Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

[mountain bed]

I will say this: GnR is EASILY the best of the 80s LA hard rock/metal scene, and it's not even close.

[ih8music]

As an old buddy of mine used to say, that's like being the tallest dude at a midget convention.

[suites]

Really? They wouldn't be my #1, but I would be hard-pressed to think of 30 American bands I like more.

Not just American but all groups

 

 

I would put them in second ten maybe for American. Maybe 10-15 top American.

 

 

They only made 3 records total not enough material for me

[Analogman]

Report from last night:

 

The first Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Los Angeles in more than two decades may as well have been subtitled "A Night to Celebrate Rush" as the Canadian trio's fans packed the Nokia Theater to the rafters and made their presence known.

They booed Hall chairman Jann Wenner, undoubtedly for keeping Rush out of the hall for years on end, heckled Quincy Jones and Flavor Flav during their lengthy speeches and filled any second of dead air with shouts of "Rush" and "Geddy."

 

But they were also treated to the evening's most humorous introduction, courtesy of Dave Grohl, and acceptance speech, from guitarist Alex Lifeson, who used the simple phrase of "blah blah blah" and a bit of charades to explain the journey of he and his bandmates to this point in time.

 

As expected, it was a lengthy affair -- it took nearly four hours to execute the inductions and performances after starting 50 minutes late. And while it lacked the fireworks of other ceremonies, it had its moments: The Foo Fighters, reduced to a trio, donning wigs and kimonos to play Rush's "2112"; Randy Newman, in a quiet, poignant moment, playing "I Think It's Going to Rain Today" with a string section. And Booker T. Jones joining Gary Clark Jr. and John Mayer to salute the late Albert King with Jones' "Born Under a Bad Sign." (Sadly, Jones was not introduced to the crowd.)

 

Public Enemy, performing as they did in those Def Jam revues in the '80s, rapped to the two men who first put them on record, Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons, who wound up next to each other in the small VIP section of tables near the stage.

Don Henley wondered why "this peculiar, perplexing organization" had taken 20 years to induct Newman, who said backstage "I didn't think it would happen until I died or something." The families of Donna Summer and Albert King graciously accepted the awards on the late artists' behalf.

 

Producer and label owner Lou Adler was surrounded by people whose music he had recorded -- Herb Alpert, Dean Torrence of Jan and Dean, Michelle Phillips of the Mamas and Papas -- and the man he sits next to at Laker games, Jack Nicholson. After an induction from Oprah Winfrey, Quincy Jones saluted a dozen jazz musicians, among them Charlie Parker, Clark Terry and Lionel Hampton, saying "those cats were my Beatles and Rolling Stones." His 16-minute speech closely resembled the one he gave when his induction was announced in December.

 

Members of Public Enemy, inducted by Spike Lee and Harry Belafonte, took turns talking with Flavor Flav monopolizing the microphone. Chuck D admonished him to move on, but Flav fought back, saying there was only one night they would be getting inducted into the hall. He also saluted the PE leader, saying "I want to thank you for making great records. You've been the motor."

 

The Wilson sisters speech and induction was largely limited to discussions about the isolated world of Seattle and the unlikely arrival of two sisters who would not only rock, but persevere. In introducing Rush, Grohl praised Rush's Neil Peart as "the most ripping drummer in the world," but also wondered aloud about "the most infamous band photo" ever -- the trio in kimonos and skintight pants. "We've been saying for a long time this isn't a big deal," said Peart, who usually avoids any media attention. "Turns out it is."

 

Over the applause and cheers, Grohl noted they have a "fan based rivaled only by the Grateful Dead" and Lee thanked the fans before Lifeson launched into his "blah blah blah" speech that will surely become a YouTube favorite down the road.

 

HBO will air the ceremony on May 18.

 

The show and who played what:

Randy Newman

"I Love LA" - Newman, Tom Petty, John Fogerty, Jackson Browne

"I Think It's Going to Rain Today" - Newman

"I'm Dead (But I Don't Know It)" - Newman, Don Henley

Lou Adler

"So Far Away" - Carole King

Albert King

"Oh Pretty Woman" - Gary Clark Jr.

"Born Under a Bad Sign, Clark, John Mayer, Booker T.

Donna Summer

"Bad Girls"/"Last Dance" - Jennifer Hudson

Quincy Jones

"Rock With You" - Usher

Public Enemy

"Bring the Noise"

Freestyle jam with other nominees' records

"Fight the Power"

Heart

"Crazy on You"

"Dreamboat Annie"

"Barracuda" - Heart with Jerry Cantrell, Chris Cornell

Rush

"2112" - with Foo Fighters

"Tom Sawyer"

"Permanent Wave"

Finale

"Crossroads" - Chuck D, Hank Shocklee, Rush, Ann and Nancy Wilson, Clark, Grohl, Hawkins, Fogerty, Tom Morello

[Magnetized]

On a Randy Newman fansite Little Criminals, someone posted some of Randy's remarks. They were droll and self-deprecating as usual, but one part I thought was really funny. Randy was saying that when he didn't make it in the Hall of Fame about 20 years ago, "I did think I was going to have to die and I'd have to watch from below with my relatives." Typical Randy--he packs a punch with a very few words.

[Analogman]

I'm trying to find some video of Heart's performances. They played with several of the original dudes on their first song of the evening.

