We have a bit of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame related news prior to Christmas as Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament discussed Rage Against the Machine’s snub and Mick Box of Uriah Heep talked about his bands own chances for enshrinement.

On their Sirius/XM channel, Jeff Ament briefly mentioned that the fact that Rage Against the Machine was snubbed as they were not chosen for 2019 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class.

“Another first ballot snub, our cohorts from Los Angeles, Rage Against The Machine. Of course we have a lot of history with those guys, Brad was in a band with Ed years ago. We jammed with Brad a little bit when we were mixing our first record. We’ve been friends with those guys all the way through. Timmy and I are super tight bass bros.”

We didn’t say it was a deep thought on it.  

RATM member, Tom Morello is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame committee and the band was nominated the last two years, which is the exact amount of time they have been eligible.

In an interview with “The Five Count Radio Show, Mick Box of Uriah Heep was asked why they have not been inducted yet.  Here is what he had to say:

 “I've never even thought about it, because all I hear about how they choose bands and people to be in it, I'm not quite sure it's good or bad; I can't make up my mind about it. But, saying that, just recently, a campaign has been started for us to be in the Hall of Fame. Whether it disappears into the ether, I have no idea. If it comes to fruition, it'll be great — it'll be a nice moment to savor. But, you know, life goes on regardless. And if it comes, great; if it doesn't, then that's great too."

"Wouldn't it be nice to have [the trophy]? But if it don't come, then life will continue. And as it is, it's a pretty good life already. I mean, the thing they do overlook is that we were pioneers for a lot of bands throughout our career. For instance, we were the first band to play in Moscow when Glasnost sent us an official invitation to be the first Western rock band to play over in Russia. We went to Moscow and played to 180,000 people in the Olympic stadium over a 10-day period. It was just immense. 

Uriah Heep have been eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 1995 but have never been nominated.

We know that there will be a lot more discussion about the 2019 Class as we continue to inch towards the ceremony.  

As always, we will be watching!

Well, we can’t say that this is the hardest we ever worked on an article.

We will keep this one simple as once again former Pearl Jam drummer, Dave Abbruzzese, has spoken out about the induction of his former band.

As you can imagine, it isn’t very positive.

It is taken from a comment he made on his own YouTube channel, which was in response to a poster saying how the drummers were invited to the ceremony:

“Hello, David Abbruzzese here….

Not true, the band and the hall did not invite or contact me.. The band tweeted that they welcomed the idea of the event granting the possibility of all the drummers to be in the same room. That isnt an invite.

I personally have deep respect for all drummers and of course the five that participated in the pearl jam bands carreer… I am going to say this; For the band to put me in the same light as Matt Chamberlain & Dave K really was a slap in the face. Nothing to do with those guys as people or players. Respect… but as a contributor? A band member? A definitive contributor to the energy and power of where the band went? …the sacrifices, the work, the physical and emotional contributions…not to mention the personal weight of carrying onthrough and after unceremonious and disrespectful way I was fired. I gave this band all I had to give every single moment I was in it. I never played for a paycheck. I never let the band down. I never let the music down. I never let the fans down… not once. I suppose that is why I am still such a point of contention. Truth be told, if I would have been inducted, I would have requested my tech, Jimmy Shoaf Jr. and my daughter, Francesca to say a few words on my behalf. If they had invited me to be there to witness the bands induction? Nope. To do that would justify the mistake and disrespect the core fans that took this band to heart back when all we were to become, we had to earn and also, most importantly, we had to prove we deserved every single time we took the stage. And we did that. We, the Pearl Jam band & original crew, deserved to be inducted & respected. I’m proud of my old friends for managing it all so well. I dont know if I heard anyone say it, but you’re welcome and thank you, too”

We are not sure about the rest of you but we think this is likely to be the last we speak on this.

Neil Young was scheduled to be a part of this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as he was pegged as the inductor of Pearl Jam.  Due to illness (as reported by the Rock and Roll Hall), the music legend will not be a part of the ceremony, but his replacement might be even more famous, albeit not in the music industry.

Former late night kingpin, David Letterman will now be inducting Pearl Jam.  While this may seem illogical, there is no disputing that Letterman is a huge name in the entertainment field, and during his run at NBC hosting Late Night, he had many alternative bands that would not be typical on other shows.

While we will miss seeing Young at the ceremony, Letterman is a great substitute.

Let’s just hope that Young is OK!

We thought it had been too long since there had been some news regarding the upcoming Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony.

