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
Ed, I do care what you have to say and speak your mind about it. Continue please. Because you are your voice, not the voice of the band. Those bands have had their day and would not have even been nominated if they were not at all deserving. Now, dont get me wrong. This club has no clue what they are doing and the bands that get snub as you mention for bands that no one has a clue who or what they were anymore is crazy. I mean I have to search to find out what Paul Butterfield did. I dont remember. But I am not in the know as you are, and your voice, whether for or against, helps me make my own decision as to whether they were infuential or not. There are many bands influential in my life that will not even get nominated. That does not make them any more or less influential to me because they get in or were nominated. Rush has always been my most influential and it was great to see them get in, but it still has no effect on me. I dont love them more because they are an inductee. Keep voicing your opinion Ed, the world wants to hear, and complain with you, year after year. Because we know the bands that changed our lives. Not those morons
Ditto that!
Starting a new REAL RnR HOF would be much easier today with all of the crowdfunding options that are available and with someone like Eddie backing it, it would appear to be very doable…
I know the tiredness you must feel, but we need people like you to continue ranting about the HOF, because you represent all of us, from all over the world, you are our voice
EVERYBODY LISTEN! Forget the RRHOF, Each and every single one of us has our own RRHOF. Mine is in my Ipod and my music collection and that’s all I need. I’m sure Eddie will agree with me that we all know who should be in there that aren’t but it doesn’t mean their not in my own personal RRHOF and that is the only one that matters! I know there are a lot of rock groups that I love that are not in there but I take but I take a personal offense that the mega platinum rock/ jazz icons Chicago are not in! How many memorable hit songs does a band have to have to get in? The most insulting thing is the artists that are in that shouldn’t be or at least shouldn’t be in before more deserving ones!
I’ve been to two inductions in Cleveland (’09 Metallica and ’12 G-n-R) and both were great. And for the record, they were NOT expensive to go to. Tickets were $35 and $50 for the public. And too Eddie: For a person who isn’t going to say anything about it, you sure said a lot about it above. If you have no respect for this organization, then why in the world do you care what they do? I LOVE That Metal Show. It’s probabaly my FAVORITE show, but the Rock Hall rants have always been a huge drawback. Again, I love the show, but am bored with the rants.
I will agree with you ‘Rob’ regarding your comment on the induction. I would LOVE to be in close proximity to attend a Rock Hall induction. Frankly, I’m still FUMING that I couldn’t go to the 2013 and 2014 inductions to see Rush and Kiss, respectively. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that the majority will never get to be a part of, regardless of one’s opinion on the Hall. I’m happy that you got to experience it.
Having said that, I respectfully disagree that Eddie shouldn’t discuss his feelings regarding the Hall. I think he genuinely cares about wanting to see a form of music properly recognized by the industry, something he IS a part of. Furthermore, ANY band or artist who says they don’t care about what their critics and/or peers say about them THEY ARE LYING! Simply put, the overwhelming majority of the inductees are GRATEFUL for the honor, whereas it’s only a vocal minority of them who shun it. No matter, it IS a big deal, whether they want to admit or not. The ones who raise the biggest stink about it are the ones who haven’t been inducted yet.
Yes, I agree that at the end of the day it is about the fans. However, make no mistake: all TRUE music fans enjoy seeing their favorite artists’ recognized by THEIR industry. And truthfully, why shouldn’t we? It’s for that reason I feel that Eddie should CONTINUE putting his two cents in for those of us who don’t have a voice, or at least a platform for it. In closing, I say to Eddie…KEEP IT UP!
P.S. For the record, I have NO PROBLEMS with ALL genres of music being honored annually. There’s PLENTY of room in the rock and roll pantheon, and it makes for great dialogue as well, pro AND con. Respect. Great comments everybody pro AND con.