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Tuesday, June 1, 2021

All Time is Now • Rock Hall o' Fame Class of 2022

Hail Hail Rock 'n' Roll!


First things first, here are your induction class of 2022 (in alphabetical order)... 

Harry Belefonte, Pat Benatar, Elizabeth Cotton, Duran Duran, Eminem, Eurythmics, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Dolly Parton, Judas Priest, Lionel Ritchie, Carly Simon, and Clarence Avant.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: Here below is a little more detail as to why the following artists are way, way overdue to join the Hall o' Rock...

KISS were first eligible in 1999 and waited 14 years. Kraftwerk waited 25 years!?!. And ABBA got in before both of them!?! The Clash, U2, and Nirvana were rightly inducted their first year of eligibility. Sometimes it's obvious and sometimes it is down right head puzzling. 

So after Nirvana’s first year eligibility induction and Pearl Jam in 2018, we are entering the Grunge era of the early 1990’s. So before we start ringing in Soundgarden, Smashing Pumpkins, Alice In Chains, etc. etc., let’s just take stock and let them all wait a few years, ‘cause the Rock and Roll Hall o' Fame has some long over due catching up to do. 

For your consideration...

1960’s: The Monkees • Tom Jones • Sonny & Cher

THE MONKEES: 
The RnR Hall is done pretty good job with all the classic sixties acts, but The Monkees somehow have missed out and really should have been in a long time ago (eligible since 1991). The pre-Fab four might have been a couple of actors "playing" a band, but they really did tour. The Wrecking Crew played the instruments on their first few albums, but they did the same thing for The Beach Boys as well. They also had brilliant songs (written by Neil Diamond, Carol King/Louis Goffin among others) and more importantly made brilliant records; From the pure Pop of “I’m A Believer” to Garage-rock classics like “Not Your Steppin’ Stone” (covered by the Sex Pistols) to bubblegum, "A Little Bit Me", to the trippy Psychadelia of “The Porpoise Song” and their surrealistic counter culture movie HEAD. The show may have started out as a cash-in exploitation of "Hard Days Night", but they were funny and rocked subverted it into nothing less than the experimental roots of MTV! They absolutely deserve to be there.

TOM JONES: 
The Welsh working-class super-star. From his second single "It's Not Unusual" in Jan of 1965 to hot after hit. His TV show This Is Tom Jones (1669-1971) were you can see on YouTube duet with guests like Janis Joplin and Crosby, Stills Nash & Young and HE'S the one that's pushing them to be great! Also featuring curtting edge comedians like Richard Pryor, and George Carlin. And on to his resurgence in 1988 with his cover of Prince's "Kiss" with The Art of Noize. I could go on. Why is he not inducted already?!?!

SONNY & CHER: 
If Donna Summer and Madonna can get in, well... Cher is a lifer and let's be honest, has a much more credible early career. Starting out as a background singer for Phil Spector (yes she sang on "Be My Baby" and "You've Lost That Lovin Feeling"), through to the classic Pop of the 60's, the 70's TV shows and on through the 80's and 90's hits. And it would be only fitting to induct Sonny as well, as a producer, song-writer ("The Beat Goes On" and "I Got You Babe") and the brains behind the act.


1970’s: Joe Cocker • Bad Company • The Guess Who • BTO

JOE COCKER:  
One note, one word, one syllable from his voice and instantly you know it’s Joe Frickin’ Cocker! I'm sure many of you thought he was already in.

BAD COMPANY: 
They have the hits, they have one of the best vocalist of the decade.

THE GUESS WHO:  
They have the hits, they have the legacy. 

BTO:  
The Number One band in the World circa 1974
 
METAL: Motörhead 

MOTÖRHEAD:
A long shot I know but, It’s frickin’ Lemmy! It’s frickin’ Motörhead! Who rocks!?! You know the answer.


PROG ROCK: King Crimson 

KING CRIMSON:
Sadly, still considered a long shot. The Robert Fripp led band were the very first Prog Rock band to release an album in 1969 (recently sampled by Kanye West). On through their reinvention in 1981 with the addition of guitarist, Adrian Belew and Peter Gabriel's bassist, Tony Levin. Their 1980's albums created an unlikely yet successful blending of Prog, New Wave and Art Rock that influenced (directly and indirectly), Talking Heads, XTC, The Orb, Nine Inch Nails and Radiohead.

1980's: NEW WAVE: Siouxsie & The Banshees • DEVO

SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES: 
Along with Bauhaus, and The Cure, they invented an entire genre. And were truly subversive while also infiltrating popular culture and still sounding like no one else but themselves. With some of the weirdest, darkest and at the same time, fun, upbeat Top 40 hits ever.

