Make The Rock Hall Weird

He who's tired of Weird Al is tired of life.

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CatraDhtem
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Re: Make The Rock Hall Weird 2.0

Post by CatraDhtem »

HappyGilmore wrote:I'm saying, from the Hall's perspective and things I've read online, their criteria seems a bit warped, at least to me.
Oh, I don't think anyone would argue that their rationale, rules, justifications, etc. make sense. In a way, that vagueness is very much intentional. For some reason, they take pride in the fact that there is no clear formula to get inducted, and I mean on more than just a "Hey, we're wild and loose rock and roll" sort of level. It's all subjective, and it's a way to discourage outsiders.

Seriously, to even try to figure out why X artist would be in before Y artist or why they would pick a later act before an earlier similar act or whatever is a true exercise in futility (not to go into circles here). An explanation might make sense one year but then gets disproven the next. Really, outside of the annual "Huh?"-fest resulting in the nominations, it's best not to get too stuck on past decisions and snubs...that way will lead to madness.

Having said all that, the movie will have a fun little bit where we look into some of the supposedly non-rock and roll inductees and try to figure out why they're in...including what might be the ultimate word on what "is" and "isn't" rock and roll from probably the best possible source.
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Re: Make The Rock Hall Weird 2.0

Post by HappyGilmore »

TMBJon wrote:1) The Beastie Boys are not in.
2) If any comedy artist gets in it will be Al. Yes, before Spike Jones. :rolleyes:
3) Any artist can get into the Rock Hall. It does not matter if their influences are inducted already.
I know the Beastie's aren't in. But they were on a short list a few years back, and all hell broke loose cause they were suggested, yet Run DMC wasn't even thought of or nominated yet.

I'm betting Al would be the ONLY comedy act inducted into the hall, regardless.

I don't even know where my argument was going as for the whole 'influences' thing was. I had a point, somewhere, but I dunno. I'm giving up on that side of it. Either way, I don't care about the whole thing, really. I'd like to see it happen.
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Re: Make The Rock Hall Weird 2.0

Post by Well, Well, Well »

CatraDhtem wrote:I know you're trying to uphold your stupid little "gadfly" role, but there's a difference between being a gadfly and being a d*ckhead. Guess which one you've been lately.

Tell you what, group of recent haters, considering I don't have any indication that any of you have done a single solitary thing for either campaign (or for starving African kids, for that matter, to use the glib example), maybe you guys should DO something first and THEN I'll be happy to entertain any arguments about these being futile efforts. I know this whole forum has become little more than a playground for you guys to snark on each other because you guys are just sooooo freakin' funny (why do you think I don't show up here all that often? It's way too much comedy for me), but some people do come on here because they do care about Al or these campaigns. I know that doesn't exactly jive with your lazy, cynical attitude (or whatever your whiny "act" is supposed to be), and you no doubt feel that you're trying to "keep it real" and therefore you're better than the rest of us silly fans wasting our time and blowing our money...but you know, if you honestly think that after six years of this campaign chugging along nicely that your quick, ill-informed comment on a free message board is going to make everyone say, "Yeah, you know, he's right! Let's pull the plug on this whole thing!", well, that says a lot about your ego then, doesn't it?

Here are the facts: Six years ago this campaign was a joke. It probably still is in a number of circles, but we're gaining momentum where it counts. Do you honestly think Al would have topped "Rolling Stone's" readers poll six years ago? "Rolling Stone" polls are historically the most corrupt, ballot-stuffed, industry-friendly "tools" in music, and we were able to punch a hole through all that. Meanwhile, the idea of being inducted has been invoked by reporters in almost, I don't know, every fifth interview with Al. The concept is gaining credibility. This wouldn't have happened if not for this campaign.

I am extremely proud of the fans who have helped out with this "futile little effort." Not even everyone on this forum has contributed, and not because they're all trying to "keep it real" or whatever. It's because it's easier and lazier not to. It's easy to poke one's head into a thread they've rarely, if ever, posted in before, make some off-the-cuff comment about the plight of Africans, and then go on their merry, hateful way. And the fact that I am actually taking time away from filming and editing the documentary to respond to such nonsense probably says something about me, but on this quickly crumbling forum, it seems as if no response equals agreement...everyone then adds their stupid little "BEST POST EVER," "QFT," praise of St. Huggins, or whatever, and then that's that. I'm less concerned about morals than I am about morale.

