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 chief Rock Hall Inductee question is “how big is your wake?” Or, take them at their own word: “ to recognize the contributions of those who have had a significant impact on the evolution, development and perpetuation of rock and roll.”
Take Tom Petty…ok, he had a few good songs, but he didn’t launch a genre, I never heard any other music cite him as an influence, and nobody copies him. Yet he’s in there.
There are scores of people like Petty in the Rock Hall like that, like Cheryl Crow who was inducted the same year as Missy Elliot who has had a MUCH bigger wake. I guess Jann likes these un-influential bands and performers. Which is why THE ROCK hall is largely a crock.
There is the 25-year rule for the Rock Hall which probably caused what you observed. As for the group you mentioned, Janice, Heart, and Joan Jett all get big YES answers to the wake query. Pat Benetar hasn’t been a massive musical influence IMHO but in the 80s many girl singers in my HS wanted to be her, and she sort of made rocking a cool thing for girls to do. She deserves to be in, as does Madonna even though I detest her as a human being but she launched a whole genre. As a small side note, a goodly amount of Zappa’s sound in the early to mid 1970s was Ruth Underwood’s vibes-she’s not in, but take her out of Inca Roads and it’s not the same.
As for Pink, she’s not on my musical rotation but I respect the influence and wake. She’s remained married to the same man for decades and that may be a strike against her in Wennerworld. I’d happily replace Randy Newman with her.
I’d rather spend a day at Bethel Woods than in Cleveland.
First 10 years SHOULD have included Darlene Love.
There’s plenty of great white women and black musicians who have contributed to the music scene.
But Jann Wenner’s not talking about listening to ‘the music’ he’s talking about writing a book - interviews with interesting insights into the field - stuff worth reading about. He mentions Janis Joplin as an example of what would NOT be included - a woman lacking insights and interest - but definitely worth listening to.
Jann Wenner wrote a book - he wasn’t putting out an album of his favorite songs. Rolling Stone needs to get real.