Letter to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Dear Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum,
Hi! It's me, Greg O'Neill.
Has it already been a year since I last wrote a letter to you? My goodness, where has the time gone?
First of all, thank you so very much for your inclusive 2019 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class. I like all of the artists who got inducted. For starters, congratulations for Stevie Nicks. In as much as her body of work with Fleetwood Mac didn't hurt her chances of getting in, she wouldn't necessarily need to fall back on that to be inducted. In addition to "Dreams," "Rhiannon," "Silver Springs," "Sara," "Landslide," "Storm," "Gypsy," "Gold Dust Woman," "Seven Wonders," "Sister of the Moon," "No Questions Asked," and "Paper Doll," among others, she went out on her own and gave us "Edge of Seventeen," "Leather and Lace," "Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You," "Sometimes It's a Bitch," "Stand Back," "Beauty and the Beast," "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around," "If Anyone Falls in Love," etc. I'm neglecting some.
Janet Jackson, Radiohead, The Zombies, The Cure, Def Leppard, Roxy Music, each and every one of those groups is relevant. I have varying degrees of familiarity with each and every one of them.
Now here is my list of requests for induction into the 2020 class:
1. Boys II Men- They're not in..... They've sold over 60 million albums, and they're not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame... I'll grant you, you are only just now starting to dip your toes into the 1990's. I'll allow, it's been a slow trickle of Janet Jackson, Pearl Jam, Tupac Shakur, Green Day, and Nirvana. NWA had started in the '80's and its respective individual artists thrived in the '90's. What about the band that proudly continued the tradition of Motown's R&B, doo-wop, and soul sound from the 1960's in what was then the present day? "Motownphilly." "End of the Road." "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye to Yesterday." "On Bended Knee." "I'll Make Love To You." "Thank You." "The Water Runs Dry." "One Sweet Day." "Mama." They are missing! I want Wanya Morris, Nathan Morris, Shawn Stockman, and I want Michael McCary to reunite with the band in their induction ceremony. I think it would be really cool to put them on there.
2. The Dave Matthew's Band. So far as I'm aware, The Dave Matthews Band is not inducted. "What Would You Say." "Two Step." "Crash Into Me." "The Space Between." "So Much to Say." "Too Much." That other song in the key of D that was a hit in the 1990's. Their song helped bring garage band rock and roll back. A little bit of grunge. But with the rhythm guitar, it wasn't exactly that. It was plaid shirt flannel wearing Gen X music to be sure, though. I like being able to think about some of the places I went to when I heard this music, some of the things I was doing in 1995. Selling candy bars for Linnaberry's Tae Kwon Do. Watching The Real World IV on MTV in my sister's bedroom, when she got cable on the TV up there. Hearing it on Power 98.9 when we were in the old Maroon Volvo, and Carrie got to pick the music. Hearing it in some gift shop in Breckinridge, Colorado, or at Wrigley Field, when I was thirteen years old. It brings back nostalgia. It's achieved vintage status.
3. New Kids on the Block. I think the magazines made comparisons to The Beatles whe The New Kids on the Block got really big. Look, might this be jumping the shark? Of course! That being the case, go back and induct New Edition first, then work your way back to New Kids on the Block. I was a boy, and I even liked their music circa 1989. Donnie Wahlberg. Jordan Knight. Danny Wood. Jon Knight. Joey McIntyre. These kids had terrific voices. And while it was heavily polished, it was before the age of autotuning really manifested itself. So songs like "Please Don't Go Girl," "You Got It "(The Right Stuff)," "Hangin' Tough," "Stop It Girl," their remake of The Delfonics' "Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time," "Step By Step," "Tonight," "My Favorite Girl," "Whatcha Gonna' Do About It," this was their actual voices. "Games," "Never Gonna' Fall in Love Again," "Popsicle," "Angel," "Be My Girl," "Where Do I Go From Here," "Funny Feeling," "I Need You," "Hold On Girl," and any other ones I've forgotten, it's been a long time since their peak, you can tell it's more or less their voices.
4. Color Me Badd- Now they were kind of a flash in the pan circa 1991 and 1992. But they were a very good flash in the pan. "I Wanna' Sex You Up." "All 4 Love." "I Adore Mi Amor." The band was a neat interracial mix, they were sort of Bad Boys, but they were good to their fans. When they performed at the Adler Theatre circa 1991, they handed out roses to some of the girls in the front row, and gave them kisses on the cheek. And compared to the music from the mid to late '90's, Color Me Badd was actually pretty clean cut. Hey, they also sang back up on Billy Joel's "All About Soul," the single on his 1993 "River of Dreams" album, that may wind up on Greatest Hits Volume 43. (Unless I'm still angry about the current political climate, and I go with "Only the Good Die Young.") I think one of Carrie's friends went to the said concert, and she said she was kissed, was never going to wash her cheek again, and got a rose. Their music was featured in films from that time period such as "New Jack City," "Mo Money," and they were featured on "Glee." They were nominated for two Grammy Awards, two Soul Train Awards, and an American Music Award. Lead singer Bryan Abrams. Second tenor Mark Calderon. Second tenor Sam Watters. Baritone Kevin Thornton are eligible, and I think it'd be cool if they were inducted.
