A possible pecking order for 2013

Now that the initial wave of wonderment has passed, and even before that wave passed, fellow monitors have been evaluating the candidates from personal tastes, seemingly objective merits, trends in the Hall’s actions of late…any kind of metric really.  Recently, Digital Dream Door posted their evaluations of the nominees, which Terry Stewart called something along the lines of “subjective bullshit” (perhaps it had something to do with Randy Newman being rated a two on a scale of one to ten).  Well, Mr. Stewart, given that “unquestionable musical excellence” is supposedly the only factor, other than the 25-year rule, it seems like it’s all subjective: I myself absolutely love U2, but I wouldn’t watch Madonna in concert if it meant peace on Earth, enough money in my bank account to retire and live lavishly, and front table tickets to every Rock Hall induction ceremony from now until I croak; but both got in without much effort.

So those of us who are not on the same wavelength with the voting bloc of the Rock Hall are left to try and measure the merits of candidates are more measurable, though still somewhat intangible criteria.  The most common ones are innovation, influence, and impact (including but not limited to commercial success).  As I said last year when I did the same thing, I know myself well enough to know that I wouldn’t vote strictly on attempted objectivity, nor on my personal tastes.  Still, it helps to flesh out them both just to see how a potential vote from me would look like (in this case, a real vote on the Rock Hall’s website).  Since personal taste is easier to determine, let’s start with the harder path.  How do they rank in terms of merit?   I’ve also included the numerical ranks as given by my fiancé, because why not?  Here’s my attempt. .NOTE: This is NOT an actual prediction.  Just examining the candidates further.

1. PUBLIC ENEMY

Influence: Tremendous.  One of the most frequently cited rap acts as influences upon other rappers. 

Impact: Six gold or better albums (two of them going top ten on the Top 200, three on Rolling Stone’s top 500 albums list), thirteen hits on the R&B charts, plenty of critical acclaim.  As one writer put it, Public Enemy may not have been the first to do what they did, but they felt the most important.

Innovation: Not the first to incorporate social, political themes in rap, but perhaps one of the first to be overwhelmingly so.  Also, a specifically designated hype-man was seldom heard of before or since Public Enemy.

Intangibles: Three of the four core members had hit albums and singles, most notably that of Chuck D.  The fourth had a hit reality TV show.  Will the Bomb Squad be included if voted in?  I hope so.

The fiancé’s rank: 6, just because it’s hard to sort out the really high ranks.  The distance between first and sixth can be a foot at most, but it still falls in that order.

2. DEEP PURPLE

Influence: Extremely influential.  One of the most influential groups in heavy metal and hard-rock bands to come after.  I’ve also heard them referred to as being influential to prog, but I’m not sure how true that is.

Impact: Not hugely successful in terms of singles, but they were a part of the rock scene that focused on albums as single entities.  On the albums front, the chart entries are so-so at best, but five gold, three platinum, and one double platinum perhaps speaks to their standing the test of time where the chart numbers don’t seem to match.

Innovation: Can’t speak to it much, but there’s probably some of it in there.

Intangibles: The other projects that members of Deep Purple have been involved with speak to the further and more direct influence of the band.  Blackmore’s name is one of the most revered among rock guitarists, and the riff from “Smoke On The Water” is considered to be one of the rites of passage for guitar playing.

The fiancé’s rank: 2, one of two times we agree exactly, though we’re very close many other times.

3. N.W.A.

Influence: Gangsta rap is what it is because of these guys.  In fact much of the stereotype of what being a rapper means, or at least what it supposedly meant when Tupac and Biggie got shot, is based on the image projected by N.W.A.

Innovation: I’m loathe to put lyrical innovation on the same plateau with rhythmic and instrumental innovation, but this is one of the few times when it’s deserved.  Ice-T may be the O.G., but Ice Cube and company really put it on the map.

Impact: Minimal on the singles charts.  For albums, three platinum (one doubly so) studio albums (one that hit #1 on the Billboard 200), and one gold greatest hits compilation.  But that’s also about all they had.  No cache of lesser known/celebrated material behind that.

Intangibles: With notable and big solo careers of some of their members, they might be called the first rap supergroup.

The fiancé’s rank: 5, just eking out Public Enemy because gangsta became synonymous with rap for so long.

4. KRAFTWERK

Innovation: As a prog group, they pioneered what is now known as electronica.

Influence: Again, electronica artists that have come since all tip their hat to Kraftwerk, particularly those from the European scene.

Impact: I don’t know how big they or their particular heyday were in Europe.  In North America, their heyday was strongest in the disco/dance music scene, as odd as that may seem, given what the rest of that scene during that time were putting out.

Intangibles: Only in the recent years has electronica music been getting taken seriously as an art form, at least in terms of coverage from the trade publications.

The fiancé’s rank: 11, because she hadn’t really ever heard of them before I made her listen to the full almost-23-minute version of “Autobahn”.

5. DONNA SUMMER

Impact: An incredible string of catchy and memorable disco classics.  Tremendous crossover between the Hot 100 and the R&B charts.  It more than makes up for the fact that she was a little bit of a latecomer (at least when it came to hitting her stride) to her particular scene.  Singles-wise, the most successful nominee on the ballot.  Albums charts, second place.

Influence: Only almost the whole dance music scene of the ‘80s and beyond, as well as upon her contemporaries of the time.

Innovation: Not much.  Again, latecomer to the disco scene, but she’s responsible for helping give it a much more sizzling pace and flavor.

Intangibles: She’s royalty: the Queen of Disco.  That’s the kind of nickname that really should mean something.  Plus disco’s representation in the Hall has been pretty paltry.

The fiancé’s rank: 3.  Can’t disagree too heavily.

6. RUSH

Impact: Not impressive in terms of singles’ charts, but the biggest nominee from an albums chart perspective.  Their first twenty-two charted albums all went either gold or platinum.

Influence: Insanely influential in Canada, they probably didn’t even need the 35% programming rule to help them.  Even outside the Great White North, many bands cite Rush’s influence.

Innovation: Not too shabby either, despite being relative latecomers to the prog-rock scene, their experimentation with sound opened new sonic doors.

Intangibles: A cultish following that rivals the Grateful Dead’s speaks to the band’s lasting power, which is an important message to spread about the power of rock ‘n’ roll.

The fiancé’s rank: 8, and she’s Canadian!

7. THE MARVELETTES

Impact: “Please Mr. Postman” being the first #1 single for the Motown empire is just the icing on the cake.  In terms of the singles’ charts, the Marvelettes are the third biggest act on the ballot.  Albums chart-wise, dead last, but that’s because they were a singles group from a time when the singles were the standard. 

