Yep. It’s that time of the year again when the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame informs the world of their nominees for the honor to be in their esteemed institution. If you caught my not too subtle sarcasm, you can stop laughing now please so we can continue along in this post.
I decided to bring this up once again because so many of the big wigs in music media like to complain about it publicly so why not follow suit and let our own site readers toss in their views into the mix as a result of my bringing it up. Yeah the Rock Hall is not all that Metal and I think that I will have grand children by the time we see groups like Judas Priest, Slayer and Iron Maiden being added but I digress. Let’s go over the criteria for inclusion once more for those who might not yet be aware:
The Criteria: Currently, groups or individuals are qualified for induction 25 years after the release of their first record. Nominees should have demonstrable influence and significance within the history of rock and roll. Four categories are recognized: Performers, Non-Performers, Early Influences, and Sidemen (as of 2000). However, fans have no input concerning who is nominated or elected to the hall.
Now before we get to the list, let’s remember that these are only nominees and are not automatic inductions into the Hall. Even while they might be nominated they might get passed over for someone else at the end of the day when the final vote counts. We saw that happen a few times last year where nominees were not even listed on the final ballot anymore by the time the voting came down.
The 2013 Nominees Are: The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Chic, Deep Purple, Heart, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, Albert King, Kraftwerk, The Marvelettes, The Meters, Randy Newman, N.W.A., Procol Harum, Public Enemy, Rush, and Donna Summer.
As I did last year, I am going to run down the list and offer up my own music journalist thoughts about each one. I’ll let you do the same in the comments section if you like and I hope you do because some of you are rather verbose and bring some really interesting thoughts to the blog. Let’s go.
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band: I’m not really up on a lot of the Blues players of the world so cannot really speak on this one. Of course with Rock and Roll really coming from the deep root of the Blues then I am okay with it. Paul Butterfield himself is deceased and passed away in 1987 so would be inducted posthumously.
Chic: Sure Chic was a band but they were a Disco band that called themselves a Rock band for the Disco era. A good statement for sure but really not something that merits the honorarium in my humble opinion. During their heyday we found songs like “Good Times” and “Le Freak” being their biggest numbers. Solid hits for sure but Rock? Not really.
Deep Purple: Well isn’t that nice. Deep Purple finally up for nomination after being one of the most important bands for Rock music ever. I’m glad they are on the list because next to KISS and Rush, there are few bands whom I consider as that influential. Let’s see if we get them in and find Ritchie Blackmore coming out of Rock retirement for a night to bust out the classics with his band mates. That would be awesome, and this is IF they even make the final cut.
Heart: Last year I didn’t think Heart was a solid nomination but that was largely based on some of their Rock peers not even being on the list. With the bands continued performances knocking out the fans and these other bands now being on the nomination list, I am okay with it.
Joan Jett and The Blackhearts: Someone said that The Runaways should be nominated before Joan Jett and The Blackhearts and I disagree with that. To me it was cool that they were one of the first girl Rock bands out there but they were over quick and the material far from memorable outside of a few select tracks. I think Joan and The Blackhearts have done a lot more for the sake of Rock and Roll since she formed the band and it will be a kick to see her jamming out with Ricky Byrd once again if she wins. Our friend in music Acey Slade currently tours with Joan so maybe he will be on the stage as well. This one pleases me.
Albert King: I will not even contest someone who is referred to as one of “The Three Kings Of Blues Guitar” because this influential players melodies still resonate strongly today. King passed away about ten years ago so his is another posthumous honor should he be added.
Kraftwerk: This nomination surprised me because this is Electronica and that is also not Rock. I never listened to this kind of stuff and the closest that I came to keyboard driven bands was the stuff I took to during the New Wave years. I did really enjoy a lot of that stuff but even those groups had a Rock angle to them. This was all minimal instrumentation and mostly keyboards and synths with some voice over a vocoder. I guess this will be the first Krautrock band inducted should they be selected.
The Marvelettes: No point in wondering about the classic Motown Girl groups and this one is responsible for the “Please Mr. Postman” song that I think almost everyone can sing most of no matter what genre they prefer 🙂
The Meters: I’m not too up on The Meters outside of knowing they are a Funk Group which just goes to show the Rock Hall wants to continually mix things up. Funk Rock is much closer to Rock Rock than not so I will abide by that.
Randy Newman: The song writer who loved LA and told us that short people had no reason to live has had a lengthy career penning tunes for movies and television shows and I guess that is why he is being nominated. Personally speaking I think his many honors at being a composer are what is finding him nominated.
