"Jann Wenner is single-handedly keeping us out of the Hall of Fame," the mop-topped bass player for the '60s group told Page Six. He said Wenner, who co-founded and is a vice-chairman of the Cleveland-based museum, "doesn't care what the rules are and just operates how he sees fit. It is an abuse of power. I don't know whether The Monkees belong in the Hall of Fame, but it's pretty clear that we're not in there because of a personal whim."
Tork points out a recent incident in which Wenner was accused of intervening with the Hall of Fame's voting committee to induct Grandmaster Flash instead of the Dave Clark Five, even though the British Invasion band had more votes.
"He single-handedly replaced a director and overrode a vote," charged Tork, who now plays with a group called Shoe Suede Blues, which has a new CD, "Cambria Hotel," out and will perform July 3 at The Cutting Room.
Tork believes Wenner doesn't like the fact that The Monkees, who were originally cast as actors for a TV sitcom, didn't play their own instruments on their first two records. "Jann seems to have taken it harder than everyone else, and now, 40 years later, everybody says, 'What's the big deal? Everybody else does it.' Nobody cares now except him. He feels his moral judgment in 1967 and 1968 is supposed to serve in 2007."
Sunday, June 10, 2007
MONKEES SEEK ETERNAL FAME
Hey hey, they're The Monkees, and they want into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. No, really. And band member Peter Tork blames Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner for simian-blocking the band from its due. According to the New York Post:
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4 comments:
I feel the Monkees should be there for the simple reason they brought not just rock and roll and counter culture elements to middle-class living rooms.
However, I'm against the push by some talk-radio guys to put Pat Boone in there. Here is why: He was a pre-rock and roll performer, who covered some rock and roll songs. He is more of a Forties crooner.
The Monkees deserve it more than Phil "#1 With A Bullet" Spector. On the other hand, the whole "Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame" thing is soooo totally bogus.
The Monkees are far overdue for their entry into the Hall. Let's look at their achievements....they sold more records than the beatles during 1966,they had 3 number one hits (I'm a believer,last train to Clarksville,and Daydream believer),and their songs were written by such individuals as Neil Diamond,Carole King,and Gerry Goffin (the last 2 who happen to be in the Hall mainly for their songwriting). I have nothing bad to say about the museum itself. I visited in back in 2004 and must admit that it gets 5 out of 5 stars,but I must agree that just like the many rock n roll lovers I hear out there,the way the process works when inducting an act into the hall is far too horrific. Where is Kiss? Chicago? The Hollies? Styx? Neil Diamond? The Carpenters? KC and the Sunshine band? Donna Summer? Genesis? Journey? Pat Benatar? Rush? What about 50's teen idols who were a big part of rock n roll such as Frankie Avalon,Fabian,or Bobby Rydell? Just to name a few. By me giving examples of acts of different genres such as those above,I am at least being fair and not one-sided. And in case one feels some of the above acts may not fall under "rock n roll" or are not deserving,then you need to go to the Hall's official website rockhall.com and prove to me that every inductee in the Hall is considered "rock n roll" (Grand master Flash...rock n roll?) and is more deserving to be in the hall than those mentioned above (Del Shannon,more deserving than those listed above?). Anyways....let's put the Monkees in the Hall of Fame.
Theere is an online petition to get the Monkees inducted into the R&R H of F....so far, it has about 4500 signatures the last time I looked, a few days ago.
Go here: http://www.PetitionOnline.com/monkees1/
and you will see literally thousands of people's names who have signed it. Some have even left comments. This has been circulating the net in the last month or so! Check it out!
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