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- Whitney Houston
- Depeche Mode
- Notorious B.I.G. (Biggie)
NIN I'm on the fence about. I don't know that NIN/Trent Reznor has all that much of a body of work compared to the others, although he's been a big influence in that style of music (techno/industrial) and certainly has appreciable talents that have been overlooked by many. I almost feel like it's a token addition to appease the alt-rock crowd. Depeche kind of skirts on the fringes of alt-rock, but they were very influential and helped advance the use of the synthesizer far beyond what was being done in the early 80s, and evolved from there. (And anything Martin Gore ever set lyrics to was way more memorable than the forgettable ditties that Houston used to perform.)DB and DM are very worthy. The Notorious Big Houston, just wrong. And bang a gong for T. Rex I guess.
NIN I'm on the fence about. I don't know that NIN/Trent Reznor has all that much of a body of work compared to the others, although he's been a big influence in that style of music (techno/industrial) and certainly has appreciable talents that have been overlooked by many. I almost feel like it's a token addition to appease the alt-rock crowd. Depeche kind of skirts on the fringes of alt-rock, but they were very influential and helped advance the use of the synthesizer far beyond what was being done in the early 80s, and evolved from there. (And anything Martin Gore ever set lyrics to was way more memorable than the forgettable ditties that Houston used to perform.)
A couple of years ago, Cheap Trick and Steve Miller were both inducted. Cheap Trick reunited with their original drummer (who no longer plays with them but is still a member of their organization) and they had a great time with it. They wound up releasing one of their best albums ever, and charted higher with it than they had in years, and it caused their concert booking price to jump dramatically. (I know the last fact because I'm on our local fair board and I've been hoping we could book them here, but sadly ... too much $.)
Steve Miller, on the other hand, went on Howard Stern and went off about how the whole thing was complete corporate BS, Jann Wenner was a jerk to his group, etc. So I suppose it's like a lot of things, you get out of it what you put in.
This year, the only nominee I'm really a fan of is the Doobie Brothers. They have deserved to be in since the start. Not even considering their many hit records, but the fact that they survived a series of complete changes in musical style and made hit records in each "era" is pretty remarkable. And they're STILL out there getting it done. One of the coolest things about them has always been, they have an open door policy -- anyone who's ever been a member of the band is always welcome to perform with them. I don't think there are many other bands out there who can say that. They had a big tour with Michael McDonald on board just about to start when Covid ruined everything.
I can't stand Whitney Houston. There's not one record she ever did that I like, and her vocal style (the way she goes into hyper-bellow mode at the end of every song, like Barry Manilow) makes me want to bury my head in whatever blanket is nearby.
The RRHOF is bull****! Snobs one and all...Has "jumped the shark" completely as far as artistic relevance.
I am very disappointed by the nominees for this year. The only reason Whitney and BIG got in is so the owners will not be branded as racist as they dropped Dave Clark 5 for a rap artist years back. There are too many people that are ignored year after year. I have never watched the induction and never will. I have visited the RRHoF but it was not worth the price you pay to enter. I was hoping to see a lot about the artists inducted but was very disappointed and will not go back.
That would never work. If it were called the "Music Hall of Fame", then they'd have to let in classical, jazz, country, etc. artists, as well as artists who were successful in other parts of the world, but were largely unknown in the USA. Why not just call the hall what it really is, "The Music That Was Popular in the United States of America, from the Mid - 1950s Onward, As Long as It's Not Instrumental, Country, or The Carpenters, Hall of Fame".I really think they should have dispensed with the Rock N' Roll part of the name years ago and just called it the "Music Hall of Fame". That would be more accurate and would eliminate the whole "but they're not Rock N' Roll, gosh darn it all to heck!" thing we're greeted with every year when non-Rock nominees are announced.
I saw the Doobies there about 16 years ago as well. The person I attended with was surprised they knew so many of the songs, despite not having owned any of their records. They still had the two-drummer lineup, and Skylark was their bassist. Very tight musically, a great show, and I paid only $11/ticket for pavillion seats. (Pine Knob* was giving away vouchers for free lawn seating, and I found out that for the vouchers, you could go to the box office to request an upgrade to any unsold pavillion seating available, for a minimal cost.)Saw the Doobie Brothers numerous times and most recently at the DTE Energy Center outside of Detroit a couple of years ago when they opened for Chicago. Very deserving recognition, a class act and they put on an excellent show without Michael McDonald.
Wenner's the reason I dislike the nominations and the Hall of Fame. If there's any one person to blame for the uneven quality of nominations, he was (and perhaps still is) the most likely suspect.Steve Miller, on the other hand, went on Howard Stern and went off about how the whole thing was complete corporate BS, Jann Wenner was a jerk to his group, etc.
Agreed. The gift shop was cool (got a 45 RPM adapter pin), but looking at instruments and clothing of dead people did nothing for me, especially since I have so little interest in much of that type of music anyways.I have visited the RRHoF but it was not worth the price you pay to enter. I was hoping to see a lot about the artists inducted but was very disappointed and will not go back.
- Whitney Houston
- The Doobie Brothers
- Depeche Mode
- Nine Inch Nails
- T. Rex
- Notorious B.I.G. (Biggie)