Author: ifmyalbumscouldtalk

Whew! What a past 24 hours or so! Earlier this year, I had purchased two tickets to see Elton John in Louisville, Kentucky, for my wife’s birthday present. And, although we saw him a half-dozen or so years ago when he performed a solo concert to raise money for the Ryan White AIDS Foundation (or something like that), my wife still wanted to see the man live with band in tow. And, then, nearly three-quarters of a year ago, Elton John announced that this tour would be his last, which only seemed fair after spending the better part of half a decade on the road. As we know, musicians find it very difficult to stay away from the stage with so much money being thrown at them these days, at least it seems as though Elton will really remain off the road. He has done it all from number one albums and singles to Grammys and an Oscar, to whom would Sir Elton ever try to top his illustrious career. Elton, thanks for all the memories you have given me personally: your music, your sense of humor on TV shows, your performances at the funerals for Ryan White, a young man from rural Indiana who contracted HIV from a tainted unit of blood used to treat Ryan’s hemophilia, and Princess Diana, the People’s Princess, and the three concerts that I attended (1980, 2012 and 2018).

The concert was a near three-hour performance in which Elton John performed 24 songs, 19 of which are hits. Sure, he could have performed another three hours and still not have had enough time to perform EVERY hit or signature song in his catalog. Yet, at 71, Elton Hercules John and his stalwart band still played as though they were all 20 years younger. This was one of the finest songs I have ever scene. If you cannot tell, I recommend that every reader who is an Elton John fan go see him on THIS tour, because even though the tickets are pricey, the opportunity to see a genuine master of his craft at work one last time. Elton John is definitely better in concert in 2018 than he was in 1980, during all the bisexuality controversy and protests and his substance abuse problems at the time. He is definitely going out on top.

But, more about Elton latter this week – HINT! HINT! Let’s get this ball rolling again and start the countdown!

30. Jellyfish – This band was underappreciated during its brief career in the early-Nineties. However, if you are a fan of meticulously arranged pop songs, the band is for you. Listen to either of their two studio albums and you can pick out all of their influences, from The Beatles (together AND individually) and Squeeze to Pet Sounds-era Beach Boys and Queen and all spaces in between. Jellyfish should have been stars but were dealt the exact fate as THE power pop standard-bearers Big Star: their influence out weights, and outlives, its financial reward. Favorite Album: Bellybutton. Favorite Song: “The King Is Half Undressed”.

29. Electric Light Orchestra – Yes, this was Jeff Lynne’s band, but who cares? No one was able to take Magical Mystery Tour-era Beatles as a starting point and make an innovative career out of it as ELO did. Name a band who could have a Lennon-esque hit song (“Can’t Get It Out of My Head”) AND a McCartney-sound-a-like hit (“Mr. Blue Sky”). Few would try both directions, but ELO pulled it off. Still, they were much more than another band that genuflected at the Beatles alter. This was a pop band at heart with prog window dressing to straddle both worlds. Favorite Album: A New World Record. Favorite Song: “Mr. Blue Sky”.

28. Fleetwood Mac – Honestly, I thought they were a new band back in 1975. And, I guess, they kind of were. But, it was the way they shifted from a great UK blues band into a purveyor of the Southern California sunny soft rock sound that surrounded dark lyrics of love lost, betrayal and the anger that surrounded the whole drama. Yet, the most famous Mac lineup somehow stuck it out to create some of rock’s most enduring adult-themed music. Favorite Album: Rumours. Favorite Song: “Tusk”.

27. The Cars – The Cars made New Wave acceptable to rockers and classic rock tolerable to punks. They straddled the two camps effortlessly as they pushed rock and pop back together for a brief time in the early Eighties. In the early 2000s, there was a run of Cars-soundalikes who had a brief run on the pop charts when bands like The Killers, Franz Ferdinand and The Vines were all the rage on MTV. And, I haven’t even mentioned their fantastic videos either. Favorite Album: Heartbeat City. Favorite Song: “Bye Bye Love”.

26. Stevie Wonder – Once Stevie Wonder was able to gain control of his creative process at Motown did the public learn of Wonder’s true genius: the man could play every instrument and make it sound like a real band of session players. And, then the commercial floodgates opened full-throttle. His early Seventies run of hit and Grammy-winning albums, from Music of My Mind to his magnum opus Songs in the Key of Life. Stevie Wonder is arguably the most important artist from the Motown stable (though Michael Jackson fans might want to complain about that statement). Favorite Album: Songs in the Key of Life. Favorite Song: “Master Blaster”.

25. Raspberries – Since I was too young to have experience any kind of the original impact of Beatlemania, it was the Raspberries who brought Power Pop into my life. The Raspberries, along with Badfinger, represented that beautiful quadrant in rock music where pop music co-existed with hard rock guitars of The Kinks, The Who and The Small Faces. I simply call it beautiful music. Favorite Album: Fresh. Favorite Song: “Go All the Way”.

24. The Beatles – Hey! Stop yelling at me! When you see my Top 30, you will see the Fab Four’s fingerprints all over it. There’s no denying that they are the originals of many of rock’s subsequent genres. Plus, the four individuals had very productive solo careers, so I lumped them all together. Favorite Album: Rubber Soul. Favorite Song: “We Can Work It Out”.

23. The Rolling Stones – Perhaps, The Stones were the original rock band, hands down. And, their run of classic albums, from 1968’s Beggars Banquet to Exile on Main St. in 1972, set the tone for the sound of classic rock. By most people’s standards, The Stones are the greatest band ever. Favorite Album: Some Girls. Favorite Song: “Miss You”.

22. The Band – Generally speaking, The Band was involved with Bob Dylan going from a folkie to an electric guitar-playing rocker. But, on their own, The Band were a beast unto themselves. They had three lead singers who never harmonized but sang against each other in a manner that allowed their songs to reveal a natural tension to the lyrics. The most important thing about The Band? They invented this genre of rock called Americana. Favorite Album: The Last Waltz. Favorite Song: “The Weight”.

21. Green Day – Punk rock was commercially popularized in the Nineties by Nirvana, but it’s been Green Day who has outlasted them all to become America’s Punk Emeritus. They exploded on the scene with Dookie, as well as introducing the Rock Opera to punks around the world with their classic album, American Idiot. They have developed into the second-greatest rock band of the Nineties behind Pearl Jam. Favorite Album: American Idiot. Favorite Song: “Minority”.

That’s 80 artists complete, and twenty more to go! I’ll be back again tomorrow.

I recently read an article about a Yale Professor who has been studying the Holocaust and the history of Central and Eastern Europe for his adult life. The man, Dr. Timothy Snyder, had release a book last year entitled On Tyranny. Since I have always been interested in history, political science and economics, I found the article interesting. Even though I was a microbiology and biochemistry major in college, I did take history classes for fun and what I considered an easy good grade. Anyway, Dr. Snyder had found that four things occurred when a tyrant begins to take root in a country. First of all, generally speaking, the people will NEVER see it coming. It’s like putting a frog in a pan of water and slowly turning the heat up, because the frog will remain in the water and eventually boil to death because the slow temperature changes will not be sensed by the frog. The same thing happens with tyranny. Perhaps the biggest thing that a tyrant attempts to undermine is the world’s basic TRUTHS. Tyrants attack everything that was once considered to be a truth so they can set themselves up as the purveyor of truth.

