2020 Nominee Predictions

Just so we are clear, this is not a fantasy ballot, just my predictions. That one day in October where we will be looking through the list of what the NomCom has blended together. As for me, I always get a quick glance at it, but then I usually analyze their picks and question why they chose a certain group/artist. This is indeed the best time of the year for Rock Hall watchers, as we all post our picks, or what we predict the Nominating Committee will pick. I believe what makes it fun is the fact that no one has ever got the ballot 100% right at all, and no one probably ever will. There may be something up the NomCom's sleeves that we don't know about. Will Tom Morello put another heavy band in? Will Stevie Van Zandt push for one of his favorite 60's groups? Stuff like that. Who was gotten more attention in the last few months? Who is touring, still putting out albums? Who has been the subject of films? Who will be the ultimate left-field pick (or "WTF pick") for the year? These are the questions that are on everyone's minds every year as we pick on who will likely be selected to go on the Nominations ballot.

More importantly, will something change, like the NomCom going a different direction? Will there be more women than previous years? Will ?uestlove keep putting Chaka Khan on the ballot, or some other deserving artist? Unfortunately, I think some will stay the same. Another question is, how many acts that were never before nominated will show up on the ballot? As for me, I think this year's ballot will have more than ever, with 8. The nominations list grows, then shrinks, unpredictably every year. For numerous reasons, I'm picking 16 acts for my predictions list.

Here we go:

-Newly eligible-

Weezer - As we all know, last year there were no newly-eligible artists/groups on the ballot. There are a few candidates from 1994 that have shown up on RHW's lists (Biggie, Sheryl Crow, Daft Punk), but for me I just think it will be the band that has been fronted by Rivers Cuomo all these years. Not just a regular band, but one that has been on my radar for a while. They have a resume, that would make them an easy first-year placement on the ballot. Then again, I said the same about Beck a year ago. But rock mags (like Rolling Stone) have considered the 1996 Pinkerton album a cult classic; one that has inspired several emo/pop-punk groups. Weezer has kept pace over the years, putting out several albums, including two this year. I also think they pulled off quite a comeback in 2001, after seemingly, everyone, believed they were a has-been group. Weezer has toured over the years, gave the term "nerd rock" a new meaning, and made memorable music videos (that's assuming people still watch them!). It would be a great tribute to the late Ric Ocasek as well, since he produced three of Weezer's albums. (I doubt it will be on many of the NomCom members minds though...) So much more I can say.

That being said, I don't think they will get in on first try. I hope they do, but I just don't see it happening right away. Obviously, for the reasons stated above, I definitely see them getting nominated soon enough.

-Nominated before-

Nine Inch Nails
Devo
    -Because of the 2020 Induction Ceremony being in Cleveland, it would be perfect in every way to get these two at least on the ballot...and, possibly enshrined. Of course, that would be weird (if you ask me) if both got inducted at the same time, like if it was rigged or something. But you know the old saying, "things happen for a reason" or "there are no coincidences". New wave/alternative acts Depeche Mode, The Cure and the Smiths have been nominated twice, so something tells me that Devo will be among the next in this group. NIN have also been nominated twice, even though they came later than those groups. Both acts have been active in music for a long time. And as everyone is pointing out, Reznor has been given songwriting credit on, what looks to be the biggest hit of 2019: "Old Town Road". I'm sure last year's inductees will play a great part in getting those two in eventually. Same goes for the next act on my list:

Depeche Mode - No need to explain, as I'm just gonna be repeating what everyone else has said, so...moving on...

The Smiths - Actually I was going to put the Eurythmics in this slot, but I sensed something else. Though its very impossible that all four members of the Smiths will show up to the ceremony, it would make the Rock Hall look good if these guys get in, no matter what.

Rufus/Chaka Khan - It's one or the other, until they get inducted. I hope they skip a year on putting them on the ballot, but for reason I don't see it happening. (I really hope this happens soon because we need more from this genre - as well as the era, especially the ladies!)

