Rock & Roll Hall of Fame noms: cheers and boos
For the most part, our forum posters like the nine nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced yesterday: Afrika Bambaataa, Beastie Boys, Chic, Leonard Cohen, Dave Clark Five, Madonna, John Mellencamp, Donna Summer and the Ventures. Now speculation runs rampant about which ones will be the final five actually inducted on March 10 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York. (CLICK HERE to read more.)
Boomer thinks they'll be Beastie Boys, Leonard Cohen, Madonna, John Mellencamp and the Ventures. He adds the names of these artists who became eligible to be nominated over the past two years, but are snubbed: Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, Eurythmics, Janet Jackson, Metallica, the Replacements and Sonic Youth.
Our poster bildo10 whines: "Does John Mellencamp really deserve to be inducted? What has he done that Bruce Springsteen hasn't? (And done better)."
Professor Chaos says, "It's very interesting to see Beastie Boys & Madonna up in the same year, since one of the Beastie Boys' biggest breaks was opening up for her."
The Ventures, although charting 14 singles in the 1960s, were among the first rock acts able to sell albums on the strength of a style and sound without needing hit singles. From 1960 to 1972, they charted 37 albums on the Billboard chart, plus a top 10 Christmas album. They rank 6th among album performers for the 1960s decade (Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Albums), 4th among rock genre performers for that period. The only rockers ranking ahead of them for that decade are Elvis Presley, the Beatles, and Ray Charles.
They were the first group to chart five albums simultaneously (1963).
Among their chart albums was 1965's "Play Guitar with The Ventures", the first musical instrument instruction album ever to hit the Billboard chart. That's influence.
Encyclopedia Brittanica on-line says that the Ventures served as the prototype for all the guitar bands which followed.
They were the first act to go 'Top 10' with 2 different versions of the same song; Walk Don't Run (2) and Walk Don't Run '64 (8).
Their 1962 "2,000 Pound Bee" was the first single ever to chart using the fuzz tone (distortion box) on the electric guitar, more than 2 years before the Stones "Satisfaction". Fuzz/distortion was used in many subsequent 1960's rock hits and became the basis for all classic rock, power rock and grunge. While the Ventures are known for a clean reverbed sound, they used a variety of effects and pedals very early. They used them selectively, while maintaining their basic sound, so they've received little credit for early use.
Their influence on "surf rock" is undeniable, having played that style, among other styles (ballads, power guitar rock), two years before the Beach Boys first national hit and a full year before Dick Dale's first regional hit. 'Guitar Player' magazine said the Walk Don't Run album presaged the coming surf trend which was still a couple of years away. If the Ventures didn't pioneer "surf rock", they were certainly a key building block.
Among artists listing the Ventures as a favorite or an influence are George Harrison (Beatles), Joe Walsh (James Gang, Eagles), Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), Stephen Stills, Peter Frampton, Roger Fisher (Heart), Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits). Blondie, the GoGos, and the B52s are groups that list the Ventures in their roots. More recently, Joe Perry and Tom Hamilton of Aerosmith have added their names to the list. Keith Moon (the Who), Max Weinberg, and Allen White (Yes) have identified the Ventures as a percussion influence. Even Elton John, in his Starbucks Christmas collection, pays homage to the Ventures.
Posted by: Greg K. | October 08, 2007 at 03:21 PM
I think it will be a salute to the ladies and a salute to disco/dance music of the 70s and 80s...so it will be Madonna, Donna Summer, John Mellencamp, Chic and the Ventures or Leonard Cohen...Dave Clark Five are still in litigation (fans of the group can get their CDs through imports...just google their group name...here in the states they're out of print)...The Beastie Boys are awful white boy rap novelty just like Vanilla Ice...but making them wait another year for induction won't hurt. What's terribly sad is that there other notable artists who are being overlooked or downright snubbed...Pat Benatar, Heart, The B-52s, The Cars, Sonic Youth, The Pixies, X, Electric Light Orchestra, Moody Blues, Bette Midler, Carly Simon, Barry White, Teddy Pendergrass, Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan, Joan Jett, General Public, etc...
Posted by: Frankie R. | October 01, 2007 at 09:38 AM
i am shocked to see John Mellencamp on that list, sure he's great, but honestly he's not that original or important. I'm a little sad to see Janet Jackson ignored, because in my opinion her body of work overall is much better than say, Madonna or Beastie Boys...
Posted by: Boidiva02 | September 30, 2007 at 11:51 AM