‘Billy Powell, on the piano’
Here’s a list of all Hall of Fame inductees.
What makes the whole thing frustrating is that you can look down that list and see plenty of lesser lights. Lots of two-or-three hit acts of questionable influence. Examples:[ul]
[li]Bobby Darin (“Splish Splash” “Mack the Knife” “Dream Lover” Pop fluff. Approximately zero influence on other performers. Is this really hall of fame material?)[/li][li]Sam and Dave (I love “Soul Man” as much as the next guy, but what else did they do? If memory serves, their only other semi-hit was “Hold On, I’m Comin’”)[/li][li]Hank Ballard (Wrote “The Twist,” recorded “Work with Me, Annie.” Eh.)[/li][li]The (Young) Rascals (“Good Lovin’” “Groovin’” and “People Got to Be Free” More pop fluff. Zero influence on other performers. NOT Hall of Fame material.)[/li][li]The Lovin’ Spoonful (Oh for pity’s sake. Some of the most pernicious pop pabulum of the 60’s.)[/li][li]The Moonglows (The freaking Moonglows???)[/ul][/li]
Well, you get the point. I mean, when a supposed Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducts Brenda Lee and omits Lynyrd Skynyrd, you’ve gotta wonder what’s going through voters’ minds. I don’t begrudge the acts I’ve listed their inductions (well, not much anyway). All I’m saying is that if they can get in, then how can you keep Skynyrd out?
cuate wrote:
I see your point, but lots of bands go through that. I believe The Coasters, The Drifters, The Temptations, and The Four Tops (all in the Hall of Fame, and all deservedly so) have been through similar lineup changes, and have had similar disputes over who gets to use the name. And even now “Creedence Clearwater Revisited” (which features, I think, some members of Creedence-- but not John Fogerty) is busily tarnishing the Creedence name.
I think you have to look at the group in question whan they were at the top of their game when deciding whether or not they are worthy of induction. Subsequent crappy work (of which MANY Hall of Fame acts are guilty) should not bar admission.
First of all, Sam and Dave are a soul band, not a rock and roll band, and that is my biggest problem with the hall, is that keep inducting bands and artists that are not Rock (although influential), but they pass over bands like Skynyrd, Rush, Sabbath, and other bands that ARE.
But I can think of a lot of great sam and dave tunes
[list=1]
[li]Soul Man[/li][li]Hold On[/li][li]Wrap it up(which the Thunderbirds had a hit with this one)[/li][li]You dont know like I know[/li][li]soothe me[/li][li]Said I wasnt gonna tell nobody[/li][li]You got me hummin[/li][li]When something is wrong with my baby[/li][li]I Thank You[/li][li]Soul Sister, Brown Sugar[/li][/list=1]
Just to name a few. Hell, there would have been no blues brothers without sam and dave. It doesnt get much better than Sam and Dave.
Hmmm. Yeah, I hesitated before putting Sam and Dave on my list. I like their sound, and I’ll even concede that they are deserving of Hall of Fame induction. My point is simply that they are no more deserving than Lynyrd Skynyrd. Yet, Sam and Dave breezed right in while Skynyrd still waits.
I went to see the documentary that was being shot of their tour, that ended with the plane crash. It was run before the movie ‘Grease’ in 1977. God, I’m old. 
I’m not sure they were such a landmark group as to deserve a place in there…hmm…
Cartooniverse
Respectfully disagree. They are the very definition of a landmark group. Middle-of-the-road bands don’t merit the sort of documentary you describe, or the sort of airing that documentary received. (I had forgotten that it was shown before Grease, but now that you mention it, I do recall that.)
I think the Rascals had some influence…they weren’t exactly the Beatles; but they did influence a lot of other people: especially Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty.
i read somewhere that the rock and roll hall of fame was not really that. they just use the name because no one got to it before them. they are too…political? it’s not quality of rock or impact on society as rock and roll musicians which gets one the nod. i can’t remember what the article said that the criteria was, but the points that the article made certainly shed a whole bunch of light upon many of the choices and rejects. and it also said that real r and r’ers don’t take it seriously.
take into consideration also the fact just what the r and r h of f really is. it is a museum/awards show. to make money. with a name that had at the time of it’s inception, a huge market appeal. and, be real, can you really call sam and dave rock and rollers? maybe great musicians, or partyers or influences on music/rock…but rockers?
(hey! let’s get sammy davis jr. in there!! he was great with “The Candyman”!)
The Four Tops actually hold the record for being together the longest without a single personnel change, over 40 years, until Lawrence Payton’s death from liver cancer in 1997. After much consideration, the group hired Theo Peoples to take Payton’s place on tour.