The Bailey Blog

Think PR battles are only for the toxic polluters, over-sexed politicians and drunken celebs?

Now, it’s apparently time to mock the rock as Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is under fire and in danger of being seen as diluted by fans, musicians and critics alike. Rarely can such a gaggle be seen to agree on anything but there’s this: No one whole-heartedly agrees with who gets in anymore.

The Hall of Fame was founded in 1983 by the top dogs in the music biz with the first performers getting inducted in 1986. Acts are deemed eligible 25 years after the release of their first recording. The nominating committee shrank from 100 over the years but no one is saying how small …and elite…the group has become.

From approximately nine nominees, 600 “industry insiders” - promoters, managers, music writers and musicians — vote and five to seven performers get in for any given year. Former committee members are now noting certain voters, oh, say, like the guy who publishes Rolling Stone Magazine and sort of founded the Hall of Fame, Jann Wenner, get undue influence.

An example of Wenner’s influence is noted in that one of this year’s inductees British Invasion-era group, The Dave Clark Five, was pushed out of the way last year in favor of rapper, Grandmaster Flash despite receiving more votes than..uh..Mr. Flash. The Hall says the votes arrived too late for the DC5 but others say Wenner was on a mission to include rap artists.

Apparently, someone used FedEx this year, however, ’cause The Dave Clark Five, now-three, since two died recently waiting on the short-list, are in.

This year’s other models of rock’s legendary status? Madonna (!!), John Mellencamp (Springsteen Lite), The Ventures (All guitars, one and a half hits) and Leonard Cohen (zzzz). Hmmm…those out in the cold looking in at the Hall? Too many to mention but what about just looking to Detroit for answers other than Material Girls for, gosh, I dunno…”rock” (It’s in the name for the place after all, but color me a closet Carpenters fan if I’m wrong):

MC5? Iggy and Stooges? These guys were punk before punk – before safety pins were attire.
Mitch Ryder? Soul to rival say, The Rascals..who are, wait! IN?

Now certainly, debate and passion are what these things are all about.
But, credibility - rooted in the “oh, poop!” panic of “hey…is the fix in? Where are the checks and balances?” is a PR brouhaha that pulls this one out of Cleveland and right up there with those “issues” found in a DC in Washington, not a “DC5″ from the UK.

If the public doesn’t see the Hall as authentic or if it’s selection process is further tarnished in future questionable selections - (so, if I do the math, I’m near death by the time The Backstreet Boys are up for nomination, right…?) — they could go the way of just another Hard Rock Cafe’ with a bunch of faux, signed instruments on the wall… costing donors and visitors who will instead opt for Cleveland Indians games and a trip further south to Graceland.

That means big bucks gone leaving out-of-touch organizers to be stunned and mumbling, “A-Wop-bop-a-loo-lop a-lop-bam-boo.”