Prince Rogers Nelson 

Prince, Price, Queen - Should they be members of the Rock Hall?

Prince induction into the rock hall of fame is well deserved. Prince and the Revolution had received plenty of MTV rotation of 1999, and Little Red Corvette from 1999. But, still, he took the rock world by surprise with his guitar blistering solo on Let’s Go Crazy and the title track from Purple Rain, and the fact that all the songs were great with the exception of the novelty tune Darling Nikki. People of all races enjoyed the movie too and tried to emulate his majestic performance as he played the bad guy who really wasn’t bad and many guys were reported to have their teeth knocked out for copying Prince’s slapping (of his girlfriend in the movie) on their significant others. Best to leave stuff like that in the movies. Prince was rumored to be in line to play Hendrix although it never happened. He was good enough to have been convincing in the role. Prince continued to razzle-dazzle the rock world with the psychedelic leanings of Around the World in a Day that included Raspberry Parade, Pop Life, and the guitar heavy, Temptation. His next album Parade was a transitional album with Prince lessening his rock prominence and easing into more of a funk direction with Kiss. The mixed bag of rock and funk continued until Lovesexy, which was infuriating to many due to all the tracks on the album not being individually numbered, but subsets of the number 1. Unless a person had a higher priced CD player, they would have to play or scan the entire CD until they heard the song they wanted. Prince’s next serious album was Diamonds and Pearls with a new band, the New Power Generation. The album was quite good, but more of a dance album (with Gett Off, Cream, and the ballad Diamonds and Pearls) than a rock album. Prince’s disdain of the record companies caused him to release music independently and change his name to a symbol, and it cost him his popularity and probably millions of dollars. Prince returned to using his name and signed with a major label and released Musicology, a decent album(but a bit retro to be among his best) by 2004 standards that was more funky than rock. However, Prince reminded the world of his guitar prowess when he soloed on While My Guitar Gently Weeps at his and George Harrison’s induction into the rock hall. I hope he gives us a rock album that doesn’t try mimic today’s rock. Why mimic others when they should try to mimic you?

Lloyd Price is at best an uneasy fit for the rock hall. He would be better suited in an R & B hall. His Personality has been immortalized in many ad campaigns. Lawdy Miss Clawdy was covered by Elvis. If there is any justification for Lloyd to be in with the rockers it would be for his gangster epic Stagger Lee that became one of the first songs to be censored. The shooting and blood were too much for his teen TV audience. Lloyd had no choice -- he had to go back into the studio, and record a whole new, cleaned-up version of the story with -- believe it or not -- a happy ending! Stagger Lee and Billy actually make up and become friends again. More on Stagger Lee. The censored version has been restored and is often played on oldies radio and at reunions. It seems odd that many would dance gleefully to this song of death, but that is part of its charm. Then again, Lloyd would fit just as well as a rap inspiration.

Queen made rock fun again. One never knew where Freddy Mercury’s operatic voice combined with Brian May’s Zeppelin and Hendrix inspired guitar would go. It went everywhere from the Seven Seas of Rye to Bohemian Rhapsody. They defined glitter rock and conquered the world. Liar, We Will Rock You, Shear Heart Attack and Another One Bites the Dust were scorching. They gave us the folksy ’39, mined Presley on Crazy Little Thing Called Love, a few pop ditties like You’re My Best Friend, the campy Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon, and of course God Save the Queen . They should have their own court in the hall of fame. For those of us who knew the band’s material, it is a sacrilege to hear critics cite Maroon 5 as a new Queen (Perhaps Leo Sayer would better fit for Maroon 5). There are no comparisons. The world lost a giant when Mercury succumbed to aids. Hopefully a cure for this dreadful disease will come before we lose others.

Freddie Mercury 

The Golden Raspberry Awards are in and Bush and his cabinet take home 3 awards

Bush's Worst Actor Performance


Bush also shared the award for Worst Screen Couple while Rumsfeld won for Worst Supporting Actor. Halle Berry was another big winner as was her movie Catwoman. Arnold Schwarzenegger remains the Suzanne Lucci of the Razzies for the most nominations without ever winning. More details including the worst of the past 25 years list from Razzies.

