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The Ben Maynard Program
EP. 78 Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Nominees 2025, Debating Snubs, and The Power of Friendship!
How can an artist as influential as Chubby Checker not be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Join us on a heartfelt journey as we reconnect with my dear friend Spaz and ponder this and other mysteries surrounding the 2025 nominees. We reminisce about our past collaboration celebrating Foreigner's induction, and this Valentine's Day episode adds a special touch to our discussions. With our cherished bi-monthly meetups bridging the miles between us, we share stories of friendship and the music that binds us all.
We dive headfirst into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's nomination process, shining a spotlight on bands like Bad Company, who, despite their monumental contributions, have yet to receive a nod. Spaz and I share our thoughts on potential candidates, exploring the unique cases of artists like Mariah Carey, whose rock music connections stir debate, and Oasis, whose reunion reignites their relevance. We examine the complex dynamics of the Hall of Fame, from hip-hop's inclusion with Outkast to the overlooked brilliance of bands like REO Speedwagon and Styx.
As we wrap up, we champion the legacies of icons like Loverboy and Rick Springfield while making a compelling case for Phil Collins' solo recognition. Our passion for rock music shines through as we express our goals for growing the Ben Maynard Program, emphasizing the importance of community and connection. Despite the absence of financial motivation, our dedication to celebrating music and fostering listener engagement remains our driving force. Tune in for a journey through rock history, personal stories, and the enduring power of friendship and music.
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It's a good question. Hey there, welcome into the Ben Maynard program. Thanks for being here. It's been a little bit, hasn't it? Yes, it has. Well, thanks for spending your time with us and before we get started, I'll just remind everyone that this program is available wherever you get your podcasts, but if you can't resist a little bit of this and a little bit of that over there and you're watching on YouTube, thank you so much for doing so. Just have a few things to ask. Please subscribe to the channel, hit that notification bell, give me a thumbs up and leave a comment. All right, love the comments and you know I read them and I reply to all of them. Last but not least, follow me on Instagram. Simply Ben Maynard program. All right, so short and sweet, plenty of ways to take in this show for your dancing and listening pleasure. And, as you can see, look who's back. Look who is back, yes, gracing the studio with his presence, my dear friend Spaz. Thanks for coming in thanks.
Speaker 2:Happy new year, happy well, we haven't, we haven't done.
Speaker 1:I haven't been on the show. No it's been a little bit. I think the last, I think the last episode we did together. The last show we did was, uh, last year, but it was our Foreigner Show, when we did our I think we did our top 20 Foreigner songs or something like that.
Speaker 1:That was our last show we were celebrating Foreigner's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which was last year, exactly of which that's what we'll be talking about tonight is, uh, you know, the 2025 class of rock and roll hall of fame nominees. All right, we'll get into that in a second, but but, yeah, it's, it's. That was the last show that that we did together. That's correct, um and uh, it's good to have you back, but it's not the last time we saw each other, no, true.
Speaker 2:We know that.
Speaker 1:We do this thing. All of us guys, the tough guys, those are the guys that we all grew up together. We still hang out with each other. We still love one another. We don't fight like we used to anymore, but we still love one another and like to get together. We try to do it every three months. We're starting a little slow, but we try to do it every three months, where we get together and have breakfast or lunch. We just did it two weeks ago, I think it was About two weeks. God, that was so much fun. What? Two? Like two weeks ago, I think it was about two weeks. God, that was so much fun. It was just such a good time. It was just such a good time. No, it's like there's it's, it's no pressure, it's uh, everybody, we just, you know, we, we've got a big table and we order a breakfast and and, and we just gab. I think we're there like three, three and a half hours.
Speaker 2:I laughed at that table too, yeah, it was.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was a nice visit, it was fun it was, it was a good time, it was good to see everyone, and my brother, chuck, was in town. He made it into town, uh, specifically just for that breakfast. So that was really good. So all the guys were there minus one. We had you, we had myself, we had Chuck, we had Tom, we had Nelson, matt and Javier, correct, and the only one missing was Bob.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, we don't need his name.
Speaker 1:I know we probably shouldn't even mention his name Doesn't deserve it. But yeah, but Bob was missing and, truth be told, this is a step in the right direction. Us doing this, and we've had a text thread with the whole group of us. Gosh, we've had a text thread going for a few years now, haven't we? And it's just, you know, it's like we send out happy birthday greetings to whoever's birthday it is, or, you know, happy St Patrick's Day or Merry Christmas, whatever it is. We kind of communicate to each other that way is we kind of communicate to each other that way?
Speaker 1:But we started slow with this getting together, committing to getting together every three months, because uh, um, well, it started actually started right after your dad had passed away last year, that's what. And I remember I would. We were sitting there at, uh, the, the, at the reception afterwards and I'm thinking to myself no, this is enough, enough's enough, forget this, we're not doing this anymore, I mean. And so that's when I started putting the text out and I was like okay, guys, we're committing to this once every three months, that's four times a year, you guys can commit, and everybody's like come on board. Then the sad part is we don't live that far from one another?
