Musically Excellent Voices

Several years ago, I was lounging about at home, listening to the Music Choice channel for Solid Gold Oldies.  Mixed in the playlist of songs I'd heard so many times was a song I'd never heard before.  "Hey Jean, Hey Dean" by Dean And Jean (not to be confused with Jan And Dean) came on, and I perked up my ears, as this was something relatively new for me.  It's an upbeat song about throwing a party when you're broke and on the verge of losing everything.  What I really noticed most about the song was that the heavy lifting in it seemed to be done by the background singers, who carried the entire chorus, as well as the fills in between lines of the verses--which kind of makes sense given the song was co-written by Ernie Maresca.  I'd almost bet those background singers had longer careers than either Welton or Brenda, the real names of Dean and Jean--much like Paul And Paula, whose real names were Ray and Jill.

When the Sideman category was created for the Class Of 2000, it was hailed as a huge success for the institution.  The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame was enshrining the session musicians who left an indelible mark on important records, whose styles of playing were almost as unique as fingerprints.  The Hall has inducted drummers, guitarists, bassists, pianists, saxophonists, and even a harmonicist.  But an important category of session contributors that has yet to be seriously acknowledged by the Hall is background singers, and that needs to change.

This is a position I've held even before the documentary 20 Feet From Stardom came out, but it's been amplified by it.  One of the people interviewed in the documentary (I think it was Lou Adler) went so far as to say the background singers were the record at times.  I think my opening anecdote takes that point nearly to the extreme, but there's a lot of truth to that idea.  When you think about the songs of the '50s through the '70s, and even beyond, a lot of the appeal, as well as the invitation to sing along, comes from the background singers.  If I say "Gimme Shelter," what's the thing you most want to extol about that song?  If you said anything other than "Merry Clayton," you're a lying sack a monkey doo.  The debate between Dion's solo career and his work with the Belmonts as being the more worthy of enshrinement has a few different facets to it, but I'd wager the work of the Del Satins on "Runaround Sue" giving it such a Belmonts' feel is a bit of a factor.  And how many of you have to pause yourself to remember that Curtis Lee was not the bass voice on "Pretty Little Angel Eyes"?  Sadly, the world has all but forgotten Arhtur Crier, as well as the rest of the Halos who filled in beautifully on the harmonies.  That's not even touching on the careers of the Blossoms or the Andantes.  Great backing singers make invaluable contributions to the songs we love, by adding harmonies and/or additional rhythmic cadence to a song, even if it's sometimes with nonsense lyrics.  And sometimes, their parts are the most fun to sing along to.

So why has the Hall not enshrined these singers?  Some of it may be as basic as not thinking of them as musicians.  When we talk about musical groups, it includes bands, but if we talk about bands, it won't include all groups.  If that previous sentence made perfect sense to you, then you know what I'm talking about here.  Even until now, I've intentionally refrained from calling backing vocalists "musicians" for this very purpose.  But singers are musicians.  Everyone can sing, right?  No, and even if everyone could, not everyone can sing well enough to make worthwhile contributions to the rock and roll landscape.  You don't need training to be a singer?  A lot of instrument players were self-taught.  Hell, I can play bass guitar.  Not well, mind you, but back in college, when my roommate was at class, I sometimes opened up his case and figured out how to play the bass riff from "With Or Without You."  Not with any official hand positions, but just by pushing the right string down in the right place and strumming it.  (Sorry Brad!)  I even touched on this during the nomination cycle for the Class Of 2012, particularly in reference to the Spinners: if shows like American Idol taught us anything, it's that being a singer does require actual musical talent, and those who are accomplished singers have every right to be called "musicians" as those who specialize in membranophonic, idiophonic, electronophonic, vibraphonic, or other aerophonic instruments.  I.M. Pei may have designed the museum to look more like a guitar than a larynx, but not looking like a spinnet hasn't kept Floyd Cramer from induction.  So, it's not a good reason to keep Lisa Fischer out either.  

Another possible reason may be that the era of backing vocalists has largely passed.  It isn't just because of my own predilections that my examples have largely been from songs recorded before 1970.  Modern music has seen a decrease in the usage of session singers in major hit records, and a lot of the big vocal groups of the past thirty years have been prefab, which the critics, and by extension the Rock Hall, have little to no respect for.  A lot of this is the decrease in demand, as rap and danceable pop music tend not to necessitate harmonizing, and rock bands are supposed to be as self-contained and in-house as possible in their musicianship (or at least have that image).  Some of this decrease is because of the technological advances that have also been able to edge out other varieties of session musicians as well, and some of it is just due to the financial realities of the music industry as it stands now where additional voices are often the easiest and first expenditures to cut when trimming the fat on a recording budget.  As the demand for session musicians seemingly nears extinction, the contributions of auxiliary vocalists appear to no longer be contributing to the evolution or perpetuation of rock and roll.  It seems to be a character trait of a previous generation.

That perception becomes especially detrimental in the context of the current era of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.  John Sykes is definitely looking to modernize the Hall, as he seeks to promote his definition of "rock and roll" as the "soundtrack of youth culture."  To make matters worse, these singers, who would have been excellent candidates for the Sideman category, may have an even tougher time becoming Award For Musical Excellence inductees, as that category teeters precipitously close to being little more than an alternative Performer category because the voting bloc won't do the NomComm and board's bidding.  The reimagining of the categories could very easily prevent any more session musicians from getting inducted because all the focus has shifted to using that category to appease Little Steven, Alan Light, Lenny Kaye, or any other member of the Nominating Committee.  Maybe not: we saw Randy Rhoads get inducted last year; however, it's also tempting to argue that Rhoads' induction was to placate Tom Morello and other metalheads on the committee as Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Motorhead all perennially languish in the voting tallies.  We don't know, nor might we ever know, but we do know that the ceremony's real-time run time and subsequent broadcast time tend to play a factor in how many inductees we get.  And because of that, the new executions of both this and the Early Influence categories have the potential to stifle further conversations.  Again, hypothetically.  Much of this is still unknown.

What is known is that other than Patti Scialfa of the E Street Band, there is no AME inductee whose primary contribution was as a backing vocalist, and that makes backing vocalists another major oversight on the part of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.  Given the Hall's love of Elvis Presley, I would seriously argue for starting with the Jordanaires.  Hell, they were credited on many of his records of the '50s and '60s.  They could even be retconned as a Performer inductee like the Famous Flames and Midnighters were in 2012, but I believe that AME is much more likely given that they did session work for so many singers besides Elvis.  Also, part of me wants to see them in because they'd then be the only grouip to be inducted into the Country Music Hall Of Fame, the Gospel Music Hall Of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame, and the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.  That'd be wicked awesome, in my opinion.  But in addition to the King's singers, let's add the Queen Of Rock And Roll's backing singers, the Ikettes (I know, the irony, but still).  The Cookies would be a great selection too.  So would the Dreamlovers, if we can ever get some love for the Cameo-Parkway legacy.

Since LL Cool J was an Award For Musical Excellence inductee last year, I'm guessing the subcommittees that decide the other categories' inductees won't meet until after the voting deadline passes and all the votes are tallied.  And because this is a category decided entirely by a subcommittee, this is truly a matter where the Rock Hall could simply do it if they wanted to, presumably not answering to anyone.  So while the votes are still being cast and counted, I want to challenge the Award For Musical Excellence subcommittee to take a hard look and strongly consider inducting backing vocalists as part of the Class Of 2022.  It's a glaring oversight that you have the simple, unique, and presumably absolute power to correct.  They've spent their whole careers in the wings and shadows.  Long past time to bring them out and give them a few minutes of the spotlight at your ceremonies.

Pleasantly Disappointed: The 2022 Ballot

 With the ballot having come out this past week for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's Class Of 2022, the general consensus is a resounding, "Eh."  I'll admit, that for me, much of the sentiment on my part is that which I've already expressed.  Most of the acts I love most have already been enshrined, and of the ones that haven't, many I agree probably don't pass the bar, and those that I think do, the Hall has clearly moved on from that era.  If I were a one-man veterans committee, wielding the level of power they gave Little Steven when they first tried the Singles category, you'd think the Hall was really playing catch-up.  Five Satins?  In.  Jesse Belvin?  In.  Jan And Dean?  In.  Lesley Gore?  Retroactively inducted in 1990.  That's just a start.

Anyway, some thoughts on this ballot:

Great minds think alike:

We all knew Eminem was going to be on the ballot, most of us picked Duran Duran and Rage Against The Machine too.  The only other correct prediction I got was Pat Benatar.  I wasn't really thinking she'd show up, but was just expressing my dumbfoundedness from when she previously missed.  It worked.

There's deductive reasoning... there's deja vu.....

One thing about this ballot to note is that there are more return nominees than first timers.  That doesn't happen too often, and that's often why it's so hard to guess the ballot.  The NomComm tries to keep a healthy number of new names on the ballot, and there are still several, but this ratio is a little heavier than it usually gets.

"Nothing against the artists themselves..."