Gene Pitney to Elvis...Who Belongs in Rock's Hall of Fame

Gene Pitney is not an artist that changed the face of rock, and does not deserve to be a member despite his successes as a singer and songwriter. Gene’s songs It Hurts to Be in Love, Only Love Can Break a Heart, and I’m Gonna Be Strong all made the top 10 as well as the title track from The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. As a songwriter he penned the Crystals’ He’s a Rebel, Bobby Vee’s Rubber Ball, and Ricky Nelson’s Hello Mary Lou. I would recommend his induction in a Top 40 or Pop Hall of Fame.

The Platters have had a tremendous impact on music history. Many vocal groups patterned themselves after the group’s Twilight Time, Only You, and Smoke Gets in Your Eyes. Later, the band re-invented them as a beach music group beginning with With This Ring. The band is another example of traditional, vocalist, pop, but not rock stars. There are many bands touring as the Platters with as many as 40 on the road at the same time, so realize that the band you see is not likely to have members that were on any of the hits, but have a good time anyway.

The Police were a trio that combined Great Britain Gordon Sumner AKA Sting with Stewart Copeland the son of a former CIA operative, and Andy Summers. The band was tight, musically efficient, and combined rock with liberal doses of reggae and lyrics that were deceptively thought provoking. Their biggest hits Every Breath You Take, De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da, and Every Little Thing She Does is Magic were less influential than Synchronicity, Demolition Man, Driven to Tears, and Spirits in the Material World.

Elvis Presley is the king of rock. 50,000 fans cannot be wrong, 50,000,000 today. John Lennon used to say before there was Elvis there was nothing. He remains the standard that all solo performers that do not write their own material should be measured, like Dylan for songwriters, and the Beatles for bands. Other hall of fame members in the rock royal court include James Brown, Stevie Wonder, and Brian Wilson. Elvis had us at hello with Heartbreak Hotel, Don’t Be Cruel, and Hound Dog. The King’s selections wavered with his induction in the army and the invasion of the Fab Four, but he re-emerged triumphantly with In the Ghetto, Don’t Cry Daddy, Suspicious Minds, and Kentucky Rain in 1969. His movies tended to not garner two thumbs up, but they were usually not intended to be anything but a lot of fun. Love Me Tender, King Creole, and Jailhouse Rock were among the more artistic. Viva Las Vegas, Speedway, and Girl Happy were frat like fun. He set the standard. He got the babes, jammed with the Beatles, sparred with Ali, and was covert with Nixon. He worked with legends Scottie Moore, the Jordanaires, and Gary Crosby (Ha!). Some of the best rock ever can be found with Little Sister, You’re So Square (Baby I Don’t Care), and Rubber Neckin’. The King reigns on. No one has come close to surpassing him.

