Frank Girardot of the Pasadena Star-News reports:
I can’t think of a more plain way to say this, so I just will: KISS does not belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Period. End of Story.
I will argue my case, but the facts speak for themselves: KISS does not belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Over Commericalized Garbage Hall of Fame? Sure.
One-hit Wonder Hall of Fame? Right up there with the best of ‘em.
Don’t tell me that Rock and Roll All Nite is the Rock and Roll national anthem. It isn’t. That’s like saying We’re the Monkees is one of the ‘60s enduring classics.
In short, there is nothing that qualifies KISS for entry into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
And yet, on Thursday, KISS along with the E Street Band, Nirvana, Linda Ronstadt, Peter Gabriel, Cat Stevens — aka Yusef Islam — and Daryl Hall and John Oates, will be inducted into the Cleveland shrine glorifying Rock and Roll.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m attacking KISS here, but I’m not sure Hall and Oates belong in it either. Unless a nomination is akin to a popularity contest.
Explain to me though how KISS beats out Deep Purple? You want an anthem? What the heck is Smoke on the Water?
Machine Head with Highway Star, Smoke on the Water, Lazy and Space Truckin is better than the entire KISS catalog.
For that matter how does KISS get into the winner’s circle ahead of Paul Butterfield? I mean the Butterfield Blues Band played at Monterey with Hendrix and at Woodstock with Hendrix and The Who. I think a better argument can be made for Butterfield as he opened the doors for Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughn and played alongside Muddy Waters and Albert King.
Name one artist even slightly influenced by KISS or a style of musicianship influenced by the high-heeled poseurs. You can’t.
So what other bands and artists should be honored before KISS?
I would definitely put The Cure, Chicago, Journey, Bon Jovi, The Cars, Barry White, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jethro Tull, Los Lobos and Willie Nelson in ahead of the make-up boys. How do we really know who is up there playing anyway?
Even Devo and Soundgarden deserve spots in the Cleveland waterfront museum.
To make matters worse, KISS’ guitarist isn’t happy with the induction. But that’s because the HOF has some — albeit limited — standards. CEO Joel Peresman said Thursday’s ceremony will only honor the band’s original members: cat guy, dude with the long tongue, starface and silver eye make-up freak with shoulder pads.
“I don’t need the Hall Of Fame,” Starface told Rolling Stone Magazine. “And if there’s not reciprocity, I’m not interested. The Red Hot Chili Peppers, practically every member was inducted, and virtually all 175 members of the Grateful Dead. Rules need to apply to everybody.”
Probably embarrassed, Peresman nonetheless defended the limited selection.
“…There are certain acts that are nominated and brought in on their entire body of work, up until the day before the nominating committee meets,” Peresman told the Rolling Stone. “They are still evolving bands that are breaking new ground. With KISS, there wasn’t a single person we spoke to that didn’t feel the reason these guys were being inducted was because of the four original members.”
Sadly, even that’s a stretch. But as my friend Dion Lefler points out, “It ain’t the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Quality.”
source: pasadenastarnews.com
89 Responses
Over commercial garbage hall of fame – Look at Madonna…she’s in.
One hit wonder hall of fame – KISS doesn’t qualify because they have more than one hit (Rock and Roll All Nite, Beth, Shout It Out Loud, Hard Luck Woman, Calling Dr. Love, Christine Sixteen, I Was Made for Loving You, Forever – that’s 8 there – 2 more than Led Zeppelin). You know who is in the one hit wonder club? Hendrix, Frank Zappa and the Grateful Dead (all in the hall). You know who’s in the zero hit club? Paul Butterfield Blues Band.
Hall and Oates by the way are the most successful recording duo of all time and they are just getting in. Took Blue Eyed Soul to the next level.
Yes Deep Purple should have been in before KISS. Deep Purple was first eligible in 1993 (25 years after “Hush”). KISS became eligible in 1999. But KISS is just getting in now and Deep Purple is not in yet.
KISS won the popularity vote of those who were nominated this year with Deep Purple second.
KISS fans (aka the KISS Army) protested at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum for the past decade because KISS was not in yet. Name any other band who is eligible that has not been inducted yet where the fan base protests outside the museum. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band protest you heard crickets. Oh wait there was no protest!
Nothing against the Paul Butterfield Blues band but sharing the stage with The Who and Hendrix at both Woodstock and Monterrey is not enough to qualify (KISS was not in existence then). Sha-Na-Na also performed in Woodstock. Do they deserve to go into the Hall?