How does this occur? Our European friends know this for the mistakes of their not so distant elders. First, the budding tyrant will have an open hostility to all thing in which are verifiable, whether its an ethics office in the executive office or telling scientist and researchers in the CDC or within the governmental agencies to never discuss global warming, vaccines being safe and the like. Next, the tyrant-wannabe will lead the people within his power base certain chants that unify that crowd attending a rally or gathering. Generally speaking, a crowd will react to a few “dog whistle” words and begin chanting in unison, seemingly spontaneous, phrases such as “Build the wall!” or “Lock her up!”

The third way in which a budding tyrant begins to destroy TRUTH is convincing the general public of almost magical thinking. Examples would include that a tax cut for the middle and lower classes will be coming from Congress in the next couple of weeks, even though Congress is not even in session, nor will not be in session until their break is over. Or, perhaps, the budding tyrant can blame your unemployment on immigrants who are coming to our country in an effort to escape violence in their country or just to experience the greatness of our country, even though most of those people would never qualify for your job. Finally, the tyrant will put him- or herself in the place of God. You will be expected to thank the tyrant for all things you have and your place in the world. Additionally, the tyrant will be the sole purveyor of truth. And, that, my friends, becomes the final nail in the coffin for a country.

Now, do I believe that our current president is a tyrant? Not yet. But, there seems to be many signs that Mr. Trump seems to want to move in that direction. He loves all the strong men of the world, such as Putin, and often expresses admiration for the regimes running China, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, among others. And, as long as he continues this method of dividing the country and appointing people of the lowest common denominator to run his departments, he slowly consolidates his power. You cannot waste time pointing out his lies and flaws, though there are many of each, you have to counteract the budding tyrants with solid programs that will actually benefit the very same people who believe they are benefiting from the tyrant’s policies, even though they continue to fall further behind economically speaking. It’s going to take a group of individuals to come together to develop and campaign behind these ideas. It is not easy beating back a potential tyrant, but it can be done. You just have to execute this long term gameplan BEFORE the tyrant attempts to subvert democracy by declaring a state of emergency in order to take full control of our government. This was Hitler’s playbook, known as Reichstag’s fire. Unfortunately, Dr. Snyder predicts that Trump will attempt this scenario very soon.

That’s why it is important to vote and to educate yourself about the full ramifications of the policies that each candidate espouses. Go back and learn from history’s patterns, so you will not fall prey to such leaders.

Sorry about that! Let me quickly step down from my soapbox before I fall off of it and break my neck. Let’s delve into the good stuff, like my current artist countdown!

40. Graham Parker – Of the critic’s five favorite songwriters from the mid-Seventies (Costello, Petty, Seger & Springsteen being the others), Graham Parker had the least amount of success. No matter! This guy is the real deal, as he has stuck with his R&B roots throughout his rich career. Plus, you can see the man himself in the movie This Is 40. Favorite Album: Squeezing Out Sparks. Favorite Song: “Wake Up Next to You”.

39. Devo – Everybody’s favorite nerd robotic de-evolutionists have given us some of the best electronic music over their 30+ year career. Could there be a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in the near future? Time will tell. Favorite Album: Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo. Favorite Song: “Uncontrollable Urge”.

38. Rush – Yet another artist from a Paul Rudd movie (I Love You, Man), Rush quietly built one of the most loyal bases this side of Kiss. They are perhaps the heaviest jazz band ever. Favorite Album: Moving Pictures. Favorite Song: “The Spirit of the Radio”.

37. Chic – Easily the greatest disco band, although that label unfairly limits the band’s true vision and scope. Simply put, Chic were the Steely Dan of the R&B Charts. Favorite Album: The Chic Organization: Up All Night – The Greatest Hits. Favorite Song: “Le Freak”.

36. The Bangles – The best band from L.A.’s Paisley Underground scene, these power popsters did not get a hit until Prince gave them “Manic Monday.” What I loved about this band was their powerful playing coupled with their intricate vocal harmonies. Favorite Album: Different Light. Favorite Song: “Manic Monday”.

35. Kiss – After Alice Cooper, Kiss was my next big rock obsession. And, yes, at one time I was a member of the Kiss Army, without question the coolest name for a fan club ever. The band’s first six studio albums are all classics, along with their first live album. After that, they became cliches. But, fun cliches at that! Favorite Album: Destroyer. Favorite Album: “Rock and Roll All Nite”.

34. Styx – Named for the mythical river surrounding Hell, Styx music is nothing but heavenly. Their recipe was taking some Beatlesque vocals and adding it to a hard rock sound with a pinch of prog rock thrown in to spice things up. One of the biggest selling bands of my high school years. Favorite Album: Pieces of Eight. Favorite Song: “Renegade”.

33. Weezer – From the moment I first heard “The Sweater Song (Undone)”, I labeled them as the “Cheap Trick of the Nineties.” And I continue to stand by it! Like Cheap Trick, they are transcendent live and their first couple albums are classics by anyone’s standards. But, like Cheap Trick, they can be exasperating to follow as they can release some real clunkers for albums, then follow it up with a near-classic, just to whet your appetite, only to go back to clunkers again. But, I do love those power pop bands that push the genre forward, as Weezer has been doing for 20+ years now. Favorite Album: Weezer (“The Blue Album”). Favorite Song: “Buddy Holly”.

32. Joan Jett & the Blackhearts – From the ashes of The Runaways, Joan Jett arose like the phoenix, leading rockers in a back-to-the-basics style of the Ramones and AC/DC. She has outlasted most of her peers through sheer tenacity and an obvious love ’70s Glam Rock and Bubblegum music, combining them through a punk filter. Favorite Album: Album. Favorite Song: “Do You Wanna Touch Me?”

31. George Michael – I have loved George Michael ever since his Wham! days. The man had a Daryl Hall way of writing smart pop songs that conveyed adult themes. And, he had one of rock’s greatest voices. Plus, the man stole my heart when he stood in for the great Freddie Mercury to lead Queen through a rousing version of “Somebody to Love.” Michael should have toured with Queen and not Adam Lambert. Favorite Album: Faith. Favorite Song: “Father Figure”.

Another day is down in the countdown! And, the artists’ presence in my collection are getting larger! See you tomorrow!

Well, music lovers, I survived the weekend. About once a quarter of a year or so, my wife and I have our niece’s kids over. Now, it was much easier when there were only two of them to worry about. But, now we have four over, aged two to eight, and it’s a madhouse! It’s fun, but very exhausting. The crazy thing will be when their six-month-old will be old enough to come up too. That’s right! This young couple has FIVE children! Now, I am not sure how many kids my boys are planning to have, but I am pretty sure that it’s NOT five or more. Now, being the former coach, I would prefer to run a tighter ship with the kids when they are over, but my wife wants to have “fun.” So, I am allowed to retreat to the music when I suffer from sensory overload (you see, I AM ADHD and, as my wife teases, somewhere on the very mild autistic spectrum, which may have been why I was always something of a pied piper for the autistic kids in school – they flocked to me as a teacher). Needless to say, we survived, although we are spent. Next weekend, we will get to have our granddaughter over for a night for her first sleepover without her parents! Now, that will be different since she is only one, but she also has part of my genetics, so she is more comfortable in our surroundings than let’s say the great-nieces and -nephews are.

This week, my wife and I are going to see Elton John for his Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Farewell Tour. This will be my third time to see him and my wife’s second time. First time I saw him, he was slowly sinking from his commercial peak. It was 1980, and Elton was touring behind a hit single, “Little Jeanie”, from the album 21 at 33. This was the period during which Elton wore a Donald Duck costume onstage. Although he was no longer Captain Fantastic, he was still damn good, although ticket sales were very soft, and the arena in Indianapolis was far from sold-out.

