Whenever someone loses out on an award, like an Oscar or an Emmy, they try to be gracious about it by saying something like, "It's an honor just to be nominated." Sadly, though, they are seldom remembered by the next year's awards season. This, of course, is because awards like those are about that specific year's accomplishments, unless it's a Lifetime Achievement award.
However, awards like induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame are by very definition, lifetime achievement awards of a sort. Missing out one year does not mean an inductee has to continue to perform at a stellar level to be considered for nomination the next year. That's good too, because with the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, many nominations and inductions are posthumous. And when one considers the bottleneck of artists that have never even been nominated--and if you haven't noticed that before, just do a cursory search for it: you'll be inundated--it is indeed substantially meaningful to be nominated for the Rock Hall, even if you believe the Foundation is corrupt and cronyistic through and through.
Which brings us to this song list. Because being nominated is such an honor in and of itself, all the past nominees for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame have also been awarded songs for the great playlist. And at one time, I was indeed updating the list by burning new CDs as new artists were added to it, and other ones got off the list by being inducted. I may take that up again; however, as the digital age renders the CD-R less profitable a product, there may come a time when I have to reserve all my stock just for continuing classes. As of right now, the songs for past nominees comprise two discs, and since they were last burned in 2012, they include some artists that have since been inducted. This list, though, will be current and focus on those that have not been inducted as of 2018. This is useful to me for two reasons: one, as a hobbyist, it's a great way to help remember all of the past nominees; two, if and when they are inducted, they already have a song selected for them for when they are inducted. The Songs Of Proof seldom change, after all.
And it is with that, that I announce we will indeed look at all of the Past Nominees. However, since I don't wish to write over forty lengthy paragraphs as I have done for the inductees, and I'm sure you don't want to read that many either, the format will be much simpler. Artist, song, short sentence or two about why that particular song was chosen. Less challenging for us all that way. So now, let's honor those who've only received the lesser honor of just being nominated.
Johnny Ace: "Pledging My Love" In addition to being his signature song, it's a powerful crossover R&B ballad that a lot of other enduring R&B ballads took a cue from.
Bad Brains: "I Against I" A fast, punk-like driving number with rap-like lyrical delivery, it captures a lot of the features that made them influential.
Afrika Bambaataa: "Planet Rock" Also a signature song that showcases pioneering hip-hop turntable wizardry, showing the block party roots that hip-hop emerged from.
Kate Bush: "Love And Anger" It showcases her bohemian lyricizing, and frames it within a song structure close enough to the more conventional definitions of rock and roll music.
The Chantels: "Maybe" This song was a milestone for girl group records, and has a rhythmic structure that isn't too unlike later songs by the Shirelles, Crystals, or Angels. (Vocal Group Hall OF Fame Song Of Proof: "Look In My Eyes")
Chic: "Good Times" Even before I chose "Le Freak" for Nile Rodgers, I was using this song because this is a landmark record for hip-hop, dance, and R&B music. Its importance is monumental.
The Cure: "Friday I'm In Love" Post-punk is unusually melodic, and the beauty of how hooky this song is, combined with Robert Smith's vocals that are somewhat abstract, and yet very attainable to workaday people, sums up a good chunk of their influence.
Depeche Mode: "Just Can't Get Enough" Sorry liquidmuse, even in the Past Nominees list, there are still some songs that are used because they are my favorite by the artist.
The Dominoes: "Sixty Minute Man" Not only infectiously catchy, but overtly sexual, and massively successful, crossing over to the pop charts... back in 1951! (Vocal Group Hall Of Fame Song Of Proof: "Have Mercy Baby")
Eric B. And Rakim: "Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em" This is a serious jam, where Rakim showed his full potential as an emcee, and Eric B.'s work was immaculate.
Eurythmics: "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" Annie Lennox is described as having an androgynous beauty to her, and songs like this one definitely heighten that feeling of robotic androgyny.
The '5' Royales: "Baby, Don't Do It" As the '5' Royales were inducted in the Early Influence category, this song carried over for them, as it was the song chosen for them when they were languishing in this column. This song will be removed from the "Past Nominees" song list next time I burn CDs for this group.
The J. Geils Band: "Love Stinks" It may not be their most bluesy song, but it's a staunch rocker that you can tell just from listening to the studio version that it's an awful lot of fun to perform live.
Janet Jackson: "Nasty" It's a quintessential song of new jack swing and is also surprisingly empowering. One of her biggest hits too, it shows Janet at her best.
Wanda Jackson: "Let's Have A Party" This song has since been removed from the Past Nominees list, but it was her song throughout the whole project and remains so for her now.
Elmore James: "Dust My Broom" Elmore was inducted before I even knew the Hall existed. For some reason, he was nominated once for a Performer, then later inducted as an Early Influence. But it's the same song chosen either way.
Jane's Addiction: "Been Caught Stealing" One of their best-known songs and biggest hits, and given they have such a relatively small catalog, it's safe to say this one really does capture their general spirit as a band.
The J.B.'s: "Doing It To Death" Though credited to "Fred Wesley And The J.B.'s," it doesn't violate the sole credit rule, as Wesley was a member and not an outside artist, and this is just how they were billed for this masterfully funky song that showcases their talent and why James Brown wanted them behind him.
Judas Priest: "You've Got Another Thing Coming" It might piss off metalheads to use the hit song over the preferred album cuts, but this song is still a good one and does them justice, and is a good song to introduce newcomers to Judas Priest and original stylings of heavy metal in general.
Chaka Khan: "I'm Every Woman" A feminist anthem, this song lets her cut loose and sing with great power, allowing her to stand out.
Ben E. King: "Stand By Me" It's sad that some people think it's the song and not the singer, and though King didn't play an instrument creating this immortal rhythm line, his lyrics are just as legendary for the way it peals out, giving it an earnest feel, lauding the mutualism that could be found in standing by him.
Carole King was inducted as part of a songwriting duo, though there is much clamoring for her to be nominated again as a Performer. If she is, I will swap out "I Feel The Earth Move" and make it her Performer Song Of Proof, and make "It Might As Well Rain Until September" her Non-Performer Song Of Proof, as that song captures that Brill Building quality to a tee. However, I intentionally am waiting to make that swap until she's nominated again due to the number of "Small Hall" thinkers who think that induction wraps up her solo career too.
Freddie King: "I'm Tore Down" This song serves brilliantly to honor his blues chops. It would've been an even better selection had he been correctly inducted as a Performer, and since his Early Influence induction was an intentional sidestep, I see no reason to swap it out for an earlier song.
King Curtis right now has no Song Of Proof for his Performer nominations, as he was inducted before I created this list. He was nominated the first six years, disappeared, and suddenly reappeared to receive a Sideman induction. It'd be nice to seem him given another shot as a Performer nominee, this time including his Noble Knights, and if that happens, I have "Memphis Soul Stew" on standby for that very purpose.
Kraftwerk: "Autobahn" This twenty-two minute gem clearly and wonderfully demonstrates their importance to modern music, particularly in Europe, both in terms of sonic architecture, and in the image that musicians often choose to project.
LL Cool J: "Mama Said Knock You Out" The man really helped make rap an emcee's game, and hard-landing lyrics from him packed the full punch to do just that.
Los Lobos: "Will The Wolf Survive" Since "La Bamba" is already used for Ritchie Valens, and since this song epitomizes their influences and their style much more perfunctorily, this is definitely a solid choice to use for this band of musicians' musicians.
The Marvelettes: "Please Mr. Postman" Make no mistake: the Marvelettes are so much more than this song, but the song is also of such historical importance that it couldn't be ignored. (Vocal Group Hall Of Fame Song Of Proof: "Beechwood-45789")
The MC5: "Kick Out The Jams" Again, another group that is much more than the one big song, but this song captures a lot of punk's youthful and rebellious spirit, while also still being incredibly fun. Perfect song to use.
The Meters: "Cissy Strut" This song showcases more of their funky side than their New Orleans roots, but there are still sightings of the Big Easy's musical DNA. Plus, just has a nasty groove to it that will not be denied.
The New York Dolls: "Personality Crisis" Considered a classic proto-punk song, I just love the antic lunacy that this jam just seems to embrace. I've never looked for one, but I hope there's a music video for this song that predates MTV.
Nine Inch Nails: "Into The Void" I'm admittedly not as knowledgeable about industrial music, but when I binge-listen to Nine Inch Nails, this song seems to most adequately represent the overall feel and mood of the catalog of this act.
Gram Parsons: "In My Hour Of Darkness" Such a sweet, sweet piece of music, this song not only is a shining example of the beginnings of alternative-country, I think it also epitomizes what I mean when I say "country gospel," though Parsons was definitely not in that box either.
Esther Phillips: "Release Me" This one was tricky. Much of her fame came as the chanteuse for Johnny Otis's ensemble, but this take on a country classic really reaches out to show what she was capable of, too.
Procol Harum: "Whiter Shade Of Pale" Since I have no plans to honor the Singles category at this time, there's no reason to swap out this important song that lays the foundation for progressive rock.
Radiohead: "Paranoid Android" Radiohead is not of band of "eras," but continually evolves; nevertheless, showcasing the transition from "Creep" to OK Computer seems to cover the most important bases for a lot of casual listeners, and even some of the fans. I think this song does that.
Rage Against The Machine: "Bulls On Parade" Hatred for Republicans and their platform, nearly screamed lyrics, guitar playing that enhances that anger... this song has it all for them.
The Replacements: "I'll Be You" I'll be honest, I'm not too familiar with their discography, but I love this song so much, I don't think I'd swap it out even it proved to be wholly aberrant of their general work.
