Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Cafe Society
1

I was just on a Warren Zevon site (as evidenced by my post in another Warren thread), and I saw a link to a petition appealing to have WZ nominated for the R&RHoF.

I clicked on the link and the “we the undersigned” option, put in my name and e-mail, then reflected on what comments I wanted to make. What immediately came to mind was stuff like: “Warren has always appealed to me because we both had fucked-up childhoods and were addicts, and I managed to rise above that with him as an example” and “Warren has always been a no-bullshit, musician with a lower-case m”. Those are not the kinds of remarks you make about someone if you’re recommending them for an honor.

Warren is who he is, and his music is what it is, and I value them both, but I’m not sure I feel, as others have who have signed the petition, that it will be an insult for him to be excluded. I’m just not sure he fits. He never sought this kind of validation in life, and it may be that to pursue it on his behalf would be the real insult.

I’m a little uncertain about this HoF business in a creative field anyway. What determines eligibility for the R&R HoF? The Baseball HoF honors players who have statistics and records and championship wins as proof of their talent and ability. But how do you measure musical talent, effect on music and society, and popularity? Which of those is most important? Would they ever, or have they already, induct a person or group who were technically mediocre, but had a strong fan base [cough]Aerosmith[/cough]? Or someone who had only one really commercial album, but who was innovative and influential, like Peter Gabriel?

Do you have to have sold a certain number of records? (If so, Warren won’t get in for a looooooooong time :::snort::: Sorry, but it’s true. His fan support is measured in intensity, not quantity.) Does it take a certain number of fans responding to a poll? Does the person or group have to have performed (together) for a certain number of years? What’s the criteria that keeps out someone like Mariah Carey? (They will keep out Mariah Carey, won’t they?)

The only benefit I can see is that it will increase awareness of Warren’s music, and give him credibility. I am so sick, as, I’m sure, are those of you reading this who are also devotees, of people responding to a mention of his name by mocking the piano intro to “Werewolves of London”. :mad:

So I’m just not so sure that Warren needs to be in the R&RHoF. It seemed like a big deal when it started, because they were inducting the pioneers like Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly. But now it seems like they’ve got all the indisputables (can’t believe it took them so long to get to the Beatles) and now it plays like one of those everlasting awards shows. Doesn’t mean that much; just an excuse to see and be seen.

What do y’all think?

2

A band or artist is not eligible until 25 years have passed until the release of their first album, I believe. This would make U2, for example, ineligible until 2005. Warren Zevon is certainly eligible, isn’t he, given just that one criterion?

Beyond that, I don’t really know the criteria. I suppose the musician(s) in question could reject it on principle if they wanted to. People can and do reject or give back awards or other honors.
I’d sign the petition for WZ, though, because I think he deserves the accolades.

3

Zevon became eligible in 2001.

He deserves to be in the hall of fame, because of the impact he’s had on music. A huge number of musicians list Zevon as one of their major influences. That’s why a guy like him who doesn’t sell even 1 million copies of his albums can regularly fill them with backup musicians like The Eagles, REM, Fleetwood Mac, Linda Ronstadt, Ry Cooder, etc.

In the 1970’s he was being short-listed for being “the next Bob Dylan”, along with the likes of John Prine and Bruce Springsteen. Dylan himself is singing Warren Zevon songs on his current concert tour.

His career in rock transcends just his own music, btw. Not many people realize that he was the musical director for the Everly Brothers, for example.

Ultimately, what makes Zevon qualified for the Rock N’ Roll hall of fame is that his music will be be listened to 50 years from now, when many of his contemporaries will be a distant memory. He’s one of those artists that will probably grow in popularity and influence after his death, rather than fading into obscurity. But maybe that means that it would make more sense to induct him 10 years from now.

4

Okay, good points, both of you. I didn’t know about the 25 years: that explains why the Beatles didn’t get in until 1988! I had wondered…

You know, I was going to say something like that in my OP. Zevon established himself in the '70s, but unlike those contemporaries you mention, he did not remain stuck there. He kept pace with whatever era he was in, although he was hardly trendy, and he grew and changed.

Someone else who became eligible this year is Prince. When I wrote the OP, I was thinking that I would sign a petition for His Royal Purpleness, on the grounds that he meets the criteria of talent, innovation and popularity, but also because he has always actively sought fame.

In light of what you have said, I hope Warren’s family would graciously accept the honor on his behalf. I further hope, though, that there would not be a backlash. I remember people in 1993, griping about the coincidence of Eric Clapton gettting a Grammy the same year his son died. Of course it’s ridiculous to think that a supremely talented and prolific rock veteran could not simply create an award-worthy album in any given year…

5

You know rock is dead when it has its own hall of fame.

R.I.P.