New World Men

It finally happened! Rush is being inducted into the Rock an Roll Hall of Fame as part of the inductions for 2013.  Why did it happen now, after so many years of Rush fans waiting and petitioning for it? Maybe it's because the public was allowed to vote for the first time, making the Hall of Fame a more democratic institution - like the music it purportedly celebrates.

And Rush deserves the honor. The Canadian power trio has spent the past several decades expanding the possibilities of rock and roll with its crack musicianship, grand themes, and inventive lyricism.  Their early-eighties albums Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures are regarded as classics.  Yes, many critics have long hated the band, but Rush's popularity and influence have been too strong to be denied, and much of the early criticism that greeted guitarist Alex Lifeson, bassist/keyboardist/vocalist Geddy Lee, and drummer/lyricist Neil Peart looks more and more like a bunch of professional reviewers with their own common, narrow-minded idea of what constitutes a good rock record talking smack. 

Only one other classic rock band is getting in for 2013 - Heart, the Pacific Northwest band led by sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. Deep Purple didn't make the cut, but even I would argue that you can't have only classic rockers getting into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, because classic rock is not exclusively what rock and roll is all about.  You need room for other artists.  I still have a problem with honoring hip-hop acts, though, and speaking of which, Public Enemy is being inducted too. 

If I have any disappointments about who was nominated but rejected, it's not over Deep Purple.  They were good, but not great.  I'm disappointed that the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and the Marvelettes didn't get in for 2013, and either one of them would have been better choices than Public Enemy (sorry, Chuck D, I don't care what you say, rap does not belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!).  And to those who remain disappointed that Jethro Tull did not even get nominated . . . get over it.  Ian Anderson took that band into so many different directions that the critics stopped taking him and Martin Barre (the only other consistent member of Tull since 1969) seriously long before either one of them became too old to rock and roll and too young to die.  And Family - my choice for Most Deserving British Band Obscure to Americans For Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction - will likely never get nominated either.  (It's wishful thinking on my part that their reunion shows this coming February will bring them to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's attention.)  But hey, Rush finally got in!

Mean, mean pride. 

The other performer inductees for 2013 are singer-songwriter Randy Newman (about time), disco singer Donna Summer (who was singing rock and roll in Germany before disco was even invented) and bluesman Albert King. All worthy inductions.  I'll discuss the inductees for 2013 in length when the induction ceremonies are held in April.