5, M.C. Hammer - I know, he borrowed from many other artists. But his rap was original. The hooks may have been borrowed, but the rap was legit...too legit... "2 Legit 2 Quit." "U Can't Touch This." "This is the Way We Roll." "World Face." "Help the Children." "Crime Story." I quote Wikipedia here that he had "flashy dance moves, choreography, and eponymous Hammer pants. He is considered a "forefather/pioneer" of pop/rap. He was the first rapper to achieve diamond status, RIAA certified, for his albums. BET ranked M.C. Hammer as the 7th best dancer of all time. Vibe Magazine's "The Best Rapper Ever" tournament ranked him the 17th favorite of all time during its first round. Look, his music was catchy. It was enjoyable. And he sounded friendly enough that he could have been one of the Johnson relatives, and that I would have hung out with him at the Johnson's house during Christmas parties, Thanksgivings, and birthday celebrations. I do not say this tongue planted firmly in cheek. I am not doing this as a satire. I would like the Rock Hall to legitimately consider M.C. Hammer for membership. Not only did he sing and dance. He hosted Saturday Night Live in 1991, and played varied characters as Santa Claus and Wilt Chamberlin, and invited Wednesday and Pugsley there to introduce him as he sang a song, or rapped, a track from the soundtrack to Barry Sonnenfeld's 1991 version of The Addams' Family. I enjoy his music immensely, and like with Dave Matthews' Band, it takes me back to the time and place when I remembered hearing it. It was only really popular for a short time, and the cassettes my sister had of his music defined that time.
Other potential inductees:
Bryan Adams
Don Henley
Bruce Hornsby and the Range
Mike + the Mechanics
Phil Collins solo artist
Nelson
Vanilla Ice
Lenny Kravitz
Maxwell
Blessed Union of Souls
Everclear
Jodeci
Ace of Base
Salt 'N' Peppa
TLC
Jon Secada
Shai
The Tony Rich Project
Shania Twain
The Goo Goo Dolls
Collective Soul
Blues' Traveler
Alannis Morrissette
Sophie B. Hawkins
Thank you!
Greg O'Neill
Hi! It's me, Greg O'Neill.
Has it already been a year since I last wrote a letter to you? My goodness, where has the time gone?
First of all, thank you so very much for your inclusive 2019 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class. I like all of the artists who got inducted. For starters, congratulations for Stevie Nicks. In as much as her body of work with Fleetwood Mac didn't hurt her chances of getting in, she wouldn't necessarily need to fall back on that to be inducted. In addition to "Dreams," "Rhiannon," "Silver Springs," "Sara," "Landslide," "Storm," "Gypsy," "Gold Dust Woman," "Seven Wonders," "Sister of the Moon," "No Questions Asked," and "Paper Doll," among others, she went out on her own and gave us "Edge of Seventeen," "Leather and Lace," "Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You," "Sometimes It's a Bitch," "Stand Back," "Beauty and the Beast," "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around," "If Anyone Falls in Love," etc. I'm neglecting some.
Janet Jackson, Radiohead, The Zombies, The Cure, Def Leppard, Roxy Music, each and every one of those groups is relevant. I have varying degrees of familiarity with each and every one of them.
Now here is my list of requests for induction into the 2020 class:
1. Boys II Men- They're not in..... They've sold over 60 million albums, and they're not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame... I'll grant you, you are only just now starting to dip your toes into the 1990's. I'll allow, it's been a slow trickle of Janet Jackson, Pearl Jam, Tupac Shakur, Green Day, and Nirvana. NWA had started in the '80's and its respective individual artists thrived in the '90's. What about the band that proudly continued the tradition of Motown's R&B, doo-wop, and soul sound from the 1960's in what was then the present day? "Motownphilly." "End of the Road." "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye to Yesterday." "On Bended Knee." "I'll Make Love To You." "Thank You." "The Water Runs Dry." "One Sweet Day." "Mama." They are missing! I want Wanya Morris, Nathan Morris, Shawn Stockman, and I want Michael McCary to reunite with the band in their induction ceremony. I think it would be really cool to put them on there.