Rufus with Chaka Khan: "Ain't Nobody" An amazingly funky jam with solid backup vocals, it really captures the bulk of the commercially successful music and even hints and some of what wasn't or wouldn't be.
The Sir Douglas Quintet: "Mendocino" I hate "She's About A Mover," and this song is a better example of Tex-Mex music anyway. It was between this one and "Dynamite Woman."
The Smiths: "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" The almost hypnotic combination of Marr's guitar and Morrissey's voice, plus all the melancholy that Morrissey is known for. Perfect fit, more perfect than a hand in glove.
The Spinners: "I'll Be Around" Proof that Philly soul could be funky as well. Great vocals, great harmony, great beat, great arrangement. (Vocal Group Hall Of Fame Song Of Proof: "It's A Shame")
Steppenwolf: "Born To Be Wild" This is still an iconic song that young people even today have heard of, and it's a good example of the kind of rock and roll that would eventually evolve into heavy metal.
Sting: "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" Not only is it his biggest hit as a soloist, but it also captures that ethereal feel that much of his solo efforts strove for.
Joe Tex: "Show Me" It's a rollicking soul song that exemplifies that proto-rap vocal delivery that Tex is often credited for, and also features the message for both men and women, something he did with several of his songs.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe: "Strange Things Happening Every Day" While it's unlikely for a person to be inducted in two different categories, it's even more unlikely that those two categories would be Performer and Early Influence, especially under their own name, and not part of another effort. So, there's no impetus to include her in the updated Past Nominees set list in the future.
Conway Twitty: "It's Only Make Believe" Since rock and roll's definition was even more nebulous at the time that Conway Twitty first broke through than it is now, I guess it makes sense that he was considered a teen idol rocker at one point. This song is the biggest example of that time before he went on to country superstardom, and even foreshadows his future career, I would say.
War: "Low Rider" War may be the epitome of what constitutes "cool funk," and no other song captures that spirit better than this one. So funky, and still popular with the rockist crowd.
Mary Wells: "My Guy" As with the Marvelettes, this woman is so much more than the big #1 hit, but the landmark accomplishment, as well as the enduring popularity of this song makes it the obvious selection.
Chuck Willis: "Betty And Dupree" Since Ma Rainey is honored with "See See Rider Blues," that disqualified it being used for this man. Fortunately, my selection is almost a carbon copy and exemplifies his work as the Stroll King.
Steve Winwood: "Roll With It" Even though this song is incredibly bright and upbeat, it still manages to capture that easygoing and optimistic feeling that pervades some of this man's other solo hits.
Link Wray: "Rumble" Once again, it's a monumental record that sadly has overshadowed the entire artist's achievements, but is still a great song and a benchmark of rock and roll. So let's go with that.
The Zombies: "Time Of The Season" So, yeah, I went with the obvious choice again, though I could have easily have gone with "Tell Her No" or "She's Not There" as they both contain that moody, jazzy, baroque feeling that this band was known for. Add a pinch of psychedelia, and you have the reason they should be inducted.
And with that, we have completed our look at those that have been nominated for the Performer category, but did not make it. Since each entry is short and formatted, no need for a recap. What I will say though is that we are STILL not done with our look at representative songs for acts. Stay tuned for the next installment! And as always, feel free to comment below with your take on any of these.
Monday, August 27, 2018
Monday, August 20, 2018
Songs Of Proof: The Class Of 2018
You've been on a trip through the past. A past that began in 1986. You are now hurtling forward in time. There's the signpost up ahead. There went the signpost up ahead. No worries, that wasn't the correct destination anyway. Welcome back to present day. It is 2018 once again, and the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame has returned to normal... You are travelling back in time, back to when the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame made more sense....
Just kidding. We've finally made it to the most recent class, and it seems the trajectory of classic rock domination has held strong. Four of the six inductees are bands that have at least one song still in fairly regular rotation on classic rock stations. The other two inductees are the only people in this class who aren't White men. They're both Black women... and they're both dead. And yet in spite of it all, come time for the ceremony, that proves the least of the travesties. I don't know who was on staff for the ceremonies of classes past that was let go before this one, but hire them back, NOW! Or whoever was hired in time for this one, can them immediately. Fortunately, the songs for my playlist have nothing to do with how the ceremony went. The video clip package for Van Halen helped me pick their song for them in 2007, but for the most part, no, no bearing whatsoever. So let's try to ignore the ugliness and just celebrate the music.
Bon Jovi: And of course, we try to ignore the ugliness by starting with the most infantile act at the ceremony this past year. The inductees were the youngest, they acted the most immature, and so did their presenter. But there's no denying the impact that their music has had over the years. They were one of the biggest of the hair metal acts of the '80's, they managed to survive and remain popular after grunge and other forms of alternative rock broke big and became more popular. Their use of hooks, whether in their songwriting or instrumental breaks, made them a band you couldn't ignore. You were going to know who they were one way or another. Even as a child, I knew several of their songs, perhaps primarily because I have older siblings. Growing up, one of my older siblings tried to turn me into a metalhead and made me mix tapes of '80's metal. Songs that I liked. Hair metal comprised the vast majority of those mix tapes. Guns N' Roses, Van Halen, and of course, Bon Jovi appeared frequently. "Born To Be My Baby" and "Bad Medicine" were my two favorite songs. However, neither of those songs were the choice here. That honor, of course, goes to "Livin' On A Prayer," because despite the musical diversity that the '80's brought, that song has been named the song that epitomized the decade of the 1980's. That's a pretty significant achievement, and it makes it the obvious choice to represent Bon Jovi here.
The Cars: As many people have noted, this is the band that just befuddles everyone how they missed their first two times. Critics loved them, and fans loved them. Maybe they just didn't have enough pull with their fellow musicians the first two times. Whatever it was that held them back the first two times, the third time was the charm. It was a little sad that they didn't quite sound as good at their induction as they did on their records, but it was great to see them on stage again, as complete as they could be, giving it to the people one more time. Their infectious new-wave stylings, the diversity afforded by having two lead singers, the guitars, the driving drums, the keyboard fills, the occasional background vocals that could tastefully fill a record.. there's a lot to like about the Cars. And I say that as someone who absolutely hates "Drive." It really seemed germane to say that because that seems to be the song everyone loves. I really enjoy the Cars, even if I despise that particular song. So I didn't use it. I wanted to go with something a bit more upbeat, that really utilizes their unique synthesizer sound and really captures the way they made new-wave a bit more rocking. And what could be more true to rock and roll than an open invitation to celebrate life with judgment-free dancing? If rock and roll is more of an attitude than a style of music, then the apotheosis of that attitude, reflected in the music, is the call to self-expression, particularly through dancing without fear of judgment. In the case of the Cars, they wanted you on the floor, even if all you could do was "Shake It Up."
Dire Straits: We've just gotten over the one low point of the ceremony, and we've come now to the other. Whatever amazing accomplishments Dire Straits achieved, they had to be inferred, because there was no presenter to rattle off the statistical and the emotional highlights that the music of Dire Straits meant for him, her, or them. All we know is what being in Dire Straits meant to the members of the band who didn't have the surname "Knopfler." However, the music of Dire Straits opened up the doors for members of the band, particularly Mark Knopfler, to become firmly established and build strong bridges to other members of the industry. At least, that's my theory on how they got in, particularly since fellow musicians comprise a decent chunk of the voting bloc. As legendary as "Money For Nothing" is, I didn't use that one. It has everything and nothing to do with the particular word that once referred to a bundle of wood and is now considered offensive. It's not an aversion to the word itself, but to use the rest of the lyrics that surround that word or not to use those lyrics, you now have to decide which version you want to use. Rather than choose between the edited and unedited versions, I just chose a different song. My personal favorite is "Walk Of Life," but it's just too joyful with its vivacious keyboard riffs that it's just too atypical of the band's general style. With that, I've determined that the low-key, moody "Sultans Of Swing," with its licks in between the cracks, best fits the bill to represent Dire Straits in the great playlist project.
The Moody Blues: At long last, we come to Kristen Studard's favorite band. Or not. It's fun to bring up though. The importance of the Moody Blues, though, is monumental. Arguably the first prog-rock band, the Moody Blues also managed to continue to incorporate driving rhythm while infusing classical themes. It's a balance that not every prog-band managed to maintain, and it makes the Moody Blues a bit more enjoyable for me. There's intellectual stimulation, and then there's drug-addled mumbo-jumbo. The Moody Blues did a bit of both with their songwriting, but even when they strayed into the nonsensical, they at least managed to keep it melodically interesting. The song I've chosen to salute this band with is "I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band)." The choice is partially due to the proclivity of choosing songs that are about rock and roll, but it's more than that. Its symphonic arrangement plays off the drums and guitar playing in a way that is both frenetic and controlled. It's far from archetypal of progressive rock, and yet it captures its potential for linking itself firmly within the traditional parameters of what many consider rock and roll. It gently, yet noticeably pushes the envelope. They were more than just singers, they were a tremendous rock and roll band, and long overdue for their induction. (Vocal Group Hall Of Fame Song Of Proof: "Ride My See-Saw")
Nina Simone: When Future Rock Legends predicted her as a nominee a few years ago, I thought it was a left-field prediction with no chance of fruition. Moral of the story: keep learning. My first encounter with her magic and music was "For A While" written by Bob Gaudio of the Four Seasons. The second encounter was a commercial that used "Color Is A Beautiful Thing." I don't remember what the product was that was being advertised, but I do remember the song's simple beauty, and that it made me happy to listen to it. That's some amazing power, to make people feel good about a message of change, and of civil rights. And that was far from the only time Nina could do it. "The Other Woman" is a song of such heartbreaking beauty, and she makes the homewrecker a person to sympathize with. She had compassion for people, but had fire, too. Between her condemnation of Mississippi and "(You'll) Go To Hell," she showed compassion without embracing a message of "I'm okay, you too!" Since she only cracked the Top 40 once, I didn't feel quite as bound to use a hit song for her. And as a jazz artist who never considered what she did to be rock and roll, we are once again faced with the need to use a song that connects her enough to the diaspora to justify her Performer induction. In the case of Nina Simone, the problem wasn't finding a song, it was narrowing it down to a single song. Having covered Screamin' Jay Hawkins and the Animals, there are plenty of choices. I actually narrowed it down to two songs. I especially love "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free." Nina's tickling the ivories on it, but it reminds me of Booker T. Jones' work on "White Christmas" from his group's Christmas album. And the song's overall feel would fit right in with the rest of Otis Redding's catalog. When I hear this song, I like to sing along and try to sing it like Otis Redding: "I wish I could give/All I'm longin' To give/I wish I could live/Like I'm LOOONNGGIN' to live ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-I wish I could do..." You get the idea. But I didn't use that song. The song I did use is a bit more plodding of a song, but could still pass for a soul song, just not an Otis Redding song. Instead, the song I chose sounds like it could have been performed by a soul vocal group, like the Chi-Lites, the Stylistics, or especially the Dells. Still a great song whether you call it jazz or soul, it's "To Be Young, Gifted And Black."
