2007 Hall of Fame Inductees Announced

The 2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees

Patti Smith- punk legend
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five- 1st rap inductee
The Ronettes- token oldies group
R.E.M.- alt. rock giant
Van Halen- finally admitted

It seems that the hall of fame is beginning to embrace the genres they ignore. Metal entered last year with Sabbath. Now rap is in with Grandmaster Flash. Is prog next?

The problem is there are no metal inductees this year (I view VH as hard rock.

Glaring ommissions from hall of fame:
Deep Purple- why are they not in?
Genesis- one of top 30 selling artists of all time, that alone should secure a spot
Yes- also sold a lot for prog band, hugely influential
Link Wray- proto punk and metal, widely credited with the first use of the power chord
Love- not commercially successful, but hugely influential
Journey- many radio hits as well as one of the greatest singers in rock
MC5- proto-punk band that introduced a militant mentality to war protests (pause for irony)
Iron Maiden- one of the few important bands from the 80s that meets the 25 year minimum "age" to be considered, hugely influential and commercially successful for a non-pop metal band.
Judas Priest- same credentials as Maiden
Jethro Tull- kings of prog-folk, the most commercially and critically successful prog folk band
Screamin' Jay Hawkins- instead of token oldies inductions, why not the man who pioneered theatricality in rock. Alice Cooper, KISS, and a host of others owe this man a debt
Alice Cooper- pioneer of shock rock, which older voters will not take seriously. However, he is a huge concert draw and relatively successful both commercially and critically.

The only real qualification is that a band cannot be considered until 25 years after the release of its debut album. So, why haven't these bands been inducted?

Does it matter?

I think the hall of fame voters consider Progressive Rock the autistic cousin who no one wants to talk about or acknowledge.  Genesis should have been inducted years ago.

    I agree with all of your choices, except Love. I had never heard of them until Rolling Stone published that 500 greatest pop albums issue. Aside from that, I see them referenced here by members once in a great while. Obviously they didn't sell many albums, but what makes them so influential? I have never heard any artist referencing them as an influence.

Philéas wrote: Does it matter?

For the second time today, I have to respond with a sonorous "Hear, hear!" to something you wrote...

Who cares about the Hall of Fame? Does it affect our enjoyment of music or what? We know how these things work, and we should know better than to get p***ed off about that.

micky wrote: I've heard people in the know say that the prog band with the best chance to break the barrier is of all groups... ELP.

Three things:

1. Incredible that a band with such complex music would be considered.

2. Incredible that a band that's the subject of lots of bashing and ridicule by the "music industry and media" could be the one selected BY THAT SAME INDUSTRY; it shows the hipocrisy, but is easily explainable by,

3. ELP was one of the top sellers in the prog-gold-era, so that's why. Like everything in the music/whore-industry, it's decided by MONEY.


    

The T wrote: micky wrote: I've heard people in the know say that the prog band with the best chance to break the barrier is of all groups... ELP. Three things: 1. Incredible that a band with such complex music would be considered. 2. Incredible that a band that's the subject of lots of bashing and ridicule by the "music industry and media" could be the one selected BY THAT SAME INDUSTRY; it shows the hipocrisy, but is easily explainable by, 3. ELP was one of the top sellers in the prog-gold-era, so that's why. Like everything in the music/whore-industry, it's decided by MONEY.

not to mention ELP ...sh*t.. let's face it. represent all that was loved AND hated about prog.  They.. not Yes, or King Crimson and sure as hell not Genesis were the face of Prog in the 70's.  Have noted before, I have two friends, a few years older than me who were old enough to check out these artists in their prime.  They both state, unequilavably and ..independently as well hahah.. that the ELP tour of 1974 was THE single best concert they saw of the 70's. That includes the Floyd tours.. Zeppelin...even.. and I was surprised by this.. even the Who.  They were huge and hated by the press.. hell yeah.. what better way to slap prog by inducting the one band that still is on worst band lists today It's a longshot.. hell all the prog bands are.  But I think ELP would be the first one to be inducted. 


Edited by micky - January 11 2007 at 22:22

micky wrote: Bern wrote: From those you suggested, the one that surprises me is Deep Purple. I'm not a big fan but I can't see why they aren't included. They were good sellers. They had big hits. They were not prog... ouch... those are fighting words around AR Headquarters....

My post sounds offensive to Deep Purple right?

I like 'em and I don't deny they had prog moments. I'm just saying they aren't remembered and seen as a prog band by anybody. That's why the "prog factor" can't explain why they aren't included yet.

I don't see how a rapper is being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but that's just me. Van Halen, not a big fan, but man its about time they got in!

I have very little doubt a prog band will be included sooner than later, I'd guess within five years. ELP? Maybe, but I'd think Tull because they're as well known, still together, and appeal to a wider group of people.