It was nice seeing the original members of KISS make nice at last night's RRHOF induction ceremony, and Nirvana's rhythm section rocking out with Joan Jett (and Lordes) was a lot of fun to see as well, but there are still many deserving bands who have not yet been allowed into the Hall for one reason or another and today's Flashback Friday playlist focuses on those bands in hopes that we'll be celebrating their induction in the very near future.
Cheap Trick
Based on the sheer amount of great bands who cite them as an influence, including Kurt Cobain from last night's inductees, Nirvana, and Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins, Cheap Trick should have been inducted in their first year of eligibility, but remain unjustly ignored while Percy Sledge gets in on the strength of one song.
Chicago
The exclusion of this legendary Chicago institution wouldn't be so brazen if not for the fact that the group has amassed 21 Top 10 singles, 18 platinum albums, and five decades of sold out concerts tours. Yet the pompous jokers who make the decisions at the Rock Hall can't bring themselves to acknowledge the existence of the best-selling U.S. band next to the Beach Boys.
Journey
The fact that they were tagged as a "corporate rock" band back in the '70s had less to do with their look or sound and ALL to do with the fact that they were moving some major units. Journey was working for Columbia Records, Columbia Records was working for Journey. Seriously, the building that housed their HQ in San Francisco is now a foreign embassy.
It was said that the level of security already installed in the building by manager Herbie Herbert far surpassed the security standards of even the most paranoid foreign country's consulate. A serious case can be made that Journey were the face of '70s rock in America, so why is it that 17 Top 20 singles and 40 million albums sold isn't good enough to get them into the Hall?
Deep Purple
Maybe they weren't the best-dressed or most charismatic band to ever hit the stage, but if the Rock Hall is going to allow artists into the Hall on the basis of one song, shouldn't that one song be "Smoke On The Water" instead of "When A Man Loves A Woman"? It is the ROCK Hall, after all! Having said that, Deep Purple aren't mere one-hit wonders.
Hell, there are three monolithic anthems to be found on the Machine Head album alone; the aforementioned "Smoke On The Water", "Highway Star" , and "Space Truckin'".
Yes
It's been pretty easy thus far for the Rock Hall to ignore the existence of progressive rock, but with Peter Gabriel's induction into the Hall last night, the glaring absence of this pioneering prog band is made all the more glaring. Sure, they've gone through more personnel changes than Arthur Andersen LLP, but the numbers don't lie: 7 Top 10 albums and 5 Top 40 singles far surpass the commercial accomplishments of many RRHOF inductees, including Public Enemy and Nirvana.
We can go ten if you feel like reading on...it gets a little bumpy, don't be afraid to disagree.
Styx..?
I, more than anyone, would love to exclude them based on the ceaseless douchebaggery of the current lineup towards founding member Dennis DeYoung. You knew it was his vision when you signed up, yet your pissed at him for merely sticking to the plot that made the lot of you millionaires? Would it have happened without him? Absolutely not. It's an spiteful, venomous ego thing Shaw and JY have going on. It's sickening because these guys honestly believe DeYoung stood in their way somehow.
Having said that, they deserve to be in. They slogged it out for years making records for Wooden Nickel, playing anywhere that would have them, praying that some radio station happens upon one of their songs, and then, boom, it was like they'd always been there. Each summer seemed to bring a new Styx album, providing the soundtrack for an entire summer of "harmonal" hijinx. "Blue Collar Man", "Lady", "Babe', "Come Sail Away", "Mr Roboto", "Too Much Time On My Hands", "The Best of Times", "Renegade", uh, "Show Me The Way"? It did go #1, so, yeah, we gotta mention it.
Look, if Billy Joe Armstrong can get "American Idiot" on Broadway, how do no-brainers like "Paradise Theatre" or "Killroy Was Here" go untapped? We all remember the stories about Tommy Shaw staring daggers at DeYoung as the band acted out their Kilroy concept mid-concert, thereby bringing the "rock" to a screeching halt, but the story itself had infinite possibilities if presented with total bombast. If anything, DeYoung's mistake was stopping to talk when the entire arena wanted him to just keep rocking and don't forget to dance like a robot during "Mr. Roboto", okay?
So they get into the Hall for having a unique vision, for having a shit-ton of hits, and laying the foundation for the world of theatrical rock. You can blame them for "RENT", "American Idiot", "Trans-Siberian Orchestra" and any other rock-based theatrical show. Of course, that's also enough to keep them out forever, too. Whoops.
The Replacements
I can hear a lot of folks' protestations if the Mats had gotten in. I mean, they don't have any hits, went out of their way to fuck up every opportunity to reach a mass audience, and, well, they kinda suck.
I disagree, but I respect that opinion because I know how a band we all consider to be cool can be seen as dorky by people who like Dave Matthews. Thing is, I can't really make a case for them getting in. They made some amazing music despite the dysfunction and their exploits are legendary, like Cheech & Chong skits, but their music was never for everyone. In fact, it seemed once they made Tim, the intent was to whittle down the fanbase with each new album. "Hey, Bob's Gone!" "The Mats Sell Out" "Chris Who?"
And maybe that's why more people than ever like The Replacements. They were built on a ridiculously flimsy premise, but they stuck with it, even after it got ugly. C+ for effort.
Iron Maiden
If the Hall's intent is to remain American-specific, you'd almost still have to consider Iron Maiden on the grounds that they became huge by doing it the old-fashioned way; by getting some buses and touring America until you ran out of t-shirts. And Maiden sold a fuck-load of t-shirts. There was a time when all you had to do to gauge the mainstream musical climate was go to Six Flags and see what band's shirts you saw the most over the course of the day. For about five summers in a row in the '80s, it was Iron Maiden. Plus, new rule, if your singer is the dude flying your band's customized Boeing 757 around the world, you get in. Let's just hope Pete Wentz hasn't learned to read yet.
Foreigner
Why them, you ask? Because they did "Hot Blooded", that's why. On the basis of that song alone, and it's seismic impact upon both the rock and rap worlds, they should have been shown to the fucking throne already, but, nooooooooo, they got tagged "corporate rock" along with Styx, Journey, and REO, and therefore get no respect for essentially doing what they should be doing as a band, which is selling tons of records and inspiring tons of other folks to try doing the same.
In other words, they've been very good for business and the bunch of record guys sitting on the RRHOF board should know and respect that.
The Doobie Brothers
Sadly, it's getting so you can't mention the Doobie Brothers without somebody making a Michael McDonald joke and, in doing so, making light of the band's extensive musical impact. Of course, most folks have no idea the Doobies are the band behind the classic rock staples "Listen To The Music", "China Grove", "Long Train Runnin'", "Black Water", "Takin' It To The Streets", "Jesus Is Just Alright", and "Rockin' Down The Highway".
If the Doobies ever do get in, there needs to be a special wing of the RRHOF dedicated to Skunk Baxter's mustache.