16 Bands and Musicians that get snubbed

Why can't The Rock Hall even nominate them?
On
October 27, 2012
Let's Rock the Vote! And when I mean that, I don't mean vote for Obama nor Romney...I mean let's vote-in bands and musicians into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! This year, I'm excited for the nominees that are in because not only Deep Purple, Rush, Heart, and Joan Jett are in and may get the nod this year to get in...but one of my favorite bands Procol Harum got the nod for the 1st time as well! So all you Rush fans, you may see them in the Rock Hall VERY soon, but there's some bands and musicians that get the shaft every year...not even a Nomination.

Here are 16 Bands and Musicians that don't even get recognized for the nominations. So for this list...the band and musician must NOT have been nominated unless they had a solo career (Sorry KISS and WAR, you did get a nominee and you'll get another nod in the near future). And even though I would like to see Frank Sinatra in there...I'd rather have him be in there as an early influence or get the Ahmet Ertegun Award which is an award for Non-Performers...Sinatra formed Reprise Records for bands and musicians that want to extend their creativity, that's why he's the Chairman of the Board.

Here are the 16 Bands and Musicians that didn't even get one nominee into the Rock-and-Roll Hall-of-Fame...or as some would call it now...Hall-of-Shame!...

#16...The Carpenters




Wait a minute...The Carpenters? They're the counterrock band of the 70's! But hey...since the Rock Hall now has Madonna, The Beastie Boys, and has nominated a few Hip-Hop Bands...let's add The Carpenters in there! First off, The Carpenters were the 1st Soft Rock Band that gained popularity in the 70's. Second, Karen Carpenter was one of the many Rock Divas of the 70's that can play an instrument...sure, it's the drums but hey...who's counting? And "Goodbye to Love" which is written by Karen's brother Richard Carpenter, is actually the beginning of a Power-Ballad. Something that Meatloaf and Celine Dion would bring into their careers.

#15...Slade




My mom would thank me for recognizing this band. They're a smash in the United Kingdom, but a cult following in The States. However...Gene Simmons of KISS said that they influenced him to form KISS. Well...they wear clothing that are part of the glam years and probably one of the 1st glam-rock bands. And who can remember how they would misspell almost every song they have made? Even Slade is misspelled It's slayed.

#14...Nilsson




Can you think of "Goodfellas" when you hear that song? But yeah, Nilsson was one of the many American songwriters of the 60's. Even John Lennon and Paul McCartney praised his music, why isn't he in the Rock Hall? Maybe they're waiting for Randy Newman to get in so he can nominate Nilsson. What'd you expect? Nilsson did make an album with all Randy Newman songs, and it was called "Nilsson sings Newman".

#13...Doobie Brothers




In 1971, in the city of San Jose, the Doobie Brothers were formed wearing leather jackets and looking like bikers. But three years later, the Doobies added two musicians from Steely Dan, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter and session member Michael McDonald who basically changed the band's format to soft rock/smooth jazz, almost rivaling Steely Dan!

#12...Ringo Starr




John Lennon was in the Hall in 1994, Paul McCartney was in the Hall in 1998, George Harrison was in the Hall in 2004, and The Fab Four was in there when Mike Love had his rant where Elton John ended it with "Thank fuck he didn't mention me"! But Richard Starkey (AKA-Ringo Starr) never got a Rock Hall mention, sure his career after a Beatle was the lowest, but he had The All-Starr Band where he has many famous names such as Edgar Winter, Peter Frampton, Rick Derringer, and Todd Rundgren to name a few. It seems like that "Family Guy" sketch where Ringo writes a song and the Beatles put it up on the fridge!

#11...Joe Walsh




Walsh was in when he was part of The Eagles, but he deserves to be in there as a solo artist. His rock career started as James Gang in Cleveland in the late 60's. "Funk #48" and "Funk #49" were popular hits for them, but in 1971 Joe Walsh left the band for a solo career, then in 1976 he joined The Eagles as well as make albums himself. Walsh also appeared on "The Drew Carey Show" and is the 54th best guitarist according to Rolling Stone Magazine. Maybe he's TOO ordinary average to be in the Rock Hall.

#10...Peter, Paul, and Mary


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This trio formed with Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey, and Mary Travers who were raised in the Greenwich Village in New York, survived four decades of change. They covered Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind", John Denver's "Leaving on a Jet Plane", but they were one of the Folk-Rock Bands that brought the folk revival...which is one of the roots of Rock-and-Roll and many college students at the time loved their music. And I do too...too bad Mary Travers can't see the day they would get in because she passed away three years ago...

#9...The Zombies


Okay, The Zombies only had two albums when they were around during the 60's...but The Rock Hall has The Sex Pistols who only had one album! And I do like the keyboard work of Rod Argent, which was the backbone of The Zombies. Also, their 1968 critically-acclaimed album "Odyssey and Oracle" had "Time of the Season" as well as some interesting keyboard playing by Rod Argent himself.

