Another reason the RR Hall of Fame is a joke

[Angiekay]

What a bunch of bullshit.


Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner made an executive decision to not allow the Dave Clark Five (DC5) to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame -- despite the fact that they earned the necessary votes to get in, according to insider reports.

Foxnews.com reported that Wenner, a co-founder of the Rock Hall and chairman of the board of its foundation, wanted to make the induction ceremony a more commercial TV event by allowing rap pioneers Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five to be inducted, despite the DC5 actually earning six more votes than the legendary rappers. A source close to the Rock Hall said that, "Jann went back to a previous ballot instead of taking the final vote as the last word. He used a technicality about the day votes were due in... He felt we couldn't go another year without a rap act."

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five were inducted into the Rock Hall Monday (March 12th), alongside R.E.M., Van Halen, Patti Smith, and the Ronettes. Wenner, who reportedly appointed himself the chairman of the Rock Hall after the recent death of Rock Hall co-founder Ahmet Ertegun, spiced the ceremony up with a prolonged salute to Ertegun featuring a tribute by Aretha Franklin. The source added that, "We begged Jann to allow all six acts to be inducted. But he insisted that he couldn't because there wouldn't be enough time."

Representatives for Wenner said that they have read the story and decline to comment.

The source went on to add that Wenner's financial management on behalf of the board has also been called into question, as well as his reshaping of the Rock Hall board, which is now mainly made up of past and present Rolling Stone writers. There are currently only three musicians on the Board's voting committee -- Paul Shaffer, Steven Van Zandt and Robbie Robertson.

[belar]

Completely ridiculous.

[strangegrey]

That piece of shit fumble fingered idiot Paul Shaffer is on the committee?
That explains ALOT!!!!!

Fucking Artie Fufkin...
I'd like to kick his ass...

[ohsherrie]

Maybe it's time that some real rock music people started another HOF. Call it the Rock Artists Hall of Fame(or some other variation) and locate it in Memphis where it really all started. Just forget about that travesty they've got now.

[Red13JoePa]

Clean the building out, shutter it and put it up for sale. We don't need a Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame if this is what it is.

[NealIsGod]

Clean the building out, shutter it and put it up for sale. We don't need a Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame if this is what it is.

Especially not in Cleveland.

[X factor]

What a bunch of bullshit.


Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner made an executive decision to not allow the Dave Clark Five (DC5) to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame -- despite the fact that they earned the necessary votes to get in, according to insider reports.

Foxnews.com reported that Wenner, a co-founder of the Rock Hall and chairman of the board of its foundation, wanted to make the induction ceremony a more commercial TV event by allowing rap pioneers Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five to be inducted, despite the DC5 actually earning six more votes than the legendary rappers. A source close to the Rock Hall said that, "Jann went back to a previous ballot instead of taking the final vote as the last word. He used a technicality about the day votes were due in... He felt we couldn't go another year without a rap act."

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five were inducted into the Rock Hall Monday (March 12th), alongside R.E.M., Van Halen, Patti Smith, and the Ronettes. Wenner, who reportedly appointed himself the chairman of the Rock Hall after the recent death of Rock Hall co-founder Ahmet Ertegun, spiced the ceremony up with a prolonged salute to Ertegun featuring a tribute by Aretha Franklin. The source added that, "We begged Jann to allow all six acts to be inducted. But he insisted that he couldn't because there wouldn't be enough time."

Representatives for Wenner said that they have read the story and decline to comment.

The source went on to add that Wenner's financial management on behalf of the board has also been called into question, as well as his reshaping of the Rock Hall board, which is now mainly made up of past and present Rolling Stone writers. There are currently only three musicians on the Board's voting committee -- Paul Shaffer, Steven Van Zandt and Robbie Robertson.

Hold the phone, ya'll. I don't think we have to throw the baby out with the bathwater. There ARE some great, deserving artists in the Rock Hall, and I for one don't want to see it disappear. It's a reminder to future generations that this music WAS important and DID matter (and still does, to many of us) . My hatred for Jann Weiner is well documented from a previous post ( not nearly as well documented as his magazine's hatred for KISS- see a pattern there?) but it is what it is. Perhaps we need more grassroots efforts to get our favorite bands in. And while I think VH going in is a great thing, I hope the fact that it was such a debacle doesn't hinder other bands of that ilk from getting in. BTW- just get used to the RAP stuff being in there, cause it ain't going away! RUN DMC will be in before Journey or Kiss I guarentee!

BTW- Other than Journey, who DO you guys think is the most overlooked artist? My money is still on KISS, but how about YES? Peter Gabriel/Genesis ? John Friggin Mellancamp, for heaven's sake?

[Angiekay]

Oh, but of course Wenner himself was inducted into the hall back in 2004. Why...I have no fucking idea. Looks like he more then likely voted himself in.

