Gene Simmons of Kiss is known for two physical attributes: an extremely long tongue and an extremely big mouth.
One of his favorite subjects to run his mouth about is the induction of hip-hop performers to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He’s against it.
If rock ‘n’ roll means three or four guys playing three or four chords with guitars and drums, then he’s got a point. But it’s a narrow model that ignores the music’s history and evolution.
For all of its transgressions, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame seems to get this. This year’s list of inductees stretches far and wide beyond the guitar band model.
Only Billy Idol, Iron Maiden and Oasis fit the guitar-centric mold. The other nominees represent Top 40 pop (Phil Collins), post-punk (Joy Division/New Order), R&B (Sade, Luther Vandross) and (sorry, Gene) hip-hop (Wu-Tang Clan).
Rock & roll, or more precisely “rock,” long ago became a catch-all classification for music primarily consumed by young listeners. So the wide net used by the Hall makes sense. Also, rock & roll is part of the continuum of music made by black Americans that stretches back to field hollers and gospel through Dixieland, swing and bebop jazz, all the way through hip-hop. Ignoring this denies the music’s lineage.
Fans are less concerned with the Hall ignoring history than they are with it ignoring their favorite acts.
The Hall’s Boomer bias came to the fore when it began inducting performers from the 1970s. Rock had begun its modifier era as bands and fans began to identify as Southern rock, progressive rock, heavy metal, punk and more. The Hall’s attitude is summed up nicely in this clip from 1983’s Boomer-centric film hit, The Big Chill.
Here’s hoping the children of Kevin Kline’s character subjected him to years of metal, punk and rap.
That attitude didn’t play well with fans who, when a new list of nominees was released, filled chatrooms and comments sections with invective about the Hall’s out-of-it-ness.
And to its credit, the Hall is trying, but there still some egregious oversights:
Motorhead, revered by metalheads and punks alike, as well as anyone who likes rock & roll with a shot of Jack and a Marlboro red.
The New York Dolls, who influenced scads of hard rockers and created the punk rock template Sex Pistols followed to the letter.
Bluesman Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup wrote “That’s All Right,” Elvis Presley’s first single. Roy Brown wrote “Good Rockin’ Tonight,” which was covered by Wynonie Harris, whose version was covered by EP on his second single. These are records that set off the explosion that was rock ‘n’ roll in the 1950s. Elvis is in the Hall, Crudup, Brown and Harris aren’t.
Teddy Pendergrass. The B-52s. Grand Funk Railroad. The list goes on.
The Hall set itself up for this, trying to codify a sprawling, brawling style that can’t help morphing and thumbing its nose at the previous generation. Which is as it should be.
Also, Taylor Swift is eligible for induction in 2031. Mark your calendars.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony takes place Nov. 14 and will be available to view in December on ABC and Disney+.