Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I have always wondered how they nominate and finally choose who gets to be a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Many bands change personnel like there's no tomorrow, so I also wonder how they arrive at which incarnation to honor.

Can any one shed some light on this question? Is there anyone on that list that should not be there in your opinion? Also is there someone that is long overdue their recognition in your opinion? Here's the list of current members (inductees) btw.

2008
Performer
John Mellencamp
Leonard Cohen
Madonna
The Dave Clark Five
The Ventures
Sidemen
Little Walter
Non-Performer
Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff
2007Performer
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
Patti Smith
R.E.M.
The Ronettes
Van Halen
2006Performer
Black Sabbath
Blondie
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Miles Davis
Sex Pistols
Lifetime Achievement
Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss
2005
Performer
Buddy Guy
Percy Sledge
The O'Jays
The Pretenders
U2
Lifetime Achievement
Frank Barsalona
Seymour Stein
2004
Performer
Bob Seger
George Harrison
Jackson Browne
Prince
The Dells
Traffic
ZZ Top
Lifetime Achievement
Jann S. Wenner
2003
Performer
AC/DC
Elvis Costello & the Attractions
Righteous Brothers
The Clash
The Police
Sidemen
Benny Benjamin
Floyd Cramer
Steve Douglas
Non-Performer
Mo Ostin
2002
Performer
Brenda Lee
Gene Pitney
Isaac Hayes
Ramones
Talking Heads
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Sidemen
Chet Atkins
Non-Performer
Jim Stewart
2001
Performer
Aerosmith
Michael Jackson
Paul Simon
Queen
Ritchie Valens
Solomon Burke
Steely Dan
The Flamingos
Sidemen
James Burton
Johnnie Johnson
Non-Performer
Chris Blackwell
2000
Performer
Bonnie Raitt
Earth, Wind & Fire
Eric Clapton
James Taylor
Lovin' Spoonful
The Moonglows
Early Influence
Billie Holiday
Nat "King" Cole
Sidemen
Earl Palmer
Hal Blaine
James Jamerson
King Curtis
Scotty Moore
Non-Performer
Clive Davis
1999
Performer
Billy Joel
Bruce Springsteen
Curtis Mayfield
Del Shannon
Dusty Springfield
Paul McCartney
The Staple Singers
Early Influence
Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
Charles Brown
Non-Performer
George Martin
1998
Performer
Fleetwood Mac
Gene Vincent
Lloyd Price
Santana
The Eagles
The Mamas and the Papas
Early Influence
Jelly Roll Morton
Non-Performer
Allen Toussaint
1997
Performer
Buffalo Springfield
Crosby Stills and Nash
Joni Mitchell
Parliament-Funkadelic
The (Young) Rascals
The Bee Gees
The Jackson Five
Early Influence
Bill Monroe
Mahalia Jackson
Non-Performer
Syd Nathan
1996
Performer
David Bowie
Gladys Knight and the Pips
Jefferson Airplane
Little Willie John
Pink Floyd
The Shirelles
The Velvet Underground
Early Influence
Pete Seeger
Non-Performer
Tom Donahue
1995
Performer
Al Green
Frank Zappa
Janis Joplin
Led Zeppelin
Martha and the Vandellas
Neil Young
The Allman Brothers Band
Early Influence
The Orioles
Non-Performer
Paul Ackerman
1994
Performer
Bob Marley
Duane Eddy
Elton John
John Lennon
Rod Stewart
The Animals
The Band
The Grateful Dead
Early Influence
Willie Dixon
Non-Performer
Johnny Otis
1993
Performer
Cream
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Etta James
Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers
Ruth Brown
Sly and the Family Stone
The Doors
Van Morrison
Early Influence
Dinah Washington
Non-Performer
Dick Clark
Milt Gabler
1992
Performer
Bobby "Blue" Bland
Booker T. and the M.G.'s
Johnny Cash
Sam and Dave
The Isley Brothers
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The Yardbirds
Early Influence
Elmore James
Professor Longhair
Non-Performer
Bill Graham
Doc Pomus
Leo Fender
1991
Performer
Ike and Tina Turner
Jimmy Reed
John Lee Hooker
LaVern Baker
The Byrds
The Impressions
Wilson Pickett
Early Influence
Howlin' Wolf
Lifetime Achievement
Nesuhi Ertegun
Non-Performer
Dave Bartholomew
Ralph Bass
1990
Performer
Bobby Darin
Hank Ballard
Simon and Garfunkel
The Four Seasons
The Four Tops
The Kinks
The Platters
The Who
Early Influence
Charlie Christian
Louis Armstrong
Ma Rainey
Non-Performer
Gerry Goffin and Carole King
Holland, Dozier and Holland
1989
Performer
Dion
Otis Redding
Stevie Wonder
The Rolling Stones
The Temptations
Early Influence
Bessie Smith
The Ink Spots
The Soul Stirrers
Non-Performer
Phil Spector
1988
Performer
Bob Dylan
The Beach Boys
The Beatles
The Drifters
The Supremes
Early Influence
Lead Belly
Les Paul
Woody Guthrie
Non-Performer
Berry Gordy, Jr
1987
Performer
Aretha Franklin
B.B. King
Big Joe Turner
Bill Haley
Bo Diddley
Carl Perkins
Clyde McPhatter
Eddie Cochran
Jackie Wilson
Marvin Gaye
Muddy Waters
Ricky Nelson
Roy Orbison
Smokey Robinson
The Coasters
Early Influence
Hank Williams
Louis Jordan
T-Bone Walker
Non-Performer
Ahmet Ertegun
Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
Jerry Wexler
Leonard Chess
1986
Performer
Buddy Holly
Chuck Berry
Elvis Presley
Fats Domino
James Brown
Jerry Lee Lewis
Little Richard
Ray Charles
Sam Cooke
The Everly Brothers
Early Influence
Jimmie Rodgers
Jimmy Yancey
Robert Johnson
Lifetime Achievement
John Hammond
Non-Performer
Alan Freed
Sam Phillips

Madonna???????????

