Cleveland Rocks?
Last week I took off Thursday and Friday from work to go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio with my mother, cousin and aunt. Cleveland was not, as an Ohioian friend suggested, "the Miami of the Great Lakes", but I did have a good time with them.
I don't get why the Hall of Fame in in Ohio. Pick a state that's LESS rock and roll. Utah, maybe? Montana? The mueseum itself is pretty cool - I am a slightly obsessive music nut, so I loved following the transition of American music from blues to rockabilly to punk, etc. I also grabbed a pamphlet titled, "500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll" and am currently working on getting the ones that aren't already on my Ipod onto my playlist. A lot of them are the kinds of things you'd expect to see on a list like that - hits by the Stones, Buddy Holly, the Beatles, etc. I was pleasantly surprised to find London Calling by the Clash, God Save the Queen by the Sex Pistols, Loser by Beck and a few other dark horses also made the list. All in all, I think it's a fairly well-rounded representation, although conspicuous in their absence are the Pixies, whose chords and style can clearly be found all over Nirvana's Nevermind album. The Ramones were also missing, which is a travesty. But I degress.
One of my favorite things at the museum was a viewing room showing Jimi Hendrix playing guitar. I've heard him, obviously, but haven't had the chance to watch much footage. Wow. He was unbelievable. Playing through his legs, behind his back, in the air, WITH HIS TEETH...it was sick. You simply don't see musicians like that anymore.
I'm not a music snob and I don't think all of the great bands have come and gone. At the same time, when people fall all over themselves for groups like Coldplay, i get frustrated. Even some bands I like a lot - Weezer, Foo Fighters, etc. - seem to be on a downhill slide. I definetly think there are groups out today who will have enough longevity to make it into the Hall of Fame (the rule is an artist is not eligible until 25 years after their first album was released). Dave Matthews Band, obviously, is a shoo-in. Madonna is not in yet and neither are Nirvana, R.E.M. and essentially any hip-hop artist except the Beastie Boys. It will be interesting to see if the relics of the pop craze are brought back and if we'll have to witness 40-year old Justin Timberlake giving an acceptance speech. Shudder.
"The beat, the beat, the beat..."
I don't get why the Hall of Fame in in Ohio. Pick a state that's LESS rock and roll. Utah, maybe? Montana? The mueseum itself is pretty cool - I am a slightly obsessive music nut, so I loved following the transition of American music from blues to rockabilly to punk, etc. I also grabbed a pamphlet titled, "500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll" and am currently working on getting the ones that aren't already on my Ipod onto my playlist. A lot of them are the kinds of things you'd expect to see on a list like that - hits by the Stones, Buddy Holly, the Beatles, etc. I was pleasantly surprised to find London Calling by the Clash, God Save the Queen by the Sex Pistols, Loser by Beck and a few other dark horses also made the list. All in all, I think it's a fairly well-rounded representation, although conspicuous in their absence are the Pixies, whose chords and style can clearly be found all over Nirvana's Nevermind album. The Ramones were also missing, which is a travesty. But I degress.
One of my favorite things at the museum was a viewing room showing Jimi Hendrix playing guitar. I've heard him, obviously, but haven't had the chance to watch much footage. Wow. He was unbelievable. Playing through his legs, behind his back, in the air, WITH HIS TEETH...it was sick. You simply don't see musicians like that anymore.
I'm not a music snob and I don't think all of the great bands have come and gone. At the same time, when people fall all over themselves for groups like Coldplay, i get frustrated. Even some bands I like a lot - Weezer, Foo Fighters, etc. - seem to be on a downhill slide. I definetly think there are groups out today who will have enough longevity to make it into the Hall of Fame (the rule is an artist is not eligible until 25 years after their first album was released). Dave Matthews Band, obviously, is a shoo-in. Madonna is not in yet and neither are Nirvana, R.E.M. and essentially any hip-hop artist except the Beastie Boys. It will be interesting to see if the relics of the pop craze are brought back and if we'll have to witness 40-year old Justin Timberlake giving an acceptance speech. Shudder.
"The beat, the beat, the beat..."