PEOPLES ROCK N ROLL HALL OF FAME

Rock 'n' roll fans have been complaining about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland almost since its very inception.  Actually, SINCE its very inception, as a lot of people make the very justifiabe case that there shouldn't be a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the first place.  Seeing bloated old has beens putting on their black ties and patting themselves on the back every year is repugnant to just about anyone who embraces the idea of rock 'n' roll as a rebellious and liberating force.  Real rock 'n' roll isn't a stuffy museum piece. Quite the opposite, in fact - something alive, immediate, and only as tangible as the souls of the people who live it in their own ways every single day.

But, alas, there IS a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and damned if they can't keep screwing it up.  It's never been perfect, but things have only gotten worse in recent years as the annual induction lists seem more and more to be designed for ideal demographic appeal as opposed to honoring the "the contributions of those who have had a significant impact on the evolution, development and perpetuation of rock and roll" (their words).  All the more maddening is their strange and secretive nominating and voting process, which they prefer not to get into.  As a result, a lot of undeniably deserving artists from all eras of rock history are still out in the cold, and it seems like every year there's at least one head scratcher on the inductee list.

And oh yeah, on top of that, they didn't even get the name right.  It's rock 'n' roll people, rock 'N' roll.

This is why it is time for the people to start their own Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame.  And we are.  The PEOPLE'S Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame is up and running on the internet (where else?), and balloting for our first election is open for business.  This Hall of Fame won't be stabbing the soul of rock 'n' roll in the back with formal galas designed to kiss the asses of overrated honorees, and our voting process will be open and fully democratic. 

Here's how it will work: periodically, the People's HOF will issue a list of 25 nominees.  It will be posted on the HOF's blog and linked to through places like this, Facebook, and Twitter.  A certain amount of time will be allowed for balloting, and anyone who wants to participate, ANYONE, can submit their list of up to ten names from the nominee list.  Anyone who gets named on more than 50% of all the submitted ballots gets in.  It's that simple.  And I have faith in the tastes of the great rock 'n' roll public out there to get it right.  Will the Stooges have to watch John Cougar Mellencamp and Metallica get in before their turn?  Will the New York Dolls and Alice Cooper have to suffer the indignity of being snubbed while Aerosmith and Van Halen are given the keys to the castle?  Well, only time will tell, but I trust you.

The first 25 nominees have been announced, the requirement being that only people who were eligible in 1986 (when the Cleveland HOF's inducted their inaugural class) can be on this first ballot.  In the second election, nominees who became eligible for 1987 will be added, and so on.  This first vote will be interesting, as all 25 are undeniably Hall-worthy, and everyone's going to have a tough time whittling it down to ten.  Here's the list of nominees:

LaVern Baker
Chuck Berry
James Brown
Ray Charles
The Coasters
Eddie Cochran
Sam Cooke
Fats Domino
Bo Diddley
The Drifters
The Everly Brothers
Bill Haley & His Comets
Screamin' Jay Hawkins
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
Etta James
Jerry Lee Lewis
Little Richard
Roy Orbison
Carl Perkins
Elvis Presley
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
Big Joe Turner
Gene Vincent
Jackie Wilson
Link Wray

VOTE TODAY at The People's Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame blog