Well, I hate to tell you this, if you are in fact choosing between helping starving Africans and sending a letter, that's sad for you, man. Most people wouldn't consider that a choice, as most adults can usually multitask and most don't usually need to attach horrendous consequences onto either act. If your brain can only handle one thing, though, you have my sympathy. There are people on here with steady jobs, families, side projects, artistic pursuits, community activities, volunteer jobs, and other life events, and they seem to have no problem finding time to do something fun for a singer they like...something that might just get him an honor that many feel he deserves. I have never, NEVER, urged people to choose between living their life and helping out with this campaign, and I seriously doubt anyone's ever inferred otherwise. If you do actually have a problem with people working on a fun little project that they enjoy doing, I don't know what I could tell you. Do a Google search for a therapist, I don't know. Other people's enjoyment shouldn't be a source of frustration, and nobody's twisting your arm to help...you certainly haven't so far.

But you know, it doesn't matter what I say. This is unfortunately just adding fuel to the fire. This recent discussion isn't about Al. It's isn't about the Rock Hall. It's not about the campaign. It's about a couple of curmudgeons who are just looking to hate on a forum that's otherwise about as harmless as can be. I don't know what prompted it. Maybe not enough people applauded someone's post or answered a question elsewhere. Maybe it's just this campaign's "turn" to attract the venom of people with clearly more time on their hands than I do. It's moral superiority on the lamest and nerdiest level.

And guess what? The campaign isn't ending because of it, so nyah. This campaign won't end until Al gets inducted...or at the very least until I am convinced that we have exhausted every single last resource to try to make that happen. I am so not there yet.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a documentary to finish. For those of you who do care, don't forget to send your spatula and that we still need people to contact members of the nominating committee. We've got a number of key members already covered, so just look over the list about a page back or so to see if there's anyone you would like to write to directly.
it's interesting that you consider spatulas to be a resource. the mail guys at the rock and roll hall of fame cannot be impressed (if impressed is the right word) with a bunch of spatulas. i guess nothing says "rock and roll" like a spatula, lol. i'm feeling bad for myself, that's why i'm upholding my stupid little "gadfly" role by picking on your stupid little campaign.
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Re: Make The Rock Hall Weird 2.0

Post by CatraDhtem »

All right, gang, here's a question I wanted to throw out there.

This year we're of course going to have another tweet-in over on the big, bad Twitter, as it seems as if everyone had a fun time doing it last year, but should we limit it to just Weird Al tweets...or should we attempt to include fan bases of other snubbed artists such as Rush, Alice Cooper, etc.?

I can see the pros and cons of either option, and at the moment I have no preference just yet, but I was curious what everyone else thought.
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Re: Make The Rock Hall Weird 2.0

Post by TMBJon »

I would then be pissed if the other snubbed artists got in and Al did not, and then we helped that situation to happen.
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Re: Make The Rock Hall Weird 2.0

Post by Yankovic-Gretzky »

The nominees for the 2011 Rock Hall will be announced this week!

http://www.showbiz411.com/2010/09/06/el ... -induction" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Weird Al at Future Rock Legends - Vote

http://www.futurerocklegends.com/artist ... l_Yankovic" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Make The Rock Hall Weird 2.0

Post by CatraDhtem »

Well, it doesn't say anything about when they'll be announced; only that the committee will be meeting this week (today, according to the article) to discuss...but then again, considering the article was written by Roger "Fired over reviewing a leaked copy of Wolverine" Friedman without citing a single source, who knows how accurate any of that is. Pretty much I have to question the accuracy of any article that parrots the old "Jann Wenner controls the process" myth without having a single person on record. But still, mid-September sounds about right.

I do hope everyone who had volunteered to contact specific committee members had in fact done so. We didn't get to as many people as I would have liked.

The nominations will probably be announced toward the end of the month. Depending on that news, I may or may not have something to announce.

