Join the Club? - Not likely!

I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member - Groucho Marx 

One of the more interesting musical events of recent years was the induction of Yes into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Looking at the videos on You Tube the antagonism and resentment shimmers like a heat haze around the stage. In terms of progessive rock and 70s music Yes matter so it is a shame that it took until after the death of Chris Squire who was very much keeper of the Yes flame for the whole life of the band. They would, I feel,  have been entitled to follow Stella McCartney's slightly grumpy line. When her father, Paul in case you you weren't sure, was inducted as a solo act she went to the show wearing a tee shirt saying "About Fucking Time". And who's to argue with her. 

Artists become eligible for nomination into the hall 25 years after the release of their first record. Nominations are by committee with ballots being sent to 1000 "rock experts" to decide who gets the golden ticket. The 2020 inductees are

• Depeche Mode
• The Doobie Brothers
• Whitney Houston
• Nine Inch Nails
• The Notorious B.I.G.
• T. Rex

But what is far more interesting are the people who despite being eligible for many years have never been given the nod. 

Kraftwerk -  The most glaring omission. How? Why? 

Pat Benatar - OK so you may not be that fond of her music but she has as much reason to be there as  
                       many acts far younger and selling far less well. She is huge, still, in the USA. 

Iron Maiden - Again a hugely popular act, with no support from radio, TV or the erst of the industry. 

The Smiths - Another How? Why? because they are British and Morrissey can be a bit of a prat.

Not being white, male or American is not quite the bar it once was... Whitney Houston was clearly token woman and B.I.G token person of colour in 2020. Given where "Rock & Roll" came from this was unacceptable 30 years ago, and is way beyond the pale now. Nominated but not selected in these groups. Carol King, Esther Phillips, Mary Wells, Ben E. King and Chic. Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards are not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Seriously?

The chances that this institution continues to have any relevance to anything are slim. But it would be nice to see some of these creators of great music get noticed before they bulldoze the whole sorry edifice.