Bands KISS influenced let me see – Motley Crue, Poison, Pantera, Pearl Jam, W.A.S.P., Merciful Fate/King Diamond, Anthrax, Insane Clown Posse, GWAR, Plasmatics, Rage Against the Machine, Slipknot, Green Jelly, Marylin Manson, Lenny Kravitz, Soundgarden, Bon Jovi, Ratt, Judas Priest, Iron Madien, Motorhead, White Zombie/Rob Zombie.
Finally explain why the late Dimebag Darrell had a tattoo of the “silver-eye makeup freak” on his chest.
I’m not sure who this guy is but he must be some level of “respected” journalist/music industry person to have his article posted on Eddie’s site. That being said, he obviously has not bothered to do any true research or speak to any fans or other musicians to back up his opinions of KISS. If he had I think the article would be much different. The statement that KISS doesn’t DESERVE to be in the Rock Hall is complete and utter BS. So basically you’re saying that a band that has been around for 40 years, who has a string of gold and platinum albums and still has successful tours to this day doesn’t deserve to be inducted into a club that includes Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Stones, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, etc. etc? Please! Longevity alone should qualify them. Plus, if their music was truly as awful as some detractors claim it to be they would not still be playing it after 40 years!
While I do agree that Deep Purple is a much better band in terms of musical skill and they should have been inducted before KISS, the statement that Machine Head is better than the whole of the KISS catalog is seriously deluded. Alive!, Creatures, Revenge, Destroyer, Love Gun? What about those records Mr. Girardot? Have you ever bothered to listen to them?
So no musician or artist has been influenced by KISS? Another claim that is just insane. The previous post(s) have mentioned a laundry list of artists already who cite KISS as an influence or at least an introduction to hard rock/heavy metal music. Hey, even Garth-f’ing-Brooks cites KISS as an influence! Look it up. He does a cover of Hard Luck Woman on the KISS tribute album.
Basically what this article says to me is that Mr. Girardot just doesn’t like KISS because of their commerciality and their “band of the fans” approach to their career, so he wrote his derogatory statements and formed his opinions out of personal dislike, not actual facts or even polled opinions. Just like KISS’s many other detractors. People like him are why KISS was kept out of the Rock Hall for so long. Critical acclaim and musical virtuosity are great things to have, but they aren’t the ONLY things that should qualify a band or artist for inclusion in a club of “the all-time greats.” No, at the end of the day it comes down to making music that speaks to people and makes them feel something, which is primarily what KISS music does.
I don’t know who he is either
Actually Brian,
I posted it because, as DR mentioned, I thought it would bring all the KISS fans together, since everyone has been so divided over all the other issues coming up in the press as of late.
It was reprinted here for unity and levity, nothing more. However, if there were those who agreed with Mr. Girargot, they were entitled to their opinions as well.
Dana from EddieTrunk.com 🙂
This guy is a nobody! He doesn’t even have his facts straight. “Don’t tell me that Rock and Roll All Nite is the Rock and Roll national anthem. It isn’t. That’s like saying We’re the Monkees is one of the ‘60s enduring classics.”. Where to begin with that one. Everyone calls “Rock ‘n’ Roll All Nite” The Rock anthem! It’s in every 70’s throwback movie. Such as “Dazed and Confuzed”. Also, there never was a song in the 60’s called “We’re The Monkees”! The idiot must be thinking of “(Theme From) The Monkees”. They are another band, (yes they became a real touring band!) That belongs in the HOF! They are on Jann Wenner’s “hate” list like KISS is.
It’s why people like FRANK GIRARDOT are nobody’s and will always be nobody’s.
Pretty sure the biggest/Most influential ROCK bands of the 70’s belongs in the hall. Hell, one of the main criteria is “influential.” Name an American band that caused more kids to pick up guitars/basses/drums/ etc. in the whole decade in the 70’s. Many artists have cited them as an influence. Garth brooks, Dimebag, zakk wilde, guns and roses, etc. “don’t belong in the rock and roll hall of fame.” yea, whatever….
KISS! Faded out like a bad memory,,none of there songs had any punch to them. They put on one hell of a show for 14 and 15 year olds, and then VAN HALEN came along and put rock n roll back on the map. KISS is never really played on the radio anymore because they were out gunned by 1979. There are over 100 bands that still get lots of air time 3 decades after they stopped touring.
Kiss was a fad for teenagers with nothing else to listen to. Costumes and makeup weird hair doo’s , fire with pop tunes is all they put out, kiss had no depth, plain and simple. I would say that you are all tone deaf if you give Kiss songs any credit at all.