Tag Archives: iron maiden

Music, Opinion

Some of These Are Not Like the Others: Recognition in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

28 Comments

There’s nothing that’s more important to rock n’ rollers than establishment recognition. Right? Wait…I thought rock was about sticking it to the man in a fit of progressive rebellion! I guess it depends on who you ask. If you ask the good folks at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, they will tell you that the Hall of Fame is a way to highlight those artists who best represent the spirit of rock and whose influence on culture is undeniable. If you ask others, the HoF is a good ol’ boys club in which gatekeepers and those already inducted get to lift up more of their own. 

In reality, it’s probably more in the middle. On one hand, it makes sense to have an institution to preserve and honor the contributions of great musicians. Over the past 65 years, rock & roll has had an incalculable influence on our societal mindset, fashion, business, and art. The music that The Greats have made means many things to different people, but we all have memories and emotions tied to songs, albums, and bands. It’s very edifying to have your favorite singer or band enshrined in the Hall of Fame, proof that others agree with what you’ve always known: that these guys rock. (I want to stress that I use the term “guys” as a gender-neutral collective pronoun).

Continue reading Some of These Are Not Like the Others: Recognition in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame →
Features, Music, Opinion

Rolling Thunder: Top 15 Bassists

1 Comment

Welcome to my first ranked list! I plan to present many such lists in the future, as they are always a fun challenge for me and stir up interesting conversation and debate. Please keep in mind that, as with everything on this site, it is based solely on my opinion and does not reflect some universal mandate.

The inaugural listicle is going to be my top 15 bassists. The topic has been spurred on due to the unfortunate passing of Yes’ Chris Squire, who surely appears here. It got me to thinking about the roll of the bass guitar in rock music. It obviously doesn’t receive the glory of the electric guitar, and bassists are usually relegated to secondary members on stage within the collective cultural consciousness. Of course, this couldn’t be further from the truth – the bass is a vital part of any ensemble. It provides the rhythm, the deep bottom end that gives music its power and inspires people to move. It can serve as a counterpoint to the main melody. Finally, there are lots of bassists that have left their unique mark on the instrument and the world of music. Here are my favorite, ranked from 15 to 1.

Note: As per the main breadth of this blog, I am going to focus only on musicians that can fit primarily into the broad spectrum of “rock” music. As such, there are some fantastic players inherently left off, such as Charles Mingus, James Jamerson, Robbie Shakespeare, Jaco Pastorious, Victor Wooten, and Aston “Family Man” Barrett. Also, this isn’t necessarily saying who is all-around “better;” rather it is my preference ranking based on their style and skill.

Continue reading Rolling Thunder: Top 15 Bassists →