Influence: Being the first Motown group to grab the brass ring doesn’t come without influence.  They served as the template for Martha And The Vandellas and the Supremes to follow.  In fact, either “Where Did Our Love Go” or “Baby Love” was written with the Marvelettes in mind.

Innovation: None really.

Intangibles: The only nominee whose prime predates the British invasion, they’re considered by many as one of the most overdue candidates.  In fact, they’d probably be near the top of most people’s lists for “most deserving acts that aren’t guitar bands.”  Also two eras definable by styles: the more upbeat era with songs like “Please Mr. Postman” and “Playboy”, and the smoother later work like “Don’t Mess With Bill” and “The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game”, both eras respected.

The fiancé’s rank: 1, because she was feeding off my excitement when I heard they’d finally gotten nominated.

8. ALBERT KING

Influence: There’s a reason he, Freddie, and B.B. are known as the triumvirate of blues Kings, and it’s not just the same last (stage) name.  He’s also not the only nominee to use King as a stage name despite being born a Nelson, by the way.  But many blues guitarists and blues musicians in general have followed in his footsteps, including Stevie Ray Vaughan. 

Impact: A decent share of hits on the R&B charts, and a few on the Hot 100, plus a nice number on the album charts.  Beyond that, not a whole lot of name recognition outside the blues world.

Innovation: Presumably some. Best known for bringing (or resurrecting, maybe?) a  kind of perfectionism to blues music.

Intangibles: In addition to his stage name as a King, there’s always the impending possible horror of sequestering him as an Early Influence.

The fiancé’s rank: 13, just not as much name recognition power.

9. CHIC

Impact: The impact of “Good Times” upon hip-hop is huge.  Also, respectable runs of hits in the disco, R&B, and pop charts, plus a good run of charted albums.

Influence: Again, on the world of hip-hop, having a heavily sampled record does say a lot.  Plus, the influence on funk and dance music is sizeable.

Innovation: Not entirely devoid here, as the technique of Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards have proven different and difficult to duplicate.

Intangibles: By now, Chic may just be wearing down resistance of the voters.  A seventh nomination?  The Nominating Committee must be seeing something that not everyone is.

The fiancé’s rank: 9, the second and last time we agree.  Just a tough field for Chic this year.

10. HEART

Impact: Plenty.  A good span of chart success, songs that are still memes due to commercial usage, we even remember the names of the female members.

Influence: Somewhat niche, but there with the likes of their contemporaries such as Pat Benatar and fellow nominee Joan Jett And The Blackhearts.

Innovation: Not much to speak of.

Intangibles: Their part in the rise of power ballads is unquestionable, even if the value of power ballads themselves is.  Also, songs like “Dog And Butterfly” and “Dreamboat Annie” well display their versatility and keen musicianship.

The fiance’s rank: 4, because she’s a sucker for power ballads, and because they’re big name draws.

11. THE METERS

Influence: They helped carry on the New Orleans sound, and bring it into the ‘70s and beyond.

Impact: A couple handfuls of hits in the singles charts, and they had a few hit albums too.

Innovation: A little bit, alongside Sly And The Family Stone and the JB’s, helping shape and update the sound of funk.

Intangibles: Two of the members of the Meters were named Neville… as in the Neville Brothers, who have also been looked at as potential candidates.  Perhaps the Hall wants this group in first, then have two more members of the Clyde McPhatter Club.

The fiance’s rank: 12, not too far off from mine.

12. PROCOL HARUM

Innovation: Their baroque-rock sound helped shape what would be known as prog, combining the music of pre-recording era into the rock scape.

Influence: As progenitors of prog, they’re right alongside the Moody Blues in terms of influence on prog bands.  Big.

Impact: Maybe five singles across the different singles charts, their albums are a bit better, and a couple of them are pretty well-acclaimed, even if only in hindsight.

Intangibles: Being British invasion always adds a certain amount of Hall cred, even if you’re an act with no chance of ever getting in, like the Unit Four Plus Two.  For Procol Harum, this gives them a leg up they wouldn’t have if they were an American act, counterintuitively.

The fiance’s rank: 10, and I almost had them there too.  Went back and forth between them, Heart, and the Meters.

13. THE PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND

Influence: Brought straight-out blues music to a new audience, and helped pave the way for future blues players.

Impact: A good handful or so of hit albums that are well-respected, no hit singles, but they have tracks that are still considered absolutely classic.

Innovation: Perhaps added a new dynamic to the blues-style, but beyond that, I don’t think there’s much.

Intangibles: The band behind Butterfield has a few recognizable names that perhaps add to their credibility.

The fiance’s rank: 14, again, close to mine.

14. RANDY NEWMAN

Influence: Some.  I think all singer/songwriters kind of influence each other.  I see ways he might have influenced the likes of Tom Waits, Cat Stevens, and others, as well as how they might have influenced him.

Impact: The original Toy Story movie introduced him to a new audience, but his catalog before that includes some well-selling and highly respected albums.  A couple hit singles, but that was never his forte anyway.

Innovation: Nope, but singer/songwriters aren’t exactly known for that anyway.

Intangibles: His works are considered pretty high art by music critics.  That’s been both his greatest asset and his greatest liability.

The fiance’s rank: 15, perhaps it’s his singing voice that makes it hard to take him seriously, perhaps it’s the way they lampooned him in an SNL sketch several years back that just seemed to peg him a little too well.

15. JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS

Impact: With “I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll” being the huge smash it was (#1 song of the entire year 1982), and it still being anthemic, subsequent songs including “I Hate Myself For Loving You” help make Joan Jett arguably the woman you first think of as proof that women could rock just as hard as the boys.

Influence: Again, the anthemic nature of “I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll” was so impacting, it evolved somewhat into some influence in the female rockscape.

Innovation: Minimal, if any.

Intangibles: Seriously… no one else thinks she looks like the rebellious twin of Joyce DeWitt from Three’s Company?  Not germane, but kinda awesome.

The fiance’s rank: 7, because she’s heard of them, knows why they’re being nominated, and who doesn’t love good time rock ‘n’ roll?

So that’s trying to rank the nominees by relatively objective merits.  Keep in mind, that I purposely refuse to do “tied for (such-and-such a spot)”.  No ties here by design.  The distance between one spot and maybe six spots down or up can be razor-thin, but they’re ranked.  Personal tastes next time.

2013 Ballot - initial reactions

Now that the nominees have been announced, we’re all buzzing about who’s on the ballot, who’s not, who should get in, who will, and anything in between.  Now that I’ve got some time to actually lay down my thoughts in full, here are some reactions on my part.

-No Whitney?!  Whoa!

-Can’t believe Deep Purple and Rush got on.