Between the three podcasts hosted by members of the community, when listening to their ballot reveal and reflect episodes this past week, if I'd done a shot every time someone said words to that effect, I'd've been picked up by the police after trying to proposition a statue in a park somewhere.  And every utterance of that sentiment says the same thing that many of us have said: the system is flawed.  Broken?  Nah, bruh.  The Hall was founded by gatekeepers who wanted the number of enshrined small and predominantly at their discretion.  The system is working exactly as designed.  Worthy, revolutionary artists have become ennui because the Hall continues to think too small. They saw how well received the large class was this past year, and they appear to be digging in their heels.  Maybe not.  We don't know how many will get in, but all the press seems to indicate that the Performer category is going to remain narrow for the foreseeable future.  And to address Mark's point, it isn't because of Sporcle, it's because the Performer category has that extra level of validation.  When you go in one of the other categories, you have the approval of the people inside the room.  When you go in as a Performer, you have the approval of not just them, but a larger body of peers.  To be fair, if the ballot simply let voters vote for as many acts as they wanted, the level of respect and validation that these acts actually have would be more accurately reflected.  The Hall's process is so flawed that it has yielded contempt upon itself and its institution--by the institution itself.  The usage of the other categories corroborates that.  And while I am rehashing old discussions and arguments, the point I'm trying to make is, that's why this happens.  Term limits of NomComm members, fresh faces, and even adding diversity to the Assembly Of The Hoagie isn't going to induct the names that deserve it.  In fact, the very opposite is what happens: it tells those acts that they don't matter.  End of sentence.  It'll get new names on the ballot, but it won't put things to right.  Bigger classes are the answer.  Rock and roll spreads out in too many valid and important directions to be kept to classes this small.  Yeah, maybe that means letting in acts like the J. Geils Band, but it also means having Judas Priest and the New York Dolls already in by now too.  To add a clause beginning with "more than" to the question "Do they deserve induction?" presents a faulty paradigm as the reality we're now stuck with.

Which brings us to the idea of wasted space on the ballot.  That's what's being said about the MC5, the New York Dolls, and even Fela Kuti, and on the flipside, the lack of Chaka Khan on the ballot.  If last year was the writing on the wall, as many believe, than the MC5 and possibly the New York Dolls will be getting enshrined in the Early Influence category for their legacy as punk progenitors, while Fela might get enshriend as an Award For Musical Excellence inductee.  So many are asking, "Why bother nominating them when they'll just be inducted in aother category regardless?  It's wasting a spot on the ballot, right?"  Well, I think that's exactly why they did it.  They don't see it as wasting space.  They see it as making one final stab before being graced into the Hall.  It's not a wasted space.  This is how they make it look on paper that they are inducting a higher percentage of nominees every year.  Whether or not they'll do this every year or just until they can reduce the number of Past Nominees who haven't been enshrined to a much lower number, we shall see.  But this is to make the percentages look better.  It's called lying with statistics.  But hey, just as long as the eventual obituary leads with "Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer," right?

Culturally crossed

One of the more interesting side stories since the announcement has been the fan ballot, namely, Fela Kuti going from near top of the heap last year, to currently dead last.  Last year, the Rock Hall site received an unusally high influx of traffic from Africa, all to vote for Fela Kuti in the fan ballot.  And then Fela didn't get inducted.  Those of us in the watching community weren't really fazed or shocked by it.  And to be honest, we thought it was old hat.  We had seen the Dave Matthews Band finish first but fail to get in, and it's not like the top five in the fan ballot have ever all gotten in.  But the Hall is also an American institution.  And we watchers are mostly American, too.  To us, agreeing to receive promotional emails from the Hall as a condition to voting is business as usual, par for the course.  Apparently, that is one way the world wide web is not universal.  The African base that voted for Fela last year was not thrilled.  They felt they'd been played for suckers, and weren't having it a second time.  They didn't appreciate business as usual.  And they let us know how they felt about it.  This puts another spin on the fan ballot.  What the Western world just takes to be backdrop is not seen that way everywhere apparently.  Maybe the Hall should take that into consideration next time they nominate an artist not from the U.S. or U.K.  And maybe lay off the slick-as-slime spiel in their promotions. Doubtful it'll happen though.  All they saw was the number of clicks.  Rock on Fela fans; like the Who, you won't get fooled again.

Step forward, step back

We still don't have a female rapper nominated.  The number of women on the ballot is a lower percentage.  It's a small consolation to see Duran Duran nominated, an act that I'd seen multiple women on Twitter advocating for.  Then again, Duran Duran is a band that the Hall was most likely going to have to deal with eventually, so maybe not progress.  But I don't expound on it as thoroughly as the women in our community.  Go read what Michelle Bourg and Evelyn McDonnell write about it.  Listen to Mary on Hall Watchers.  But it is interesting to see Dolly Parton get nominated.  And less surprising to see Carly Simon, but still unexpected.  Another shot for Dionne Warwick, Kate Bush, Eurythmics, amd Pat Benatar.  No Alanis though.  

It's not a bad ballot.  Some pleasant options.  And also congrats to Beck, Lionel Richie, A Tribe Called Quest, and Devo for getting nominated this time around.  May the fortunes be ever in your favor.

2022 Ballot Predictions

 If the news is true, the Nominating Committee for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame has already met and we are now awaiting the ballot for the Class Of 2022.  So, being a little late to the party, let's do this quickly.  A fellow hobbyist said the three main ways to formulate a ballot are to "read the tea leaves," to pick whom you personally want to see, or to make a protest ballot.  I'm going to blend all three together this time and pick a bit of all three.  So whom do I slot in the categories of Predict, Prefer, and Protest?

Predict:

Eminem:  As problematic as he is and has been, he's a lock.  First name you see when you point your telescope to the stars to look at the future.  

Duran Duran: I don't know how much John Sykes personally likes Duran Duran, but this has to be an act you have to keep an eye out for to see how thoroughly he is executing his vision of moving forward and really working on the MTV-era artists.

Rufus featuring Chaka Khan: There's a question of whether they'll nominate some iteration of this star's career again, or just keep her off and induct her in the Award For Musical Excellence category.  I think her advocates aren't quite ready to give it a rest yet.  And I think it'll be the group's turn again.

Rage Against The Machine:  I see the Hall making efforts to clear the lane for their friend Tom Morello, to make sure he gets in.

Alanis Morissette:  With the 25th anniversary of Jagged Little Pill, the documentary about her (even if she's upset about it), and the ongoing demand for more women in the Hall... it's gotta add up right?

Meat Loaf:   Only because of the proximity of his death and the meeting of the Committee.  I'm sure he had to be on someone's mind at the meeting.

Prefer:

Sheryl Crow:  Not one you'd think of me as being a fan of--even I'm a little surprised to be honest, but with two of my appointment-listening podcasts having Sheryl Crow episodes recently, I've gone back and realized, yeah, she should be on there.

Jewel:  I've been in love with her voice ever since I first heard it: I was in the laundry room in Landon Hall in 1999, and it was in a TV commercial on CTN where she was promoting her then-new album, available at Target.  Admittedly a longshot, but hey, we can have a left-field pick, right?

"Weird Al" Yankovic:  Despite some naysaying going on, he's an MTV-era artist, he's a generational chameleon who is for all ages, and he's really a cultural zeitgeist kind of artist.  If you know more than the food songs, you're probably a fan of his, regardless of how you feel about his merits.

the Pointer Sisters:  Now that Carole and Tina have their second inductions, and the Go-Go's are in, this seems to be the female act we as a community should be rallying around to get inducted, expending our energy towards.  We all want them in, let's make it a focus.  

the Spinners:  Not my favorite '70s soul group, but they are an awesome group that needs to get in.  So many great smooth, yet funky tunes.  

the Monkees:  My bread and butter is the AM gold of the '60s and the Monkees were a big part of that, as well as having a Renaissance in the '80s in the early days of MTV.  Sykes could have a soft spot for that, right?

Protest:

Pat Benatar:  I'm sorry, how the hell did she miss last time she was nominated?

the Marvelettes:  The early years of the Hall really focused on rock and roll as an elevation of Black culture.  The Sykes era so far seems to be focusing on rock and roll as the rise of youth culture.  Motown was the first record industry empire that really found a way to marry the two together, and it would be a huge insult to that legacy to induct any act from this legendary family of artists as an Early Influence, and that includes the pride of Inkster, Michigan.

the Crystals:  Having just watched the documetnary 20 Feet From Stardom, I'm even more glad Darlene Love got in as a Performer, when you consider how her rise to stardom was suppressed by an abusive egomaniac.  The Ronettes and the Crystals were both also suppressed by this man who wanted to make sure he was thought of first.  The Ronettes and Darlene have gotten their due, let's get these women in too, and let's include the Blossoms as included members.  All three eras.

Salt-N-Pepa:  Both the ideas that we can have only one rapper Performer inductee a year is absurd, and so is the notion we can't have any female rappers in.  Let's shoot them both down by trying to get this outfit in.

Chubby Checker:  Seemingly, the only African-American musician important enough to be included in the musical Cold War synopsis called "We Didn't Start The Fire," as well as the only rock-era artist with a song to hit #1 on the Hot 100 in two separate chart runs, the first rock and roll star to play the Superbowl halftime show, and respected enough by his peers to be invited onstage to jam with them at the first Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony.  The man deserves much more than the Singles category treatment.

