So... Apparently my readers aren't a real talkative bunch which I guess I do not mind, as long as they are a reading bunch. But it would be nice if you guys would step up once in a while and take charge when I ask you... There's SOOOO much to talk about, surely you could have come up with something...
Like... Did you get a Christmas card from
Tommy?
I did. It warms my heart that perhaps the biggest and stupidest Tommy on all the internet thought of me this holiday season. His card was funny too... It had a snow man with a angry but sad look on his face and a puppy walking away from it, who obviously just pissed... Then you open it up and it says
I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas. Pretty good stuff there Tommy.
I heard on the radio today that The Stooges are going to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this next time around. Are they worthy? Absolutely... But I still can't look at it any other way except that it's an oxymoron... The Stooges ARE one of the great rock and roll bands of all time, but their anti-establishment attitude doesn't really seem to fit the mold that is the HOF... Especially when you throw in the fact that
ABBA is headlining the class of 2010. If Stooges guitarist Ron Asheton hadn't already died last January, this surely would have killed him. It's a bit ironic that a band that was formed out of defiance against everything that would eventually become disco is taking a back seat to a band like ABBA now. Maybe it's no accident that The Stooges were invited in this year and not last... Last year of course was the 25th year anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the usual suspects (U2, Springsteen, Metallica, Jackson Browne, and Billy Joel to name a few) were invited to play as part of the anniversary's celebration. Maybe the organizers, or the people in charge of the inductions wanted to let the radio bands have their day knowing damn well that the Stooges would clash with that group... So they waited a year. Could you imagine peace junky Jackson Browne coming onto the stage
after The Stooges ripped it apart? Of course not... The Stooges my friends are the perfect definition of Rock and Roll... Or at least what it should be. There has to be that element of fear, anxiety and panic... Everything most bands already inducted into the HOF are not.
5 comments:
Nice take. Oxymoron indeed. I don't wanna piss on the Stooges parade, they do deserve to be in the HOF, but then again they don't. It all depends on what the HOF actually stands for. The Stooges back in the day were uncomprimising, raw and had sonic intensity,does that sound like anything the "industry" has anything to do with? In fact doesn't said "music biz" do everything it can to sanitize and restrain such thngs, to the point of wanting to get rid of such power in the music completely, and instead of giving us the Raw Power of the Stooges, they try to had us the Erectile Dysfunction of Nickleback. The Stooges are legends without out question. Just because a bunch of corporate F#@kholes are now acknowleding it doesn't make it any more valid. Possibly even less so. But heck, congrats to the guys anyway, I hope they enjoy whatever this brings 'em. As for as Ron Ashton, may God rest his soul. He was truley a rock legend of the first order.
Erectile dysfunction indeed... Hilarious.
The more I think about this, it seems to me that Disco should have it's own HOF. I love the way the corporate F#@kholes made the radio announcement, as Dancing Queen played as background noise: "Disco legends ABBA finally get the credit they are due. They headline next year's class of inductees into the Rock and Roll HOF, along with GENESIS (puke), the hollies, jimmy cliff and the stooges." The Stooges and Jimmy Cliff were mentioned as pure after-thoughts, and I would bet any amount of money I could muster that the guy reading the news has heard of niether. I can imagine his mental response: 'The Three Stooges played music?'
Nice take David... As always.
As someone who actually knew Ron Asheton, I think he'd feel a certain sense of vindication by the Stooges finally getting into the R&RHoF (and be somewhat amused by some of the acts that are being inducted alongside 'em).
Of course, it's a major drag that this didn't happen while Ron was still alive. (And there's no doubt in my mind that his untimely demise helped push 'em over the top this year.) By the same token, Ron's death has brought James Williamson back on board and that can only bode well for the future ...
Of course, the value of the Stooges has -- much like the Velvet Underground -- taken a long time to gain traction. When Back Door Man founder Phast Phreddie Patterson and I taught a rock 'n' roll history class (part of UCLA's extension program) back in 1973, I said that Raw Power would be seen the most important album of the '70s. One of my rare moments of prescience, I'm afraid ...
And ... as somewhat who actually gets to vote on who gets inducted -- unfortunately, I'm not part of the nominating process -- I couldn't agree more that a shiteload of the acts that've been enshrined so far have no business being there. Whaddya gonna do?
Now let's see how long it takes to get the MC5 inducted ...
In the meantime, everyone reading this hunk of raving shite can go to theimperialdogs.com and buy our DVD.
I am assuming that Imperial Dog is actually THE Imperial Dog, Don Waller... And if it is, I am honored that you have stumbled across my blog.
That DVD is on my wish list for sure... If I do not get it for Christmas, and unfortunately I do not like my chances... (At my pal Dave's strong recommendation) I am going to make it one of my first musical purchases of 2010.
Meanwhile, I will do my part to spread the word about your web site and your DVD.
Gooseneck-
Yes, it's me. (And I'm in love again.)
Was just following up on your comment on shepskulturecorner -- and got a little carried away, as is my wont. Heh.
See you in my inbox come January or thereabouts.
Stay free.
-- Don
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