Posted on 09/16/2023 6:43:58 PM PDT by Mr. Mojo
NEW YORK (AP) — Jann Wenner, who co-founded Rolling Stone magazine and also was a co-founder of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, has been removed from the hall’s board of directors after making comments that were seen as disparaging toward Black and female musicians.
“Jann Wenner has been removed from the Board of Directors of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation,” the hall said Saturday, a day after Wenner’s comments were published in a New York Times interview.
Wenner created a firestorm doing publicity for his new book “The Masters,” which features interviews with musicians Bob Dylan, Jerry Garcia, Mick Jagger, John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, Pete Townshend and U2’s Bono — all white and male.
Asked why he didn’t interview women or Black musicians, Wenner responded: “It’s not that they’re inarticulate, although, go have a deep conversation with Grace Slick or Janis Joplin. Please, be my guest. You know, Joni (Mitchell) was not a philosopher of rock ’n’ roll. She didn’t, in my mind, meet that test,” he told the Times.
“Of Black artists — you know, Stevie Wonder, genius, right? I suppose when you use a word as broad as ‘masters,’ the fault is using that word. Maybe Marvin Gaye, or Curtis Mayfield? I mean, they just didn’t articulate at that level,” Wenner said.
In the interview, Wenner seemed to acknowledge he would face a backlash. “Just for public relations sake, maybe I should have gone and found one Black and one woman artist to include here that didn’t measure up to that same historical standard, just to avert this kind of criticism.”
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
I bought the Superfly album when I was like nine years old, heck I had no idea what the subject matter really was about, but man did it groove.
I will say, I don’t think Marvin Gaye or Curtis Mayfield are rock and roll musicians, but the Rock and Roll HOF seems to cherry pick genres in a way that doesn’t make sense.
I suspect this is only seasonal window-dressing.
Jan Wenner will quietly be put back on that Board of Directors within three years. He is for better or worse, the essence of that publication. It’s like having Project Veritas without James O’Keefe or Aunt Jemima Pancakes without her syrup!!
He is a fag IIRC, so untouchable.
Billy Joel too.
“I don’t think there are any black rock artists that even come close.”
Prince.
Wenner spoke truth to indoctrinated WOKE idiots...he'll pay a price for that...
Sounds like Kate Micucci.
George Duke.
L
Why don’t those genres have their own HOF? Why don’t different genres have their own HOFs and overthrow the tyranny of the RNR HOF? Their mishmash makes no sense.
Are you being sarcastic? It happens constantly, going back to Trotskyites vs. Stalinists, and probably well before that.
I like your comment.
His music was not my cup of tea, but Frank Zappa should probably have been included in a list like this.
I’m todays world the truth has consequences to the messenger
Not that I am crazy on “Jann”
When somebody like “Yawn” Wenner says something to piss off some of the same people who are pissing me off, I’m all for it, so I can’t complain that he’s not PC enough.
Jerry garcia is what he considers interesting and articulate?....oh my dear God.....
There was a comment to Rolling Stones (that they printed) that went something like “Thank you for finally doing an article on RUSH. F&*% you.”
The selection of white women in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has been nothing short of disgusting. The only thing Rolling Stone wants to hear from women is them moaning about how bad they need seven inches, and if it’s a strap-on on a woman all the better.
In the first ten years of HOF, the only white women inducted were Carole King (specifically as a non-performer) and Donna Jean Godcheaux, inducted as part of the Grateful Dead as a sort of a technicality, since she was only briefly with the band.
In 1995, finally the first white female performer was included, Janis Joplin. In 1996, the Jefferson Airplane was selected, among whom was Grace Slick who was actually a substantial part of the band. I don’t want to diminish Maureen Tucker of the Velvet Underground, but let’s face it, they were honoring Lou Reed and accidentally included a woman.
It took FOREVER to get Heart, Joan Jett and Pat Benetar in. Somehow the “ROCK AND ROLL” Hall of Fame managed to put Madonna in first.
And where is Pink?
I know the proudly ignorant geezer patrol will rush in to ask, “Who?” but for fifteen solid years, Pink dominated the pop charts with songs that were usually straight-ahead rock, anti-herding, and actually pretty damned artistically superior. Hell, “Give Me Just One Reason” may be the damned best-written ballad of the 21st century... and still rocks just a little.
My only problem with what he said was using the name: “Bruce Springsteen” in the same sentence as Bob Dylan, Jerry Garcia, Mick Jagger, John Lennon, and Pete Townshend.
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