“Standing in line / To see the show tonight / And there’s a light on / Heavy glow / By the way / I tried to say / I’d be there / Waiting for …”
To me, those lyrics, along with the simple electric guitar riff that accompanies it, are some of the most recognizable of any I’ve ever heard. I grew up with those lyrics from one of the most influential and consistently solid bands of the generation. The song: “By the Way.” The band: Red Hot Chili Peppers.
This past week, the nominees for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame were announced. To be eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 25 years must have passed since any given band or musician released its first single or album.
Red Hot Chili Peppers formed in 1983 and have since become champions of larger-than-life funk rock and tube socks. I was thrilled to see that the band had received a second nomination. I believe that RHCP is the best band on the list of 15 nominees, which includes several great musicians but is otherwise a bit underwhelming.
Which leads me to my point about this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominations: One would think that nominations for entrance into the pantheon of rock ‘n’ roll legends would be a big deal, but I didn’t even know these nominations had been announced until I went searching for music news online. People just don’t seem to be excited (either in a positive or negative way) about the majority of these nominees.
That’s sad ““ both for the bands and musicians receiving the honor of a nomination and for the fans who were perhaps hoping for nominees more instantly recognizable, such as Red Hot Chili Peppers and Beastie Boys.
Let’s take a look at the list. There are the bands that most people have probably heard of: Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Cure, Guns N’ Roses and Beastie Boys. Then there are some bands which I’ve heard of, but I cannot claim to have heard any songs by: Heart, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Rufus with Chaka Khan, Donna Summer and Donovan.
And then there were the bands whose names I read for the very first time on the list of nominees. One such band was listed as “The Small Faces/The Faces.” At first I just thought that was a really weird band name. But then I read that the band was founded in 1965 (the band had to follow The Beatles; any band put in that position is an unlucky band) as The Small Faces and changed names to The Faces in the early ’70s before breaking up in 1975.
The band was formed in the wake of Beatles-mania, a nearly impossible time slot to succeed in, and it broke up roughly 36 years ago. The reason that Red Hot Chili Peppers and Beastie Boys are such fitting nominees is that the bands are still relevant and producing great music. The band that became The Faces had been broken up for about five years before today’s 30-year-olds were even a thought in their parents’ minds.
All of the musicians nominated for entry into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame are no doubt worthy of admittance. Unfortunately, there simply aren’t enough popular and instantly recognizable bands on the list for it to receive the attention it deserves.
What do you think of this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees? Email Bain at abain@media.ucla.edu. “B-sides” runs every Monday.