Setting aside the weirdness of a "hall of fame" for something so subjective as rock, a few thoughts:
- Joan Jett is THE REAL DEAL! Love her spirit and dedication to true rock and roll. I loved her acceptance speech and I think what she has to say about the power of music is missed by 99.9% of people today...or at least people in the USA. Rock can change the world. It can.
- While I do like Green Day and think we need more bands like them, when you 100% rip off the Clash, you need to at least name check them in your acceptance speech. Respect to GD for what they've done, but come on. No Joe Strummer, no Mick Jones, no Paul Simonon...no Green Day. It's that obvious. Show some respect.
- Bill Withers people...check him out. You know more of his stuff than you think. He. Is. Good.
- Ringo Starr...enough said. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Beatles and I think Ringo deserves his own place in the HOF just like John, Paul and George.
- It is a God damn shame Jimmie Ray Vaughn is no longer with us, but God bless him for what he did.
- Lou Reed, Lou Reed, Lou Reed! You talk about authentic, influential, innovative and a real rock artist...he is it. 2015 USA has no idea. No, seriously. Despite technology and all, a guy like LR in 2015 would just be a homeless bum never to be heard. His genius (and THAT IS WHAT IT WAS) was only able to be heard because of who he was and when he was. That kind of artistic approach to rock today would be a niche deal most people would never, ever hear. In the 1970s though, there were just enough record labels and radio stations that would play it. LOU REED.
