We visited the Hall a couple weeks ago. Never got around to blogging about it! You can't take pictures inside, and I've blogged about it on a previous visit, so I didn't have too much to say. From the outside, it looked like this:
December 15, 2009
ABBA, Genesis, Jimmy Cliff, Stooges, Hollies.
The new Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees.
We visited the Hall a couple weeks ago. Never got around to blogging about it! You can't take pictures inside, and I've blogged about it on a previous visit, so I didn't have too much to say. From the outside, it looked like this:
We visited the Hall a couple weeks ago. Never got around to blogging about it! You can't take pictures inside, and I've blogged about it on a previous visit, so I didn't have too much to say. From the outside, it looked like this:
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55 comments:
I'm OK with these choices. Except The Hollies but mostly because I don't really know them.
Man, doesnt' that architecture just absolutely scream ROCK N' ROLL?
Stopping in Cleveland to go to the RnRHoF is time and money I'll never get back.
Look through any window...
"Stopping in Cleveland to go to the RnRHoF is time and money I'll never get back."
Aw, come on. If you're traveling on Route 90, why not? Except that it's overpriced.
The Hollies: Carrie Anne, Bus Stop, Look Through Any Window, On a Carousel, Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress, He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother.
They're notable for the influence they had on others, plus some members went on to do other, great rock-n-roll things (like Graham Nash).
Seriously, what the hell is the appeal of the "Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame"? I mean, who cares? Why do people care about or respect the decisions of this institution? I mean, rock & roll? Is rock & roll supposed to be important enough to merit a pointless 80s building that looks like an oncology clinic?
I know pretty much all those Hollies songs so I'm OK with all the choices now.
As for Halls of Fame, the only one I really got into was the baseball hall of fame and part of that had to be my age and the company when my dad took us all there when we were kids.
What I want to know is:
How the hell do ABBA count as rock n roll?
I mean I actually like ABBA, but I would never for any reason consider them a rock band.
Gahrie - ABBA was pop-rock, and were enormously influential in New Wave music that followed, then Euro/Asian techno-pop. Their songs have lasted as de facto anthems and are the basis of a smash Broadway musical that will be done and done and done again for decades, plus what is now the largest grossing musical movie ever.
They belong.
Stooges? Could not name one song of theirs? I must be ancient. Hollies- Buddy Holly, no? Maybe I am dead.
The Stooges were a great glam punk band from the early 70s. The song I remember of the top of my head is "I wanna be your dog".
wv: Enchain. v. to Obamanate.
I think Genesis pretty much sucks.
Philadelphia lost the Rock Hall to Cleveland (they made the argument Alan Freed was originally from there - although he made his name in NY) becuase Willie Wilson Goode (remember MOVE?) thought it was more to lobby for a minor porkbarrel project than something that would have brought millions to the city and something to which the city could make a good claim to deserving.
The city has/had (haven't been back in years) great venues and is close enough to Atlantic City so the shore is a reasonable alternative site.
Palladian said...
Seriously, what the hell is the appeal of the "Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame"?
Because it's in Cleveland, none at all. The ceremonies and shows are all held elsewhere. The billion dollar egos won't even stop there.
Gahrie said...
What I want to know is:
How the hell do ABBA count as rock n roll?
Excellent point. Pop, yes, but not rock 'n' roll. A lot of the choices are getting really desperate.
I'm one of those who was unimpressed with the R&R Hall of Fame. The real memorial to R&R is in a corn field near Clear Lake, Iowa.
http://feedlot.blogspot.com/2009/08/offerings-to-spirits.html
Well, it all comes down to what the RNRHOF means by Rock'n'Roll. Nothing good ever comes of genre ghettoizing oneself. Outrage and ridicule will be the definers like they have been throughout history.
ELO is not in. Am I wrong? But Genesis?
We found out after he died this fall that one of the funniest commenters at JustOneMinute, PeterUK, had been a guitarist for the Hollies in the early 60's.
The "exclusion" of Iggy & the Stooges has been the "underground purist" lament for some time. Influence over catalog.
Seems like a pretty broad definition of R&R to include ABBA.
Hollies and Genesis inevitable, each for their times and places. Two for Nash.
Reminded that Cliff wrote Trapped, one of "Springsteen's" most stirring arena anthems. Lyrics are very Springsteen. From the Jersey shore to Montego Bay?
Seems like I'm caught up in your trap again
Seems like I'll be wearing the same old chains
Good will conquer evil
And the truth will set me free
And I know some day I will find the key
I know somewhere I will find the key
Seems like I've been playing your game way too long
Seems the game I've played has made you strong
When the game is over
I won't walk out the loser
I know I'll walk out of here again
I know someday I'll walk out of
here again
Well now I'm Trapped
OOh yeah
Trapped
OOh Yeah
Trapped
Seems like I've been sleeping in your bed too long
Seems like you've been meaning to do me harm
But I'll teach my eyes to see
Beyond these walls in front of me
Someday I'll walk out of here again
Someday I'll walk out of here again
Ann- did you see bands like the Stooges or Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen when you went to school at U-M?
