Wednesday, April 15, 2015

QUESTLOVE WORKED THE ROOM LIKE FRANK UNDERWOOD WORKS CONGRESS: Inside the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame selection process. Said one source, "Like anything boomer-centric, people are going to hold on to it as if their lives depend on it. You’ll have to pry the Hall of Fame from their cold, dead fingers."
The committee’s track record in recognizing such rock ’n’ roll offshoots as hip-hop, metal and alternative rock has been spotty. They view The Cure (eligible since 2003) and Depeche Mode (since 2006) as weird outcasts from England who wear mascara, rather than post-punk and electronic pioneers who still headline festivals and sell out arenas. "You and I will die before those groups are in the Hall of Fame," an insider predicts.

24 comments:

  1. Joseph Finn10:55 AM

    Tom Morello is a very interesting, very smart man. But lordy, I don't get his KISS love.

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  2. Adam B.11:55 AM

    Intra-band hostility didn't stop them on Metallica or Guns n'Roses.

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  3. Yeah, but those bands are still functional/active and have members who are on speaking terms with one another. (Metallica moreso than GNR, but still...)

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  4. Alex_Gordon12:06 PM

    See also, Heads, Talking and Halen, Van. Intra-band hostility is great for the Hall in that the publicity over who will show and will they be cordial and play together garners headlines, much more so than the Paul Butterfield Blues Bands. A large number of us would go nuts if Morrissey and Marr hit the stage.

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  5. Sure, but Morrissey and Marr being on stage together is never, ever, ever, ever going to happen (as they've made clear). It'd be a great moment if it did/could happen, though.

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  6. Alex_Gordon12:12 PM

    I would love to see the Hall change the rule from 25 years after an artist's first recording to 25 years after an artist's first significant recording. While this would be highly subjective, the Hall, as the article attests is already so highly subjective, why not just make it more so. I'm pro-Green Day being inducted, but it just seems like the 25th anniversary of Dookie makes more sense. And yes, I know they sold albums and toured before that and those in the know knew, but I just think it would be cooler and attract more attention my way.

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  7. Alex_Gordon12:17 PM

    And one more thing, how in the holy hell is Chicago not in?

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  8. Next year should be interesting. Smashing Pumpkins would seem to be a lead pipe cinch, and you have two interesting cases--Hole (which I don't think quite gets there, but which Rolling Stone types LOVE), and Mariah Carey (who unquestionably has the commercial success, but may not be "rock" enough). Next few years each have a seeming cinch and then a thin group--2016 Pearl Jam, 2017 Radiohead.

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  9. Joseph Finn12:37 PM

    Which reminds me that this is an excellent resource for who's eligible in years coming up: (PJ Harvey in 2016, for instance, is one of those who's fantastic but I don't see the current voters going for her; same for Tori Amos).


    http://www.futurerocklegends.com/future_eligibles.php

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  10. Watts2:01 PM

    These kids today with their music and their hair...

    Also, disco isn't rock, but I'm always sad at the snubbing of it by the HoF anyway.

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  11. Randy2:35 PM

    I'd like to think that PJ Harvey is a first-year-eligible no-arguments unanimous entry. And because her music is solidly in the rock and blues genres, I think she appeals more to current voters than a lot of other artists who broke through in the 90s would.


    Of course, I adore PJ Harvey beyond words, so I'm not exactly objective here.

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  12. Joseph Finn2:37 PM

    I would think that as well, Randy, but HOF voting trends makes me sadly down on the prospect of it happening.

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  13. One that I'm a bit surprised isn't in, given RS's love of them? Sonic Youth, which has never even made the long list. (Though right now, it has Smiths-level problems with Moore and Gordon being in the same room.)

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  14. What may help Harvey is a sense that she is necessary as a foundation for later artists. Can you let in Alanis Morissette or Liz Phair without letting in Harvey?

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  15. Joseph Finn3:30 PM

    I'd not vote for Whithey or Mariah myself.

    While I'm not thinking Pumpkins are a shoe-in, I do think they'll definitely deserve it when they do get in. Since RHCP, a band at about the same level in my taste, got in in about the time I'd expected, I'm fine with that.

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  16. Joseph Finn3:32 PM

    Here's a fun though experiment based on that; should Sleater-Kinney get in before, say, Bikini Kill?

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  17. Adam B.4:12 PM

    Alanis Morisette is a one-album wonder; that's be fine if she were an earlier artist (Sex Pistols, Big Bopper), but not today. Phair's not getting in either.

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  18. Adam B.4:13 PM

    It's only an experiment. If not even the Pixies can get in ...

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  19. Joseph Finn4:24 PM

    "If not even the Pixies can get in"


    The system works?

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  20. Joseph Finn4:25 PM

    That is a bit odd.

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  21. Adam B.4:35 PM

    As I've argued for years, the Hall seems to have shut down its "Influencers" win to pre-Beatles artists. It should induct such bands as Sonic Youth, the Minutemen, Minor Threat, Husker Du, and Bikini Kill under similar terms.

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  22. bill.6:43 PM

    List of bands starting with the Minutemen? I was disappointed you weren't quoting X lyrics. So I will:

    But what about The Minutemen, Flesheaters, DOA, Big Boys and The Black Flag?

    Will the last American band to get played on the radio please bring the flag?

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  23. The Pathetic Earthling10:26 AM

    If there's an "influencers" universe, it ought to include Blue Oyster Cult. Scratch any heavy metalish / hard rock performer (and Ice T) from past 1977 or so, and they'll point to BOC as a big influence. Hell, Tears for Fears started out as a couple of 13 year olds singing BOC songs.

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  24. Mr. Cosmo9:09 PM

    What were the odds that TPE would bring up BOC?

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