Speaker 2:No, not necessarily. I think we'll all be just the farthest. I think Exactly.
Speaker 1:I think the furthest drive would be about 45 minutes. You know, maybe 50 minutes tops. You and I we're like 25 minutes apart.
Speaker 2:Everybody else is like 25 minutes apart.
Speaker 1:Everybody else's are like 25 minutes apart, 30 minutes apart, and except for my brother, yeah, and bob they're the out-of-towners, the rest of us we're real close, so but that's why it's baby steps right now. So, but it was great, man, we had a good time. We had a good time a couple weeks ago and, and, uh, I think our server really appreciated it because, yeah, she made some good money. Yeah, that morning she got tipped, yeah, she did, but, uh, anyway, okay, so back to business at hand, all right. Uh, today is friday, february 14th, okay, so so, yes, it's Valentine's day. So thank you to spaz, his wife Nancy, and thank you to mine, catherine, for letting letting us do this on Valentine's day of all days but they're smart women because they know they want no part of Valentine's day as far as going out and doing anything.
Speaker 1:You know they, they're smart that way, especially on a Friday. Yeah, that too're smart that way, especially on a Friday. Yeah, that too, that too. So, not only a Friday, but a holiday on a Friday. So, yeah, so, we'll take care of business, like you know, tomorrow when it's not so nutty, but yeah, so, thank you to our lovely wives for allowing us to do this, come up into studio and and and do this, and you know, what we're going to be discussing, like I mentioned earlier, is the rock and roll hall of fame. Nominees for 2025 came out Wednesday. They were announced and I thought, well, shoot, we did this.
Speaker 2:We did this last year and I went over. Yeah, we did 2024, we did, we did um and uh.
Speaker 1:So I thought, well, you know what, this just might be a yearly thing, we'll do it again, that's right. Let's talk about the nominees. We'll talk about the inductees when that comes around, all that good stuff, um, since we do talk a lot of music on this show, and so we both, we have our. You know, we have a list of the nominees and we're going to. What we're going to do is we're going to treat this like, like we're voters and these are going to be our ballots, okay, so we're going to discuss these nominees and who we would vote for, and we're going to give our reasons why we feel that they're deserving and go on from there. All right, so strap in everybody. Let's have some fun. Okay, oh, let's do this here too. Let's do this Right, I forgot to put the banner up. Right, fun, okay, oh, let's do this here too. Let's do this Right, forgot to put the banner up Right there. Yeah, okay, yeah, so, let's do that. So, yeah, so, okay.
Speaker 1:So, first thing was Wednesday, the nominees came out and I think the cool part is there's, I think, 14 nominees. The rules have changed a little bit over the years with the, I guess, the voting committee I think it used to be. You got to vote for five and I think last year was the first year they allowed for the voting body to elect seven. So we're going to stick with that number, seven and we'll go about it that way. The cool part about this list and tell me if you agree there's a lot of rock and roll on it this year.
Speaker 2:Yeah, there is. And some non-rock and roll, of course, of course.
Speaker 1:Because that's what the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame does, especially, maybe the last 20 years or so.
Speaker 1:But yeah, there's a lot of rock and roll this year, a lot of rock acts or bands, you know artists, you want to categorize that, so that's the good thing. It's not like you have to pull teeth to figure out who you're voting for and that kind of stuff, all right. So why don't we just get right into it? Okay, and let's just go right from the top of the list the way that the nominees were put out, all right. And right at the top of the list is a band that has been snubbed since, since they have been eligible, and this band Is bad company.
Speaker 2:Rick. I mean, this band has been out since the 70s, you know I mean. Snubbed each and every year, so it seems.
Speaker 1:But yeah, I mean.
Speaker 2:They're a great band Period.
Speaker 1:Absolutely.
Speaker 2:We saw them live. Yep, what the year 2000?
Speaker 1:2001,. Yeah, we saw them live in Las Vegas.
Speaker 2:It was a great show. Of course it was awfully hot that day, but it was a great show. They weren't the only ones performing. There was quite a few bands performing that day.
Speaker 1:But they were very, very good. They put on a great show. And to what you said, yes, the band was established in 1973 and the, the way the the rock and roll hall of fame looks at your eligibility, it's it's 25 years from the release of your first album.
Speaker 1:All right, oh, that's interesting yeah and, and the first album from Bad Company came out in 75. Now what's weird is that Bad Company is kind of an offshoot of Free, because you had three of the four members from Free kind of form Bad Company, and so it's kind of weird, and we'll talk about it later because there's something that kind of is very similar to what I'm going to bring up. But they could, you know, the nominating committee could have just said bad company, slash free and included both bands why not? But they didn't, which is weird because, like I said, we'll get into that a few line items down on the list here. But yeah, bad Company established in 73, first album in 75, they've been eligible for 25 years and never ever been on a ballot, even until now. And you're talking Paul Rogers, one of the great singers in rock and roll.
Speaker 2:Just, such an incredible voice.