I'm not a fan, but anything claiming to be THE Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that doesn't have KISS in it are completely clueless losers.
Hell, the lack of Rush or at least Neil Peart is absurd.
(The put in The Moonglows. WTF?
Dad Bones said...
I'm one of those who was unimpressed with the R&R Hall of Fame. The real memorial to R&R is in a corn field near Clear Lake, Iowa.
I think there's a difference between a Hall of Fame - which can be for other purposes - and a memorial, but your point is very well taken.
Am I dreaming or did I read recently that they were considering a satellite site for the hall of fame in NYC?
The best ever episode of Tony Bourdain's show No Reservations was filmed in Cleveland.
Bourdain visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; drove a rented Pontiac Firebird through some of the seamier parts of Cleveland, had lunch with Harvey Pekar in Pekar's favorite neighborhood joints; had dinner at Iron Chef Michael Symon's restaurant, all the while hanging out with uber chef and author Michael Ruhlman.
Then he topped it off with a dinner and cocktails interview of the last living Ramone; Johnny or Phil, I don't remember which.
Bourdain has said on-screen several times that the Cleveland show was his best episode.
Aw, come on. If you're traveling on Route 90, why not? Except that it's overpriced.
We went out of our way a bit to stop in Cleveland to go. Ignoring the price and the no photography rule it just seemed like a letdown. A lot of focus on bands that just didn't appeal to me and even more bands that aren't "rock and roll" in any sense of the definition.
Some Stooges for AJ:
1969
and
I Wanna be Your Dog
Two years ago Mrs A. and I flew to Chicago to see Genesis. Phil Collins is her favorite. The show was incredible and it brought to light how many incredible songs they wrote, especially in the early years. "You've Got To Get In To Get Out" was the encore and was absolutely incredible, both the vocals and the guitar.
CL:
Thanks buddy. I listened to the songs but they still draw a blank for me. Were they mostly a Midwest band and maybe their songs did not make it to Philly?
I will have to ask some of the old gang here if they remember the Stooges rock group.
Cannot take pictures inside. Eso chupa el lagarto muy grande.
AJ: The Stooges were from the Motor City. I don't believe many people did know about them in 1969. Notice the album cover in the vid. The Stooges were on Elektra Records and supposedly that cover was a ripoff of the Doors first album cover.
The Stooges gained popularity with time, especially after Iggy Pop gained more fame. So this recognition is a backdoor way to get Iggy Pop in too.
Cleveland is the home town of the Loafing Oaf.
That's another reason to visit.
He is planning on building the Sarah Palin Vagina Museum and gyno clinic.
No wonder that Palladian loves it so!
I think Genesis pretty much sucks.
You're wrong. Genesis *totally* sucks. "Land of Confusion" and "That's All" are two of the most grating pop songs ever. Oh, yeah don't forget the classic "Invisible Touch"... barf.
edutcher said...
Philadelphia lost the Rock Hall to Cleveland (they made the argument Alan Freed was originally from there - although he made his name in NY)
No, he made his name in Cleveland. Get a clue!
becuase Willie Wilson Goode (remember MOVE?) thought it was more to lobby for a minor porkbarrel project than something that would have brought millions to the city and something to which the city could make a good claim to deserving.
Several cities made good claims that they deserved it, but Cleveland wanted it more. The people of Cleveland mobilized to get it, and the powers that be in Cleveland put up more money for it than other cities did. Your city had their chance to make their case and they failed. Get over it. Cleveland is not far from Philly.
I guess you're bitter. But why would it be better to have located it in Philly? What exactly would make it better there? Cleveland is a more conveniently located city for more of the country's population to drive to.
Seriously, what the hell is the appeal of the "Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame"?
Because it's in Cleveland, none at all. The ceremonies and shows are all held elsewhere. The billion dollar egos won't even stop there.
So bitter!
I guess it was a figment of my imagination when the induction ceremony took place in Cleveland's Public Hall last year? By all accounts from the artists, it was a better place to have it than New York, and some of them made pleas from the stage to keep bringing the event back to Cleveland.
Meanwhile, the Rock Hall's New York annex just closed down whereas attendance at the Rock Hall in Cleveland is up 8% this year. So, there ya go. The Rock Hall annex bombed in New York, while the Rock Hall is increasing attendance in Cleveland.
That doesn't surprise me. When you go to New York, there's endless things to see. A Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame sure wouldn't make my cut on things I gotta do when in New York.
One of the reasons they built the Rock Hall in Cleveland was because it would not get overshadowed by other stuff. Cleveland doesn't have many world-famous cultural attractions. We've got a great art museum, a great orchestra, and the Rock Hall. So the Rock Hall gets to be one of the big shots in town.
With the success of the induction ceremonies in Cleveland last year (apparently they're gonna rotate back to Cleveland on a regular basis from now on), and with the failure of the rock hall annex in New York, I predict the New York record execs will have to start treating Cleveland better.
With all that said, I've only set foot in the place twice even though I live right by it. I'd probably only go again if they have a special exhibit for an artist I like. The second time I went was to see a John Lennon exhibit. Overall, it's not that great a museum....
