Tag Archives: Dave Matthews Band

My Choices for the Nominees for the 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is like no other Hall in existence. It is one of the few Halls that basically has only one criteria – that your first commercial release be done no later than 25 years prior (for 2021, that means artists whose first release was in 1996 or earlier are eligible). Most other Halls base their entry on the number of wins you’ve had (World Golf Hall of Fame), mystical statistical performance (any sports Hall) or that you were from a certain area (self-explanatory). Not the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – if you’re good enough, if you had an impact on the shaping of popular culture and music over the last 70 years (or so) and you can get the votes, you get in.

This fact in itself makes the discussion over not only those elected to but also those who are nominated of great interest to many music fans. With the COVID-19 outbreak, it pretty much fucked up the entirety of the 2020 schedule for the Rock Hall, delaying and then canceling the 2020 Induction Ceremony for a very good list of artists (Whitney Houston, the Notorious B.I.G., The Doobie Brothers, Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode and T. Rex – Jon Landau and Irving Azoff were Ahmet Ertegun Award winners and named to the Rock Hall) before they were “virtually” inducted in November. Because of the late induction, the announcement of the 2021 Nominees is being pushed off as well, to probably February 2021.

You can lament this, but I think it is a great idea. It stretches the entirety of the process by the Rock Hall to cover a whole year instead of parts of two. With the naming of the nominees in February, that means the new Inductees won’t be announced until more than likely around May or June. Then they can induct them (hopefully in a live ceremony) in November. This works much better than announcing the Inductees in December and holding the Induction Ceremony in April or May (how it has worked in the past).

The delay also allows pundits, historians, fans, and critics to come up with their selections for who will be in the Nomination Class for the 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I’ve studied over the last few years of nominations, who has gotten in, what kind of “buzz” is going around in the music world, and other intangibles to come up with a list of 15 artists and groups that should be nominated come February. Those in BOLD print are going to be the five choices I would make for entry and I’ve also tried to include some reasoning for the nomination.

Without further ado, here’s who I believe will earn nomination in 2021:

Jay-Z – Not only will Jay-Z earn a first year eligible (FYE) nomination, but he will also earn a FYE induction into the Rock Hall. It is a tough decision as to which part of the industry that Jay-Z has had more of an impact on – the rap world, where he has been a force for 25 years, or the recording industry itself through his ownership of Tidal and forays into label ownership and artist development. And, since the Rock Hall enjoys a great show, imagine Jay-Z trotting the boards with Beyonce? The Rock Hall is salivating at that thought.

Foo Fighters – If there’s been anyone to carry the banner for rock music in the past 25 years, it would be Foo Fighters. Dave Grohl could have easily packed up shop after the death of Kurt Cobain and Nirvana and just made guest appearances on records for the rest of his career. Instead, he forged on with his own sound and added to the legend of rock. Add in the factor that Grohl is a hell of a music historian himself and that he is on the Nomination Committee (he will have to abstain from voting for himself, likely), it would be odd if they aren’t a FYE nominee but also a FYE inductee.

Pat Benatar – Benatar has been snubbed by the Rock Hall for far too long. Her nomination last year was her first after 15 years of eligibility and it was considered that she was a “lock” for entry. Then they took the vote…Benatar was not only a choice by many but she was the runner-up in the Fan Vote from 2019 (hold on, we’ll get to that) and the Rock Hall has caught hell over bypassing her. With a chance to redeem themselves, I don’t expect the Rock Hall to get it wrong twice (then again, the Rock Hall does have a way to surprise you).

Dave Matthews Band – The top vote getter from the Fan Vote, which has been around for at least six years previous (I could be wrong), usually had been inducted by the Rock Hall. That included such entries as Bon Jovi, Rush and KISS, among others. DMB were the top vote-getters in 2019, but that and $1.50 got them a cup of coffee at McDonald’s – they were bypassed for entry into the Rock Hall, the first time that it had happened. I personally don’t see where DMB has earned entry – I’ve never been a jam band fan – but, since the Rock Hall caught shit for not inducting them with the 2020 class, I can’t see them keeping them out twice.

Judas Priest – This is one that the time is ticking on. The Priest has only been the driving force behind heavy metal for 50 years and, eligible since 1999, they’ve only received two nominations. I would hate to see them fall by the wayside like Kraftwerk (who, after being nominated six times, might have run out of chances), MC5 (nominated five times) or even Chic (nominated 11 TIMES), but it is a realistic possibility.

