TURN ON YOUR HEARTLIGHT, LET IT SHINE WHEREVER YOU GO: The 2011 inductees into the Rock and Roll (and Whatever Other Non-Country Music The Kids Have Listened To Since The 1950s) Hall of Fame are Neil Diamond, Alice Cooper, Tom Waits, Dr. John and Darlene Love.
When we voted in September, the Beastie Boys were the overwhelming favorite on the ballot, followed by Waits, Diamond and a significant gap before Bon Jovi, LL Cool J and Mr. Cooper.
Neil Diamond and Alice Cooper before LL, Chic, and the Beastie Boys? If you're black you better have made your music before disco and rap to get in (Darlene Love being the current egregious example). To quote Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments:
ReplyDelete<pre>Blow it up, blow it up
Blow it up before Johnny Rotten gets in
Blow it up before Paul Westerberg sits in
Blow it up before Steve Albini gives a speech
</pre>
Neil Diamond? NEIL F'ING DIAMOND?!? Before You-Know-Who? Yeesh. (No opinion on Darlene Love, but the rest of the inductees I'm fine on, though I'm sad for the Beastie Boys.)
ReplyDeleteVoldemort was up for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?
ReplyDeleteI have no problem with Neil Diamond. As a performer and a songwriter, for the kind of rock/pop that the "Rock and Roll" Hall of Fame celebrates, I think he's a defensible inductee. I'm a little surprised, though, by Tom Waits and Dr. John. I'm a huge fan of both, and am glad to see them honored. But I feel like they appeal to a small and passionate base, and have had only a minimal impact, unless you want to argue that Dr. John is responsible for popularizing New Orleans funk in the rock world, which is probably overstating his role.
ReplyDeleteHowever, Dr. John and Tom Waits are approved as important artists by the people who run the RNRHOF elections (i.e., Jann Wenner and those beholden to him). They fit nicely into their narrow view of history, which is still rooted in the 60's and the album oriented 70's, exemplified by Rolling Stone just naming the Elton John/Leon Russell album the third best album of 2010. Tom Waits and Dr. John, whatever their merits, are firmly tied to that point of view, as is, in his own weird way, Neil Diamond (even had an album produced by Greil Marcus-confirmed genius Robbie Robertson). Waits and John's "small but passionate base" almost wholly consists of the Rolling Stone constituency (not to say that I'm not also a member myself).
ReplyDeleteJust realized I was confusing Dr John with Dr Teeth
ReplyDeleteI celebrate the induction of Jewish Elvis!
ReplyDeleteDiamond's cheesy to be sure, but highly influential (witness the subsequent covers of Girl You'll Be A Woman and Red Red Wine) and "I'm A Believer" is unquestionably a classic song (which he wrote). In a Hall in which Bob Seger is in, Diamond is an easy call. And while I'm decidedly pro-Beastie induction, it's Paul's Boutique that really makes their case.
ReplyDeleteI want to start the "Induct Dr. Teeth" Committee.
ReplyDeleteAs a total freaking Tom Waits Acolyte, I readily admit you are absolutely correct. And I am NOT part of the RS magazine constituancy.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the R&R Hall of Fame should consider the possibility that they're FULL.
ReplyDeleteI will happily serve on that committee. I will also passionately argue for Janice and Rowlf.
ReplyDeleteWhat, what? Rolling Stone just named an Elton John/Leon Russell album the third best album of 2010? I guess I just haven't been paying attention since they shrunk it to ordinary magazine size.
ReplyDeleteI think he's deserving because of his influence, but I'd also add that Hot August Night is a great live album. It almost makes up for his acting performance in The Jazz Singer.
ReplyDeleteUmm, I think Seger deserves his spot. Night Moves is awesome, so is Hollywood Nights. Sorry, just my opinion.
ReplyDelete