Diana Ross:  It's important that we support getting more women inducted, but I believe it's also important to up the representation of women in the Clyde McPhatter Club.  There are still several women worthy of being inducted twice, and Diana Ross is the most likely and most obvious choice to be the next one.

It's hard to call this a ballot prediction, and I admit that having Meat Loaf as the closest thing to a representative of what constituted "classic rock" when I worked in radio is a bit of a gamble.  But I tend not to do too well in predicting the ballot anyway, and I couldn't decide on a single direction.  But who said I had to?  It's been a spell since we've had eighteen names on the ballot, so it seemed like a good number to go with.  There are names I wanted to include, but in the interest of keeping it evenly divided between the three divisions, cuts had to be made.  Had I gone more with more "Predict" choices, there'd be some more repeat nominees listed, and even some heavy metal.  More "Prefer" choices would have seen a bigger swelling of  '60s and even '50s acts.  More "Protest" picks would have basically been a repost of previous thoughts, though Carole King and Tina Turner are now off that list.  All that's left is to sit by and wait for the announcements.

Songs Of Proof: The Class Of 2021

Having created a playlist of songs that were just fun to string together, it's time to now come to a list of songs that are actually more meaningful.  At last it's time for the Songs Of Proof for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's Class Of 2021.  It's time to add another thirteen songs to the great playlist.  Some have been on the Previously Considered or Past Nominees' lists, and are now moved into the Inductees folder.  A couple of them have even changed, from where they were on those lists, if you can believe that.  Some have stayed the same, and some were never a thing anyway until now.  But they're all official, and you'll see something before that you hadn't previously seen.    Since there's a lot of ground to cover, let's get started.

Clarence Avant:  As I said in my comments about the induction ceremony, if you read the Wikipedia page about Clarence Avant, you do not get an accurate idea of why this man mattered.  On paper, and maybe even by the old standards of the Hall, this man would probably not merit induction.  The old standards of the Hall, when it came to the Non-Performer category, focused on creative matters, such as songwriting, producing, and the ability to appreciate quality enough to facilitate large-scale distribution or exhibition.  I think to some degree that's a fair thing to focus on.  That said, nothing in life truly happens in a vacuum.  While I'm still not sold on the idea of inducting those who were primarily critics (gatekeepers, really?), the idea that shaping an artist's image helps shape their sound is something we saw with Oldham and Epstein.  And taking care of one's clients so their minds are free to be more creative is something that was introduced with Azoff last year.  The induction of Clarence Avant is perhaps a widening of that idea, and I'd even argue that the social justice battles that have made major headlines the past couple years helped fuel this.  The idea that financial stability allows for greater creativity and taking creative risks is something that sounds almost patently obvious now, and yet many are only just waking up to it.  Who could conceivably imagine decadent sundaes that has been denied even the slightest taste of vanilla ice cream?   Clarence Avant has been a man who helped all people really, but especially the African-American artists in the music industry stand on their own feet and take care of themselves, teaching that it is in fact possible to be too humble about one's sense of self-worth.  Watching The Black Godfather just made me wish I could have gotten to be involved in the music industry and meet this man.  As for a song to represent this man, I'm sure a lot of people are thinking along the lines of Bill Withers' "Use Me" or "Lean On Me," since Withers was easily Avant's biggest success as a record executive.  Well, in addition to "Lean On Me" already being used for Bill Withers himself, I think both of those songs are more algined with giving a man of fish, whereas Avant may have done that, but he was ultimately more consequential in teaching others how to fish.  I think of how he coached others, and taught them to be patient for an actual good deal.  I think ultimately his advice and words of wisdom can be crudely compacted to the idea that you should "Take Your Time (Do It Right)," and since the S.O.S. Band was on Avant's lesser-known label, Tabu, that makes this a better fit, albeit less obvious, than either of the Bill Withers songs.  So, we're adding a little disco, and some more female lead vocals to this playlist.

Foo Fighters:  The journeymen of this year's class.  Much like the '50s, helping to maintain a certain connotation of what defined "rock 'n' roll" has been seen as an important task in the perpetuation and evolution of rock 'n' roll.  In the case of Foo Fighters, because they are a more contemporary outfit, that could also be seen as dragging of one's feet, trying to hinder the evolution of the music.  I don't see it that way, though.  There's really no reason why any style of music necessarily needs to die out, so if there's a style that's kept relevant by an act with some kind of musical savvy, then that is something to celebrate.  And if they can keep doing it consistently, and for long enough, it's worth enshrining.  It's in that spirit that I chose "Monkey Wrench" as the song for this group.  It's catchy, from the time when they were really just starting to catch fire, and is possibly my favorite Foo Fighters song of all.  There are a few for contention, including some surprises, but overall, I think this is an ideal song given what I believe they represent.  The further beauty of this is that even if you agree with the ethos and process with which I chose this particular song, you could come to a completely different song just because it's one you like a lot better.  And that's the beauty of the subjectivity of it.  This is truly where we can agree to disagree.  Unless you chose "This Is A Call."  "Fingernails are pretty, fingernails are good" is just lazy songwriting.

The Go-Go's:  The problem with the length of time between inductee announcements and the ceremoniy in this new schedule is that feeling that everything has already been said by the time you get to the Song Of Proof.  This is an act I first arched my eyebrow at when they were bandied about in the community, mainly for their lack of longevity.  Not that it's a dealbreaker, but when you have it, it really bolsters your case.  That said, what's important to note is that their influence has been downplayed to the point of suppression.  Moral of the story: keep an open mind and keep learning.  The more I learned, the more I was rooting for them, even if they were a painful last cut when I would submit my fan ballot on the website.  When it comes to the selection here, it's a balancing act to choose a song like "We Got The Beat."  You don't want to appear to be saying the Go-Go's got inducted solely on the accomplishment that was the success of Beauty And The Beat, but you also can't deny its significance either.  And you also can't deny what a banger of a song it is.  Its punk-tinged energy is absolutely infectious, but it's also family friendly, lyrically.  No seriously, the now-defunct children's radio network Radio AAHS used to play this song.  Make of that what you will, it's an awesome song that can unite generations.  That's how I look at it.  And listen to it.

Jay-Z:  In a rare moment, I'm actually going to use a song I don't like all that much for the Song Of Proof.  This time, I'm going with the smash hit "Dirt Off Your Shoulder."  It's the high-pitched synth line/sample that just irritates me.  It gets really old really fast.  But this isn't about me.  Jay-Z has a number of songs I like or at least find interesting, including "D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune)," which I almost used.  Dave Chappelle made a good point though.  Sometimes we need that reminder that it's not about us.  Jay-Z's excellence and significance is rooted in and all about the elevation of rap music and the African-American community at large.  That's where and why he matters, and if his lyrics are good enough for President Obama, it's more than enough to be on this playlist.  My personal comfort be smote this time, it's too important a song to not use.  And no way in hell was I going to use "Hard Knock Life."

Carole King:  When I first talked about this project, I said these Songs Of Proof were set in stone.  And at least they were burned onto CD-Rs.  That said, stone tablets can break.  Just ask Moses.  So, in that spirit, I'm changing an earlier Song Of Proof.  When I first chose "I Feel The Earth Move" for Carole's song for her 1990 induction as a Non-Performer, it was with heavyhearted resignation that she would never get her proper recognition as a recording artist.  Now, I'm elated to yoink that song out of the 1990 list and transplant it here.  And if you go back to the 1990 entry, you'll see it has been edited to show that I've implanted "It Might As Well Rain Until September" for her 1990 induction.  It just makes sense.  That song is her debut hit as a soloist, but it's from her days as a Brill Building songwriter and just reads and feels like one, so it makes sense to use that one for her 1990 induction.  Meanwhile, "I Feel The Earth Move" is from her landmark album, was one half of the double-sided #1 hit single, and has a strong feel that really showcases both her rock and roll credibility and that personal touch that her later songs truly had.  Shuffling some songs around isn't something I usually do, but in this case, it's the right call.  

 

Kraftwerk:  Because I log Songs Of Proof for the Past Nominees, I intend to keep using "Planet Rock" for Afrika Bambaataa, so I feel it would be disingenuous to use "Trans-Europe Express" for the German outfit.  The video package focused pretty heavily on this band's influence on hip-hop.  And honestly, that is a pretty important aspect, as rock and roll music itself is a major social accomplishment that also continues to achieve major social accomplishments at its finest.  Their influence on pop music and electronica music, however, is also massive, and of massive importance.  To that end, I still feel it is prudent to use "Autobahn," a song that is incredibly innovative and holds a fair amount of influence as well.  And just to be clear, I am using the full twenty-three minute album version of the song, not the single version.  This is the longest Song Of Proof in the entire library, about as long as the entire Class Of 2007's Songs Of Proof combined.  With Kraftwerk actively working to remaster their entire catalog with cutting edge technology, finding the song as it sounded in the '70s in a digital world is not easy; so if you have to listen to the 21st century remaster, well, it's still a pleasant listening experience.  Enjoy it either way.

