This year is no different ... the list came out last Tuesday ... and we're still getting comments a week later! Read on!
re: THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME:
My first choice would also be Heart, but Joan Jett set the bar higher for woman rockers. Heart's music was rock, but more mainstream. Joan Jett's music is harder and edgy. I totally think Joan Jett deserves a spot.
Debe Welch
I would definitely vote for two of the nominees.
Red Hot Chili Peppers -- dominant alternative funk / rock band of the past 25 years. My favorite artist of the last 25 years
Donna Summer -- disco, which to me is an offshoot of Motown and Philly soul, was huge in the 70s. Donna was one of three major disco artists [Bee Gees, KC]
The Spinners, War, Heart, Donovan and Rufus all had good careers but to me were second tier artists of their eras.
Laura Nyro belongs in the songwriters section of the RRHOF.
Although not a fan, I can see where Guns And Roses might deserve a spot.
Mark The Shark
The question with WAR, tho, is: Would any of the surviving members of the original group, who parted company with manager / trademark owner Jerry Goldstein in the 90s, be allowed on stage? I smell a repeat of what happened when Blondie was inducted.
-- BOB FRABLE
-- BOB FRABLE
Heart reminds me of Fleetwood Mac. Until the "girls" came onboard (singing), they didn't amount to much!
Jersey John
Some of the "purists" out there will argue that the girls coming on board (along with pop tunesmith Lindsay Buckingham) is what RUINED the band, despite this change giving them their greatest success and notoriety. THEY believe Fleetwood Mac's greatest gift was the "British Blues Years" ... but only a handful of people were listening at the time. The addition of Buckingham, Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie put them on the musical map ... although there were indications along the way that they were headed in a more "pop" direction. (Witness Bob Welch's contribution "Sentimental Lady", recorded first during his tenure with Fleetwood Mac before he turned it into a Top Ten solo hit.)
As for Heart, the addition of sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson shot the group to stardom ... and there have been few female rockers who can hold a candle to these two. They first hit the charts in 1976, which means that they've been eligible ... and ignored ... for ten years already. They always finished near the top of our "Deserving And Denied" list, so we congratulate them on this long-overdue recognition. As we've said before, they're our hands-down favorites this year. (kk)
I just saw that Rufus is on the RNR Hall of Fame list this year so I sent a quick note to Gary Loizzo of the American Breed, the band the eventually evolved into Rufus. Here's a copy of what I sent him ... and what he sent back:
Clark Besch
Hi Gary -
I see Rufus is to be inducted into the RNR Hall of Fame! What is the feeling there? I assume that means two of your Breed bandmates will be there when you are the person who spurred the American Breed hits more than any leading TO the Rufus group later. I know Chuck was a big part of the pre-Breed situation leading to the Breed's forming, but I feel sad that YOU won't be a part of this on stage and Styx still will sit in the wings forever, too. I hope you are doing well.
Clark
I have no regrets. Al Ciner was the only Breed member to do the actual Rufus albums and I wish them all only the best. I still see all the guys and we're all on great terms. Recognition comes from within and I know what I contributed to the Breed ... and that's good enough for me.
Gary
For the record, Rufus ISN'T being inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ... not YET anyway ... they are simply one of this year's nominees. (We'll have to wait until January to see who actually makes the cut.) I would hope Gary would be happy for ALL parties concerned for such an honor ... but I also feel that he should be recognized in some fashion for all his work with Styx over the years. Unfortunately, it doesn't always seem to work that way. (kk)
Another disgusting situation ... however there are at least some artists that MIGHT make the "ground-breaking" RNR style or sound that the Hall seems to think is a must. Personally, a Hall of Fame doesn't mean it has to be an artist that broke ground for others. That should be PART of it, but there was ALWAYS someone before them that gave them the idea, so why not give artists who REALLY are beloved by millions for being POPULAR, too!!?? Why not put Joan Jett in for breaking ground for others by being in the Runaways and singing a rock anthem, BUT she would not have had ANY hits without Pat Benatar breaking ground for HER! A hit maker and someone who gets in BECAUSE of the hitmaker! My point exactly. Can't we have the Buckinghams, Chicago or the Moody Blues in there ahead of Freddie King or Faces? Faces?? Really? Maybe if you count Small Faces and Faces as one, but they really are two different bands. I can go along with Heart and Donovan fer sure. Donovan should have been in ages go. The Spinners are great, too, but so many earlier groups should be there first.
Rufus is cool to see in, but Chuck Colbert and Al Ciner from the American Breed (also members of Rufus) get in and Gary Loizzo (lead singer of American Breed) is still out there not in. If not for Chuck, it's doubtful the Breed would not have come to be. Without the success Gary brought to the Breed, it's unlikely Rufus would have formed. It's all relative, but the Hall only sees what they want to see ... and ANYONE who recorded for Atlantic Records. Also, will Dave Clark come out and sing "I Love Rock N Roll" for the Jett induction?? :)
Rufus is cool to see in, but Chuck Colbert and Al Ciner from the American Breed (also members of Rufus) get in and Gary Loizzo (lead singer of American Breed) is still out there not in. If not for Chuck, it's doubtful the Breed would not have come to be. Without the success Gary brought to the Breed, it's unlikely Rufus would have formed. It's all relative, but the Hall only sees what they want to see ... and ANYONE who recorded for Atlantic Records. Also, will Dave Clark come out and sing "I Love Rock N Roll" for the Jett induction?? :)
Clark Besch
Hey Kent:
Surprised you give Joan Jett the thumbs down, but praise the nomination of Rufus! At least she IS Rock! That's part of their ongoing problems, they nominate all this rubbish that isn't even Rock. They really have to cut back on the nominations and how many they put in, it's getting sad. The more modern you get, the worse it is. The only group I would even consider is The
Small Faces, mostly for all the excellent records they have that weren't US hits, but they had a couple of great hits here as well. And maybe Donovan ... he was unique!
Surprised you give Joan Jett the thumbs down, but praise the nomination of Rufus! At least she IS Rock! That's part of their ongoing problems, they nominate all this rubbish that isn't even Rock. They really have to cut back on the nominations and how many they put in, it's getting sad. The more modern you get, the worse it is. The only group I would even consider is The
Small Faces, mostly for all the excellent records they have that weren't US hits, but they had a couple of great hits here as well. And maybe Donovan ... he was unique!
Ken
You misunderstood me ... I didn't praise the nomination of Rufus ... in fact, I really don't GET it!!! I just said it's kinda cool to have somebody from Chicago nominated. FAR more fitting would have been to nominate the group Chicago ... certainly their body of work surpasses that of Rufus ... and they took a whole new genre of rock music to much greater heights.
What's always interesting about the nominations is the range of opinion on the nominees. For every negative Joan Jett comment we received, we got one praising her place in The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Most seem to feel that Donovan would make a nice addition ... but, other than yours, virtually everyone seems to feel that The (Small) Faces do NOT belong on the list ... yet YOU list them as your #1 Most Deserving Artist on the List. This discrepancy helps to explain why The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame DOESN'T leave it up to the fans ... THEY choose the nominees themselves. That being said, I've yet to hear from a SINGLE person who even knows who Eric B. and Rakim is ... or are ... or whatever!!! And that's OUR biggest complaint with The Nominating Committee. C'mon guys ... at least make it make sense!!! (kk)
