RRHOF Noms

"Madonna, the Beastie Boys, John Mellencamp and Leonard Cohen lead a wildly disparate class of nominees for 2008 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

"They join Afrika Bambaataa, Chic, the Ventures, Donna Summer and the Dave Clark Five on the ballot. Five acts will be inducted March 10, 2008, at New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel."

I really have no beefs with any of the nominees - there are good arguments for all of them. I have a soft spot for Mellencamp because I have always liked people who start out as fairly crappy and through determination and hard work actually make themselves worthwhile, which I think the Coug did right around SCARECROW, and definitely with THE LONESOME JUBILEE and BIG DADDY. Can't say that I've listened to much of his stuff for the last decade, but I respect the heck out of him.

As usual, I have more problems with who ISN'T nominated than who is. Pretty ridiculous that New Order, for instance, are still unconsidered.

And the nomination of Afrika Bambaataa, whose biggest hit was built on top of Kraftwerk, makes Kraftwerk's continuing non-nomination more criminal. (That said, I think it's cool that Bambaataa is nominated.)



Post Edited (10-04-07 17:07)

My predictions for the inductees:

Madonna (because the Hall of Fame simply can't resist a star of that magnitude — I mean, come on, how did she get so huge, if she's not Hall of Fame material?)
The Dave Clark Five (because they can't resist an act with such nostalgia value either)
John Mellencamp (because, as Reno said, he is boot-strapping incarnate)
Beastie Boys (likewise, if you compare Licensed to Ill to their later work)
Chic (because the band has been passed over a few times already ... and, if they must induct a disco act, better to induct one that played its own instruments and wrote its own songs)

As for the others ...

The Ventures — sorry, only room for one nostalgia act each year; Dave Clark Five got it this year
Donna Summer — same goes for disco acts
Afrika Bambaataa — likewise for hip-hop acts
Leonard Cohen — too obscure; viewers don't tune in to see cult favorites get inducted

Madonna would be worthy even is she'd remained an underground phenom. I'll give her that, for sure.

Not a fan of Mellenhead but I understand the nom. I'm sure he's a nice fella.

"viewers don't tune in to see cult favorites get inducted"
Maybe they don't, but recall last years Patti Smiff lovefest? Plus, the tv broadcast of the ceremony isn't (supposed to be) what the induction is ultimately about (though it probably is, $$$-wise).

rant'''
(cut - I decided I'd spare everybody)



Post Edited (10-04-07 17:23)

> rant'''
> (cut - I decided I'd spare everybody)

Aww come on, Pagan, it's an annual ritual on this board. Why cut it short now?

Yes! I look forward to posting the nominations every year so I can enjoy the rants!

It's been a long day and I guess I'm either getting lazy or I didn't think the rant was very good.

"Each year, a list of should-a-beens geometrically accumulates .
Ultimately it doesn't matter to me since I have such a hard time giving respect to this venture. It's ultimate goals and purpose seem obscure to me, other than corporate gladhanding and mainstream politicking. Not that the inductees don't usually deserve some recognition. So, I'd never say somebody doesn't deserve to be in, but the very situation is going to preclude many of the most worthy. I don't doubt for a second that the choices are political in that they're engineered ("let's pick one that influenced music, one that sold millions, one that the public still has adoration for, one that we owe", etc.) just like the Oscars or anything else of this size and $$$. I suppose Ira could shed light on how the voting really works, if it's weighted, straight-up, etc. I haven't researched it, so..."

space reserved:: (This is where I once again plead for an indie HoF)

Good rant, Paganizer, even if you did qualify it with the preface and double quotes. Do we really want the king of pedestrian rock, John Cougar, in any kind of hall-of-fame? His best record, Uh-Huh,warrants a B+. His first 5 are all C- or lower. Whose next? Elvis Costello ?! (just kidding.)

I suppose it does not annoy me if an inherently mainstream artist gets inducted into such a hall of fame. Madonna would be a fine nominee. It annoys me when the corporate sponsor try to co-opt the whole concept of avant-garde or subculture artists by nominating someone unique.

But the nominee list is really a tangential argument. What is the merit of such a "hall of fame"? "It's ultimate goals and purpose seem obscure to me..." inded. Any artist bestowed with this honor has been degraded, not elevated. Has anyone read Rock Till You Drop ? It had a really nice screed against the hall of fame which I think any rock idealists on this board might enjoy.



Post Edited (10-04-07 22:35)

rock n roll of fame is basically the hard rock cafe without the mediocre cheeseburgers.

rock n roll isnt baseball in the respect that its hard to get a real statistical data to decide who gets in who doesnt.

does a guy like bon jovi get in the hall of fame- i say yes cause of the name hall of fame. he is one of the most famous a big star who has been putting out music for over 20 years and is still entertaininng audiences.
do i care for his music? no
one of my favorites on the other hand.
graham parker, richard thompson , nick lowe, fill in with any other guy- do they get in no. based on lack of talent. no way. based on lack of fame, yeah.

i think anybody who still can hold a audience of a few hundred people and still out out good music for a period of 30 years or more and has some kind of fan base should have a mention in the hall even if not a member

The Hall of Fame itself is pretty lame anyhow. A bunch of illegible signatures etched on the wall in a very dark room and that's it - nothing really explaining anywhere why these individuals rate inclusion, etc.

The museum is fun, though. Have Joy Division/New Order always had their own little display, or is that fairly recent? It was there last spring, but I didn't recall it from my previous visit 10 years earlier.

Speaking of which, this weekend is the last for the pretty excellent Clash exhibit, so if you've not seen it, head for Cleveland now.



Post Edited (10-05-07 07:23)

As a RRHOFer once put it, "I don't wanna be buried in a Pet Semetary..."