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Both categories are ranked out of seven points one indicating highest importance, and seven the lowest.
Joe Kwaczala:They really have everything you could want in an inducted act.
Those are the main categories.
The Cure does very well in all of them.
KS:My main criteria are: Do I like them?
Do I know them?
Do I have a specific memory from my lifetime with this bands music?
Im all about thatsubjectivity.
No one from that era has been represented.
And you would think, by 2019, we should be past this genre already.
KS:We skipped over New Wave right into grunge.
Weve already inducted Green Day.
Weve already inducted Nirvana.
Weve already inducted Pearl Jam.
And yet we have not inducted these New Wave bands.
KS:This is it.
Theyre opening up the tributary.
The New Wave gates are open and here we come.
JK:Theyre a British band.
So we have mostly British bands in this induction class.
KS:And then American women.
JK:We have found that the Hall is a very American institution that can confound our British friends.
KS:Confoundour British friends?
[imitates posh British accent]Ooh, what is this Hall?
Wheres the loo in this Hall?
JK:The Cure have indicated that they will play.
Although they did seem to make some demands to make it show up.
He said, you better induct Reeves Gabrels, their guitar player who joined in 2012.
KS:The height of The Cures career!
JK:The rumor is that if the Hall said, No way.
Were not going to show up.
But it seems like they will play, so they do care.
KS:And you know my stance: Induct everyone who was ever in the band.
I havent seen it get a lot of press.
KS:Itll be good for the Hall audience to see on the broadcast.
JK:A Hall audience that were assuming is mostly white and male and older.
KS:Why would we assume that?
Because it legitimizes them as a hard rock band and not a hair band.
JK:Which theyve been unfairly lumped in with.
By that I mean this was a lay-up.
KS:I guess it is so easy to write Def Leppard off.
It would be so easy to be like, Why would you put Def Leppard in the Hall?
Theyre a hair metal band.
Theyre of a time of cock rock.
They could be written off as corny.
But theres really no major dud in this class.
Even with the inclusion of Def Leppard.
I dont think theyre a huge dud.
Theyre an expansion of what we think of as Hall-worthy?
JK:For sure.
JK:… a little confounded.
Publicly, theyve been lukewarm.
I dont know if you know, theres a member of Def Leppard named Phil Collen, singular.
But not the drummer.
just not the drummer.
KS:Oh, he could feel the clean-up aspect of their induction.
JK:I think so, but Joe Elliott has been a little more excited about it.
Because theyve also been looked over for a while.
This is 14 years of eligibility at this point.
KS:Did you consider them a snub at all?
JK:Yeah, I do think they were a snub, just given their impact.
KS:I just think that Bon Jovi is what led to this.
JK:They are the populist choice this year without a doubt.
Ran away with the fan vote.
This is the peoples choice, right?
Which I think also makes Def Leppard feel good.
But again, in terms of the Hall, its not really moving the needle.
Still, I think Def Leppard is kind of Bon Jovi done right.
KS:I feel like theyre pretty equivalent.
JK:There are bands like Van Halen and Guns N Roses and Bon Jovi.
And this just kind of fits within that hard rock genre.
JK:Its inevitable.
KS:Those are pretty equivocal bands.
JK:And in the past, they have acted like theydont carewhen they were getting passed over.
KS:[poshBritish accent]Oh who cares?
JK:But as soon as theyre in,the story changesto What an honor.
KS:[British voice]Ooo,thank you.
These are things that the Hall needs to recognize.
But in the past few years, its been a little bit of a dark era.
KS:Or a white era.
JK:Yeah, more accurately, a white era.
KS:She can launch the tributary for my girl Whitney [Houston].
JK:Whitney and so many.
Janet is the first living black woman to be inducted since 2012.
KS:Get it together, Hall.
JK:They are.
Thats why this is really good.
KS:This was the no.
1 artist I wanted to get in the absolute most this year.
This was who I wanted to get in the absolute most.
Do you think shell perform?
JK:I think its 50/50.
We really dont know at this point.
KS:Itd be so interesting if there was a tribute performance to someone who is currently touring.
That seems really weird.
JK:It would be atypical, but its happened before.
Madonna, who was there and accepted her award, did not play at her induction.
Her tribute performancewas Iggy Pop & the Stooges doing Burning Up and then doing Ray of Light.
KS:What?!
JK:It was cool.
I like it because its interesting.
And it was also a cool move because, at that point, The Stooges were not in.