The Meters

Kraftwerk - We don't know how many tries it will take for this innovative group to get in. It's very hard to think like this: "Black Sabbath got nominated ten times, so chill...". In this case, I can't if a lot of acts that were influenced by Kraftwerk get in before them. But that can be a great thing too, because with Thom Yorke's or Martin Gore's support or whoever...

-Never been Nominated-

Motley Crue - Like them or not, they are destined to be the next hard-rock act to be enshrined. Last year, just about everyone correctly predicted Def Leppard; needless to say, I don't see it being any different. Although for some reason, I don't see Tom Morello throwing out their name (he's usually the guy who champions that genre...). No matter. Motley Crue has been #1 on the fan kiosk at the Rock Hall museum for several months now. A lot of people won't forget how they redefined glam/hard rock, and their negative side (all four members of the classic lineup have been arrested and committed crimes, at separate times). Of course, one of the biggest documentaries to come out this year was their biographical film, The Dirt, which will probably influence the NomCom's decision. If the Crue are put on the ballot, they will easily get the #1 fan vote. Though their legal documents say they are not allowed to perform together in public, their possible Rock Hall Induction is an exception...from what I've read.

The Go-Go's - Another group getting the documentary treatment is the Go-Go's. And not just any other group, as they rightfully call themselves the "most successful all-female group of all-time". The ladies are also known for playing their own instruments and writing their own songs - and more importantly, helped define the new-wave genre and their association with 80s pop culture and MTV. They have been together on and off through the years, and they would all very likely show up for an induction ceremony, whenever that will be.

The Doobie Brothers - Just like everyone else has been saying, the whole Irving Azoff thing. No need to repeat that. Plus its another to fill the classic rock void. But what really got me thinking about the Doobies was earlier this year, them touring with Santana. To me, that was a step-up. Usually touring with a legendary act sometimes draws attention. By the way, I attended those concerts back in July and they were great. A lot of dad-rock fans will be happy to see them at the ceremony, and Michael McDonald would very likely attend.

Pat Benatar - It's gonna be tough to predict if there will be more women on the ballot in the coming years, but I sorta think the NomCom will finally listen to the complaints about the shortage of women in the Rock Hall. If we're gonna keep on the same track with radio-friendly classic-rock artists, then Benatar would surely stand out as the next true candidate. If she gets on the ballot and has not much competition, she could be the first female #1 fan vote getter.

Beck - Something tells me that his name will appear on the ballot, after what didn't happen last year. I don't know who would suggest him, but let's hope he'll make the board. And no, I don't expect for him to get in on the first try.

Tommy James and the Shondells - When I compiled my "Snubs" list recently, I spent a lot of time looking into James' recent work and social media page. There was a lot I wasn't aware of, like how busy James is these days. He's playing music, touring and he's on Sirius XM. He put out an album recently, and guess who appeared on it? You got it, Stevie Van Zandt. I don't see why Van Zandt wouldn't use his influence for putting James on the ballot. The first time he would appear on a ballot would be the only time, as several would likely vote for him.

Peter Frampton - This will be my main left-field pick, or to some the "WTF" one. Comes to mind because he's doing his retirement tour this year due to health problems. So why not get him in now? Frampton would probably get in the Hall right away if he appeared on the ballot, because of his longtime presence in the music world and his work with several big-names. I am aware he's had limited success after his mega double-live album. He's also an actor at times (ironically, he appeared in my least-favorite and my most-favorite movies of all-time, Sgt. Peppers and Almost Famous, respectively.). It's a shot in the dark, but you never know.

Sonic Youth - For the last slot, it was between Sonic Youth, the Pixies and Jane's Addiction. I really don't like to compare bands, especially those three - but, they were all influential pre-grunge acts that had impact from 1985-1991. Putting the Pixies and Weezer on the same ballot would not be right, since they toured together this year. Jane's Addiction? My gut isn't telling me it's their year. So now we have Sonic Youth, which has been long overdue for a nomination. ?uestlove did say five years ago he would "fight for Sonic Youth", but it is still not known if he will keep his word.

