Tuesday, September 14, 2004

NO LOVE FOR EDDIE OR OZZY: As Matt reported yesterday, the list of 15 finalists for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is out. Perhaps more interesting, though, is the list of acts that failed to make the cut from the list of semifinalists that was released in June. Those snubbed are: ABBA, Jeff Beck, Black Sabbath, Captain Beefheart, Chic, Jimmy Cliff, John Cougar [Mellencamp], Dave Clark 5, Peter Gabriel, Kraftwerk, Little Anthony and the Imperials, Laura Nyro, Graham Parker and the Rumor, Lou Reed, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, Neil Sedaka, Ringo Starr, T. Rex, Van Halen, Tom Waits, and Barry White.

If not for the inclusion of U2 on the actual list, I would think that the Hall mistakenly released the wrong list. How in the hell can you not even consider Black Sabbath and Van Halen this year? In both influence and body of work, both bands pass the test. Also, how do you induct Jackson Browne last year over Johnny Cougar? I'll take "Jack and Diane" over "Somebody's Baby" any day.

No Tom Waits or Peter Gabriel? No ABBA? No question they belong. Kraftwerk and Jimmy Cliff deserve spots, too.

It's no secret that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a ridiculous entity, but outside of Bono and the boys, and perhaps the Pretenders and Stooges, it's an absolute travesty that anyone else would be inducted before the aforementioned acts. But I guess in a world where Ryne Sandberg, Artis Gilmore, and Ray Guy can't get into their respective Halls, such injustices are to be expected.

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