Pribek

Perennial, chronic dickhead, Jann Wenner, is considering changing the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame eligibility rules by lowering the waiting period from 25 years since first release to 20. Why? Because he’s running out of suitable candidates. Roger Friedman says…

I’m told that Wenner has looked at the next group of possible inductees, for 2011, and it’s not good: The only superstar who’s had a major career and influenced rock and roll is Sting. Otherwise, the perfectly nice but not exactly big game changers are ‘Til Tuesday, Chris Isaak, Suzanne Vega and Simply Red.

Of course, Wenner could do what many consider the right thing and induct the many missing names from Chubby Checker, Billy Preston and Mary Wells to Chicago, the Moody Blues, Todd Rundgren, Linda Ronstadt, Carly Simon, Carole King, Neil Diamond, Neil Sedaka, Rufus & Carla Thomas and so many more it’s hard to list them. But that’s unlikely.

The new idea is to change the charter so that it only takes 20 years to get in. That would move up a lot of acts on the ballot that are more current and carry some name value, which would be good for TV rights. Believe it or not, the following would then be eligible for the 2011 ceremony: Guns N’ Roses, Green Day, Public Enemy, Nirvana, Kid Rock and Smashing Pumpkins. Also a possibility right away: Keith Richards as a solo artist.

uh…OK…here’s the deal; if there are no legit artists, the Rock Hall should just say; “Sorry kids, everybody sucked during this period and rock and roll didn’t exist”. But, Jann isn’t up to that. He wants the money to roll and throw neato dinner parties (in NYC not Cleveland btw).

Oh, and speaking of rock is dead, another btw; The Who is scheduled to be the next batch of wrinkle rockers to cash in on the Super Bowl spectacle ’cause a bunch of their tunes are now TV show theme songs but, advertisers are already threatening to pull out because of Pete Townshend’s alleged, past child porn infatuation curiosity research.

Last week, the 2010 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees were announced. Let’s refresh…

ABBA
Darlene Love
Donna Summer
Genesis
Jimmy Cliff
KISS
Laura Nyro
LL Cool J
Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Chantels
The Hollies
The Stooges

Well, the respected fashion magazine, Rolling Stone, asked their readers who they thought should be nominated…

1. “Weird Al” Yankovic
2. Rush
3. The Moody Blues
4. The Smiths
5. Alice Cooper
6. Television
7. Beastie Boys
8. Deep Purple
9. Lou Reed
10. Jethro Tull
11. MC5
12. New York Dolls
13. Roxy Music
14. Tom Waits
15. Sonic Youth

I suspect that Weird Al’s rabid fan base organized a grass roots movement. That aside, I think it’s a better list. Ironically, Rolling Stone editor, Jann Wenner, has a choke hold on the real nominations.

Here is this year’s list of the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame inductees. From Rolling Stone…

Jon Bon Jovi
Richie Sambora
Crosby, Stills and Nash
Jason Mraz
Tom Jones
Andy Williams
the Young Rascals’ Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati
Holland-Dozier-Holland
Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway (”You’ve Got Your Troubles,” Coca-Cola theme “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony”)
“Hair” lyricists James Rado and Gerome Ragni and composer Galt MacDermot
Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pochahontas, Prince of Egypt)
music publisher Maxyne Lange

Apart from that list being heavy on performers who have written some songs, there are some very worthy cats.

This however, is what sort of chapped my ass…

Past honoree Rob Thomas presented Jason Mraz with the Hal David Starlight Award.

Rob Thomas! Rob Freakin’ Thomas!!!

Yeah, I know these kinds of organizations try to front load with people that the simple folk will recognize but, this is supposed to be about Songwriters!

My friend, Bill Dees co-wrote one of the top 10 airplay songs of all-time (“Oh, Pretty Woman”). Co-wrote one of the best slices of popular music in the history of the universe (“It’s Over”). Had songs he wrote cut by monsters like Roy Orbison, Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash and even the Germs for Christ’s Sake. He’s not in the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame but Rob Thomas is!

This hall of fame may be even more bogus than the one Jann Wenner stuffs with names from his Blackberry.