The annual nominees for the R&R Hall Of Fame have been released today. And with that usually it’s a day I go crazy and rant and rave about who is and isn’t on the ballot as I have since the thing opened. But I have thought about it and decided I’m done doing that. Why? Not because it has been fixed at all, quite the opposite actually. It is SO damaged and SO clueless and SO disrespectful of real rock bands that it has actually become irrelevant and not worth my time or aggravation. After years of screaming about Rush, Kiss and Alice Cooper, all who finally did go in, I noticed something else, it was forgotten about 24 hours later. I mean it had zero impact on any artists careers. It did nothing to spike sales of albums or tickets. Many don’t even see it because it is expensive to go to and the TV broadcast is now on a premium pay channel. Having attended the induction last year as a guest of Ace & Peter’s it was a really nice moment of course, and of course there are tons of worthy bands in the Hall. But looking at the nominees this year as far as who is on it and who is not even in the conversation after being snubbed for over a decade I realized something. Why get upset? This is NEVER going to change! It is a private club of the music industry snobs and never was the voice of the fans. They have run this thing into total irrelevance in my opinion because they are so hung up on what they think is cool vs what millions of music fans buy and care about. It just doesn’t matter at all in the big picture because the history of who has and hasn’t gone in (and how long some waited to finally get in) just taints it. If you are a real rock music fan and take a step back you just have to laugh at all the obvious bias going on. I get the sense the same people that made fun of me for liking Kiss in high school have all moved to the Hall nomination group. It’s that type of elitist music snob vibe. It always has been but I thought when Rush, Kiss, Alice, etc finally got in the tide would turn and progress would be made. But nothing has changed. Deep Purple, Bon Jovi, Dio, Motorhead, Motley, Def Leppard, Cheap Trick, Journey, Styx, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and COUNTLESS other huge selling and influential acts are still snubbed in the rush to get Green Day, or Sting solo in. I have decided by ranting about it I am giving this thing way too much credit and validity. I kind of thought that all along but actually thought some progress was finally being made. But it is as disrespectful as ever for real rock music and to the millions of fans these bands have. So it doesn’t move the needle, half the artists don’t want to go, most fans can’t go or even see the broadcast, and fans have very little to do with it and THEY make the bands careers! It’s irrelevant to me now and a total time waster. Yes I get it still means something to some artists to go in, and I would never belittle that moment for anyone. But it really has become irrelevant in so many ways to REAL fans of REAL rock bands that sold MILLIONS of albums and INFLUENCED generations that it isn’t worth my time and effort. And I know many will say “somebody needs to start their own Hall”. Heard that a million times, tried and still try to find an interested partner with the resources. Maybe one day. But until then I, or any other real rock fan, shouldn’t acknowledge this joke of a private club. I did for so long because I thought it would help change the tide, but I see that is just not going to ever happen and it’s time to move on. Especially when you consider in the big picture the way it’s done it means very little in the end.
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189 Responses
As I tweeted to you earlier, Ed, DEEP PURPLE. The other ones I would particularly campaign for are Twisted Sister, and Motorhead…and Cheap Trick too. Those are all very integral acts, and of course the others you mentioned are worthy. However, while I understand your frustration, I think that backing off is NOT the way to go. Someone has to keep pushing. Your loud voice, aided by others like us in the biz, and the fans as well, can help make a difference. Eventually, the old-timers will fade out, and maybe we’ll see some of our bands get in…
Ace, have another drink and get back to us
PREACH it, Ed.
While I do like some solo Sting, & some Green Day, give me a break. Hall of famers over many worthier groups? Damn.
That place is a travesty. Fuck those motherfuckers.
Let me add that while i am a major Public Enemy fan, they don’t belong either.
Life ain’t fair, Ed.
Hang your head high. Shee-it, you belong in the RRHOF!!!! Many will agree.
And who exactly are you or any of us to say who belongs in the hall of fame? You didn’t start the committee, you don’t know what they had in mind when they started it. If you go to the museum in Cleveland, you will see different artifacts from all genres of music. And when we discuss the term RockNRoll, I’ll post a quote that I really liked from a poster. “It’s only misleading if you want to adhere to that ancient and dogmatic perception of what musical elements encompass rock and roll music. ”
Truer words have never been spoken.
However, I would like them to change the name to Music hall of fame, just so I can stop listening to you elitists trying to tell everyone what real rock is, and who should be in. It’s aggravating and pretentious, and I’m glad Eddie is done talking about, and I wish the rest of you would do the same. You’re like children who will keep crying even after you get what you want. Eddie screams about Rush, they finally get in, then he screams about Kiss, they finally get in, now here he is screaming again. You’ll always have something to complain about.
What makes you think your opinions on who should be in is any more significant than someone who votes? Bon Jovi? Motley Cru? Really? Hair metal bands are laughed at today. No one took those guys seriously. Bon Joni was who Justin Bieber is today. So, please just keep your opinions to yourself. I personally don’t care if you’ll stop caring. You should have stopped a long time ago. Good riddance.
Finally someone telling the truth about Jon Bongiovi – Ritchie was the rock part of it and he is gone.
I’m glad Nine Inch Nails is nominated and even though they’re my all-time favorite band…. it doesn’t justify the fact that Deep Purple isn’t even nominated. Nor is Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, the MC5, the New York Dolls, UFO, Scorpions, Rainbow? I’m glad Lou Reed and the Smiths are up for induction as their music means a lot to me as well as act like Chic and Stevie Ray Vaughn but it’s a fucking diss to hard rock. It also pains me that acts like the Moody Blues, Yes, King Crimson, Big Star, Sonic Youth, Joy Division/New Order, Wire, Bauhaus, Gary Numan, and many others are being overlooked. This is f-ing b.s.!
NIN sucks! Wake up!
Ed, one more thing. With NWA, they were seriously groundbreaking, but for Rap/Hip Hop. Them & an equally groundbreaking group, PE should be acknowledged, but dammit. Change the name of the place if you want to honor rap/hip hop!!! When you look at what Ice Cube became today, and Dr. Dre as a producer & the headphones, yeah give em credit, but not here!
I was a charter member when the RRHOF began, believing that the inductees would be from each era. From Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters to Elvis and so on. After 10 years of watching so many skipped over I finally quit sending my membership dues when Leonard-F*cking-Cohen was inducted. We just have to realize that most of the hard rock/metal acts we love will never see the ballot unless it’s a pity nomination.