And then they got in two years later.
But it was a cool move, and theres a Michigan connection there.
KS:Thats pretty cool.
So some Gary, Indiana artist could perform for Janet.
JK:I doubt a rock band.
I mean that would be kind of cool, but I dont know.
I would love to see Janet perform.
But this also ties into how we think Janet feels about this induction.
KS:Has she said anything publicly about it?
JK:Very little.
But also its kind of a stuffy organization, and shes very cool.
Would she even really care?
This is also just another feather in Janets cap.
She got a lot of accolades last year alone.
She got anICON Award at the Billboard Music Awards.
And shes got a few other Icon awards of that sort.
KS:Throw it on the pile of trophies, baby.
KS:The FYEs.
JK:Radiohead is the perfect FYE.
A band that gets in as soon as theyre eligible.
KS:Critical darlings, commercial success …
JK:Super successful, commercially and critically.
Have not put out a dud album.
Have been around for 25 years, and they have kept going, theyve never broken up.
They changed the course of music and alt rock.
KS:Yorke went electric, but like electronic.
How often do you get a rock band thats like that?
This is probably the last rock band that represents that.
KS:You dont think Imagine Dragons one day?
JK:You know … well have to see how their career goes.
I just think Radiohead shouldve gotten in as soon as they were eligible.
Who is left that is in that tier of artistry in rock?
And if they didnt get in again a second year, it would almost make it seem irreparable.
KS:Joe, that is big talk.
The system is broken, and if Radiohead doesnt get in on their second ballot, its irreparable.
JK:It would make you wonder whats going on.
But they did get in their second year, so there is hope.
But with Radioheads induction, the answer is a little different, and thats why its so important.
KS:I guess the answer is Mostly.
Will they not be able to understand music that came out in the 90s?
Its a weird thing.
Lets of course talk about what the induction means to Radiohead.
KS:Not a dang thing.
JK:We put them dead last because theyve been pretty open about not caring.
And you might say that their openness about that maybe resulted in them not getting in last year.
They said, We have a gig in South America somewhere.
We gotta do that.
JK:And then they were asked byRolling Stonelast year what they think about it and they seemed confused.
They were like, We really dont understand it.
[posh British accent]Wheres the loo?
JK:I think thats what might have affected the results and why they didnt get in last year.
But we dont think theyre gonna show up to their induction.
Thom Yorke gave some very terrible excuse for why hes not gonna come this year.
It just really seems like they dont care.
And I guess I understand that a little bit, but I dont know.
I guess they can put us in.
Hes like, Well allow you to induct us in absentia.
The Sex Pistols definitely take that.
KS:Do you think maybe theyre second to last, as far as of all-time?
Like caring the least about getting inducted?
JK:Could be.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame also seems like the least Radiohead-punch in thing I could think of.
KS:But boy, I would love it if they would perform.
The thing about them is that they would want to perform no less than an hour and a half.
I cannot see them agreeing to just do three songs and get off the stage.
JK:We fully expect for this induction to be a video package, someone [ed.
We could be surprised.
We dont really know whats going to happen at this point, but thats what we expect.
So this demonstrates that that does not have to be the case.
So this is a good sign for a lot of the more critics bands.
KS:The more esoteric bands.
JK:Concept albums versus a Def Leppard.
KS:In Joes categories, his final category is Does my mom know them?
Has my mom heard of this band?
JK:Right, that is our fun category.
KS:But thats kind of the populist angle.
Thats what takes into account their popularity.
How known are they to the general public, our mothers?
JK:Which is often the most important category.
KS:Has your mom ever heard of Roxy Music?
JK:I think shes heard of Roxy Music.
If I told her Love Is the Drug shed be like Okay, I know that.
But its not as snap-your-fingers clear as some of the other artists.
KS:I think if I texted my mom and said Do you know the band Roxy Music?
she would probably send me back, I think so?
JK:Was that that movie with Meryl Streep where she played a rocker?
Was her name Roxy Music?
KS:Is that Jems back-up band?
Jem and the Roxy Music?
Again, theyre another British band who could probably take it or leave it.
We know that Brian Eno is not coming and, it seems, truly does not care.
KS: Well, of course, he doesnt.
He doesnt have to care.
Hes floating in a sound bath somewhere.
JK:Meanwhile, Bryan Ferry has acknowledged it.
We could see a reunion of this band.
They havent played together in a while.
