their roots a bit more in the next few years and give Brian Setzer a look.

Can you imagine what a jam session featuring The Brian would sound like? I expect it would sound like rock-n-roll!

Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame Feels Like Justice-a-billy

2012 Nominees were announced today. Bear in mind, these are not inductees, but people eligible to be inducted. No Setzer anywhere. (This is his 1st year eligible as a solo artist)

The Cure
Guns and Roses
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
Freddie King
Beastie Boys
War
Small Faces / Faces
The Spinners
Donovan
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Laura Nyro
Eric B and Rakim
Heart
Rufus and Chaka Khan
Donna Summer

Discuss.


Mad about saffron-a-billy

GnR?
They splitt the group in the 90ies. After that it was was band with a weird Axl...

Guns and Roses were pretty huge for the first couple of albums. Every album release up through Use Your Illusion I and II was an event. (2 separate releases simultaneously rather than a double album - and both sell crazy big numbers! Even Springsteen couldn't pull that off!)

Shoot, Ritchie Valens had a 7-month career, and he's in.

I predict the following will get in this year:

GNR
Beastie Boys
Donna Summer - The Brothers Gibb are in. She doesn't belong there, but I wouldn't be surprised to see her make the cut
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Laura Nyro - critical darling, gone too soon, just obscure enough for voters to try and prove they're too hip for the room
Freddie King - big influence - if Buddy Guy's in, then Freddie King better be there, too!

That's just what I think will happen. I feel strongly about GNR (though I'm not a fan) the Beastie Boys, and Freddie King. I hope they get in.

I just don't know about the Spinners - I don't think they're that big, but I believe the O'Jays are in, Gladys Knight and the Pips are in, so who knows?

Joan Jett has been sucking up heavily to the Hall in recent years, but I don't believe it's time for her yet.

Heart's been eligible for years. If they haven't made it by now, I wonder if they'll ever get in. There has been a big exhibit at the Rock Hall this year focusing on women in rock. So maybe it will be their year, as well as Jett's, but I doubt it.

The Cure could get in. I noticed the last couple of inductee classes have been very diverse. A Cure, Donna Summer, GNR, Beastie Boys, Freddie King, Laura Nyro class would be pretty eclectic.

Let Me Rock You Chaka Khan-a-billy

Two words...Thin Lizzy!!!!! How can this band not only not have been inducted, but to never have been nominated, it's a Rock N Roll travesty!!! Live and Dangerous, one of the best Live albums ever.

do you all fail to see the artistry and contribution of Wham UK?

Talking of bands that are still rocking the planet, I'm guessing the mighty Quo have never been nominated either.

Despite not being as famous in the US, Quo have been rocking the planet for the last 40 odd years and are still managing to chart, with their latest UK album going in at no. 10 on the chart.