I was astonished to learn, a while back, that Lynyrd Skynyrd has been eligible for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the past four years, but hasn’t made the cut.
???
What gives?
These guys produced two songs that are Rock and Roll classics (“Freebird” and “Sweet Home Alabama,” the former the traditional song request at any concert, and the latter such a cultural touchstone that Hollywood borrowed the title for Reese Witherspoon’s last movie).
They produced a string of other hits.
Despite the critical acclaim lavished on the Allman Brothers (deserved though it may be), Lynyrd Skynyrd was always the acknowledged leader of the 1970’a Southern Rock movement.
They endured the traditional Rock and Roll untimely tragedy (plane crash).
Their influence is still felt today. (See last year’s highly-acclaimed concept album by the Drive By Truckers, entitled Southern Rock Opera, which is in large part a paean to Skynyrd.)
I was never a Skynyrd fanatic myself, but given how huge they were in the 70’s, I can’t believe they’re not in the Hall of Fame. As a semi-objective observer, I have to ask:
Because Rolling Stone magazine, which oversees the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame, hates Lynyrd Skynyrd. They also hate Black Sabbath, which is why they are not in the Hall of Fame either.
The fact that Lynyrd Skynyrd and Black Sabbath are not in the Hall of Fame is a travesty, an outrage! I almost cancelled my subscription because of this…almost.
I am also not a particularly big LS fan (owned the required copy of One More From the Road in high school, learned to play a bunch of their songs off of it), but can see where you are coming from, spoke-. Given their history and endurance of their songs they seem to be worth a mention in the HoF.
Put another way - if Jefferson Airplane, which completely sold out on its way to becoming Starship, got in, then LS certainly deserves to get in.
I didn’t know that Black Sabbath was not in - if true, a remarkably stupid lack of respect for their impact on music after them.
Also didn’t know about Rolling Stone’s influence, Fingolfin - do you have a cite for that or any links to provide more context?
Word: A lot of the people on the Hall of Fame’s nominating committee and international voting body are connected in some way to Rolling Stone (and RS does oversee the Hall of Fame). It’s widely known that RS doesn’t think much of Skynyrd and Sabbath (and to be fair, a lot of Rock Critics in general). End result-- No induction.
maybe it’s because they’re a second-rate allman brothers clone with a few songs that struck a chord with rednecks? (tounge firmly planted in cheek, don’t git yer panties in a bunch)
i’m actually a LS fan, but see little innovation musically that say, Molly Hatchet or Rick Medlockes’ Blackfoot didn’t pull off just as well.
Never heard of this Black Sabbath controversy, but you can’t ignore them forever, they invented heavy rock. Plus RS will want to capitalize on ozzys popularity.
My understanding of the Black Sabbath situation is that Ozzy has stated he doesn’t want in. I was a bit surprised that they didn’t let him in this year anyway.
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*Originally posted by da_pope * maybe it’s because they’re a second-rate allman brothers clone with a few songs that struck a chord with rednecks? (tounge firmly planted in cheek, don’t git yer panties in a bunch)
Panties ain’t in a bunch, but I beg to differ with ya. Lynyrd Skynyrd is much more involved with lyrics than the Allman Bros. was. Allmans are an incredible jam band: their guitar jams are the definition of Southern Bar Jam. Skynyrd’s afficionadoes rely on the lyrics as anthems more than the Allman Bros.
I am a late-bred Southerner, and grew up with Skynyrd being equal to the Rolling Stones in popularity. Since then, I became educated in blues music and it’s history, through field recording, interviews, live shows, as well as the umpteen listens of published music. After alla that, with some good knowledge of racial intricacies, who holds up best: Skynyrd or Stones? To me, it’s Skynyrd, they ring more true as an honest account of southern music: they are operating from a continuum rather than emulating.
Why aren’t they more recognized, ala Hall O’ Fame? Guess it’s the Southern Redneck image. If you listen to their lyrics, and pickin’, though, that ain’t the case at all. Their lyrics are honest expressions of what southerners were going through at the time. It was a great time of change, and Skynyrd’s lyrics reflect that, both in content and music, mixing Scots-Irish and African melodies- oh, yep, Rock& Roll. By sheer force of their influence, in style and time, they definitely should be in the Hall Of Fame.
Plus, they had waaaayyy better hair than the Rolling Stones or Allmans ever had
What I want to know is why Derek and the Dominoes are in. They had one song. One song. Layla. That’s it. ONE HIT WONDERS DO NOT GO INTO THE HALL OF FAME!!!
Of course, I know why they are in, because it was Clapton’s band and everything Clapton touches must go in. I mean, come on though. They should just have put a little mention under Clapton’s area. GAH!
although I’d have to say the Stones we’re a tad bit more influential overall, wouldn’t you?
I stand by my statement that while Skynyrd was a great band, with decent lyrical content (certainly southern focused), it’s nothing that Hatchet or Blackfoot didn’t do just as well. We’re not going to induct Molly Hatchet into the hall 'o fame now, are we?
I’d put Little Feat ahead of LS when it comes to cerebral southern fried boogie as well. They deserve induction if not already.
Anyone who thinks Molly Hatchet is the equivalent of Lynyrd Skynyrd doesn’t understand the music.
In the pantheon of Southern Rock, Lynyrd Skynyrd sits at the peak, along with the Allman Brothers Band. They started it, they defined the sound, and they had the most talent. In fact, those two bands are giants of the genre, and no one else really comes close. After that, there are a whole bunch of second-tier bands like the Atlanta Rhythmn Section, The Charlie Daniels Band, The Marshall Tucker Band, and others. Molly Hatchet is on the third tier, below that next group.