[mountain bed]

I LOVED Alex's speech. And the crowd booing Wenner = priceless.

 

Next order of bidness - Purple. They'd BETTER get in next year. 

[Analogman]

It's good to see KISS, Deep Purple, and Yes on the list.

 

 

The nominations for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Class of 2014 are in, and the list includes Nirvana, Kiss, the Replacements and Hall and Oates. The rest of this year's hopefuls are the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Chic, Deep Purple, Peter Gabriel, LL Cool J, N.W.A., Link Wray, the Meters, Linda Ronstadt, Cat Stevens, Yes and the Zombies. The top vote-getters will be inducted in April at a ceremony in New York City. 

 

[suites]

Pretty good list as far as I am concerned.  Very diverse which is good.

 

Replacements, Cat Stevens are a bit of a surprise to me.  Hall and Oats finally gets a nom.  Some that keep waiting (Chicago, Moody Blues, Cars, Cheap Trick, Cure (they got nominated before).

[tinnitus photography]

Nirvana - yes

Kiss - yes

The Replacements - Yes

Hall and Oates - Yes

Paul Butterfield Blues Band - No

Chic - No

Deep Purple - Yes

Peter Gabriel - No

LL Cool J - No

N.W.A. - Yes

Link Wray - Yes

The Meters - Yes

Linda Ronstadt - No

Cat Stevens - No

Yes - Yes

The Zombies - No

[Lammycat]

It's that time of year again to laugh and make fun of the R&R HOF. Chic? The Meters? Cat Stevens? They must be running out of candidates/acts to fill that building in Cleveland up with.

[NoJ]

 

Paul Butterfield Blues Band - No

 

 

Oh man, their tune "East/West" is a tremendous jam. I highly recommend you check it out.

[Atticus]

are The Shouting Matches in there already?  

[jff]

Nirvana - yes

Kiss - yes - Wont get in this year.

The Replacements - Yes

Hall and Oates - Yes

Paul Butterfield Blues Band - No

Chic - No  Will get in

Deep Purple - Yes  Will, but only as an excue to fill the hard rock slot, thereby keeping Kiss out

Peter Gabriel - No  Will

LL Cool J - No  Will

N.W.A. - Yes  Won't because LL is on the ballot

Link Wray - Yes

The Meters - Yes

Linda Ronstadt - No  Will definitely get in, in light of her recent illness and retirement from music.

Cat Stevens - No

Yes - Yes  Due to Rush getting in last year Yes will not get in yet.

The Zombies - No  Probably will

 

My predictions, where they differ from yours, in bold.

It's that time of year again to laugh and make fun of the R&R HOF. Chic? The Meters? Cat Stevens? They must be running out of candidates/acts to fill that building in Cleveland up with.

The Meters are highly deserving of being inducted.   Should be an easy shoe-in.

[Lammycat]

My point is that it's hardly "R&R" (hasn't been for years) and that they are grasping at straws. While The Meters and Cat Stevens and NWA, etc. are all good/relevant, the list gets more ridiculous every year. It's a sham.

[tinnitus photography]

It's that time of year again to laugh and make fun of the R&R HOF. Chic? The Meters? Cat Stevens? They must be running out of candidates/acts to fill that building in Cleveland up with.

 

i share your disdain for Chic and Cat Stevens, but The Meters were pretty influential and Zigaboo Modeliste is definitely one of the greatest drummers ever. as well as having the best name.

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

Nirvana - yes

Kiss - yes

The Replacements - Yes

Hall and Oates - Yes

Paul Butterfield Blues Band - No

Chic - No

Deep Purple - Yes

Peter Gabriel - No

LL Cool J - No

N.W.A. - Yes

Link Wray - Yes

The Meters - Yes

Linda Ronstadt - No

Cat Stevens - No

Yes - Yes

The Zombies - No

I agree with almost every single vote here...I would add Linda Rondstadt because she was simply the biggest female recording artist of the 1970's, and I don't think you can tell the story of the music without her.

[NoJ]

A sham you say!

[Robby]

Not that it would really do any good, but you can cast up to 5 votes on the Rolling Stone website

 

http://m.rollingstone.com/music/news/vote-for-the-2014-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-inductees-20131016

 

I did did more just to set the voting results so far.

[LouieB]

Why are folks dissing Paul Butterfield?

 

LouieB

[Lammycat]

i share your disdain for Chic and Cat Stevens, but The Meters were pretty influential and Zigaboo Modeliste is definitely one of the greatest drummers ever. as well as having the best name.

I like Cat Steven and like The Meters and don't even know what the fuck Chic is but re-state that the R&R HOF is grasping at straws and becoming more desperate to include everybody and anybody every year.

[NoJ]

Why are folks dissing Paul Butterfield?

 

LouieB

 

Perhaps they dont know how innovative the band could be?

[LouieB]

Chic was a disco band.  When did Hall and Oates become hip again and important?  I guess my point was that the Butterfield Blues Band was important in its time.  Some of these other artists, not so much.

 

LouieB

[NoJ]

I know, Hall & Oates? WTF.

[LouieB]

Perhaps they dont know how innovative the band could be?

It wasn't how innovative they could be, it was how important they were at the time.  They were the best of the white blues bands of the 60s.  Their cachet has fallen, but at the time there was no one better (that includes Canned Heat.)

 

LouieB