When my wife and I saw him, he was performing in an intimate setting at a Ryan White Foundation fundraiser in Indianapolis. He performed many of his great songs with just him on the piano with no band. It was a terrific way to see him perform, but it also made us pine to see him with a full band. So, now, we will get to see Sir Elton once again but in a more rocking environment – the way he was meant to be seen.

So, today, we enter my Top 50 Artists countdown, as we work our way to number one. So, without any further adieu, let’s get this countdown going!

50. Heart – Ann and Nancy Wilson are perhaps the greatest sister duo in rock history. Ann has, hands down, the greatest hard rock voice of all-time, and Nancy is one of the finest guitarists in rock history. I especially love Nancy’s 12-string guitar play during the band’s early days. Her guitar sound is pure and precise, with loads of feeling. And, how do I ever begin to describe Ann’s vocals? Some of the high notes she hit during a 1982 concert I attended are part of the cause of hearing loss in my left ear (Brian May’s 1982 guitar solo during Queen’s Hot Space Tour gets some credit as well). I have always loved it when current strong-voiced singers sing then call Ann to come out, and she just blows them away. I would love to witness her in a sing off with Mariah Carey, Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera, Lady Gaga, Pat Benatar, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Mahalia Jackson, Whitney Houston, Carrie Underwood and any other woman to determine the greatest vocalist of all-time, because my money is on Ann to win. Favorite Album: Dreamboat Annie. Favorite Song: “How Can I Refuse”.

49. The Beach Boys – The oldest act in my countdown, the Beach Boys possessed some of the finest vocal harmonies anywhere on earth or heaven. And, when Brian Wilson began to take control of his songwriting and production powers, the band was difficult to top. Favorite Album: Pet Sounds. Favorite Song: “Good Vibrations”.

48. The Smiths – Often derisively referred to as Mope Rockers, The Smiths may sound as though they revel in melancholia. However, this great guitar band of the Eighties possessed a wicked sense of humor lyrically and musically. Sure, Morrissey’s vocals are a little mopey, but they were counterpointed by Johnny Marr’s innovative guitar licks. Favorite Album: The Queen Is Dead. Favorite Song: “How Soon Is Now”.

47. AC/DC – The genius of AC/DC lay in the seeming simplicity of their guitar riffs. Along with the Ramones, AC/DC brought rock back to its basics and just pummeled listeners with riff after jackhammer riff. Rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young, the author of many of those most famous riffs, was the band’s true secret weapon. It will be interesting to see if Angus, the band’s diminutive, school uniform-wearing lead guitar can keep the Rock & Roll Train chugging now that Malcolm has passed away. Favorite Album: Back in Black. Favorite Song: “Thunderstruck”.

46. Billy Joel – Although Joel has been often referred to as the American Elton John, he is so more his own man than that. Joel captured all that was great about New York City’s musical past and present, from Tin Pan Alley, Broadway, Brill Building songwriters, street corner doo wop groups and rock music, and concocted an amalgam all his own. We sure could use some new Billy Joel music these days. Favorite Album: Songs in the Attic. Favorite Song: “Leave a Tender Moment Alone”.

45. Ramones – There may have been others that came before them, but none of them personified punk rock as the Ramones did. They popped on the scene at a time will rock was getting fat and bloated with prog rock, jazz rock and lumbering heavy metal. The Ramones took bubblegum music’s simplicity, added chainsaw-sounding guitars, and played as fast as they could, sans a guitar solo. And like the hard rock brethren from down under, AC/DC, Ramones brought rock back to its most beautiful basics just when it needed that swift kick, setting the stage for another dynamic twenty-five year of great tunes. Favorite Album: Rocket to Russia. Favorite Song: “I Wanna Be Sedated”.

44. Peter Gabriel – Believe it or not, I discovered Peter Gabriel the solo artist long before I heard him as a member of Genesis. So, when I think of Gabriel, his third (“Melting”) and fourth (“Security”) eponymous titled albums were my initial exposure to his dark genius. As a matter of fact, I still think that his “Intruder” song is one of rock’s scariest songs, while “In My Eyes” is one of rock’s most heartfelt. Favorite Album: Peter Gabriel (3 or “Melting”). Favorite Song: “Sledgehammer”.

43. Bob Dylan – I remember loving it when I heard the radio play “Like a Rolling Stone” or “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35”, that I would crank the radio on my old “all in one” stereo system, attempting to decipher the lyrics of each song. However, it wasn’t until I was in college that I really came to understand Dylan’s full genius. The great thing about Dylan is that he never fully reveals himself on one album; it’s as it you need to be a completist in order to gain that insight. And, even then, Dylan is such an enigma that he will send you on wild goose chases when attempting to pin him down on a subject. That’s why I find his Bootleg Series so enjoyable as I get to discover him at the same time as others since he was beginning his elder statesman phase of his career when I was just learning about rock history. Favorite Album: Highway 61 Revisited. Favorite Song: “Like a Rolling Stone”.

42. Pink Floyd – It is my firm belief that EVERY teenage boy should go through a Pink Floyd phase during his teenage years. No other band shows such an innate understanding of the craziness of life and the angst it causes than Pink Floyd. Plus, you can experience a drug trip without taking pharmaceuticals just by listening to their music. Fortunately, I got to see The Wall performed live. Unfortunately, it was only Roger Waters and not the whole band. It just proved how great their music is, as it stands up with great session musicians playing it in the place of the creators. Favorite Album: The Wall. Favorite Song: “Comfortably Numb”.

41. Neil Young – My wife cannot stand his voice, but this man has written some of the most beautiful melodies in the history of music, not just rock. I honestly believe that Young is underrated as a songwriter. He’s not the lyricist that Dylan is, nor is he the pop melody writer that McCartney is. Yet, some of ballads can just send shivers up and down your spine without a word ever being sung. And, remember that everyone from Power Poppers to Alt.Country artists, from Grunge to Alternative artists, from Folk to Country, from Blues to Rock, all list Neil Young as a major influence. Few artists have influenced more rock genres than Neil Young. Favorite Album: Rust Never Sleeps. Favorite Song: “Comes a Time”.

That wraps up 60 artists on my list, meaning that the Top 40 begins tomorrow. The numbers get smaller, but the artists get bigger in my eyes (and ears, and, even more importantly, my collection). Have a great day!

We are now halfway through my countdown of my favorite artists of the rock era. For the most part, I feel my list is predictable for a man of my age. Mostly, there are the usual pop/rock suspects from the Seventies and Eighties, with a sprinkling of artists of the same time period that off that beaten path. There might be a choice or three that might catch the reader by surprise, but mainly, I am probably average with whom I list. The only thing that might make my list unique is that the artists that dominated my generation are listed in the bottom half. Still, those names are in my mix.

If the truth be told, first, I am more of a pop guy than a rocker. Second, I generally like tunes with a “good beat and are easy to dance to,” to use the most common description of a highly rated tune on American Bandstand. Plus, I prefer alternative music to metal, though there are some excellent heavy metal artists. Finally, if given the choice, I’d much rather listen to soul/R&B/funk than metal as well. But, of course, you, the loyal reader, had all ready surmised my tastes in music.

So, yes, I would LOVE to see Casey Kasem inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I believe he hard more to do with pushing music to the masses than any other disc jockey of his era. Sure, there were probably many who were better, and Casey’s AT40 demeanor was prime for parody. But, something about him made him eternal to me. Then, thrown in rock journalists Lester Bangs, Lisa Robinson and Cameron Crowe, as the first three rock journalistic voices that brought the music by artists alive for me, voices who I had to read before anyone else.