[Angiekay]

BTW- Other than Journey, who DO you guys think is the most overlooked artist? My money is still on KISS, but how about YES? Peter Gabriel/Genesis ? John Friggin Mellancamp, for heaven's sake?

Definitely Genesis
Styx
Rush
Pat Benatar
Heart

[ohsherrie]

There ARE some great, deserving artists in the Rock Hall, and I for one don't want to see it disappear.

The ones that are deserving can be the first inductees into the real Rock and Roll HOF. There is no honor in being inducted to the existing institution because it has no real meaning anymore.

If they're going to admit rap and hip hop artists they need to change the name to Trendy Music Hall of Fame. That's not rock and roll, it has no place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

[junky]

Here's the rest of the story:

So what happened here? My sources also say that Wenner's motivation may have sprung from a controversial speech that was delivered by new administrative head Joel Peresman to the nominating committee last winter.

"He stood up there and told us that we should vote for who we thought would be most commercial, and who be best on the TV show," a source said. "It was outrageous. Some people tried to stop him and asked him to leave, but he wouldn't. He said, 'I'm not leaving.' The director is never supposed to speak to the nominating committee."

Peresman came to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation last year when Wenner arbitrarily ousted the long-time chief of the group, Suzan Evans Hochberg, after two decades of loyalty.

"We couldn't believe Jann stood up there last night and said Suzan was retiring. But when the seating plan went crazy the other day, Jann called and begged her to come in and help. Peresman knows nothing about the business," a source said.

Peresman came to the Foundation from gigs booking shows at Madison Square Garden and with Clear Channel, the radio giant that many feel has strangled the music business with intransigent radio play policies and suggestions — actually, government investigations — of payola.

In the old days, such a hire would have been considered anathema by Wenner.

None of this should come as any surprise to those who have followed the roller-coaster world of the Rock Hall. According to the group's most recent tax filing, for example, they gave only $9,000 to indigent musicians from their $11 million in holdings.

Even worse: Wenner sent a tax-free $10,000 to something called Jazz Casuals in San Francisco. It's really just the archives of Ralph J. Gleason, the late jazz writer who periodically wrote for Rolling Stone in its early days. It was the only donation made by the Foundation to any group last year.

"Again, outrageous," a source said. "With all of Jann's money, he could have just sent a check. He didn't need to use the Foundation's money."

By contrast, the Foundation gave only $53,000 to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland. Attorney Allen Grubman's law firm took another $50,000 for legal services rendered. Evans received her usual $300,000 salary. Peresman is said to be receiving even more.

And then there's the matter of who has left on the nominating committee. I'm told that nearly half the group is gone, leaving 32 members. Many of the remaining members are former or current Wenner employees, like Rolling Stone's Nathan Brackett, David Fricke, Jim Henke, Joe Levy, Brian Keizer and Anthony DeCurtis.

Jon Landau, Bruce Springsteen's manager and a former Rolling Stone writer, is the chairman of the committee and considered the last truly mediating influence on Wenner.

There are only three actual musicians: Paul Shaffer, Steven van Zandt and Robbie Robertson. Three are female. One of them is black. There are only two other black members: journalist Toure and Reginald C. Dennis

Wenner, I'm told, "weeded out everyone he didn't like." He even got rid of the veteran New York Post and Vanity Fair writer Lisa Robinson.

Wenner almost bumped Claudia Perry, a Newark Star Ledger sports writer and former pop music critic. After a scuffle, she managed to hang on, which was good news. As a black woman she fulfilled two minorities on the board (Edna Gundersen and Elyssa Gardner of USA Today are the other females).

"This is the opposite of what Ahmet would have wanted," a source said. "He liked a big committee that reflected lots of different tastes."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,258664,00.html

[Red13JoePa]

BTW- Other than Journey, who DO you guys think is the most overlooked artist? My money is still on KISS, but how about YES? Peter Gabriel/Genesis ? John Friggin Mellancamp, for heaven's sake?

Styx

Pat Benatar
Heart

All deserving, and all have ZERO (0) shot, as the de facto rules are currently written.

[****]

I still think Def Leppard should be in there.

[Angiekay]

BTW- Other than Journey, who DO you guys think is the most overlooked artist? My money is still on KISS, but how about YES? Peter Gabriel/Genesis ? John Friggin Mellancamp, for heaven's sake?

Styx

Pat Benatar
Heart

All deserving, and all have ZERO (0) shot, as the de facto rules are currently written.

It's interesting that you left Rush out of my quote. I think by far they should be in there before ANYONE takes another step into that building.

[Red13JoePa]

I left Rush and Genesis out of the quote b/c I think they both have good shots, like VH did, of overcoming the "too mainstream" or "corporate rock" labels.

