Eric R. Danton | Sound Check

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducts class of 2008

Leonard Cohen, John Mellencamp, Madonna, the Ventures and the Dave Clark Five were officially welcomed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Monday night at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York.

As usual, the ceremony was long on music-biz self-congratulatory wanking and short on excitement, but it had moments of poetry and humor, a glimpse of the incendiary spirit that drives the best rock 'n' roll and a dose of inscrutable commentary (thank you, Lou Reed).

First, though, there was an explanation of the rules from Jann S. Wenner, editor of Rolling Stone and chairman of the Rock Hall. He noted that inductees are not eligible for enshrinement until 25 years after releasing their first commercial recording. That allows for a "long period of time to make the judgment that the artist's work has had long-lasting significance and influence in the history of rock," Wenner said, though it still doesn't explain the absence of Alice Cooper, Kiss or Rush.

Wenner also offered a subtext for the Rock Hall's expansive definition of rock 'n' roll, which includes disco, pop and hip-hop. "As rock 'n' roll has grown and broadened its audience and deepened its social impact, it has evolved into a variety of forms," Wenner said. Thus, Madonna.

50th Grammy Awards

It was a near thing: The ongoing writers' strike threatened to sink the Grammys the same way it laid low the Golden Globes last month. Unfortunately for lovers of lively TV, the Grammy producers reached an agreement with the writers' guild, so the 50th Grammy Awards will proceed unmolested by picket lines.

Here we are then, ready for 3 1/2 hours of musical celebration, brought to you by the people who once picked the Starland Vocal Band over Elvis Costello for best new artist, and Jethro Tull over Metallica for best hard-rock/metal performance.

I'm ensconced in the living room of my sprawling South End estate, whence I'll be filing updates as the festivities proceed.

Grammys and cultural relevance

Reuters today moved a story headlined, "Grammy telecast struggles to stay relevant," which posits that the Grammys are "battling the perception that it's yesterday's news."

Seems like it's more than just a perception. The Grammys stand as the last true bastion of major-label dominance, a night for Clive Davis to strut and preen and pretend he still has the taste and acumen to make lasting stars.

But most of the time, the ceremony is an excruciating celebration of mediocrity. Not only is the show long, it's tedious. Last year, a full 55 minutes elapsed without anyone winning an award. The producers usually fill that time with god-awful special performances, including an all-star lineup butchering the Beatles a couple years ago, Carrie Underwood tarnishing Bob Wills' legacy last year and some unknown wannabe singing with Justin Timberlake before returning to obscurity.

If the Grammys don't figure out a way to stay interesting, they really will be yesterday's news, not least because nobody will be watching. (That said, I'll be watching again this year, and posting updates here.)

Rock Hall picks five, including Mellencamp and Madonna

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this morning announced its five newest inductees, out of nine acts nominated. (As I wondered a few months ago, though, why not induct all nine? Maybe it's just to gin up a false sense of anticipation in the process.)

Those inducted were Leonard Cohen, the Dave Clark Five (finally), Madonna, John Mellencamp and the Ventures. Purists will scoff at Madonna's inclusion, and in a literal sense, they're right: She's not rock 'n' roll. But her influence on popular music is undeniable, and aside from whatever meager prestige accompanies induction into the Rock Hall, it's an institution that serves mostly to codify the influence of popular acts. (I'm not sure the people running the place would agree, but come on.)

 

Afrikaa Bambaataa, the Beastie Boys, Chic and Donna Summer were shut out.

The induction ceremony will take place March 10, 2008, in New York.

On the campaign trail

Candidates for office aren't the only ones campaigning for votes this fall: Music-biz types are courting members of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences — the Grammy voters —  who, it seems, are in the process of choosing Grammy nominees (to be announced Dec. 6; the awards will be handed out Feb. 10, 2008, in Los Angeles).

