Saturday, March 11, 2006

Blondies Induction Gives Me a Super Cramp!

Once a year I get myself all worked up when the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame lists their new inductees. It is not so much of who they let in these days, it's who they let in, in comparison to who is not in.
The first few years of inductions it is real hard to argue about any of them. I don't think we are going to have any discussions about whether The Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Who or if even Pink Floyd should be in. But the last few years some interesting artists and groups of admittingly "good" quality and have been inducted, including the recent (or forthcoming)induction of Blondie (?!?), while other "great" groups like Supertramp and Yes are on the outside looking in.
Granted all of this is mostly a matter of personal taste, but let's go to the map here shall we and compare some of the more recent additions.
Start with Blondie, and then we go with Black Sabbath, ZZ Top, Bob Seger, Jackson Browne(????),Talking Heads, Tom Petty (with his Heartbreakers) and Elvis Costello.
Like I said these are good groups, but are they "Hall of Famers"?
ZZ Top is in, but doesn't that mean The Doobie Brothers should be in.
Black Sabbath and AC/DC being in opens the door for Van Halen (with either lead singer)doesn't it?
Jackson Browne is a great songwriter, but so is Barry Manilow.
A huge insult, Herb Alpert is in, but not as a performer, only as a collaborator with Jerry Moss in creating A&M records.
And does anybody other than music critics really like The Band?
I'm not really interested in debating these issues, just with the comparisons and the evidence presented, next year induct Supertramp into the hall or it will be the "Crime of the Century"!
Have a great weekend!

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