Who would you like to put in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?

[Chris Henniker]

As we know, it's almost that time of year again when the RRHoF inducts new members. The worst decision I can think of was admitting Madonna in the RRHoF, as she's just cruise ship fodder at worst and good cabaret at best. I bet all of us could do better, nominating real rock'n'roll bands who were more underated or something. I agree with this paragraph from the Wikipedia entry entirely: 

"The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has garnered criticism for allegedly allowing the nomination process to be controlled by a few individuals,^[4] nominating too many artists in too many genres that are not entirely rock,^[5] ignoring entire rock genres,^[6] and using technicalities to induct groups who may not have been among the top vote getters.^[7]"

They've overlooked Garage, freakbeat, power pop and psychobilly. If you can nominate 10 bands/solo artists/producers/sidemen and up to five wild cards, who would you go for and why? Just for fun, let's get the ball rolling with a few nominations of my own:

1. Link Wray (Rumble was the great instrumental)
2. Dick Dale
3. The Monks (just for their weirdness)
4. The Sonics
5. Billy Childish (for his inspiration to grass roots bands everywhere, but also his commitment to real rock'n'roll!)
6. The Cramps
7. Joe Meek
8. Morrisey & The Smiths
9. The 13th Floor Elevators (for inventing psychedelia)
10. MC5

Wild cards:

1. Cliff Richard (First R&B/rock'n'roll recorded outside the US)
2. The Jam
3. Ros Sereysothea (For she was the Golden Voice)
4. Sinn Sisamouth
5. Takashi Terauchi

Who are your ten?

 

[Andy Climax]

Syd Barrett, Mick Ronson, Johnny Thunders and John Peel, Dick Dale, Bo Diddley, Sex Pistols, King Kurt, Robert Johnson for starters thanks..... Oh and a Lux Interior waxwork at the Glittery curtained entrance, welcoming everyone in.

[Andy Climax]

oops! wildcards

1. Birthday Party

2. Butthole Surfers

3. Michael Franti

4. Swell

5. Dead Kennedys

[Alison]

The Troggs!!!!!!!!!!

and

The Shangri-las!!!!!!!

and

The Zombies!!!!

also, Mary Wells, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Link Wray, The Crystals, Dick Dale, Sun Ra, The Sonics, Roky Erickson, Tommy James and the Shondells, MC5, Gram Parsons, T. Rex, New York Dolls, Television, Cheap Trick, The Jam, the Buzzcocks, Motorhead, the B-52's, the Slits, X-Ray Spex, Gang of Four, The Cramps, and Sonic Youth

[melissa scott]

Yes, Roky Erickson should already be in. That's a no brainer. Politics and $$$ make the H o F what it is, no? And, it's expensive. :(

[John Battles]

I don't know if I have a Top Ten , and , I pay so little attention to that abomination that I might mention one or two people that are already there , by mistake . When The RRHF opened , all 25 opening nominees were there for a REASON. There is'nt any reason why it should'nt still be that way. Eddie Cochran was one of the first inductees , but it took FOREVER to induct Gene Vincent. Why? Your guess is as good as mine.

It's going to take a long time until any Garage Rock acts get in . The Seeds , Electric Prunes , ? and The Mysterians ,  Standells  , and The Music Machine ,  to say nothing of Paul Revere and The Raiders , who were HUGE , should already be in , and , maybe , then , the Judges would'nt be so adverse to inducting even lesser known , but still influential , bands of this genre. But , Garage Rock has never been taken that seriously.

 

MYSELF , I WOULD AGREE , DEFINITELY , Link Wray ,  The Elevators  , The Cramps  , The MC5 , Dick Dale (Even though his ego , crap recordings and cornball live shows have chased away , many of his supporters.) , Joe Meek , and The Sonics , who are still nearly as unlikely as the monks to ever get in the so - called real hall of fame.....But , I hope I'm wrong about that. Good call on Cliff Richard. People run him down all the time , but , who started the British R'n'R scene?

 Ahmet Ertegun presented Johnny Hallyday an award for being the first European artist to import R'n'R to the continent. Hallyday and Richard were running pretty much neck and neck , maybe one beat the other's time , getting the first European Rock single out , but , they should both be recogized for getting  in on the ground floor.

And , if  Dick Dale and Link Wray got their due , we'd have to give The Shadows and The Ventures theirs , too.

BUT , IF I  WERE TO NOMINATE 10 ARTISTS TO OUR , NOT THEIR , HALL OF FAME.......

1. The Johnny Burnette Rock'n'Roll Trio.

2.The New York Dolls.

3.Charlie Feathers.

4.The Treniers.

5. Roky Erickson.

6.Screamin' Jay Hawkins.

7. Doug Sahm.

8. The Pretty Things.

9. The Troggs .

10. The Wailers.

Wild Cards.

1. Flamin' Groovies.

2. Slade

3. Blue Cheer.

4.Davie Allan and The Arrows .

5. Travis Wammack.

[John Battles]

Alison , Thank you for mentioning Tommy James and The Shondells. I was going to.

Alison said:

The Troggs!!!!!!!!!!

and

The Shangri-las!!!!!!!

and

The Zombies!!!!

also, Mary Wells, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Link Wray, The Crystals, Dick Dale, Sun Ra, The Sonics, Roky Erickson, Tommy James and the Shondells, MC5, Gram Parsons, T. Rex, New York Dolls, Television, Cheap Trick, The Jam, the Buzzcocks, Motorhead, the B-52's, the Slits, X-Ray Spex, Gang of Four, The Cramps, and Sonic Youth

[John Battles]

Melissa , I remember , Mick Farren was part of a big panel of celebs in Roctober (BTW , Deviants , Pink Fairies , Jesse Hector , Third World War.......) that was asked "Should Pat Boone be in The Rock 'n'Roll Hall of Fame?". He said , "Not when Roky Erickson and Syd Barrett are'nt in it. Is Gene Vincent in it , yet?". He was , by then , but , of course , buried under Kool and The Gang , James Taylor and Bread.

At least , most of the (Then- ) surviving Elevators were honored by The Texas Music Hall of Fame.....
 
melissa scott said:

Yes, Roky Erickson should already be in. That's a no brainer. Politics and $$$ make the H o F what it is, no? And, it's expensive. :(

[Stanton Woods]

I would like to see... In no particular order:

1. Midnight Oil

2. The Minutemen

3. Black Flag

4. The Meters (I think they've been nominated)

5. Fugazi

6. Lou Barlow

7. Wire

8. Rocket from the Crypt

9. Junior Brown (A stretch, but he can definitely rock)

10. Morphine 

[James Porter]

Johnny Otis

[melissa scott]

Really?? Midnight Oil? Huh... I guess their album sales would put them up there. But if you say Midnight Oil... I say nah mate, Cold CHISEL... at least Barnsey could SING. And Ian Moss can play the gee-tar.

Stanton Woods said:

I would like to see... In no particular order:

1. Midnight Oil

2. The Minutemen

3. Black Flag

4. The Meters (I think they've been nominated)

5. Fugazi

6. Lou Barlow

7. Wire

8. Rocket from the Crypt

9. Junior Brown (A stretch, but he can definitely rock)

10. Morphine 

[John Battles]

Yes , for the "Snatch and The Poontangs" LP ALONE , Johnny Otis should have his own wing in the Hall of Fame. That, and his gallant efforts to save The Party Record (Leroy and Skillet , LaWanda Page , Mantan Moreland , etc.). 
 
James Porter said:

Johnny Otis

[The Revox]

Have someone mentioned the great Arthur Brown ?? He should be in the top of the list even if he didn't play garage !