…And they did too!
I am truly a genius! Like two years before these Johnny-come-latelies at the San Jose Mercury-News, I had this idea, now another “Who should be in the Hall” tournament. They’re so impressed that they’re doing brackets. Ooooh, and fancy them they might actually follow through and finish it. Big whoop (although in my defense, they aren’t presenting the case for each act, or making sample playlists, or even doing videos — all that took a lot of time). Posers. They didn’t even include the Tap.
But they have some interesting matchups and some acts I didn’t include. And you can go crazy and vote for the whole first round at once. So check it out.
Luther Vandross v. The Beastie Boys
Bet you didn’t expect this matchup.
Luther’s playlist Beastie’s playlist
Be sure to check out the other matches:
Janet Jackson v Afrika Bambaataa
Transcript below: (more…)
Spinal Tap Snubbed (Again)
Today the RnRHoF announced its nominees for the 2012 induction. They’re listed below. I have a couple of thoughts. First of all, I really need to pick up the pace of my blogging. I’m just a little past the halfway point of the first round. At this rate, I’ll get this tournament done in time for the 2012 induction ceremony (or maybe the 2012 apocalypse).
Secondly, I’m kinda mixed on the nominations. Good on you for the Beastie Boys, RHCP, The Cure, Freddie King, G’n’R, & Eric B & Rakim. Not at all surprised by The (Small) Faces — although they’re more famous for what some of their members did afterwards, and Donovan — kinda surprised he wasn’t in already. (more…)
Janet Jackson v. Afrika Bambaataa
I know some of you are uncomfortable with the changes in Facebook, but I for one embrace new technology! That explains the huge technological leap forward I used to create today’s blog (If it’s too much for you, a transcript and some videos follow).
LL Cool J v. Wham!
Today begins the second half of the first round of the playoffs. In the interest of getting these blogs done quicker, I’m posting fewer videos, but more music (through Grooveshark, which is really handy for this). In the interest of making things more interesting I’m presenting today’s challenge as a dialogue between Professor J. T. Smith for LL Cool J and Dr. Andrew George Michael-Ridgeley for Wham! (No real person assisted in creating the blog except, of course, Terumi, whose assistance is invaluable).
Prof. Smith: LL Cool J is a hip-hop pioneer who brought popular song structure into hip-hop and helped bring it to the mainstream.
Dr. Andrew: Wham! was a pop phenomenon who in their brief 4-year career sold over 25 million records. (more…)
The results are in!!
The results for the first half of the first round are in!
Kiss defeats Bon Jovi with 57% of the vote!
Iron Maiden v. Mötorhead → Tie! I’m casting the tie breaker, I’m gonna give it to… Iron Maiden. Both influential, I just think Iron Maiden were more commercially successful, and it is the Hall of Fame. Don’t like it? WYOB
Billy Idol crosses X off the list, with 60% of the vote!
Steppenwolf mauls Def Leopard, 67% to 33%.
Sonic Youth squeezes by The Jam by one vote.
Red Hot Chili Peppers demolish Cheap Trick 10-1.
The Cure tops Joy Division with twice as many votes.
Jane’s Addiction looses to The Replacements by one measly vote.
There you have it, music fans the bands for the first half of the second round. Voting for the second half of the first round starts next week. First up: LL Cool J v. Wham!
Jane’s Addiction v. The Replacements
When I was in college in Columbus, OH, a roommate was crazy about this small, college radio band (that’s what they were called then). He thought they were the perfect rock and roll group. I’d never heard of them. Move forward a few years, I’ve moved to Los Angeles, and I’m going to the Olympic Auditorium for the debut concert of Jane’s Addiction first reunion tour — with Flea filling in. Broken up, they had become bigger than when they were first together. Maybe it was because Perry Ferrel started a concert tour he called Lollapalooza as their farewell and went on to jump-start the careers of Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nine Inch Nails, The Smashing Pumpkins, Arcade Fire, and on and on. Maybe it was because Dave Navarro joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers (and became a TV reality star when he married Carmen Electra). Maybe it was because they just one of those bands that was ahead of their time. Their blend of hard rock and trippy psychedelia and lyrics about being a freak in Hollywood at first didn’t take off at first. But somehow, over time, we’ve caught up with them. They’ve got a new single out now and a new album out in September. Who’s to say if they’ll keep going, but you can say if they should be in the hall.
