It’s time once again for the music industry to start preparing for the one night during the year in which it sizes itself up, pats itself on the back, and listens to a few open-bar-lubricated self-congratulatory speeches: the nominees for the 2008 class of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame include Afrika Bambaataa, the Beastie Boys, Chic, the Dave Clark Five, Leonard Cohen, Madonna, John Mellencamp, Donna Summer, and the Ventures.
Five of the aforementioned artists will make it in; among them, Madonna, the Beasties, Cohen, Bambaataa, Summer, and the Ventures are first-timers, and there’s no doubt in my mind that this year’s roster will inspire much hand-wringing on the part of some people over who, exactly, should count as “rock.” (A friend of mine just heard a snatch of morning radio where the Beasties and Madonna were both being derided for this very reason; Leonard Cohen, however, got a pass, because he’s “been around since, like, the ’40s.”)
And as always, there were some notable names left off the ballot, and it’s time to figure out who got the shaft the most (oh, come on, you know you kind of care):
Over the weekend, the Beastie Boys’ The Mix-Up zipped all over the Internet, just a few weeks before its June 26 release date. More »
– The Beastie Boys’ new album, tentatively titled Puttin’ It Tibet, could be out as early as this summer. [Billboard] – Michael Jackson is in Japan, where he’ll be meeting with fans, and seeking financial advice from a team of bichon frise puppies. More »