From a note on the Pearl Jam official Twitter page, the band had the following to say:

“While awards and accolades are understandably subjective and a countless number of our peers have yet to be honored, we do feel fortunate to be recognized and provided the opportunity to reunite with everyone who has been part of the group. Specifically the drummers who left their distinctive mark on our band in the pre-Matt Cameron years. Dave Krusen, Matt Chamberlain, Dave Abbruzzese, and Jack Irons are each individually great players who gave their all to the early recordings and live gigs. Looking forward to seeing them and all the other musicians on the bill.”

Hmmmmm…

Regular visitors here and those who have been following the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame know that Abbruzzese in particular has been very vocal about his exclusion from the Hall.

This does not make it clear if those who were not chosen by the powers that be in Cleveland will be in attendance. 

It is also worth noting that this overture by Eddie Vedder and company does not mean that the inductees on behalf of Pearl Jam will be changing.  It will still be the same core group that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame had originally mentioned.

We don’t think this story is over, and we are looking forward to see what happens next!

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame still has a lot of unanswered questions, but we are learning slowly about some of the inductors for the ceremony on April 7 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.  Three presenters have been announced.

Neil Young will be inducting Pearl Jam, Jackson Browne will be inducting Joan Baez and Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson of Rush will be inducting Yes.  It is notable that all of these inductors are Rock and Roll Hall of Famers themselves.

It is not known yet who will be inducting ELO, Nile Rodgers, Tupac Shakur and Journey.

We will keep our ears open for more Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony news.  You know there will be a lot more coming!

  

As you all know Pearl Jam expectedly entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on the first ballot.  You might also know that Dave Abbruzzese, their former drummer will not be joining the band as he was not named amongst the members whom the Rock Hall deemed relevant enough to be inducted. 

Of the five drummers that Pearl Jam had, the original, Dave Krusen and current drummer, Matt Cameron are being inducted.  Krusen was let go from the band in 1991 following problems with alcohol but he was the drummer on their breakthrough album, Ten.  Cameron joined the band in 1998 after performing for another potential Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band, Soundgarden, who he also returned to drum for.

Abbruzzese joined in 1991 and was with the band until he was let go in 1994.  He played on Vs. and Vitalogy, two very successful albums for the band.

He had the following to say on his Facebook page:

“So… Rock & Roll Hall of F**ktardia. Ergh. It makes absolutely zero sense to me… As the original ballot is created, the members of each eligible band are determined by largely who was present and active during the most influential recording years. I'm not sure how 275+ live shows and 38% of record sales doesn't fit their criteria…

The qualifications required for me to have been inducted with my former band mates certainly have been met. I challenge anyone to justify why I am not worthy of a place in the history of Pearl Jam.  The official reason given from the RRHOF makes it bullshit. It makes my years of hard work appear to be worthless towards the success born of the formative years of Pearl Jam.  This is simply not the case.”

Just what influence each inducted band has in regards to which members get in is certainly up for debate.  Ultimately, the decision lies with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame itself.

Either way, it would not be a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class without a bit of controversy would it?

This is kind of our Christmas morning.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced their 2017 Class, and let’s get right to it.

Pearl Jam, enters on their first year of eligibility and did this surprise anyone at all?  When you think of what the RRHOF is looking for in an inductee they met every criteria and the discussion to enter the Cleveland probably didn’t even exist.  They didn’t have to debate it all.

Tupac also joins as a first ballot inductee.  No word yet as to whether his hologram will be making an appearance at the ceremony, but like Pearl Jam this was largely expected.

Journey, who won the fan vote, also got in on their first nomination, though they have been long eligible.  This is the fourth year in a row where the winner of the fan vote gained entry into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Progressive Rock finally saw Yes get in after twenty plus years of eligibility.  Arguably, this was of the biggest bands of their genre who had yet to get in.

The Electric Light Orchestra will also be inducted.  Jeff Lynne has long been one of the most respected musicians in the industry and for what it is worth, now all of the Wilburys are Hall of Famers.

The surprise inductee was Joan Baez, who also got in on her first nomination, albeit after thirty-four years of eligibility.  Baez was a folk icon, and she is the lone female to enter the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year.

Perhaps the biggest relief (in our eyes) is that Chic’s Nile Rodgers will be entering the Hall as the recipient of the Award for Musical Excellence.  Chic had been nominated annually without getting in, and this is likely going to put an end to that debacle. 

Those not selected were Depeche Mode, Janet Jackson, Bad Brains, Jane’s Addiction, The Cars, Chic, The J. Geils Band, Kraftwerk, MC5, Steppenwolf, The Zombies, Joe Tex and Chaka Khan.

We will have a deeper look at this later in the week and we will also begin work on reworking our Notinhalloffame.com Rock and Roll list in late January.