-Boy they’re sure going back for previous one-and-done nominees.

-I suck at this prognosticating bit.

-No Clyde McPhatter Club potentials here.

-No love for soul this year either.

Expanding further on some of those thoughts… so yeah, no potential to join the Clyde McPhatter Club this year, though as has been pointed out, Dr. Dre could very easily do it if N.W.A. makes it this year, and then Dre solo down the line. 

Well, it was no surprise that Donna Summer, N.W.A., Chic, and Public Enemy all made the ballot this year.  What was surprising was that Whitney Houston didn’t get nominated.  Really a huge surprise.  Her death was a much higher profile deal than Donna Summer’s.  But then again, George Harrison died in late 2001, and he wasn’t nominated for the class of 2003 (the ballot for 2002 was already out when he died), so maybe that’s what will happen here as well.  Besides, with four previous nominations, it’s pretty evident that the Hall wants Donna in first, and doesn’t want another dead diva dividing the decisions against her.  So, if Donna does finally get inducted, look for Whitney to join Nirvana as first time nominees for the 2014 ballot.  Still, since disco has tended to divide against itself as well, it seems odd that Chic is back on the same ballot, having shared a ballot with Summer twice before.  While we all know of Nile Rodgers’ current conflict with cancer, it still stands as a possibility that they’ll divide against each other again.  Which may also happen with Public Enemy and N.W.A.  Last year was the first year that one rap act got in when there were two nominated, so it’s interesting that they’re taking this gamble again. Public Enemy and N.W.A. are both extremely high profile hip-hop outfits, and if there’s any chance for two rap acts to get in the same year, this is the year for it to happen.  And these four were the only four I correctly predicted, which forces the confession of how bad I’ve gotten at picking ‘em. 

As I said, soul doesn’t seem to have much love on this year’s ballot.  The closest approximations are also our two nominees filed under “M”: the Marvelettes are on the ballot, making them the first major Motown act to be on the ballot since some form of Michael Jackson’s musical career, and are also the second most commercially successful act on this ballot, in terms of the singles’ charts (second to Donna Summer); meanwhile, former one-and-done R&B nominee the Meters are back for their second bid.  Given that only recently the Neville Brothers were added to the Previously Considered list, and Art was an original member of the Meters (and if I’m not mistaken, Cyril was a later member), it seems like maybe the Meters’ stalling out in the past is also keeping the Neville Brothers from even getting to the ballot.  For those who participated in the Revisited and Projected projects on the Future Rock Legends site, the Meters were placed in the Sideman category, while the Marvelettes were one of those groups that I was proud of us for recognizing when the actual Rock Hall hadn’t.  But now that they’re on, I haven’t decided how I feel this will go.

Eerie echoes from last year’s ballot have already abounded, as Albert King appears on the ballot for the first time.  A bluesman who was around from the early sixties and had a pretty respectable career, and whose last name is also King.  A lot of murmurs indeed comparing Albert to last year’s nomination of Freddie King, and the eventual induction of Freddie as an Early Influence, despite not having a release until 1959.  People have good reason to worry and believe that the same thing will happen to Albert King this year.  If I actually thought the powers-that-be paid attention to what I said, I would strongly warn them that in addition to Freddie’s EI induction being a horrible call, there are two more reasons not to go that way this time:  one, Albert King isn’t even necessarily the earliest debuting artist on this ballot like Freddie King was last year, that honor arguably goes to the aforementioned Marvelettes; two, Albert isn’t the only blues act on the ballot this time, like Freddie was last year.  The Paul Butterfield Blues Band is also on the ballot, another former one-and-done getting a second look, and they debuted on the scene a short four years after Albert King.  There’s been speculation regarding what’s pre-rock and what’s not going back to the earliest classes, but with these two additional factors in place, it’s just not wise to backdoor Albert King as an Early Influence.

Rounding out the mysterious reappearances are European electronica pioneers Kraftwerk and singer/songwriter Randy Newman, nominated in 2003 and 2005 respectively.  Kraftwerk will be relying on their cache in the European theater, outside the limited recognition from Joe Q. U.S.A.  Randy Newman will be relying on his status as a bohemian singer/songwriter, which the Hall absolutely eats up, and his connections to other inductees like Billy Joel and John Cougar Mellencamp.  Along with the Meters and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, these four reappearances are probably more shocking than the omission of Whitney Houston.

As predicted, the ‘60s British Invasion does indeed have presence once again.  Not as predicted though, was the act itself.  I had predicted the Spencer Davis Group, and some worried that Little Steven’s influence would culminate in a Herman’s Hermits nomination.  Both counts proved wrong as Procol Harum, another previously considered name, emerged as the front-runner among British acts this year.  It’s somewhat a surprise as prog is generally reviled, and they were pretty much proto-prog.  Parenthetically, to those who are glad that Little Steven didn’t get his way this time, let me ask… you don’t think the Marvelettes are an act that would be up his alley?  I can’t say for certain that they were one of his three, but I’m fairly sure he’d back this nomination heartily and vocally.

Back on track, another huge surprise, though much more pleasant, was the announcement of Deep Purple and Rush.  While this isn’t the runaway ballot of guitar gods that rock’n’rmetal purists pine and whine for every year, these are incredibly surprising and very good calls.  However, I’m going to say it right now: don’t get your hopes up.  We’re all too familiar with the critics’ distaste for these two acts.  And while there’s almost always a solid guitar-rock band or soloist in every class, don’t be surprised if both these bands miss out and your guitar rock band representative turns out to be either Heart or Joan Jett And The Blackhearts, two carryovers from last year that I passed over in favor of predicting the Spinners and War.  Critics still compose a good chunk of the voting bloc, and it’s very possible that our guitar god inductees this year will turn out to be guitar goddesses.  And if you try to argue that it’s not the same, or that neither one is anywhere near as deserving as Deep Purple or Rush, you’ll be labeled a sexist, even if you’re a woman yourself.

So those are our nominees.  I’m embarrassed to have only correctly predicted four, especially when a couple of the people who beat me read like enraged fanboys in their predictions (“OMFG!  How LONG are they gonna ignore this absolutely LANDMARK group?!?!”)  Maybe I’ll try it myself next year.  The push for the Tokens goes into overdrive in about 48 weeks.

Predicting the nominees for 2013

As August is now almost over, those who pay attention know that in the next month or so, the Nominating Committee for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame will be meeting to hammer out the ballot for the Class of 2013, unless enough of them buy into the 2012 Armageddon theory, in which case there’ll be either the smallest class or the largest class the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame has ever and will ever have known.  Barring that, the NomCom’s meeting should proceed as normal.  So if all proceeds as normal, how will the ballot look?  Who will be nominated?  We took a mid-season look at this a while ago, but have opinions changed?  Have any recent events turned the tide one way or another? 

