Rockhall Nomination for 2012

When the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum was newly-established and first began inducting musicians, writers, producers, etc., back in 1986, the pool of contenders was like the selections in a really good candy store, and the first class of inductees was pretty much unfuckwithable. Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, James Brown, Jerry Lee Lewis, Sam Cooke, Little Richard, the Everly Brothers, Robert Johnson, Jimmie Rodgers, Sam Phillips, Ray Charles, Jimmy Yancey, John Hammond, Alan Freed… it’s difficult to even place that list in a hierarchical order. And the inductees kept being good for several more years.

But in recent times, just knowing the nominees are about to be announced makes me cringe. A little piece of my soul shrivelled up when ABBA was inducted, and don’t even get me started on Neil Diamond. But who am I to say these music creators who make my skin crawl don’t deserve a place in the Incongruous Semi-Pyramid on the Lake? I realized that I was rejecting these artists based on personal preference when I attempted to debate with someone that his disdain for the choice of Public Enemy as a representative of the best of rock … Continue reading

Bits: Music for Alabama, Mike Watt, Vic Chesnutt, Boston Spaceships, Urge Overkill, Rockhall

  • Artist from across the country have contributed to The Wind Will Carry the Voice of the People, a Bandcamp compilation to aid the tornado-ravaged areas of Alabama. All proceeds go to the Red Cross.
  • Mike Watt + the missingmen will perform Watt’s 3rd opera hyphenated-man in its entirety on KXLU on May 19 at 10 PM PST.
  • plan9films is making a documentary about the late Vic Chesnutt tentatively titled Vic Chesnutt – It Is What It Is. MusicFilmWeb reports that Michael Stipe has signed on as executive producer. The film is to be released later this year.
  • In 1986, Black Flag went on tour with Painted Willie and Gone. Painted Willie’s drummer, David Markey, filmed it. He’s now made his tour documentary Reality 86’d available to view on Vimeo.
  • Robert Pollard’s band Boston Spaceships will be release a new album, Let It Beard (how great is that title?), on August 2. Guttersnipe has a tracklisting, as well as a little commentary from Pollard.
  • Urge Overkill have released Rock & Roll Submarine, their first album in 16 years. You can check out a track, “Mason/Dixon”, at … Continue reading