The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ("the Hall") recently announced its 2011 Class of inductees, and among the new members are Neil Diamond, Tom Waits. Dr. John (AKA: Mac Rebennack), Darlene Love, and Jac Holzman. The main point of this blog is to congratulate the Hall on these new additions, and say a few words about the inconsistent selection criteria employed by the Hall over the years.
Darlene Love, of course, was one of the Crystals ("He's a Rebel") and was part of Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans, who did the great cover of "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah"). (Trivia question: which other 2011 inductee has recorded a Disney classic? Stay tuned.) Love will forever be associated with Phil Spector and his "wall of sound," and songs like "Da Doo Run Run." She sang the best version of "River Deep, Mountain High," I've ever heard, and it remains a still under-appreciated rock classic.
Tom Waits is an enormously talented and indiosyncratic musician. He is the composer of "Jersey Girl," and while an "acquired taste," he, like good scotch, is a taste worth acquiring.
Jac Holzman was the founder of Electra Records, and introduced the music world to such greats as Judy Collins, the late Phil Ochs, Carly Simon, the Doors and many others. (While he didn't introduce the world to the great Josh White, he greatly increased White's exposure to a new generation of blues enthusiasts.) The face that Josh White has not been admitted to the Hall as an "early influence" is a glaring omission. Ask any blues guitarist worth his licks. As for Holzman's taste, just look through the Elektra catalogue of the 60's and 70's, and you'll find it a folk and folk-rock who's who.
Dr. John is a great New Orleans musician, whose piano playing and singing carry the tradition of Dixieland jazz to a new audience, all while advancing his own, unique style. Listen to him sing "Making Whoopie" (with Ricki Lee Jones), the old Eddie Cantor staple, and you'll know what I mean. That said, a rock and roller he ain't.
Last, but far from least, is the long-overdue induction of Neil Diamond. The Hall requires a performer to have a twenty-five year reign as a musician before becoming eligible. They sometimes gets a little too "purist" for my taste, and bend over backwards to honor people who can hardly lay claim to being rock and rollers. Miles Davis and Johnny Cash were great musicians, but rock was not their genre, nor did they have much influence on the development of rock qua rock. Look, Tony Bennett, nd Ella Fitzgerald have each made immeasurable contributions to American popular music, but no one should seriously bemoan their absence from the Hall. Based on his Brill Building credentials, Neil Diamond could have made the Hall as a songwriter alone. Among other songs, he wrote "I'm a Believer," for the Monkees. Speaking of the Monkees, their omission from the Hall strikes me as an oversight. To be sure, they were an "invented" group, an admitted knock-off of the Beatles, and created for TV. Even so, they recorded "Last Train to Clarksville," "Daydream Believer," "Pleasant Valley Sunday," and enough other good songs to qualify. While we're looking at overlooked performers, where' are Carly Simon and Linda Ronstadt? Even Carole King (whose blockbuster "Tapestry" remains one of the great rock albums of all time, is not in the Hall as a performer. Yes, I know she made the hall with (ex-husband) Gerry Goffin as songwriters, but, come on, she is certainly a performer worth recognizing! Getting back to Diamond, the fact that so many of us grew up singing and dancing to his songs shouldn't be a disqualifier. Please don't dismiss him as more of a "pop" singer than a rocker. If so, why is Bobby Darin in the Hall? Diamond's "You Don't Bring me Flowers" (in fairness, hardly rock and roll), remains one of the most poignant, adult laments I've ever heard.
As for other notable omissions, Meat Loaf (and lyricist and pianist Jim Steinman) created the great "Bat Out of Hell" as a reaction against what it saw as the "wimping out" of rock in favor of the folk-rock crooners James Taylor, Jackson Browne and the like. While I greatly admire Taylor and Browne, doesn't Meat Loaf deserve a shot? As for the oldies' Carl Perkins and Gene Vincent had basically one-hit each, and made the Hall. If these country singers made it, what about the multi-talented Kris Kristofferson. Isn't "Me and Bobby McGee" as worthy as "Be-Bop a Lula?" And as for old rock n' rollers, where pray tell, are the Cleftones? (Oldsters like me fondly remember "Little Girl of Mine," "Can't we be Sweethearts, "You, you, you," and others. They were real street corner singers.)
So, two cheers for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. You usually do get it right, but sit back one night and give a listen to the people whose songs should be considered knocks on the door. It may be hard to believe, but Rolling Stone (long considered the rock bible), originally dissed, Elton John, Billy Joel, and the Eagles! Now they're in the Hall, where they belong. More importantly (as my son Jason points out), these artists--and their songs--have stood the test of time.
I believe the Hall should have a "veteran's" committee, like the Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, which periodically reviews (and corrects) earlier oversights. As someone present at the creation of rock and roll, I've always believed it is an emotional music, something that you feel. While rock criticism has its place, don't rule people out who know how to write the kinds of songs people enjoy hearing. They came not just from the Brill Building, but from Nashville, St. Louis, Tupelo, New Jersey and Hibbing, Minnesota.
