Many of the musicians on this list create a polarizing opinion as to their “validity”. In the latter half of the 1960’s, there likely was no group that separated fans as much the Monkees did. Their bubblegum image and status as a corporate creation were labels that they couldn’t shake, and despite the fun solid music they made they were a group that was not considered “cool” at their height.

We at NIHOF were pleasantly surprised by the recent induction of the Ventures to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Although we were happy for them, we couldn’t help but feel that someone else who represented the Surf sound should have gotten in there first.

A few of us remembered at NIHOF when Stevie Ray Vaughan passed away in a tragic helicopter crash.  A running joke that went around was how terrible it was that Stevie Ray was dead and all the New Kids on the Block are still alive.Nearly twenty years later, his fans miss him as much as they did when he was first taken (and are still cranky that all five New Kids are still alive).

The NIHOF Committee wonders if other people feel the same way about our next selection. All five of us were fans of the Steve Miller Band, though none of us could really say that Miller was one of all time favorites or a must see on the concert tour. The Steve Miller Band certainly has a solid fan base, though based on our little cross section the fan base is not a passionate one.