View From the Phlipside Radio - Hall of Fame game

My name is Jay Phillippi and I've spent my life in and around the media.  TV, radio, the movies and more.  I love them, and I hate them and I always have an opinion.  Call this the View from the Phlipside.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced its list of candidates for the next admission class.  As always it’s an interesting list including well known, lesser known and roots of rock names.  An acquaintance of mine pointed me towards the nominees and as always that started the “So who would YOU pick?” game.

This year’s nominees are Guns N Rose, Heart, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Cure, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, The Beastie Boys, Freddie King, Laura Nyro, The Small Faces/Faces, Donna Summer, War, The Spinners, Rufus w/ Chaka Khan, Donovan, and Eric B & Rakim.  That’s a pretty impressive list.  And it represents a whole lot of not only hit music but great music.  Never forget those two things aren’t always the same thing.

Now on the Hall of Fame website you can also play the game.  You can vote on your top 5 nominees.  When I checked last week the top 5 vote getters were - starting with number 5 - The Beastie Boys, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, The Cure, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, and at number one, Guns ‘N Roses.  Now I wouldn’t really have trouble with any of those groups and at some point I would expect all of them could be inductees.  But I have to admit that this doesn’t match up with my top 5 particularly well at all.  In fact the only one I would choose is The Cure for a top 5 list.

The rest of my Top 5 list would include, in no particular order, The Beastie Boys, Freddy King, Laura Nyro, and The Small Faces/Faces.  I probably don’t have to explain the Beasties inclusion but some folks may not be familiar with the other three.  Freddy “The Texas Cannon” King was an influential African American blues guitarist often classed with B.B.King and Albert King.  Laura Nyro is an singer songwriter who died too young but who wrote lots of hit songs for the likes of the Fifth Dimension, Blood, Sweat and Tears, Three Dog Night and Barbara Streisand.  The Small Faces/Faces are the two different formations of one of the most influential British mod groups of the ‘60’s then evolved into a premier psychedelic group.  Over the years the band included Steve Mariott, Ronnie Lane, Ronnie Woods and oh yes, Rod Stewart.

There are lots of popular and influential musicians on the nominees list.  I tend to give a little more emphasis to influence over popularity.  The next class will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in April of next year.

Call that the View From the Phlipside