Speaking of the RRHOF, I was just on the voting site to see how the voting was going. Initially, Stevie Nicks was leading the fan voting, but recently, Def Leppard has taken the lead, as I predicted. But, it was the next three that caught me by surprise, with The Cure in third, my fave of the nominees Todd Rundgren fourth and Sixties icons The Zombies in fifth place. Much to my surprise, Janet Jackson was in sixth place and Devo seventh, both of whom I honestly thought would be higher in the standings. Also surprising to me was Radiohead being in eighth place. Maybe, they are more of a critic phenomenon than an actual pop group. Most disappointingly were the showings of Rage Against the Machine (ninth), Roxy Music (tenth), LL Cool J (eleventh), Kraftwerk (14th) and MC5 (15th). I honestly thought there would have been much more support for those last two. All of this proves that I generally do NOT know what I’m talking about, I guess.

So, with all of that said, let’s get on with the countdown and go into the clubhouse halfway through the whole exercise.

60. John Mellencamp – I can remember the excitement I felt the day I saw Mellencamp, then known as John Cougar, “performing” on American Bandstand and seeing original guitarist Larry Crane wearing an Indiana University t-shirt. There’s something about Hoosiers because we always get excited about people representing us on the national stage. That’s why everyone in the state will become a fan of the Pacers or Colts when they have great seasons, or when little Butler University gets to the national championship game in the NCAA tournament, or even when we get behind a singer on the Voice to drive them to the championship on the show. Anyway, here in Indiana, Mellencamp is something of a saint. Basically, he’s our Springsteen or Petty. And, I respect him for basing his band here in Indiana. Favorite Album: The Lonesome Jubilee. Favorite Song: “Cherry Bomb”.

59. Jackson Browne – As teenager with enough angst to light up Chicago’s energy grid for years into the future, Jackson Browne was perfect music for those sleepless late nights. And, I don’t care that he recorded “Somebody’s Baby”! He had recorded too many great songs to allow that song to mess up his career. Favorite Album: Running on Empty. Favorite Song: “Doctor My Eyes”.

58. The Who – Back in 1982, I promised my brother that I would take him to see The Who on their farewell tour that year. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get tickets. Then, right after bassist John Entwistle passed away, my boys got me tickets for us to see them. It was good, but it was also obvious that half the band was missing. Still, Who’s Next is one of the greatest albums of all-time. Favorite Album: Who’s Next. Favorite Song: “Won’t Get Fooled Again”.

57. The Replacements – Back in the mid-Eighties, when R.E.M. was rocketing up my favorite artists list, The Replacements were becoming something of a rocking counterpoint to R.E.M.’s Beatlesque standing in the alternative community. Unfortunately, the Mats never really caught on to this band’s genius, and it was the mainstream’s loss. For a bunch of supposed drunks, this band created some of the most lasting and compelling rock music of the mid- to late-Eighties. Favorite Album: Let It Be. Favorite Song: “Talent Show”.

56. George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic Empire – No one combined hard rock and funk like Clinton’s stable of virtuosos, vocalists, studio wizards and weirdos. Sure, initially Parliament was more of a horn band and Funkadelic a rock band. But, as Clinton’s ambitions grew, the distinctions between his main two bands grew hazier, as did all of the other “minor” players in his stable, like Bootsy’s Rubber Band, Parlet, Brides of Funkenstein, the Horny Horns, just to list a few. Clinton’s late-Seventies creations are among rock’s most vital, let alone black music. He was for everyone! Favorite Album: Mothership Connection – Parliament. Favorite Song: “Flashlight” – Parliament.

55. Duran Duran – When I call them “The Beatles of the Eighties,” I’m NOT be derogatory at all. These guys had it all: talent, looks, and the best music videos of the era. Favorite Album: Rio. Favorite Song: “The Reflex (The Nile Rodgers Single Remix)”.

54. Michael Jackson – Yet, another Hoosier, whose family left for the good life in sunny Southern California. Jackson’s trilogy of albums, Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad were the pinnacle of pop music that proved the true power of music. This was truly music for the masses, Too bad his weirdo personality became the story in the Nineties until his untimely death in 2009. Jackson was THE master of popular music. Favorite Album: Thriller. Favorite Song: “Billie Jean”.

53. Paul Simon – I keep saying that as the years pass, I come to understand Simon’s music more and more. Back in 1975, I hated “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover.” Now, I can honestly defend that song’s honor. Favorite Album: Graceland. Favorite Song: “Late in the Evening”.

52. Steely Dan – This guys have to be one of the more insidious bands going. On the surface, their jazz-influenced and -structured music came off as smooth and relaxing. But, their lyrics could be a bit on the dark and perverted side, which made for compelling listening sessions. Steely Dan and Chic were the two bands that successfully mined this area. Favorite Album: Aja. Favorite Song: “Deacon Blues”.

51. New Order/Joy Division – In 1980, on the eve of Joy Division’s American tour, lead singer Ian Curtis committed suicide. Unfortunately, that great band’s vision died off with Curtis. However, the other band members picked up their synthesizers and another band member to create some of dance music’s most innovative and vital music of all-time. New Order rose like a phoenix from the ashes of Joy Division to take alternative music into the discos around the world. Now, New Order is held in the same high regard as its predecessor Joy Division. Favorite Album: Substance 1987. Favorite Song: “Bizarre Love Triangle”.

OK, folks, we are half-way through this countdown. Next week, we will wrap this all up. I hope everyone has a great weekend! Peace out!

When I do these big type of countdowns, I always feel like something between Casey Kasem doing an American Top 40 show and a K-Tel compilation album from the 70s, which were great purchases when you are in middle school and wanted all of those great radio hits on one source instead of recording them off the radio every day and night. Sure, taping songs off the radio was a fun activity, you inevitably would always get a DJ talkover either during the intro or outro, or both, on your tape of the latest Top 40 songs. Then again, that tape recorder was a great diversion from homework. But, to me, those AT40 shows or K-Tel records were pure gold. And, now, as one who is nearly a senior citizen, I am close to living my dream through this blog.

So, as a very pasty white, blonde-haired, blue-eyed Casey Kasem, it is my pleasure to kick off today’s countdown segment. So, buckle your seat belts! Here comes Day #4 of my countdown of My Top 100 Artists of All-Time, #61-70.

70. Guns N’ Roses – Sure, I really loved these guys, especially the original lineup. I get it that they were combining punk attitude with a hard rock/heavy metal sound, but I also remember 70s-era Aerosmith sounding very similar. And, although Axl Rose is a Hoosier, like me, he’s still seems like he is a bit of an ass. Favorite Album: Appetite for Destruction. Favorite Song: “Sweet Child ‘O Mine”.

69. Journey – There was a moment in my life when Journey would have top this countdown. But, as I gained more and more musical experiences, I came to the reality that while Journey is good, they were not worthy of my total devotion. Favorite Album: Departure. Favorite Song: “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin'”.

68. Randy Newman – It took me a long time to finally understand what Randy Newman was all about. But, now I look forward to his new music, while still discovering his excellent past platters. Favorite Album: Sail Away. Favorite Song: “Political Science”.

67. Thin Lizzy – Thin Lizzy was quite possibly my introduction to Irish rock music. And, what a perfect introduction. These guys have been criminally overlooked here in the States. Plus, I prefer their triple guitar attack over Lynyrd Skynyrd’s. Favorite Album: Jailbreak. Favorite Song: “The Boys Are Back in Town”.