Sister Rosetta Tharpe: For the hobbyist community, or just for music lovers in general, the omission of Sister Rosetta Tharpe was probably the greatest oversight of all by the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Some have even gone so far as to credit her as the primary inventor of rock and roll. An axe-slinger with a powerful gospel message and singing voice. I wouldn't go so far as to say she invented rock and roll, but boy did she have a hand in its creation, both in her work with Lucky Millinder and songs of her own credit afterwards. Speaking of Lucky Millinder, I was absolutely floored by the record, "Shout, Sister, Shout" and wanted to use that to represent Sister Rosetta Tharpe here, but then I learned that that song was in fact credited to Lucky Millinder, and not her. Shucks. Fortunately, she has enough solid material to pick an alternate song. The record that ended up being chosen for her is "Strange Things Happening Every Day." It's definitely one of her bigger hits, and one of the most cited tunes of hers as being important. She was such an obvious choice for the Early Influence category, it really does make one ponder again, what was she doing on the main Performer ballot in the first place? Whatever the reason was, they inducted her correctly... I guess strange things really are happening every day.
The rest of the inductees from this class are actual songs. The Singles category. The truth is, I really haven't decided on including those six songs. We don't know what's going on with this category, and there are so many questions and concerns surrounding it, that until the ill-ease surrounding the category itself is resolved, our celebration of the Class Of 2018 will remain at just six songs, and not twelve. Which means this review is wrapped up. For those who include my seeding Sister Rosetta Tharpe to make the Early Influence category, it could be argued I went 4/6 in my predictions this last go round. And we may be done with our celebration of the inductees, but we are not done with the great playlist yet! Start thinking about those past nominees that haven't quite made it yet. We'll be honoring them next week! Meanwhile, recapping:
Bon Jovi: "Livin' On A Prayer"
the Cars: "Shake It Up"
Dire Straits: "Sultans Of Swing"
the Moody Blues: "I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band)"
Nina Simone: "To Be Young, Gifted And Black"
Sister Rosetta Tharpe: "Strange Things Happening Every Day"
Just kidding. We've finally made it to the most recent class, and it seems the trajectory of classic rock domination has held strong. Four of the six inductees are bands that have at least one song still in fairly regular rotation on classic rock stations. The other two inductees are the only people in this class who aren't White men. They're both Black women... and they're both dead. And yet in spite of it all, come time for the ceremony, that proves the least of the travesties. I don't know who was on staff for the ceremonies of classes past that was let go before this one, but hire them back, NOW! Or whoever was hired in time for this one, can them immediately. Fortunately, the songs for my playlist have nothing to do with how the ceremony went. The video clip package for Van Halen helped me pick their song for them in 2007, but for the most part, no, no bearing whatsoever. So let's try to ignore the ugliness and just celebrate the music.
Bon Jovi: And of course, we try to ignore the ugliness by starting with the most infantile act at the ceremony this past year. The inductees were the youngest, they acted the most immature, and so did their presenter. But there's no denying the impact that their music has had over the years. They were one of the biggest of the hair metal acts of the '80's, they managed to survive and remain popular after grunge and other forms of alternative rock broke big and became more popular. Their use of hooks, whether in their songwriting or instrumental breaks, made them a band you couldn't ignore. You were going to know who they were one way or another. Even as a child, I knew several of their songs, perhaps primarily because I have older siblings. Growing up, one of my older siblings tried to turn me into a metalhead and made me mix tapes of '80's metal. Songs that I liked. Hair metal comprised the vast majority of those mix tapes. Guns N' Roses, Van Halen, and of course, Bon Jovi appeared frequently. "Born To Be My Baby" and "Bad Medicine" were my two favorite songs. However, neither of those songs were the choice here. That honor, of course, goes to "Livin' On A Prayer," because despite the musical diversity that the '80's brought, that song has been named the song that epitomized the decade of the 1980's. That's a pretty significant achievement, and it makes it the obvious choice to represent Bon Jovi here.
The Cars: As many people have noted, this is the band that just befuddles everyone how they missed their first two times. Critics loved them, and fans loved them. Maybe they just didn't have enough pull with their fellow musicians the first two times. Whatever it was that held them back the first two times, the third time was the charm. It was a little sad that they didn't quite sound as good at their induction as they did on their records, but it was great to see them on stage again, as complete as they could be, giving it to the people one more time. Their infectious new-wave stylings, the diversity afforded by having two lead singers, the guitars, the driving drums, the keyboard fills, the occasional background vocals that could tastefully fill a record.. there's a lot to like about the Cars. And I say that as someone who absolutely hates "Drive." It really seemed germane to say that because that seems to be the song everyone loves. I really enjoy the Cars, even if I despise that particular song. So I didn't use it. I wanted to go with something a bit more upbeat, that really utilizes their unique synthesizer sound and really captures the way they made new-wave a bit more rocking. And what could be more true to rock and roll than an open invitation to celebrate life with judgment-free dancing? If rock and roll is more of an attitude than a style of music, then the apotheosis of that attitude, reflected in the music, is the call to self-expression, particularly through dancing without fear of judgment. In the case of the Cars, they wanted you on the floor, even if all you could do was "Shake It Up."
Dire Straits: We've just gotten over the one low point of the ceremony, and we've come now to the other. Whatever amazing accomplishments Dire Straits achieved, they had to be inferred, because there was no presenter to rattle off the statistical and the emotional highlights that the music of Dire Straits meant for him, her, or them. All we know is what being in Dire Straits meant to the members of the band who didn't have the surname "Knopfler." However, the music of Dire Straits opened up the doors for members of the band, particularly Mark Knopfler, to become firmly established and build strong bridges to other members of the industry. At least, that's my theory on how they got in, particularly since fellow musicians comprise a decent chunk of the voting bloc. As legendary as "Money For Nothing" is, I didn't use that one. It has everything and nothing to do with the particular word that once referred to a bundle of wood and is now considered offensive. It's not an aversion to the word itself, but to use the rest of the lyrics that surround that word or not to use those lyrics, you now have to decide which version you want to use. Rather than choose between the edited and unedited versions, I just chose a different song. My personal favorite is "Walk Of Life," but it's just too joyful with its vivacious keyboard riffs that it's just too atypical of the band's general style. With that, I've determined that the low-key, moody "Sultans Of Swing," with its licks in between the cracks, best fits the bill to represent Dire Straits in the great playlist project.
The Moody Blues: At long last, we come to Kristen Studard's favorite band. Or not. It's fun to bring up though. The importance of the Moody Blues, though, is monumental. Arguably the first prog-rock band, the Moody Blues also managed to continue to incorporate driving rhythm while infusing classical themes. It's a balance that not every prog-band managed to maintain, and it makes the Moody Blues a bit more enjoyable for me. There's intellectual stimulation, and then there's drug-addled mumbo-jumbo. The Moody Blues did a bit of both with their songwriting, but even when they strayed into the nonsensical, they at least managed to keep it melodically interesting. The song I've chosen to salute this band with is "I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band)." The choice is partially due to the proclivity of choosing songs that are about rock and roll, but it's more than that. Its symphonic arrangement plays off the drums and guitar playing in a way that is both frenetic and controlled. It's far from archetypal of progressive rock, and yet it captures its potential for linking itself firmly within the traditional parameters of what many consider rock and roll. It gently, yet noticeably pushes the envelope. They were more than just singers, they were a tremendous rock and roll band, and long overdue for their induction. (Vocal Group Hall Of Fame Song Of Proof: "Ride My See-Saw")
Nina Simone: When Future Rock Legends predicted her as a nominee a few years ago, I thought it was a left-field prediction with no chance of fruition. Moral of the story: keep learning. My first encounter with her magic and music was "For A While" written by Bob Gaudio of the Four Seasons. The second encounter was a commercial that used "Color Is A Beautiful Thing." I don't remember what the product was that was being advertised, but I do remember the song's simple beauty, and that it made me happy to listen to it. That's some amazing power, to make people feel good about a message of change, and of civil rights. And that was far from the only time Nina could do it. "The Other Woman" is a song of such heartbreaking beauty, and she makes the homewrecker a person to sympathize with. She had compassion for people, but had fire, too. Between her condemnation of Mississippi and "(You'll) Go To Hell," she showed compassion without embracing a message of "I'm okay, you too!" Since she only cracked the Top 40 once, I didn't feel quite as bound to use a hit song for her. And as a jazz artist who never considered what she did to be rock and roll, we are once again faced with the need to use a song that connects her enough to the diaspora to justify her Performer induction. In the case of Nina Simone, the problem wasn't finding a song, it was narrowing it down to a single song. Having covered Screamin' Jay Hawkins and the Animals, there are plenty of choices. I actually narrowed it down to two songs. I especially love "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free." Nina's tickling the ivories on it, but it reminds me of Booker T. Jones' work on "White Christmas" from his group's Christmas album. And the song's overall feel would fit right in with the rest of Otis Redding's catalog. When I hear this song, I like to sing along and try to sing it like Otis Redding: "I wish I could give/All I'm longin' To give/I wish I could live/Like I'm LOOONNGGIN' to live ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-I wish I could do..." You get the idea. But I didn't use that song. The song I did use is a bit more plodding of a song, but could still pass for a soul song, just not an Otis Redding song. Instead, the song I chose sounds like it could have been performed by a soul vocal group, like the Chi-Lites, the Stylistics, or especially the Dells. Still a great song whether you call it jazz or soul, it's "To Be Young, Gifted And Black."