As Casey Kasem would have probably put it, "And there you have it, the 16 acts that would likely be put on the 2020 Nominations list!"

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For the second part of this post, I'm gonna explain why I left off certain acts off my list:

The Notorious B.I.G.- It's very easy to compare him to 2Pac, but I just think 2Pac has had more influence and impact on rap/hip-hop culture then a lot, including Biggie Smalls. Both were shot and killed, in their mid-20s, in a 9-month period. Both died at the height of their popularity. Both had posthumous #1 singles and albums, and released plenty of music after their deaths until there was a time for someone to break away from the vaults. Both represented their side in the so-called hip-hop "East/West Coast" wars. Both had successful movies (well, to a certain level) made about their lives. 2Pac acted in movies; Biggie acted in an episode of "Martin". Pac has sold 75 million records so far, Biggie is at 17 million. We could go on for awhile just debating on who was better than whom. It's almost like comparing Lincoln to Kennedy.

When I visited the actual Rock Hall museum a year ago, I saw plenty of hip-hop memorabilia, including actual 45 RPM records owned by Biggie Smalls (I think they were donated by a family member?), so maybe that's a sure sign he could get in right away. Or as I type this, I see there is a short documentary thing on Amazon coming real soon, and some new online articles about him. I do think B.I.G. will get in, but not nominated right away.

Todd Rundgren - Like everyone else said, Rundgren was the most surprising that didn't get inducted last year on first try. His comments will probably sit him out for a year; hell, who knows.

Oasis - Maybe, I don't really wanna know...Oasis was one of those British alternative-rock groups
from the 90's that temporarily replaced grunge. As most of us know, they were a bigger sensation in the UK, and while Americans dug their music for a short time (I'm sensing that "Wonderwall", obviously a George Harrison ripoff song, is becoming a classic tune for my millennial generation...) they were nobodies again by the end of the millennium. Those who read the rock press knew the Gallagher brothers were @$$holes, or at least that kind of image. What's the Story, Morning Glory? and Definitely Maybe have been hailed as memorable albums of the 90s. Let's be honest here, it'll take longer than one would think to get Oasis in the Rock Hall. Maybe a nomination will pop up in the next few years, but for me they will be automatically getting in line with the other snubbed alternative-rock bands.

Daft Punk - This group has been on fire for many years now, and I always believed Daft Punk's career paralleled itself to the genre that they tried to re-define: disco. Started out as underground, or indie - and then at a certain point, all mainstream. Not bad for a French duo. It would be silly to put this electronic act in before or at the same time as Kraftwerk. Well, same goes for all the other electronica groups, but yeah...I could be proven wrong in the next two years.

Eddie Money - (probably the only time you'll ever see his name lined up with Daft Punk's) It's not so often that a famous rocker dies before the meeting of the Nomination Committee. Let's all be real - his chances of getting in the Rock Hall are about the same as Loverboy's. Yeah, he's got plenty of radio hits, just not a RH-worthy career. Unless of course he's suddenly #1 on the kiosks...

More Black/A-A artists - I really wanted to put Lionel Richie/Commodores, Kool and the Gang and the Clovers on here - but as from a realistical standpoint, it's probably not happening. It has been four years since the Spinners last appeared on a ballot, and five since War and the Marvelettes could have been inducted. Very little wonder why all the Rock Hall watchers are like, "Why stop there...". Of course, I can't speak for all of them, but I know they all probably want answers on why there hasn't been that many R&B/funk/soul acts inducted in the last decade. Then you have rappers such as LL Cool J, who has made a few trips onto the ballot but seemingly, the voters aren't interested. That or he has had strong competition. Even a Kennedy Center Honor hasn't helped Mr. Smith. Will it be another year of seeing the Meters and Rufus/Chaka Khan on the Nominations list? Or would it be great logic to put critically-acclaimed hip-hop acts De La Soul or ATCQ? Didn't want to do it, but I went with the former. But yeah, I would be a happy man all the way if Kool and the Gang and The Spinners would make the ballot again, and of course, get inducted right away.