IE: Rush and Geneisis are so big they're unsnubbable.
They're not as easy for the Nirvana and Foo Fighters and Oasis generations to laugh and poke fun at.

It's cool and easy to bash bands like Pat, Styx and Heart and get away with it.

[Just Mindy]

It's interesting that you left Rush out of my quote. I think by far they should be in there before ANYONE takes another step into that building.

Absolutely.

[Wally_Hatchet]

Journey
Boston
Genesis
REO
Styx
Heart
Yes
Ronnie James Dio
Def Leppard


^
all deserve to be in the RRHOF.

[Rockindeano]

BTW- Other than Journey, who DO you guys think is the most overlooked artist? My money is still on KISS, but how about YES? Peter Gabriel/Genesis ? John Friggin Mellancamp, for heaven's sake?

Definitely Genesis
Styx
Rush
Pat Benatar
Heart

Sorry Angie,

Styx Genesis and Benatar are simply not good enough. I like them but they're not even close to a RnR Hall. I would vote Rush in, because of their technical progression and their influence.

[Just_Plain_Eric]

John Cougar BasketballCamp

[7 Wishes]

Genesis is not brilliant enough? Have you ever listened to "Trick of the Tail" or "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway"?

[Clasicrockldy]

What a bunch of bullshit.


Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner made an executive decision to not allow the Dave Clark Five (DC5) to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame -- despite the fact that they earned the necessary votes to get in, according to insider reports.

Foxnews.com reported that Wenner, a co-founder of the Rock Hall and chairman of the board of its foundation, wanted to make the induction ceremony a more commercial TV event by allowing rap pioneers Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five to be inducted, despite the DC5 actually earning six more votes than the legendary rappers. A source close to the Rock Hall said that, "Jann went back to a previous ballot instead of taking the final vote as the last word. He used a technicality about the day votes were due in... He felt we couldn't go another year without a rap act."

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five were inducted into the Rock Hall Monday (March 12th), alongside R.E.M., Van Halen, Patti Smith, and the Ronettes. Wenner, who reportedly appointed himself the chairman of the Rock Hall after the recent death of Rock Hall co-founder Ahmet Ertegun, spiced the ceremony up with a prolonged salute to Ertegun featuring a tribute by Aretha Franklin. The source added that, "We begged Jann to allow all six acts to be inducted. But he insisted that he couldn't because there wouldn't be enough time."

Representatives for Wenner said that they have read the story and decline to comment.

The source went on to add that Wenner's financial management on behalf of the board has also been called into question, as well as his reshaping of the Rock Hall board, which is now mainly made up of past and present Rolling Stone writers. There are currently only three musicians on the Board's voting committee -- Paul Shaffer, Steven Van Zandt and Robbie Robertson.

Oh, but of course Wenner himself was inducted into the hall back in 2004. Why...I have no fucking idea. Looks like he more then likely voted himself in.

Shit Angie. This sucks big time. I don't know the ins and outs of the RR Hall Of Fame, but if this is the way it is going, by some fucking assholes favorites, I'd boycott the damn place. With him as the "appointed King Shit", not one good band is going to be inducted, ever. It is time for a coup...............

And how did Wenner get inducted into the RR Hall Of Fame? Was he a musician in a favorite band? Way back when, I only knew of him as a writer for Rolling Stone. I didn't think writers got inducted there.

[Andrew]

Time to start the MelodicRock Hall Of Fame

[FormerJrnyFan]

Time to start the MelodicRock Hall Of Fame

Excellent idea Andrew! Then maybe, the bands that rightfully deserve a hall of fame honor will get one!!!

[AR]

Alice Cooper, Kiss, Deep Purple, The Moody Blues, and many of the others previously mentioned.

[7 Wishes]

Slander has volunteered to run the MROR HOF. I say we give him the job. He is the most insightful, brilliant individual with whom I've ever had the prvilege to interface.

[Andrew]

Time to start the MelodicRock Hall Of Fame

Excellent idea Andrew! Then maybe, the bands that rightfully deserve a hall of fame honor will get one!!!

Something I have had in mind for a while....just how to execute it so it legitimately means something is the big question.

[FormerJrnyFan]

Time to start the MelodicRock Hall Of Fame

Excellent idea Andrew! Then maybe, the bands that rightfully deserve a hall of fame honor will get one!!!

Something I have had in mind for a while....just how to execute it so it legitimately means something is the big question.

I understand, but justice must be served!

[7 Wishes]

If you construct a valid business plan, I'll invest in this scheme, and my last name isn't Ponzi!

Scott Weiland has volunteered to clean the toilets.

[Rockindeano]

Slander has volunteered to run the MROR HOF. I say we give him the job. He is the most insightful, brilliant individual with whom I've ever had the prvilege to interface.

Fuck him. I'm running it and Journey is first to be inducted.

[Andrew]

Who the hell is Slander??