LL Cool J:  Don't call it a comeback, he's been here for years... on the ballot that is.  But no more.  LL Cool J is an inductee.  Asterisk.  Sorry, not sorry.  Since his induction in the Award For Musical Excellence category was evidence that the category is ultimately the "Because We Fucking Said So, That's Why!" category, easily manipulated to induct by fiat, I feel there's really no need to change his Song Of Proof from what it was when he was a nominee for the Performer category.  They certainly gave him the full treatment at his induction, so why not?  For an overall sense of importance, I could have easily gone with a song from a little later in his career, the middle section, one could say.  It's really important to note that his music was an important bridge connecting hip-hop to the more contemporary R&B of the time, a mission continued by the likes of Mary J. Blige, who will defintely have another nomination at some point.  Not sure if it'll be this year, but we'll see.  At the end of the day, though, being the first major solo artist of hip-hop to break big is an important first step toward accomplishing all that, and that is why his Song Of Proof remains one of the early touchstones of his career, "Mama Said Knock You Out."

Charley Patton:  Like a lot of the Hall watching community, my ressponse to news of Patton's inclusion was, "See, this is the Hall doing its job correctly!  Teaching people about important artists!"  And I'll go out on a limb and say that like a lot of the Hall watching community, that was because I also knew pretty much nothing about the man either, and definitely couldn't name a song of his at all.  A lot of that has to do with the haphazard way recorded media has been treated, with the possible exception of cinema film.  When you consider that Monty Python was one of the first troupes of British television to purchase and preserve their own masters to prevent them from being recorded over, as was traditionally done at the time, it certainly is understandable that early media of the music industry would be even more difficult.  From wax cylinders, to magnetized wire, to really old 78 RPM records, plus the late start we got on trying to preserve it all, it's amazing that we've been able to preserve any of it at all.  But this also presents an opportunity for the Hall: to really get back to educating people about these artists, and to induct a lot of these early musicians whose music had a palpable importance on the generations to come, even if not always appreciated in their day.  Since Patton's heyday predates Billboard magazine, let alone the advent of the "Harlem Hit Parade" charts, and since pre-Billboard chart metrics didn't treat very many artists of color well, he didn't have any hits to draw on, so we have to go to the word of historians as to what the significant records were.  And thanks to them, the Song Of Proof for this man is "High Water Everywhere."

Billy Preston:  I personally would have loved to have seen him as a Performer inductee, but I'm pretty okay with this one.  He was a true sideman, after all.  I just thought the appeal and quality of his records as a recording artist could have been enough.  While members inside the room are willing to admit that things like influence matter, the Hall ultimately falls back on "unquestionable musical excellence" as what matters most, and I thought his records had it.  Billy Preston is the sole inductee from my old list of names that I created back in 2004, back when my understanding of the Hall was more naive and my vision was more oriented toward makers of hit singles (with some understated R&B names too).  Anyway, Billy continues the streak, so I'm celebrating that.  If you look back at my list of Songs Of Proof for the Previously Considered, and we're still not sure what that even means, you'll notice that I had planned to use "Will It Go Round In Circles," one of his two number one pop hits.  However, his induction in the Award For Musical Excellence category recognizes his accomplishments as a player of the keys.  It's important to acknowledge that also.  So, with that in mind, the selected track for Billy Preston is "Outa-Space," his simplistic but catchy instrumental hit that got all the way up to #2 on the Hot 100.  Fun fact, Billy Preston came within one chart position of being the second artist to have both a #1 instrumental and a #1 vocal song in the rock era.  Les Baxter did it in the mid-50's, back when there were multiple pop charts that were all considered equal and they all looked like a melange of all kinds of styles.  Herb Alpert would instead be second achieve that feat, first topping the Hot 100 in 1968 with "This Guy's In Love With You" and then had a #1 instrumental in 1979 with "Rise."  I'm not sure any other artist has accomplished that feat since.  Also fun to note: Billy's two pop #1 hits were vocal records that did not hit #1 on the R&B charts, and his two #1 hits on the R&B charts were instrumentals that did not hit #1 on the Hot 100.  Anyway, besides being more pleasurable for me to listen to than "Space Race," I also think the noodling on this track makes more sense to showcase his wizardry.  That's the decision.

Randy Rhoads:  In some ways, it's amazing that the Hall inducted Randy Rhoads before Ozzy Osbourne as a soloist.  But then again, with Black Sabbath in, the impetus for solo Ozzy is probably lessened, and lessened even further by the backlog of metal acts that are more deserving of induction.  Meanwhile, a session man can be more easily ushered in via a special committee.  That's not to speak ill of the man, only to further explicate the depths to which the induction process is broken.  As a session musician, the only real strike against his merits for induction is his virtual exclusivity as a hired axman for Ozzy.  On the other hand, the induction of Randy Rhoads may ultimately prevent Ozzy from getting a second induction, since the metal guitar on his seminal records has been enshrined.  Pontifications aside, we are going with the obvious selection of "Crazy Train."  Randy's melodic hook and rhythmic patter that flowed from his fingers on that record have both been extremely influential, and the song itself is a well-known classic, and thus the right choice.

Todd Rundgren:  I said it then, I'll say it again, I ain't changing the Song Of Proof for Todd Rundgren one iota.  It is still "Bang The Drum All Day" because who doesn't love a good rock and roll polka?  I know that the hardcore fans among the mul-todd-tude don't have a lot of love for this song, but I think the themes of this song are pretty universal: the abilities of toddlers to amuse themselves, of children developing a passion, the frustration of the daily grind, the love of a good melody that is fun to rally around.  And really, I think the production values of the song hold up too.  It's somewhat quirky too, and that suits Todd to a tee.  And given how upset some of the fans are about Todd shunning the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, especially on the night of his induction, it may even be fair for them to turn on him and choose a song they might deem a little too accommodating of the great unwashed.  Maybe.  Anyway, I still love the party vibe of the song, the bouncy polka-like beat, the solo... pretty much everything about the song.

Gil Scott-Heron:  If reimagining the Early Influence category to get Kraftwerk in is any indicator as to how broken the induction system is for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, I'd have to say Gil Scott-Heron is even more so, because he never even got on the ballot.  Obviously, not knowing what goes on in the room, we are only left to guess how strenuous past efforts were to get him on the ballot.  Nevertheless, from outside the room, it looks like all hope was abandoned from the get-go, which is a shame.  That said, Gil Scott-Heron's unique and somewhat eclectic blend of jazz influences and beat poetry recital helped lay a funky foundation that made him an influence on hip-hop in more ways than merely the delivery style of flow.  He did that for sure, but his musical arrangements were important too.  That is one of the main reasons why I did not choose the seemingly obvious "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised."  I wanted to celebrate his arrangements, his singing, his social and political conscientiousness, and his poetic delivery.  And while the singing is slightly downplayed on my choice, it's still there, and the best selection, in my limited research, is the minor R&B chart hit that clocks in at over twelve minutes, "B-Movie."

Tina Turner:  As we come to a close on this list with our alphabetically last inductee, it's important to remember how we've pined for inductees like her, and Carole, and the Go-Go's, and the energy we have exerted.  I'm admittedly not a firm believer in the concept of "manifesting" things into being.  It feels a little new-age-hokey for me, almost like a punchline.  And as an armchair critic whose influence and ability to commit time has waned over the past few years, I certainly don't feel I've made any significant contributions, though in the past I've certainly pitched my share of ideas on how to improve things.  But with the rise of the podcasters in our community, all of them, it's also not hard to believe that getting these three particular names on the ballot is the result of our community being able to rally around a cause and put in the work to get it done.  It is that spirit that leads me to believe that as long as there's a unified spirit, inductions for Carol Kaye, Estelle Axton, and the Pointer Sisters are imminent, just to name but three.  As for Tina Turner, her solo career is simultaneously timeless and of its time.  The music of the commercial zenith of her solo career is unmistakably 1980s in its instrumentation and production values, yet her catalog endures and stands the test of time.  I feel that no song of hers depicts that quantum duality better than "Better Be Good To Me."  I think it does the job better than "The Best" and even "What's Love Got To With It."  And it comes with an important message to go forward with as we strive for stronger representation and inclusion in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.  Better be good to all the subgenres that are part of the rock and roll diaspora, all the directions that youth culture spans into and kneads the music into its very being, and all the peoples that are included in the gestalt that rock and roll invites into.  Better be good to them.  The Queen Of Rock And Roll said so.

And that closes out the Class Of 2021.  Some songs are the same as they were from of old, some have changed, and even a radical change.  Do you agree?  Where do you disagree, and why?  Let's keep the discussion going.  Post your thoughts in the Comments section below.  And summing up, our list goes:

Clarence Avant: "Take Your Time (Do It Right)" by the S.O.S. Band
Foo Fighters: "Monkey Wrench"
the Go-Go's: "We Got The Beat"
Jay-Z: "Dirt Off Your Shoulder"
Carole King: "I Feel The Earth Move"
Kraftwerk: "Autobahn"
LL Cool J: "Mama Said Knock You Out"
Charley Patton: "High Water Everywhere"
Billy Preston: "Outa-Space"
Randy Rhoads: "Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne
Todd Rundgren: "Bang The Drum All Day"
Gil Scott-Heron: "B-Movie"
Tina Turner: "Better Be Good To Me"

Eine Kleine Fanfic: A Rock Hall 2021 Playlist Wars Playlist

As we are putting a bow on the Class Of 2021, part of that is unveiling my Songs Of Proof for all the inductees,  As I type this, I'm pretty sure I know what all the songs are going to be, but I've decided to do something else this time in addition to that.  So this isn't going to be the revelation of my Songs Of Proof for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's Class Of 2021.  Stay tuned for that.

