Committee Chairman

Yet another KISS/RRHOF Article

Apr 15, 2014

Paul Stanley isn’t done trashing the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame just yet. The co-leader of KISS who was just inducted into the Cleveland based institution after a fifteen-year wait, took to Twitter to discuss his issues with the ceremony. In a Tweet to Rolling Stone, Stanley quipped:

“Our treatment at the RRHOF confirmed my worst suspicions. Wenner and the rest are spineless weasels”

He continued with a direct tweet to Jann Wenner, on how he felt like unwanted guests:

“Jann Wenner & his RRHOF made sure to treat us as uninvited guests. No Passes. No schedule and on. We were great and he remains a small man”

Ouch.

These comments are in addition to shots he took at the Hall during his acceptance speech:

“Here we are, basically indicted for the same things that we were kept out for. The people are speaking to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and what they’re saying is that they want more. They don’t want to be spoon fed with a handful of choices. The people buy thickets, the people buy albums, the people who nominate do not. Let’s not forget that these are the people who make it all possible. We just benefit from it. I am here tonight because of the people who inspired me, but I am also here because of the people I inspired. So God bless you all. It’s a wonderful night!”

In reading the above, the first thought is that Paul Stanley still sounds bitter, and perhaps he should have let everything go and humbly accept the induction on behalf of the fans that propelled the critically despised into the Hall. We have written (as have hundreds of other publications and websites) about the verbal war that has gone on between Stanley, Gene Simmons and the Hall itself, though mostly the barbs have been from the band itself.

We were openly critical about Stanley and Simmons’s belief that current bandmates, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer should have been included in the induction. While they are correct about the longer tenure of the two men in question, they had little creative input into the band, and let’s be realistic that the “KISS Army” was for the most happy with the inclusion of the original four, and that this was the quartet they wanted to see perform at the ceremony.

Original members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss who were inducted were vocal earlier in the month about wanting to perform and that this would hurt the KISS fans that wanted to see a reunion, albeit for one set.

Now as much as we despised the hardline stance that Gene and Paul took, it was nothing compared to our hatred for the Hall itself for snubbing them for fifteen years out of what was clear hatred for the band itself. Jann Wenner was one of the co-founders of the Hall of Fame, and the Publisher of Rolling Stone has been vocal in the past about his dislike for KISS and other Hard Rock and Metal acts.

Multiple accounts have discussed Wenner’s influence in the voting process and the best example is when Wenner bumped the Dave Clark Five despite securing enough votes from the committee. He supplanted them in favour of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, as Wenner decided that it was more important to induct the first Rap act instead.

With Wenner yielding such power (and having been vocal on many occasions of his dislike of KISS) if you were a member of that band would you harbour any soft spot in your heart for him? How accurate was Paul Stanley’s assertion that they were unwanted guests? Really, how could they not feel like anything but party crashers, when you know that the “host” reluctantly invited them in the first place?

In retrospect, this website came into existence primarily due to the dubious omissions (and inclusions) of which KISS has been one of the most glaring. At this point, we are just happy this chapter is closed, though with this Hall of Fame, there are too many chapters that are unfinished.

RIP: Lou Hudson

Apr 12, 2014

Published in Not in Hall of Fame News

Former St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks star Lou Hudson passed away at the age of 69. Hudson was a collegiate star at the University of Minnesota and was the fourth pick of the St. Louis Hawks in 1966. As a star with the Hawks, “Sweet” Lou Hudson made six consecutive All Star Games and had seven seasons in a row where he topped the 20 Points per Game mark.

Hudson’s number was retired by both the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Atlanta Hawks and is number 25 on our countdown of those to consider for the Basketball Hall of Fame.

We here at notinhalloffame.com offer our condolences for the friends and family of Lou Hudson at this time.

10 Things we learned from the RRHOF Ceremony

Apr 12, 2014

Published in Not in Hall of Fame News

So kids, what ten things did we learn from this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony?

1. Gene Simmons can act humble if he really wants to, though we wonder how long it will be before they cash in on selling the tablecloth and other props from their table at the ceremony.

2. Bruce Springsteen should have (and almost said as much) that his backing band should have been inducted with him years earlier.

3. We also learned that based on the crowd reaction, the Hall knew full well that they could cash in twice by inducting them separately. If the Hall could figure out a way to induct Springsteen’s pet dog, they will.

4. KISS and Cat Stevens on the same stage is as weird today as it would have been forty years ago.

5. Chris Martin has a decent sense of humor, and is not quite the douche that so many of us (and sometimes we are in that category) label him as. Then again, maybe he is.

6. If we are ever inducted into anything, then can we have Tom Morello do it? He can make us excited about anything.

7. Nirvana broke the walls of contemporary music down twenty-five years ago. They did it again last night.

8. The RRHOF continues to do a great job with gender equity. The performance by the women involved last night was incredible, and again makes you wonder why there aren’t more women prominently featured in Rock and Roll. The Hall certainly tries to showcase them as much as they can!

9. Hall & Oates killed it, and we wonder if “Adult Education” (from the movie, She’s Out of My League” is the only H&O cover band.

10. No matter what who is selected next year, there will be countless debates on it, more perceived snubs, and an inductee will say something controversial, or potentially boycott the event.

With that gang, we now look towards 2015. Our list is already up, and we as always encourage your comments and votes!

Habs unveil Rocket Richard Statue in their HOF

Apr 11, 2014

Published in Not in Hall of Fame News

As you may know already, we are planning in the upcoming months to look at each of the North American franchises of the big four and the post career accolades that each team does. As such, when one of them unveils a new sculpture, it is news to us!

The Montreal Canadians will be the lone Canadian team in the NHL Playoffs, and perhaps they are looking for motivation with the unveiling of a wax statue of their most iconic player; Maurice “Rocket” Richard. The statute is in the Bell Centre, where the Habs play and also where 10,000 square feet is dedicated to the history of the team.

The Canadians have retired the numbers of fifteen players, which is more than any other NHL team; all of which are Hall of Famers.