Swiveling Elvis

Presley 

President & King 

70's King 

The Pink Floyd 

Hall Members Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd's entrance into the hall could have been earned with their debut, Piper’s at the Gates of Dawn alone. They actually used The Pink Floyd as their moniker during this era with original frontman Syd Barrett. The albm remains one of the greatest psychedelic albums of all time. Arnold Layne, Lucifer Sam, See Emily Play, and Interstellar Overdrive are songs that defy comparisons. Syd became a bit too dependent on the psychedelics and played the same guitar chord full blast over and over in concert, answered television interviews with blank stares, and refused to lip synch on American Bandstand. It became too much for the band who had only put up with it as long as it did due to Syd being the member who wrote and sang most of the tunes on the album. So, the band recruited Syd’s pal David Gilmore who graciously helped Syd on his solo albums to replace Syd as guitarist and co-lead singer with Roger Waters. The band lacked a calling and produced long art-rock jams much like Radiohead would record years later as a follow-up to OK Computer. Eventually the band would find their new niche with the wonderful Meddle followed by their 20 year album chart masterpiece Dark Side of the Moon. Animals, Welcome to the Machine, along with the Barrett inspired Wish You Were Here and The Wall continued their album rock dominance. The Final Cut sounded a bit like Wall leftovers but had a few good moments with the title track, Your Possible Past, and Two Suns in the Sunset. Waters’ over-dominance in the songwriting and the departure of Rick Wright as a full time member that made it seem less a band effort. Then, the 70’s and 80’s rock generation had to endure a split that for them made them somewhat understand how the Beatles break-up impacted their fans when Roger Waters left the band. Roger’s Pros and Cons of Hitch-Hiking was not quite up to the Floyd legacy but was better than his Radio Kaos. His best solo album was Amused to Death. The other three performed as Pink Floyd on Momentary Lapse of Reason and a more Floydian, the Division Bell. A reunion of the full band would be a better send-off. The former members were in contact for their compilation CD Echoes, so one can hope.

Pink Floyd 70's 

Rock Hall of Fame Critique - Rick Nelson to Wilson Pickett

Ricky Nelson became famous between 1949 and 1966 as the son of Ozzie and Harriett Nelson on their radio and TV show. Of his 35 hits, 31 preceded the Beatles during a time much like today and the early 70’s when most of the popular singers were teen idols. While not all the songs are great, Poor Little Fool, Hello Mary Lou, Travelin’ Man, and Young World are gems. Rick’s fewer hits like Garden Party (One of the few songs he wrote) with the Stone Canyon Band are more respected by critics, but he probably already deserved his hall pass. Rick died after performing at a Huntsville club owned by former Spiral Starecase singer Pat Upton. His plane crashed on its way to Dallas on New Year’s Eve 1985.

Long before Freddy Mercury of Queen, Roy Orbison touched our souls with his impassioned, operatic voice on Only the Lonely, Runnin’ Scared, Cryin, and Frank Booth of Blue Velvet’s favorite, In Dreams. Roy had previously rocked for Sun Records with Ooby Dooby, covered later by CCR, and other rocking tunes. Roy never forgot his rocking roots and gave us Mean Woman Blues, Candy Man, and Oh, Pretty Woman. Just before his December 1988 death of a heart attack, Roy became a Traveling Wilbury and gave us a beautiful gem, Not Alone Any More. Roy had his best solo album in many years, Mystery Girl as a swan song. Roy died happy.

Parliament-Funkadelic are more a dance band than a rock band. Many of their songs including Tear the Roof Off the Sucker (Give Up the Funk) and Flash Light have been sampled on rap recordings. They certainly have rock personas and looks, but their membership is an uneasy fit at best.

Carl Perkins owes a lot to the Beatles for his membership in the hall. Many people assume that Carl’s Blue Suede Shoes was Elvis. Elvis covered the song, but his version was a live recording that does not receive as much play as Carl’s. Carl and the boys headed up to New York for the first time to appear on The Perry Como Show and perform his huge hit. While en route their car rammed the back of a poultry truck, putting Carl and his brother Jay in the hospital with a cracked skull and broken neck, respectively. Since Carl could not sing the huge hit live, Elvis did, and Carl’s career nearly ended as soon as it had begun. The Beatles’ covers of Honey Don’t, Matchbox, and Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby revived Carl’s career. His guitar picking has been the inspiration of many. Carl died in 1998.

The Wicked Wilson Pickett well deserves his place in the hall. His performances were electric. His recordings were made at two of the best studios ever, Stax-Volt and the recently closed Mussel Shoals studios.His tunes lacked the homogenized sound that many Motown records suffered. We got down In the Midnight Hour while on our way to the Land of 1,000 Dances via Funky Broadway with Mustang Sally. Wilson’s scream on his cover of the Beatles Hey Jude rivaled only Arthur Brown.

