THE SHAME OF THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME
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THE GLORIOUS CORNER
Story By: G. H. HARDING
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| Sir Tom Jones |
ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF SHAME: The just-released list of nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (or, Wenner’s Folly, as we like to refer to it) overlooked well over a dozen prolific and enduring stars in their just-released nominee list.
Are you angry that some of your favorite recording stars keep getting overlooked by the Rock Hall? The ballot for 2015 is out – and, again a long list of prolific and enduring talents are missing, including:
America; Paul Anka; Bon Jovi; The Cars; Glen Campbell; Chicago; Cher (or Sonny and Cher); The Commodores; The Doobie Brothers; Peter Frampton; The Guess Who; Whitney Houston; Tom Jones; Journey; Kool and the Gang; Steve Miller Band; The Monkees; The Moody Blues; Paul Revere and the Raiders; Three Dog Night; and, The Zombies.
Who did get nominated? Green Day, Nine Inch Nails, N.W.A, the Smiths, Lou Reed, Sting, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Kraftwerk, Chic, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, the Marvelettes, the Spinners, Stevie Ray Vaughan, War and Bill Withers.
OK, perhaps not the worst list in the world, but too bad that Lou Reed (a true musical genius in almost every way) had to wait as the one-year anniversary of his death is almost upon us. And, Green Day and N.W.A ... perplexing for sure!
One thing’s for sure – this latest list doesn't do anything to bolster the Hall’s continuing descent into mediocrity. Really, nothing at all.
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| Debbie Harry |
LENNON TRIBUTE: Debbie Harry will perform at the 34th annual John Lennon charity tribute concert in New York City in December.
The announcement Wednesday by the nonprofit Theatre Within came a day before what would have been Lennon's 74th birthday (October9).
Other performers include Kate Pierson of the B-52s, Joan Osborne, Marshall Crenshaw and Ben E. King. The event will be held Dec. 5 at Symphony Space.
Yoko Ono said in a statement: "I share Theatre Within's belief that music and the performing arts have a special power to bring people together and inspire us to make a positive difference. It's beautiful that the Tribute continues to have such a powerful impact in John's memory."
Rock photographer Bob Gruen, who photographed Lennon during the years he lived in New York, will be honored with the first-ever John Lennon Real Love Award.
Proceeds will benefit Lennon and Ono's Spirit Foundation. Ticket prices are $65, $85 and $105.
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| Yoko Ono |
BTW: Did you catch the full-page tribute in the New York Times yesterday for Lennon … by Yoko Ono. Truly moving.
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| Joe Perry |
PERRY ROCKS --- “Memoirs are funny things," muses guitarist Joe Perry, whose autobiography, Rocks: My Life In And Out Of Aerosmith, has been released by Simon and Schuster. "In spite of my learning disability, I've always loved to read. I've read a lot of autobiographies over the years, but most of them have been written by retired soldiers and people like that. I had it in the back of my mind to do a memoir, but I always thought, ‘Someday… ’ I was too busy doing what I was doing."
Although Perry and Aerosmith haven't slowed their pace, three years ago, with the band's 40th anniversary looming, the guitarist finally sat down to document his life story – and be it manipulative business associates, drugs or his oftentimes rocky relationship with front man Steven Tyler, no subject is kept at arm's length.
"It was time for me to do this," Perry says. "Some of the other guys had written books, and there was that other book, Walk This Way, which, as entertaining as it might have been, was full with a lot of bullshit. There were a number of other turning points, too – my kids were grown up and were going off. Between everything in my personal and professional life, I felt ready to look at everything."
Working on the book, Perry says that he experienced "a kind of revelation. The only thing I can equate it with are, there are certain colors you remember as a pre-teen, and there’s something that resonates with those colors all through your life. It might seem like a small thing, but it rang true while I was writing the book."
TRANSFORMERS ---- La-La Land Records released Transformers: Age Of Extinction – The Score on CD. The album features original music by Steve Jablonsky (Lone Survivor, Ender’s Game). The band Imagine Dragons contributes vocals and other instrumentation to five tracks.
Jablonsky and director Michael Bay have enjoyed a longstanding relationship that has produced numerous blockbuster hits. Jablonsky, at the time an assistant, first met Bay during the making of the movie, The Rock.
“In 2003 I got the call that Michael wanted me to score his first Platinum Dunes Production, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” said Jablonsky. “I was really excited and completely terrified, but I survived and have been fortunate enough to continue a very rewarding creative relationship with Michael. He pushes me to be as real and emotional in my music as I can possibly be, and for that I will be forever grateful.”
He also composed the music for the director’s recent dark comedy, Pain And Gain as well as his 2005 futuristic thriller, The Island.
His music theme is also heard in the company’s new dramatic television series The Last Ship, which premiered on TNT this June 2014.
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| Donnie Kehr |
CLOSING NOTES ---November 4th is the release date for New York Times-best selling author Marc Eliot’s new book: American Titan: Searching for John Wayne (Harper Collins) …
Chris Gilman’s terrific eatery Yerba Buena Perry will provide the backstage treats at Donnie Kehr’s Rockers On Broadway, Monday, November 17 at Le Poisson Rouge where Frankie Valli, Micky Dolenz and radio-personality-Cousin Bruce Morrow will be honored …
That Mark Bego/Debby Campbell book signing (Life With My Father Glen Campbell-Overlook Press) is for this Monday, October 13 at Barnes And Noble in Santa Monica ...
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