Put this one in the category of Things That Really Matter To Me
(USA Today) Straight outta Compton and into the Rock Hall.
N.W.A is joining the 31st class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The legendary hip-hop group will be inducted alongside Cheap Trick, Chicago, Steve Miller and Deep Purple on April 8 at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. (snip)
In the online fan vote, conducted on multiple sites including USATODAY.com, Chicago led with 23.4%, followed by Yes, The Cars, Deep Purple and Miller. The aggregate of the fan vote counted as a ballot in the official voting. Winners of the past two fan votes — Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble for the 2015 class, and Kiss for 2014 — subsequently made it into the Hall.
It’s about darned time that these groups, particularly Deep Purple, have not been inducted before. I once placed Deep Purple as my #2 heavy metal/hard rock groups of all time, just ahead of Led Zeppelin, and I stand by that. They are one of the most influential rock groups of all. If you know rock, you know Smoke On the Water. When it comes on the radio, your brain says “Smoke On The Water” after the first note. They’ve sold over 100 million albums worldwide. They were one of the original bands to hit Japan, and their album Made In Japan is one of the greatest live albums ever. This leads to Deep Purple, in any lineup, being a tremendous live band, something that is Important to election to the RRHOFF. Yes, they were, and still are, one of the best. No one left disappointed by the quality of the music.
Drummer Ian Pace stated, right before the announcement, that he wondered which members, exactly, would be inducted, what with the lineup changes. Also
“The Hall Of Fame should be embarrassed for not inducting us already. Look at some of the non-entities who’ve got in. I won’t name them, but just have a look at some of those names, and you’ll know who I mean. What have they ever done for rock ‘n’ roll? Nothing. Having these artists in before DEEP PURPLE undermines what it is supposed to represent.”
Singer Ian Gillan had previously had some rather unkind words for the idiots at the RRHOF. And he’s right. How is that Chicago, Cheap Trick, and Steve Miller had never been elected before? All three have been making music forever. They are tremendous live in concert. They have songs that are staples of Classic Rock stations, and you know the name of the song and group the minute they come on the radio. But, how do they not have Yes? Judas Priest? Bad Company? The Cars? Doobie Brothers? ELO? Iron Maiden? Jethro Tull? Journey? Moody Blues? Motley Crue? Pat Benatar? Thin Lizzy? And many others?
Yet, N.W.A. just go elected. They aren’t even close to a rock and roll group. There are lots of non-R&R groups. Aretha Franklin? Ray Charles? The Supremes? Run DMC? Public Enemy? A few others? Granted, there aren’t as many non-rock acts as one thinks, many are Motown, R&B and soul, and, yes, are all time great acts, no doubt. Do they belong in the RRHOF? Do any rap groups belong in the least? Do country acts belong, such as Johnny Cash? And then there are rock groups who aren’t that good that are in, and well ahead of ones who deserved it.
But, anyhow, Deep Purple is finally in. So, there’s that.
Crossed at Right Wing News.