More women - I feel like it's deja vu every year that someone says "the Rock Hall has listened to the complaints of the public, voters, etc...so they are open to putting more women in...". I'll put it to everyone this way: I'll know it when I see it. So far we have yet to see more ladies on the ballot. As of now, I just don't see it happening. I would love to see a ballot that has Tina Turner, Carly Simon, Kate Bush, the Bangles, or in other words - more than the usual we see on there.

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Alright, now for the hard part: If this ballot were the real thing, who would get inducted into the Rock Hall? Well, let's say there were 7 inductees like last year. Let's hope they enshrine more acts. (I'll save the rest for my induction predictions post...). So who would likely get in from this ballot? Here's what I would say: Motley Crue, Pat Benatar, Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, The Doobie Brothers and Tommy James/Shondells. It would be HBO's ultimate dream of a Rock Hall special. Probably no drama, just people coming together. Wouldn't that make a kick-ass class? Let's pretend that it actually happened in Spring 2020. All acts would attend the ceremony. All would perform at the ceremony...okay, maybe not Kraftwerk. But all would take the stage...at least the surviving members of some of the groups inducted. They would all have their brief induction speeches. Benatar would yell "more women please!". Motley Crue would perform in public for the first time since 12/31/2015. Trent Reznor would pay tribute to his city. Michael McDonald would probably sit out during his old band's set. I know, I'm getting way ahead of myself here. A lot of these acts probably won't even turn up on the ballot. As the old saying goes - "I can dream, can I?"

I have seen a lot of interesting lists from some of the Rock Hall watchers. Some of them you'll find in the links on the side. I'd love to see your picks in the comments ------

My visit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

(Note: This is a long, detailed view of my visit to the Rock Hall, which was on 9/13/2018. This is not about who is or who is not inducted, but about the museum itself. I won't give away that much about the actual museum, and I respect the institution's wishes not to post any pictures on the Internet.)

Well, it finally happened! I've waited quite a while to visit. I have visited many parts of the United States, but for whatever reason Cleveland was never really a priority until about a couple years ago. It seems now, sadly, that a lot of cities have that "one thing" that makes them plenty of tourism dollars and really there's nothing else that city would offer besides their local scene and maybe a few extra museums here and there. Minneapolis has the "Mall of America", Memphis has Graceland, my home city St. Louis has the Arch (and the Budweiser brewery tour) but not much else that would get people out here. If another city had the RRHOF, I would have visited that particular city just for that reason.

BEFORE THE VISIT....
I planned a trip to Milwaukee and Cleveland a month before, as they were two cities that I never visited but always wanted to. My sister's family had visited Cleveland twice in the last 3 years, mostly to see the Cavaliers play. My nephew is a huge Lebron fan. (Of course, now they may be plotting a trip to L.A. now, haha) Both times they visited the RRHOF, and my nephew posted a short video of his visit on his YouTube channel. After I commented, he said, "You should definitely go. Sooner rather than later. You will love it!". That was my dealbreaker right there! My bro-in-law said for the average person it's a 3-hour museum, but for me it would be an all-day thing.

The main reason I wanted to go to Milwaukee was to visit the Record Research place as well as visit my favorite author, Joel Whitburn, who heads that publishing company. Unfortunately, those plans partly went down the drain before the trip. Short version of story: I was told in the past that Joel (who owns one of the world's largest record collections) would do private tours of his record vault which was at his residence. Last year, Joel's wife was seriously injured in a boating accident and he has been by her side since. Since that time he has permanently suspended all tours, which I totally respect and understand. I was, however, invited to check out the Record Research office, in which I met two of Joel's employees and observed their operations. Then after a couple of days, I was off to Cleveland by train.

