R&R HoF

The TV-ratings drive to get younger, more current acts on the Hall of Fame induction show gained justification Friday night: Al Kooper and the Spinners were too old to make the trip, Willie Nelson (90!) performed sitting down and had to be helped on and off stage, as did DJ Kool Herc. Elton John and Peter Frampton (who is, surprisingly, not in the HoF), both of them making guest appearances, had to be helped from their onstage chairs as well. Only Chaka Khan (given the unvoted-on "Musical Excellence" consolation prize), Bernie Taupin (ditto) and Jimmy Page (also a guest, playing Link Wray's "Rumble"), among the elders on hand, could manage to stand on their own (something which might not have been predicted for Page 45 years ago, when he basically had to be carried offstage after LZ sets).

Back in the day, the show featured loads of live music by honorees, but advancing age and other factors buggered that as an option. Other than Willie, Sheryl Crow (yawn), Chaka Khan (whose set largely sidelined her with guests) and Missy Elliott (who put on a thrilling spectacle), honorees had stand-ins: Page (Wray being dead and all), Miguel, Carrie Underwood and Adam Levine for George Michael (ditto), a six-man New Edition for the Spinners, St. Vincent for Kate Bush (who wasn't ever going to appear) and an extra Nelson number sung by his inductor, Dave Matthews. Only Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine deigned to turn up (and gave a rousing stump speech for rebellion); luckily no one thought to put up a cover band that he could sit in with. Other than that, Elton sang "Tiny Dancer" for Taupin and a turgid all-star rendition of "The Weight" followed the In Memoriam video.

It's great that the Hall has found its way into the '90s without embarrassing itself with some of the rubbish bands that filled that decade, but they have still overlooked countless greats who didn't sell enough records to justify their inclusion in a commercial broadcast. Clearly the clock is ticking on many of those artists, so they're going to either keep picking younger acts or be forced to honor the older ones with today's pop stars.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/05/2023 12:07PM by ira.

I was hoping the New York Dolls would get in by now. Sucks that that only Johansen is alive, but he's still fit and sharp. Unfortunate non-inductees ATCQ and De La Soul have now lost one of their members as well - they both deserved induction years ago.

I'm surprised Beck, OutKast and the White Stripes didn't get in on their first ballots. Among those who more or less debuted in the last 30 years, you can't find better examples of important and innovative artists whose greatest work also attained the biggest signifiers of mainstream success, but I guess it's become tougher now that they're pushing hard to induct people who have been overlooked for much longer.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/05/2023 02:22PM by belfast.

I have the childish inability to think "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" without subtly singing to the tune of "Rock and Roll Hoochie Coo," which is a terrible thing.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/06/2023 06:22AM by zwirnm.

That is a terrible thing ... mainly because I almost can imagine the HoF inducting Rick Derringer, just to convince him to play the song that way at the ceremony.

Well, to be honest, adding the phrase “hoochie coo” to anything makes it seem more exciting.

What should we make for a side dish?
How about creamed corn hoochie coo?

See…more exciting!