But this is going to be a list of songs of sort.  One of the podcasts I've been enjoying, among others, is the Playlist Wars podcast, hosted by Brian Colburn and Gomez.  It's a fairly basic premise: take an artist or a topic, create a ten-song playlist of what you think are the best songs from that artist or on that topic, then the two hosts and their guest reveal their playlists and why those songs were chosen.  Afterwards, they open it up to the listeners to vote for the winning playlist.  It sets itself up as a competition, and sometimes there's some playful smack talk, but it is ultimately a celebration of the music.  You frequently hear a lot of praise for songs chosen by the competition, and there's often a lot of crossover between the lists, sometimes a song being on all three.  The passion for the music comes through with every selection made.  There is one disclaimer that I must give for those readers who are from the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame watching community: it tends to skew pretty heavily toward album-oriented rock and its progeny (modern rock, hard rock, etc.).  To be fair, I can sense the hosts' desire to branch out into other styles and genres, but this is generally their wheelhouse.  But for the sheer passion about the music, including the bits of trivia presented throughout the episodes, I recommend this podcast.  If you can get geeked out on other people's geeking out, this is a podcast for such a music lover.  This is also a fun podcast to play along with.  I have built playlists of my own that I have in my YouTube library built out of their episodes.  Some of my playlists have little to no depth, while some have some fantastic forgotten gems.  I've even created three playlists for episodes that don't exist at all.  They are what you might call "fanfiction" playlists (hence the title of this entry). 

One of those three playlists is one about the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's Class Of 2021.  I pitched this episode to them, and since they prefer their guests be fellow podcasters, I suggested a couple from the hobbyist community.  Truthfully, Brian and Gomez have had so many ideas pitched to them, I can understand this one falling through the cracks.  And maybe getting a guest wasn't in the cards.  Whatever happened, I would have loved to hear what songs they would chosen and why.  And because I'm a privileged white male, I'm going to go ahead and share my list, even though nobody asked or cares.  I'm sure there's also a lesson in here concerning those who prepare for a war that is never going to come.  Seriously though, this is a celebration of great music, and I hope this playlist is as enjoyable for you as it was for me to create and listen to multiple times. For those readers who are fellow Playlisteners, this blog recognizes that "rock and roll" is much, much more inclusive and includes soul, hip-hop, reggae, and even electronica, as well as the popular connotations that include metal, prog, thrash, and alternative.  Dem's da rulz in this house.  And as a note to Brian and Gomez, even though this list is topical, the number artists is limited.  There were thirteen inductees, so the possibilities are relatively limited, compared to other topical episodes, so I would say that the crossover and trifecta rules apply at the song level, not the artist level like in other topical episodes.  Onto the list:

Track 01: "It's Time For War" by LL Cool J

First off, it's Playlist Wars and this annoiunces that it's time for war.  A little on the nose, but that's not always a bad thing.  Second, this song is entrance music.  This is a song that plays as a prize fighter enters the ring or the octagon.  Stylistically, this is a song to use to make an entrance, and so it's perfect to use to kick off the playlist.  But if that weren't enough, this is the perfect song to use for this playlist for a third reason.  This is a playlist about the Class Of 2021 for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and the lyrics of this song are LL Cool J's way of making his case for induction.  True, this song and the album Exit 13 came out before he was eligible, but he's putting his credentials out there in this one.  In fact, when evaluating his merits for the nominnees' merits rankings the last couple times he was nominated, I considered simply lifting lyrics from this song and using them to explain his Innovation, Influence, Impact, and Intangibles.  He's telling you what makes a Hall Of Fame artist and that he is one.  This is the perfect song to kick off the playlist.

Track 02:  "We Got The Beat" by the Go-Go's

Keeping with the credentials, the ladies represent strongly with this one.  The Go-Go's play what has long been considered a boys' game, play it the boys' way, and shatter the glass ceiling with the vibrations caused by them kicking down the door.  They play rock and roll music the way the staunch purists try to narrowly define the genre, and prove that they belong.  A solid, driving, pounding song with great elan and gusto.  It makes you feel good and makes you feel like moving.  Whether you define rock and roll as a genre of music or as the spirit of youth culture, the Go-Go's are patrolling that beat quite ably.  They got the beat.

Track 03:  "Walk" by Foo Fighters

I respect the way Brian and Gomez keep the rules relatively simple, but if I were going to add one more rule for this particular episode, I would add that the lists must include at least one song from each of the six Performer inductees.  Think of the Performer inductees as the pre-requisites, and the other categories as electives.  This rule would be more about making sure rock and roll is respected in its diversity, but for me, it would mean making sure to include a Foo Fighters song.  That's not to say I hate this band.  Indeed, I made a point to go through all their Modern and Alternative Rock Charts' hits to make a shortlist of possibilities, and even that shortlist was... everlong (just for you, Brian).  Ultimately, my sense of programming flow led me to this selection, though "All My Life" was a close second.  I liked the placement of the other songs in their places on my list, so the Foo Figthers song chosen had to fit in this slot.  Despite the low-key entrance, I felt this song was the best by this band to serve as a link between between "We Got The Beat" and the next track.  And it's a pretty catchy song as well.  

Track 04:  "The Train From Washington" by Gil Scott-Heron

I discovered this song by binge-listening to Gil Scott-Heron after listening to the episode about him on the Who Cares About The Rock Hall? podcast.  I don't think this song was listed among the better known or historically significant songs from this man.  But as soon as I heard this song, I fell in love with it.  It's a funky, jazzy song with the spoken intro, and a singing voice that is simply amazing.  This was a song that I had to have on my list.  It's a great song to remind people that there was more to this man's catalog than just "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised."  I frequently catch myself singing the lines, "You can depend on folks and gravity, both of them will bring you down," and "You can depend on the first two numbers, but damn if the last one comes through."

Track 05:  "Better Be Good To Me" by Tina Turner

On the Playlist Wars podcast, they always talk about the playlists both as digital playlists and as analog media, like a vinyl LP or a cassette tape.  So, I wanted my fifth song to work both as a midway point in a digital format that would keep on playing, and as a great way to end the first side of a medium that needed to be turned over.  This song is that song.  The song opens up very theatrically, evoking a mental picture of Tina emerging from the fog created by smoke machines until her silhouette is filled in with her features and she starts singing.  The Big Country-esque guitar licks, the background singers, and Tina's delivery all make this a great song, and the way it tapers off at the end makes it a great song to finish the first side of a cassette or record.

Track 06:  "Bang The Drum All Day" by Todd Rundgren

As much as I tend to operate on a different wavelength from other people, this is one song I am convinced would be a trifecta, maybe even a bingo.  If you were listening to this list playlist on a CD or just streaming it in programmed sequence, this song would lead out fantastically from "Better Be Good To Me," and if this was on a cassette or record, this would recapture the energy and momentum that briefly drops when you have to stop and flip it over to the second side.  It's a great song to kick off the second side, it's a fun song that is fun to jam to, and it sort of touches back on the idea of rock and roll both being a musical styling (defined by a rhythm or beat) and the spirit of youth (both in terms of feel and reverting back to childhood tendencies to deal with adulthood).  And really, who doesn't love a good rock'n'roll polka?  A rock'n'rollka?  

Track 07:  "Nothing From Nothing" by Billy Preston

When I play along at home and make my own playlists, I find I like to make the seventh track my "clean-up hitter."  In baseball, it's the fourth batter, but in my playlists, it's number seven.  Sometimes it's because it's my favorite song on the list, sometimes it's a song that's special to me, and sometimes it's because it's a strong selection that others might not have seen coming.  This song bats clean-up for that last reason.  Stylistically, it leads out pretty well after "Bang The Drum All Day," and even though it's pretty well-known song, I feel like this is a song others might not expect me to choose.  Granted, I briefly tried swapping it out for the stirring and moving "That's The Way God Planned It," but that substitution didn't work well with the overall feel and gestalt of this playlist.  So, I put this one back.  

Track 08:  "It's Too Late" by Carole King

As much as I tried to maintain a nice steady flow to this list, I felt an abrupt shift isn't entirely uncalled for.  And we didn't really have a slow, mellow song yet.  There are some other songs from this legendary singer-songwriter I could have used, but somehow, this slightly brooding opus really gives this playlist a special flavor, and I have to keep it.  It's a great song and a reminder it doesn't have to be frenetic with a guitar solo to be rock and roll.  Plus, it's from her landmark album Tapestry, so it's not like one could go wrong choosing a song from that album.

Track 09:  "99 Problems" by Jay-Z

I'm not one for numerology, but having the ninety-nine as number nine was too good to resist.  Admittedly, I feel it's a little bit of a disservice to Mr. Carter to go with the Jay-Z-only track that is most likely to get White people turnt, but it is infectious.  And again, this isn't the Songs Of Proof list; this is a side thing for fun.  I also enjoy that it kind of bucks the credo of "sex, drugs, and rock and roll," in a very rock and roll way, with a very rock and roll attitude, and with a very rock and roll sample.  And when the track ends, you really get a feeling that you're not quite at the end of the playlist, but that you are nearing it.  Besides, no way was I going to use "Hard Knock Life."