Rage Against the Machine – The practitioners of the hybrid rap/rock scene of the 90s, RATM combined their aggressive stylings with a socio-political bend that enraptured their fans. Or…maybe not so much. As they prepared for a since-postponed tour in 2020, some RATM fans became outraged at the political stances of guitarist Tom Morello and the band. In one of the funniest exchanges on Twitter, Morello, who holds a political science degree from Harvard, responded to an upset follower who said “I used to be a fan until your political opinions come (sic) out,” “What music of mine were you a fan of that DIDN’T contain “political BS”?” Gotta love that!

Kate Bush – Ah, to have more than five votes (then again, I might have used it on RATM)! Bush is one of the long-overlooked female vocalists from the 80s who should be recognized for her achievements. Her work with Peter Gabriel preceded an excellent solo career in the 80s, but she’s never gotten the acclaim that she deserves (Cyndi Lauper, Annie Lennox and others fall in this category). I’d love to give her a vote, but with some of the others that are on down the list, it makes it difficult.

Eurythmics – Falls into the same category as Bush. One of the many 80s acts that we should start inducting into the Rock Hall. In many cases, these artists have been eligible for 15 years and they’ve never even received a nomination, let alone induction. Time to start fixing this situation and quit bleeding the rock dry from the 1960s/70s.

The Go-Go’s – They came thisclose to getting one of my five picks. The first all-female band to have a #1 album on the Billboard charts, The Go-Go’s were groundbreakers for women in rock. Although they have a litany of women that they owe a huge amount of credit to (Fanny, The Runaways, Suzi Quatro), The Go-Go’s got there and inspired many others. Add in the recent documentary on Showtime and it is quite conceivable that The Go-Go’s earn an induction seat in 2021.

Duran Duran – Anyone who was alive during the 1980s was impacted by Duran Duran. They helped to shape the musical landscape of the 80s, not only with their music but also with their videos on MTV, and had a hand in fashion also, among other things. This is a band that has NEVER been nominated previously – that should be corrected this year and they should take a seat in the Rock Hall.

Alice in Chains – This is a group that may sneak into the Nominations because of recent buzz regarding the group. Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) inducted the band this fall into their rolls and, since there are only Nirvana and Pearl Jam currently carrying the banner for the Grunge Era of rock, a third would be nice (Soundgarden could fit in this category too). Unfortunately, grunge looks like it is going to get the same treatment that hard rock/metal has gotten over the years from the Rock Hall.

Todd Rundgren – Personally, I would love to see Rundgren get in. He’s more than deserving of it for his performing career, his usage of multimedia (witness his upcoming virtual concert tour) and his producing credits. Perhaps the only way to get this man in may be through the Award for Musical Excellence, which hasn’t been awarded since 2017 (to Chic’s Nile Rodgers).

The Smiths – Politics aside, The Smiths are more than worthy of nomination for their career’s labors. However, Morrissey’s tirades seem to have tarnished the potential induction of the band into the Rock Hall, and that’s unfortunate. They get on my list because they are one of the artists from the 2016 Nomination Class that hasn’t been inducted yet.

Beck – I’ve personally never been a huge Beck fan, but I can recognize his artistic creativity and the impact he’s had on other artists. The devotion from his fans are hard to ignore too. He was a FYE nominee, but he failed to go that extra step – he will get in, but will it be this year or in the future?

Daft Punk – A driver of the synth rock/electronic rock scene since the 90s, Daft Punk should be a slam dunk nominee/entry. But Kraftwerk…well, let’s just say that people would like to see them get in first rather than Daft Punk. It isn’t out of the question for the Rock Hall to commemorate those that have achieved great success over the originators, however – just look at how rap’s forefathers have languished behind some of those that have been inducted.

Alanis Morrissette – Another one who could sneak in and get a nomination, if not inducted. Morrissette’s been white hot of late, with a Broadway show (you know, when Broadway was actually performing) and a critically acclaimed album in 2020. She was first eligible in 2019 but was bypassed…the Rock Hall might want to correct that oversight.

Guess we’ll find out in 2021 just how close to right I am!

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Who is The Greatest Hard Rock/Metal Band of All Time – The Final Four

HardRockMetal

Rather than delve into the delusion that currently is supposed to oversee this country (and trust me, there’s plenty to call the Tangerine Ignoramus out on simply from this last week alone, such as his stream of consciousness interview with the Associated Press that featured more errors than a five-year old T-ball game), I’ve decided to start something that will be much more fun. Since college basketball just recently completed the NCAA Basketball Championship, I thought it would be fun to do the same but in a different arena – the genre of hard rock/metal music.