N.W.A.: Ah the Rap group inclusion. Where would the Rock Hall be without its Rap area? So I realize that this particular group changed the music scene of R&B with their incendiary brand of Gangsta Rap but again this was Hip Hop and not Rock and Roll at all. No offense to Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and the rest but come on…..will we find Bon Jovi ever being nominated to the Hip Hop Hall of Fame? I think not.
Procol Harum: We skipped the light fandango, Turned cartwheels ‘cross the floor, I was feeling kinda seasick, But the crowd called out for more, The room was humming harder, As the ceiling flew away, When we called out for another drink, And the waiter brought a tray and while this might have been the case for the now legendary early Progressive Rock group, I am guilty of only knowing the one song “White Shade Of Pale”. Hey don’t you judge me unless you can name at least three more than that yourself 🙂 Their inclusion is nice, but I would have added someone else in their place. No offense but perhaps a band like Journey, Boston or Yes should be first.
Public Enemy: Yeah another Rap Group and while they did a song with Anthrax a few years ago I stand firm on my thoughts about Rap groups in the Rock Hall. I guess I am closed minded in some small sense. Argue with me all you like, this is NOT ROCK. I apologize readers. I mean no offense but who is next Vanilla Ice?
Rush: Eddie Trunk apparently yelled at the president of the Rock Hall on his program, or at least gave him enough grief about Purple and Rush along with KISS and perhaps he is the reason that a couple of them are now on the nomination block. Do I think they will get in? Honestly, I really don’t but will be pleasantly surprised if they do.
Donna Summer: The late great Disco Queen would bother me as an inclusion had she not passed away because again this is a Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame and not a Disco one. The singer’s passing in 2012 will likely find her added to the hall immediately when it comes down to the votes.
Who do I think will get in? I predict Donna Summer, Paul Butterfield, Albert King, Randy Newman, Public Enemy, N.W.A., Heart, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, Deep Purple or Rush (not both of them – let’s be realistic here).
What do you readers think? Let’s hear it….
Official Website: http://rockhall.com
PS: There is an online fan poll that let’s you inform them on who you want to see inducted but I doubt it will hold any weight with them at the end of the day. Check it out via the link below.
Halluluja!!! I know the Hall as far as music and talent go isn’t a real representation but hey if Rush and Purple get in then we know Priest, Maiden and Dio aren’t far behind.
I find it completely baffling that you can’t see Kraftwerk and their music being associated with rock. They’re certainly one of the most influential bands of the last 40+ years and their music has inspired legions of Krautrock, electronic, progressive and rock artists and, besides James Brown, they’re one of the most sampled bands in hip hop.
Which brings me to Public Enemy and NWA. While you may not find them to be “rock” there are a lot of sub genres in rock and it would be extremely difficult to separate them so I feel they should all be included. I loved NWA’s classic Staright Outta Compton” which was a huge monster I have to say that Public Enemy and more consistently great music and a much larger catalog.
Dismissing Procol Harum because you only know one song is also disheartening as they too are a tremendous outfit and did some extremely important music during their prime years. I agree that Yes is also worthy but Procol Harum also has every right to be here and may have put out more consistently great records with a lot less bombast and pretension than Yes and I love prime period Yes.
Joan Jett. I’ve loved her for years but to dismiss The Runaways is also extremely questionable. Many of Joanie’s best tracks (Victim Of Circumstance, Cherry Bomb, I Love Playin’ With Fire, Wait For Me, You’re Too Possessive, etc.) were songs that she wrote for The Runaways. Their self titled debut and Queens Of Noise as both fantastic albums and their importance as being one of the very first all girl groups only adds to their merit of being included in the HoF.
My picks- Kraftwerk, Deep Purple, Albert King, Public Enemy and Procol Harum. That gives a wonderfully wide range of music by great artists who have made a substantial contribution and have been very influential in their respect genres. Of course, the HoF has never been known to have the best of taste and they certainly lean toward the more commerical side of music so I predict that most of my choices will not make it. It will probably be more like Donna Summer, Randy Newman, Chic, The Marvelettes (who are definitely worthy!) and Rush.
I would actually be thrilled if Rush made it in, because it would expose them for who they really are: Musicians’ musicians. I’m glad the band is taking the high road on this as well, being thrilled that their fans are finally getting their wishes (possibly) fulfilled. And if they get dropped, it doesn’t change my view of the R&R HoF one bit – they they are forever a crock.