66. The Kinks – The Kinks may be rock’s most underrated band. Yet, their influence is nearly universal. Everyone from Van Halen to The Jam covered songs in their own sound, displaying the flexibility in songwriter Ray Davies’ music. Favorite Album: The Village Green Preservation Society. Favorite Song: “Waterloo Sunset”.

65. Supertramp – Initially, this band was put together by some rich guy in Europe in order for the band to play highly experimental music. When the money ran out, the band turned to being influence by “I Am the Walrus”-era Beatles, which led to their watershed moment in 1979. Favorite Album: Breakfast in America. Favorite Song: “Take the Long Way Home”.

64. The J. Geils Band – Along with The B-52’s, the Geils Band was my go-to band for great party music for frat parties. This band could bring the House down. Favorite Album: Freeze-Frame. Favorite Song: “Love Stinks”.

63. Led Zeppelin – I would suppose that most men my age would have the Zep near the top in their countdowns. But, I am just fine with these Golden Gods placed here. Favorite Album: IV. Favorite Song: “Rock and Roll”.

62. Nirvana – Yes, I loved the band. But, I may have been just a bit old for their version of punk rock. Still, there is a huge hole in rock today where Kurt Cobain should still be creating. Favorite Album: Nevermind. Favorite Song: “Smells like Teen Spirit”.

61. Johnny Cash – The Man in Black will always be one of my favorites. The man is simply a badass. Plus, he was my favorite as a five-year-old. Favorite Album: American Recordings Favorite Song: “Sunday Morning Coming Down”.

Well, that completes Day #4’s entry. Only six more to go. This has been an enjoyable experience for me. I hope it influences every reader to make a list of their own. See you tomorrow!

I don’t know what the weather’s like in “your neck of the woods,” but here in Central Indiana, we have gone from 88ºF last week to a low last night of 28ºF. That’s nearly a 60º turn around in less than a week. No wonder there’s crazy new viruses popping up all the time. Back in April, one day our temperature was winter-like and seemingly and abruptly, we were experiencing summer-like temperatures. It seems to me that the temperature transition seasons of Spring and Fall are going by the wayside. I am a huge believer in climate change, but I tend to look at from a chemist’s point of view, that may be due to the fact that I taught chemistry during most of my teaching career.

You see, there’s an underlying concept in chemistry known as Le Châtelier’s Principle, which essentially states that all chemicals within a system are staying in an equilibrium, in essence so the system allows for life on Earth, until there is a stress that acts upon the system. There are so many of these little chemical reactions going on within an ecosystem that it would require a major stress to cause a shift within this equilibrium. But, since the discovery of massive amounts of energy stored in fossil fuels, humans have been burning these energy source with much gusto. The more we burn, the more carbon dioxide we put into the atmosphere. The atmosphere was designed to work efficiently with the carbon dioxide produced by living things. Then, all of a sudden, humans began burning fossil fuels with much gusto in order to heat and cool their homes, to individually drive their cars, among MANY other activities. Now, all of this extra carbon dioxide has to go somewhere. So, it goes into the atmosphere. In response, the natural carbon dioxide scrubbers cannot keep up with the demand, especially as we deforest the planet whose trees act as the atmosphere’s CO2 scrubbers, so the CO2 accumulates in the atmosphere, driving up the temperature. Small temperature increases begin to affect other equilibria, such as the water cycle, where ice begins to melt, putting a stress on that cycle and causing an increase in the amount of water vapor in the air and fresh water in the oceans. The excess water now screws with our weather and, ultimately, our climate, leaving the human vulnerable, and finally screwed. Thus, simply put, we, human beings, are playing a major role in climate change. So, Mr. President, in addition to your minions of naysayers, just a small understanding of eighth grade physical science will tell you that climate change is a man-made phenomenon and will not change back.

Alright! Alright! Alright! I will quit proselytizing. Let’s get on with some rock talk! How about doing Day 3 of your Top 100 Artists of All Time Keller! Uh, yeah, sure. OK! So, let the countdown begin!

80. Joe Jackson – I am NOT talking about the famous Jackson family patriarch. I am talking about the great singer/songwriter from the UK, the very one who, along with Elvis Costello and Graham Parker, formed what critics referred to as the Angry Young Men songwriters. All three burst onto the scene with major attitudes toward the status quo and were ready to upset the apple cart. Of course, all three mellowed and made compelling music as maturing men. Jackson moved in a more jazz- and Latin-influenced musical direction from his power pop/punk beginning. Favorite Album: Night and Day. Favorite Song: “Is She Really Going Out with Him?”

79. Whitney Houston – When Whitney Houston burst on the scene in late-1984, the music world was totally enraptured with her voice and looks. Now, she was a DIVA! Little did we know of her depression, possible suppression of her natural sexuality and how she used to self-medicate to keep her personal pain more manageable. Behind that beautiful and infectious smile was an underlying, constant pain that could no longer be held at bay by the end of her life. But, if you ever need to her Miss Houston at her best, just pop her debut on your turntable and drop the needle. Then, just kick back and take it all in. Favorite Album: Whitney Houston. Favorite Song: “How Will I Know”.

78. Eurythmics – This is yet another band that I feel have never been given their due. They were so much more than their pop image and hits. Eurythmics had a soulfulness and sophistication that other synth poppers lacked. Maybe, that was due to Annie Lennox’ vocals. I feel like it was Dave Stewart’s songwriting. They just may have been music truly first synth ROCK band, even while playing up their Motown side, not unlike what the Rolling Stones did during their whole career. Favorite Album: Be Yourself Tonight. Favorite Song: “Love Is a Stranger”.

77. Lady Gaga – That’s right! Your eyes are NOT deceiving you. I think that Gaga is the most talented rocker going right now. I especially feel justified after seeing her brilliant performance in the new version of A Star Is Born. The woman is fearless. Wouldn’t be cool if she did an album of blues covers? Her star is only going shine brighter. Kids, she is your David Bowie. Favorite Album: Born This Way. Favorite Song: “The Edge of Glory”.

76. Janet Jackson – She had me at, “My name ain’t Baby, it’s Janet, Miss Jackson, if you’re nasty.” Let’s be totally honest: who else thinks her Rhythm Nation 1814 is a better album than Michael’s Bad? Truth be told, I preferred her music to Michael’s AFTER Thriller. And, it wasn’t just producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis who made her. They simply brought everything out of her. Favorite Album: Rhythm Nation 1814. Favorite Song: “Miss You Much”.

75. Dire Straits – Back in 1978, when I first discovered the magical sound of Dire Straits, everything on the radio was AOR bands, sappy pop music and over-saturation of disco, so their Bob Dylan-like sound was a relief to my inexperienced ears. They continued to be panoramic in the scope of their sound, at least until 1985’s Brothers in Arms. That’s when they blew up to momentarily become the biggest band on this planet. Favorite Album: Love over Gold. Favorite Song: “Industrial Disease”.

74. Squeeze – Back in 1981, critics were overreaching with praise for Squeeze’s songwriting tandem of Chris Difford and Glenn Tillbrook as the band released their brilliant third album. They really were not the second coming of Lennon & McCartney. Actually, they were had much more in line with The Kinks’ Ray Davies with Squeeze’s duo, as they were writing songs about British life. Still, without that “next-Beatles” albatross around the band’s collective neck, Squeeze has continued to release brilliant album, including last year’s excellent The Knowledge. Favorite Album : East Side Story. Favorite Song: “Tempted”.