What are the criteria for consideration? First, the band/singer would have to have some sort of longevity to their career – you don’t see many bands or singers that are considered “legendary” if they were only around for a couple of albums (Amy Winehouse is a rare exception, but that’s a discussion for another time). Second, the band/singer would have to have an impact on the genre – did they do something particularly noteworthy or notorious that put them into the annals of the genre’s history, a song or “behavior” that was historic. Third, just how popular were they when they were in existence – a band or singer that was wildly popular with the fans might get some leeway over a critical darling OR vice versa (depending on tastes). Fourth, what accolades did they receive – awards, gold records, and recognition by the industry (Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, hello?) are all under consideration here. Finally, was the band/singer influential on future generations of music – have they helped shape the genre since they have left the sphere?

It’s been a long journey, but we’ve finally reached the pinnacle, the mountain – the Final Four. The four combatants have worked their way through their “regions” – the 1960/70s, the 1980s, the 1990s and the 2000s/10s – and are all champions. There can be only one, however, and they will now square off against each other to see who is the final band standing. In our first battle, the 1960s/70s will square off against the 2000s/10s:

ACDC

AC/DC (2) vs. Disturbed (1)

It was an incredibly tough vote, but longevity seemed to be the deciding factor in the battle between AC/DC and Led Zeppelin, despite the factor that the individual members of Led Zeppelin have had outstanding careers since the band dissolved. Over in the 2000s/10s division, Disturbed was finally able to end the run of Slipknot, sending the six-seed home and moving on to take on arguably one of the most loved bands in the history of hard rock/metal.

AC/DC has endured the slings and arrows of critics that labeled their three-chord grinding music as “mindless” and “simple” since their inception in the early 1970s, constantly touring and churning out new music for their legion of fans. How many records have they done? Sixteen studio albums, including the guaranteed classics Highway to Hell and Back in Black and their title tracks, with sales of over 200 million albums worldwide. Toss on 21 world tours in their history, basically touring from 1973 to 1986 without pausing, and there is no way that you can doubt the veracity of their fans nor their ability to give the people what they want.

Disturbed comes to their success during a different era of music, but they’ve garnered their own accolades through their success. As stated during the Elite Eight, Disturbed’s latest record Immortalized debuted at #1 on the Billboard charts, making their fifth consecutive studio album to do that. Only Metallica and the Dave Matthews Band can say that they have done that – not Led Zeppelin. They have also sold more than 35 million of their seven albums over their 17-year existence and they show no signs of slowing down.

If you were to break down the band by members, the edge vocally would be a tossup. The late Bon Scott and then Brian Johnson left an indelible mark on AC/DC’s sound – really, could you imagine anyone else fronting the band (it remains to be seen if Guns ‘N Roses vocalist W. Axl Rose will remain with the group)? But Disturbed is as much David Draiman as Draiman is Disturbed and his immediately recognizable smooth bass vocals drive that group.

You might say that the guitar work of Angus and Malcolm Young stand out over Disturbed’s Dan Donegan, but Donegan has been just as instrumental (no pun intended) to his group’s success as the Young brothers were to theirs. Donegan has also added in work on keyboards (something key to the experimentation that Disturbed is known for) and, along with drummer Mike Wengren, are the only two men who have been part of the group since its inception.

Disturbed

The question will come down to which do you value more – do you value the length of the career and the virtuosity shown by AC/DC, or do you value the outstanding musicianship of a career that really is still just getting going in Disturbed?

And now for the matchup between the 1980s and the 1990s:

Metallica

Metallica (2) vs. Rage Against the Machine (2)

This one seemed to be dictated from the start, but both had to overcome the #1 seed in their regions to make it to this point. Metallica had to knock down the boys from New Jersey in Bon Jovi (and I can hear the screams already – Metallica was far more influential and critically acclaimed than Bon Jovi could ever hope to be) and RATM had to best only the “godfather of grunge” in the late Kurt Cobain and Nirvana. Unfortunately, now one must go down.

So, who has the edge with creativity? Both bands have written and sung about subjects that you normally don’t find in hard rock/metal, such as religious and military leaders, rage, drug usage, anger, loss, and retribution (for Metallica) and political opinions related to not only the States of America but worldwide (Rage Against the Machine). Both bands have been the trendsetters in their genres, with Metallica considered the creators of “thrash” metal and RATM furthering the cause of “rap” metal with their work.