I'm not part of NARAS (voting members must have technical or creative credits on six tracks available for sale to the public to qualify), but in a first this year, I've received e-mails asking me to vote to nominate Akon, Ann Wilson of Heart for her solo covers album, old-school country singer Gene Watson, soul singer Deniece Williams, Irish fiddler Kevin Burke and the Soweto Gospel Choir.

What's that old line about laws and sausage?

Bambaataa, Ventures, Madonna and Beasties among Rock Hall nominees

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this morning announced nominees for induction next year, and it's an impressive slate: Afrika Bambaataa, Beastie Boys, Chic, Leonard Cohen, The Dave Clark Five, Madonna, John Mellencamp, Donna Summer and the Ventures.

Five of the nine nominees will be inducted in a ceremony next March. But why only five? All nine are worthy, if you buy into the idea that rock 'n' roll needs some sort of institutional endorsement to be celebrated or considered culturally important, which is ridiculous. In fact, I'm on record as thinking the notion of a Rock Hall is pretty dumb.

There's been a debate for years about why the Dave Clark Five isn't already in the Rock Hall, and I'm wondering the same thing about poet and singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen and surf-rock pioneers the Ventures — two of the most influential acts, each in their own way, of the past 50 years.

Rock purists will sneer at Afrika Bambaataa and the Beasties, and probably Madonna, too, but the influence of rap on rock (and vice versa) is undeniable at this point, and Madonna has been, for better or worse, an equally huge influence on the direction of popular music in the 25-odd years since she hit it big.

So let 'em all in, Rock Hall. Just think of the marketing opportunities ...

VMAs pre-empted by real life

The MTV Video Music Awards started 25 minutes ago, but you wouldn't know it where I am.

Although I'm in Las Vegas with friends for the weekend, staying a stone's throw away from the Palms, my hotel doesn't get MTV (and I didn't apply for credentials to cover the VMAs on-site). That means I'm missing out on the almost certain trainwreck that is Britney Spears' comeback effort. She could, right at this moment, be demonstrating to the cable-TV universe, that underwear is overrated, and we wouldn't know it.

Come to think of it, I'm fine with that.

In fact, I don't mind missing the show at all. The awards categories this year are dumb and the nominees are dreadful (except in best new artist, where Peter Bjorn & John, Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen are nominated, along with Carrie Underwood and Gym Class Heroes). Dinner reservations and perhaps a return trip to the craps tables sound like a far more entertaining option than wondering, when the show ends, as I have the past several years, where those hours of my life have gone.

79th Academy Awards

Because keeping a running diary on the Grammys was so much fun, why not do the same thing for the Oscars? The correct answer: I clearly have nothing better to do. Regardless, I've ventured away from my sprawling South End estate to join a few friends (and eat their food) while we watch Hollywood's paroxysms of self-congratulation.

There will be fewer entires here, I imagine, because a) I don't write about film and b) I approach this more as an onlooker than as someone who, you know, cares. And away we go ...

Dixie Chicks Grammy backlash

The Dixie Chicks won five Grammys Sunday night, and the backlash has already begun.

The trio's awards included trophies for album of the year for "Taking the Long Way," and song of the year and record of the year for "Not Ready to Make Nice," prompting music industry gadfly Bob Lefsetz to write, "What kind of crazy [expletive] up world do we live in where 'Not Ready To Make Nice' wins record of the year?  What next, Harry Reid elected PRESIDENT?"

And this guy derides the Chicks' awards as "a liberal political statement by the recording industry, very similar to what is done each year by the Academy Awards. It was an 'in your face' statement to the fans of country music who shunned the Dixie Chicks and those who continue to support President Bush."

The "liberal political statement" part is probably correct. But is it so hard to believe the voting members of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences simply liked the Chicks' stuff more?

49th Annual Grammy Awards

It's the Sunday after the Super Bowl, which means it's time once again to recognize all the glorious achievements in music during the preceding year. Instead, CBS is broadcasting the Grammys, an annual ritual in which the shallow and banal usually overshadows what is good.

Huzzah, pop culture.

I'll be commenting on the festivities as I watch on TV from the living room of my sprawling South End estate. And away we go ...