ZZ Top doesn’t really fit into the ‘southern rock’ category because they are more heavily blues influenced, but if they did they would be right under Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers.
Molly Hatchet never had anywhere near the success or influence of these other bands, and they didn’t really break any new musical ground like Skynyrd or the Allman’s did. They had one big album with Flirtin’ With Disaster, and that’s about it.
So why isn’t Skynyrd in the Rock N’ Roll hall of fame? Mostly prejudice, I’d guess. Southern Rock has always been seen as po’ white trash hillbilly music by the Rock snobbery, and unfortunately that includes many rock critics. But that is changing, as the sheer magnitude of their influence starts to be recognized. Their influence helped create that genre, which influenced everyone from Stevie Ray Vaughan to Bon Jovi. And the whole alt-country thing (Wilco, Son Volt, Uncle Tupelo, etc) owes a pretty big debt to the swath Skynyrd cut before them.
I don’t know if you can blame Skynyrd’s absence from the hall of fame on Rolling Stone, though. They’ve always seemed to ‘get’ Skynyrd pretty well. I’m looking at a copy of one of the first editions of the Rolling Stone Album Guide, and they gave two Skynyrd albums five stars (“Street Survivors” and “Gold and Platinum”). And they gave four stars to four of their other albums, and none of them got less than three.
This is what Rolling Stone said about them then:
Not exactly trashing the band, are they?
On the other hand, Molly Hatchet did not get more than two and a half stars for any of their albums (three stars for a greatest hits package).
Rolling Stone’s comment about them is dead on:
In other words, they are the Oasis to Skynyrd’s Beatles. A second-rate wanna be band, albeit with lots of talent and some good tunes. But in no way do they measure up to the original.
you forgot to add “man!” at the end of that statement.
As a jumbo sized wilco/son volt/UT fan, i’ll respectfully disagree with this statement. Exile on Mainstreet is assloads more of an influence on Being There then Street Survivors anyday. There is a huge difference between ‘Southern Rock’ and ‘Country Music’ (the real country music, not todays pap that flys that banner). Real country music certainly inspired alt-country. It’s arguable (IMHO) that southern rock had anywhere near as much influence.
I think one of the biggest negatives for LS is lyrics that push ‘Southern Pride’; (southern man don’t need neil young? as if burning crosses is a good thing??) come off as southern ignorance to this yankee. Please don’t misunderstand, I like LS. A lot. I also agree that Molly Hatchet is second rate. Which is about par with LS, as opposed to the Allmans, which while southern flavored, doesn’t leave the misdirected ‘southern pride’ taste in my…uhhh…ears?
Does one count as “some good tunes”? I’ve never liked Molly Hatchet that well, and I grew up on Skynyrd.
I think that Skynyrd should be in the Hall, but I don’t want to hear Johnny singing Skynyrd classics during the ceremony. He’s done an admirable job of not totally pissing the legacy away, but I just don’t like his style.
The real question is: Why the hell is “Simple Man” in a beer commercial?!
da-pope: I’m not suggesting that Southern Rock was the prime influence behind alt-country. But it’s certainly one of them. alt-country is a hybrid of country, country-rock like the Eagles, Southern Rock, and even bluegrass and the blues. I’d call it the first ‘postmodern’ American music style, drawing influences from most centers of American popular music. And I love the stuff too. Have you listened to “Mermaid Ave I” and “Mermaid Ave II”? Fantastic. And the last Wilco album is spectacular.
Molly Hatchet is not fit to carry Lynyrd Skynyrd’s amps. Sam Stone and brianjedi are dead right about this. The Allman Brothers and Skynyrd are the royalty of Southern Rock, the rest pretenders to the throne.
I also agree with elelle on the lyrical quality of Skynyrd’s repertoir. They were not just another good-time, South’s-gonna-rise-again band. Look at songs like:
Simple Kind of Man
Ballad of Curtis Loew
All I Can Do Is Write About It
These songs had subtlety and depth which is just not found in other Southern Rock.
I think da-pope is sort of right about one thing: Skynyrd is cursed by the perception created by “Sweet Home Alabama.” People hear that song and think “Southern band defending the status quo.” Wrong. (No one seems to notice the chorus of boos that follows the reference to George Wallace.)
Part of the problem is there are two Skynyrds…the original one that deserves the Hall of Fame, and the subsequent group that was reformed in the 1980’s. It may be a mess if they are inducted…I mean should just the original line up be included, or everyone who ever went into Skynyrd. And I believe there are some nasty disputes between the survivors over just who is or isn’t in “Lynyrd Skynyrd”. That may be one reason.
I still don’t understand how Billy Joel got in so soon though…and critics loathe him, right?
I hope they make it in before they all die. Gary and the keyboard player (who’s name escapes me right now) seen like real nice guys who have worked hard for longer then they should have had to. Good luck to them!
Side note: Rolling Stone sucks and I cancelled my subscription!
Lucas Electrics: Why the British drink warm beer and leave for home before sundown.
Cleveland, OH – Most rockers would be honored to be nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but Ozzy Osbourne isn’t most rockers. He has attempted to take Black Sabbath’s name off the Hall of Fame’s 1999 nomination list, deeming the institution’s nod “meaningless.”
On Oct. 4, the singer fired off a letter to the Hall of Fame, saying: “Just take our name off the list. Save the ink. Forget about us. The nomination is meaningless, because it’s not voted on by the fans. It’s voted on by the supposed elite for the industry and the Media, who’ve never bought an album or concert ticket in their lives, so their vote is irrelevant to me.” He says, “Let’s face it, Black Sabbath has never been media darlings. We’re a people’s band and that suits us just fine.” "
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Never been a media darling, eh? Time changes all things.
Time changes all things.