That could be cool.
KS:Do you think theyll play?
JK:I think they might, yeah.
Because Bryan Ferry still plays, and I think he still plays Roxy Music songs.
KS:Gosh, whoisgoing to play at this induction?
So far … Def Leppard?
JK: Its going to be Def Leppard and The Cure trading songs, back and forth.
Shes first year nominated.
JK:Which is a distinction that is … dubious?
KS:I mean, her and Def Leppard are both first ballot.
JK:And Roxy Music.
It doesnt mean the same thing as FYE because that is like an elite group.
KS:Or they might die any day.
We better get them in.
And like, Oh, theyre finally here.
Lets throw them in.
Whereas it might have taken more ballots decades ago.
The headline here is that Stevie Nicks is the first double inductee woman.
KS:Shes a D.I.W.
A Double Inductee Woman.
JK:There have been double inductees in the past like, Jimmy Page.
I mean, Eric Claptons been inducted three times.
Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Rod Stewart.
So thats why shes kind of in the middle.
We give her points for that in terms of importance for the Hall.
KS:And she was very high on the fan vote as well, right?
JK:Correct, she was no.
[after Dep Leppard].
This is good for the Hall.
Were giving her points because more women inducted is good.
KS:Were very pro-more women in the Hall.
JK:But, at the same time, is this more women or is this the same woman?
Shes already been inducted.
KS:With Fleetwood Mac.
Stevie Nicks is not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?
Her most …
JK:… notable, important …
KS:… and best work.
Listen, Stevie Nicks is an icon and a queen and a legend.
KS: Shes a queen with aqand ak.
All types of queens and good witches.
KS:Shes a witch with aniand ay.
JK:Can you name three Stevie Nicks solo songs that arent a duet?
KS:Edge of Seventeen.
JK:I said no duets.
KS:But if she just sings both parts.
Maybe she could sing both parts?
In terms of songs people that know just from the solo career?
KS:Thats two.
KS:You know how I feel.
It doesnt diminish the Hall.
It doesnt diminish anything for her to be in.
Because people do like and respect her as an artist in her own right, and thats okay.
So put her in.
Shes on peoples pop culture prayer candles and stuff.
I think its great that shes being inducted.
I used to be lukewarm about it, but I actually genuinely think its awesome now.
JS:And you know who else thinks its awesome?
We put her at no.
2 in terms of what it means to her.
KS:Because she has come to many induction ceremonies before.
Shes performed on other peoples tribute performances.
Im here for it.
If it makes Stevie happy, it makes me happy.
JK:How often does Stevie Nicks get honored for her solo career?
So I think this is something really meaningful to her, and she hassaidas much.
Shes been pretty public with the gratitude; this was an unexpected recognition.
1 in terms of importance for them, even though theyre British.
And sometimes the British bands dont really understand what the Hall is.
KS:Theyre confounded!
JK:The Zombies have never been recognized.
Theyve never really received any accolades at all.
KS:They were not recognized in person for years in the beginning of their career.
People didnt know what they looked like.
JK:And literally aband of impostorstoured as them.
They did not get to enjoy their own success.
So the Zombies have had nothing like this before, which is a real recognition of what they achieved.
And they were very involved in getting the vote out for the fans and talking about their nomination.
And then with their induction, they just seem super jazzed.
It is so nice when it is meaningful.
And when you see that they truly do think it is an honor.
They feel recognized and honored by this institution.
I think its probably gonna be a very sweet induction for the Zombies.
JK:And heartfelt.
KS:Maybe thats why Eno wont come.
But [the heartfelt stuff] is about ten percent of the ceremony.
That is an accurate description of some of the performances at these inductions.
KS:I dont know who else needs to be inducted from that era.
JK:Not many.
Especially of British Invasion bands.
Weve seen every other group from that era get in.
KS:Deep Purple.
Were they British, yeah?
JK:Yeah, they were British.
They were a little bit later than the Zombies and British Invasion.
KS:This is it.
It will be serviceable at worst and probably good at best.
Does it mean anything for the future of the Hall?
Its probably the end of the past for the Hall.
KS:Does it mean anything for the future of the Hall?
It is what you think it is.
Well, those are the inductees of 2019.
Like we said, a good crop.
A good group with different eras and different genres that makes for a satisfying induction class.
KS:Especially in comparison to last years class, which was my introduction to this whole stupid thing.
One whole year of my life dedicated to this patriarchal institution!
