Happy Birthday 80th to the Godfather of British blues John Mayall

Once Again The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has Shown how little they care about Giving Credit where Credit is Due

What I'm going to talk about happened in the past and is going on right now. The fact that they have inducted several leaders of bands but not the whole band. This happened during the first induction ceremony in 1986 when they inducted Buddy Holly and James Brown totally blowing off and screwing both of their bands The Crickets and The Famous Flames. Then in 1987 they would do it again inducting Bill Haley and Smokey Robinson but screwing over The Comets and The Miracles. Over the years this happened again and again  inducting Dion without The Belmonts, Hank Ballard without The Midnighters, Gene Vincent without The Blue Caps and Bill Monroe who is not even a rock musician was inducted without his group the Bluegrass Boys . But what was even more strange was the fact that they inducted Little Anthony and the Imperials, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys and not just Little Anthony, Frankie Lymon, Gladys Knight and Bob Wills the latter being a country artist.

Then in 2012 to try make themselves look good they inducted 6 of these groups all at once hoping nobody would notice their huge mistake. The inducted groups were The Blue Caps, Comets, Crickets, Famous Flames and Midnighters. Smokey Robinson who was the only surviving front-man of the bands inducted presented the awards for all six groups. Even with this they still managed to leave out The Belmonts would lose original member Fred Milano that same year and whose front-man Dion is still alive. Sadly The Belmonts will probably never get in same with pioneering rock groups like Danny and the Juniors or Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs

who have had both it's front-man and backing band screwed over by the Hall which has turned into a popularity contest rather then inducting people who have had an impact on Rock 'n' Roll. Some examples would be Metallica, Public Enemy and Madonna.

Now we come to round two of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame only inducting lead singers.  As they did with the fathers of rock they are doing it again with their children. The first instance of this was in 1994 when Bob Marley was inducted without The Wailers. The next year both Frank Zappa and Neil Young were inducted and their bands The Mothers of Invention and Crazy Horse were excluded. This would keep happening with Bruce Springsteen being inducted without The E Street Band, Prince without The Revolution, Bob Seger without The Silver Bullet Band. Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, Elvis Costello and the Attractions and rappers Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. 

I fear that this will keep happening in the future to other groups should they get inducted including John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, George Thorogood & The Destroyers, Tommy James and The Shondells, Huey Lewis and The News and countless other bands. Even if some of these groups get inducted which won't happen for quite some time they will still probably only induct the front-men. Sadly we probably see more 90's bands like Nickelback, Hanson and Destiny's Child in before many of the bands listed above.

 Fast forward to now and they are still doing this. One of the nominees on this years ballot is Link Wray a hugely influential and pioneering 50's guitarist who along with his backing band His Men have been screwed over time and time again. Being that the Hall is obsessed with Nirvana who is also up for induction and N.W.A and LL Cool J both of whom will get in mainly because they are rap/hip hop artists Link Wray has very little chance. Not to mention that he is not popular like the previous three. Everybody knows that for the most part getting inducted is based on record sales and popularity. That being said the chances of Wray getting in are really slim and the chances of him getting inducted along with his band are even less likely since they have shown us in the past how much they care about backing bands at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Song of the Day/ Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble- Look at Little Sister

Song of the Day/ The Beatles- Good Day Sunshine

Song of the Day/ The Beatles- Run For Your Life

Song of the Day/ Chicago- Make Me Smile

Song of the Day/ Buddy Holly- Lonesome Tears

Song of the Day/ The Rolling Stones- Midnight Rambler

Song of the Day/ Matchbox 20- Real World

Song of the Day/ The Beatles- I'm Only Sleeping

Song of the Day/ AC/DC- Playing With Girls

Song of the Day/ Bill Haley & His Comets- Shake Rattle and Roll

Song of the Day/ Procol Harum- Repent Walpurgis

Song of the Day/ Alanta Rhythm Section- I'm Not Gonna Let it Bother Me Tonight

RIP Pete Haycock guitarist and founding member of Climax Blues Band 1951-2013