#8...Journey


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Okay, I'm one of those people who is sick of "Don't Stop Believin", but Journey seems to be that 80's band. Steve Perry has a strong voice and helped-out Journey become the band that they are now. It wasn't that way...in the 70's, Journey was a struggling band and it wasn't until 1978 when Steve Perry joined the band and their format changed. And what could I say about their albums? They're a piece of work themselves!

#7...The Cars


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I hear from many who LOVE The Cars wish that they're in the Rock Hall. Well, one thing...they're one of the many popular new-wave bands out there so they should get the nod. MTV helped their career as well with the video "You Might Think" and Ric Ocasek has that simple sound that can't be duplicated, but Easton and Hawke formed The New Cars with Todd Rundgren in 2005 though. Hmm...

#6...Steve Miller




Steve Miller has an interesting career too starting in 1968 with The Steve Miller Band as a psychedelic blues band having a classic hit called "Living in the USA". It wasn't until 1973 when Steve Miller Band became more popular with "The Joker" then "Fly like an Eagle". Miller's band also had another guitarist named Boz Scaggs who wrote songs such as "Lowdown" and "Lido Shuffle".

#5..."Weird Al" Yankovic


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No Joke...Alfred Matthew Yankovic (We all know him as "Weird Al" Yankovic) DESERVES a Rock Hall nod! He's the biggest Comedy Rock Musician out there, as a matter of fact...he makes the accordion cool, which was inspired by his deceased parents saying there should be one more Yankovic playing accordion next to Frankie Yankovic (In which he has NO relationship to). Does the Rock hall have no room for humor? Because if Weird Al is in...then Spike Jones should be early influence and Dr. Demento should get the Ahmet Ertegun Award since those were Weird Al's influences and mentors.

#4...Linda Ronstadt


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If Elvis Presley was the voice for Rock as a male performer...Linda Ronstadt should be the female counterpart. She has done a lot for the Country-Rock genre, though never wrote one single song (but Elvis rarely wrote a song either). Her first band, The Stone Poneys had one hit "Different Drum" written by Mike Nesmith of The Monkees (NOT making this up)! Then in 1970, she had a backup band which would eventually be The Eagles, so excluding Ronstadt every year makes her want to sing "When will I be Loved"?

#3...Todd Rundgren




When people think of musicians that can play ALL instruments on an album who would you think about? Paul McCartney? Stevie Wonder? How about...Todd Rundgren? Yes, Todd Rundgren would play most of the instruments on most of his albums. His career started in 1967 as The Nazz and then went solo in 1970 with "Runt" which featured "We Gotta Get You A Woman". He also formed Utopia, which had 3 keyboard players and two albums which wouldn't fit on a regular vinyl album.Todd Rundgren is a legend himself, he should've been in the Rock Hall in 1995, what the hell is going on with the Rock Hall Staff?

#2...Chicago


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Is there ANY love with The Windy City in The Rock Hall? No Nominee Nights in Chicago? Not even a recognition of the biggest Brass-Rock bands called Chicago? C'mon...without Chicago, there'd be NO Steely Dan, there'd be NO Smooth Jazz, and there'd be NO Future for some Rock Bands. Even Jimi Hendrix praised Terry Kath, the former guitarist of Chicago for having a free-form, then you have Peter Cetara the bass player who has a recognizable voice. And they're 2nd only to The Beach Boys in sales as an American Band. At least give Chicago ONE Nominee already, they're sooooo overdue!

AND NOW...


#1...The Moody Blues!


In 1964, Five Guys from Birmingham, England got together and formed a Blues Band called...The Moody Blues! The 1st Line-up featured Denny Laine who would later join Paul McCartney's band Wings, but after "Go Now"...Laine left as well as Clint Warwick. And they were replaced by John Lodge and Justin Hayward. The Lodge/Hayward Years tried to play Blues, but Hayward was more folkier...so they changed formats by being more Moody and using a keyboard called The Mellotron and in 1967, The Moody Blues made a concept album called "Days of Future Passed". It wasn't until 1970 when they got recognition again in the United States, but they survived many decades as well as have a few MTV Music Videos. I could've put in any Art-Rock Band as the #1 spot, but with Procol Harum getting a nominee this year and Genesis already in there...all that's left is Jethro Tull, Yes, and Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. But The Moody Blues got the shaft more than ANY Art-Rock Bands, because next to Pink Floyd The Moody Blues has high recognition to be in the Rock Hall...but looks like The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Committee just sees The Moody Blues just singers in a Rock and Roll Band!...



Yes, there's sooooo many bands that have been overlooked by The Rock Hall Committee and I wish these bands and more can get in soon! I also know that I excluded Pearl Jam, Nirvana, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Radiohead. But they haven't been around for 25 years yet...but I'm sure that they'll get the nod in 2015. But what bands do you think that the Rock Hall should nominate next year?
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