Wicked Wison Pickett 

Korn Guitarist Leaves Band

Korn


"Korn has parted ways with guitarist Brian `Head' Welch, who has chosen Jesus Christ as his savior, and will be dedicating his musical pursuits to that end," said a statement posted Tuesday on Korn's Web site.

The fact that the guitarist left the band for religious purposes is not all that unusual. Peter Green left Fleetwood Mac, Cat Stevens and Al Stewart stopped their secular performances in their prime.

What is enlightening is Welch's statement. "Those guys in the band, they're not bad guys. They're just a bunch of kids getting marketed how these guys in the big corporate firms want to do. It makes us look like bad people, but we're really just a bunch of kids who never had a chance to grow up."
The fact is that creativity is not in the hand of the artists in today's music. What we have is the musical equivalent of Pink Floyd's Another Brick in the Wall Pt. 2 video where the kids being taught in school were marched off into a meat grinder and came out looking the same, because they were shaped like Play-Do to think just alike.

More at MSN

Educated Kids 

Hunter S. Thompson Remains to be Blasted out of a Cannon?

Out with a Bang


In what could pass for an outlandish scene from the pages of one of Hunter Thompson's books, actor Johnny Depp and others who were close to the Gonzo journalist are searching for a cannon to grant the author's wish that his remains be blasted into the sky.

More including details of unpublished works. It would be cool to see.
Here is Tom Wolfe's reflections on Hunter.
Great commemoration from his illustrator and co-accomplice
Former Gov. Jerry Brown
Democracy Now interview
Ralph Steadman
Kurt Loder

Bummer - Author Hunter S. Thompson Commits Suicide

The Late Hunter S. Thompson

Journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson, who unleashed the concept of "gonzo journalism" in books like "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," fatally shot himself in the head Sunday at his home near Aspen, Colorado, police and his family said.
"On February 20, Dr. Hunter S. Thompson took his life with a gunshot to the head at his fortified compound in Woody Creek, Colorado," said a statement issued by Thompson's son, Juan Thompson, to the Aspen Daily News.

More.

I enjoyed Hunter's twisted take on society (Gonzo Journalism) and politics. For many years, his books were the only reason that I visited the Social Science section at book stores. I particularly enjoyed Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72. I always wanted to read his take on politics and enjoyed his national correspondence by way of his mojo wire with Rolling Stone. Both of Hunter's portrayals in the movies, Bill Murray as HST in Where the Buffalo Roam and Johnny Depp as HST in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, pale in comparison to the works of HST. I'll miss you man.

Gonzo.org

Illustrator Ralph Steadman

The Killer 

Jerry Lee Lewis to Van Morrison, a Rock Hall Critique

It is a wonder that the piano of Jerry Lee Lewis survived Jerry’s constant barrage of pounding fury with his hands, arms, and feet. The piano stool was often sent soaring and did not fare as well. His Whole Lotta Shaking, Breathless, Great Balls of Fire, and High School Confidential were among the fastest songs ever made or at least they sure sounded that way. Jerry was rock ‘n roll, but he was abandoned by his audience when word of his marriage to his 13 year-old cousin was published. How could he reach the charts again? The solution, country music.

Little Willie John was a talented R & B performer, but he does not belong in the hall. Although John’s Fever was better than Peggy Lee’s, it was sung to a greater rock effect by Rick Derringer’s early band, the McCoys. Ya Ya was later covered by John Lennon.

Lovin' Spoonful's legacy in rock was tainted when guitarist Zal Yanovsky and bassist Steve Boone had to turn in their source to avoid jail time in a 1967 California marijuana bust. This did not sit well with their hippie followers. The Spoonful belong in the hall because of their Summer in the City, Do You Believe in Magic, and Nashville Cats. Lead singer John Sebastian had a solo hit with Welcome Back, the theme from Welcome Back Kotter.

