Today's post is from our friend HIM. The Guns n' Roses reunion show review will post tomorrow.
None of us (save Ace!) know where the bodies are buried. We don’t know the dirt, even if we take stabs at figuring out the skinny.
So let me be clear: I hate the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I think it represents the nadir of expectations. It is a craven and shameless corporate glad-fest, populated by self-important denizens who can only feign credibility after years of spitting out corporate rock platitudes that they now choke on.
But still, I am a poseur. I watched all of the videos. And I wanted to not like what happened because I loathe where it happened. I couldn’t do that. Ulrich did Deep Purple a service. Purple showed up (Blackmore-less) and proved why they still count. Steve Miller, again, reminded people why he deserves to be worshiped, not only in playing but in targeting the RaRHoF for its flaccid hold on what it suggests it stands for. Chicago played, if Cetera-less, and made a reasonable claim for their value. N.W.A. managed to poke the bear that is Simmons while still reminding people that they belong, if not in the RaRHoF, then in the pantheon of bands who made music feel dangerous and alive.
Cheap Trick did one better. They played nice. And that isn’t very rocking. But it counts in a façade. Their speeches were the epitome of grace and humility:
And their performance was a rousing show of what the RaRHoF so casually monetizes. In a world of Sabbaths without Ward, Roses without Stradlin (not to mention Whites without Russell and Ryches without Tate), Cheap Trick put it all aside and did what needed to be done . . . with Carlos doing what the fans who care wanted all along:
Even Kid Rock’s introduction suggests that his calculated swagger is, at heart, a tribute to bands that rocked his world when he was but a youth:
The RaRHoF is, at best, a museum that deserves a visit. The RaRHoF is, at worst, a horrid example of why the music we love doesn’t garner the support it so clearly deserves. But to see Cheap Trick accepting their awards so graciously, and then seeing them playing so wonderfully, reminds me of an important truth: music that counts is made for the fans even if it is made by artists. Cheap Trick are both: fans and artists. Long live music.
Hear, hear, HIM! Though I don't hold in disdain The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at quite the same level you do, your piece so articulately captures what the latest induction ceremony showed -- A glimmer of hope for respect and respectability.
Cheap Trick demonstrated what bands who are inducted SHOULD ALWAYS DO! The Right Thing! And that is to put their high school bulls*t aside, even lawsuits, as is the case with Bun E. Carlos and Cheap Trick, and for the Love of Rock & Roll, get in the spirit of the thing and get on the God D*mned stage and play as you were inducted for the Fans and for the World.
Let's hope more bands follow in Cheap Trick's footsteps and wake up and do the right thing. I'm also starting to think TRaRHoF should let bands who do manage to patch it up, get another shot at performing post induction, i.e. Guns n' Roses -- though they would still need Stradlin and Adler for that to go down right...
And they could also be sure to induct bands when they DO get back together, i.e. KISS. Though it was great to see KISS all together on stage last year, they should have been performing. The way that could have happened was for TRaRHoF to jump on inducting them when they had the chance -- when KISS WAS performing pn tour together when they were eligible.
That sort of timeliness and inducting the most deserving and relevant bands to the genre in a timely fashion would do wonders to help legitimize the severely tarnished RaRHoF. Obviously, Jan Wenner has made a lot of enemies and he could help the musicians, the fans, the industry and the world a helluva lot more than he is now.
And he could start by putting his ego aside and make it his constant priority to DO THE RIGHT THING! And if he can't do it himself, at least have the situational awareness that so many are screaming for him to FIX IT and surround himself with people who can to help him. One person who sure could as hell could do the job is Rick Nielsen. What a CLASS ACT!
The Rock n Roll Hall of Shame lived down to already horrible reputation once again.
Cheap Trick acted so desperate to be included, that they rolled over & played dead for Jaan Wenner & his cast of idiots that run the place.
Steve Miller was honest & came out swinging about what a sh*t deal it is for the artists involved.
N.W.A. don't really belong here.. But they do deserve to be in some sort of Hall of Fame, just not Rock n' Roll's.
What COULD HAVE BEEN one of rock history's biggest moments was marred by bad decisions & egos... and surprisingly it was the artist in question who f*cked it up...
Deep Purple had a chance to reunite with the man who's "Smoke On The Water" riff built the Hall of Fame, Richie Blackmore but management & the current "cover band" version insisted on playing with non-inductee guitarist Steve Mores... WTF!!!! Bad move. Blackmore's guitar built that band & propelled it 95% of the time.. (and I say this as a Tommy Bolin fan).
The opportunity to play nice, reunite the MK II version of the band w/ Blackmore. Add in original Mk I singer Rod Evans for "Hush" and also jam w/ MK III members David Coverdale & Glenn Hughes could've been EPIC !!!! But no.... the version NOBODY cares about had it their way. what a shame. Coverdale , Evans , & Hughes along with vocalist Ian Gillian jamming together could have been the best moment in rock.
And of course, Shame on the HOF staff for NOT inducting Deep Purple while keyboardist Jon Lord was alive, is one of the biggest slights ever.
Oh it wasn't egos, it was greed that killed the Beast. The Rock Hall of Fame makes extraordinary amounts of money in licensing including a deal with HBO that they don't even give to the bands for their performances. Blackmore with Purple, HUGE viewership, Axl with ALL of GnR, HUGE, Kiss with Peter and Ace, HUGE...plenty more to name and yet they would get ZERO. Doing it for the fans is one thing, allowing someone to PROFIT from it, a whole other.