Can't sing, can't write, can't play, can't dance, and her material has zero artistic merit. Apart from that, I love her!

Plus - no Deep Purple, no Brian Eno. I'm sure the list of deserving omissions is endless....

The Dave Clark Five are long overdue and have been passed up in the past. Probably will happy again. The R&R HOF doesn't like the fact that Dave Clark made money. The nominating & voting seems to be handled by idiots....like musicians.

BTW - Madonna sucks! She is part of a generation that relys on stage presence, dancing & dancers, light shows, etc. with no writing talent, good melodies, or really much talent for that matter. Michael Jackson is another leg of that.

Some thoughts on the RRHOF:

Madonna is being inducted, so I guess I will never visit. At least Michael Jackson can sing & dance.

It's kind of funny that the Pretenders made it in before the Sex Pistols. Could it be an Ohio bias?

Will bands like the Jam, the Buzzcocks, Blur (bands that were huge in the UK & Europe, vastly influential but had little US success) ever make it?

Has anybody been inducted more than Neil Young?

I have no plans what so ever to visit the RRHOF. I'm not one much for garbage like the Grammys or any award given by the industry and feel that there are many others who are far more deserving to be recognized for their talents than just those who managed to put a lot of money into the pockets of the RIAA and the major labels. To me, these inductions are the equal of winning "Homecoming Queen" - it's a popularity contest and nothing more.

Some of these entries have me wondering just what it takes to get in. For example the entry of both Dave Bartholomew and Allen Toussaint as "non performers". Are you kidding me??? These two guys are revered in New Orleans and are/were top shelf musicians. Bartholomew was a trumpeter and bandleader of the seminal R&B group The Spiders and was the guy who wrote many songs that became popular by Fats Domino and many other NOLA preformers - maybe this is where he gets the "non performer" tag.

Toussaint is a legendary pianist who played on boat loads of sessions for people like Lee Dorsey, Irma Thomas and The Nevilles and was responsible for The Meters breaking onto the R&B scene. Toussaint ranks up there with both Professor Longhair and James Booker when you're talking about New Orleans piano. He's one of the most influential figures in NOLA R&B and his songs (which he recorded as well) have been covered by the likes of Otis Redding, Dr. John, The Rolling Stones, Lee Dorsey, The Who, The Hollies and countless others. Who was the first cat I saw when I popped into New Orleans in 1997? Well, it was Allen Toussaint playing with his band at the Lousiana Music Factory - a record shop in the French Quarter - helping them celebrate their 5th anniversary in business.....and they were absolutely amazing.

It's a joke and it seems that the induction committee needs to step back and fully examine a person's body of work before they decide to catagorize that individual for enshrinement.

I hoped with her aging,and horrific films, we at least wouldn't hear about Madonna as often as we do. And it's remarkable that we do considering the era of pop that she is from (i.e. the one in which videos, and MTV were considered paramount) has been gone without a trace for years now, if not gets credit for the trouble radio and labels are in. The fact that her shows were bogus reveals that there was nothing whatsoever to her beyond videos. It's funny how the Monkees were ripped publicly for not playing on their records (their early ones, anyway) yet they actually sang in concert and had not soon before been hired merely as actors who played musicians. It's a shame the 12-year-olds at Madonna's shows came of age when show biz people were lauded for making money first and foremost (hence there was no talk of what a ripoff her gigs were), which was and continues to be a result of big business suits taking over. At least now they're being laid off in droves.

I don't know about the H.O.F., but the three least watched Grammies telecasts have been in the past five years, and last night's show was one of 'em. The Foo Fighters won an award. Ooo-wee.

Madonna is a genius and an incredible business woman. She has just as much right to be there as anyone else.

Sean I can accept that Madonna is an incredibly succesful business person but calling her a genius and putting her by extension in the company of people like Leonardo da Vinci and Albert Einstein is a bit over the top for me.

phlemmy wrote:Madonna is a genius and an incredible business woman. She has just as much right to be there as anyone else.

So do Bill Gates and Donald Trump belong in the RRHOF?
Or do they have to release a book full of nude photos first? (where is the 'terrified' smiley?)

*sigh*

In spite of what many may think about the politics of induction, the RRHOF is an extremely interesting place to visit. Seeing instruments actually played by famous musicians (as against the 'sus' ones at Hard Rock Cafes) is an eye opener, as are the stage costumes worn by such artists as Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson. The historical aspects of the RRHOF cannot be denied - from roots to now and spending an hour in the theatre is well worth the time.

I spent half a day there in '06 and would definitely go again if I revisited Cleveland - Madonna or no Madonna. I'd also go back to the Great Lakes Brewery, so I guess I'm easily pleased!

I love Cleveland. It's a lot like Detroit, only without all the glitz and glitter

"Is there anyone on that list that should not be there in your opinion? Also is there someone that is long overdue their recognition in your opinion? Here's the list of current members (inductees) btw."

YES, I can. I can see many of the bands I like that are included....Agreed, the Dave Clark Five should be in there. Pink Floyd is included (thankfully) but where is YES & the MOODY BLUES?

40 years of music coming from these bands.............ok, I will not start.......

No need for me to travel to see the RRHOF I'm just as happy going to the Hard Rock in Miami...at LEAST they have a Moody Blues display!

tamborineman wrote:I love Cleveland. It's a lot like Detroit, only without all the glitz and glitter

So, you coming to RIO!!! in June? There will be more Ricks than in Detroit at that time of year.