AND NOW, MY VISIT...
I was very stoked when I first arrived in Cleveland at 6am, even though I had just three hours of sleep (noisy people on train). Just 4 hours later, the museum was open and all the tourists like me poured in. But first, I had to get a few pics, one I shared to all of my social media pages.

Then I was off! (Suggestion: buy your ticket(s) online before you go. It will save you $3. I bought mine from Travelocity, and you can also use the Rock Hall site as well) I started at the very bottom level, as suggested. It takes you through the roots of rock, the regions of rock, as well as several sub-genres. I really don't want to give too much away, since there are several that have not yet visited the museum that really want to. Basically, you'll be getting the learning experience. Some of it is stuff you may already know, but to get an interactive look with the memorabilia in front of it is something else! Speaking of memorabilia, there are plenty of little items that were part of rock and music history inside the museum. I once heard Casey Kasem say on his Top 40 radio program that the RRHOF hosts the world's largest collection of rock memorabilia, and I have to say he is probably right. I'm actually kind of curious as to how many warehouses they store all the "other stuff" that they use for exhibits and all.

Again, I don't want to give away much, but here's a sample of what you'll find on the top and bottom floors: dresses worn by Grace Slick and Janis Joplin; Jim Morrison's Cub scout uniform; Michael Jackson's glove and outfit worn at the Motown 25th special; pieces of the plane that killed Otis Redding and some members of the Bar-Kays; regular stage props from some concerts and many more. I even sent a picture of me posing in front of Britney Spears' flesh-colored outfit that she wore at the 2000 VMAs to a guy I work with (who loves Britney Spears)!

THE TEMPORARY EXHIBIT:
This was Stay Tuned: Rock on TV. It, of course, told the story about how television and rock and roll worked hand in hand to provide the visual experience. A lot of it was stuff I already knew about, but its always easy to forget that television has had a huge impact on mine and my parent's generation. Not just rock and roll, but the way we act, talk, dress, and sometimes how we vote. It's how people after the 1940's saw the world. Featured were American Bandstand, Ed Sullivan Show to sitcoms like The Monkees and the Partridge Family. The exhibit also talks about talent shows of all generations, as well as musical performances from variety shows, including the Sonny and Cher Show and In Living Color. Isn't it amazing how much we knew what was probably cool from watching TV? MTV is also featured with a room of its own.

SIDE MENTIONS:
-Did you know that, in addition to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees (all categories), there is a permanent exhibit that highlights all the greats in classic radio? Or one for One-Hit Wonders that shaped Rock and Roll? They can be experienced at listening kiosks at the Hall. I was very glad they included local radio hero Ron "Johnny Rabbitt" Elz in the radio category. (He was the first to play the Beatles in America. I'll have more info on that in a future blog...)  I once read that local national one-hit wonder Bob Kuban was featured in the permanent One-Hit Wonders exhibit but I was very disappointed that he wasn't anywhere to be found. Hmmmm.....

-It's not just the inductees that are featured all over the museum. Several acts that are not in have memorabilia and other items about them are featured in certain sections. For example, Herman's Hermits can be found under the British Invasion part. What surprised me overall was a lot of current future hit-makers and mainstays were also featured. I'm talking about Kesha, Taylor Swift and Bruno Mars, along with some of my favorites such as the Arctic Monkeys and Saint Motel. I suppose that's their way of pleasing my generation, haha!

-Did you know there is a Cleveland script sign somewhere nearby the museum where you can take pictures of you and the Rock Hall, in front of the Cleveland city skyline? I didn't know that until the day after my visit. But if you do plan on going there, just a reminder.

-Could this be foreshadowing? The Zombies had a small section devoted to them. I'll explain: in some of the artist/genre sections, some bands like U2 and the Doors have a column devoted to them. In that same section is one about the Zombies. True, Rod Argent did visit the museum 2-3 years ago, and in response his old band has appeared on the Nominations ballot. Also, the Notorious B.I.G. will be eligible for the first time next year and a few of his items (including records from his actual collection!) were in the rap/hip-hop section. I'm not sure if this means he may be a first-time nomination and/or inductee, but we shall see.

