Yearly Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Debate Thread

Badfinger is the most underrated band of all time, btw.

 

I would say being a standout session band SHOULD blow the doors off the RRHOF, given some of the great session players who have appeared on thousands of records (special note -- RIP, Earl Palmer).

Where are all those Phil Spector records without the Wrecking Crew? (Or most of 1960s pop for that matter, given how many of them played on other records, most notably the Beach Boys. Carol Kaye played bass and Hal Blaine played drums on just about every L.A. band's records from 1965-69.)

Where is Motown without the Funk Brothers?

Where are those Atlantic hits without the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section?

Where is Otis Redding and most of the Stax crew without Booker T. & the MG's, and the Bar-Kays?

Where is Michael Jackson and early 80s pop like the Tubes without Toto? (OK, this argument has its limits.)

Great session players, ones who brought an innovative sound and soul to numerous artists, deserve to be recognized.

 

My bad on the 25-year rule. But still, 5 years for Clapton? Great with Cream. Great with Yardbirds. Great on his own.

 

His stuff with Cream and the 'Birds are significantly better than on his own. But Clapton is still a first ballot because he's incredibly influential and accomplished.

 

I could see that. And that's exactly what I'd hope they do if it went down like that.

 

I agree it is better, but not by some huge margin. Cocaine, After Midnight, Wonderful Tonight, Lay Down Sally, that's some great shit.

Yes I'm a fanboi

 

Stuff like this is why I love Rush fans. So blissfully and cluelessly nerdy.

 

Beg to differ here, Bubs. Somehow, I sense that those guys aren't really too upset about not being invited. The other exclusions - some of them egregious - might help drive home the point that the RRHOF's credibility is crap for more than just the exclusion of Rush.

 

Clapton was an amazing musician in the 1960s. Then he went solo after being in multiple bands that couldn't stay together (and whose common denominator was his presence), and proceeded to release some of the worst pop pablum around over the last 35 or so years.

Some good tunes, sure. But he was godly with Cream. As a solo act, he clearly sought radio play.

 

I'm not talking about that. And I don't even disagree the concept of a Rock Hall is crap.

What I'm talking about is the premise that a member of Rush would die, sympathy would set in, they'd get inducted, then the remaining members would symbolically flip the R&R HOF off.

That's the kind of revenge fantasy nerds think about when someone throws a dodgeball off their face in eighth grade.

 

Maybe you're right, Bubs. Who really knows?

But my biggest concern is that we're giving this organization too much credit by raising hell about it. Perhaps letting the issue fly away would label the short-sighted people who run the RRHOF the irrelevancy some of us feel it deserves.

That might work better than flipping them off. Doing that likely inflates their self-importance.

 

HI THERE!

(I know, I know: Not Sledgehammer)