73. The Pretenders – Lead singer/songwriter Chrissie Hynde left her native Akron, Ohio, to make it big in England. And, big, she and her band, The Pretenders, were. Their music, a canny mix of The Kinks and punk energy, propelled them all the way to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Favorite Album: Learning to Crawl. Favorite Song: “Tattooed Love Boys”.

72. Hüsker Dü – In the Eighties, Hüsker Dü was arguably the fourth biggest rock export from the great state of Minnesota, behind Prince, Dylan and The Replacements. Hüsker Dü was known for the blazing speed at which they played their songs, yet those very same song possessed a Beatlesque quality in their melodies. Their music laid the groundwork on which Pixies, in addition to the whole Grunge scene that was percolating up in Seattle. Favorite Album: New Day Rising. Favorite Song: “Makes No Sense at All”.

71. Alice Cooper – My original favorite artist. Who knew that his original band only had two great albums in them, and that Alice, as a solo artist, would only have two-and-a-half good albums in him. Though, Alice had the uncanny ability to stage a little comeback every five to ten years with a Top 10 song. Still, the man is an undeniable icon, and one of rock’s original shock rockers. Favorite Album: Alice Cooper Goes to Hell. Favorite Song: “School’s Out”.

And, that’s a wrap on Day Three of this 10-part series of My Top 100 Artists, brought to you by Social Security. When your actually disabled and feel pain 24/7, turn to Social Security, and they will eventually approve you. Just remember that it is a two-to-three-year process. Hope you can survive until those payments kick in. I HAVE to get a NEW sponsor. Then again, any sponsor would be welcomed here.

Peace to all of you!

Okay, yeah, I get it! The banner today is cheesy, like a bubblegum nerd version of the Sex Pistols’ vision, which pretty much sums up me. I’m a grandfather, in my mid-Fifties, trying to write about a subject that initially was created as a disposable, teen-oriented music, that ended up becoming the defining music for two generations of people. Baby Boomers and Gen X-ers were the generations that grew up immersed in popular rock music. Sure, the Millennials like our music, but, for the most part, music is not the unifying art form of their generation like it was for ours.

You know what? I don’t care! Rock music has gotten me through so difficult times as well as being the soundtrack of so many great things, that I don’t know what I’d be like if I hadn’t gotten that 8-Track tape of Alice Cooper’s School’s Out back in elementary school all those years ago. And, although the readership of this blog is minuscule when compared to those of the great writers at the rock magazines of the Western world, I am so surprised how many people now visit this blog just to look at what I have to say, or what I said in the past. Do I wish I were reaching more people? Absolutely! But, there’s something subversive about writing about rock music to the few.

So, who saw Paul Simon perform on Saturday Night Live for a record tenth time? You know, Simon and SNL have been intertwined for the whole span of the iconic TV show. Everyone knows that Simon was the host AND performer on the second show ever and has made appearances during every decade the show has been on the air. So many great musical guests have performed on the show over the course of its 44 years on the air, but Paul Simon is kind of like the Steve Martin/Alec Baldwin of musical guests. And his 1986 performance with Ladysmith Black Mambazo remains one of my all-time favorites to this day. By the way, Simon nailed his performance on the show once again with a cut from his new album, In the Blue Light (“I Can’t Run’), along with a reworking of his Simon & Garfunkel standard “Bridge Over Troubled Water” that was captivating. Cheers to Paul Simon, an artist whose stature has only grown over the years in my eyes.

With that said, let’s shift topics again and get on with today’s segment of the countdown of My Top 100 Artists of All-Time. Today, we are going through numbers 81 through 90.

90. Teenage Fanclub – This early entry into the Britpop sweepstakes took the UK and the US underground by storm back in 1992 with their ode to Big Star Bandwagonesque. While, very little of their catalog hit me with the force of that album, the band had maintained a great career of fantastic music that butts right up to being power pop. Favorite Album: Bandwagonesque. Favorite Song: “What You Do to Me”.

89. Metallica – One of metal’s most talented bands, Metallica brought the actual speed of lightning to metal that the genre was sorely needing back when the band burst on the scene in 1983. At one time, Metallica was arguably the biggest band in the world. Favorite Album: Metallica (aka “The Black Album”). Favorite Song: “One”.

88. Warren Zevon – One of rock’s more acerbic songwriters, Zevon has a reputation of being a songwriter’s favorite songwriter. Unfortunately, the general public did not get to hear much of this terrific music other than the ubiquitous “Werewolves of London.” Favorite Album: Sentimental Hygiene. Favorite Song: “Hasten Down the Wind”.

87. Van Halen – Unknowingly at the time, Van Halen’s success kicked off the whole Hair Metal scene in LA. In the late-Seventies, heavy metal was fat and bloated and fun of cliches. But, Van Halen injected the genre with fun, partying and booze. No wonder Spicoli blew the money he got for saving a drowning Brooke Shields on Van Halen to play at his birthday party in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Everyone my age wanted Van Halen at their parties. Favorite Album: Van Halen. Favorite Song: “Unchained”.

86. Aerosmith – They were the “Van Halen of the mid-Seventies.” The only problem is they took a liking to alcohol and drugs more than their careers. At least, until Rick Rubin convinced Run-D.M.C. to re-record “Walk This Way” with the band’s creative duo known as the Toxic Twins, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry in 1986. That jump-started the band’s second act as Hair Metal godfathers and a pop hit factory. Favorite Album: Toys in the Attic. Favorite Song: “Walk This Way”.

85. Beastie Boys – Originally saddled with being known as white rappers, the Beasties turned from the formula that brought the band their initial success and became artists and arguably the voices of a generation. The band was silenced upon the untimely death of Adam Yauch, aka MCA. Favorite Album: Paul’s Boutique. Favorite Song: “Intergalactic”.

84. Donna Summer – The Queen of Disco has been underrated ever since the end of the disco era. Disco artists have been unfairly savaged as being disposable ever since the disco era ended in protest with refrains of “Disco Sucks!” heard throughout the country. However, Summer possessed one of popular music’s greatest voices, just a level below the late, great Aretha Franklin. Whatever, Donna Summer’s music continues to bring joy to my life. Best Album: Bad Girls. Best Song: “I Feel Love”.

83. The Cure – Originally lumped into the Goth Rock scene, and unfairly I might add, The Cure burst forth in the latter half of the Eighties with a couple pop hits here in the States, “Just like Heaven” and “Lovesong”. There music is not as dark as it has been made out to be by critics, but when you prefer to wear black clothes, black eyeliner, black nail polish and keep your hair dyed black, it’s easy to make assumptions.

82. The B-52’s – THE party band of my college years, The B-52’s hit a career lull in the mid-Eighties when guitarist Ricky Wilson passed away from complications due to AIDS. Then the band hooked up with Chic’s Nile Rodgers, and our heroes soared to even greater heights behind their Cosmic Thing album and the eternal “Love Shack.”

81. INXS – As Australia’s second best band, INXS was able to synthesize their winning sound by taking the Stones’ grimy raunch and hooking it up with some good old Eighties dance beats. By the time the band perfected the sound, the world welcomed them with open arms with the Kick LP and the stream of Top 10 hits songs the album spawned. It continues to hurt that lead singer and band image center Michael Hutchence passed away in the Nineties because we could sure use INXS now. Will The 1975 ever fill this void? I’m about to give up hope on that.

Well, music fans, that ends today’s entry. Tomorrow, I will be back with the next ten artists in my countdown of My Top 100 Artists of All-Time. Peace!

