So Joan Jett into Rock Hall... not 6 time platinum band Yes or 5 time Moody Blues

[Jimmy Higgins]

Journey to the Center of the Earth may very well be the first prog album I ever heard, and man did I ever love that album. I think I may have worn out my sister's copy of it. Rick Wakeman has a few other good albums as well, I was also quite fond of The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.



It is definitely more cerebral, and more technical.

Rock to me should be kids in a garage with grit and determination and, if enough talent, making it big without compromising with studio tricks and sappy love songs. I'm thinking of Styx after Dennis DeYoung took over. Luckily the rest of the band couldn't stand his crappy songs and finally kicked him out.

If you want to drop acid and listen to something mind expanding, prog rock is more likely to do it for you. If, on the other hand, you want to get drunk and just party down, some gritty garage rock or punk rock is the thing. It's the intellectual vs. the soul, and that is why I think prog rock gets the shaft in the Rock Hall. Those making the nominations have traditionally been more of the gritty, soulful variety of rock aficionados. I have an appreciation for both sides, and a lot of stuff in between, so I don't have a problem with acts like Joan Jett and the Blackhearts making their way into the hall, but can certainly see how others feel left out by not having their preferred variety of rock music represented to any reasonable degree.

I used to love firing up a doob and putting on headphones and listening to Moody Blues, ELP, Yes, and other progressive rock albums. Because I loved it doesn't mean a lot of it still wasn't overwrought, over-produced, self-indulgent dreck. Which brings to mind Dream Theater.

I've in the last couple years have gotten into Tool. Most of the time I've listened to them prior was in the car on broadcast radio so couldn't understand the lyrics too well from the background noise. Listened to some at home with headphones and found many of their lyrics were quite good and intellectually stimulating so I'm a little behind the times with them.

The whole album rock era is done. In the age of buying individual songs I don't think it will ever return. Long Live Album Rock!

Steven Wilson came out with The Incident which was an aim of creating a full album length song. It really is 10 to 13 shorter pieces that tie together well, but it definitely is harder to listen to individual tracks, other than Time Flies. Hand.Cannot.Erase is an album that I can't really listen to individual tracks because I need to hear the whole thing, the whole story.

 

[Ford]

I know, prog rock should just be happy Rush made it in eventually. But it seems kind of odd that Joan Jett is getting inducted, despite not having the success of say a Yes or Moody Blues, who despite the more niche style of music, managed to sell a heck of lot of records and established at least one or more classic rock monument albums.

Seriously, what the heck?! Jett had one #1 single, to Yes's 1 and Moody Blues' 3. So it isn't like she had a good deal of hits either.

Other insane inductions for 2015 include Ringo Starr as a solo artist and Stevie Ray Vaughn as a guy who didn't live long enough to become a legend.

Should just call it the Music Critics Circle Jerk Hall of Fame.

I'm late to the party here, but I have to say your last sentence sums it up for the most part.


IMO, the very idea of a "Hall of Fame" for rock is kinda bullshit, and the Hall is little more than a self-congratulatory circle jerk excuse to have a building and an awards ceremony every year.


If there were an actual real hall of fame (and not just some bullshit awards ceremony associated with a building) that celebrated rock and roll - the music and the spirit behind the music - then Joan Jett certainly deserves to be there.

Not because of how many records she sold or because she had hits, but because Joan Jett is one of the few people who from the get-go and until today does not give a flying fuck about anything other than the music. She said it best herself "I don't give a damn 'bout my bad reputation."

That's rock and roll. Turn it up loud and give a middle finger to the people who counted you out.

 

[aeebee50]

I still think she is wonderful.

 

[Bacillus anthracis]

I'm going with the OP's statement about music critics circle jerking themselves. But not necessarily about Joan Jett. She wasn't very productive, and not all that innovative, but somehow she's still an iconic rock-chick. It makes just enough sense.

But some of the acts that don't get in are silly. I'm not a Yes fan at all--can't stand the sound of them--but they have to be in. Prog rock and metal simply don't exist without them. They were important and incredibly influential. Meanwhile maybe the critics can find a way to get Lou Reed in again or maybe even Woody Guthrie. Hell, make it a true critic's wet dream and bring and Joan Baez and Townes Van Zandt all in one night. They have zero to do with rock n' roll, but apparently neither do a lot of great rock bands.

 

[KeepTalking]

I'm going with the OP's statement about music critics circle jerking themselves. But not necessarily about Joan Jett. She wasn't very productive, and not all that innovative, but somehow she's still an iconic rock-chick. It makes just enough sense.

But some of the acts that don't get in are silly. I'm not a Yes fan at all--can't stand the sound of them--but they have to be in. Prog rock and metal simply don't exist without them. They were important and incredibly influential. Meanwhile maybe the critics can find a way to get Lou Reed in again or maybe even Woody Guthrie. Hell, make it a true critic's wet dream and bring and Joan Baez and Townes Van Zandt all in one night. They have zero to do with rock n' roll, but apparently neither do a lot of great rock bands.

Lou Reed was inducted this year. I've never been a big fan of his music, but his influence in rock music is certainly noteworthy.

 

[Deepak]

Speaking of women and bands with almost no female appeal, it is a travesty that Judas Priest and Iron Maiden are not in. They are widely regarded as pioneers of Metal, second only to Sabbath, who together reflect the origins of the two major branches of Metal, the faster-paced Metal often with high-pitched vocals and metal-studded head-to-toe leather (Priest and Maiden) versus the sludgier sound of Sabbath. They have put out albums and toured almost continually for 40 years with largely the same line-up, and contributed greatly to the satanic image of metal.

No female appeal for Maiden? I think you're going to the wrong places - I don't think I can think of another band that's resulted in more unsolicited conversations with women for me than these guys.

And check out the Iron Maidens if they come out your way.