A critical look at the 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees
Conveniently coinciding with the end-of-year backtracking—best-of-2008 lists, award nominations and so on—is another annual tradition that looks back even further than last January. Twenty-five, 30, even 45 or 50 years further, to be exact. Every fall, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announces its nine nominees for induction, and every winter, five of those nine are enshrined in I.M. Pei’s triangular Cleveland edifice. The only solid criteria? Twenty-five years have passed since the artist’s first recording. Beyond that, the selection and voting processes are a highly political, infinitely controversial process. (Some might say clusterfuck.) There are those who insist that during the Reagan era, music became too fragmented and diversified for any wide consensus to be reached, thus rendering the endeavor futile, and others who plead that every corporate rock abomination (Boston, Styx, Journey) deserves induction before acknowledging the 80’s, when “real music” died, man.
With the announcement of the five official inductees set to arrive any day now, here’s a look at the nine nominees, originally announced this past September, and how likely or appropriate their prospective induction may be.
Metallica
Worthy of induction? The voting bloc is composed primarily of critics and out-of-touch fogeys, who often cast blind, contemptuous eyes to hard rock and metal. Note that it took years for AC/DC and Black Sabbath to get in, and Metallica wasn’t even nominated in their first year of eligibility. Still, now that they’re on the ballot, it’s tough to overlook a band responsible for the mainstreaming (not to mention the innovation) of an entire genre.
But will they be? Yes. Their 2008 album Death Magnetic is their first non-sucky release in a decade, and has triggered a wave of Metallica nostalgia. And critical respect has not eluded them as it has their peers: Metallica is one of few metal bands to ever place Top Ten in the Pazz and Jop Critics’ Poll. AC/DC and Sabbath never even came close.
Run-DMC
Worthy of induction? Of course. Perhaps the biggest quandary plaguing the Rock Hall: Does hip-hop qualify as rock and roll? It’s a conundrum for an institution that classifies James Taylor as rock and roll. Hip-hop acts have been repeatedly, almost systematically shunned, with only Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five achieving induction (under a shroud of unethical cheats, mind you). But even before “Walk This Way,” Run-DMC rocked: half their beats are as tailored for headbanging as they are for breakdancing.
But will they be? Probably. Whatever biases and debates there may be against rap, snubbing rap’s Beatles would be a PR black eye to an institution many academics and rock journalists already scorn.
The Stooges
Worthy of induction? Their music contains only hints of the garage rock that came before, but it influenced damn near every garage and punk band (even some metal bands) that came after. Their guttural, noisy squall was probably as important to punk and indie as the vaunted Velvet Underground.
But will they be? Tough call. Nominated many times, they’re becoming the Susan Lucci of the Rock Hall ballot. Could split votes with Metallica, if some voters choose a token “band that makes my ears hurt.”
Chic
Worthy of induction? Disco has been as if not more influential on the last thirty years of pop music than the more critically-beloved punk rock. And yet only one disco act is in the Hall of Fame: The Bee Gees. However awesome “Tragedy” and “Night Fever” are, the Brothers Gibb are white heterosexuals representing (and appropriating) a subculture rooted in blackness and gayness. And probably more than any disco act, Chic’s grooves were instrumental to hip-hop’s formative years.
But will they be? In the Wennerist mindset, “disco sucks” is still a credible theory. Credible enough to shut Chic out yet again, in favor of less deserving contenders.
Jeff Beck
Worthy of induction? Already in for his work with the Yardbirds, Jeff Beck is an groundbreaking guitarist, to be sure. But his post-Yardbirds has been as spotty as it’s been versatile. And whatever he’s done for the electric guitar, his ability to create memorable songs has never approached his ability to make memorable sounds.
But will he be? Seems likely. Hall voters like nothing more than an industry kiss-ass, and Beck has worked with (often lent prestige to) so many rock superstars and stuffed shirts that he may as well (possibly more deservingly) be inducted in the Sideman category.
War
Worthy of induction? I’ve been saying so for years, and their nomination is long overdue! The oft-sampled collective was as important as Santana in blending Latin music (and a dozen other genres) with rock and roll.
But will they be? Probably not. More people remember “Low Rider” and “Why Can’t We Be Friends” than “The World is a Ghetto” and “Slippin’ Into Darkness,” and thus dismiss them as an affable but unremarkable novelty band. Pity.
Little Anthony and the Imperials
Worthy of induction? In a weaker class, yes. But against the more inventive and important acts, their dramatic doo-wop 45’s, indelible as they are, don’t quite sail to the forefront. Compared to Chic, The Stooges, Metallica, etc., their place in pop history is a bit tougher to discern. You could argue they influenced operatic acts such as Orbison and Pitney, and even emo, but you could probably say the same for Johnnie Ray.
But will they be? Never underestimate the power of an overlooked oldies circuit act. Especially one that survived their initial heyday, and adapted, scoring Top Ten hits during the British Invasion and Motown frenzy, when doo-wop was often considered passé.
Wanda Jackson
Worthy of induction? Like Little Anthony and the Imperials, she undoubtedly made great music, but her impact on rock and roll is untenable. As the Queen of Rockabilly, she’s an notable figure, a woman asserting herself the early rock boy’s club. But can you honestly name a Wanda Jackson song?
But will she be? Unlikely. Her nomination came as a surprise to many, and whatever goodwill there may be, her legacy just doesn’t justify induction. Sure, Brenda Lee is in, but Brenda Lee had a plethora of pop hits. Jackson may actually be a better fit in the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Bobby Womack
Worthy of induction? These final three nominees all made fantastic music, but the arbitrary nature of their selection just points to the difficulty of institutionalizing such a vast and fluid canon. It seems that there’s a hundred other acts of equal significance who could just as credibly fill these slots, and their induction would be just as problematic. Womack, Jackson and Little Anthony are all rock and roll survivors, with careers spanning fifty-plus years. But their greatness, their legend, their impact, falls shy of the greatness required for what should be a rare and exclusive honor.
But will he be? Nah. The field is just too crowded this year, and the folks who want a token soul act will likely side with Little Anthony.
Of these nominees, my choices for induction would be Metallica, Run-DMC, Chic, The Stooges and War. These seem obvious, as they’re so far above the other four, in success and influence. And yet the actual inductees? My guess is they’ll probably shape up to be Metallica, Run-DMC, The Stooges, Jeff Beck and Little Anthony and the Imperials.
For all things Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, check out Future Rock Hall, a comprehensive and amazingly geeky (if often overly rockist) site that follows the institution pretty closely.