Darlene Love, of course, was one of the Crystals ("He's a Rebel") and was part of Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans, who did the great cover of "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah"). (Trivia question: which other 2011 inductee has recorded a Disney classic? Stay tuned.) Love will forever be associated with Phil Spector and his "wall of sound," and songs like "Da Doo Run Run." She sang the best version of "River Deep, Mountain High," I've ever heard, and it remains a still under-appreciated rock classic.
Tom Waits is an enormously talented and indiosyncratic musician. He is the composer of "Jersey Girl," and while an "acquired taste," he, like good scotch, is a taste worth acquiring.
Jac Holzman was the founder of Electra Records, and introduced the music world to such greats as Judy Collins, the late Phil Ochs, Carly Simon, the Doors and many others. (While he didn't introduce the world to the great Josh White, he greatly increased White's exposure to a new generation of blues enthusiasts.) The face that Josh White has not been admitted to the Hall as an "early influence" is a glaring omission. Ask any blues guitarist worth his licks. As for Holzman's taste, just look through the Elektra catalogue of the 60's and 70's, and you'll find it a folk and folk-rock who's who.
Dr. John is a great New Orleans musician, whose piano playing and singing carry the tradition of Dixieland jazz to a new audience, all while advancing his own, unique style. Listen to him sing "Making Whoopie" (with Ricki Lee Jones), the old Eddie Cantor staple, and you'll know what I mean. That said, a rock and roller he ain't.
Last, but far from least, is the long-overdue induction of Neil Diamond. The Hall requires a performer to have a twenty-five year reign as a musician before becoming eligible. They sometimes gets a little too "purist" for my taste, and bend over backwards to honor people who can hardly lay claim to being rock and rollers. Miles Davis and Johnny Cash were great musicians, but rock was not their genre, nor did they have much influence on the development of rock qua rock. Look, Tony Bennett, nd Ella Fitzgerald have each made immeasurable contributions to American popular music, but no one should seriously bemoan their absence from the Hall. Based on his Brill Building credentials, Neil Diamond could have made the Hall as a songwriter alone. Among other songs, he wrote "I'm a Believer," for the Monkees. Speaking of the Monkees, their omission from the Hall strikes me as an oversight. To be sure, they were an "invented" group, an admitted knock-off of the Beatles, and created for TV. Even so, they recorded "Last Train to Clarksville," "Daydream Believer," "Pleasant Valley Sunday," and enough other good songs to qualify. While we're looking at overlooked performers, where' are Carly Simon and Linda Ronstadt? Even Carole King (whose blockbuster "Tapestry" remains one of the great rock albums of all time, is not in the Hall as a performer. Yes, I know she made the hall with (ex-husband) Gerry Goffin as songwriters, but, come on, she is certainly a performer worth recognizing! Getting back to Diamond, the fact that so many of us grew up singing and dancing to his songs shouldn't be a disqualifier. Please don't dismiss him as more of a "pop" singer than a rocker. If so, why is Bobby Darin in the Hall? Diamond's "You Don't Bring me Flowers" (in fairness, hardly rock and roll), remains one of the most poignant, adult laments I've ever heard.
As for other notable omissions, Meat Loaf (and lyricist and pianist Jim Steinman) created the great "Bat Out of Hell" as a reaction against what it saw as the "wimping out" of rock in favor of the folk-rock crooners James Taylor, Jackson Browne and the like. While I greatly admire Taylor and Browne, doesn't Meat Loaf deserve a shot? As for the oldies' Carl Perkins and Gene Vincent had basically one-hit each, and made the Hall. If these country singers made it, what about the multi-talented Kris Kristofferson. Isn't "Me and Bobby McGee" as worthy as "Be-Bop a Lula?" And as for old rock n' rollers, where pray tell, are the Cleftones? (Oldsters like me fondly remember "Little Girl of Mine," "Can't we be Sweethearts, "You, you, you," and others. They were real street corner singers.)
So, two cheers for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. You usually do get it right, but sit back one night and give a listen to the people whose songs should be considered knocks on the door. It may be hard to believe, but Rolling Stone (long considered the rock bible), originally dissed, Elton John, Billy Joel, and the Eagles! Now they're in the Hall, where they belong. More importantly (as my son Jason points out), these artists--and their songs--have stood the test of time.
I believe the Hall should have a "veteran's" committee, like the Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, which periodically reviews (and corrects) earlier oversights. As someone present at the creation of rock and roll, I've always believed it is an emotional music, something that you feel. While rock criticism has its place, don't rule people out who know how to write the kinds of songs people enjoy hearing. They came not just from the Brill Building, but from Nashville, St. Louis, Tupelo, New Jersey and Hibbing, Minnesota.
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