In many ways, not really.  The rest of the world may have finished saying goodbye to Whitney Houston, but this’ll be the first ballot since her death, and the Hall hasn’t forgotten her yet.  She’ll be on there.  Despite the mid-season prediction of her omission, the passing of Donna Summer since the mid-season report increases the likelihood she’ll be back for her fifth nomination.  Many predictors aren’t keen on the idea of both of them being on there, but the past couple years’ ballots have been full of internal divisions, so it wouldn’t be entirely unlikely for both of them to be on there.  However, even with Donna Summer’s name reappearing, that shouldn’t preclude the return of Chic for their seventh nomination.  The world just lost Donna to cancer, and it’s known that Nile Rodgers has cancer too, so it’s possible that they’ll renew the effort to get his group inducted before another great talent disappears, too.

Returning once again to the subject of newly eligibles, it’s still extremely likely that the NomCom will go for both Public Enemy and N.W.A.  They’re both newly eligible, and both rap, which means NomCom member Touré will be pushing for both of them.  Also on the potential list is George Michael, but will they go for him solo, will they pull a joint nomination with Wham!, or just go with the duo?  Chances are they’ll hold off until Michael’s solo career is firmly eligible, and then go for just him.  And much to Future Rock Legends’ chagrin, the current trend is unfavorable for the Pixies and Jane’s Addiction.  As stated on the FRL site, alternative-scene acts don’t have a good track record of appearing on the ballot as soon as they’re eligible, unless they also had a noticeable amount of crossover to the mainstream radar, such as U2 or R.E.M.

Despite it also being some time ago, Cher’s appearance on the Late Show With David Letterman, where she talked about how she’s not in yet, might still come into play.  It worked for Little Anthony And The Imperials, so the tactic could prove efficacious once again and there’ll be Sonny And Cher on the ballot, courtesy of NomCom member Paul Shaffer.  .

Holding true to the mid-season report, Lesley Gore is still a solid possibility to be the Little Steven pick, and he’ll push to get her on the ballot.  He usually gets one of his picks on the ballot, and Lesley Gore is the kind of artist he’d support.  NomCom member Roy Trakin, who admitted to it this past year, will likely once again lead the push to try and put Daryl Hall And John Oates on the ballot as well.

Changing things up a bit from mid-season, the next thought is of the ‘60s’s British Invasion.  The ‘60’s British Invasion has been represented on six of the past seven ballots, this latest class saw two (or one-and-a-half) acts from that category get inducted, and surprisingly, there are still a handful of candidates that have widespread support.  Among this handful, the most likely next candidate might just be the Spencer Davis Group, who hold a marginal advantage over the Zombies, who might just upset a prediction or two themselves. 

Looking at returning candidates, there’s a strong possibility that War will be back.  The Rock Hall wants acts that want to be in, and members of War complained about their most recent missing out.  Just like this past ballot, the Spinners will probably represent soul music again, though Joe Tex is ripe for reappearance any year now.

There’s still a year until the eligibility of Nirvana and the floodgate of grunge that will open after that.  But so far, there isn’t really any guitar god representation in this entry.  A lot of people are hoping this will be the year for prog and metal to overrun the ballot.  As much as this would help silence the people who think they’re not inducting enough “rock” in the Rock Hall, it would also set off the race card drivers who are quick to jump the gun whenever only White acts get inducted.  Nonetheless, the axe always has some representation.  But it’s hard to pick out who’ll get the nod.  So, just to throw out three names and see what sticks: Bon Jovi and KISS because they’re both past nominees, and Stevie Ray Vaughan And Double Trouble because they represent blues-rock exceptionally and seem to have all the ducks in a row for being in the NomCom’s good graces.  Kind of odd they haven’t been nominated yet.

There have been fifteen nominees on the past two ballots, and in keeping with that idea, along with what happened in 2011, a lot of people are still expecting Chuck Willis to be back, mainly to keep Chic company in most-nominations-but-not-in-yet club.  But at this point, it’s doubtful; after six nominations for Willis, and his career beginning in ’52 or so, look for the NomCom to finally give up and let a special committee induct him as an Early Influence.  It’ll be slightly less of a travesty to induct him as one than Freddie King or even Wanda Jackson.  So lastly, the left-field candidate.  While Jan And Dean are still as solid a possibility as any, it also wouldn’t be beyond reality for the NomCom to complete the trifecta of the late singers earlier this year, meaning they’ll give Davy Jones some love at last and nominate the Monkees.

There are other categories untouched, such as the ‘50’s artist (though Chuck Willis has already been dismissed), which could see girl group the Chantels get their third nomination; not to mention the minor act that never got their proper respect and recognition during their limited heyday and the super artistic singer-songwriter, both of which might be strong indicators toward Buffy Saint-Marie, Phil Ochs, or even Tim Hardin.  There’s no prog predicted, but there hasn’t been prog on the past couple ballots, and with Bon Jovi and KISS as strong possibilities, hair-metal will be the stretch used to justify claiming metal is represented.  Compared to the mid-season report, ten names appear both times, two-thirds.  So, while there originally had some thoughts toward Peter Gabriel, Cat Stevens, Jan And Dean, Neil Sedaka, and the Cure; they’re all now no longer held as likely candidates.  Let’s see what happens at the end of next month.

An All-Disco Ballot? Hear Me Out

With some of the comments being made recently, there's a actually a good supply of material to discuss, but with the NomCom's annual session looming nigh, I thought it'd be an interesting bait for discussion to throw this out.  Over the past couple years, fans and music industry insiders have shared a sense of surprise, be it serendipitous or chagrined, that Donna Summer hasn't gotten in the Hall Of Fame yet.  Now with her death, it almost seems a certainty that it will finally be her year, unless the ballot gets divided up with a Whitney Houston nomination, wherein the loyalties may split. 

However, the past failures to get Donna Summer in the Hall despite being on the four of the last five ballots only serve to magnify what seems to be an anti-disco bias in the voting bloc.  The BeeGees are in, as are periphery-of-disco acts Earth, Wind, And Fire and ABBA.  But beyond that, not so much.  So what, if  anything, should we do?  While the advocacy of all-disco ballot on my part is not entirely, and probably not even half, sincere, I also wouldn't be entirely opposed to it.  In fact, from a practical perspective, an all-disco ballot would actually be a pretty good idea for the following reasons:

1. It was a major musical movement in its own right.  The entirety of the 1970's is often referred as the "Disco era" despite the fact the widely regarded first true disco record wasn't released until 1974, and the movement continued into the early 80's.  But that says a lot right there.  The music of disco was huge, too huge to ignore, but for the most part, the Hall Of Fame's been trying to.  This is an oversight that needs rectifying.