Sister Rosetta Tharpe: For the hobbyist community, or just for music lovers in general, the omission of Sister Rosetta Tharpe was probably the greatest oversight of all by the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Some have even gone so far as to credit her as the primary inventor of rock and roll. An axe-slinger with a powerful gospel message and singing voice. I wouldn't go so far as to say she invented rock and roll, but boy did she have a hand in its creation, both in her work with Lucky Millinder and songs of her own credit afterwards. Speaking of Lucky Millinder, I was absolutely floored by the record, "Shout, Sister, Shout" and wanted to use that to represent Sister Rosetta Tharpe here, but then I learned that that song was in fact credited to Lucky Millinder, and not her. Shucks. Fortunately, she has enough solid material to pick an alternate song. The record that ended up being chosen for her is "Strange Things Happening Every Day." It's definitely one of her bigger hits, and one of the most cited tunes of hers as being important. She was such an obvious choice for the Early Influence category, it really does make one ponder again, what was she doing on the main Performer ballot in the first place? Whatever the reason was, they inducted her correctly... I guess strange things really are happening every day.
The rest of the inductees from this class are actual songs. The Singles category. The truth is, I really haven't decided on including those six songs. We don't know what's going on with this category, and there are so many questions and concerns surrounding it, that until the ill-ease surrounding the category itself is resolved, our celebration of the Class Of 2018 will remain at just six songs, and not twelve. Which means this review is wrapped up. For those who include my seeding Sister Rosetta Tharpe to make the Early Influence category, it could be argued I went 4/6 in my predictions this last go round. And we may be done with our celebration of the inductees, but we are not done with the great playlist yet! Start thinking about those past nominees that haven't quite made it yet. We'll be honoring them next week! Meanwhile, recapping:
Bon Jovi: "Livin' On A Prayer"
the Cars: "Shake It Up"
Dire Straits: "Sultans Of Swing"
the Moody Blues: "I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band)"
Nina Simone: "To Be Young, Gifted And Black"
Sister Rosetta Tharpe: "Strange Things Happening Every Day"
Monday, August 13, 2018
Songs Of Proof: The Class Of 2017
After the disappointing homogeneity with the Class Of 2016, people were keeping a suspicious eye on the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame to see what would happen with this next class. Watchers were not only keeping a close eye on the ballot, but also on the fan ballot, making sure that it doesn't get hacked again. After a class that was overwhelmingly classic rock, surely a class that was only about half classic rock would appease the hobbyist community, right? Well, apparently not. Why? Well, maybe to some, it just seemed that the other inductees were a matter of either being obligatory or being tokens. One of them seemed to be both.
The other reason that this class seemed to be unsatisfying is because it is what Mark Twain described as the other great tragedy in life: getting what you want. After eleven failed nominations, the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Foundation finally showed their hand: it was really all just about the love for the one guy anyway. For those who'd been clamoring to just give a special award to the guy, the result was unsatisfying. For those who opposed this side door induction, this was infuriating. For fans of that group, it was downright appalling. So, with all these shenanigans going on, the fact that they still found time to make half the Performer inductees classic rock acts just did not fly with much of the hobbyist crowd. Besides them, there's the obligatory induction of a newly eligible band that was a darling for the Nominating Committee, a seemingly token pick of a female Performer, the aforementioned side door inductee, and the rapper that was both an obligatory newly eligible and also a token African-American inductee. But again, it's not a bad class; it's just hard to feel we got the greatest class we could have had from this ballot. At the very least, we're happy that they inducted six Performers instead of just five. With the Award For Musical Excellence inductee, we get seven. Seven inductees saluted with seven songs.
Joan Baez: As was the case with Miles Davis, the most basic problem with choosing a song for the inductee stems from the fact that even the Performer inductee doesn't consider their music to be rock and roll at all. At her induction, Baez said that she wasn't really rock and roll, but that she had an immense impact on rock and roll. That much is absolutely true. Largely the reason we know who Bob Dylan is, her own music also had a wide impact on America at large. And while she was folk, folk's roots and traditions share some of the history from which we also get country, western, bluegrass; and it is therefore quite possible to blend the parent style in with the child style. It's also kind of ironic that she was such a huge influence on Bob Dylan, one of the most original artists of our time, considering that she herself often needed encouragement to be more daring and original, whether it was writing her own songs, or using a wider variety of instrumentation, or even using backup vocalists. It's a long way from her live performance of "We Shall Overcome" to "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down." As with Miles Davis, I felt the key was to choose a song with a sound that was as close enough to what we might generally consider rock and roll that it would justify her induction. To that end, I went with "Blue Sky," with it brazen guitar sound (brazen for her, at least) and solid beat, it's a pretty rockin' song, so maybe Joan is a part-time rocker, just enough to warrant her induction.
Electric Light Orchestra: I have to admit, I had never heard of Electric Light Orchestra until I was a teenager. I was working in a restaurant as a dishwasher, and one of the cooks was telling me about them, how they used orchestral instruments to create a tremendous sound. I asked, "Like Chicago?" "Kind of..." was the reply. Well, where Chicago used horns, Electric Light Orchestra used strings. Their production was impeccable and their sound was unique and unmistakable. A hit making machine to boot, this was a band that was well loved by the public, and with Jeff Lynne in the studio, they were also extremely well-connected in the industry. It's little wonder they got in as soon as they were nominated. The choice of song for this act is kind of fun for me, because the hobbyist community includes a very ardent fan of Electric Light Orchestra. So, unless I choose the exact song that that fan would choose, I know I'll be disappointing at least one person with my selection. Of course, the fact that I'm restricting it to one song probably disappoints that fan. And because they had so many hits, I want to make sure the song chosen was a sizable hit. Further disappointment! Fortunately, I did not use "Don't Bring Me Down," though I do love that one. Later Electric Light Orchestra songs don't capture that original uniqueness, as the band was greatly reduced by that point. That said, I maintain that "Hold On Tight" sounds like it could have been a Jerry Lee Lewis song with its pumping rhythm and tone color of Jeff Lynne's voice on it. A tribute to the Killer, and I will insist on that until my dying day. Anyway, I actually chose "Turn To Stone," with its phasing sound, string slides, vocal harmonies, driving rhythm, and everything else about it that just seems to fully capture the ethos of the band that the Beatles might have evolved into had they not broken up.
Journey: When the nominees on this ballot were announced, there was little discussion about who would finish first in the fan vote. Of course, it didn't hurt that Journey took off early, took off fast, and had a gigantic lead by the end of the first day. After that, there was nothing else to discuss. Journey had a lot of things going against them, keeping the band out for so long. Journey is right up there among the first five acts one tends to rattle off when they talk about "corporate rock" from that era. My first experiences with Journey were also rather negative. The station I used to work for was in the Adult Contemporary format so when I thought of Journey, I thought of "Open Arms" and "Faithfully." Of course, they had many, many more hit records that those two. They certainly weren't a one-trick pony band, and yet, when they are discussed in modern times, it's usually one song that everyone remembers them for. The resurgence of popularity for Journey, particularly for "Don't Stop Believin'" is something of an inexplicable phenomenon, even more so than how and why rickrolling began. Between the television show "Glee," its popularity at weddings, and general pervasiveness, that song, and Journey as a whole, have become something that, good or bad, seems to embody Americana as a concept. That's why "Don't Stop Believin'" is used here, even though it is far from my favorite song by them. (Vocal Group Hall Of Fame Song Of Proof: "Lights")
Pearl Jam: When Nirvana got nominated, I took the time to research them, and found out that a lot of the preconceived notions I'd held about grunge were due largely in part to the songs of Nirvana, not realizing they were responsible for the songs that gave me those notions. When Pearl Jam got nominated, I similarly took the time to listen to more of their music. And while I was surprisingly delighted to learn that Nirvana was responsible for much of the grunge I liked, with Pearl Jam I was less than impressed. Whereas Nirvana expressed a lot of exothermic anger and pathos, Pearl Jam's anger and pathos was more endothermic, the sound of dying inside, rather than raging to stay alive. And it was still every bit as authentic of grunge as Nirvana. Overall, I just don't care for their music, but I still recognize the importance of their music in helping direct the flow of rock and roll during the '90's. They helped direct that flow in an even and steady manner. Perhaps that's why I chose to use "Even Flow" to represent them. And because it was one of the songs that annoyed me the least when researching them a bit further. It was also the heaviest sounding well-known song of theirs. It just seemed like the perfect choice over all.
