There are too many good candidates for the Rock Hall of Fame

Jon Bream, Star Tribune, Oct 13, 2002

I can't decide whom to vote for. Not for U.S. Senate or governor. For the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. For the first time in years, the annual ballot has an abundance of deserving nominees, including first-time finalists Elvis Costello, the Clash and the Police.

Voters are asked to rank, in order of priority, eight of the 15 nominees. This is the first time I've had trouble paring the list to eight since 1993, when Bob Marley, John Lennon, Joni Mitchell, the Band, the Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, the Jackson 5 and Frank Zappa were among the candidates. Often, I've voted for fewer than eight.

Criteria for selection are up to each voter. I weigh the artists on the success of their recordings, their longevity, the consistency of their work, their musical influence and their cultural impact.

Most of the 1,000 voters -- record-label executives, artists, agents, managers and critics -- probably will rank Costello or the Clash at the top of their 18th annual ballot, which is due Friday. (Inductees will be announced this fall.) But those punk giants don't need my support as much as Patti Smith does.

For the third consecutive year, I'm listing her No. 1. She is the high priestess of punk, who brought poetry, politics, a primal poignancy and a new sense of artistry to rock. She made three significant albums in the 1970s -- the landmark "Horses," 'Radio Ethiopia" and "Easter." Her 2000 CD, "Gung Ho," and tour -- as well as this year's compilation "Land" -- reaffirm her vitality. Moreover, there are too few women in the Hall of Fame, so I'm taking affirmative action.

Costello -- who returns Wednesday to the Historic Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis -- and the Clash are No. 2 and 3. He started as new wave's angry but artful young man and, over the years, has evolved into one of popular music's most adventurous artists and collaborators. A masterful songwriter, he might be the Cole Porter of his generation. Similarly, the Clash were adventurous, mixing political manifestos with punk, reggae, rockabilly and soul. The British quartet's "London Calling" from 1979 is widely considered one of rock's top 10 albums.

That was the easy part. Who's next?

Lynyrd Skynyrd. On the ballot for a third year, these Southern rockers are under rated -- hard-drinking, long-haired populists who sold redneck anti-authoritarianism to the masses. With a distinctive three-guitar lineup, the band reigned from only 1973 'til 1977, when lead singer Ronnie Van Zant and two other members died in a plane crash. Such classics as "Free Bird" and "Sweet Home Alabama" lived on; the band reunited with Van Zant's brother, Johnny, as singer in 1991 and continues on -- which detracts slightly from its stature.

My conviction for the next four choices is less strong. Detroit's MC5 was a pioneering political punk band, paving the path for the Sex Pistols, the Clash, Black Flag, the Dead Kennedys and countless others. A crucial influence, the MC5 rate No. 5.

Kraftwerk, Germany's avant-garde duo best known for the 1974 hit "Autobahn," was arguably the most influential force in electronica circles, with an impact felt in genres from disco to acid jazz to hip-hop. Kraftwerk counts for No. 6 on my ballot.

After seeing a Black Sabbath reunion at Ozzfest a few years ago, I decided to downgrade these metal heavyweights. Ozzy Osbourne and his mates might have launched two generations of headbangers, but their music was sludgy and one-dimensional. Still, the Sabs rank No. 7.

ABBA, perhaps the ultimate pop guilty pleasure, is the final choice. It was probably seeing the fluffy but fun musical "Mamma Mia" that reminded me of ABBA's indelible hooks and well-crafted singles, recordings that provided lessons for punks and popsters alike.

Better luck next time

Who didn't make the cut?

The Sex Pistols were brilliant provocateurs whose reign of chaos was too short-lived to merit Hall of Fame induction.

The Police, the former punk band that became a big pop success thanks to the likes of "Roxanne" and "Every Breath You Take," was more virtuosic than influential. But because of their big sales and musical creativity, this trio probably will land in the hall someday.

So, too, should AC/DC, Australia's enduring ribald rockers who have provided endless good times with such heavy boogie standards as "You Shook Me All Night Long" and "Highway to Hell."

Steve Winwood probably deserves a spot for overall career work with the Spencer Davis Group, Traffic and Blind Faith, but he's nominated as a soloist. While he has had well-crafted hits, his solo work has been more commercial than important.

Both the Righteous Brothers, '60s stars of blue-eyed soul ("You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' "), and Chic, '70 stars of disco ("Le Freak"), were essentially two-or three-hit wonders. The Dells, R&B harmonizers who claim to be the only act to score a chart single in every decade since the 1950s, didn't have enough hits beyond 1956's "Oh, What a Nite."

Thanks to John Foyle