2. It helped influence modern dance music.  While I'm not ignoring the influences of new-wave, Krautrock, post-punk, etc. or the importance of technological advances, the music of disco helped shape a main component of modern dance music, be it electronica, or the more mainstream combinations with hip-hop.  Its influence continues on, and that influence should be properly recognized.

3. The Nominating Committee wants it.  Okay, an overstatement here, but not far off the truth.  Two of the three most-nominated-but-still-not-inducted acts are Chic and Donna Summer, and between the two of them, they have ten nominations.  Add on to that the additional miss-out of Rufus with Chaka Khan this past year, plus the other disco and disco-periphery acts that have been brought up for consideration, there's a lot of love for it in the powers-that-be.  They might not want an "all-disco ballot" per se, but they have no problem nominating certain ones over and over again until they do get in.  There's plenty of precedent there.

4.  They could all probably fit onto one ballot.  How many disco (and periphery) acts could you make a serious argument for putting in the Hall?  We've already got Chic, Donna Summer, and Rufus with Chaka Khan as past nominees, plus the often danceable Philly-soul of the Spinners that isn't quite disco but goes nicely with it.  They've also previously considered the GAP Band, Barry White, Grace Jones, solo Chaka Khan, and the Commodores (again, not readily definable as disco, but could be part of the conversation).  And the sheer commercial success of acts such as KC And The Sunshine Band, Tavares, and Kool And The Gang make them factors too.  In my Vocal Hall Of Fame analysis, I also advised against discounting the possibility of the Whispers and Harold Melvin And The Blue Notes.  Throw in solo Diana Ross, probably also solo Lionel Richie, and as a bone to the disco crowd, Gloria Gaynor (who actually was a huge star on the disco charts in the '70s).  All total, that's 17 acts, a little larger than recent ballots.  Maybe you'd throw in one or two more (I wouldn't bring the Ohio Players or Trammps to the table, and Billy Preston's a little too far off for even the periphery of disco).  So if you whittle a few of the periphery artists off there, you've got what would probably be the entirety of the disco wing, alongside those already in, with the inclusion of some of the producers from that era too.  One shot, show it all there.

5. Once they're inducted, they'll never be nominated again.  Let's make it crystal clear... they could induct ever artist mentioned above, plus several less-deserving disco acts, and we still wouldn't be any closer to getting Deep Purple or King Crimson on the ballot.  As long as the NomCom doesn't want them on the ballot, they won't be.  Nonetheless, once an artist is inducted, their slot on the ballot and in the queues of NomCom members has to be filled.  It would never lead to a similar glut of classic/arena rock, '80s alternative, or anything else, but it may lead to tapping those places a little bit in the initial discussions, even if not onto the final ballot.  And that's still something.

6. It will shut up the race card drivers.  Predictably, there were cries of racism in the ranks when this year's inductees were announced.  Admittedly, this list did punch a couple holes in my previous arguments.  My response to them however, is simply to look at who did get in as a Performer: an act that everyone knew was going to make it, three acts that many, many people were surprised when they missed out on their previous nominations, plus an underdog that wasn't going to go away until she got in, and the dome-scratching joint nomination that now seems like a group of people the NomCom were bound and determined to put in at all costs.  So yeah, while they didn't get any Black artists in this past time around, getting Donovan, the Beastie Boys, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers in this time after surprisingly missing out before does act a little bit as a salve to that wound.  An all-disco ballot, however, would shut up those who claim racism for a good few years.  There are enough deserving Black acts to probably fill up a good five ballots or so, but an all-disco class (unless one of the inductees is KC And The Sunshine Band) will take the heat off the Hall, and keep that strawman locked away for a good while.

7. It will shut up the "Move forward already!" crowd.  While the Spinners and the Blue Notes did have hits in the '60s, every act mentioned really made it big in the '70s, and even into the early '80s.  While I personally feel there are many great acts from the '50s and '60s still missing from the Hall, a ballot without any prominent '60s presence will go a little distance with those who say not enough newer acts are getting noticed.  Granted, we already have those who want the doors shut on the '70s, but many more people, from all musical camps, see the '70s as a lode that has yet to be REALLY seriously mined.

8. Lots of rockers dabbled in disco (and its periphery).  Hey, remember "Miss You" by the Rolling Stones?  "December 1963 (Oh What A Night)" by the Four Seasons?  "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do The Walking" by the Supremes?  "Catfish" by the Four Tops?  Even "Goodnight Tonight" by Paul McCartney?  Songs with disco overtones.  And let's not forget remixes that include "Here Comes The Night" by the Beach Boys, and even from never-to-make-the-Hall old school acts like Frankie Avalon and Bobby Rydell such as "Venus" and "Sway."  Fun fact, "Cover Me" by Bruce Springsteen also made the disco charts. 

9. Disco is part of rock'n'roll.  It just is.  It's a rhythmically driven music, and the beats of disco are quite similar to the beats of the rock'n'roll of the '60s.  Plus, put the guitar solo of "Hot Stuff" against that of just about any of your favorite classic rock songs.  Even if it doesn't always win out, the riffs from "Hot Stuff" put up a valiant fight each and every time.

So while we'll probably never see an all-disco ballot, there's also no reason to gripe when it appears on the ballot.  Let's not hide it.  Disco's part of the family.  Too bad Brenda Lee never recorded "Rockin' Around The Disco Ball."  Or maybe it's better that way.  Either way, it has a place in the Hall.

Vocally adrenalizing the Hall

First off, sorry about the Glee reference.  I’m not even sure I’m gonna continue watching next season, since their Continuity Department’s office is clearly the one with the crescent moon on the door.  Second, the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame isn’t the only Hall Of Fame that I’ve kept track of.  It’s the only one that I do anymore, but until its closing up shop after their 2007 induction announcements, I kept tabs on the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame.  As the name indicates, it was all about the groups that, even if it wasn’t their prime asset, made excellent use of vocal harmonies as part of their music.  Unlike the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, there was no separation of categories like Early Influence and Performers, though they did make a point to induct a set number of inductees from decade-eras; and no arrangers or producers were ever inducted, so no Non-Performers, or Sidemen either. 

As with every Hall Of Fame, there are some no-brainers that were inducted within the first year or two: the Andrews Sisters, the Mills Brothers, the Revelers, and so on.  And there were some that can be considered real dome-scratchers, and I’ll let you decide for yourselves who those are.  But what is interesting is the amount of crossover between the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame and the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.  And also some of the inductees that are in the Vocal Hall that people are angry at the Rock Hall for snubbing for so long. 