Nile Rodgers: As much as I could love to file this one just after Joan Baez, it wasn't Chic being inducted, but just Nile Rodgers. This is one of those situations where hobbyists like me kind of say, "Yes... but no..." On its face, it's not a bad induction. Nile was certainly a whiz of a producer in the studio and also lent his musical chops in a sideman-like capacity numerous times. His resume outside of Chic is quite impressive. So, there should be no objection, right? Well... A lot of naysayers of Chic's repeated nominations squarely pegged it as a way of showing love for Nile Rodgers, because he was a founding member of the Foundation, and was on the Nominating Committee for a long time. The whole business of repeated nominating Chic was just a facade to gladhand Nile Rodgers and thank him for being him and for all he's done within the Foundation. Unfortunately, the voting bloc didn't feel that Chic's music was up to snuff. Even more unfortunately, the subcommittees decided to shove a huge middle finger toward the voting bloc and insist on inducting Nile Rodgers this way. Yet even more unfortunately, the music of Chic--the legacy of being sampled, the intense guitar work, the funky rhythms, the sultry singing--seems to have been flung by the wayside, proving those naysayers right. I hope Chic comes back, even if for no other reason than to justify Nile's induction in this category as being genuinely about his extraneous work. That said, even if Chic does come back and get inducted, the song for Nile here will still be Chic's "Le Freak," because it's on Chic's records that you can most easily identify all the production and musical prowess that Nile lent to other artists throughout his extensive career.
2Pac: As a legendary rapper, a solo superstar, and something of a martyr, it was only logical to induct this Vulcan on his first year of eligibility (Thought I forgot about that joke, didn't you?). There's no doubt that 2Pac made a monumental impact on the world of rap, and the world of music as a whole, but his career and legacy of songs also does present a potential quandary for the Hall. See, 2Pac had a huge string of hit songs, both on the pop and R&B charts, but on very few of them was he the sole artist of credit. If you remember my guidelines from the first post in this series, explaining the whole idea, I specifically said I tried to use songs where the inductee is the only artist of credit, as much as possible. Well, during the mid-90's, it seems that hip-hop and rap created a new culture, where credit is given to as many as possible, to share the wealth and the fame. Even superstars like Jay-Z and Sean Combs have several records where there is also a credit of "with," "featuring," or "introducing," or some sentiment like that. How will this play out in the Hall? After all, can a rapper be deemed worthy of induction if they aren't the sole artist of credit on at least one of their big hits? As I said, this probably speaks more to a cultural shift, one that is most prominent in the rap community, but has branched out to pop, rock, electronica, and other styles. No one does non-credited guest appearances like Paul McCartney on Donovan's "Mellow Yellow," or like Mick Jagger on Carly Simon's "You're So Vain." Now, even the spoons player has to be credited. Again, it's probably more of a cultural thing than an issue of lacking talent. In this case, I managed to sidestep it though, because 2Pac's the only credited artist on "Keep Ya Head Up," a great jam with a good beat, positive message, and mad rapping skills. There really was little need to look further once I found this song.
Yes: Except for 2015, prog-rock has been on a fairly steady march since Rush finally got the nod in 2013. Peter Gabriel brought his prog roots to his solo career, Deep Purple had ties to it with Lord's keyboard work, the Moody Blues got the nod this past year, and of course, we have Yes in this class. Despite being prog, they had a pretty lengthy chart history, especially once the Album Tracks chart debuted in the '80's. Before that, they were making legendary songs that people still love to crank up. I'm not a big fan myself, as I'm not big into prog, Jon Anderson's voice always grated against my tympanic membrane, and "Owner Of A Lonely Heart" was completely ruined for me during my time working at McDonald's, where sophomoric co-workers used to sing along with this when it came on the Muszak, but insisted on singing it as "Owner Of A Smelly Fart." Man, I'm so glad I don't work there anymore. Despite that, their '80's stuff is more interesting to me, but I still went with an earlier song to salute Yes. Funny enough though, I don't know if this song is considered a medley or not. I've seen some say yes, others say no. I tend to think of it as similar to a Queen song, where they change moods in the middle, and finish out the end in that second mood. I don't see the two parts being incongruous with each other; it's just a shift. The first part is definitely the classically inspired part; the other is the solidly rocking part. It's "Your Move (I've Seen All Good People)"
And with that, we are at the end of our look at the Class Of 2017. For those who don't quite remember, you can argue that I either went 5/6, or because Chic was seeded seventh, and Nile got in, that I went 5.5/7. A lot of people did just as well as me predicting this class too. As for the songs chosen, what do you think? Do you agree with the song selections? What song would have chosen instead? Have your say in the Comments below. Recapping:
Joan Baez: "Blue Sky"
Electric Light Orchestra: "Turn To Stone"
Journey: "Don't Stop Believin'"
Pearl Jam: "Even Flow"
Nile Rodgers: "Le Freak" by Chic
2Pac: "Keep Ya Head Up"
Yes: "Your Move (I've Seen All Good People)"
The other reason that this class seemed to be unsatisfying is because it is what Mark Twain described as the other great tragedy in life: getting what you want. After eleven failed nominations, the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Foundation finally showed their hand: it was really all just about the love for the one guy anyway. For those who'd been clamoring to just give a special award to the guy, the result was unsatisfying. For those who opposed this side door induction, this was infuriating. For fans of that group, it was downright appalling. So, with all these shenanigans going on, the fact that they still found time to make half the Performer inductees classic rock acts just did not fly with much of the hobbyist crowd. Besides them, there's the obligatory induction of a newly eligible band that was a darling for the Nominating Committee, a seemingly token pick of a female Performer, the aforementioned side door inductee, and the rapper that was both an obligatory newly eligible and also a token African-American inductee. But again, it's not a bad class; it's just hard to feel we got the greatest class we could have had from this ballot. At the very least, we're happy that they inducted six Performers instead of just five. With the Award For Musical Excellence inductee, we get seven. Seven inductees saluted with seven songs.
Joan Baez: As was the case with Miles Davis, the most basic problem with choosing a song for the inductee stems from the fact that even the Performer inductee doesn't consider their music to be rock and roll at all. At her induction, Baez said that she wasn't really rock and roll, but that she had an immense impact on rock and roll. That much is absolutely true. Largely the reason we know who Bob Dylan is, her own music also had a wide impact on America at large. And while she was folk, folk's roots and traditions share some of the history from which we also get country, western, bluegrass; and it is therefore quite possible to blend the parent style in with the child style. It's also kind of ironic that she was such a huge influence on Bob Dylan, one of the most original artists of our time, considering that she herself often needed encouragement to be more daring and original, whether it was writing her own songs, or using a wider variety of instrumentation, or even using backup vocalists. It's a long way from her live performance of "We Shall Overcome" to "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down." As with Miles Davis, I felt the key was to choose a song with a sound that was as close enough to what we might generally consider rock and roll that it would justify her induction. To that end, I went with "Blue Sky," with it brazen guitar sound (brazen for her, at least) and solid beat, it's a pretty rockin' song, so maybe Joan is a part-time rocker, just enough to warrant her induction.
Electric Light Orchestra: I have to admit, I had never heard of Electric Light Orchestra until I was a teenager. I was working in a restaurant as a dishwasher, and one of the cooks was telling me about them, how they used orchestral instruments to create a tremendous sound. I asked, "Like Chicago?" "Kind of..." was the reply. Well, where Chicago used horns, Electric Light Orchestra used strings. Their production was impeccable and their sound was unique and unmistakable. A hit making machine to boot, this was a band that was well loved by the public, and with Jeff Lynne in the studio, they were also extremely well-connected in the industry. It's little wonder they got in as soon as they were nominated. The choice of song for this act is kind of fun for me, because the hobbyist community includes a very ardent fan of Electric Light Orchestra. So, unless I choose the exact song that that fan would choose, I know I'll be disappointing at least one person with my selection. Of course, the fact that I'm restricting it to one song probably disappoints that fan. And because they had so many hits, I want to make sure the song chosen was a sizable hit. Further disappointment! Fortunately, I did not use "Don't Bring Me Down," though I do love that one. Later Electric Light Orchestra songs don't capture that original uniqueness, as the band was greatly reduced by that point. That said, I maintain that "Hold On Tight" sounds like it could have been a Jerry Lee Lewis song with its pumping rhythm and tone color of Jeff Lynne's voice on it. A tribute to the Killer, and I will insist on that until my dying day. Anyway, I actually chose "Turn To Stone," with its phasing sound, string slides, vocal harmonies, driving rhythm, and everything else about it that just seems to fully capture the ethos of the band that the Beatles might have evolved into had they not broken up.
