Rant #1,768: Teardrop City

In the midst of coming home from our cruise, and my dental problems, yes, I know that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominations were announced, and yes, I know that the Monkees were excluded once again, and yes, I am a bit ticked off, and yes, I still vow never to go there until this wrong is righted and ... and ... and ...

Really, there is nothing anyone can do about it but to do what I am doing, because quite frankly, the place is a joke, has been one for almost its entire existence, and is clearly not going in any other direction anytime soon.

After the year the Monkees have had, you really have to wonder where the nominating voters' heads are at, and at this point, you really have to wonder if there is an actual vendetta against several deserving acts, not just the Monkees, related to their rightful place in the Hall.

Let's look at the Monkees first.

Fifty years after the fact, they had a top 15 album on the charts in 2016, tracks from that album were heavily played on FM and adventurous alternative stations, and also on satellite radio, they had a very successful tour, and they gained accolades from many new quarters this year, including Rolling Stone Magazine itself.

Again, this is 50 years after the fact. Name me one other act that had such a year. I know, you can't.

This should have gained them some traction in the HoF voting, but it didn't, not a all.

What I want to know is this: who makes up the nominating committee, and what is their criteria for nomination?

The public even knows about those who vote for the equally controversial Baseball Hall of Fame nominations, but it has never really been made public who votes for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame entrants.

It is supposedly several hundred music people--including past entrants themselves--who get to vote on the nominations, but who these people are, and the criteria for nominations, really has never been established.

Yes, it has to do with influence to other musicians, and using that criteria, as far as the Monkees are concerned, they count artists like David Byrne and Tom Petty among those that they have influenced--the artists have said this themselves, I am not speaking for them--so you can bet many more current artists were influenced by the Monkees.

Their influence also has to do with marketing, and without the Monkees, let's be quite honest about it, there would be no KISS, among other acts.

I could go on and on and on about other areas in rock and roll they have influenced, but simply looking at the music, it has stood the test of time. It still sounds fresh, alive, and everyone knows these tunes.

I ask, what more does an act need to gain entrance into the HoF?

Yes, there is a vendetta against them, and they are not alone.

For whatever reason, the HoF refuses to acknowledge the following acts, both influential and extremely popular in their heydays, and at this point, again, you have to ask yourself, "Why?"

Moody Blues
Chubby Checker
Lesley Gore
Tommy James and the Shondells
Brenda Lee
Petula Clark
Tom Jones
Cliff Richard
Paul Revere and the Raiders
Yes

... and I am sure I am missing some others.

They all should be in the HoF, and their being omitted is a red stain on the place, one that can't be easily washed away.

And this year's actual nominees ... yes, there are some deserving acts, but generally, politics and money will produce this year's winners, as those elements always do, so it is pretty obvious who is getting in, and who isn't.

I will leave it at that.