Mamas and the Papas belong in the hall because of their great harmonies and their role in making California the hippie capital of the world. Sure their songs Monday, Monday, I Saw Her Again Last Night, and California Dreamin’ are sunnier than typical rock, but the harmonies influenced bands such as Crosby, Stills, and Nash to unite and the electrification of their folk based songs gave credence to a movement that included the Byrds and Bob Dylan. Papa John Phillips wrote "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Some Flowers in Your Hair) for Scott McKenzie, a former band mate in John’s previous band the Journeymen. Phillips wanted the Monterrey International Pop Festival that he was sponsoring to be peaceful. The festival launched the careers of Jimi Hendrix (where he set his guitar on fire), Janis Joplin, and Otis Redding (His introduction to white audiences). The Who smashed their instruments prior to Hendrix’s pyrotechnical display. The festival brought hippies to Haight Ashbury to stay.

Bob Marley was reggae's first international star. He brought his music to the rock world when Eric Clapton recorded his I Shot the Sheriff its influence was solidified. Bob belongs in the hall as does Jimmy Cliff. Bob’s image has become an icon of suffrage in Jamaica.

Martha and the Vandellas' music was infectious pop much like Katrina and the Waves Walking on Sunshine. They are remembered for Dancing in the Street, Nowhere to Run, and Heat Wave. Their entry may have been solidified when Van Halen and Mick Jagger and David Bowie covered Heat Wave.

Curtis Mayfield deserves his membership due to the tone of the content and the toughened up guitar of his 70’s post Impressions tunes Freddy’s Dead and Superfly. In 1990, he became paralyzed from the neck down when a lighting rig fell on top of him at a concert in Brooklyn. He died in 1999.

Sir Paul McCartney deserves his membership for his post Beatles, 70’s material. Paul continued to write his share of cutesy songs. There was Uncle Albert/ Admiral Halsey, Junior’s Farm, Magneto and Titanium Man, and Venus and Mars Rock Show. And there was the all out jams of Hi, Hi, Hi, Jet, and Live and Let Die (Perhaps the best James Bond song ever despite the fact that it contains the word “in” 3 times in one line). Band on the Run and Wings Over America were great albums too. Unfortunately the 80’s and 90’s material, the Girl is Mine (with Michael Jackson), Take it Away, Ebony and Ivory (with Stevie Wonder), and Spys Like Us, did not hold up as well.

Clyde McPhatter is best known for A Lover’s Question and Lover Please. His induction is not warranted. Before becoming a solo pop star he was the leader of the Dominoes and the Drifters.

Joni Mitchell proved that a woman performing folk based rock could be a success. Her music was a bit watered down, and one could argue that based on Joni’s induction, Carly Simon should join her. Joni’s live Big Yellow Taxi is quite catchy. Help Me was her biggest hit.

The Moonglows are too saccharine to merit their membership in the hall. Their lone top 20 hit Sincerely became a country hit for the Forrester Sisters in the 80’s. Leader Harvey Fuqua was later behind successes of the Spinners, Sylvester, and Marvin Gaye.

Van Morrison first hit the scene as a member of Them with the original Gloria and Here Comes the Night. Morrison’s induction comes as no surprise as he can sing virtually any type of music. Brown-eyed Girl, Moon Dance, and Jackie Wilson Says I’m in Heaven When You Smile are each a different style of rock. You can find jazz, R and B, Irish Mysticism, mainstream, and loads of different influences in Van’s rock songs.

Van the Man

Rock Hall of Fame From Billy Joel to John Lennon

Billy Joel is better known for his adult contemporary tunes like Honesty, She’s Got a Way, and Just the Way You Are, his 50’s based tunes Tell Her About It, Uptown Girl, and Keeping the Faith, and for writing Shameless, a Garth Brooks hit. Billy began his career recording two albums as a member of the blue-eyed soul band, the Hassles, one album as a member of the psychedelic band Attila, and working as a lounge singer, which became the inspiration of Piano Man. Pressure, It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me, and You May Be Right are hall of fame caliber songs.

