Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Thanks Alan,

I just read this and almost puked up my dinner!

"In June 2007, Monkees bassist Peter Tork alleged to the New York Post that Wenner is excluding the group from the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame and Museum. Tork claims that Wenner who co-founded and is a vice-chairman of the Cleveland-based museum, "doesn't care what the rules are and just operates how he sees fit. It is an abuse of power. I don't know whether The Monkees belong in the Hall of Fame, but it's pretty clear that we're not in there because of a personal whim." Tork believes Wenner doesn't like the fact that The Monkees, who were originally cast as actors for a TV sitcom, didn't play their own instruments on their first two records. "Jann seems to have taken it harder than everyone else, and now, 40 years later, everybody says, 'What's the big deal? Everybody else does it.' Nobody cares now except him. He feels his moral judgment in 1967 and 1968 is supposed to serve in 2007."

An interesting read about Jann

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1801712/posts

I've also read where he insists that "Yes" will never be in the Hall either.

The RRHOF has a few glaring omissions from their roster, which let's face it most likely are Jan Wenner's doing.

1. Prog Rock: A whole genre pretty much excluded. YES? RUSH? KING CRIMSON? These bands were as influential as Blondie and sold many more records. (Now I love Blondie, but if they are in, shouldn't some of these prog rock bands be there?)

2. DICK DALE!?!?!?! WTF??? The King of The Surf guitar?? In my opinion he should be in any hall of fame for 20th century american music. He invented, or at least embodied a sound.

3. Neil Diamond. No matter what you think of Neil Diamond, he was on the vanguard of singer-songwriters (Dylan was a folkie so shut it! posting.php?mode=reply&f=47&t=379744# ). Plus IMO he is a great writer and performer. It makes no sense to me that Carole King and James Taylor are in, yet no love for Diamond. (Yes I love Neil Diamond, yes he can be scmaltzy and horrible at times, whatever!)

These are just 3 off the top of my head. But all 3 of these have been highly influential, and have sold tons of records.

I absolutely DESPISE the idiotic "ranking" of songs and artists. The RRHOF is just the physical manifestation of p*****g contests like Rolling Stone's Top Guitarist or Top Drum Solo or what have you. An exercise in futility.

However, there's something to be said for a place that brings rock and roll memorabilia to the common man. The last time I went there was a really cool exhibit on The Concert for Bangladesh. Right in the center of the room was THE white suit George was wearing...still gives me goosebumps.

The first time I went, in 2000, there was a big Lennon exhibit with original lyrics, guitars, etc. I didn't know much about the Beatles back then (I was twelve years old!), but I remember the black-and-white '64 325 clear as day!

I think it is criminal that the Hollies are not in the HOF.., perhaps it was their relative lack of success in the all important U.S. market that hasn't given them the exposure needed?

All things being equal, their songwriting and longevity was on par with any band coming out of the U.K.. and in terms of hit records..well..

kursk wrote:I think it is criminal that the Hollies are not in the HOF.., perhaps it was their relative lack of success in the all important U.S. market that hasn't given them the exposure needed?

All things being equal, their songwriting and longevity was on par with any band coming out of the U.K.. and in terms of hit records..well..

I think it has more to do with in-house politics than lack of exposure in the US.

jps wrote:

kursk wrote:I think it is criminal that the Hollies are not in the HOF.., perhaps it was their relative lack of success in the all important U.S. market that hasn't given them the exposure needed?

All things being equal, their songwriting and longevity was on par with any band coming out of the U.K.. and in terms of hit records..well..

I think it has more to do with in-house politics than lack of exposure in the US.

+1

The RRHOF is a tourist attraction and nothing more. It is a good thing that some deserving performers/players/writers get a little appreciation, and if it means somebody discovers, for example, the Clash and goes and buys a record, well, that's a good thing; but the establishment of a "museum to the..what..the idol of rebellion?", or whatever it is trying to be, is kinda dumb. It is building an Establishment for the concept of the anti-establishment.

In my mind, the Best Rock and Roll Band in the World on any given night might be playing some empty bar in Seattle, or Naples, or Hong Kong, or in somebody's basement. How can something like that have a Hall of Fame? The truly deserving are usually left out.

On the topic of Jann Wenner, he and his magazine have always been pretty worthless--a self-anointed judge of coolness (mostly poorly) written by a bunch of decidedly uncool hacks who delight in tearing people down. And that was when it wasn't just a glossy full of pretty advertisements. Any institution where people like him have any say isn't worth wasting time on. Of course, I just wasted four minutes writing this...but it felt good doing it.

How come The Moody Blues aren't in The Rock and Roll HAll of Fame? Their body of work is great, sold zillions of albums. Great in concert. Jann Wenner must hate them.

I know. There's no excuse in my mind.