In the meantime, there are still plans for the next tweet-in on Al's birthday.
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Re: Make The Rock Hall Weird 2.0

Post by TMBJon »

To me it seems the main strategy of this forum needs to be to primarily appeal to Jann Wenner. It's not unreasonable to think he could get behind a push, though honestly Al is way far down on the list of artists that article mentioned, ranking only slightly more likely than Fine Young Cannibals.

Anyway I am pulling for Hall & Oates to get in from that list and obviously Dire Straits.
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Re: Make The Rock Hall Weird 2.0

Post by CatraDhtem »

TMBJon wrote:To me it seems the main strategy of this forum needs to be to primarily appeal to Jann Wenner. It's not unreasonable to think he could get behind a push, though honestly Al is way far down on the list of artists that article mentioned, ranking only slightly more likely than Fine Young Cannibals.
Well, I didn't even see Al mentioned in that article, but I get what you're saying.

It's not that I disagree with the idea of targeting one specific person to appeal to (this last project, for example, was meant to contact individual nominating committee members), but I have serious reservations about assuming Jann Wenner is the guy. Everything I have read or heard about him in regard to supposedly sabotaging or controlling the nomination process has been in a vague, secondhand sort of way. I am strongly under the belief that for the most part it's a myth and that he's just being used as some sort of scary bogeyman for all the snubbed acts and anti-Rolling Stone journalists to target. There's a number of very easy analogies I could make, but I want to respect the forum's stance on shying away from political discussions. Ultimately, I think Jann Wenner is being used as a red herring.

I mean, the Rock Hall has been inducting acts since the mid-80s. If someone could point me to a serious account of a credible source detailing how it all comes down to Wenner, I would be grateful. Let's face it, there's been a revolving door of people on the committee, so surely someone would have an axe to grind if Wenner was sticking his privates in the way, right?

I'm being serious, mostly because I want to know for sure. I'm sure a number of us would like to know for sure. But honestly, I have not seen anyone really in the know to confirm any of that. I do think a lot of "articles" like to name him just because it's easier to focus on one person in order to create a villain and he has this elitist sort of aura around him.

Really, though, let's make a list of people who have claimed that Jann Wenner is the "bad guy."

This is by no means a complete list, but just off the top of my head right now I can think of:

1. Roger Friedman - former Fox News entertainment writer, whose credibility has been in question for about a year now in general. AFAIK, he's never sat on the nominating committee, and his recent article that was posted didn't quote or cite any actual sources.

2. Bill O'Reilly and/or Davy Jones - Jann came up in an interview years ago about whether or not the Monkees would ever get inducted. I don't remember exactly who invoked his name first, but I believe it was O'Reilly, who would have no doubt got his information from then-colleague Roger Friedman. But still, these are not two guys who I trust with knowing what's really going on in the music industry.

Everyone, feel free to add. I want to see how many names turn up with direct connections to the Rock Hall and the foundation.

I mean, don't get me wrong. I would love to find the answer and say, "Yes, this person!" I honestly think we were working our way to that point this summer by contacting specific nominating committee members, trying to find our one champion (or more!) to plead Al's case...and like I said earlier, it would have been great if more people participated with that. But I don't want to guess and direct everyone to the wrong person. It wastes time, energy, and resources. A couple of years ago someone on here really shot the campaign in the foot by not working on the thing they volunteered for, so I don't have the luxury to leave things to chance. The margin of error in things getting done is too razor-thin, let alone getting it done correctly.

I mean, cripes, look at that Future Rock Hall site (or whatever it's called this week). They still post form responses people get from writing to the Rock Hall museum...and they treat it like actual news! There is intentionally a lot of bad information out there about this process.

I do hope none of this sounded argumentative or stubborn or whatever. I just want to make sure we don't get steered into the wrong direction.
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Re: Make The Rock Hall Weird 2.0

Post by TMBJon »

I'm not even saying that Jann Wenner is a bad guy or a boogeyman. Just that he is VERY influential on the Rock Hall committee and in the music industry in general, and if Jann Wenner is in Weird Al's corner, it is more likely that he would actually get inducted.
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