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!
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.
The Relief Pitcher in Baseball still struggles for respect amongst the traditionalists of the game as only five Relievers (Hoyt Wilhelm, Rollie Fingers, Bruce Sutter, Goose Gossage and Dennis Eckersley) have entered Cooperstown, but we expect that two more will enter in the upcoming years; at least we think that Major League Baseball thinks that will happen based on the revamping of their post season awards.
The top reliever in the American League will win the Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year Award. This is to honor the recently retired Rivera, who spent his entire career with the New York Yankees and set the Major League record for Saves. Rivera is considered a surefire Hall of Fame entry, and should enter on the first ballot.
In the National League, it will be named after Trevor Hoffman, who spent his entire career in the National League, mostly with the San Diego Padres. Hoffman, who may not be held in the same regard as Rivera, is a Hall of Fame candidate himself.
The awards will be voted on a by an elite group of nine former Relief Pitchers which include Rivera and Hoffman. The remaining seven are the Hall of Famers; Fingers, Sutter, Gossage and Eckersley and Lee Smith, John Franco and Billy Wagner.
Prior to the change in the awards, Major League Baseball only had one award for both leagues, named the Delivery Man of the Year.
An interesting rumor has been floating around that Joan Jett will be performing with the former members of Nirvana at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony. The speculation began when on the Foo Fighters’ Instagram page which showed a photo of Dave Grohl’s drumkit, Krist Novoseic’s bass, Pat Smear’s strat and what looks to be Joan Jett’s Melody Maker.
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts have been past nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and her first band, the Runaways altered the perception of women in the Rock and Roll industry. It was speculated by many that former R.E.M. frontman, Michael Stipe would be fronting the band as he will be inducting the band, but the belief has now changed to Jett.
Jett and Grohl have performed together in the past, on the David Letterman show in 2011, and on Jett’s album in 2013. Regardless of who fronts the Nirvana reunion, we are looking forward to seeing it!