Track 10:  "Kommetenmelodie 2" by Kraftwerk

Without rehashing previous conversations, there are ten inductees in this class that could have been inducted in the Performer category, and in my opinion, should have been.  This list was intentionally programmed to include and enjoy all ten of those artists.  This instrumental track from this internationally renowned German outfit isn't representative of their body of work, but it is a really good song.  I love it, and it works amazingly well as a closer.  If these songs were scattered throughout a movie, this song would start up in the last few seconds of the story and play over the credits, and is so good the audience would stay in their seats to listen to it.  Listening to this song at the end gives an amazing feeling of satisfaction and completion.  The party's over, but it's okay.  It didn't need to go any longer.  You're not sad it's over; you're just glad you had the time together to listen and celebrate, and hasn't it been a blast?  It almost gives a secular kind of feeling of shalom.  I like to use the German word zufrieden to describe how I feel after listening to this list of ten and ending with this one.  Very celebratory and closes out beautifully.

Hidden bonus track:  "Hang It On The Wall" by Charley Patton

That said, imagine listening to this playlist on a CD.  You're lying on your bed or couch as "Kommetenmelodie 2" finishes.  You're lying there for another ten to thirty seconds, thinking the CD player has stopped, but you're just feeling too contented and peaceful to get up juuuussst yet.  Then you hear what sounds like an old-tyme Victrola-era song, complete with crackles and lyrics you can't quite make out because of the age of the recording, but from what you can make out, it sounds like the man is singing about his one-eyed wonder weasel.  That would be this song.  And yes, it really is that old.  This is the one inductee that even the category purists like me agree is a true Early Influence inductee.  The song itself has a sort of back and forth feel to it, with its inflections on the "Ahh"s after multiple lines, the chorus with its suggestions on what to do with it... the whole song sounds like a silly little ditty; however, since I can't fully make out the lyrics, I can't be certain.  Nonetheless, this seems like a song that would play in the background of the comedic post-credits scene of a movie.  And with Patton being the only other inductee that had either charted hits or historically significant songs as a credited recording artist, I felt this was a nice way to sneak him in as well.  The playlist is still amazing without this as a bonus track, but it definitely adds one last dash of panache.

Possible honorable mention:  "Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne  (honoring Randy Rhoads)

Ozzy hasn't been inducted as a solo artist, but his guitarist Randy Rhoads was inducted in the Award For Musical Excellence category.  In recent episdoes, Brian and Gomez have added the official "honorable mention" that didn't make your list, but made it onto a competing playlist, possibly both of them.  As I mentioned previously, the hosts love music, and they particularly love classic rock.  So, I have to imagine that one of them, probably both, would choose to include a song that Randy Rhoads played guitar on.  This is the song he's most famous for playing on, and I have to believe this song would be on both of their lists.  I haven't added it to the YouTube playlist that I listen to, and I doubt that I will.   

Possible honorable mention:  "Lean On Me" by Bill Withers  (honoring Clarence Avant)

It's also entirely possible that Gomez or Brian would take a quick look at who Clarence Avant is, see that Bill Withers was an artist whose career Avant had a significant part in launching,, and throw this on.  It wouldn't be a bad selection either.  "Lean On Me" is a fantastic, timeless song.  There is a reason that this song is one that is being passed on to subsequent generations, and I hope that will never change.  As for not being on my list, as I said, the original intention of my playlist was to focus on the ten artists that I felt should have been inducted in the Performer category, a snapshot of how diverse and far-reaching the concept and genre of "rock and roll" really is, and that all of it should be celebrated.  That is certainly no slight on Clarence's contribution, or Randy's, or Charley's. I just had a specific theme for the original ten tracks made.

So those are the songs that are on my Playlist for an episode that is not to be.  And that's okay.  This was a fun exercise.  I believe that I put together a playlist that not only has great songs, but also flows well.  I feel this is a playlist that Brian's former cohost from his previous podcast would agree was "programmed" well.  And I hope you enjoyed reading about it, and even took the time to listen to it.  For the Rock Hall hobbyists, I will soon have my official Songs Of Proof laid out.  For the fellow Playlisteners who are wondering what Songs Of Proof even refers to, the concept is explained here,  and the subsequent thirty-five or so posts go through each year of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and their inductees.  Give a looksee if you're interested.  And to Brian and Gomez, we may not meet on this battleground, but I'll definitely take you guys on for a Simon And Garfunkel episode.  Or the Paranoid Style.  Or the Pointer Sisters.  Or Ringo Starr's solo career.  Let the battle begin.  

Thoughts on the 2021 induction ceremony

 Much has been said about the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony for the Class Of 2021, and I hope my thoughts won't be too redundant.  My hope is to say things that haven't already been said; so if I blow right by one segment of the ceremony, it isn't that it wasn't enjoyable or edifying, it's just that I don't have any new observations.  Also, I only got to watch the ceremony twice these past nine days.  I really thought they would keep airing it across the various HBO channels throughout this week like they did with the special last year.  They haven't been.  Maybe I'll catch it again soon.  Maybe I can bring it up On Demand.  My memory may miss a step or two; bear with me.

Carole King:  To me, this was the most disappointing, compared to what I would have hoped or wanted.  Untapped potential.  Taylor did a great job, as did Jennifer Hudson and Carole herself.  For me, the problem was the overall handling of it.  Carole King is one of the two most quintessential singer/songwriters of the 1970s that are responsible for the connotations we still have to this day of what it means to be a "singer/songwriter."  But so much of her segment seemed to dwell on the latter part of that label.  It was almost like they were recycling her 1990 Non-Performer induction merits and reusing them this time.  The video package did a good job of showing the performing part of her legacy.  Taylor's speech mentioned the singing and how it resonated with her, but there were several lines in the later part of her speech that were ambiguous and could just have easily been said at King's 1990 induction.  The imbalance of her renown as a songwriter to her amazing voice and playing on her albums felt staggering.  The performances reflected that too.  Yes, all the songs that were performed were on Tapestry, but they were also all songs that her versions are not the big hits, best-known, or most revered.  Heaven forbid that Taylor Swift kick things off with the energetic "I Feel The Earth Move," or that "So Far Away" find its way in there.  Or "Nightingale" or "Jazzman" to remind us Carole King had so much amazing music after Tapestry.  In the room itself, the only musical moment that felt distinctly about her solo career was when they played "I Feel The Earth Move" as Carole got up on stage to accept her induction.  Obviously I don't know who decided on the setlist.  Maybe it was Carole herself.  But it really feels like the Hall inducting her as an artist was done in a very left-handed way, like they're saying, "Yeah okay, we'll acknowledge her as a recording artist... but really, naahhhhh."  Still, I loved Carole's speech, and I'm really happy for her.  Major injustice rectified, and kudos to Carole for gently but powerfully calling out the Hall for not giving a tribute to Aretha Franklin immediately.  Maybe Jennifer Hudson's performance was selected to serve a dual purpose..

LL Cool J:  My hypothesis is that the reason LL Cool J got so much real estate was as a mea culpa for not being able to get him in as a Performer, and to give the middle finger to all those who refused to vote for him.  His set almost felt like watching a Superbowl halftime show, with the appearances of Eminem and Jennifer Lopez.  It'll be interesting to see if Jennifer Lopez ever gets any love from the Hall.  

Randy Rhoads:  Good speech from Tom.  The video package did a great job of showing his importance and influence.  And I love that they got a clip of the man speaking.  That makes it more meaningful, in my opinion.  It's a shame they couldn't give any of his family a moment onstage to give a thank you speech.  Also a shame he didn't get to work with more people or get his demos released.

Billy Preston:  I know they had to keep it tight, but I wish this package was a little longer.  I think Ringo did a good job with his speech, but I'm a bit of a stan for Ringo, so take that for what it's worth.  I'm glad they showed how Billy did more than just the Let It Be sessions.  Again, wish a living family member could have accepted for him and said a quick thank you.  Just to show there are people there who care.  If I'd been there, Billy is the male inductee I would have been cheering for the loudest.

Tina Turner:  If it had been for anyone else, I'd have found Angela Bassett's delivery style overwrought.  But this is Tina Turner.  It fit perfectly.  I'm glad the package featured Lizzo.  If I could think of a current artist directly descended from Tina's solo career, it's Lizzo.  Glad to see Cher too.  I wanna see her as a double inductee, but so much time has passed, that getting Sonny And Cher in at all is a pipe dream at this point.  Being the age I am and growing up when I did, one of the first things I learned about Tina, even before any of her songs, was for having/being "the best legs in the business."  So, in a way, I'm glad that they had video footage showing how she got that accolade, but even more glad that nobody talked about it, because it must remain about the music.  And unlike with Carole, you knew this was entirely about her solo career.  Loved her simple yet heartfelt acceptance speech from her home.  Gotta admit though, the performances didn't thrill me.  They were good, but "It's Only Love" was one of the overplayed Adult Contemporary songs from my radio days, and "What's Love Got To Do With It" has never been among my favorite songs (but it's iconic, it's got to be there, and hey, H.E.R. and Mickey Guyton slayed their performances).  Christina did a pretty good job with "River Deep - Mountain High," and I like how they were reclaiming that song back from her previous career.  Still could've done without the flourishes at the end though.

