Sunday, March 20, 2005
Let's take a look at this year's inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame:
U2: I have NEVER liked U2. I don't deny they're talented; I don't deny they're famous, but I've simply never liked their stuff. Bono's political and religious leanings in his songs may be sincere but I don't have to like it and I don't.
If there is any argument that the R&R HOF has become a popularity contest, this is the election that does it.
The Pretenders: Definitely. Chrissie Hynde was the second female in Rock to get me sexually aroused simply from her music. (Patti Smith was first; I distinctly remember being in a record store in '75 or '6 when "Horses" came out. The guy was playing the album and I got so horny I had to leave.) "Brass in Pocket," "Middle of the Road" and "My City Was Gone" are all excellent reasons why the Pretenders are in on the first ballot.
Percy Sledge: Is Percy the first guy to get in on the strength of basically one song? But what a song: "When a MAAAAAAAAAAN Loves a Woman..." Actually, my favorite Percy Sledge song was the follow-up: "Take Time To Know Her."
Buddy Guy: Yeah, I know he played the rock festivals, I know he's one of the three best living electric guitarists in the world. But he's a BLUES guy. I never think of Buddy Guy as a Rock and Roller. I bet he's as surprised as I am. Of course, maybe they're just recognizing that the blues is just as important an element to rock as soul music and R&B. Which brings me to:
The O'Jays: Sure. "Love Train," "Backstabbers," all the others. Good choice.
But now I have a gripe:
Why the hell isn't Leon Russell in the R&R Hall of Fame? Has he ever even been nominated? Here's a guy who played on literally hundreds of hits in the 60s, helped to make Joe Cocker a household name, had a great career in the 70s and composed some of the best songs ever: "This Masquerade," "Tightrope," "Superstar," "A Song For You," "Delta Lady," "Lady Blue," "Roll Away The Stone," and more. And nobody has better hair than Leon.
Now I'll be fair and nominate somebody I don't even like: Neil Diamond. Started as one of Don Kirshner's churn-em-out songwriters in the mid-60s and wrote "I'm a Believer." Made a name for himself with "You Got To Me," "Cherry Cherry" and "Kentucky Woman." Kept writing hits for EONs. Hasn't even been discussed as a R&R HOF nominee. I don't get it.
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Had a good time at the Phoenix folk festival yesterday. Pulled an audience pretty much from park passersby and we all had fun. My friend Nancy Freeman sang with me and we always sound good. I cut the tip of my middle finger on my strumming hand, and consequently bled on my picks. That was fun.
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I found out a couple of days ago that a high school friend of mine had passed away just before Christmas. Steve Schoblaska was an interesting guy, full of ideas and intelligent as all get-out. But he never seemed to have much incentive to do more than just get by. He was obese pretty much his entire life, he smoked like a chimney (pipes), went through marijuana like a penguin goes through fish and had dietary practices that were at best, shocking. So when I heard he died from complications of diabetes I wasn't surprised. ( I once saw the guy eat breakfast: A simple bowl of Cheerios. Covered in brown sugar. With some corn syrup on top of it, because he said otherwise it "wasn't sweet enough."
But I do have lots of great memories of the guy. He was blind as a bat, like me, but he didn't ever wear glasses. I remember once breaking mine and he pulled a pair out of his pocket and said, "here, try these, I don't use them." They were perfect. I asked him, "How the hell are you walking around without grabbing walls?" He had no answer but from then on I was always a little wary of getting into his car.
But given all that I don't think the guy ever had an enemy in the world. We lost track of each other about 20 years ago but I always knew he was around. And it's always sad when the world loses a nice guy.
TT
U2: I have NEVER liked U2. I don't deny they're talented; I don't deny they're famous, but I've simply never liked their stuff. Bono's political and religious leanings in his songs may be sincere but I don't have to like it and I don't.
If there is any argument that the R&R HOF has become a popularity contest, this is the election that does it.
The Pretenders: Definitely. Chrissie Hynde was the second female in Rock to get me sexually aroused simply from her music. (Patti Smith was first; I distinctly remember being in a record store in '75 or '6 when "Horses" came out. The guy was playing the album and I got so horny I had to leave.) "Brass in Pocket," "Middle of the Road" and "My City Was Gone" are all excellent reasons why the Pretenders are in on the first ballot.
Percy Sledge: Is Percy the first guy to get in on the strength of basically one song? But what a song: "When a MAAAAAAAAAAN Loves a Woman..." Actually, my favorite Percy Sledge song was the follow-up: "Take Time To Know Her."
Buddy Guy: Yeah, I know he played the rock festivals, I know he's one of the three best living electric guitarists in the world. But he's a BLUES guy. I never think of Buddy Guy as a Rock and Roller. I bet he's as surprised as I am. Of course, maybe they're just recognizing that the blues is just as important an element to rock as soul music and R&B. Which brings me to:
The O'Jays: Sure. "Love Train," "Backstabbers," all the others. Good choice.
But now I have a gripe:
Why the hell isn't Leon Russell in the R&R Hall of Fame? Has he ever even been nominated? Here's a guy who played on literally hundreds of hits in the 60s, helped to make Joe Cocker a household name, had a great career in the 70s and composed some of the best songs ever: "This Masquerade," "Tightrope," "Superstar," "A Song For You," "Delta Lady," "Lady Blue," "Roll Away The Stone," and more. And nobody has better hair than Leon.
Now I'll be fair and nominate somebody I don't even like: Neil Diamond. Started as one of Don Kirshner's churn-em-out songwriters in the mid-60s and wrote "I'm a Believer." Made a name for himself with "You Got To Me," "Cherry Cherry" and "Kentucky Woman." Kept writing hits for EONs. Hasn't even been discussed as a R&R HOF nominee. I don't get it.
------
Had a good time at the Phoenix folk festival yesterday. Pulled an audience pretty much from park passersby and we all had fun. My friend Nancy Freeman sang with me and we always sound good. I cut the tip of my middle finger on my strumming hand, and consequently bled on my picks. That was fun.
------
I found out a couple of days ago that a high school friend of mine had passed away just before Christmas. Steve Schoblaska was an interesting guy, full of ideas and intelligent as all get-out. But he never seemed to have much incentive to do more than just get by. He was obese pretty much his entire life, he smoked like a chimney (pipes), went through marijuana like a penguin goes through fish and had dietary practices that were at best, shocking. So when I heard he died from complications of diabetes I wasn't surprised. ( I once saw the guy eat breakfast: A simple bowl of Cheerios. Covered in brown sugar. With some corn syrup on top of it, because he said otherwise it "wasn't sweet enough."
But I do have lots of great memories of the guy. He was blind as a bat, like me, but he didn't ever wear glasses. I remember once breaking mine and he pulled a pair out of his pocket and said, "here, try these, I don't use them." They were perfect. I asked him, "How the hell are you walking around without grabbing walls?" He had no answer but from then on I was always a little wary of getting into his car.
But given all that I don't think the guy ever had an enemy in the world. We lost track of each other about 20 years ago but I always knew he was around. And it's always sad when the world loses a nice guy.
TT
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