Isn’t always the way that when a band gets inducted (or in this case, nominated) that there is discussion as to which member of the band should get in?

That is what is going on a former drummer, Dave Abbruzzese ranted on his official Facebook page about his exclusion from a potential Pearl Jam induction:

“…just a fine opportunity to see what [the group] has to say in response. Let's see if they do the right thing. It'll be interesting to see the spin that is put on it. That band and its management have never been ones to shy away when an injustice is done. Let's see if they still have the courage to fight the good fight!"

I've seen them change a 15-year-old settlement agreement just by ignoring its contents and withholding money that didn't belong to them in order to force me to accept the changes. They know how to play the game… their way!...The members of PEARL JAM have got to know what's the right thing to do. They can't justify ignoring my contributions. Like me or not."

We have to assume as he was solicited with media requests as he would post additionally on his Facebook page and clarify his comments:

"I am requesting that the media please refrain from attempting to make a negative story out of this.

I am not slamming the Hall Of Fame or PEARL JAM. I understand that there may be some flaws inherent to the balloting process.

I reacted emotionally, and my reaction was based on a lack of understanding.

I have spoken to friends and peers and I am resolved to wait patiently to watch and see how it works out.

I am not looking to ruffle any feathers. I am not angry with the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame or PEARL JAM."

Hmmmm.

If Abbruzzese is upset, he might have a bit of a claim.  While his tenure with the band was only three years, that was the stint between 1991 to 1994, an era where they were on top of the alt world.  He would join the band for the Ten tour and played on Vs. and Vitalogy replacing Matt Chamberlain, who actually will be inducted should the band get in.  He would be fired following a falling out with the rest of the band.  It was alleged that Abbruzzese was more of a partying rock star and less serious than his bandmates who were then in the midst of their fight with Ticketmaster.

It is worth noting that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame dispensed with their usual pattern of announcing which members of an inducted band would be inducted AFTER the group was chosen.

Was the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame correct in omitting Abbruzzese?



Let us know your thoughts!

It’s that time again!

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has unveiled their 2019 Nominees, which has been bumped up to 19 from the traditional 15 that they usually put forth.

As per years previous, we see some familiar nominations, some new faces and a very diverse group of musicians.

The nominees are as follows:

Pearl Jam:  Ranked #1 on Notinhalloffame.com.   No shock here, as everyone projected that this very influential band would be nominated on their first year of eligibility.  This might be as close to a lock as it gets in terms of induction.

Kraftwerk:  Ranked #2 on Notinhalloffame.com.  The Germans are back with their fourth nomination.  While this is a band not well known to the casual music fan, they have all heard them sampled in one form or another. 

MC5:  Ranked #6 on Notinhalloffame.com.  Kick Out the Jams!   The proto-punk rock band is back on the ballot after a long absence.  This is their second nomination after twenty-six years of eligibility.

Yes:  Ranked #13 on Notinhalloffame.com.  They are on the ballot for the third time and are the sentimental favorites for many Progressive Rock fans.  They should have been inducted years ago.

Tupac Shakur:  Ranked #15 on Notinhalloffame.com.  This year’s hip hop nominee became a first year nominee.  Expect this to be a first year induction.  Now will he accept the honor in hologram form?

Janet Jackson:  Ranked #22 on Notinhalloffame.com.  This is her second straight nomination, and she is without question the strongest female candidate of the lot.  This should be her year and thus necessitate a logo change from us!

Depeche Mode:  Ranked #26 on Notinhalloffame.com.  This is a big month for them.  They have a new album coming out and they have been nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the first time.  They have been Hall of Fame eligible for eleven years.

The Cars:  Ranked #33 on Notinhalloffame.com.  This is their second nomination in a row.

Journey:  Ranked #56 on Notinhalloffame.com.  This is their first nomination after seventeen years of eligibility.  The Arena Rock band still has a huge following and also has a large online campaign to get them in.

Jane’s Addiction:  Ranked #60 on Notinhalloffame.com.  This is their first nomination after being eligible for five years.  The connection to early 90’s alternative and Lollapooza makes them a strong candidate.

Steppenwolf:  Ranked #69 on Notinhalloffame.com.  The band who coined the term heavy metal is nominated for the first time in twenty-four years.

The Electric Light Orchestra:  Ranked #80 on Notinhalloffame.com.  This is the first nomination for Jeff Lynne and his band and could make him the final “Wilbury” to be enshrined.

The Zombies:  Ranked #88 on Notinhalloffame.com.  The Zombies return to the ballot for their second time and have been RRHOF eligible for twenty-eight years.