Journey: When the nominees on this ballot were announced, there was little discussion about who would finish first in the fan vote. Of course, it didn't hurt that Journey took off early, took off fast, and had a gigantic lead by the end of the first day. After that, there was nothing else to discuss. Journey had a lot of things going against them, keeping the band out for so long. Journey is right up there among the first five acts one tends to rattle off when they talk about "corporate rock" from that era. My first experiences with Journey were also rather negative. The station I used to work for was in the Adult Contemporary format so when I thought of Journey, I thought of "Open Arms" and "Faithfully." Of course, they had many, many more hit records that those two. They certainly weren't a one-trick pony band, and yet, when they are discussed in modern times, it's usually one song that everyone remembers them for. The resurgence of popularity for Journey, particularly for "Don't Stop Believin'" is something of an inexplicable phenomenon, even more so than how and why rickrolling began. Between the television show "Glee," its popularity at weddings, and general pervasiveness, that song, and Journey as a whole, have become something that, good or bad, seems to embody Americana as a concept. That's why "Don't Stop Believin'" is used here, even though it is far from my favorite song by them. (Vocal Group Hall Of Fame Song Of Proof: "Lights")
Pearl Jam: When Nirvana got nominated, I took the time to research them, and found out that a lot of the preconceived notions I'd held about grunge were due largely in part to the songs of Nirvana, not realizing they were responsible for the songs that gave me those notions. When Pearl Jam got nominated, I similarly took the time to listen to more of their music. And while I was surprisingly delighted to learn that Nirvana was responsible for much of the grunge I liked, with Pearl Jam I was less than impressed. Whereas Nirvana expressed a lot of exothermic anger and pathos, Pearl Jam's anger and pathos was more endothermic, the sound of dying inside, rather than raging to stay alive. And it was still every bit as authentic of grunge as Nirvana. Overall, I just don't care for their music, but I still recognize the importance of their music in helping direct the flow of rock and roll during the '90's. They helped direct that flow in an even and steady manner. Perhaps that's why I chose to use "Even Flow" to represent them. And because it was one of the songs that annoyed me the least when researching them a bit further. It was also the heaviest sounding well-known song of theirs. It just seemed like the perfect choice over all.
Nile Rodgers: As much as I could love to file this one just after Joan Baez, it wasn't Chic being inducted, but just Nile Rodgers. This is one of those situations where hobbyists like me kind of say, "Yes... but no..." On its face, it's not a bad induction. Nile was certainly a whiz of a producer in the studio and also lent his musical chops in a sideman-like capacity numerous times. His resume outside of Chic is quite impressive. So, there should be no objection, right? Well... A lot of naysayers of Chic's repeated nominations squarely pegged it as a way of showing love for Nile Rodgers, because he was a founding member of the Foundation, and was on the Nominating Committee for a long time. The whole business of repeated nominating Chic was just a facade to gladhand Nile Rodgers and thank him for being him and for all he's done within the Foundation. Unfortunately, the voting bloc didn't feel that Chic's music was up to snuff. Even more unfortunately, the subcommittees decided to shove a huge middle finger toward the voting bloc and insist on inducting Nile Rodgers this way. Yet even more unfortunately, the music of Chic--the legacy of being sampled, the intense guitar work, the funky rhythms, the sultry singing--seems to have been flung by the wayside, proving those naysayers right. I hope Chic comes back, even if for no other reason than to justify Nile's induction in this category as being genuinely about his extraneous work. That said, even if Chic does come back and get inducted, the song for Nile here will still be Chic's "Le Freak," because it's on Chic's records that you can most easily identify all the production and musical prowess that Nile lent to other artists throughout his extensive career.
2Pac: As a legendary rapper, a solo superstar, and something of a martyr, it was only logical to induct this Vulcan on his first year of eligibility (Thought I forgot about that joke, didn't you?). There's no doubt that 2Pac made a monumental impact on the world of rap, and the world of music as a whole, but his career and legacy of songs also does present a potential quandary for the Hall. See, 2Pac had a huge string of hit songs, both on the pop and R&B charts, but on very few of them was he the sole artist of credit. If you remember my guidelines from the first post in this series, explaining the whole idea, I specifically said I tried to use songs where the inductee is the only artist of credit, as much as possible. Well, during the mid-90's, it seems that hip-hop and rap created a new culture, where credit is given to as many as possible, to share the wealth and the fame. Even superstars like Jay-Z and Sean Combs have several records where there is also a credit of "with," "featuring," or "introducing," or some sentiment like that. How will this play out in the Hall? After all, can a rapper be deemed worthy of induction if they aren't the sole artist of credit on at least one of their big hits? As I said, this probably speaks more to a cultural shift, one that is most prominent in the rap community, but has branched out to pop, rock, electronica, and other styles. No one does non-credited guest appearances like Paul McCartney on Donovan's "Mellow Yellow," or like Mick Jagger on Carly Simon's "You're So Vain." Now, even the spoons player has to be credited. Again, it's probably more of a cultural thing than an issue of lacking talent. In this case, I managed to sidestep it though, because 2Pac's the only credited artist on "Keep Ya Head Up," a great jam with a good beat, positive message, and mad rapping skills. There really was little need to look further once I found this song.
Yes: Except for 2015, prog-rock has been on a fairly steady march since Rush finally got the nod in 2013. Peter Gabriel brought his prog roots to his solo career, Deep Purple had ties to it with Lord's keyboard work, the Moody Blues got the nod this past year, and of course, we have Yes in this class. Despite being prog, they had a pretty lengthy chart history, especially once the Album Tracks chart debuted in the '80's. Before that, they were making legendary songs that people still love to crank up. I'm not a big fan myself, as I'm not big into prog, Jon Anderson's voice always grated against my tympanic membrane, and "Owner Of A Lonely Heart" was completely ruined for me during my time working at McDonald's, where sophomoric co-workers used to sing along with this when it came on the Muszak, but insisted on singing it as "Owner Of A Smelly Fart." Man, I'm so glad I don't work there anymore. Despite that, their '80's stuff is more interesting to me, but I still went with an earlier song to salute Yes. Funny enough though, I don't know if this song is considered a medley or not. I've seen some say yes, others say no. I tend to think of it as similar to a Queen song, where they change moods in the middle, and finish out the end in that second mood. I don't see the two parts being incongruous with each other; it's just a shift. The first part is definitely the classically inspired part; the other is the solidly rocking part. It's "Your Move (I've Seen All Good People)"
And with that, we are at the end of our look at the Class Of 2017. For those who don't quite remember, you can argue that I either went 5/6, or because Chic was seeded seventh, and Nile got in, that I went 5.5/7. A lot of people did just as well as me predicting this class too. As for the songs chosen, what do you think? Do you agree with the song selections? What song would have chosen instead? Have your say in the Comments below. Recapping:
Joan Baez: "Blue Sky"
Electric Light Orchestra: "Turn To Stone"
Journey: "Don't Stop Believin'"
Pearl Jam: "Even Flow"
Nile Rodgers: "Le Freak" by Chic
2Pac: "Keep Ya Head Up"
Yes: "Your Move (I've Seen All Good People)"
Monday, August 6, 2018
Songs Of Proof: The Class Of 2016
Getting to the final stretches, we've come now to the Class Of 2016, the first of three classes that have a lot of hobbyists worried, regarding trends, goals, and vision on the part of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. And yet, a lot of people are excited. There are those who don't like the lack of stylistic diversity, those who are even going so far as to say the Hall is showing its true racist and misogynistic colors, those who think the Hall is kowtowing a little too much to the populist sentiment, and those who are praising the Hall for finally doing justice to the arena-packing titans of guitar rock. Despite the differences in opinion, there is one thing that everyone agrees about these three classes: they are the most recent classes to be inducted.
In all fairness, there is also a fair amount of consensus that these three classes are signals of a dam busting. There's also general agreement that these classes are filled with inductees who are at least fairly deserving of the honor. This particular ballot also came saddled with the scandal of the horrendously hacked ballot, where the top five recipients of votes in the fan vote all seemed to spring up overnight to take the lead, and whose vote totals all went up in almost identical increments every time one refreshed the voting results page. The Hall denied any and all shenanigans about the vote being hacked, but curiously enough, they did implement daily voting limits from IP addresses. It seems a ridiculous path to travel to secure what is in the end only one vote, but what some won't do. And the inductee results didn't fall the way that the hacker hoped either, as only three of the five got inducted this year, plus a fourth classic rock staple, and a rap act. When the class was first announced, I nicknamed it "French vanilla ice cream," so now let's take a lick at--er, look at--this class and salute them with some songs.
Bert Berns: Amidst the controversy of the hacked fan vote is also the controversy of a conflict of interest. The announcement of Berns' induction was very closely tied to the news of the Broadway musical based on his work, backed very heavily by, among others, Little Steven, who is on the Nominating Committee for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and almost certainly served on the subcommittee that determined the Ahmet Ertegun Award inductee this year. Whatever claims of impropriety may fly, Bert Berns was a songwriter who I'd heard of years before his induction, and was a co-founder of Bang Records, the last co-founder to be inducted (both of the Erteguns and Jerry Wexler were the other founders). Many of Berns' works are lesser-known R&B records that history and the Oldies radio format haven't been quite so kind to, but a few of his compositions have held up quite nicely over time. Additionally, Berns is at least in part responsible for bringing the United States a solo Van Morrison and elevating Neil Diamond from staff songwriter to singing superstar. It is a sincere hope of mine that one day, his occasional songwriting partner, Jerry Ragovoy, will also be inducted. Meanwhile, for Bert Berns, the selection is the pop-rock interpretation of his R&B original, "Hang On Sloopy" by the McCoys, who were also on Bang Records. This song was chosen partially because it's such a well-known and fun song, and also because "Twist And Shout" has already been used to salute the Isley Brothers in the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame.
Cheap Trick: Even though it ultimately doesn't matter what took so long once an artist is inducted, it's still sometimes fun and productive to wonder what in particular kept an artist out for as long as they were. In the case of Cheap Trick, it could possibly have something to do with the lighthearted feel to many of their best-known and best-loved records overshadowing their talent. Much like the Coasters, whose humorous subjects masked their tight harmonies and driving R&B, Cheap Trick's bounciness and ebullience of delivery might have made some decide they weren't serious musicians. Maybe they just didn't do enough abstract or socially conscious records. Or maybe "The Flame" just didn't sit well enough with the movers and shakers at the Hall. Whatever the reason, it was easy to take their nomination for granted, and just glaze over them in favor of other acts on the ballot. Even I ranked them thirteenth in merits and seeded them ninth in my official prediction. But voters for the Hall as of recent tend to slot one vote for an act that is purely a pleasure to listen to, and for this year, Cheap Trick fills the spot. That's not to say they weren't influential, but the pleasure derived from listening to their records may have been a contributing factor to what made them influential, as opposed to new and flashy tricks and licks with their instruments. Because of that, I think it's perfectly acceptable to use my favorite song by them in this set, simply because I like it best. And that's why it's "Dream Police."