As happens every year of late, when the nominees are announced, people are upset at the choices and someone invariably says something to the effect of “Are they just running out of ideas for worthy acts now?”  Well, all you have to do is look at the list of the 35 past nominees not in yet, as well as the more comprehensive list on the Future Rock Legends website of those who’ve been brought up at NomCom discussions of yore, and you see that the well is anything but dry.  Still, when compared with the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame, you get a pretty good-sized list of those artists that would make the list of crossover acts bigger and still pretty respectable, at the very least decent.  Looking at the ten years of Vocal Group Hall Of Fame inductions, we can see:

Class of 1998:

-Already also in the Rock Hall: the Beach Boys; Crosby, Stills, And Nash (the Rock Hall didn’t induct Neil Young in this effort, but the Vocal Hall did); the Drifters (the Vocal Hall separated the two eras and had two inductions in different years), the Orioles, the Platters, and the Supremes

-Maybe should also include: the Ravens have been considered one of the biggest omissions in the Early Influence category for sometime now, and to a lesser degree, the efforts of the Mills Brothers have garnered some discussion for the same category.  Both of these would make good-to-excellent Early Influence inductions.

Class of 1999:

-Already also in the Rock Hall: Hank Ballard And The Midnighters, the Coasters, the Four Seasons, the Four Tops, the Ink Spots, the Jackson Five, Little Anthony And The Imperials, the Moonglows, and the Temptations

-Maybe should also include: Peter, Paul, And Mary are one of those artists that most would agree don’t neatly fit into the category “rock’n’roll” or even “folk rock”, but most would agree that there’s probably also a well-deserved spot for them in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, so let’s add them to the list.  And don’t forget this past ballot’s miss-outs, the Spinners.  I was ecstatic about their nomination, and I’m fairly convinced that they’re gonna get in the next time they’re on the ballot, whenever that may be.

Class of 2000:

-Already also in the Rock Hall: the Drifters (the Ben E. King era, simultaneously inducted with the Clyde McPhatter era in 1988), the Flamingos, Frankie Lymon And The Teenagers, The Mamas And The Papas, and the Soul Stirrers.

-Maybe should also include: While Dion is in, the Belmonts are not.  I personally think Dion is absolutely deserving as a solo artist, as “Runaround Sue”, in my opinion, is constructed upon the quintessential rock’n’roll melody.  While there might be another special committee next year to bypass normal procedures to induct the Belmonts, I hope they don’t.  I think Dion should get a second induction with his former group.  This would be optimal, in my opinion.  Aside from them, I’d also recommend the Dixie Hummingbirds.  I don’t necessarily want to see every pre-rock gospel group get in as an Early Influence, but take one listen to “Bedside Of A Neighbor” and you’ll see that this one would make a prime Early Influence candidate.  Similar to Peter, Paul, And Mary; the Kingston Trio are another fairly non-rock folk group that many still believe has earned a spot in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.  Lastly, while not the most glaring omission, inducting Three Dog Night for their diverse line of good time rock’n’roll would not be the worst decision the Rock Hall could make.

Class of 2001:

-Already also in the Rock Hall: the BeeGees, the Eagles, Gladys Knight And The Pips, and the Miracles

-Maybe should also include: like the Class of 1998, the best choices are two potential candidates for the Early Influence category.  The Four Freshmen have been cited as an important influence by the likes of Brian Wilson, Bob Gaudio, and Levi Stubbs.  If the Ink Spots could get inducted in the Rock Hall as an Early Influence because vocal R&B groups of the ‘50s patterned their singing styles after the Ink Spots, there’s no reason to exclude the Four Freshmen.  With the special committee inductions that occurred this year, the most glaring, still uncorrected case of front man fever is now the Weavers.  The four of them all wrote together, were all stigmatized by McCarthyism, and helped give birth to the folk revival that helped spur folk-rock music in the ‘60s.  They should also probably be inducted in due course.

Class of 2002:

-Already also in the Rock Hall: ABBA, and the Shirelles

-Maybe should also include: the Chantels have been nominated twice and might get in eventually.  The Clovers should be inducted as a Performer, but after Wanda Jackson and Freddie King, it’s more likely they’ll get in as an Early Influence.  While never having been nominated, both the Five Keys and the Harptones are on the list of those who’ve been seriously considered, and could appear some year when you least expect them.  Lastly, with the psychedelic anthem of “Age Of Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In”. as well as a steady string of R&B/Pop crossover hits, it seems almost inevitable that the Fifth Dimension are going to make the cut one of these years.

Class of 2003:

-Already also in the Rock Hall: Earth, Wind, And Fire; the Impressions, the Isley Brothers, and Martha And The Vandellas

-Maybe should also include: The Commodores are one of the last Motown groups that ring of “classic Motown” and could be inducted, though it doesn’t seem like it’ll be anytime soon.  Danny And The Juniors is one I’d personally like to see, though I know there aren’t too many who agree with me.  Like the Commodores, the Five Satins have also been seriously considered in the past, and while I wouldn't ever vote for them, there are worse representatives for ‘70s and ‘80s R&B-dance music than the Whispers, so don’t write them off completely either.

Class of 2004:

-Already also in the Rock Hall: the Beatles, the Dells, the Everly Brothers, the O’Jays, and the Ronettes

-Maybe should also include: for classic rock fans, we have the Doobie Brothers, though the Michael MacDonald era is out of favor with them.  Meanwhile, I think the Jordanaires would make excellent inductees for the Sideman category, or Award For Musical Excellence if you will.  Meanwhile, the Miracles’ induction may finally make a few powers-that-be do a double take and say, “Wait, we haven’t gotten the Marvelettes in either?”  A truly important group right there.  The Stylistics would make a decent soul candidate down the line, eventually.  However, the stage in this year is most of all a cornucopia of doo-wop prospects.  For starters, the powerhouse group the Diamonds would make great representatives, as would my pet cause of the Tokens. If there’s a true one-hit wonder that still deserves Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction, it’s the Penguins, though I personally wouldn’t include them.  And it’d be a shame to never find some way to induct the incredibly talented Johnny Maestro, so I’d choose the Crests as the best avenue of finally honoring this man as well.

