Stupid Jerks at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

I just read in a news article that Madonna will be among next years inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Now, this is not to disparage Madonna. She is certainly talented and maybe does deserve to be a member. But, and this a huge BUT, she doesn't deserve to be inducted before Wanda Jackson. Wanda Jackson was a contemporary of all those guys who made rock and roll a force to be dealt with in the '50s. She should have been inducted along with them in the Hall's inaugural ceremony in 1986 and yet year after year she is ignored.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Elvis Costello wrote:

To Whom It May Concern:
This is to propose that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame finally nominates Wanda Jackson for induction. For heaven's sake, the whole thing risks ridicule and having the appearance of being a little boy's club unless it acknowledges the contribution of one of the first women of rock and roll.
It might be hard to admit but the musical influence of several male pioneers is somewhat obscure today. Even though their records will always be thrilling, their sound is not really heard in echo.
Look around today and you can hear lots of rocking girl singers who owe an unconscious debt to the mere idea of a woman like Wanda. She was standing up on stage with a guitar in her hands and making a sound that was as wild and raw as any rocker, man or woman, while other gals were still asking, "How much is that doggy in the window?"…
It is strange to find myself a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame while there seem still be a number of notable absentees. I'd like to be able to send the museum some old guitar that I played in '77, with a good heart and clear conscience. Right now I'd be embarrassed to see it on display in a glass case in Cleveland while Wanda is still rocking and still missing from the Hall…
Come on you guys. DO THE RIGHT THING…HELP INDUCT WANDA…
Yours through music,

Elvis Costello


If you want to help induct Wanda Jackson write to:

Joel Peresman
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation
1290 Avenue of the Americas
2nd Floor
New York City, NY 101044

"Let's Have A Party"

Is Madonna really Rock and Roll?

I would say POP at best.

Don't think she should be in there with the likes of The Beatles, Stones, Elvis, Doors, etc.....

Wanda appeared on a strange, low budget-but-cult little pseudo-quiz show I am addicted to on TV here in Australia called Rockwiz. A fun affair filmed in front of a live audience in a Melbourne pub - very music industry and music-lover, it attracts lots of legendary music guests who participate in the "game" (no, there are no prizes for the winner) and perform on the show.

Wanda was a special guest and she performed her "Let's Have A Party" with the "orchestra" (a three piece of great musicians). She looked like she was having a hoot and for an "old-dame" she certainly still "has it".

This appearance was recognition by the Aussie music aficionados/phreaks that she certainly is revered.

Great timing/coincidence that you should post that.

Oh yeah - and of course I would always agree with anything that Elvis Costello said, anyway!

They release all the live performances from the show on DVD at the end of each season so this one will be a "keeper" (another guest/player on this episode of the show was Colin Hayes from "Men at Work").

Right

Bryan, you are right. I thought the same thing. Madonna is "pop" (cough, cough) """""music""""". Now, The Beatles, Creedance, Jefferson Airplane, Led Zeppelin, etc is Rock and Roll. Zeppelin even had there song "Rock and Roll", even though they had a blues-rock kind of sound.

peace, Kyle

I argee the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guys are not the sharpest tacks in the box.

The guitar group "The Ventures" are still not inducted.
This group is still hard at it. Some how they seem to have been forgotten in their own country.
In Japan they still pack them in.

The Ventures.

Classic.

I've got the 1960 vinyl of Walk Don't Run.

I like the Ventures too. Didn't they also do a Walk Don't Run 64 ?

I know I'm going to get knocked for this but I had never heard of Wanda Jackson before this post :)

Amen, Elvis!

Wanda Jackson , the Queen of Rockabilly, The Nice Lady With a Nasty Voice

Here ya go Naomi:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y528RkT0Yz4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJAxB6x9njs


And thanks to Rosie Flores who coaxed her out of retirement in 1995:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeEkOjYZ7hM


she's still rockin' today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYiF2LKq--E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp7EOjw7rsw

That picture under my name to the left is Chris and me with Rosie and Wanda a couple of years ago at the Johnstown Music Festival.

There are alot of people who should be inducted WAY before Madonna, Wanda Jackson being amongst them.

I agree with the Ventures and would like to add The Shadows (still a group until 2 years back), Tommy Emmanual (although he is multi-genre) Deep Purple (if not already) and many others.

Maybe the way they chose is wrong and a more respectful way would be by popular vote by the masses - use that bought the music..

"Stupid Jerks at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame",... and I didn't even know they had broken up!


"that bought the music"??? oh oh.....Hey...Hey...we're the Monkeys...nope try again.


Do you guys really know who is in the H-of-F,...I don't !!

Darned if I do either..

Wow I like Wanda Jackson --especially the song 'Fujiyama Mama' :)

Wyatt,

That's the Circle Jerks, not the Stupid Jerks!

Naomi Wrote:

"Yes" should be in the hall too....but never will be. They just go after the ones that meet their fluffed up standards.

Too funny. At this very moment, I'm sitting in my hotel room in Cleveland and have a perfect view of the RR HOF out my window! lolol!

I got to go two weeks ago and really enjoyed myself. As to who should be in and not, I won't comment, but I'm sure the selection process is not easy and not everyone will be happy whomever they pick. I must admit, I was pleased to see the Hall seemed to do a good job of representing many early blues, jazz and R&B pioneers in addition to R&R musicians.

If you get a chance definitely go. It's neat. Some of the stuff I found really interesting were the original lyrics, hand written by artist. Hendrix's "Purple Haze" written on hotel stationary, the original Aerosmith lyrics to "Walk this Way" complete with edits. Songs written by Lennon, McCartney and Pete Townsend. All there and very neat to see. Jim Morrison's cub scout uniform was a nice suprise! lolol! It's also interesting to see what they don't have, nothing from Zeplin for example. I also enjoyed seeing a note written by the Sex Pistols to the R&R HOF basically saying we're not going to show up and F#CK YOU.

I was at the Waldorf -Astoria for the induction ceremony several years back. George Harrison was being inducted for his solo work and Traffic, a band I feel is very underrated, were also honorees that night. The funniest thing though, was that Chubby Checker, evidently upset that he has not been voted in , was the subject of a chaotic search by security because he planned to crash the party. There were guys in suits wearing earpieces combing the hotel looking for him. I was standing behind the velvet ropes in the lobby and turned to speak with my daughter, only to find Chubby Checker standing behind me. It was like a Marx Brothers movie , The security detail ran by shouting and gesturing to each other and then Checker ran off in the opposite direction. I don't know if he ever got caught but it sure made for a fun evening.