By Steve Newton
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has made some silly-ass moves over the years, nominating lame-o acts like Chic and inducting Cat Stevens while leaving more deserving nominees such as Link Wray and Deep Purple–artists who actually rock–out in the cold.
Well, just yesterday the Rock Hall took a sizeable step away from being perceived as total bumbling idiots by finally inducting legendary Texas guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan and his band Double Trouble into its hallowed institution.
It took them long enough–since Vaughan had been eligible for seven years–but at least it happened. Maybe it’s a sign that the brainiacs out in Cleveland are coming around, becoming able to spot sheer musical brilliance once it’s been staring them in the face for 30 years or so.
Could a nomination for the overly-deserving Rory Gallagher be next?
I wouldn’t bet your prized Gallagher-model Strat on it, because–although the Rock Hall also ushered in such no-brainer choices as Lou Reed and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band (Bloomfield forever!)–its class of 2015 also includes Green Day, which got chosen the very first year it was eligible.
Fucking Green Day? You’ve got to be kidding, right? The Rock Hall chose those posers over the likes of Wray and Purple, the guy who invented the raunchy riff and the group that recorded Machine Head?
They inducted that punk twit who sings with a fake British accent without even nominating Johnny freakin’ Winter, who’s been eligible for, what, 20 goddamn years?
I. Give. Up.
Oh no I don’t. Screw that. I’m building up my own page to keep tabs on how messed up the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is and to let people know whenever it deserves a good slagging.
Which is two or three times a year, at least.
I couldn’t care less if Rory is ever elected to the Hall. Have you seen who’s in that thing? He and Deep Purple should ever remain far from Abba and Donna Summer. It was a joke from the beginning. First of all, it should have been built in England. Americans are too myopic to do this correctly. Secondly, almost all of the initial inductees were not rock and roll; they may have influenced it, but they didn’t play it. Thirdly, HOW THE FUCK WERE THE BEATLES NOT THE FIRST?!?!? That fact alone discredited it before it even got started. Fourthly, it is no longer rock and roll when it is tainted with gospel, soul, disco, pop, hip-hop, and that shit known as rap. Why are there no classical musicians? Surely they influenced rock and roll. Does the country Hall induct the Rolling Stones for recording Country Honk, or the Beatles for Rocky Racoon? Lastly, the Hall should have nothing to do with anyone from Rolling Stone magazine, the most pretentious rag on the planet. These are the fuckwads that voted Bob Dylan the second greatest vocalist of the rock era. They are morons.
What I’d rather see is someone build a new hall and do it the right way. Until then, Rory and Deep Purple are in my heart where good music belongs.
The Rock and Roll Hall of fame lost their street creds the second ABBA was inducted, nothing but a PR ploy for the “Moma Mia! movie release.
Steppenwolf?