Elton John's induction in the hall was a no-brainer. Love Lies Bleeding/ Funeral for a Friend, Rocket Man, Grow Some Funk of Your Own, and Bennie and the Jets are good examples of his typical all-out rock approach that lasted until the early 80’s. John was the godfather of Sean Lennon and recorded three tunes with John Lennon, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, Whatever Gets You Through the Night, and a live version of I Saw Her Standing There that was recorded when Lennon joined John to play the three songs when Whatever Gets You Through the Night topped the charts. The Thanksgiving 1974 performance would be Lennon’s last. Elton recorded Empty Garden as a tribute to the late Lennon. In recent years, Elton’s work has been the lightweight pop Can You Feel the Love Tonight, The One, and The Boy in Red Shoes. A return to Elton’s rocking ways of his first chart making decade is unlikely.

Janis Joplin has been called the greatest female rock singer of the 60’s. She was primarily a blues singer with an incredibly raw, emotionally charged voice much like Melissa Ethridge’s voice today. But unlike Ethridge, Janis was free to experiment in her recordings and put together bands with screaming psychedelic guitars. Listen to Ball and Chain to hear Janis at her gut-wrenching best. Piece of My Heart shows her first band, Big Brother and the Holding Company at its best. Other favorites include the Kris Kristofferson written, Me and Bobby McGee, Down on Me, and Mercedes Benz.

B.B. King is one of the greatest all time blues men. He has been true to the blues format, but should not be in the hall as he is not really a rocker. His biggest hit, The Thrill is Gone reached number 14 on the Top 40 charts.

The Kinks differed from other English bands like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Animals, because they would sing with the same British accent in which they spoke. The band’s You Really Got Me, their first American hit, rocked harder than any other songs in 1964, and it was later covered by Van Halen. 1965’s All Day and All of the Night was borrowed from heavily by the Doors on their 1968 hit Hello, I Love You. The band became stadium rockers in the 80’s with Do it Again, Yo-Yo, and Destroyer, a song that re-visits there 1970 hit Lola.

Led Zeppelin hit the scene with screaming guitars and a lead singer that warbled the blues a lot like Janis Joplin. The first album presented the blues to a rock audience that was a common task for other bands such as Cream and Steppenwolf. You Shook Me, I Can’t Quit You Baby, and the lightning fast Communication Breakdown are incredible. Zeppelin continued to record music in the same fashion with their second album, but they relied less on covers. However, their highest charting single ever, Whole Lotta Love was later credited to Willie Dixon following a lawsuit. The band’s third album presented blues in an acoustically and was not as popular as the previous two. The band was heavily influenced by Love’s Forever Changes, and recorded their most famous song, the gorgeous Stairway to Heaven, a song that did not chart do to it not being released as a single. The band continued making music until 1980 when In Through the Out Door became their swan song due to the death of John Bonham.

Brenda Lee is a pop singer known for Break It to Me Gently, I’m Sorry, and Sweet Nothings, which are mellow songs that Connie Francis, Helen Reddy, and Juice Newton would not feel uncomfortable singing. She is perhaps best known for her perennial hit Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree. Perhaps the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame should change their name to the Top 40 Hall of Fame for artists like Brenda who made some great songs that are pop, but not rock.

John Lennon had what many consider the purest voice in rock and roll. John could jam with the best on Cold Turkey, Instant Karma, and Well, Well Well. His protest muscles were flexed on Sunday Bloody Sunday, Give Peace a Chance, and I Don’t Want to Be a Soldier. John recorded a jab at former band mate Paul on How Do You Sleep. Due to Lennon’s murder in 1980 and his 5-year absence from recording during his self-imposed lost years, we have only 5 years of his post Beatles material. Perhaps December the 8th was the day rock died or was mortally wounded.

John Lennon 

My Photos of the Dakota Building

Building


The Dakota is the building that housed John and Yoko Lennon. John was shot at its entrance while returning home after a recording session. The building is rumored to be haunted and was used for the movie Rosemary's Baby.