Clarence Avant:  Of the male inductees who were there, this is the one I would have been cheering for the loudest.  I loved Lionel Richie's speech, too.  Especially when he started by throwing some shade at the Wikipedia page for Clarence.  If you read that page, you really don't get a sense of his importance at all.  Having watched The Black Godfather, I just feel like he's someone I'd want to meet too.  I want him to be made Postmaster General once DeJoy is gone.  And of course, gotta love the wit and sincerity of Clarence's acceptance speech.

Todd Rundgren: Patti Smith was the perfect inductor for him.  An artistic genius inducting another artistic genius.  The video package was phenomenal, and I love how they closed it with his famous line against the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.  Still, I would have loved it if he had shown up, just played the morbid and offbeat "Flappie," and then wordlessly walked offstage.  That'd have been the best compromise we could have gotten for the fans while still giving the middle finger to the institution.  But then again, Todd in the video package said why he doesn't like to compromise.

Charley Patton:  Hey, you work with what you got.  Almost no photographs of the man, no video footage, few people alive who ever met him (if any), little footage about his influence from those who were influenced by him.  Gary Clark, Jr. did well.  Although, living near the Nooksack River, the song "High Water Everywhere" hits a little too close to home right now.  I'm okay though, but many are not right now.  Just a sidebar if you're looking for people to pray for or send positive thoughts and energy to.

Kraftwerk:  I loved the video footage of them performing.  I knew they were known as the robots, but I didn't realize that it really permeated, like watching Shields And Yarnell, or Arte Johnston and Judy Carne on "Laugh-In," but serious.  And seeing the instruments they played on and the engineering equipment they used brought it home further.  And then add the way Kraftwerk records influenced hip-hop.  Just a shame that they couldn't have been voted in the regular way.

The Go-Go's:  I said it in the second paragraph of my "Dryer And The Rock Hall" post, but this is the group that should have headlined.  I loved Drew Barrymore's enthusiasm in her speech and while watching the Go-Go's' performance.  I loved the video package, but maybe ran a little long.  Mainly because the women were actually there.  I think that's a good rule of thumb to follow.  If the inductee is there, and especially if performing, go with a shorter video package.  But I liked the moment when Jane Wiedlin said, "Yeah, sisters that stabbed each other in the back."  Just another example of sexism in the industry.  Women in groups have to behave like some preconceived notion of what sisterhood means.  No one asks that of the guy bands, do they, if they're really all brothers together?  I mean, some say they're like family, but it's hokey to ask if they're like siblings.  Loved the speeches, and their performance kicked ass.  One subtle moment I caught was at the start of their second song, when Jane walked right up to her monitor/amp to check her sound in it while they were playing.  That's a true musician's move.  Anyone who wants to downplay their credibility, that's just a simple thing that was subtly done, but it speaks volumes of their professionalism and dedication to putting on an amazing show.  And if they'd been the headliner, you can bet we'd have gotten to the actual all-star jam.

Gil Scott-Heron: Common did a smooth job with the speech, and the video package showed how Gil's recordings are still important and relevant, which is both amazing and disheartening.  Overall, I'm frustrated that the NomComm never even tried putting Gil Scott-Heron on the ballot (but he was Previously Considered, so somebody tried), and also frustrated that he probably would have still needed the "category treatment" if they had.  If they had to do it with a hip-hop pioneer and a pioneer that got sampled in hip-hop, they'd have to do it with a political and vocal delivery progenitor of hip-hop too.  I'll be looking forward to Joe Tex and the Last Poets getting inducted as Early Influences in the next few years (eyeroll).

In Memoriam:  Not much else to be said that hasn't already.  "Bye Bye Love" would have been too on the nose for the tribute performance, and "On The Wings Of A Nightingale" was too minor and late of a hit in the Everly Brothers' catalog to have worked.  "All I Have To Do Is Dream" was the right choice.

Jay-Z:  After the message from Barack Obsma, we got the tribute performance: others reciting the Jay-Z lyrics that were meaningful to them or important overall.  I admittedly have no consciousness of the news right now, little time for social media, so I was unaware of Dave Chappelle's current situation.  I thought his speech was great.  It felt genuine and was defensive against the appropriation of African-American culture by the Caucasian community at large.  Solid video package, and wonderful speech from the man himself, though admittedly a little redundant.  I guess the moment just moved him to say it again.

Foo Fighters:  It's a mixed bag.  The video package was better than Paul McCartney's speech.  I honestly would have rather had P!nk do the honors.  I know Joe Kwaczala said it should have been Jack Black, but honestly, I'd be happy to never see or hear that professional manchild ever again (Jack, not Joe).  The video package really did justice to the other members of the band, and Paul's speech was the patent reminder that we absolutely had to induct the Foo Fighters because... Dave Grohl.  

But I'll say this now: I'm glad that Foo Fighters have been inducted.  This was something I wanted to write about for awhile, but this induction gives me an opportunity to say it hopefully succinctly.  Foo Fighters are a good inductee due to their popularity as hitmakers (albeit on the Mainstream and Modern Rock charts and less so the Hot 100), without being innovative or hugely influential.  The Hall Of Fame is about recognizing those, both musicians and not, who contributed to the perpetuation and evolution of rock and roll music.  Get that?  Not just evolution, but also perpetuation.  And even then, when you recall your high school biology classes, evolution requires adaptation to stimuli, that occurs over a pace of multiple generations.  In other words, evolution also requires proliferation.  A species that reproduces sexually can't evolve without some good old-fashioned "sticking two together" as Outkast would say.  In terms of a cultural evolution, something has to remain popular to evolve, whether it's rock and roll, movie franchises, fast food menus, or Mario video games.  Economic principles come into play here, but then again, they kind of do when it comes to human evolution too.  The '60s are revered as the golden decade of rock and roll for a few reasons, but one of those was simply because of how popular it was.  People sometimes say rock is dead today because it's not the most popular part of the contemporary hits radio format, and rock radio stations aren't as ubiquitious as Top 40 stations.  Remaining popular is a valid piece of rock and roll's evolution, and it's okay to recognize and enshrine Foo Fighters for it.  Just as it would be equally valid to induct Paul Revere And The Raiders for their string of hit rock and roll singles, or even Motley Crue for their number of hits and renewed popularity.  Those acts won't rank high on my "Merits Ranks" listings (unless the ballot is weak that year), but they will get a passing grade from me if we simply use a "Pass/Fail" litmus test that I believe we should be using, which could ostensibly help create bigger classes and help clear the backlog without having to resort to surreptitious shenanigans that undermine an instituion that by its very mission, whether they realize it or not, purports itself to be a historical society.  Okay, that was longer than intended, but shorter than the whole entry that it could have been.

Wrapping up, it's clear the video packages from last year's televised special worked so well because it was pretty much the best we could do.  Now that we can assemble again, we don't have to use them as a crutch.  They work well in a pinch, and if an inductee is dead or otherwise can't or won't show up (even with a recorded thank-you speech), it's okay to rely on them and have them go a little longer.  But if an inductee is there, let them do more of the talking.  Maybe the people making the packages should try coordinating with the presenters and find out what they plan to say.  That way, they can trim down the packages to prevent unnecessary redundancies.  Some redundancy is okay, when it's done for emphasis, but trim the fat where you can.  

And for crying out loud, do the freggin' all-star jam.  Even if you have to start with it and move it in post to the very end.  

Songs Of Proof: The Class Of 2020

 It was the year that nobody wants to relive.  The death toll was insane.  Fashion included new facial wear.  Everyone became proficient in making sourdough bread.  Japan officially granted Godzilla citizenship.  Civil rights unrest so incindiary, it almost felt nuclear.  By the end of the year, the whole world knew it was a boy, there were fewer baby girls being named "Karen," and the murder hornets didn't even make the highlight reel.  It was a year so traumatic that it still feels like it's that year.  A year so bad, we've all but completely stopped saying, "Hindsight is 20/20."

But if you were looking at the Class Of 2020 for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame when they were announced at the end of 2019, you might not have suspected it'd be so bad.  The downsides were the continuing trends of poor representation of women and people of color (especially living) and the claws of cronyism still firmly inserted in the Non-Performer category.  The upsides though, included electronic music finally gaining some ground, and the move to represent the '80s seeming to be succeeding.  Eight inductees, and there were a lot of high hopes for the ceremony, as new things were expected to be tried.  In all fairness, new things were tried too, just not what was hoped to be attempted.  In any event, it was a class of inductees that most people had some degree of excitement for, and in my little tradition of making a great playlist and program out of it, it is time to honor each of these inductees with a single song either by them, or that relates to them in some way.

