The Crock Hall of Fame

Once again, another hall of fame has gotten under my skin. Usually it's the National Baseball one (the one in Cooperstown, folks) but for the past few days, it's been the farce in Cleveland, known as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

I visited it in 1999 (figured we should make the pilgrimage at least once) and at the time found it to be a rather enlightening trip down rock music's great memory lane. The true gods of the genre were enshrined - The Beatles, Chuck Berry, Elvis, The Stones and so on.

(Quick aside to Caroline Corley on The Peak - for the LAST FREAKIN' TIME, we get it - you think the Stones are the greatest rock band ever. You don't need to say it EVERY TIME YOU PLAY A STONES SONG...which is at least several times during your shift. You sound like an IDIOT every time you say it. I'm only here to help.)

Whew. Thanks. That feels better.

Anyway the 2007 class was announced and we can now say that this is no longer a hall of fame that involves rock at all. Here are the inductees:

Performer:
John Mellencamp
Leonard Cohen
Madonna
The Dave Clark Five
The Ventures

Sidemen:
Little Walter

Non-Performer:
Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff


Are...you...KIDDING ME??

OK, The Ventures were cool simply for the theme to "Hawaii Five-O" and can be considered influential. Leonard Cohen falls also into the category of "influence." I'm willing to let these two slide...sort of. The Dave Clark Five rode the coattails of the Beatles and Stones to some stateside success, but they are certainly a debatable choice.

That brings us to Madge and JC..um...JCM...um...Mellen...OH FORGET IT!

You know, it's funny. Just the other day, I popped on Q-104 (New Yorks City's lone rock and roll outlet) and I was jamming to "Like a Virgin." Well not exactly. Tell me the last time you considered her to be rock? Is she a MUSICAL icon? You bet! Is her music legendary? Got no argument there. Is she a rock icon?

Come on, people!

Then there's JC Springsteen from Indiana. As always, I use my "legend" barometer when assessing hall of famers. Is John Mellencamp a true rock legend? Jesus, God, No. He had some chart success, esepecially in the 1980's. He's done well as a musician with a conscience (great, Farm Aid). He even seems like a nice guy (how far has that gotten me exactly?). Does that make him any better than, oh I don't know, HUEY LEWIS?

Now before you go all Cobain on me, I am NOT...repeat...NOT starting a campaign to put HLN into the Rock Hall. I'm just saying what makes Mellancamp better, is all.

For a wonderful perspective on this whole situation, please read this from Roger Friedman. He covers the whole fiasco, and who should be considered before anybody else.

Rock on!