Lately, I have been in a very nostalgic mindset. I am not sure that one thing has triggered this, but a multitude of acts have conspired to put me in this situation. First and foremost, I had to make the decision that my step-father could no longer handle the care of my mother, who is suffering from Ahlzheimer’s Disease. For the most part, I have lost my mother to this terrible disease. Sure, Mom and I had a contentious relationship throughout my life, but she is still my mom and nothing would ever change that. Anyway, she was absolutely at her best while raising my brother and me after my parents’ divorce. After parenting two young men myself, I could have never imagined raising them by myself, as Mom did with my brother and me. Now, she is a shell of her old talkative self. Just a couple years ago she posed a rhetorical question to me about this situation, “Why did I work so hard to make all of these memories just to have them taken away?” I don’t know. I just don’t know.

Then, you throw in that I have friends who are facing end of life situations with their loved ones, the marriage of my younger son, and the birth of my first granddaughter, the first female in my lineage in four generations, have combined to put me into this mood. I am not depressed. I know when I am depressed. I am simply wistful. So, instead of listening to new records and CDs, I was reorganizing my collection when I discovered a group of CDs my best friend gave me, which are compilations of music from the Seventies. So, I began to listen to them, allowing the music to take me to different eras of my life. Silly things, like begging my music teacher in third grade to let our class sing Three Dog Night’s “Joy to the World” during class. Or, the day my Dad stopped me in the lunchroom at the school where he was principal and I was a fifth grader to tell me that Jim Croce died in a plane crash. I began to remember things from middle school and high school, as well, as I moved through the ten years worth of discs of music.

Of this reflection led me to rank my favorite artists, one through one hundred. Honestly, I had a great time making this list. All of these artists are represented in my music collection, with each artist having at least two records in my collection. Remember, this list reflects my listening habits only. Just because I don’t have Jimi Hendrix on this list does not mean I dislike him. I simply do not own enough of his stuff nor has it spent many hours being played on my stereo.

With that said, let’s get this countdown started!

100. The Rubinoos – A power pop band from the late-Seventies, they piqued my interest after seeing them on American Bandstand all those years ago. Favorite Album: The Rubinoos. Favorite Song: “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend”.

99. The Doors – They brought a certain dark mood into their music that was missing up to that point in 1967. Favorite Album: The Doors. Favorite Song: “People Are Strange”.

98. Genesis – When I speak of Genesis, I am talking about latter-day Genesis, after they became a pop hit-machine trio. Favorite Album: Genesis. Favorite Song: “Mama”.

97. Bob Seger – With my apologies to my long-time friend, the former Lori Dunwiddie, I never became as big of a Seger fan as you Lori. But, because of your incessant playing of his albums, I came to like him a bit. Favorite Album: Night Moves. Favorite Song: “Feels like a Number”.

96. Phish – In the late-Nineties and early-Aughts, my boys and I were Phish-heads. I still enjoy listening to my Live Phish albums. Favorite Album: A Live One. Favorite Song: “Bouncing Around the Room”.

95. Drive-By Truckers – One of my favorite artists of the past twenty years, DBT are the premier Southern Rock band, maybe the last of that breed. Favorite Album: Southern Rock Opera. Favorite Song: “Everybody Needs Love”.

94. Dexys Midnight Runners – Considered by most to be a one-hit wonder, “Come on Eileen,” Dexys is renown in its native UK, where they have near-godlike status. Their first two albums are classics. Favorite Album: Too-Rye-Aye. Favorite Song: “Jackie Wilson Said (I’m in Heaven When You Smile)”.

93. Billy Idol – Back in the Eighties, lip sync competitions were all the rage. Ball State started its long-running “Air Jam” competition back when I was in college and performed as Billy Idol doing “Dancing with Myself.” I didn’t win, but I was hyper-active crowd favorite during Homecoming 1983. Favorite Album: Rebel Yell. Favorite Song: “Dancing with Myself” (for those of you who know me, there was NEVER any doubt!).

92. Roxy Music – I fell in love with this band back in 1975 when I first heard “Love Is the Drug” on American Top 40. They went on to influence New Wave and Post-Punk musics in immeasurable ways. Favorite Album: Avalon. Favorite Song: “Love Is the Drug”.

91. Run-D.M.C. – Simply put, Run-D.M.C. are the gods of rap music. And, I’ve been on their bandwagon since hearing their first album in 1983. I still have to get that album on vinyl…Idiot! Favorite Album: Raising Hell. Favorite Song: “My Adidas”.

Well, fans, there you have it” My first ten artists in my very own Top 100 Artists list. See you tomorrow!

I cannot get a handle on the 2019 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees list. Upon first glance, the list appears to be full of deserving artists. But, as the hours and days past, the nominees’ histories seemed to all be very similar. If one takes an objective point of view, none of the artists are truly what I would call a “slam dunk pick.” So, with my limited knowledge, I began with the experts with the intention of coming up with average odds for each artist. Well, the experts are all over the place, with very little consistency. Believe it or not, no love was given to any of those artists who were eligible for their first year, such as artists who have always appeared to be future inductees like Beck and Outkast. Then, there are no Nirvanas, Pearl Jams or Green Days, who were obvious inductees.

Right now, the early leader in the Rock Hall’s fan voting is Stevie Nicks, which was totally a surprise to me. She has been inducted with Fleetwood Mac, yet I felt her solo career was one awesome album (Bella Donna) and a bunch of fair LPs, much like Sting’s solo career away from RRHOF Inductees The Police. However, it appears that Nicks’ popularity with her rabid fans may carry her into the Hall of Fame. Yet, on the other hand, another fan ballet is being conducted by Future Legends, which has Nicks in ninth place, so go figure.

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Then, there’s Janet Jackson and Def Leppard, those stalwarts of Eighties music. First, Jackson is sixth in the Hall vote and fifth in the Legends survey. All the while, Def Leppard is a close second in the more important Hall vote and third in the Legends. So, as far as popularity goes, we can look to Stevie Nicks, Def Leppard and/or Janet Jackson getting in individually or all together.

To continue the effort by the Hall to drive me insane, they nominated two of the most notoriously and overtly political artists of the rock era with MC5 and Rage Against the Machine. To begin with, MC5 is from the Sixties and had little financial success. Yet, their ideals and militant-sounding proto-punk rock/metal hybrid paved the way for both metal and punk, especially their most obvious god-child, RATM. So, they seem like they will cancel each other out.

Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan is becoming a regular nominee, much like Chic before them. Chaka Khan has been nominated several both with and without her first band Rufus. Yet, the increasing notion that R&B, Soul, Funk, Pop and Hip Hop do not belong in the RRHOF, one thinks the band will never get the call. And the same goes for LL Cool J, whom people have forgotten was the premier rapper of the mid-Eighties, who recorded one of rap’s milestone LPs, Mama Said Knock You Out. Come on! It’s all been replaced by his acting career.

Every year, you can expect some crazy, off-the-wall nominees to be on the list. Not so much this year. The closest to that are excellent singer/songwriter John Prine, who has overcome some health issues to release one of his finest albums to date. And then there’s The Zombies, one of the Sixties holdovers who have not been inducted, just like Paul Revere & the Raiders and Procol Harum. As much as these two have influenced music, I just cannot bring myself to get excited about either.

Likewise, Radiohead, the critics’ current rock darlings. I have never been excited by Radiohead, even after I saw them open for R.E.M. in 1995. Their success signaled the ending of my cutting edge days.

