December 15, 2001 by A.S. Van Dorston

Two CBGB’s alumni have just been awarded the ultimate validation. The Ramones and The Talking Heads will be inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame for 2002. Of course, now that the wall has been broken down for punk, so to speak, there’s been talk of other obvious choices, which are overwhelmingly The Sex Pistols, The Clash, Elvis Costello and Blondie.

I’ve pretty much ignored the choices for HoF inductees in the past, because I thought it was hardly better than the Grammys. But it is getting interesting. I must say there are far, far more more currently eligible people than the four aforementioned bands, however. For cryin’ out loud. What about The Pretty Things, The Creation, The Small Faces, The Zombies, The Fugs, Os Mutantes, Captain Beefheart, Gram Parsons, Tim Buckley, Nick Drake, Robert Wyatt, Todd Rundgren, Tom Waits, Ry Cooder, Fairport Convention, Roy Harper, Harry Nilsson, Randy Newman, War, Tower Of Power, Shuggie Otis, fusion-era Miles Davis, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return To Forever, Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters, Henry Cow, Free, Humble Pie, King Crimson, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Alice Cooper, The Stooges, MC5, Modern Lovers, Big Star, New York Dolls, Pere Ubu, The Dictators, Suicide, Patti Smith, Television, Richard Hell & the Voidoids, Cheap Trick, The Cars, The Buzzcocks, Wire, The Jam, The Saints, The Damned, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Max Romeo, The Heptones, Junior Murvin, Jimmy Cliff, Junior Byles, Burning Spear, Toots & The Maytals, Tangerine Dream, Can, Neu!, Faust, Roxy Music, T. Rex, Brian Eno, Graham Parker, Nick Lowe, Hawkwind, Motorhead, AC/DC? Black Sabbath?

At least the Hall Of Fame did induct Parliament-Funkadelic, Velvet Underground and Bowie. But until some more of these artists are inducted, it will always be a joke (see Steely Dan, Aerosmith, Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor). It’s cool that they inducted Bob Wills & The Texas Playboys as an early influence. They were truly a great, groundbreaking band that was daringly racially mixed in a time when it was dangerous to do so. They mixed country with blues and jazz. Now the HoF needs to include some lesser known Rockabilly musicians like Wanda Jackson, Johnny Burnette Trio, Sonny Burgess, Warren Smith and Billy Lee Riley. Then there’s Charlie Rich, George Jones (mixed country and rockabilly), Screamin’ Jay Hawkins (hoodoo rock and showtunes), Larry Williams (Little Richard-meets-rockabilly), Esquivel (mix of Little Richard & Ritchie Valens) and Willie Mitchell (both a crack M.G.’s-like instrumental band, and producer). And what, the M.G.’s but no Bar-Kays or Meters? Come on!!! Where’s Lee Dorsey? Or Blowfly??? I mean, who are these “experts,” and who picks ’em? I’ll make my campaign promise now, if I ever weasel into the 1000+ panel of experts, I’d spent ever ounce of my will to get Blowfly inducted!

From www.rockhall.com —

Election of Inductees
Leaders in the music industry joined together in 1983 to establish the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. One of the Foundation’s many functions is to recognize the contributions of those who have had a significant impact on the evolution, development and perpetuation of rock and roll by inducting them into the Hall of Fame.

Performers
Artists become eligible for induction 25 years after the release of their first record. Criteria include the influence and significance of the artist’s contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock and roll.

The Foundation’s nominating committee, composed of rock and roll historians, selects nominees each year in the Performer category. Ballots are then sent to an international voting body of about 1,000 rock experts. Those performers who receive the highest number of votes, and more than 50 percent of the vote, are inducted. The Foundation generally inducts five to seven performers each year.

Non-Performers
Songwriters, producers, disc jockeys, record executives, journalists and other industry professionals who have had a major influence on the development of rock and roll.

Early Influences
Artists whose music predated rock and roll but had an impact on the evolution of rock and roll and inspired rock’s leading artists.

The special selection committee elects the inductees in the Non-performer and Early Influences categories.

Side Men
This category was introduced in 2000. It honors those musicians who have spent their career out of the spotlight, performing as backup musicians for major artists on recording sessions and in concert. Though they often play a key role in the creation of memorable music, the public rarely knows them by name. A separate committee, composed primarily of producers, selects the inductees in this category.

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