Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame - Class of 2009 Nominees: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Foundation has released a list of nine possible inductees into the Hall that will be selected by a panel of 500 voters in January, 2009. The chief criteria for being selected is having released a recording 25 years ago or longer (1983). Out of the nine possible inductees, only five will be chosen. The list includes: Jeff Beck, Chic, Wanda Jackson, Little Anthony & The Imperials, Metallica, Run D.M.C., The Stooges, WAR, & Bobby Womack.

Not a bad list; not a great one either. If you're looking for those that were the foundation for a certain genre of music, you need look no further than Run D.M.C. (hip-hop) and The Stooges (punk). Run D.M.C. put NYC-bred, urban rap on the map (hey I'm ryhmin') in the early '80's...plain & simple. They were a household name even before they crossed over to team with Aerosmith for a remake of "Walk This Way" in 1986. The Stooges, led by maniacal Iggy Pop, burst onto the underground scene in 1969 from Ann Arbor, Michigan (we won't hold that against them) and along with the MC5 became the prototype for the punk scene that would follow half a decade later. The Stooges crowning achievements were their 1969 debut The Stooges (produced by John Cale) featuring "I Wanna Be Your Dog" and 1973 album Raw Power (produced by David Bowie).

OK - we've got two inductees, now we need three more. Although I've never been a huge fan, Jeff Beck probably will get in if I were a betting man. Beck is already in the Hall as a member of The Yardbirds, where he followed Eric Clapton & eventually shared lead guitar duties with Jimmy Page. Most of Beck's memorable work was with The Yardbirds, as well as his next creation The Jeff Beck Group that featured a young Rod Stewart on vocals & Ron Wood on bass. Beck would collaborate with countless other top-notch musicians over the years, and while always respected as a guitarist, never really made as big a mark as he did in the '60's & early '70's. Ho-hum...here's your lifetime achievement award Mr. Beck, now go away.

Two spots left, & in my mind three possible candidates. If you can't tell by now, my enthusiasm is waning...& you'll find out why shortly. Chic laid down the groove for the disco era of the late 1970's behind Nile Rogers & Bernard Edwards, who have since become great producers in their own right. Since Chic has been nominated for the RRHOF five times already, I think they're in.

Metallica vs. WAR: the battle for the final slot. WAR was quirky, yet terrific in the early 70's, giving us "Low Rider" & one of my favorite songs ever, "Spill The Wine" with the great Eric Burdon on vocals. Metallica has become a juggernaut-turned-enigma over the past 10 years. They blazed the way for the thrash metal scene to get international exposure, but something makes me want them to sit out for a year. OK, I'm really starting to get cranky now, & I'm about to bust. Metallica dudes, before you crucify me...until Motorhead is inducted Metallica has got to wait. Oh, by the way...what of Wanda Jackson, Bobby Womack & Little Anthony you ask? Sit on it, Potsie. I'm not in the mood.

Alrighty then...you want to know what is pissing me off so bad? Perhaps the greatest blues guitarist EVER (you listening Jeff Beck?) became eligible this year, even though he's not recorded in some 18 years. Whom you may ask? Well, if you had to ask you sure as hell don't know, because Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble was left of this year's list of inductees. You have got to be kidding me...no SRV even on the nomination list? And The Dave Clark Five was inducted last year? The legitimacy of the RRHOF just took a big shot to the gut this year with Vaughan's omission. All five of this year's eventual inductees must know that one of them has taken a spot from someone more deserving, and they will live with the curse of SRV until he takes his rightful place amongst the gods of rock & roll. By the way, the "sign of the horns" insignia on your website is wrong, RRHOF tool bags. Take us home, Stevie...