DEVO: 
The art rockers from Akron, Ohio have only become more relevant and influential over the years.
  

ELECTRONICA: New Order/Joy Division

NEW ORDER / JOY DIVISION:  
The RnR Hall put Faces/Small Faces together (two different lead singers) so it would be appropriate to honour both these influential bands together. Would the original band perform together or pull an embarrassing Blondie ("I have my own bass player") scene?


ALTERNATIVE: The Smiths • The Replacements • Pixies

THE SMITHS:
Nominated this year, they deserve it for cutting out a unique part of the sonic landscape that belongs to them and only them. Plus, you know Morrissey won’t show up but will write a funny, sarcastic, bitter, dismissive note to his ex-bandmates and everyone else involved. But it better be The Smiths before Pearl Jam, etc. etc. (just sayin').

PIXIES:  
One of the most influential bands of the late 20th Century. Nirvana owned up to copping their style. Bowie tried to (with mixed results) with Tin Machine. No one does LOUD-quiet-LOUD like the Pixies. 

THE REPLACEMENTS:  
Out now by unpopular demand, rocking around America. Something thought impossible just sixteen months ago. Let them take a well deserved victory lap and give them all of the Goo Goo Dolls song writing royalties while we’re at it. 


HIP-HOP/RAP: A Tribe Called Quest • Snoop Dogg

A TRIBE CALLED QUEST: 
Hugely influence on all modern rappers.

SNOOP DOGG: 
He's gonna get in, he deserves it, he can wait.


COUNTRY & WESTERN:
I'm sure you thought these Early Country rockers were already in...

PATSY CLINE: 
One of the greatest singers of the 20th Century (period).
 
GLEN CAMPBELL: 
Hugely successful solo artist, TV star, and prodigeous session player. Played on records by (to name a few), The Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, Jan & Dean, The Everly Brothers, Lou Rawls, & Elvis Presley.
 
WILLIE NELSON:
Legend. Still on the road, he wrote “Crazy”, and it’s Willie Frickin’ Nelson!


MUSICAL EXCELLENCE:

CRAZY HORSE:  
When Neil Young was inducted in 1995 he thanked Crazy Horse, saying... “Stand up you guys, I could never have made it without you guys that’s for sure… everybody knows that!” Since Springsteen's E Street Band were inducted in 2014, it's time. Let’s get to it! 

THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION / THE MOTHERS: 
Frank Zappa was inducted in 1995, and he’s a musical genius, but let’s be honest, who the hell could/can play Frank Zappa’s music but one Mother of a band!!! The Hall can figure out who gets in with all the ex-members and permutations (including Zappa's "solo years"), but this list includes such steller talents as Ray Collins, Ike Willis, Don Preston, Ruth and Ian Underwood, George Duke, and the later solo years with Terry Bozzio, and Steve Vai. Outside of the Jazz world, these are hands down, the greatest, most innovative, ground breaking, experimental, and humorous musicians in Rock (period).

NON-PERFORMER:

DJ WOLFMAN JACK:
The legend! Watch "American Graffiti" and know that all of it is/was true. Wolfman Jack was broadcasting from Mexico with a border busting signal from Midnight to 6AM. Spinning race records (R&B and Rock n Roll) to a whole generation of teenagers. Ironically he had rented the "dead of night" air time from a Christian station that was not broadcasting after Midnight!

TOM WILSON:
Produced Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkle, John Coltrane, The Velvet Underground. Signed Zappa & The Mothers of Invention, I could go on!! Read this instead...

Texas Monthly: The Greatest Producer You Have Never heard...

VAN DYKE PARKS:
Producer, Arranger, Lyricist, Film Composer. Asked to join The Byrds, wrote the craziest lyrics ever for Brian Wilson/The Beach Boys. 

  
Also for your consideration (still waiting):
Bad Company
Bauhaus
The B-52's
Kate Bush
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Billy Idol
Joe Jackson
Jane's Addiction
Rickie Lee Jones
Tom Jones
Ben E. King
Los Lobos
Toots & The Maytels
New York Dolls
Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels
Gram Parsons
The Replacements 
Rockpile/Nick Lowe & Dave Edmunds
Siouxsie & The Banshees
Squeeze
Supertramp
WAR
Paul Weller/The Jam
Lucinda Williams
Sonny Boy Williamson
XTC
Warren Zevon


And when it is said an done,

After all, It's only Rock 'n' Roll. 

Stay Free
  

Shark

All Time is Now with DJ Shark
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