Mats in the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame? Whaddya think?

[hootenanny58]

At the very least, it'd make for the most entertaining induction ceremony of all time! Who knows what the boys'd dream up?

[jotro]

I'd like to see them on a box of Wheaties first.

[hootenanny58]

In dresses or not?

Breakfast of champions of another kind.

[markc]

The Hall of the Fame is a joke, I personally don't give a fuck about Jann Wenner's personal club. That being a given, The 'Mats are far more deserving than many in the "Rock'n'Roll" Hall of Fame. I would like to see them play the gig though - In my deluded imaginary mind they get inducted by Keith Richards, who then rocks out with them in a shambling mess blaze of glory

[Schecky]

who would introduce them?

[bobb]

I think Peter Buck would be a good possibility for introducing/inducting. In the RRHOF already and has a personal history with the band.

[scottiem]

I think it would be a terrific thing to have them inducted. No matter how much controversy or musical politics are involved. I believe it is an honor. Most acts that are in the hall are very deserving. The RRHOF is a place for the public to enjoy and be educated of who created, influenced and produced this great musical genre. Most people who visit the hall do so because the love of music and it's history... They don't know who Jann Wenner is or the politics involved..etc. I actually believe the surviving Mats would be ok with it.

My guess is the Replacements will be inducted in the next few years...

[paulinetrouble]

Ya mean day aint?

[worldclassfad]

I honestly hope they don't. They are the worlds greatest rock and roll band, they don't need to be put in a hall of fame for that to be recognized.

[anarkissed]

No, I want them in there...For that matter, I'd like to see them awarded the Kennedy Center honors...In fact, I'll take that over the Hall...Lifetime Grammy Achievement Award...Nobel Prize for Physics...Maybe they could add four, (or five) busts on the side of Mount Rushmore...I'm old...I'm not gonna be around much longer...I'll take all the plastic and ultimately meaningless validation and confirmation I can get...

[hootenanny58]

I dunno.

The Clash and the Ramones are in. The New York Dolls ain't, so maybe yer right: the HoF is a PoS.

BTW, r u really Dennis Leary quoting George Costanza, or is that just plastic, meaningless validation?

Wouldn't that be cool?

[anarkissed]

The New York Dolls aren't in there?!! That is a travesty...Or at least a transvestite...

[Jer]

Oct 9, 2013 20:27:48 GMT -5 scottiem said:

My guess is the Replacements will be inducted in the next few years...

No way this will happen. There are loads of bands who would get in before them, deserving or not. The Replacements should never get in before Big Star and Cheap Trick. That would be as ridiculous as, say, Metallica getting in before Deep Purple, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. Like that would ever happen. Um...wait.....

I got into a discussion last night about the RRHoF with a friend, and for me it comes down to the fact that it's a really cool museum to visit and a sometimes interesting night/ceremony of inductions and performances, but the actual hall itself holds little credibility as an acknowledgement of talent/influence/impact. Sometimes they get it right, but when they don't it's just an obvious commercial venture that spits in the face of what Rock & Roll is all about. I love seeing the cool stuff at the museum, but the actual induction process makes me a little sick.

Seriously, though, I don't see the `mats ever getting in. As much as we love them, I don't think they're appreciated at that level. Not that it would happen either, but I could see Husker Du getting in before them. Despite less commercial success they were arguably more influential in spearheading a couple different movements and sounds.

[gowhileucan]

I'm one of those people who thinks they'll eventually get in (not that it matters). They have aged well (much better than Husker Du really) and they have a narrative/myth thing that lends itself to sort of championing them.

I'd say unlike Husker Du (who I love too) they have had a far more pervasive influence in subsequent music. I hear them in almost every major Rock genre that followed for good and bad - Grunge, Alt-Country, Emo, Roots Rock, New Garage, any type of Indie, new power-pop, schmaltzy radio friendly alternative too.

I was shocked in Color Me Obsessed when Robert Christgau didn't think they were particularly influential - that's the whole key to their continued legend - they were in the lineage of great Rock bands and put a touch of influence on it to subsequent bands to this day as well.

They were nothing new and totally unique at the same time.

[anarkissed]

I think the ultimate reason they'll go into the Hall is because they are exactly the kind of choice that the Hall board likes to put in there to prove that they have legitimate artistic taste and are, well, kinda hip...A band that never really sold any records, and average people have never heard of, but sometimes got really good reviews and had a sort of anti-establishment cachet? Geez, that's right up their alley...That's probably also exactly why KISS isn't in there...They wouldn't feel good about themselves or look cool to their friends if they put KISS in there...

[FreeRider]

I think I agree with Jer....I just don't see it happening. It's almost like the Replacements are only for the "cognoscenti". There are just too many hurdles to cross and I doubt if they have enough advocates in their panel of "experts" to vote them in let alone nominate them. It's as if they're too much of a cult type band to be recognized.

