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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Jann Wenner and his nerdy critics vote. Moody Blues not in, whatta joke. Deep Purple not in is a travesty. N.W.A. I accept, I saw them on tour, they brought it on huge like any rock band. When Joan Baez gets in I’ll scream. Bonnie Raitt in before Ronstadt was hilarious.
Hey Eddie,
Love your shows and now love your podcast, once a week isn’t enough. Totally agree that the Rock and Roll HOF is a sham. For starters, way to American Centric, which is probably why bands like Priest and Maiden are ignored. There is almost no other band in the world with the global appeal of Iron Maiden, which would be reason enough for them to be in. Judas Priest is another huge snub, they are on of the pioneers of metal and to see them get shut out is equally infuriating. The funny thing is, I am not a huge metal fan. Love Iron Maiden, like a lot of Priest, and from there it’s mostly songs from metal and hard rock artists. But I can tell you this. As a performing musician for the past 30 years, I can tell you that every musician has incredible respect for many of the hard rock and metal bands. Further, the musicianship that many of these bands display, whether it’s the great riffs of Ritchie Blackmore, the amazing voice of Rob Halford, or the incredible dexterity of Steve Harris’ bass playing, has had far more influence to my generation (and generations after) than anything from some of the bands in the Hall or nominated (Lou Reed solo??? Can anyone even name a song of his besides “Walk on the Wild Side”?). The Hall lacks any kind of benchmarks for allowing performers to be nominated. At least in sports you have to have credentials. Here it’s all opinion from a select few journalists. It’s sometimes painful to accept. There are dozens of more qualified bands who deserve the hall more than many in there and most of the nominees. It’s truly unfortunate that many genres (punk rock for some reason, American early seventies rock, any band from California that is moderately successful) are given more preferential treatment over other genres (metal and hard rock get almost no respect). It’s funny, I don’t really like them that much, but the most deserving nominee this year is actually The Smiths, who had an incredible influence on British music that came after them. I don’t think I’ll ever understand their process, but I can only hope that someday they get it. Until then, I’ll keep listening to your stuff, in my opinion you’re the best rock journalist out there! Thanks
Eddie, I totally agree!!!! I mean WTF?!? The travesty that Def Lep isn’t in there, that Styx isn’t in there…do they think because they toss in names like Joan Jett it will appease the masses….the dolts running that place need a check up from the neck up! But no, we so need NWA, a rap group, in the ROCK AND ROLL hall of shame…cause everyone knows rap is totally rock in roll..what a bunch of morons!!! If I had the money, Eddie, I’d totally help you open a real Rock Hall of Fame.
For real Eddie? You’re giving up on the R&RHOF? In another words, no more ramming of this s–t down everybody throats? Despite how incredibly healthy it would be for you to do so since for one thing it would save a lot of people trouble including your wife and kids, sorry Eddie I’m afraid I just don’t see that happening. Think about it. If and/or when those days come and EVERY last band whom you SO badly want to get in, don’t get me wrong, all the ones your mentioned in this blog I’d be very happy myself if they got in, but unfortunately something tells me that you’ll STILL be piss and moaning. Apparently in your eyes, the damage is done with KISS since it was 15 years too late. Eddie do words like “better than NOTHING” have any meaning to you at all? If you’re serious about letting this stuff go, then by all means go for it, considering before it gets to the point where you’re less of preaching for what’s right to more of something like a grudge collector considering the ravages of age kicking in cause COME ON the age you are now, it’s far from my favorite thing in the world to hear about s–t that that took place in high school. Look BOTTOM LINE, two little pieces of advice. 1) something our mom and dad have told us when we were kids which is“the world does not revolve around you and 2) is something that I personally like to ask and that’s “Do you have nothing better to do”?
kraftwerk. they cater weddings, don’t they?
Kraftwerk put out something very unique in their time, a very influential and groundbreaking band, but they are not rock’n roll and probably would object to that classification themselves.