At the same time my roommate was introducing me to Jane’s Addiction, The Replacements came through town on what became their farewell tour. Columbus was not a big college rock town, OSU didn’t have a college radio station, and local radio was mainly ‘classic rock’, ‘urban music,’ top 40, or country, so I didn’t know them from the other small-ish bands that came through (like The Red Hot Chili Peppers or Pearl Jam — shows I missed, but I did see Edie Brickell & New Bohemians!). It’s possible that I could have seen them at their notorious worst, playing drunk and sloppy, indifferent or angry at their audience. Or I could have seen Paul Westerberg and Tommy Stinson (Bob Stinson and Chris Mars had left by than) at their best; playing loud and fast, pop-friendly hooks with a strong back beat and telling whimsical, heart-on-their-sleeve tales of tragedy and woe. Their classic trifecta of albums; Let It Be
I just voted yesterday, you can vote now.
Previous poll: Joy Division v. The Cure
Next: ???
The Cure v. The Smiths
This isn’t my competition, more like a side game. Nerve posted this article, but I thought it was relevant.
The Cure v. The Smiths (Nerve)
I’m in The Cure camp on this. While I like some of Johnny Marr’s guitar work, I can’t stand Morrissey. I know he’s Irish — don’t care. That’s why I put the Cure in my playoffs and not The Smiths. I’m sure Morrissey is loosing sleep over that, but he can soothe himself with a big pile of money, I’m sure. And for those of you who prefer The Smiths and their irritating lead singer, write your own damn blog.
P.S. Gonna try to finish the next game soon. Hopefully this weekend. I’ve been busy.
P.P.S. And if you like The Cure, be sure to vote for them here
Joy Division v. the Cure
If there was a band that deserved to be in the hall because of one song, I’d say it was Joy Division for “Love Will Tear Us Apart“. Nevermind the influence they’ve had on U2, Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead and the Killers (not to mention New Order). This was their only song that topped the charts, and that was only in New Zealand and France. But what an amazing song. Dark, moody and atmospheric, the lyrics are rather gloomy, but something about the music is…, kinda pretty. This is not to say the rest of their catalog isn’t pretty strong as well. Very few bands with 2 original
If Joy Division was a cult band built on misery, The Cure picked up that ball, ran with it, and surprise, became a big, popular band. Many have imitated (or played tribute to) Robert Smith and his band (not just musically, either), but few have managed to copy his success; 18 albums in Billboard’s top 200, 13 songs in their hot 100. To call them the most famous goth band ignores the range of their music, shifting from gothic to poppy, melancholy sad songs and the occasional pretty little Lovesong. And they weren’t the first band to go a little overboard with stage makeup, but every emo band (Are you listening My Chem?) owes them a debt of gratitude, not to mention The Smashing Pumpkins, 311, and Interpol. Even though they have kept a low profile recently, if the band decides to hit the road and tour again, undoubtedly legions of pale skinned, makeup clad fans would line up to see them.
Don’t cry, I know it’s a tough choice, but you can do it!
previous game: Red Hot Chili Peppers v. Cheap Trick
next game: Jane’s Addiction v. The Replacements
Cheap Trick v. Red Hot Chili Peppers
Today’s game is a tough one for me. Some people may be under the impression that I’m a fan of all these groups. I’m not. I’m trying to be inclusive and be fair about bands that are deserving. Not my personal hall, but a representative selection testifying to the majesty of rock. I do enjoy both these bands, so this game is tough for me.
Cheap Trick is a stealthy famous band. Masters of the ephemeral art of the pop/rock hook, they made catchy songs that everyone loves and don’t weigh you down. Their best stuff doesn’t have complicated, deeper meanings, alternative chord progressions and they didn’t write any concept albums, just songs with a good beat that you can dance to. Why, exactly does a rock band have to be more than that to be great? Not quite punk, not quite new wave and so popular in Japan they’re called the “American Beatles” (a comparison they’ve always embraced
There are some bands that are so obviously missing from the HoF that it’s hard to understand why they aren’t there (Flea deserves admission as a sideman with all the groups
One band is known for having a lot of guitars, the other is known for having had a lot of guitarists. Now you vote
Next post: Joy Division v. The Cure
Previous post: Def Leppard v. Steppenwolf
Def Leppard v. Steppenwolf (grrrrr!)