Even the band members are considered equals. Whether you are looking at James Hetfield (Metallica) or Zack de la Rocha (RATM) on vocals (Hetfield also wields a mean rhythm guitar), first Dave Mustaine and then Kirk Hammett versus Tom Morello on lead guitar, the triumvirate of the late Cliff Burton, Jason Newstead and now Robert Trujillo against Tim Commerford on bass and the thunderous drum work of both Lars Ulrich or Brad Wilk, they all are considered the best in the business in their respective fields. There is one thing that may swing the needle, however.

Metallica has been in this game since the early 1980s, grinding out their brand of hard rock/metal for more than 35 years solid. They’ve had a few pauses, especially after Newstead left the band in 2001, but they’ve been at the forefront of the hard rock/metal genre for decades. Although RATM was extremely powerful in their music, they also were more of a Roman candle in that they burned bright but burned out quick. Rage Against the Machine’s last studio album was in 2000 (of four; Metallica has 10 in its still-active career) and, although there have been teases in the past, there are no indications that the group is going to come back together for another run. In fact, Morello has taken the other two musicians in RATM and gone on to form Prophets of Rage along with Chuck D and DJ Lord of Public Enemy and B-Real of Cypress Hill.

RATM

The evidence has been presented and now it is up to the voters. Who will move on to the Final Conflict? Who will vie for the crown and reign supreme as the greatest band in hard rock/metal history? By this weekend, we will learn the two that will battle it out…

Who is The Greatest Hard Rock/Metal Band of All Time – The Elite Eight

HardRockMetal

Rather than delve into the delusion that currently is supposed to oversee this country (and trust me, there’s plenty to call the Tangerine Ignoramus out on simply from this last week alone, such as his inability to understand where a complete CARRIER GROUP is -you don’t say it is going to North Korea when it is just going on maneuvers with the Australians), I’ve decided to start something that will be much more fun. Since college basketball just recently completed the NCAA Basketball Championship, I thought it would be fun to do the same but in a different arena – the genre of hard rock/metal music.

What are the criteria for consideration? First, the band/singer would have to have some sort of longevity to their career – you don’t see many bands or singers that are considered “legendary’ if they were only around for a couple of albums (Amy Winehouse is a rare exception, but that’s a discussion for another time). Second, the band/singer would have to have an impact on the genre – did they do something particularly noteworthy or notorious that put them into the annals of the genre’s history, a song or “behavior” that was historic. Third, just how popular were they when they were in existence – a band or singer that was wildly popular with the fans might get some leeway over a critical darling OR vice versa (depending on tastes). Fourth, what accolades did they receive – awards, gold records, and recognition by the industry (Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, hello?) are all under consideration here. Finally, was the band/singer influential on future generations of music – have they helped shape the genre since they have left the sphere?

This is the final step – the Elite Eight – before we enter the REAL battleground of the Final Four and crown a champion. The competitors have already worked their way through some very strong bands to reach this point, but only the greatest will be able to claim the prize of the greatest hard rock/metal band of all time. Without further ado, let’s get things started with a look at the final duo in the 1960s/70s bracket:

Led Zeppelin (1) vs. AC/DC (2)

If there were two titans of hard rock/metal in the 1960s/70s, it would be these two bands. Led Zeppelin were somewhat the originators of the sound, with the crunching guitars of such tunes as “Rock and Roll“ and “Whole Lotta Love“ while AC/DC took three chords and has churned out rock classics like “Highway to Hell“ and “Back in Black“ (Trust me, when I present examples for these bands, there is virtually a dozen songs that could be presented as examples.)

As a vocalist, Robert Plant is recognized as one of the iconic singers of the genre, but both the late Bon Scott and Brian Johnson could hold their own with Plant and provide a bit of growl as well. There’s no way you can say that guitarists Jimmy Page and Angus Young are of equal talent, but both bring their all for their own distinctive styles. And looking deeper into the band, you cannot put AC/DC’s rhythm section of Cliff Williams and Phil Rudd over Led Zep’s duo of John Paul Jones and the late John Bonham.

The one area that the boys from “Down Under” crush the lads from London? Longevity. The era of Zeppelin only lasted a little more than a decade (1968-1980). AC/DC has been at the forefront of the hard rock/metal genre for more than 40 years. Originating in 1973, AC/DC didn’t even slow down for the death of Scott in 1980, instead cranking out what would become their masterpiece Back in Black with Johnson wailing the vocals.

This one’s going to take some thought, fans. Every vote is going to count!