Chic:  Ranked #110 on Notinhalloffame.com.  Here we go again.  Fifteen Years of eligibility, eleven years nominated.  Next year it will be sixteen and twelve

Joe Tex:  Ranked #112 on Notinhalloffame.com.  This is the 5th nomination for Joe Tex and first since 2011. 

Chaka Khan:  Ranked #130 on Notinhalloffame.com.  She was nominated last year, though we would have liked to see her nominated with Rufus.

Joan Baez:  Ranked #178 on Notinhalloffame.com.  Is this the biggest surprise of the lot?  Could be.  The folk singer secured her first nomination after being eligible for thirty-two years.

Bad Brains:  Ranked #248 on Notinhalloffame.com.   A shocker, but in a good way.  This is a very influential group from Washington D.C. though we don’t expect them to pull another surprise out of their hat and get enshrined this year.  This is their first nomination after ten years of eligibility.



Did they get it right? 

For us, the biggest surprise is that Nine Inch Nails were not nominated after being put forth on the ballot the last two years, but overall we like this group.

What are your thoughts?

For the fourth year in a row, we here at Notinhalloffame.com will be predicting whom the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will be naming as Finalists for the next class.

This year, I am joined again by our own DDT and Spheniscus and we will see which one of us can correctly predict the Finalists of the most debated Hall of Fame worldwide. 

Last month the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced their latest class for the Hall.

When that happens, we here at Notinhalloffame.com have chosen to waste no time at all as we are ready to unveil a revised list of those who should be considered for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame vote in 2016.

Here is how it works for us:

First off, we remove the acts that have been inducted.  For reference those were Deep Purple, Chicago, The Steve Miller Band, Cheap Trick and N.W.A.

Next, we add those who are now eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the 2016 Class.

The final criteria comes from all of you.  Your votes have an impact as to the ascension and decline of the Rock and Roll acts that are eligible.

With all of that being said, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are very happy to announce tbe Notinhalloffame.com Class for 2016 in regards to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  

The new number one band is Pearl Jam, who are entering their first year of eligibility.  There is a solid reason to expect that the Seattle based band will enter immediately.  

The German group, Kraftwerk, returns at #2.  The Krautrock innovators have been ranked at the top in the past, and could very well be again.

The remaining Top Ten consists of #3. Jethro Tull, #4. Roxy Music, #5. The Smiths, #6. MC5, #7. Willie Nelson, #8. New Order, #9. Gram Parsons and at #10. John Coltrane. 

Pearl Jam are not the only new act that has entered our Notinhalloffame.com Rock and Roll list.

The late rapper 2pac is entering at #15.

Alternative singer, P.J. Harvey debuts at the #52 spot.

Alanis Morissette also debuts in the top 100 at #65.

The final act to enter the top 100 in their first year of eligibility are the British group, The Prodigy.

Other new entries include Aphex Twin (#115), Sterolab (#138), Tori Amos (#190), Cypress Hill (#239), Boyz II Men (#258), Mercury Rev (#295), Kyuss (#341), Helmet (#414) and The Cranberries at (#515).

You may notice that the Cranberries have debuted at #515.  We originally set out to have 500, but new entries have outdone the inductees, so we have elected to have an uneven number.

Stating that, by this summer we are looking to expand it to an even 1,000.

Why a grand?  Why not!

We would like to encourage you to vote and give us your comments.  They do matter as those do alter future rankings.

As always, we would like to thank you for your support.

If Nirvana were the Beatles of grunge, then Pearl Jam were the Rolling Stones.

The band that was originally named Mookie Blaylock, would be the largest beneficiary of the grunge movement, and of the genre easily the most principled.  Perhaps the embodiment of American music for decades, Pearl Jam would become a huge band, but arguably could have been more successful had they “played by the rules”.

Gang, this is the time where we ask your help!

As you know, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has made their announcement as to who has made their Hall of Fame for the Class of 2016.  This will necessitate a change in our ranking and through the years, you have let us know what you thought with your comments and votes, with those who are on the rock list.

You have also let us know on our “Rock and Roll Futures” with a comment or two, but now the next batch of futures will be placed on the list.

We would like to hear where you would consider ranking the following:



Alanis Morissette

Bikini Kill

Boyz II Men

Crash Test Dummies

Cypress Hill

Helmet

Kyuss

Live

Marc Anthony

Mercury Rev

Naughty by Nature

Pearl Jam

PM Dawn

Ricky Martin

Seal

The Cranberries

The Prodigy

Tori Amos

Tupac Shakur



Many thanks to all of you have told us your thoughts and have voted on the rock and other lists that we have.

We intend to have the new Rock list up as soon as we can!