Who was the biggest selling band of the 1980’s? Who was one of the first metal bands to get a video into heavy rotation on MTV? Would it help if I told you they’re one of only 5 bands to have 2 studio albums sell over 10 million copies? How about if I said “Gunter glieben glauchen globen”? That’s right, the band that outsold U2, Bon Jovi and the Jacksons in the 1980’s isn’t in the HOF. Their 4th album, Hysteria
There were no heavy metal bands before Steppenwolf, it was a term designated to chemistry. But the lyric “heavy metal thunder” meant to describe a motorcycle on the freeway, applied to a new type of music that was darker, thicker and louder than what had come before. But let’s not forget that the rest of the song is an anthem in itself (while not in itself being quite heavy metal) and their music was pretty perfect in Easy Rider. Not only is Magic Carpet Ride a pretty epic song, it’s apparently the first modern music video, (according to Wikipedia). While the band had a pretty short productive period from about 1968 to 1974 (and a very long period afterwards of various former members touring with competing Steppenwolves) it doesn’t diminish their impact or fame: 25 million records sold
The Jam v. Sonic Youth
The final round of metal madness will have to wait for a round of the indie/alternative division. Rock music, at first was not always a super-popular or commercial form. It really mainstreamed in the 70′s, particularly as baby boomers got older. Production quality improved and albums and artists became more sophisticated and in many ways professional. But there was a counter to that. Inspired by the Velvet Underground, the Stooges and MC5, bands like The Replacements, Big Star, and Television avoided the big rock star trappings of Eagles, Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin, with a simple, straight forward, less polished sound. Influenced by punk, but not always punks themselves, they often worked outside the mainstream of big record labels, stadium concerts and FM radio by releasing their music on smaller labels, playing clubs and college radio. Not that they necessarily chose to avoid the mainstream and the financial success that came with it, but they carved a path that would subsequently be followed by groups like The Pixies, Ani DiFranco, Nirvana and the White Stripes.
The Jam
Sonic Youth
Next game: Steppenwolf v. Def Leppard
Previous game: Billy Idol v. X
Billy Idol v. X
This match-up is a tough one for me. Two artists very close to my heart are going head-to-head. One, a hard rock superstar from the 80′s. The other a hugely influential punk rock band who never had nearly the commercial success. Billy Idol versus X!
In 1981 the first brigade of punk had (mostly) burnt out (rather than fade away) and disco had overdosed on cocaine. So when former Generation X singer Billy Idol released a remixed version of a Gen X song with a dance beat, “Dancing with Myself” became a big hit and launched him as a radio and MTV superstar. His new music wasn’t quite punk, it wasn’t quite metal (although guitarist Steve Stevens could shred like any metal guitarist), but it had a good beat and you could dance and bang your head to it. For the next several years he was the sneer of hard rock on MTV: Rebel Yell
Detroit had The Stooges and the MC5, New York had The Ramones. London had The Sex Pistols and The Clash. Los Angeles still has their archetypical punk band: X
Voting is patriotic
previous game: Iron Maiden v. Motörhead
next game: The Jam v. Sonic Youth
Playoff Round One! Bon Jovi v. KISS
First of all, I’d like to apologize for leaving Bad Religion off the bracket and the list of bands that didn’t make it to the bracket. Next year, I promise.
But here’s the beginning of the first round. The first quadrant is devoted to hard-rock bands. Punk to metal. A narrow range, I suppose (and really should include Bad Religion, but again, sorry), but in a way, kinda what rock is all about. So he first game is Bon Jovi vs. KISS!
March — uh… April Madness
In my usual timely manner, I’ve come up with a playoff bracket of sorts to determine who, in addition to Spinal Tap, should be enshrined for their rock & roll fame-ness. Like everything I’ve done with this blog, it went from being a pretty simple idea and blew up into something rather elaborate. Fortunately, I couldn’t come up with 64 artists that are eligible and some might say qualify for that shiny building by Lake Erie, but I did come up with way more than 32 (ed. note: I think by now I have come up with enough bands that I could go to 64, but I don’t have the time). So rather than create a crazy, complex double elimination bracket that would have included all the possibly eligible bands, I used an elaborate, complex and completely secret algorithm to choose the participants in:
“The 2011 Tournament of the 2nd Greatest Act not in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!”
or
“T2011TotSGANITRnRHoF”