Class of 2005:

-Already also in the Rock Hall: Fleetwood Mac, the Rascals, and the Righteous Brothers

-Maybe should also include: let’s start with the girl groups.  The Crystals seem like an inevitability at this point, but may take a couple years while all the comments cutting them down to elevate Darlene Love’s case slowly fade from collective memory.  The Chiffons are also a decent-to-prime candidate.  Don’t forget the Pointer Sisters, either, who would well represent ‘70s and ‘80s dance music, once they finally induct Donna Summer.  Outside edge would be the Angels, who I personally wouldn’t induct, but may pop up anyway.  Beyond girl groups, we also have the Neville Brothers who recently joined the list of the seriously considered and is a favorite candidate of fellow Rock Hall Monitor Tom Lane.  My weak spot for  ‘70s soul wants to see the Chi-Lites get in eventually; and doo-wop has another great candidate in the form of the Del-Vikings, and another decent but possibly outside candidate of the Spaniels, who helped bring Vee-Jay records to its brief, but revered place in music history.

Class of 2006:

-Already also in the Rock Hall: the Byrds, the Hollies, the Lovin’ Spoonful, Queen, and Simon And Garfunkel

-Maybe should also include: the Dominoes have been nominated once before, and will probably get crammed into the Early Influence category, which wouldn’t be as bad a decision as putting Freddie King there, and would also make Clyde McPhatter and possibly Jackie Wilson the first candidates to get inducted in two different categories.  The Shangri-Las are another girl group that many would like to see in and have also been seriously considered by the NomCom as well.  Of course, the elephants in this room are that of Americana epitome band Journey, and even moreso the prog pioneers and much-longer snubbed group the Moody Blues.  Even some of the powers-that-be have admitted that the Moody Blues should probably be in, but just don’t like them enough to ever vote for them. Still, this is probably the biggest act that the Vocal Hall has over the Rock Hall at this point.

Class of 2007:

-Already also in the Rock Hall: Sam And Dave, and Sly And The Family Stone

-Maybe should also include: Kool And The Gang are an R&B outfit that aren’t a widely popular choice, but they’re not widely unpopular either.  They’d be a decent-to-respectable group to include.  With the recent death of Davy Jones, you can bet the Monkees are more than ever a group that folks want to see gets inducted.  And if “unquestionable musical excellence” is truly the ultimate measuring stick for a candidate’s merits for the Rock Hall, then on the heels of the Spinners should be Harold Melvin And The Blue Notes, who gave us some of the most amazing and flawless Philly soul.  While presently perceived as a tremendous long shot, that musical excellence criterion may also be used to justify the possible induction of the Traveling Wilburys, down the line…maybe at the end of the line (sorry).

So there we go.  Most of you probably don’t agree with most of what I said, but I’ll bet most of you have a few from my suggestions that you agree with as well.  As always, I look forward to your comments.  If you want to check it out further for yourself, the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame’s website is still up at http://www.vghf.org   Click on the “Inductees” link and put together a supplement if you think I ignored anybody important.  The nominees for the classes of 2008 and 2009 that never happened included a lot of good possibilities as well.

2012 and HBO: Better, but still room to improve.

My fellow Rock Hall follower, Tom Lane, has already discussed a few things about the ceremonies, that aired on HBO this past Saturday.  Trying not to duplicate anything he said, here are my thoughts on the televised presentation:

-The Crickets.... they were inducted too!  I saw absolutely no mention of them, their name not in gold letters like the others.... I'm guessing none of them even had any family members show up to the ceremonies.  If they did, you wouldn't know it.  Huge shame.  They did so much to at least give a little face time for all inductees, unlike last year which barely acknowledged the existences of Jac Holzman and Art Rupe.  And they completely omitted any and all mention of the Crickets.  This year, Robbie's speech for the engineers was actually really good (what we saw of it).  Btw, Tom: Robbie does have some connection to Glyn Johns, as he engineered some of the Band's records, including "The Shape I'm In."

-Small Faces/Faces:  I was actually looking forward to Little Steven's speech because I thought he would give some inside track or at least SOME justification for the joint nomination.  Nope.  He constantly referred to them as "both bands"... not even "both eras" or "both incarnations."  This is worsened by Jann S. Wenner's appearance on Paul Shaffer's radio program prior to the actual ceremonies, and when asked about it, he said, "It's like an evolved band... kind of like the Yardbirds-Cream-Led Zeppelin kind of thing."  Big problem with that Jann: the Yardbirds, Cream, and Led Zeppelin all got their separate inductions, in separate years ('92, '93, '95).  No one with power at the Hall, with one exception, has even given any decent defense of the joint nomination.  And even that one exception did backslide a little.  So it seems to me that it really is a case of "Captain, we'll never get them in separately, we've got to jam them together as one nomination and induction!"  You can audiate whichever Star Trek engineer's voice you want to say that phrase.  But that's what it was.  I'm disappointed.  I defended it, but now... whatever.  Just give Ian, Kenney, and Ronnie's family each a second trophy.  It's what you really wanted to do, but didn't think you could justify.  Just do it now and drop the pretense.  Maybe it seems that way because Steven's speech had to be edited for time, but I was disappointed.  If someone who was there can comment if the rest of the speech was like this, I'd appreciate it.

The rest of it is pretty much is standard disappointment that's inherent in whittling down a 5.5 hour ceremony to just over 2 hours of TV (even if commercial-free).  The speeches were boiled down intensely, so much so that Little Steven and Chris Rock didn't seem to be actually explaining the merits of their inductees.  Nor Smokey Robinson, really.  I'd have really loved to see his full speech.

Lemme state again.... we're hardcore fans, we want to see the full 5+ hours.  I understand it may not be ecomonically feasible, but try the best you can to make it happen.  Thanks.  If that's the best, then well, something ain't right.  I still maintain that 2008's almost fly-on-the-wall kind of presentation is still my favorite.  Great broadcast, that one was.

The Ego And How To Use It

So the inductions are passed, though we’re still waiting for the airing of the ceremonies.  As awesome as some of the speeches and performances are said to be (and here’s hoping HBO and whatever outside production company involved doesn’t chop it to ribbons), the real story surrounding the inductions remains the antics of Axl Rose and his letter to the Foundation refusing to show, refusing to accept that he’s been inducted, and refusing anyone to claim to speak on his behalf.  A lot of people rolled their eyes, many shook their heads.  Some held up Wile E. Coyote-styled signs with “DRAMA!” written on them.  Pretty much everyone figured it was a case of a rock star’s ego getting in the way, and that it was another tantrum, an attempt to up the ante as it were, from previous situations involving David Lee Roth, the Sex Pistols and others. 