Now here’s the Final Four showdown (and the matchup for the 1960s/70s bracket) in the 2000s/10s:

Disturbed (1) vs. Slipknot (6)

The problem with rating bands that are still around is that they are still growing and maturing as performers. In some cases, they haven’t possibly created their magnum opus that will define the band for history, meaning that it is an incomplete ranking. With these two bands, however, there is plenty of material and plenty of history to be able to see them make the Elite Eight.

Slipknot has been the surprise of the tournament to this point, making the Elite Eight as the lowest ranked band in that group. The intriguing thing about Slipknot is that they are CONSTANTLY experimenting and looking for ways to broaden their and their fans’ horizons. There is another huge part of Slipknot’s existence – the fans. Slipknot shows are well known for their intensity, something that applies today even though the band has been around for almost two decades.

But they are going up against a juggernaut in this bracket. Disturbed has been the benchmark that other hard rock/metal bands have been compared to since their explosion just before the start of the 21st century. From their initial release “Down with the Sickness“ through their current album Immortalized – and perhaps their masterpiece in a remake of the Simon & Garfunkel classic “The Sounds of Silence“ – Disturbed has been showing the way for hard rock/metal.

There are those that don’t think that Disturbed is “heavy” enough to be in heavy metal, but they are apparently good enough for their fans. Disturbed is one of only three bands to have five consecutive studio albums debut in the #1 slot on the Billboard album sales chart (the other two? Metallica and the Dave Matthews Band).

Without further ado, let’s jump into the 1980s:

Bon Jovi (1) vs. Metallica (2)

Just like in the 1960s/70s bracket, it seems like these two bands were destined to meet at this point. And you couldn’t find more polar opposites than these two bands – the glammy, big hair and balladry rock of Bon Jovi completely unlike the gritty, thrash metal with a mind that was put up by Metallica. Even in looking at the individuals in the two bands, the yin/yang is still apparent.

It is arguable that Jon Bon Jovi is a better singer than James Hetfield, but that is a bit superficial to look at them in just that manner. Both men are the leaders of their respective units, with Hetfield offering a blistering backing guitar to go along with his rumble of a voice. Bon Jovi, also known to pick up the guitar on occasion, has the better vocal range, but I would posit that Hetfield actually makes you feel the lyrics that thunder from his mouth. While very different, they both epitomize their bands.

In looking at the lead guitarists, they are also quite distinctive. Richie Sambora (up until departing the band this year) is one of the top guitarists in the genre, but Metallica’s duo of first Dave Mustaine and then Kirk Hammett not only provide the searing blowtorch of their solos but also pound out the very existence of Metallica. Sambora might be better than Mustaine, but I don’t think he tops Hammett.

The rhythm sections aren’t comparable. Metallica rules this department, with bassists in the late Cliff Burton, Jason Newstead and now Robert Trujillo and drummer Lars Ulrich completely outclassing Bon Jovi’s unit (quick – without Google, name the bassist and drummer for the band?). It is in fact that foundation in Metallica that gives them their unique sound, whereas Bon Jovi is just good hard rock music.

Even when you look at sales (popularity), the two are nearly equal. Bon Jovi has sold around 130 million albums worldwide, Metallica 100 million. Although they are nowhere near the same, they are worthy opponents at this point in the tournament.

And, finally, the 1990s:

Nirvana (1) vs. Rage Against the Machine (2)

This was potentially the toughest of the regions in our competition. With the birth of grunge, rap metal and other genres during the decade, you had many different sounds competing for hard rock/metal fans attention. That is seen in the final two survivors, Nirvana and RATM.

It could possibly be said that Pearl Jam should be here instead of Nirvana, but Nirvana is the band that many people point to as the “fathers of grunge.” For what it’s worth, the late Kurt Cobain was a tremendous lyricist, albeit his singing left a great deal to be desired. He did surround himself with outstanding musicians in Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl, who helped him to take Nirvana to the pinnacle of rock music – whether Cobain liked it or not.

By far Rage Against the Machine’s niche has been in their political stances. The band has long been known for their leftist (some would say anarchist) views, but they have delivered those views with a powerful brand of hard rock. With Tom Morello‘s groundbreaking guitar work and the vocals of Zack de la Rocha, the band has remained popular even though they haven’t been together since 2011 (their second stint – they were at their apex between 1991 and 2000, went on hiatus, then reformed in 2007).

With two powerful and influential bands such as these, who do you choose? The choice is now up to you. Who do you see moving on to the Final Four? And who eventually wins the crown?