Congratulations go out to Rush & Public Enemy for their acceptance into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Both groups have led to a few discussions by the boys of the Discordants.
Rush, although eligible since 1998, were only put on the ballot for the first time. The Canadian trio are something that girls just cannot understand, but seems to resonate with most 30+ men. The master drummer & lyricist, the quiet guitar soloist, the bass, playing, keyboard playing high pitched lead singer make up a group that has spanned almost 40 years. They deserve their moment in the limelight.
Public Enemy was just discussed in our Three for the Road: Hip-hop post. I will share this little anecdote. About 20 years ago, my father was flying (1st class.) when he returned home, I remember him telling this story that he sat next to this strange man. He was African-American with gold teeth. He had a baseball hat with a top hat on top of it, and he wore this giant clock around his neck. He was on a cellular phone (before it was common to have one) the whole time. My mother cracked up, and I was floored to know my dad brushed with a legend - only he thought the guy was crazy. Keep on fightin' the power boys!
As I was taking care of me weekly grocery shopping, I strolled through the magazine department to look at my usual favorites (Car & Driver, Men's Health, Rolling Stone, etc.) when I saw the cover of the newest Rolling Stone magazine featuring the 50 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop. The top portion of the chart is filled with many old school rap, which, like most Rolling Stone charts, plays ode to pioneers and ground breakers. So this led me to my "Three for the Road" for today. Three hip-hop songs. I excluded all Beastie Boys songs, out of an unfair bias. Still, I had a hard time whittling down the list to just three. So, with all respect to Jay Z and Kanye West, who both JUST missed out with "Jesus Walks" & "Big Pimpin'" respectfully, here are my three.
"Peter Piper" - Run-DMC.
I practically wore out my Raising Hell cassette, not because of "Walk the Way," but because of this song. So much of the newer hip-hop owes respect to Jam Master Jay for sampling so many classics that show up in today's rap world: the bell, video games, and some fine scratching. Awesome!
"Can't Truss It" - Public Enemy
Truly one of the pioneering hip-hop groups. So powerful. Chuck D.'s vocals are so booming, intertwined with the playful interjections of Flavor Flav. Mix that with the live presentation of Professor Griff, and the mixing of Terminator X, and this group was the coolest around. I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb listening to this, but you cannot go against greatness. Most people do not choose a song form their later catalog, but it's quality. The video was also a solid and striking one. I still get ticked when I see the baby, and it's the slave masters!
"My Mind's Playing Trick's on Me" - Geto Boys
In my mind, this is the greatest hip-hop song of all time. Gald to see it got soem respect form RS, coming in at #5. Scarface tells about how he is delusional and cannot handle his new day to day life. He was supposed to do all three verses, but then Bushwick Bill comes through with a gem. This group was so hardcore, that when Bill suffered a self-inflicted gun shot wound to the eye, the boys met him at the hospital and posed for a photo that would later become the cover art for the album.
There are 15 nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year. And the list couldn't be more eclectic.It includes Rush, Deep Purple, Public Enemy, N.W.A. and the Marvelettes-- all nominated for the first time. And returning nominees include Heart, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Randy Newman, Donna Summer, Chic, Albert King, Procal Harum, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Kraftwerk.
And for the first time, we the people can vote for the inductees, who will then be honored on April 18th in Los Angeles.
So who would you choose?
If I had to pick five from the list, I would choose the following.
Kraftwerk - I know, big surprise, right? But in the 1970s, the hugely influential German band laid the groundwork for much of the electronic-based music that was to follow. And "Trans Europe Express" extended their influence to hip-hop and house music as well. Plus my niece learned to count in German thanks to "Pocket Calculator".
Public Enemy - One of the biggest rap acts of the late 1980s, PE brought political and social consciousness to the world of hip-hop, mixed it with rock, and made it mainstream. It Takes A Nation Of Millions... remains one of the greatest recordings of my lifetime.
Rush - Of all the cheesy hard rock bands out there, these guys are my favorite to love to hate. Songs like "Trees" are just so easy to pillory. But these three Canadians had serious chops. I mean, when Chester Cheetah tips his hat to Neil Peart, you know you're destined for the Hall of Fame.
Chic - I'd put these guys in the Hall on the strength of Nile Rodgers ubiquitous bass line from "Good Times" -- it practically launched hip-hop and that chunky bass sound helped fuel the 80s New Romantic sound of Duran Duran. Plus their music was catchy, interesting and - of course - danceable.
Donna Summer - What can I say? It's her first time on the ballot since her death in May, and you can bet she'll make it in this year. And even though she's probably best remembered as the Queen of Disco, her 1977 song "I Feel Love" advanced the genre light years into the future, influencing the likes of David Bowie and Brian Eno and changing the course of club music for the next decade and a half.
What would you say if you were face-to-face with one of your idols? Here's a great post by a fan of The Fall, who travels 12,000 miles to see the band and then finds the band two tables down from him at a pub. He's forced to say something to Mark E. Smith but he struggles before finding his footing. It's a good read for any music fan.
For the record, I have met idols on at least two occasions that I can remember. I went up to Chuck D after a lecture at Lehigh University back in the day and asked him about stupid political stuff like affirmative action. More recently, I got a chance to meet Thierry Henry, and thanked him for staying on an extra year at Arsenal. As a Gunners fan, I truly appreciated it, and he seemed touched that I told him so.
Who are your idols, and what would you say to them?
