R&R Hall blows a KISS

Industry - Management

By David Grimes

Wednesday, 16 December 2009

KISS was snubbed by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but you can expect Gene Simmons to turn it into an effective marketing ploy.

Seminal rock band snubbed for Hall of Fame pick

It’s pretty clear that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, or at least the panel of judges who select their inductees, don’t understand exactly what rock and roll is, or at least have a different definition from which the rest of the world operates.

How else would you explain the fact that the Hall has inducted members like Bob Marley, Grandmaster Flash, and Leonard Cohen?

Don’t get us wrong, we firmly believe that those artists belong in some kind of Hall of Fame, just not the one (supposedly) dedicated to rock and roll.

This year, the selection process (whatever that is) pulled an all-time boner, by passing over the seminal rock band KISS while inducting schmaltzy pop act ABBA. As might be expected, the Kiss Army has mobilized, and among others is making no secret of what they think of the snub. They aren’t the only ones looking over the list of inductees and scratching their heads.

In fact, we’re starting to wonder why the Hall even exists, at least under the current name. There are certainly many inductees we agree with, that would appear on any reasonable person’s list of the greats of rock and roll. But doesn’t it sap the meaning out of any honor that might be conferred upon the inductees, when more than a few of the selections seem to come from an alternate universe where “rock and roll” means “any rhythmic noise?”

In fact, at least one pundit argues that ABBA should be in, because the name of the Hall is already a joke.

Indeed, if I were one of rock’s greats who’d been inducted, I might take a look at some of those choices, and pack that statuette away, or even better, return it to the Hall, postage due.

After all, it doesn’t really mean anything, does it?

Why do they call it the “Rock and Roll” Hall of Fame?

In the Hall
ABBA
Hank Williams
Johnny Cash
Etta James
Bob Marley
Parliament-Funkadelic
Billie Holiday
Miles Davis
Grandmaster Flash
Leonard Cohen
Run-D.M.C.

Not In the Hall

Alice Cooper
Deep Purple
Boston
KISS
Rush
Styx
Journey
Def Leppard
Dire Straits
Scorpions
Steve Miller Band

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