And, yeah, the I.M Pei architecture seems more fitting for a New Age hall of fame than for rock music. It's a nice building to bicycle around, though!
I don't understand the thinking behind the Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame; it just never made sense to me. I mean, I know so many great bands, I don't see how they've gotten past the '50s yet.
"Several cities made good claims that they deserved it, but Cleveland wanted it more. The people of Cleveland mobilized to get it, and the powers that be in Cleveland put up more money for it than other cities did. Your city had their chance to make their case and they failed. Get over it.'
Not to mention the artists wanted it there:
It's an inside joke in the business that, whether you're climbing the ladder of success or falling off of it, the demarcation line is when you have to say, "Helloooo, Cleveland!!!"
From the beginning of rock 'n' roll through the 1970s, Cleveland was one of the key cities in breaking artists. Cleveland was a big deal in rock 'n' roll's history, all the way up through glam rock and the first wave of punk rock. And it could be argued that not much of note has happened in the history of rock music since the late '70s. (I wouldn't argue that, since I think the second best band after the Ramones was the Smiths, and they were an '80s band. But really, not much new has been done in rock 'n' roll since the late '70s. Not much new in pop music overall has happened since then actually -- hip hop is the most popular pop music genre and yet it hasn't really had anything truly groundbreaking since the early '90s....)
Cleveland's obviously gone to hell on every front in recent decades. But yeah, I think the artists really enjoyed that the last induction ceremony was held in a hard-rocking working-class city. That's what they said, anyway. Maybe they were just blowing smoke up our butts.
So, um, is ABBA going to perform together at their induction? There's really no use in anyone denying ABBA's greatness. You can argue they don't belong in a "rock 'n' roll" hall of fame, but the Rock Hall has always been more of a pop music in general museum. What can't be denied is that ABBA had assloads of great and infectious pop songs.
BTW, one of the great moments in "Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame" history was when Johnny Ramone stood at the podium at his band's induction and praised George W. Bush. Although Joey Ramone wrote "The KKK Took My Baby Away" because Johnny - a right-winger - stole his girl. But I thought the right-wingers of Althouse would appreciate remembering that Johnny Ramone stood at that podium and annoyed the lefty record execs in the audience.
And they had to applaud him anyway, cuz he rocked, and his band was, of course, the most perfect rock 'n' roll band the world ever heard.
Loafing Oaf,
Yea, they never acknowledge us Right-wing Rockers. Remember Devo when Reagan got in? With the hair? Inspiring:
"We're Through Being Cool!"
Is there a Dixeland, Swing or Big Band Hall of Fame? Most of this music will die with the generation that enjoyed it. The Hollies were big when AM radio was still strong. I remember their music. It was catchy, but I hadn't thought of them until this day. I felt no great urge to click on their You Tube videos and relive their glory days. Does anyone still listen to Kay Keyser or Jimmy Dorsey? Why should we pause and remember the Hollies?
I still listen to Jimmy Dorsey.
Why should we pause and remember the Hollies?
Dude.
ABBA had a crunching bass track one time, so they get into the R&R hall of fame.
Genesis pre or post Peter Garbriel?
I think Genesis pretty much sucks.
I saw Genesis on their first tour of America, and they put on the best show I had ever seen, and that still holds true now over 30 years later.
Personally, I think the band suffered much more from the loss of Hackett than they did Gabriel, and it's true that they released some god-awful songs in their latter years...it's also when they hit the peak of their popularity.
Gotta admit, my first thought when I heard the names:
ABBA ???
That's Rock and Roll?
But if you look at the whole list of inductees, it's a pretty loose definition.
I thought the RnRHOF was in Cleveland because of Buzzard Rock
It's about time for Genesis (for everything up to and including Trick of the Tail). As another commenter noted, what about ELO, but also Yes, King Crimson, Emerson Lake & Palmer.
I love Yes.
And, gotta admit, if Yes is Rock and Roll (and I do think of them as a Rock group), then I guess ABBA is too.
So Abba is rocknroll, but Chicago is not in the hall of fame.
Right.
Trey
Music, like politics can really ruin your opinion of people even ones you respect. Some opinions are just better left unknown. I like you guys, so please stop.
knox wrote:
You're wrong. Genesis *totally* sucks. "Land of Confusion" and "That's All" are two of the most grating pop songs ever. Oh, yeah don't forget the classic "Invisible Touch"... barf.
I'm a long time Genesis fan, and if this is all you know of them, you don't know them. The last few album were a shadow of the group, and don't represent what the group was. You have to go much further back in their history to know the scope of the bands music.
chickenlittle said..."I don't believe many people did know about them in 1969. Notice the album cover in the vid."
I went to college in 1969. I remember Iggy playing on campus that year (or 1970) and people thinking he was washed up and embarrassing himself. Pre-college, I heard the Stooges all the time on WFMU out of East Orange, NJ.
I love WFMU. One of my best friends' brothers works there (or did work there) and Irwin Chusid is a big fan of my blog and music. He came to my aid in the early days of my troubles, stayed up late talking to me and giving me survival advice.
I figure, when I get back into the studio, he'll be there again, too.
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