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Rush, Deep Purple, Public Enemy and N.W.A. among Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees
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Geddy Lee, performing night at Consol Energy Center last month, and his Rush bandmates are nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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During the whole mess last year that surrounded the induction of Guns N' Roses into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame -- and the absence of Axl Rose -- guitarist Slash expressed some reservations about the Hall's choices.
"The only personal bias I had, was how we could beatout a band like Deep Purple?" he told Rolling Stone. "What is the criteria for getting inducted?"
Someone must have listened to Slash and the other people who cried out for Deep Purple, because the legendary British hard rock band that gave us "Smoke on the Water" is on the list of nominees that was announced Thursday.
Also on that list is Canadian prog-rock trio Rush, which has been eligible since 1998 and is considered to be among the Hall's most overlooked bands.
Rush released a statement, saying, "We are honored to be among the nominees for this year's Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame. We are especially thrilled for the many, many dedicated RUSH fans to whom this
nomination is so very important."
Joining them are:
• Heart and the previously nominated Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, two acts that helped break the glass ceiling for female rockers.
• Militant rap crew Public Enemy and gangsta rappers N.W.A. (which included Ice Cube and Dr. Dre).
• Blues greats Albert King and The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, the latter being the sole Woodstock veterans on the list.
• German electronic-pop pioneers Kraftwerk.
• The Marvelettes, the early Motown group best known for "Please Mr. Postman."
• The late Queen of Disco Donna Summer, along with the also previously nominated Chic.
• New Orleans funk band The Meters, which featured Art and Cyril Neville, later of the Neville Brothers.
• Wry singer-songwriter Randy Newman, winner of five Grammys, two Oscars and three Emmys.
• Procol Harum, the British prog-rock band responsible for "Whiter Shade of Pale."
"The definition of 'rock and roll' means different things to different people, but as broad as the classifications may be, they all share a common love of the music," said Joel Peresman, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation chief executive. "This year we again proudly put forth
a fantastic array of groups and artists that span the entire genre
that is 'rock and roll.' "
Ballots will be sent to a voting body of more than 600 artists,
historians and members of the music industry. For the first time, the Rock Hall will allow fans to participate through an online ballot, through Dec. 5. The top five artists selected by the public will comprise a "fans' ballot" that will be tallied along with the other ballots.
The 28th annual Induction Ceremony, which was held in Cleveland last year, will move back to Los Angeles, at the Nokia Theatre on April 18.
The show will be broadcast on HBO at a later date.
First Published October 4, 2012 2:15 pm
