Open Thread Update: Who’s in Your Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Last time, we asked folks for their personal recommendations to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  Judging by the responses, if there were a Mt. Rushmore for Rock and Roll, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones would be on it, according to Readers Michelle, and Jody.  And Tommy James and the Shondells  got a lot of nods from Readers Jeff J. and Nancy P. And thanks to Readers Gail (the B-52’s fan) and Karen – whose list in the comments is so comprehensive she might moonlight for the HoF’s Nominating Committee!

Hard Rock Fans

The picks are varied and interesting.  Reader’s Jeff‘s list was pretty comprehensive, too….

For starters,….Jethro Tull, The Turtles, Kansas, Ten Years After, Steppenwolf, The Edgar Winters Group, Johnny Winters, Joe Satriani, Roy Buchanan, The Meters, Marshall Tucker Band, Spooky Tooth.

and he was among several others who noted Canned Heat and Captain Beefheart.

Others shared their faves of long standing, like Reader Nancy

Some are already in..Doors, Rush,Jefferson Starship, Bee Gees, Strawberry Alarm Clock, AC/DC, Iron Maiden,Tommy James and the Shondells, Rick Nelson, Boston.

What an outrage!

Several readers besides Reader Jeff shared their outrage over the rock legends still passed over by the Hall of Fame, with the big omission…

the Chambers Brothers, the first interracial rock group, mentioned by Reader Sarah.

Reader Barbara brings up this point with her nod…

Chris Isaak – Wicked Game came out in the early 1990’s. He’s had many hits since then, and a TV show to boot. Makes me wonder what the politics are at the R & R Hall of Fame.

Joy Division/New Order,  The Residents, The Beastie Boys, Dead Can Dance, Bauhaus, Public Enemy, King Crimson, Angel, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds/The Birthday Party, Queen…for starters.   My personal list would include multiple genres as, imo, good music (of whatever kind) ROCKS!

YOUR TURN:

What’s your fave groups?  Anything missing in these lists?  Check the comments and add your own nominations for your personal Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!

ORIGINAL TEXT:

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced the candidates for nominees at the end of April and invited everyone to vote for their favorites.  Here’s the list – with some surprises:

Bad Company, The Black Crowes, Mariah Carey, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Billy Idol, Joy Division, Cyndi Lauper, Mana, Oasis, Outkast, Phish, Soundgarden the White Stripes.

Chubby Checker?

He’s not in the HoF already??? The man invented The Twist. Billboard called it the biggest hit of all time. He invented The Pony! (Sorry we can’t see the whole segment….)

Never Heard of ’em!

Online sources say “Artists become eligible for induction 25 years after the release of their first record. Criteria include the influence and significance of the artists’ contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock and roll.”  Chubby Checker’s Twist debuted in 1960 and it was the first huge rock and roll dance. It’s about damn time.

What pulled me up short, though, is that some of the musicians made their first record 25 years ago…and I absolutely haven’t heard a single one of their songs.  Soundgarden?  The White Stripes? Never heard of ’em.

But where’s……?

But where’s Roxy Music? Jethro Tull? Where’s Mountain? Where’s the New York Dolls? Where’s Kansas? Where’s The Marshall Tucker Band? Where’s Carmine Appice – the man was in Vanilla Fudge! And where’s Vanilla Fudge?  Where’s The Turtles!!??

Something’s amiss here. You would think the New York Dolls would at least get a sympathy mention since we just lost David Johansen, the last surviving member (and remember, he reinvented himself as Buster Poindexter).

Face it, our generation not only was there at the start of Rock and Roll – hell, we invented rock and roll!  Screw ’em, let’s create our own Music Hall of Fame list. And I’ll start with the bands passed by the traditional Hall of Fame, led by Kansas and The Turtles…and The Marshall Tucker Band…and Mountain…and Jethro Tull…and…

YOUR TURN

But that’s me. How about you? What bands are in your personal Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Share your picks in the comments!

 

Virge Randall is Senior Planet’s Managing Editor. She is also a freelance culture reporter who seeks out hidden gems and unsung (or undersung) treasures for Straus Newspapers; her blog “Don’t Get Me Started” puts a quirky new spin on Old School New York City. Send  Open Thread suggestions to editor@seniorplanet.org.