5/2: MY REVIEW ON THE R&R HOF CEREMONY ON HBO
Hope everyone had a chance to see the R&R HOF induction over the weekend. As someone who has hammered the Hall for decades now I also must acknowledge some progress is finally being made. In the last few years alone we have seen the LONG overdue inductions of Kiss, Rush, Alice Cooper, and this weekend Deep Purple and Cheap Trick. Better late than never, but to me this will always be tainted some because they were snubbed and disrespected for so long. And one of the tragic things about snubbing Deep Purple (who should have been in over 30 years ago!) is that one of their founding members has passed away. I couldn’t help but to get angry seeing photos of Jon Lord, instead of him standing on that stage like he would have been, if the Hall didn’t ignore Purple for decades. I thought it was absurd Blackmore wasn’t there. I don’t know what the reasons are or who’s fault it is, but it just sucked. We are losing legends it seems monthly, so it was really bizarre to see someone talked about like they were not among the living when they are! He didn’t have to play with them, but he couldn’t have stood there?! Weak and selfish considering what a moment it would have been for the fans. Again, I truly don’t know who’s fault it is, but work it out somehow! I did like that all members of Purple were at least mentioned. I also thought it was ridiculous Steve Morse was not inducted. But good to see they are finally in and I am very happy for good friends David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes as well! Also GREAT speech by Lars. You could not have found a better person to induct them. I have hung with Lars when he has preached the gospel of Purple, he is a MASSIVE fan and they were the most important band to him as a kid.
Cheap Trick was an example of exactly the RIGHT way to go into the HOF. They have been at odds with original drummer Bun E Carlos for years. He has not been a member of the band touring or recording and there was even a law suit. But guess what? Cheap Trick, who truly are a peoples/fans band, sucked it up and not only had him on stage with them, but played with him! So many bands talk about how they do it for and love their fans, Cheap Trick talks to talk and walks the walk. No greater example than how they handled the HOF. They are still great live and just made a really good new album as well. Very happy for the guys and did right by their history and their fans the way they handled it. Solid job by Kid Rock on the induction, some funny moments there.
As for the rest of the show Chicago was well overdue to go in. This was the first year I have a vote for the HOF and I voted Chicago, CT and DT, so three of my five made it. And although I’m not a hip hop guy by any stretch if they are going to include this genre NWA certainly is worthy. I found the Steve Miller induction a bit strange in the sense that it seemed like The Black Keys were really mailing it in. Did they even know who they were inducting? I don’t know those guys personally but it seemed as if they were just reading what someone else wrote. When all the presenters had so much passion for who they were inducting, this fell really flat and felt weird.. But Steve certainly deserves being in. Also very cool move to show that Prince clip at the very end.
Although progress is being made much still to be done. My current snubs list includes; Journey, Foreigner, Yes, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Motorhead, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Scorpions, and probably a ton more I’m forgetting. Feel free to post your list in comments. This show repeats often now on HBO if you missed it.
Ritchie released a statement ahead of time saying he was told that the current Deep Purple manager did not want him there, so he obliged. Does it suck for that fans? Being one, I would say no. I love David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes, but I don’t give 2 craps that they attended the HOF ceremony. I mean, it’s great for them, but that institution means nothing to me.
I think there is more to the Blackmore story myself.
Well said, Eddie! I watched bits and pieces of the induction ceremony on HBO Saturday night. I turned it on late and came in during the Black Keys inducting Steve Miller and would agree. They didn’t seem to have any passion about Steve Miller at all and as you said “phoning it in”. As a DP fan, I was disappointed that members like Steve Morse weren’t inducted. He’s held the honor of being a guitarist in the band longer than Richie Blackmore ever did. The HOF inclusion of some members but not all is odd and disturbing especially in certain cases (Hagar and DLR inducted with VH. But, RJD was not inducted as part of Sabbath)
There was also some editing of the speeches. It’s been written in reports from the original ceremony that David Coverdale mentioned Whitesnake in his speech but I noticed it was left out of the HBO broadcast.
Current snubs that need to be included in the future(for me) Bad Company (Paul Rodgers is one of the greatest living rock vocalists), I’ll agree with you on Journey, Foreigner and YES. I’ll add bands like Kansas and Mountain. If the HOF is inducting artists that have had success in both bands and solo gigs. How about Sammy Hagar for his solo career.
I am sorry, but I just can not understand how Cheap Trick is in but not Journey. Cheap Trick has been nothing but an opening act for years. They have 2 big hits and moderately squeekers. I Want You To Want Me is a hit only because the live version was solid. THe original version is super lame. Journey by leaps and bounds is a better band than Cheap Trick. Actually the Cars were a much better band too. Honestly, every Cheap Trick album I have bought was poor. The SIngles were the only good songs on them. I know I am being hard on them, because I do like some of those moderate hits. But I bothers me that they could get in while a band like Journey waits. The inductions should not be about person tastes. I feel like the RnR HOF voters are those guys who worked in a record store and laughed at my purchases. F them. By every metric possible Journey was a more successful and popular band than Cheap Trick.
I agree with you about Journey and being more popular. But Cheap Trick is more than worthy. The HOF criteria is not popularity. Thin Lizzy and T Rex should also be in, I forgot them
True, Trick is worthy but still so many more bands should be in before them. Obviously we can say that about a ton of artists. Never really much logic to the RNRHOF selections other than getting in the personal faves of Jann and the gang. I’m a huge Trick fan, glad their in but Journey without question should have already been in. Sadly many forget just how talented the band was because they only focus on the pop side of the band. Their first three with Perry are as good as anything anyone could find when it comes to melodic rock. Really too bad the RNRHOF is sucj a joke because it could be a fantastic thing.
John, Santana who is in is in large in part because of much of the founding Journey band. How they can love Santana and totally ignore Journey is beyond me. Heck, Don’t Stop Believin still charts 35 YEARS LATER! Might still be a top 100 song on iTunes!
Eddie, there should be some criteria other than the person doing the voting likes the artist. I mentioned the Cars earlier, The Cars are another band that are way more deserving. Both bands were on the same ballot, but the Cars were more influencial, more creative, more popular, a HEADLINER, etc. I don’t see how Cheap Trick beats the Cars in any category. Career accomplishments and YES POPULARITY should be a criteria. Honestly I can think of so many bands that are better than Cheap Trick as far as accomplishments. I put Cheap Trick on par with Night Ranger. The thing is Night Ranger would never get in because the voters like Cheap Trick more but look at everything else. I could go on and on about other bands more deserving. I like Cheap Tricks greatest hits (although a high percentage of the songs are covers like Joan Jett) but I have never bought a Cheap Trick cd that I wasn’t disappointed in. The fact that Cheap Trick got in a Jounrey doesn’t even get to sniff the Hall discredits the Hall in my opinion.
Not “our” genre, but how can Duran Duran not be in? You have Madonna, Prince, Michael Jackson, etc. in but why not Duran Duran? Tons of hits and they single handedly put MTV on the map.
I dig Duran Duran, and still think, Hungry Like The Wolf, is a great song.
I agree Duran Duran is more deserving than Cheap Trick also.
I still don’t know why anyone cares about this. If it matters to a band, then I guess I can see that. By why it matters to the fans is beyond me. It validates nothing and doesn’t change anything.