Irving Azoff:  My choice for Big Shorty is a rather amusing one.  Indeed, when I read that he would be an inductee, I immediately took to looking up who some of the bigger name artists that he managed might be.  It didn't necessarily have to be a big name, but it would help.  Honestly, my choice of song for this man was pretty much set in stone early on.  My choice of artist is partially a protest, but it is also sincere in its own right.  There's an additional irony that the artist I chose was managed by Azoff at the time I did my research, which was after the announcement of Irving as an inductee, but who by the time the HBO broadcast aired, was on the way out the door, if not already out.  Regardless, I'm sticking with this song because it otherwise checks all the boxes.  This is an artist that Azoff managed for two decades, that he may have had to flex his business muscle to free out of an unfavorable contract situation, and was the manager of at the time this song was popular.  This artist was also chosen as a protest against the lack of female representation in the Hall.  Finding the right song was serendipitous.  Even in my own playlist, this is the third song by a female artist to represent a male inductee in this category (unless you count the Teddy Bears representing Phil Spector).  But the song chosen, primarily for the title, speaks to Azoff's clout in the industry.  This is a man who can get things done.  If you want an image change, Azoff will usually nurture it.  If there was a contract you wanted out of, he could break it for you.  And if you thought anyone could do it as quickly, efficiently, or as powerfully as Irving Azoff, well... "Ain't No Other Man."  Christina Aguilera debuts in this great passion project of mine.

Depeche Mode:  For the longest time, my choice of song for Depeche Mode was "Just Can't Get Enough," because it's so iconic and catchy.  What it is not, however, is representative of their sound.  I don't always do it that way, but after some consideration, I decided to change the Song Of Proof for this band.  As a truly innovative band that drew inspiration from the most bizarre places, always looked for ways to update their sound, and largely had a dark and brooding feel to many of their songs; it seemed like the best choice was something that at least attempted to reflect all those things.  In that vein, I thought "Strangelove" would be an appropriate choice for them, but not the original.  So often we prefer the original, but in this case, I chose the 1988 version, a slightly bigger hit on the pop charts, but the much lower charting version on the dance music charts..  Still, doing new mixes and updating their sound in new ways is part of how they've stayed cutting edge and is a better reflection on why they deserved their enshrinement into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.  Side note: their acceptance speech Zoom conference was the highlight of the HBO special for me.

The Doobie Brothers:  It's not a Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction class without some semblance of classic rock, it seems.  This year, it was the Doobie Brothers.  And I'm actually glad they got in.  "Yacht rock" is a derogatory term of hindsight for what was, at that time, was a hodgpodge of singer/songwriter, blue-eyed soul, and an evolution from the hippie love-in style of the '60s.  The truth is a song like "Takin' It To The Streets" was soulful enough to have been covered by the O'Jays or the Spinners, in my opinion.  Same for "Minute By Minute."  Earlier songs like "Black Water" and "Long Train Running" maybe weren't quite as soulful, but they weren't cookie cutter, either.  It's okay to have a purely populist pick, and the Doobie Brothers were a good selection for that slot this time around.  My choice for this band is unchanged from what it was back when they were still only "Previously Considered."  "Jesus Is Just Alright" has a great rock and roll feel to it, with a hint of soul that comes through in the lyrics, harmonies, and doo-wop-like lines between chorus and verses.  It's nowhere near their biggest hit, but it's one people know and generally like.  Solid song from a solid band.

Whitney Houston:  An absolute powerhouse of talent and memorable songs, it's embarrassing that it took this long to get Whitney Houston inducted.  Maybe the powers-that-be thought her torch ballads were a little too saccharine or too prominent in her catalog,  Other than maybe "I Will Always Love You," I'd say that's a patently absurd argument, and even with that song, it's really more the inescapability of that song when it was topping the charts that made people sick of hearing it, similar to "All I Want For Christmas Is You" every December.  But when you just stop and think that this is someone who took a national anthem into the pop charts, that's just so implausible that the fact it happened speaks volumes about the quality of the performer.  That's not even getting into the danceable jams that made her a staple of R&B in the late '80s.  So grab your favorite being and flail around this strange planet, because the song for this legend is the fourth of her seven consecutive #1 hits, "I Wanna Dance Somebody (Who Loves Me)."  One of four songs that recharted after her death in 2012, it still cracked the Top 40, and despite its unquestionably 1980's production values, it's still as fun to play at your party, and maybe even attempt at karaoke night.  Not that I've ever tried that.  Seriously, I haven't, it's just fun and catchy enough that someone you know has attempted it at some point. 

Jon Landau:  As much as I wanted to use another female artist to protest the lack of representation, I also felt it would have been really disingenuous to use a Shania Twain or Natalie Merchant song for this man.  I thought that would have been corroborating or legitimizing the skewed storytelling that the Hall tried to feed us in the video package for him during the HBO special.  I've already expressed my disdain for the general idea of inducting critics into the Hall for their work as critics, and his production credits are too sporadic and minor to go that route.  It's about his work as a manager, and whereas it's legit to use a female artist for Azoff, because he's famous for representing a multitude of acts and talents, Landau, by contrast, is ultimately famous for managing one act, period.  That's without even getting sinister about his place in the Foundation organization, but we're here to pay tribute to Caesar, not bury him.  It has to be the Boss.  As was the case with Irving Azoff, the title of the chosen song just really lends itself naturally to honoring Landau.  And as a bonus, it's a song that Landau had a hand in producing.  Not that I'm throwing a bone to his defense, it just happened to work out that way.  A good manager takes care of their artists, covers them, one might say.  It's also one of my favorite songs by Springsteen and company; so crank it up for "Cover Me."

Nine Inch Nails:  This was actually the very last Song Of Proof for this class to be chosen.  Much of that had to do with the fact that what I wanted to believe archetypal industrial music sounded like and what a good chunk of Nine Inch Nails' music actually sounds like are two different things.  Basically, I wanted "Head Like A Hole," but faster and even more brash and cacophonous.  Needless to say, I needed to reprogram my understanding of this music.  I feel like I went a little bit cliche, but it's still a solid pick.  I can't really describe why this seems to be the best choice, given everything I was looking for, but the serendipity of this song being in a movie soundtrack was just icing on the cake.  It feels really experimental.  The perfect blend of pace and emotional feel, the perfect marriage of technical and technological wizardry, the perfect mental picture painted by the lyrics to describe Nine Inch Nails, the perfect song to use, really.... "The Perfect Drug."

The Notorious B.I.G.:  The choice for Biggie was "Big Poppa."  It might not be quite as famous as "Hypnotize" or "Juicy," but it was still a pretty big hit for him.  It really gives an overall feeling to the general gestalt of Mr. Wallace's music.  It has some real pop sensibilities, but it also still has a little bit of a street feel to it.  It projects an overall vibe of the man, demonstrates his flow rate, and firmly establishes his claim as one of the all-time greatest rappers.  The choice of sampling is impeccable, and it is a song that you can either relate to or just chill while listening to.  It's uniquely his, even to the point of being the only artist of credit on the song, but it feels like a song that's for everyone to some degree.  Great song overall.

T. Rex:  In terms of legacy, T. Rex is a rather odd band.  Marc Bolan was clearly at the helm, and yet, it definitely wasn't all about him.  Their music had very strong hints of bubblegum music from the '60s, but it was more than that.  There were sometimes hints of folk, psychedelia, and harder-edged rock.  They were also considered by many, especially in the United Kingdom, as pioneers of both glam and punk.  I personally don't hear the simplicity and rawness of punk in their songs, but if they were influential to punk and post-punk bands, then I certainly won't attempt to argue.  Calling T. Rex "bubblegum" is unfair, but not without merit.  I think of them more as Tootsie Pops.  There's the really sweet, fruit-flavored layer to it, but underneath lies the darker-flavored chocolate of their distortion and palpable bass.  Yet that part of it is also sweet, but a different kind of sweetness.  And while I was strongly considering "20th Century Boy" and "Metal Guru," I ultimately concluded that it isn't necessarily playing up to Americentric biases in the Hall's Foundation to keep "Bang A Gong (Get It On)" as the choice for this band.  It might be a little grittier than some of the other songs, especially "Ride A White Swan," but it still has the elements there of all that T. Rex was said to be influential upon.  So it stays. 

And with that, we have reached the end of the Class Of 2020.  Eight inductees, eight songs.  We'll never know what the live broadcast would have looked like, but the presentation we were given was pretty awesome.  As vaccinations are taking place, it's looking more and more like there might be an actual gathering for the Class Of 2021.  I don't think I'll be able to attend this year, unfortunately.  Having the ceremony in the fourth quarter of the year, which is the first quarter of my work calendar, certainly doesn't help, but I do hope to join all my fellow hobbyists at a ceremony one of these years.  Meanwhile, until then, I'm not officially committing to any song for any of those thirteen inductees.  As for 2020, do you have any thoughts on these eight selections?  Any songs you would have used instead?  Feel free to chime in; the Comments section awaits below.  And as a recap:

Irving Azoff: "Ain't No Other Man" by Christina Aguilera
Depeche Mode: "Strangelove" ('88)
the Doobie Borthers: "Jesus Is Just Alright"
Whitney Houston: "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)"
Jon Landau: "Cover Me" by Bruce Springsteen
Nine Inch Nails: "The Perfect Drug"
the Notorious B.I.G.: "Big Poppa"
T. Rex: "Bang A Gong (Get It On)"