And for me, I don't take a whole lot of stock in the Hall. Just my personal thought on it. In some respects, I tend to think that the Mats rather have the respect and acknowledgement of their peers. But hell, I could be wrong....

[Jer]

I respectfully disagree with gowhileyoucan about the Husker's influence (vs The Replacements). They were influential in 2 huge ways - their work ethic and approach, and their sound.

They were at the very forefront of the DIY movement that preceded all the punk bands (SST, Dischord, etc) who would go on to network and tour across the US & beyond. They started their own label, booked their own tours, and really were one of the very first to DIY - which has NEVER ceased to this day. Bands are still doing what the Huskers did first.

Secondly, their sound was more innovative than The Replacements. Their hardcore stuff, probably not, but starting with Zen Arcade they brought a real intelligence into punk that most other bands didn't. But really, it was after that, starting with New Day Rising, where they really began to infuse pop and melody with the screaming guitar tones and tempos. At the time, no one was doing stuff like Celebrated Summer and Makes No Sense At All. Of course there were bands like Gang of Four or Mission of Burma, but neither was quite the same. It set the stage for bands like The Pixies, Smashing Pumpkins, Jesus & Mary Chain, MBV, and then even the (often lame) pop-punk stuff like Blink182. I know Billie Joe cites the Replacements as a big influence too, but they usually sound closer to Husker Du.

The Replacements sound - though totally great - was not as innovative. They were a bar-rock band, sometimes punky, sometimes blusey, sometimes mellow and introspective - but these things were already on the table thanks to The Stones, Faces, Big Star, Cheap Trick and even the Huskers - who were a huge influence to the early Mats stuff. What really set them apart from the pack was a) the amazing songs and b) their antics, which too often took precedence over everything else. You can't take away how important their songs are - hugely influential to many. If they ever get in it will be because of the songs. Their antics, unfortunately, will make a lot of voter's skip right over them. Ararkissed mentioned KISS, who isn't in but clearly should be - massively influential and popular. Just like KISS is ignored as the band who wore makeup and costumes, the Replacements are the band that got shitfaced and played cover songs. That's the RRHOF mentality.

I could almost fathom a hipster-vote-in perhaps, but it just seems so unlikely. It just seems that there are so many glaring holes that would have to be filled first. Sorry, but the Chili Peppers are in the Hall of Fame wile Joan Jett and Big Star aren't, and we're asking about The Replacements?

[holeinthedrapes]

Oct 9, 2013 3:28:29 GMT -5 Schecky said:

who would introduce them?

Alex Chilton on behalf of those that inspired them and Curt Cobain on behalf of those they inspired.

[jas]

Oct 11, 2013 16:55:12 GMT -5 gowhileucan said:

I'm one of those people who thinks they'll eventually get in (not that it matters). They have aged well (much better than Husker Du really) and they have a narrative/myth thing that lends itself to sort of championing them.

I'd say unlike Husker Du (who I love too) they have had a far more pervasive influence in subsequent music. I hear them in almost every major Rock genre that followed for good and bad - Grunge, Alt-Country, Emo, Roots Rock, New Garage, any type of Indie, new power-pop, schmaltzy radio friendly alternative too.

I was shocked in Color Me Obsessed when Robert Christgau didn't think they were particularly influential - that's the whole key to their continued legend - they were in the lineage of great Rock bands and put a touch of influence on it to subsequent bands to this day as well.

They were nothing new and totally unique at the same time.

Christgau also said he didn't think Tommy was a very good bassist, even as many of his peers in the same movie raved about him as a bass player. I took quite a bit of what Christgau had to say with a grain of salt.

As for the 'Mats in the RRHOF, of course I want them there. Yes, the industry has made it a farce. (Like someone else said...Metallica before Maiden and Priest? Not recognizing the influence of Deep Purple. Killing the Monkees for having session players and professional songwriters, while applauding Motown for the very same approach. Throw in the mediocre talents that are gift-wrapped in due to their relationships with Wenner - Billy Joel and John Mellencamp...really?) They deserve it, and I think they're getting in.

[hootenanny58]

Stop stop stop.

You're all thinking too hard.

Considering the competition - and I've thought through the Rolling Stone list - there's no band there that remotely embodied the spirit of art as did our boys. The Mats could be relied upon to create in the moment - every moment that they could. Everyone else on that list was a karaoke version of themselves at their best - hardly an artistic sense among the lot of them.

I just listened to Tommy's "Better Days" from the almost-never-was Perfect album ten times in a row. Holy f*ck sh*t! This was a throw-away? "Smoke on the Water" is better???

Shut the front door!!!!