Rant #817: Listen to the Music

OK, let me get this out of the way right at the get-go: I have lost all faith in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to get anything right.

Their nominations are usually brutal, serving no purpose but to glorify acts that generally aren’t worthy, and to create great public debate.

Well, this year’s list of nominees takes the cake as probably the worst set of nominees ever.

First-time nominees Rush, Deep Purple, N.W.A., Public Enemy, Albert King, the Marvelettes and Procol Harum join previously nominated acts Chic, Heart, Donna Summer, Kraftwerk, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Randy Newman, Paul Butterfield Blues Band and The Meters.

My question: Do any of these acts really deserve to be in there?

I will give a nod to the Marvelettes. They had numerous hits, including “Please Mr. Postman” and, my personal favorite, “The Hunter Gets Captured By the Game,” and they paved the way for a group like the Supremes to make it big.

But beyond that, who else truly merits consideration?

Rush? Maybe. They are the true FM-oriented act, never garnering much airplay on pop radio at all, but having numerous FM airplay hits and LPs to garner a solid consideration.

Deep Purple? Maybe. I loved “Hush” and “Smoke on the Water,” but their time was brief, very brief. They have reformed a few times, and I kind of like their music, so I will give them a maybe.

The rest of the acts reek of political correctness. N.W.A. and Public Enemy will probably get in, for the thinking is that the Hall of Fame must be all inclusive, including musical acts that have absolutely nothing to do with rock at all.

Kraftwerk was basically a one-hit synthesizer wonder, it that at all, and Heart is important as the first true self-contained rock and roll act led by women to make it big.

The rest don’t even merit the least bit of consideration.

I do get why these acts were nominated, but I simply, as a true rock and roll fan, do not understand why, let’s say, Glen Campbell is not in there.

I don’t understand why Chubby Checker is not in there.

I don’t understand why Paul Revere and the Raiders are not in there.

I don’t understand why the Monkees are not in there.

But on the other hand, I do understand.

They do not fall into the vision of the man who runs the place, initials J.W., so these acts aren’t even on the map as far as this person is concerned.

Again, it is this person’s personal choice, and I have made my personal choice.

Until a more representative group of acts is nominated and gains entrance, I won’t ever bother to visit the place.

I mean, what’s the point?

My suggestion: Allow fans in on the nominations. Fans look at acts differently than supposedly in the know industry types do. You cannot have a representative Rock and Roll Hall of Fame without consideration from the fans.

And without such consideration, I repeat, what's the point?