-There was also a tucked-away room full of rock-themed pinball machines. Pinball machines have run their course, here and there, over the years - but this exhibit (I believe it was temporary, for all I know) highlighted how rock 'n' roll and pinball went hand-in-hand as a sign of rebellion. It's hard to believe that a lot of elders during the Great Depression didn't think much of pinball back in the day! Some of the machines worked, and some were playable. Each had a description, and some were personally made for that band/artist.

-Outside the museum is Johnny and June Carter Cash's old tour bus. I went in there briefly, since there was not much room to walk around. I did snap a few pictures while inside.

-There is a restaurant inside the place, and a food truck was there outside. I didn't see what the food truck offered, but the indoors restaurant was by the entrance. I ate there, midway through my visit. They have managed to keep up with the restaurant times, offering "hip" items like tacos, flatbread pizza, rice bowls, etc. I can't even remember what I even ate there; think it was buffalo chicken wrap or something and soda. I do recall it was expensive, but what to expect I guess!

-And, as most of us already know, they do let the visitors vote ONE TIME on who should get inducted into the RRHOF. At #1 so far this year is Stevie Nicks, with the most votes. Also on the list are acts that are newly eligible for next year such as Blink 182 and Beck. Surprisingly, Garth Brooks has a lot of votes (he belongs only in the Country Music Hall of Fame!, in my opinion. And maybe a few stars on some Walk of Fames too...). Below is a video I took of the results as of 9-13-2018:

WHAT WOULD I HAVE CHANGED:
-The inductees. No, I'm not talking about who is or isn't in - that's for another post. I'm talking about how they are displayed in the museum. I didn't know this up until the present time that the way they set up that section was brand new. How they present the inductees is by year, starting from, of course, 1986 all the way up to the present year (2018). All inductees, including all categories are presented along with their engraved signatures. No pictures or anything like that. However, the inductees from the new "Singles" category are nowhere to be seen. I did post my concern on Twitter, and the Rock Hall responded they are, at this moment, trying to think of a way to present them in that section. I totally get it, as its unreal to think that it has been at least five months (as of this writing) since they introduced it. I'm sure that will make someone like Chubby Checker happy.

I get it that every Hall of Fame does things different. At the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame, every inductee in that sport gets a plaque with their name, years, description, etc. Same goes for the Country Music Hall of Fame. When I visited the CMHOF in Nashville a couple years ago, I thought it was cool browsing through every plaque, checking out every artist and their achievements as it is engraved. I think it would have been cool to have at least a few lines of description for every artist that has been inducted. Oh well, that's what the website is for, I guess.

-Maybe devote something to electronic music (besides disco), or any other kind of small subgenre. I'm sure there have been temporary exhibits spotlighting them, but what do I know.

IN CLOSING:
I spent nearly seven hours there, which was enough for me. I did comb through every floor again, just to double-check if I missed anything. After all, who knows how long it will take me to get back to Cleveland! Lastly, I went in the gift shop which was huge. Let's just say that it was no average museum gift shop. Almost half of it is apparel, which I didn't bother buying. They sold CDs, records, books, you name it. If you collect something from another place, yes there is a big chance they will have it. I usually collect shot glasses (or what some call toothpick holders, haha) and magnets from other places, so it was like I hit the jackpot. (I used to collect little license plates from other places, but unfortunately more than a decade ago, they stopped making them for whatever reason....)  I also bought a mini-replica of the RRHOF museum. It would definitely look good next to my Arch and Mount Rushmore mini-replica statues....

OVERALL FEEL:
The museum? I give it an A-. Because nothing is perfect. It's entirely impossible to cram everything into one museum, even if its five floors and shaped like a pyramid. Nice work. I have faith that the organization/institution will continue to bring plenty of goodness for the coming years. Cheers!