All of this leaves me with some personal favorite artists who remain important to me. No artist is as significant on this list as Todd Rundgren. The man is a musical genius, yet the public remains ignorant of all of his contributions. The nominees also contain the names of electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk and Devo. My loyal readers will all remember Devo’s place in my heart, and how significant the work of Kraftwerk was to my beloved Eighties music.

As a child of Eighties music, Roxy Music played a huge role, even releasing one of the classic albums during the heady days of their New Romantic influence. And, of course, one cannot think of the Eighties without The Cure coming up in conversation.

So, there you have it. A group of nominees who are all good, even worthy of RRHOF induction. Yet, these artists are so evenly matched that it is difficult for me to predict who will be inducted. Personally, I would love to see the Hall actually induct seven of these artists, which would make for an entertaining evening and terrific performances that would translate to an exciting HBO program next Spring.

With that said, here are the seven artists that I would love to see inducted with the Class of 2019 into the RRHOF: Todd Rundgren, Devo, Janet Jackson, Roxy Music, Def Leppard, Rage Against the Machine and The Cure. But, if I take my heart out of the equation, my five are Stevie Nicks, Def Leppard, Janet Jackson, The Zombies and Kraftwerk.

It’s only rock and roll, but I like it, like it, yes, I do!

Hello rock fans! I was not planning to write this week, but circumstance have arisen for me to take a quick break from a little vacation to throw my two-cents in the ring concerning today’s announcement of the list of nominees for the 2019 Induction Class of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. This year, fifteen artists were nominated, which probably signifies that only five to seven of them will get the call for induction. Unfortunately, the list is super-light on African-American nominees (three!), with no Hispanics nor any other minority represented. Once again, the list is mainly dominated by classic rock artists. Today, I will NOT be making predictions about who I think will be inducted, I will simply be presenting the merits of each artist, along with their ranking according to Not in Hall of Fame (http://www.notinhalloffame.com/rock-and-roll), a fantastic website which ranks all artists currently not in the RRHOF according to their worthiness. Check it out since it’s one of my favorite Rock Hall-related websites, along with Future Rock Legends site.

Starting alphabetically, the first nominee is Def Leppard, the innovative UK pop-metal band that unwittingly jump-started the whole New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement of the late-Seventies and Eighties. Of all the groups in that particular genre, they were the illest fit, as they wore their Glam Rock influences on their sleeves. If Bon Jovi would just admit that his career was simply an imitation of the Leppards, along with a touch of Loverboy, I would have more respect for them. Leppard’s shortcomings was the lack of output of music while they were at the top of their game. But, when you almost lose your drummer in a car accident, while he does lose an arm, and he re-learns drumming from a whole new perspective and did it flawlessly. This is not a difficult prediction, but Def Leppard will win the Fan Voting.

Next, and it’s about time, is punk and new wave innovators Devo. This band was so far ahead of the game back in the late-Seventies that musicians are still trying to catch up to them today. They were one of the first artists to embrace a relatively new medium called the music video. Plus, what seemed as sarcasm at the time, their “Theory of De-Evolution” is proving to hold in the day of Trump and FOX News.

The next artist is ranked #18 on Not in Hall of Fame, Janet Jackson was one of the most important and commercially success artists of the Eighties, who was actually able to compete with both Prince and brother Michael critically and commercially. She could win the Fan’s Voting.

Little know singer-songwriter, and one of a long line of “the next Bob Dylans” that came along in the Sixties and Seventies, John Prine has remained a critical favorite over the years with his brand of literate lyrics set to folk music. Prine, unfortunately, is not well-known to the commercial music fans.

Just because they hail from Germany, Kraftwerk has continued to be an innovative source in the electronic music world. Although they had little success here in the States does not diminish them one bit as Not in Hall of Fame (NHF) ranks them #2 on their list of artists deserving induction. If it wasn’t for their synthesizer work throughout the Seventies and Eighties, we might never have heard synth pop, David Bowie, EDM, Daft Punk, LCD Soundsystem and Devo, to list a few.

As the only rap artist nominated, LL Cool J has been overlooked for far too long. Many have forgotten how important he was to the early days of rap. Plus, his Mama Says Knock You Out LP remains one of hip hop’s greatest artistic statements of all-time.

Back in the late-Sixties, young people were protesting for all kinds of social change. Of all the artists of the day, the most militant of them all was Detroit’s own MC5. These guys bridge the gap between punk and metal that will come to a head in the Nineties with bands like Rage Against the Machine. They may not have sold any records, but they are great nonetheless. NHF ranks them at #6.

Back in 1995, when I saw them open for R.E.M., I would have never predicted that Radiohead would have become the powerful artist they are today. They are so widely acclaimed that NHF puts them #1 on their list of artists deserving induction. I really thought they were a slam dunk for induction last year, so do not be surprised to hear their name listed for induction.

Rage Against the Machine has once again been nominated, and they will eventually be inducted. They remain one of my five favorite artists from the Nineties, along with Pearl Jam, Green Day and Nirvana, all of whom have been previously inducted.

People have been clamoring for years for the induction of Roxy Music. And, the band is so widely regard that NHF has them ranked #5. They were one of the few Glam Rock bands that were so highly regarded and embraced by the punks, new wavers and New Romantics to survive the movements to actually be included.

In a minor surprise, Fleetwood Mac enchantress, singer, songwriter and Heartbreaker-wanna-be, Stevie Nicks’ solo career is well known to those of us in our mid-Fifties. Her influence has been quiet, but when you look around, you see artists like Sheryl Crow, the Dixie Chicks and so many other female artists sing her praises.

Once again, The Cure has been nominated to appease the few Gen X-ers, such as myself, that feel “our” artists are being overlooked (The Smiths, anyone?). But, the world view of The Cure is so strong that NHF puts the band at #11 on their list.

When this man’s name is brought up, most of the responses I hear are, “He’s NOT in the Hall of Fame?” I am talking about rock music’s one true Renaissance man Todd Rundgren. The man has done it all: solo hits, hits with his band Utopia, album engineering (The Band’s Stage Fright), production work (to name a few, XTC, Meat Loaf, New York Dolls, Patti Smith Group, Grand Funk) and even video work before the days of MTV. Rundgren is highest on my personal list of artists to be inducted. But, don’t just listen to me, because the kind people at Not in Hall of Fame have Todd ranked at lucky 13. Not bad for a guy who just wants to bang on the drum on all day.

Now that Nile Rodgers of Chic has been inducted, the voters are going to continue to overlook that band and turn their attention to their other favorite to nominate but not induct, Rufus and Chaka Khan. Either put the whole band in or at least get Chaka in, and stop this madness! Unfortunately, this is only the third African-American act on the list! Diversity! The Hall needs to get back to diversity!

Last but not least, we have Sixties British Invasion band The Zombies, who happens to be voter Little Steven Van Zandt’s big push. The Zombies were fairly nondescript until they released a transcendent album Odessey and Oracle, AFTER the band had imploded. However, the album continues to grow in influence as younger artists began to listen to it and use it as a jumping point in their careers (Flaming Lips, anyone?). They remain a long shot at best.

So, rock fans, there is the 2019 Nominees for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction. All of the artists are worthy this time around, but, unfortunately, the Hall seems to enjoy frustrating fans like me with a limited number of inductees. If you want to read my “fix” for the Hall, just go back a month or so to see my suggestions for a better induction of artists. We are now two months away from learning who will be inducted as the Class of 2019. Exciting times ahead!