Chicago: As deserving and overdue as Chicago was for their nomination and induction, I kind of didn't want to see them make it. Part of it was out of frustration with the hacked fan vote, even though Chicago's first-place finish was indeed legitimate, and also because of a fellow hobbyist who concocted the conspiracy theory that with former Illinois senator Barack Obama as president, the universe finally let the Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup, the Chicago Cubs to win the World Series after over a century of disappointment, and that Chicago would be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. And even though the rest of the hobbyist circle wanted to give this member a refresher on the difference between correlation and causation.... dammit, that's exactly what happened! This juggernaut of the '70's simply could not be held back once nominated. Their style of jazz-rock that first electrified audiences with "Beginnings," "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is," and "Feeling Stronger Every Day," soon gave way to smoother sounds and attempts at blue-eyed soul. Some suspect this later era is what took so long for Chicago to be nominated, that they went soft way too early in their career, making lesser-grade music. I don't think their later stuff is entirely terrible. Even the oft-ridiculed, "You're The Inspiration" could have become a soul classic if it had been interpreted by Stylistics, the Delfonics, or maybe even covered in the early '90's by Boyz II Men. But it's their early stuff that people think of when they talk about the music that made them worthy of induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. I first thought about using "Make Me Smile," because it's such a great song, and after Peter Cetera refused to attend the induction ceremony, it was seriously tempting to revert back to it, but Peter is an integral and inextricable piece of their legacy, so it had to be a song with him in it, and that helped secure the surety of "Twenty-Five Or Six To Four" as the song to pay homage to his band.
Deep Purple: "Smoke On The Water" is the song being used for Deep Purple, simply because it's a rite of passage for a budding guitarist. Whether you want to play lead or bass guitar, this is a song that has to be in your arsenal at some point. So much so, that it wrongfully caused Deep Purple to be written off as a one-trick pony for so many years, keeping them out of the Hall. Can you imagine a Hall where "Smoke On The Water" was inducted in the Singles category, and thus used to skirt any further discussion of Deep Purple? I'll let you all sit and pontificate on that for some time. Of course, Deep Purple was so much than that one song, between "Highway Star," "Hush," "Woman From Tokyo," and many others, Deep Purple's case has actually proven to be quite archetypal for heavy metal bands: to be known for one major song that fared pretty well, and have a deep and riveting catalog for those who dared to go sonic-spelunking. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, Deep Purple is considered one of the three major founding heavy metal acts, and with Jon Lord's organ work, which even today is atypical for metal outfits, they are considered to have had some ties to the world of prog-rock as well. Perhaps the most telling piece of evidence to speak to this band's merits and credibility is that even music critic, former Nominating Committee member, and longtime barricade against Deep Purple's induction Dave Marsh conceded that when he sat down again and gave Deep Purple's music a more thorough listening, even he became convinced of their musical prowess and cheered for their induction once they broke through. I'm not sure, but I think this is the heavy metal equivalent of a sinner accepting Jesus as their savior on their deathbed.
The Steve Miller Band: I don't care what anyone else says, it's the Steve Miller Band. That's what the legendary music is credited as, so that's what they inducted. If Steely Dan can be inducted with just two members, if a future Nine Inch Nails induction would most likely be only Trent Reznor, if a theoretical induction for the Turtles could be justified with only Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan (though I hope not!), if a theoretical induction for Paul Revere And The Raiders could be justified with only Paul Revere and Mark Lindsay (again, hopefully more than just these two!)--then we can say the Steve Miller Band has been inducted even if the eponymous member is the only member who was inducted. Of all the classic rocks inducted this year, and of all the ones that were on the ballot for this class, this one seemed to be a rather hard sell, perhaps because Miller was nominated as a soloist, perhaps because his guitar solos weren't rip-roaring, showboating displays of flying fingers, distortion pedals, and body angling to make them look even more difficult; perhaps because his music had a cooler feel than a harder drive. Whatever the reason was, it's also worth noting that of all the classic rock acts from this ballot, his was also the most rooted in the blues, where rock and roll music's DNA is most often credited as having originated. "The Joker" has a slow, bluesy drawl to its mood, as does the ethereal "Fly Like An Eagle." Even the big hit, "Abracadabra" has a sound that still has the juice of the blues dripping off the meat, similar to records by the Yardbirds and the Animals. "Serenade" is one of my all-time top ten favorite songs. It's a song that brings me back to a state of evenness. When I'm sad, it raises me up. When I'm hyper, it helps gently and gracefully restore a sense of tranquility when it's needed. It's great to sing along to, cathartic even. Too bad it wasn't a hit single for the group. Sticking to my rules a little more stringently, I chose a song with a similar feel to it, though it isn't from the same album. "Swingtown" gets the place of honor in the playlist for the Steve Miller Band.
N.W.A.: I often like to be a stickler for using full names at least once when referring to a musical act. After much careful deliberation, lasting a grand total of two seconds, I've decided not to do that here. It was actually a sad moment for me when N.W.A. did not get inducted on their first nomination. If there was any moment when there could have been two rap acts inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in the same class, with the current way of doing business that the Hall has, it would have been 2013, with N.W.A. sharing the stage with Public Enemy. Perhaps within twenty years, we'll reach a point where it'll be too mathematically improbable to not have two rap acts in the same class, and that wall will be knocked down. It was even more disappointing when N.W.A. couldn't get in on their second nomination. Or their third. With the help of the Straight Outta Compton movie, the fourth time proved the charm. Statistical curiosity: there are only five acts that have been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame on their fourth nomination, and three of the other four were inducted in 1997, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band being the other one. N.W.A. had the tenacity to rap about the ugly side of life that more polite circles tried to ignore. N.W.A. put it up in people's faces and sometimes demanded change, but more often let the audience figure out that the status quo was too ugly to be maintained. Whether it was racism, crime, misogyny, or even getting down, the common thread to the music was that the reality of everyday life was presented in the vernacular, vulgar or otherwise, without apology, without fancying it up, and without compromise--in other words, "With Attitude." There, you got two-thirds of the full name from me.. And while I avoid saying the full name of the band, there's no escaping the full name of "Fuck Tha Police," the song that really grabbed national attention, cemented their legacy, and with Dr. Dre as the judge, has the added bonus of vocal appearances by at least four of the five members (was DJ Yella in on it too? Maybe he could have been the bailiff or something) indicting a system that unofficially still had ideological remnants of the Jim Crow era. It's too important not to use, even if it's not my favorite.
And with that, we come to the end of this short class. As mentioned earlier, when the inductees were announced, it was a realization that the dam had busted, and the popular classic rock format was gushing forth. After three classes of it, there's a lot of murmuring in the hobbyist community that the dam had better be repaired by the time the nominees for the Class Of 2019 are announced. What I'm not hearing though, is John Q. Public agreeing with that sentiment. Having seen lists of snubbed acts go to three hundred, some even five hundred (wish I were joking), it can confidently be said that we have not satiated the rabid rockists' collective blood lust either. Will it continue? That's for another post. Meanwhile, the point of mentioning it is that because we didn't really anticipate the busting through of classic rock, I only went 2/5 in my predictions for this class. In all fairness, I did predict two other classic rock acts to make it; I just happened to pick the two from the ballot that didn't make it this time around. By 2018, we would induct the final two, and those are soon to come. Returning to this class, and wrapping it up, do you agree with the song selections? They are mostly obvious or semi-obvious choices, but all solid selections, in my opinion. Feel free to weigh in in the Comments section below. Recapping:
Bert Berns: "Hang On Sloopy" by the McCoys
Cheap Trick: "Dream Police"
Chicago: "Twenty-Five Or Six To Four"
Deep Purple: "Smoke On The Water"
the Steve Miller Band: "Swingtown"
N.W.A.: "Fuck Tha Police"
In all fairness, there is also a fair amount of consensus that these three classes are signals of a dam busting. There's also general agreement that these classes are filled with inductees who are at least fairly deserving of the honor. This particular ballot also came saddled with the scandal of the horrendously hacked ballot, where the top five recipients of votes in the fan vote all seemed to spring up overnight to take the lead, and whose vote totals all went up in almost identical increments every time one refreshed the voting results page. The Hall denied any and all shenanigans about the vote being hacked, but curiously enough, they did implement daily voting limits from IP addresses. It seems a ridiculous path to travel to secure what is in the end only one vote, but what some won't do. And the inductee results didn't fall the way that the hacker hoped either, as only three of the five got inducted this year, plus a fourth classic rock staple, and a rap act. When the class was first announced, I nicknamed it "French vanilla ice cream," so now let's take a lick at--er, look at--this class and salute them with some songs.
