Mar 05 2003
Too little, too late
The 2003 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees include The Clash and Elvis Costello. The 2002 inductees included the Ramones and Talking Heads. Those of you who were either not born yet in the mid-seventies or were barely prescient toddlers at the time will be unable to really understand what a breath of fresh air these bands, and other ground-breakers like the Sex Pistols, were at the time.
This was the era of disco, with its accompanying bad fashion and bad hair cuts (which in turn led into the, if possible, even more hideous early 1980’s. If you don’t believe me, just watch The Wedding Singer. Yes, it really was that bad, even at the time.). This was the era of hour-long guitar solos and overblown, bombastic rock ballads.
Into this stultifying atmosphere blew the Ramones, the Sex Pistols, and the Clash, with their loud, fast music, dark lyrics, and shocking personas both on and off the stage. Love them or hate them, you had to notice them, and they paved the way for countless musicians that followed them.
Elvis Costello and Talking Heads were a little more intellectual, but sounded like no-one else. They have continued to evolve and change over the years, and one of life’s enduring mysteries to me is why Costello, with his sexy, expressive, unique voice, catchy tunes, and cleverest lyrics ever written, never really became the commercial success he deserves.
The other mystery is why the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame waited to induct the Ramones until half of them, including lead singer Joey, the heart and soul of the Ramones, were dead. Same goes for the late, lamented Joe Strummer of the Clash, who died at Christmas.
I have to admit it just seems wrong to me that the deeply mediocre Elton John, Fleetwood Mac and Rod Stewart were honored years before these pioneers, and while they were alive to enjoy it. Not to mention the biggest freak in the universe, Michael Jackson, and the creator of endless, endlessly overblown rock ballads, Queen. Is it all about popularity? Records sold, your number on the charts? Shouldn’t it really be about originality as an artist, creativity, being an influence on and inspiration to the musicians that followed you? Maybe we never really get out of high school, and life is just one big popularity contest, with the lowest common denominator getting the most votes.