If you haven't seen it watch the Cheap Trick - Jennifer nettles Version of CMT's Crossroads. At 63 Zander hits every note and then some. He puts most singers let alone the ones his age to shame.. If nothing else the RandRHOF gives Cheap Trick the due recognition they deserve.
So awesome to see Cheap Trick get the respect is so deserves!! One of my first loves and concerts back in 77-78 right after the Budokan album was out and all over the radio, New England, Cheap Trick and Kiss, fell in love with Cheap Trick from that day forward, have traveled many miles and have seen them close to over 50 times over all these years. Look at the first two albums, who would of thought two good looking guys and two nerdy looking guys could put out such great music and then one of the first or few bass players banging notes and chords on a freakin 12 string bass, add to that all the weird guitars Rick use to play. Bands like this will never be seen again!!
Goose bumps with the Kid Rock speech, all the way thru the 4 members talking (even with a Waukesha, WI shout out ?!?!), and of course the performance.
Say what you want about the RnR HOF, but man sometimes they really take you back and remember why you love music so much. Its connection to a little ol' band from Rockford, IL. Good stuff !
So do we agree or disagree, Ace? And have you checked your inbox yet?
I think the RaRHoF is a sham. But I appreciate some of the bands therein, enjoyed the museum, and can understand those who want in and those who don't.
Nothing about this induction changed that. But I appreciated Cheap Trick's approach, as much as I appreciated Steve Miller's. Call that a paradox. And trying to square the circle that is DP at an event that is a bunch of puffery is asking a lot. DP's problems extend beyond a farce like RaRHoF. It couldn't be resolved there. Heck, it shouldn't be (see also: GnR).
Tuesday, April 12, 2016 at 12:01AM
Reader Comments (7)
Cheap Trick demonstrated what bands who are inducted SHOULD ALWAYS DO! The Right Thing! And that is to put their high school bulls*t aside, even lawsuits, as is the case with Bun E. Carlos and Cheap Trick, and for the Love of Rock & Roll, get in the spirit of the thing and get on the God D*mned stage and play as you were inducted for the Fans and for the World.
Let's hope more bands follow in Cheap Trick's footsteps and wake up and do the right thing. I'm also starting to think TRaRHoF should let bands who do manage to patch it up, get another shot at performing post induction, i.e. Guns n' Roses -- though they would still need Stradlin and Adler for that to go down right...
And they could also be sure to induct bands when they DO get back together, i.e. KISS. Though it was great to see KISS all together on stage last year, they should have been performing. The way that could have happened was for TRaRHoF to jump on inducting them when they had the chance -- when KISS WAS performing pn tour together when they were eligible.
That sort of timeliness and inducting the most deserving and relevant bands to the genre in a timely fashion would do wonders to help legitimize the severely tarnished RaRHoF. Obviously, Jan Wenner has made a lot of enemies and he could help the musicians, the fans, the industry and the world a helluva lot more than he is now.
And he could start by putting his ego aside and make it his constant priority to DO THE RIGHT THING! And if he can't do it himself, at least have the situational awareness that so many are screaming for him to FIX IT and surround himself with people who can to help him. One person who sure could as hell could do the job is Rick Nielsen. What a CLASS ACT!
Cheap Trick acted so desperate to be included, that they rolled over & played dead for Jaan Wenner & his cast of idiots that run the place.
Steve Miller was honest & came out swinging about what a sh*t deal it is for the artists involved.
N.W.A. don't really belong here.. But they do deserve to be in some sort of Hall of Fame, just not Rock n' Roll's.
What COULD HAVE BEEN one of rock history's biggest moments was marred by bad decisions & egos... and surprisingly it was the artist in question who f*cked it up...
Deep Purple had a chance to reunite with the man who's "Smoke On The Water" riff built the Hall of Fame, Richie Blackmore but management & the current "cover band" version insisted on playing with non-inductee guitarist Steve Mores... WTF!!!! Bad move. Blackmore's guitar built that band & propelled it 95% of the time.. (and I say this as a Tommy Bolin fan).
The opportunity to play nice, reunite the MK II version of the band w/ Blackmore. Add in original Mk I singer Rod Evans for "Hush" and also jam w/ MK III members David Coverdale & Glenn Hughes could've been EPIC !!!! But no.... the version NOBODY cares about had it their way. what a shame. Coverdale , Evans , & Hughes along with vocalist Ian Gillian jamming together could have been the best moment in rock.
And of course, Shame on the HOF staff for NOT inducting Deep Purple while keyboardist Jon Lord was alive, is one of the biggest slights ever.
Say what you want about the RnR HOF, but man sometimes they really take you back and remember why you love music so much. Its connection to a little ol' band from Rockford, IL.
Good stuff !
I think the RaRHoF is a sham. But I appreciate some of the bands therein, enjoyed the museum, and can understand those who want in and those who don't.
Nothing about this induction changed that. But I appreciated Cheap Trick's approach, as much as I appreciated Steve Miller's. Call that a paradox. And trying to square the circle that is DP at an event that is a bunch of puffery is asking a lot. DP's problems extend beyond a farce like RaRHoF. It couldn't be resolved there. Heck, it shouldn't be (see also: GnR).