To be completely fair, Axl’s letter did raise two salient points symbolized in his refusal: he felt that his current line-up of Guns N’ Roses was, in his opinion, also worthy to be included in the band’s induction along with Slash, Duff, and the others; also, by not showing up, he was preemptively shooting down any rumors of reunion with said previous members.  The latter is actually pretty sensible.  They’d hoped the same thing with the inductions of Talking Heads, the Police, and goodness knows whomever else; plus according to Axl, similar reunion rumors were alleged to have been instigated whenever two or more of the old lineup’s members were at the same venue at the same time.  So he’s pretty sick of having the murmurs teem, and the induction ceremony would be the grand petri dish for such rumors to multiply like bacteria.  Why let them flourish when you can take care of them before they even start?  The former point is primarily a matter of opinion; however, it does once again raise the issue of missing members, which was also an issue in the case of fellow inductees the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and to a lesser extent, the Beastie Boys (should long-time deejays be included?  Apparently not). 

But for the most part, it was just Axl being angry and petty.  Whatever his reasons, not showing up was the wrong way to go about addressing them.  Forgetting that induction is about the fans, the music, and the overall effect it has on all of us, Axl tried to make it all about the minutia of membership and the behind-the-scenes vitriol.  Axl could just have easily addressed both points by thanking his current lineup, whom he’s been with for a long time and will continue to perform with.  So why not do it with a little more class, like Metallica did when naming their overlooked influences, or the two members of Van Halen who showed up and were gracious despite Van Halen’s reputation as a band?  I suppose it’s because it’s Axl Rose we’re talking about.  And partially because it’s the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, too.  When you consider the Rolling Stones, Leadbelly, Phil Spector, and others, it appears the worse a scoundrel you are, the better they like you.  But even that doesn’t excuse or explain his actions.  Maybe he was trying to one-up the Sex Pistols by not only not showing up, but also asking to be omitted from induction.  But he failed for two reasons: one, other members showed up, whereas every Sex Pistol stayed away; two, in the case of the Sex Pistols, who at least had the veneer of being against anything even remotely resembling an establishment on principle, Guns N’ Roses never had that kind of image, at least not for very long.   Theirs was more of chaos than conscious rebellion.  Even in his letter, Axl says he doesn’t really get what the Hall is about.   And while this might be fitting for the case of not showing up, it’s still defeated by the fact that members did show up, as well as the statement that could be made with a bawdy display on stage, maybe through intoxication a la Neil Diamond.

Ultimately, it comes down to ego.  Axl didn’t want to be inducted unless it was done on his terms, with his current lineup included (I don’t think anyone is dumb enough to think they’d omit Slash), and only that lineup performing.  And again, while we can argue about which members belonged, we can all pretty much agree that ignoring his request to not be inducted was the right thing to do on the Foundation’s part, and that Axl’s letter only makes him look like a tantrum-throwing spoilsport, despite his follow-up letter that was a pseudo-apology and a quasi-clarification.

From these highly publicized antics, it’s easy to conclude the evils of ego.  And rightly so.  Left unchecked, it does an immense amount of harm.  But it should also be noted, having an ego is not an inherently bad thing.  Knowing one’s self-worth allows a performer to get optimally compensated according the economic principles of supply and demand, allows a performer to work with only the people and material they wish to, and allows them greater control over their career.  In fact, there’s supposedly a psychological condition called the “Elvis syndrome”, named after King of rock ‘n’ roll, which is the condition of not knowing how to handle fame.  Without ego, female performers like Billie Holiday, Joni Mitchell, and Aretha Franklin would have never been able to take a firm hold on their careers, or even their very performance styles.  Without ego, a moral code--that firm sense of right and wrong--would never manifest in the socially conscious songs of Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Bruce Springsteen, U2, and so many others.  While a lack of ego would probably have prevented the Beatles from breaking up, it was also a big part of what motivated Paul to write, which in turn occasionally lit a fire under John as well, resulting in some of their most revered works.

When I think of ego handled correctly, I think of another Hall Of Famer who also made headlines recently: Dick Clark.  The world’s oldest teenager departed from us this past month.  It’s sad to see such a huge piece of Americana leave us in person, but we are comforted to know that his obvious health struggles beleaguer him no more, and also by the fact that his legacy will never truly depart from us.  In rock ‘n’ roll, and in television, the man made an indelible mark on this country, and hopefully the world at large.  His sense of ego is part of what got the Doors to perform on American Bandstand when the group wasn’t thrilled about making any televised appearances (a favor owed to Clark by the Doors’ manager was the key factor, but to call in a favor to get something like that?  That’s pretty gutsy, you gotta admit).  It was that ego that helped him change the way that the concept of celebrity was viewed and shifted the whole representation business.  He was one of the first to really understand that celebrities themselves could be considered viable brand identities, and that led him to create himself as such a brand, one of the first to truly establish themselves that way. 

But he kept it in check in the right ways.  For instance, rather than using his majority shares to seat himself as his company’s president, he opted for someone else to do it, lest anyone ever think the company’s doings be a total manipulation on his part to suit himself and hurt others or the company at large in the long run… a lesson that was lost on some major companies within the past ten years.  And of course, he knew the responsibility of keeping his ego in check was critical to maintain his image, which was an intricate part of his brand, whether he was hosting a game show, a music program, or a New Year’s celebration in Times Square.  He’d seen scandal wreck the careers of celebrities who were supposed to be thriving on a clean-cut image, and worked to keep that from befalling him.

Was he a perfect man?  No.  I’m sure some of you are itching to expose the dirt in the comments section, and that’s fine.  No one’s infallible.  But by and large, Dick Clark knew his worth, but knew the limits of it, and if he wanted to break through those limits, he did it smartly, with common sense and good business sense.

On a personal note, Dick Clark is a professional role model for me.  As a teenager, I loved listening to his Rock, Roll, And Remember oldies program.  I think of his calm, easy, and immaculately executed delivery style; his ability to inject interesting trivia; his variety of songs that he played, and even his ability to joke casually but never crudely.  He was a major influence on my decision to get into the radio business.  Typing this, I also think of the credits, where he was never more than the host, despite having the clout and abilities to produce and direct the program.  An ego that’s there, but not overpowering.  When done right, it’s hard to know it’s there.  He was big, but not, for desperate want of a better phrase, too big for his britches.

So yeah, a main reason for writing this entry was to, in my own small way, say goodbye to a man I admired.  I also felt it incumbent upon me to have some take on Axl’s antics, and mainly to assure any and all readers that I haven’t dropped off the face of the earth.   But mainly, I wanted to say goodbye in my own way to a major role model for me.  While I’m not familiar with his personal life, I can still say pretty confidently we lost one of the good guys.  The man was rightly inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1993, and remained grateful to his friend and fellow inductee Dion for inducting him.  Rest in peace Dick Clark.  You meant more than just a great way to spend New Year’s Eve to a lot of people, myself included. 

Just to close now with one of his famous quotes that also helps partly explain why we who are Rock Hall Monitors, music lovers, and even sometimes simply rabid fans care like we do.

“Music is the soundtrack of our lives.”