Music fans are praising the list of 2010 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees for its diversity. There’s Genesis, Kiss, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stooges, Abba and LL Cool J.
The thing that most people are ignoring is that a lot of these nominees suck.
Kiss? Please. They were a joke in the ’70s, even before they made that awful TV movie.
Red Hot Chili Peppers? One-note fake-funksters with a singer who sounds like Kermit the Frog and a bass player who snaps away at the strings with little feel for rhythm.
I’ll give them Genesis, but I’ll never forgive the band for “Illegal Alien” (or many of the other clunkers they made when Phil Collins took over). Let’s just hope the Peter Gabriel era weighs heavily on voters’ consciences.
I’ll also give them Abba, because “Dancing Queen” is one of the greatest songs of all time. But their albums are tough listens, even for hardcore fans of gay-sounding ’70s pop.
LL Cool J made a couple good albums before turning into a rapping loverboy. But “I Need Love” is one of the all-time worst moments in hip-hop history. It ushered in a whole subset of shitty rap ballads that still clog the Top 40.
But I love the Stooges. So that’s a cool move (though Iggy’s solo career kinda sucks).
Other nominees include the Chantels (the girl group’s “Maybe” is one of the all-time best, but what else have they done?), Jimmy Cliff (reggae guy who fueled the great Harder They Come soundtrack), the Hollies (annoying Brit poppers who gave the world Graham Nash), Darlene Love (guided by Phil Spector, she got lost after he stopped producing her records), Laura Nyro (hippie-era singer-songwriter better known for writing than singing) and Donna Summer (some great disco singles and the awesome Bad Girls album, but little else).
The nominees will be whittled down to the actual list of inductees in January.
So what do you think of this year’s list? —Michael Gallucci
This article appears in Sep 23-29, 2009.
are you high? KISS are still going strong and influenced so many artists, from garth brooks to kurt cobain to lenny kravitz, and their live show still hasn’t been topped! they deserve a spot in the hall. period.
Really bad article. This is just your personal opinion, with none or little reason to your hate of the bands/artists.
According to your article you have never heard the red hot chili peppers…
The person that granted you press credentials needs to be fired. We can’t hold you responsible as you are obviously developmentally challenged, and couldn’t ever be mistaken for a music writer.
this is the thing about critics. they can nitpick, say what they want, and bash everything they think is musically going on in a song without backing it up. “a bass player who snaps the strings (ever heard of larry graham?! the brothers johnson?!) with little feel for rhythm.” how can you determine his feel for rhythm? is he off timing? does the popping and slapping not generate a sense of rhythmic feel to it? no. it completely defines the rhythm and you know im right. as far as the rest, you mention their great feats but then come in with “oh, but thats all they did” like making a monumental album is for mediocre bands. okay, so they werent led zeppelin, so what, theyve already been inducted.
Michael Gallucci just doing his job as a publisher. I’m so sure he doesn’t know anything about music. But good job though Michael, it wouldn’t be interesting without a person like you publishing this negative review. Thats what all media is all about. They just want attention. Im sure that he probably know one song or two of each artists that hes dissing here. Michael pls. stop listening to radio or just dont write article about music. Its just not for you. I hope u respect that. Peace!
well hold everything the REDHOT CHILIPEPPERS rock I do not care what anyone says about it look at it this way chad smith rated one of the best drummers of all times flea is got all the rythem you need his slap bass is unique and is kick ass no one eles can compete JOHN FRUSCIANTE is the man he is so creative and talented he love to be diffrent which sums up the rhcp’s diffrent i love that the music thay make sounds like nobodys eles i hate main strem rock one band come out and like 5 other bands come out and sound all the same and i hate that you really need to think that about music to me its a must rhcp are the rock band we all should vote foryeah anthony is not the best singer out there but it work vary nicely it really pisses me off when people talk down on the peppers when thay really dont give the music a good listen because if you did you would not talk shit on the other hand ll cool j is the bomb but rap is rap it is what it is talent but not the talent that should beat out the rhcp the rest of the bands are crap kiss is a freak show its that main strem junk that everyone gets rapped up in and in my book should not beat out rhcp .,………………….