Bert Berns: Amidst the controversy of the hacked fan vote is also the controversy of a conflict of interest. The announcement of Berns' induction was very closely tied to the news of the Broadway musical based on his work, backed very heavily by, among others, Little Steven, who is on the Nominating Committee for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and almost certainly served on the subcommittee that determined the Ahmet Ertegun Award inductee this year. Whatever claims of impropriety may fly, Bert Berns was a songwriter who I'd heard of years before his induction, and was a co-founder of Bang Records, the last co-founder to be inducted (both of the Erteguns and Jerry Wexler were the other founders). Many of Berns' works are lesser-known R&B records that history and the Oldies radio format haven't been quite so kind to, but a few of his compositions have held up quite nicely over time. Additionally, Berns is at least in part responsible for bringing the United States a solo Van Morrison and elevating Neil Diamond from staff songwriter to singing superstar. It is a sincere hope of mine that one day, his occasional songwriting partner, Jerry Ragovoy, will also be inducted. Meanwhile, for Bert Berns, the selection is the pop-rock interpretation of his R&B original, "Hang On Sloopy" by the McCoys, who were also on Bang Records. This song was chosen partially because it's such a well-known and fun song, and also because "Twist And Shout" has already been used to salute the Isley Brothers in the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame.
Cheap Trick: Even though it ultimately doesn't matter what took so long once an artist is inducted, it's still sometimes fun and productive to wonder what in particular kept an artist out for as long as they were. In the case of Cheap Trick, it could possibly have something to do with the lighthearted feel to many of their best-known and best-loved records overshadowing their talent. Much like the Coasters, whose humorous subjects masked their tight harmonies and driving R&B, Cheap Trick's bounciness and ebullience of delivery might have made some decide they weren't serious musicians. Maybe they just didn't do enough abstract or socially conscious records. Or maybe "The Flame" just didn't sit well enough with the movers and shakers at the Hall. Whatever the reason, it was easy to take their nomination for granted, and just glaze over them in favor of other acts on the ballot. Even I ranked them thirteenth in merits and seeded them ninth in my official prediction. But voters for the Hall as of recent tend to slot one vote for an act that is purely a pleasure to listen to, and for this year, Cheap Trick fills the spot. That's not to say they weren't influential, but the pleasure derived from listening to their records may have been a contributing factor to what made them influential, as opposed to new and flashy tricks and licks with their instruments. Because of that, I think it's perfectly acceptable to use my favorite song by them in this set, simply because I like it best. And that's why it's "Dream Police."
Chicago: As deserving and overdue as Chicago was for their nomination and induction, I kind of didn't want to see them make it. Part of it was out of frustration with the hacked fan vote, even though Chicago's first-place finish was indeed legitimate, and also because of a fellow hobbyist who concocted the conspiracy theory that with former Illinois senator Barack Obama as president, the universe finally let the Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup, the Chicago Cubs to win the World Series after over a century of disappointment, and that Chicago would be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. And even though the rest of the hobbyist circle wanted to give this member a refresher on the difference between correlation and causation.... dammit, that's exactly what happened! This juggernaut of the '70's simply could not be held back once nominated. Their style of jazz-rock that first electrified audiences with "Beginnings," "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is," and "Feeling Stronger Every Day," soon gave way to smoother sounds and attempts at blue-eyed soul. Some suspect this later era is what took so long for Chicago to be nominated, that they went soft way too early in their career, making lesser-grade music. I don't think their later stuff is entirely terrible. Even the oft-ridiculed, "You're The Inspiration" could have become a soul classic if it had been interpreted by Stylistics, the Delfonics, or maybe even covered in the early '90's by Boyz II Men. But it's their early stuff that people think of when they talk about the music that made them worthy of induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. I first thought about using "Make Me Smile," because it's such a great song, and after Peter Cetera refused to attend the induction ceremony, it was seriously tempting to revert back to it, but Peter is an integral and inextricable piece of their legacy, so it had to be a song with him in it, and that helped secure the surety of "Twenty-Five Or Six To Four" as the song to pay homage to his band.
Deep Purple: "Smoke On The Water" is the song being used for Deep Purple, simply because it's a rite of passage for a budding guitarist. Whether you want to play lead or bass guitar, this is a song that has to be in your arsenal at some point. So much so, that it wrongfully caused Deep Purple to be written off as a one-trick pony for so many years, keeping them out of the Hall. Can you imagine a Hall where "Smoke On The Water" was inducted in the Singles category, and thus used to skirt any further discussion of Deep Purple? I'll let you all sit and pontificate on that for some time. Of course, Deep Purple was so much than that one song, between "Highway Star," "Hush," "Woman From Tokyo," and many others, Deep Purple's case has actually proven to be quite archetypal for heavy metal bands: to be known for one major song that fared pretty well, and have a deep and riveting catalog for those who dared to go sonic-spelunking. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, Deep Purple is considered one of the three major founding heavy metal acts, and with Jon Lord's organ work, which even today is atypical for metal outfits, they are considered to have had some ties to the world of prog-rock as well. Perhaps the most telling piece of evidence to speak to this band's merits and credibility is that even music critic, former Nominating Committee member, and longtime barricade against Deep Purple's induction Dave Marsh conceded that when he sat down again and gave Deep Purple's music a more thorough listening, even he became convinced of their musical prowess and cheered for their induction once they broke through. I'm not sure, but I think this is the heavy metal equivalent of a sinner accepting Jesus as their savior on their deathbed.
The Steve Miller Band: I don't care what anyone else says, it's the Steve Miller Band. That's what the legendary music is credited as, so that's what they inducted. If Steely Dan can be inducted with just two members, if a future Nine Inch Nails induction would most likely be only Trent Reznor, if a theoretical induction for the Turtles could be justified with only Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan (though I hope not!), if a theoretical induction for Paul Revere And The Raiders could be justified with only Paul Revere and Mark Lindsay (again, hopefully more than just these two!)--then we can say the Steve Miller Band has been inducted even if the eponymous member is the only member who was inducted. Of all the classic rocks inducted this year, and of all the ones that were on the ballot for this class, this one seemed to be a rather hard sell, perhaps because Miller was nominated as a soloist, perhaps because his guitar solos weren't rip-roaring, showboating displays of flying fingers, distortion pedals, and body angling to make them look even more difficult; perhaps because his music had a cooler feel than a harder drive. Whatever the reason was, it's also worth noting that of all the classic rock acts from this ballot, his was also the most rooted in the blues, where rock and roll music's DNA is most often credited as having originated. "The Joker" has a slow, bluesy drawl to its mood, as does the ethereal "Fly Like An Eagle." Even the big hit, "Abracadabra" has a sound that still has the juice of the blues dripping off the meat, similar to records by the Yardbirds and the Animals. "Serenade" is one of my all-time top ten favorite songs. It's a song that brings me back to a state of evenness. When I'm sad, it raises me up. When I'm hyper, it helps gently and gracefully restore a sense of tranquility when it's needed. It's great to sing along to, cathartic even. Too bad it wasn't a hit single for the group. Sticking to my rules a little more stringently, I chose a song with a similar feel to it, though it isn't from the same album. "Swingtown" gets the place of honor in the playlist for the Steve Miller Band.
N.W.A.: I often like to be a stickler for using full names at least once when referring to a musical act. After much careful deliberation, lasting a grand total of two seconds, I've decided not to do that here. It was actually a sad moment for me when N.W.A. did not get inducted on their first nomination. If there was any moment when there could have been two rap acts inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in the same class, with the current way of doing business that the Hall has, it would have been 2013, with N.W.A. sharing the stage with Public Enemy. Perhaps within twenty years, we'll reach a point where it'll be too mathematically improbable to not have two rap acts in the same class, and that wall will be knocked down. It was even more disappointing when N.W.A. couldn't get in on their second nomination. Or their third. With the help of the Straight Outta Compton movie, the fourth time proved the charm. Statistical curiosity: there are only five acts that have been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame on their fourth nomination, and three of the other four were inducted in 1997, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band being the other one. N.W.A. had the tenacity to rap about the ugly side of life that more polite circles tried to ignore. N.W.A. put it up in people's faces and sometimes demanded change, but more often let the audience figure out that the status quo was too ugly to be maintained. Whether it was racism, crime, misogyny, or even getting down, the common thread to the music was that the reality of everyday life was presented in the vernacular, vulgar or otherwise, without apology, without fancying it up, and without compromise--in other words, "With Attitude." There, you got two-thirds of the full name from me.. And while I avoid saying the full name of the band, there's no escaping the full name of "Fuck Tha Police," the song that really grabbed national attention, cemented their legacy, and with Dr. Dre as the judge, has the added bonus of vocal appearances by at least four of the five members (was DJ Yella in on it too? Maybe he could have been the bailiff or something) indicting a system that unofficially still had ideological remnants of the Jim Crow era. It's too important not to use, even if it's not my favorite.
And with that, we come to the end of this short class. As mentioned earlier, when the inductees were announced, it was a realization that the dam had busted, and the popular classic rock format was gushing forth. After three classes of it, there's a lot of murmuring in the hobbyist community that the dam had better be repaired by the time the nominees for the Class Of 2019 are announced. What I'm not hearing though, is John Q. Public agreeing with that sentiment. Having seen lists of snubbed acts go to three hundred, some even five hundred (wish I were joking), it can confidently be said that we have not satiated the rabid rockists' collective blood lust either. Will it continue? That's for another post. Meanwhile, the point of mentioning it is that because we didn't really anticipate the busting through of classic rock, I only went 2/5 in my predictions for this class. In all fairness, I did predict two other classic rock acts to make it; I just happened to pick the two from the ballot that didn't make it this time around. By 2018, we would induct the final two, and those are soon to come. Returning to this class, and wrapping it up, do you agree with the song selections? They are mostly obvious or semi-obvious choices, but all solid selections, in my opinion. Feel free to weigh in in the Comments section below. Recapping:
Bert Berns: "Hang On Sloopy" by the McCoys
Cheap Trick: "Dream Police"
Chicago: "Twenty-Five Or Six To Four"
Deep Purple: "Smoke On The Water"
the Steve Miller Band: "Swingtown"
N.W.A.: "Fuck Tha Police"
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