Dakota Guard 

Lanterns 

Rails

Gate 

Back Roof

Corner

From Isaac Hayes to Jefferson Airplane - Rock Hall of Fame Critique

Isaac Hayes is cool. He has a rock attitude, but his music is not rock. He has soul classics like his extended cover of By The Time I Get To Phoenix and who could forget Shaft? Isaac’s voice is as close to Barry White as you get in music. Isaac should be in the Songwriters Hall of Fame for his co-written songs such as Soul Man.

Jimi Hendrix copped the psychedelic look from his first producer Arthur Lee who later fronted Love. There have been many imitators of Hendrix, but their has not been anyone since that innovated as many guitar techniques. Jimi was only Top 40 once with his number 20 hit cover of Bob Dylan’s All Along the Watchtower. Hendrix’s version impressed Dylan so much that Bob started playing his own tune Hendrix style. Jimi’s covers of Like a Rolling Stone, Johnny B. Goode, and Red House are outstanding. You like loud guitar, a touch of the psychedelic, and blues-rock, buy Hendrix’s first three albums. (My favorite is Axis Bold As Love). You will find Purple Haze, Foxy Lady, Manic Depression, Bold As Love, Castles Are Made of Sand, Voodoo Chile, Room Full of Mirrors, and all the smash hits on these albums. Hendrix should have a room named after him in the hall.

Buddy Holly and his horned rimmed glasses belting out pretty little pretty little Peggy Sue foreshadowed the garage, new wave, punk, grunge attitude and music that would materialize over the next few decades. Buddy didn’t care how he looked. He just wanted to rock the best he could, and he did on Oh Boy, That’ll Be the Day, Rave On and Peggy Sue. Buddy showed his soft side on Raining in My Heart and Everyday. Buddy should be immortalized.

John Lee Hooker was a bluesman that was also a rocker. Hooker’s Boom Boom has more punch than most rock jams. Hooker even recorded albums with Canned Heat and toured with them. He later recorded albums with Bonnie Raitt and Van Morrison. His selection was warranted.

The Impressions tend to be a mellow band, but they deserve their membership. Their song People Get Ready has been covered by many including Vanilla Fudge, Jeff Beck with Rod Stewart, and the Chambers Brothers. Their For Your Precious Love with Jerry Butler influenced Elvis Presley, B.J. Thomas, and the Righteous Brothers. They evolved into a no nonsense soul band with Curtis Mayfield on Amen, Keep on Pushing, and It’s Alright. Recently they have toured and recorded with Eric Clapton.

The Isley Brothers should be inducted for their frat classic Shout Parts 1 and 2 alone. The Beatles covered twist and Shout. Their later soul based rock tended to include Hendrix influenced guitar solos as in That Lady Part 1.

If the Jackson Five deserve an induction then the Osmonds do as well. Their songs tend to age better than Michael’s solo material. ABC was their cartoon theme, later an Alpha-Bits Cereal theme, and more recently for the network ABC. I Want You Back and I’ll Be There are pop classics that actually sound sincere. Later the Jacksons recorded State of Shock with the Rolling Stones.

Michael Jackson's induction into the rock hall may be because he had Eddie Van Halen play on Beat It, or Vincent Price on Thriller. Michael heard Vincent’s narrative on Alice Cooper’s Thriller and imitated it. If Michael deserved his induction then Alice Cooper most certainly does. One can plainly see that the hall is just a popularity contest otherwise.

Etta James had 9 hits that reached the lower levels of the Top 40, mostly during the era when Elvis was in the army and the Beatles had not arrived. She had a booming voice, but was not a rock artist. Her biggest hit was the number 23 Tell Mama.

Jefferson Airplane oozed rock and roll. They had the psychedelic leanings of White Rabbit, Somebody to Love, and the Ballad of You, Me, and Pooh Neil. They were radically, political in Volunteers. The band’s Kanter, Balin and Slick harmonized together in a style that influenced many including the 80’s X. They played Woodstock, and their performance at Altamont is documented in Gimme shelter.

Jeferson Airplane