2008 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominees

[c-lando]

Are Jann Wenner & Meg Ryan dating?!?!?!

CR! Your trout-mouth has found some new bait.

[Cockney Rebel]

Are Jann Wenner & Meg Ryan dating?!?!?!

CR! Your trout-mouth has found some new bait.

Apt, seeing as Wenner is a bit of a worm

[whigsgeek]

Are Jann Wenner & Meg Ryan dating?!?!?!

But I thought Jann Wenner is gay? 

[c-lando]

Are Jann Wenner & Meg Ryan dating?!?!?!

But I thought Jann Wenner is gay? 

Yeah. I forgot all about the "has a wife but lives with his gay partner" thing. Who the hell knows why she was at his table?!?!? It was just weird.

[Poncho]

I could pick one one, maybe two Leonard Cohen songs while everyone and their mom knows 'Jack & Diane, 'Hurts So Good,' 'R.O.C.K. In The USA,' 'Ain't That America,' etc.  He and Springsteen pretty much embodied that heartland rock spirit in the early-mid 80s.  So yeah, his being in is kind of a no-brainer to me.  I mean, you think of someone who plays ROCK AND ROLL, and his name is on that short list.

True that he's known for singles more than albums, but so is Madonna, and she's in.  Both had a pretty impressive decade-plus run of chart-toppers while Corey Hart had one hit.  I guess Bryan Adams is going to be eligible sooner or later (probably next year if my math is right).  I have no idea who Paul Lekakis is.

Point 1: Leonard Cohen rules all that is holy on the planet.  A man that is known for full albums of great music rather than singles.  If you only know one or two songs... you need to get out and visit this website I know for people who love music... it's called http://www.randomville.com

Point 2: Everyone knows "The Macarena", "The Electric Slide" and "Achy Breaky Heart" too... that doesn't mean they aren't flaming piles of crap

Point 3: "Boom Boom Boom, let's go back to my room" learn it, live it, love it.

[rva]

Why are we even arguing about John Cougar Mellancamp?  If you want to talk record charts, sales, and influence on the American public Donna Summer kicks his ass.  She kicks everyone's ass except Madonna.

And let's see-- how did Madonna sell so many records?  Sexy/controversial image, slickly produced dance hits, big gay following, weird fascination with religion, flirting between rock and disco?  DONNA SUMMER INVENTED THAT SHIT.  Seriously, just think about it.  No Donna Summer, no Madonna.   

You know who has the most Billboard Awards for Dance Record of the Year (aka dance record that sold the most copies)?  It's a tie between Madonna and Donna Summer.

Donna Summer is basically the original Madonna + more talent.  Five grammys in four different genres (pop, R&B, dance, gospel) over a 20 year span, including the first Grammy ever for Best Dance Recording, and the first Grammy for Rock ever given to an African American Artist.  Three consecutive #1 double albums.  Four number one songs in one year. 

She walked away from Casablanca at her peak because she was tired of disco and made a hard rock record. You know who she signed with?  Geffen.  That's right.  She was Geffen's first act.

I just don't see how you can have a museum of rock and roll history and not put Donna Summer in it.  She broke so many boundaries for women and black artists it's ridiculous.  Plus there's the little matter of 150+ records sold.

I mean let's be honest.  I like JCM okay, but he's sort of a poor man's Bruce Springsteen.  Madonna is a poor man's Donna Summer.

[whigsgeek]

On a related note ... okay, the only thing that relates this question with the R&RHoF is Iggy Pop, but anyway ... did anyone catch a show on Bravo recently that seemed to be a blend of fashion show and rock concert? I didn't stick around long enough to catch what the show was -- but I happened upon it in the midst of a band covering (what I came to realize was) Iggy Pop's "I Wanna Be Your Dog," and I'm trying to find out who the band was.

I didn't particularly like the cover, but I couldn't take my eyes off of the band. The one guitarist's head was all wrapped up and the female singer was dark-haired and kind of heavy-set in a sparkly black dress, and she had something scrawled on her legs in marker that I couldn't read. I think it said something about blood for oil, but can't be sure.

Anyway, I've tried Googling a bunch of different keywords, but haven't been able to hit on the right combination to answer the question. I caught a glimpse of Iggy Pop, too, at one point. Did anyone else see this?

[kcneon]

{reminder:  book rva to give Donna Summer's Rock Hall introduction when the time comes...and it will}

[Wherle]

whigs, only thing that comes to mind is MTV's Fashionable Loud. Kinda doubt that's it, though.

Not sure who the band might have been. Sorry I can't help.

[Marlowe]

i don't disagree about donna summer. she did more to define that era of music than anyone (for good or for bad), and deserves to be in the RRHoF. but, you can't say that donna summers:madonna::bruce:mellonhead, because madonna eclipsed donna in overall cultural impact and fame, whereas mellencamp merely did a few songs that still get played on oldies stations from time to time. john hiatt was significantly better in that genre of music than mellencamp, and bruce was a cultural phenomenon in his early days who has gone on to have a legendary, long-term career.

i think you have to draw the line somewhere when you talk about a Hall of Fame, and mellencamp is precisely where we should draw that line because he long-lived, but by no means a legend. tom petty, otoh, makes it in because he's simply better than mellencamp, even though he's not in that same legendary eschelon with springsteen and madonna.

[Wherle]

I respectfully disagree and leave the discussion there.

[Poncho]

Can we get back to why Paul Lekakis is more popular today?  That is a classic!


http://www.youtube.com/v/VK99cB3s-J4

Video is flirting the questionable line of NSFW... but nothing directly NSFW.

[Wherle]

Okay, I know the song, but had no idea who did it.

Comparing that guy to JCM is reaching. Far.

[Marlowe]

Comparing that guy to JCM is reaching. Far.

yeah, i was joking to make a point to draw a contrast about where to draw the line, by citing people who had decreasingly-impressive careers.... byran adams, corey hart & paul lekakis. (but i still loves me some 'boom boom boom'  )

glad that poncho at least appreciates my references even though everyone else here thinks i'm crazy.

[Poncho]

I took the reference as intended, I also enjoyed revisiting a song that was banned in our house as a young poncho.