2. The Dave Matthew's Band. So far as I'm aware, The Dave Matthews Band is not inducted. "What Would You Say." "Two Step." "Crash Into Me." "The Space Between." "So Much to Say." "Too Much." That other song in the key of D that was a hit in the 1990's. Their song helped bring garage band rock and roll back. A little bit of grunge. But with the rhythm guitar, it wasn't exactly that. It was plaid shirt flannel wearing Gen X music to be sure, though. I like being able to think about some of the places I went to when I heard this music, some of the things I was doing in 1995. Selling candy bars for Linnaberry's Tae Kwon Do. Watching The Real World IV on MTV in my sister's bedroom, when she got cable on the TV up there. Hearing it on Power 98.9 when we were in the old Maroon Volvo, and Carrie got to pick the music. Hearing it in some gift shop in Breckinridge, Colorado, or at Wrigley Field, when I was thirteen years old. It brings back nostalgia. It's achieved vintage status.
3. New Kids on the Block. I think the magazines made comparisons to The Beatles whe The New Kids on the Block got really big. Look, might this be jumping the shark? Of course! That being the case, go back and induct New Edition first, then work your way back to New Kids on the Block. I was a boy, and I even liked their music circa 1989. Donnie Wahlberg. Jordan Knight. Danny Wood. Jon Knight. Joey McIntyre. These kids had terrific voices. And while it was heavily polished, it was before the age of autotuning really manifested itself. So songs like "Please Don't Go Girl," "You Got It "(The Right Stuff)," "Hangin' Tough," "Stop It Girl," their remake of The Delfonics' "Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time," "Step By Step," "Tonight," "My Favorite Girl," "Whatcha Gonna' Do About It," this was their actual voices. "Games," "Never Gonna' Fall in Love Again," "Popsicle," "Angel," "Be My Girl," "Where Do I Go From Here," "Funny Feeling," "I Need You," "Hold On Girl," and any other ones I've forgotten, it's been a long time since their peak, you can tell it's more or less their voices.
4. Color Me Badd- Now they were kind of a flash in the pan circa 1991 and 1992. But they were a very good flash in the pan. "I Wanna' Sex You Up." "All 4 Love." "I Adore Mi Amor." The band was a neat interracial mix, they were sort of Bad Boys, but they were good to their fans. When they performed at the Adler Theatre circa 1991, they handed out roses to some of the girls in the front row, and gave them kisses on the cheek. And compared to the music from the mid to late '90's, Color Me Badd was actually pretty clean cut. Hey, they also sang back up on Billy Joel's "All About Soul," the single on his 1993 "River of Dreams" album, that may wind up on Greatest Hits Volume 43. (Unless I'm still angry about the current political climate, and I go with "Only the Good Die Young.") I think one of Carrie's friends went to the said concert, and she said she was kissed, was never going to wash her cheek again, and got a rose. Their music was featured in films from that time period such as "New Jack City," "Mo Money," and they were featured on "Glee." They were nominated for two Grammy Awards, two Soul Train Awards, and an American Music Award. Lead singer Bryan Abrams. Second tenor Mark Calderon. Second tenor Sam Watters. Baritone Kevin Thornton are eligible, and I think it'd be cool if they were inducted.
5, M.C. Hammer - I know, he borrowed from many other artists. But his rap was original. The hooks may have been borrowed, but the rap was legit...too legit... "2 Legit 2 Quit." "U Can't Touch This." "This is the Way We Roll." "World Face." "Help the Children." "Crime Story." I quote Wikipedia here that he had "flashy dance moves, choreography, and eponymous Hammer pants. He is considered a "forefather/pioneer" of pop/rap. He was the first rapper to achieve diamond status, RIAA certified, for his albums. BET ranked M.C. Hammer as the 7th best dancer of all time. Vibe Magazine's "The Best Rapper Ever" tournament ranked him the 17th favorite of all time during its first round. Look, his music was catchy. It was enjoyable. And he sounded friendly enough that he could have been one of the Johnson relatives, and that I would have hung out with him at the Johnson's house during Christmas parties, Thanksgivings, and birthday celebrations. I do not say this tongue planted firmly in cheek. I am not doing this as a satire. I would like the Rock Hall to legitimately consider M.C. Hammer for membership. Not only did he sing and dance. He hosted Saturday Night Live in 1991, and played varied characters as Santa Claus and Wilt Chamberlin, and invited Wednesday and Pugsley there to introduce him as he sang a song, or rapped, a track from the soundtrack to Barry Sonnenfeld's 1991 version of The Addams' Family. I enjoy his music immensely, and like with Dave Matthews' Band, it takes me back to the time and place when I remembered hearing it. It was only really popular for a short time, and the cassettes my sister had of his music defined that time.
Other potential inductees:
Bryan Adams
Don Henley
Bruce Hornsby and the Range
Mike + the Mechanics
Phil Collins solo artist
Nelson
Vanilla Ice
Lenny Kravitz
Maxwell
Blessed Union of Souls
Everclear
Jodeci
Ace of Base
Salt 'N' Peppa
TLC
Jon Secada
Shai
The Tony Rich Project
Shania Twain
The Goo Goo Dolls
Collective Soul
Blues' Traveler
Alannis Morrissette
Sophie B. Hawkins
Thank you!
Greg O'Neill