Speaker 1:Well, they put out good music. Good music, you know. I'll tell you what. I'll tell you what I mean. They put out some incredible music. They were signed to Led Zeppelin's label, Swan Song and, like I said, they put the first album out in 75. They put out a greatest hits package. I can't remember what year it was, but it was called 10 from 6.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I have that yeah.
Speaker 1:I mean my gosh, those 10 songs on there are absolutely. You know, usually a band will put out a greatest hits package and there's like one or two songs that you're like was that really kind of like a hit song or you know?
Speaker 1:the hit to them, but maybe yeah, but but 10 from six all 10 of those songs got got heavy radio play and especially rock radio play, so that 10 from 6 is tremendous and rock and roll fancy oh yeah, yeah, just great song, great, great, great song. So they're, they're, you know, they're finally on a ballot, so good for bad company, okay next. So we'll just go down, we'll run down the list, maybe, maybe I should. Maybe we should run down the list before we start getting into the discussion on each artist, because yeah, we'll be here forever.
Speaker 1:Exactly, exactly, okay. So next on the list is the black crows, all right, yeah, uh, then mariah carey and roll. She's not chubby checker.
Speaker 2:Hey, okay, joe Cocker.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, joe Cocker Another one right here coming up Hasn't has never been on a ballot, so never even considered. And it's so good to see him. Oh boy, billy Idle, yeah, love it, love. Good to see him. Oh boy, billy Idol yeah, love it, love it, love it. Then you've got Joy Division slash New Order. So again, like I had mentioned, with Bad Company they could have put.
Speaker 2:Bad Company slash Free.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they could have done that They've got Joy Division, slash, new Order and so because well, new Order new order. Wait, how'd it go? I think new order came before joy division, I don't.
Speaker 1:I don't recall, um, um maybe one, maybe somebody out there can tell yeah, somebody you can leave it in the comments leave a comment, let us know, because what a loss I, I was doing some, I was doing some research on this, I was looking it up and I just don't remember, um, because it's a little bit out of my wheelhouse, yeah, but um, but the lead singer for the band, um, it was. I think it was joy to be in. That was one of my. Like I said, I don't recall, I'm sorry. I think it was New Order. I don't remember Clobber Me, it's okay, it's all right. Clobber Me on this one, yeah, but the lead singer had passed. He died of suicide. Actually, he died of suicide the night before they were supposed to start their American tour oh boy, yeah. Before they were supposed to start their american tour, oh boy, yeah. So, um, so, needless to say, then the the remainder of the band uh, decided to carry on and then they got a new lead singer, but they changed the name of the band.
Speaker 1:Now, both bands were very, uh, influential in the new wave post-punk, um, in the new wave post-punk genre, and so I think this is the first time Joy Division's been on a ballot. And then, right after that, we got Cyndi Lauper, because girls just want to have fun, right? I don't know if this is, I can't recall if this is Cyndi's first time on a ballot or not. I don't recall. I don't know if this is. I can't recall if this is Cindy's first time on a ballot or not, I don't recall, I don't either. Now here's another band and I know you've never heard of them because I never heard of them Mana. Actually, I'm sorry, it's Mana Mana. Now they're a band, spanish rock band. Yeah, they're from Mexico and and they're pretty popular down there big time they've been around, I think since around 1983, I think, yeah, something like that.
Speaker 1:But yeah, it is actually, but I've never I I never heard of them, me, neither you've never heard of them I. I don't know what kind of following they have. Um, I know they lean more on the pop side than the rock and roll side, but I think they're kind of a mix of the two. Then we have Oasis.
Speaker 2:Oh good, new Wee man.
Speaker 1:Then we have Outkast. That's more from the hip-hop rap world. Then we have Phish yeah rock and roll band and Soundgarden. Good, I think Soundgarden's been on the ballot before once or twice.
Speaker 2:One hit wonder.
Speaker 1:And then the White Stripes. Okay, the White.
Speaker 2:Stripes. Don't know them either. Well, you know one song for the White Stripes.
Speaker 1:I don't even know the name of it, but it's their biggest song. It came out, I think, 1998 or not. Yeah, 98, 99, something like that I don't know the name of it, but you know it. When they, when, when it gets played, you know it. Oh okay uh, definitely, because I know the song too. I'm not like crazy about it or anything but, but you know, it big time.
Speaker 1:Well, okay, big time. So, all right, excuse me for that. So let's go through our ballot. All right, let's go through our ballot. Let's see who we are going to be electing. If we were part of the voting body for the rock and roll hall of fame, you first, let's start right at the top With that company. We're part of the voting body for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. You first, let's start right at the top.
Speaker 2:With Bad Company.
Speaker 1:Mm-hmm.
Speaker 2:How many votes are we allowed? Seven, no, no.
Speaker 1:Well, you're allowed to vote for seven, seven different bands. Yes, oh, okay, seven of these. Okay, well, bad.
Speaker 2:Company's in no matter what I mean, they're a great band. You Well, Bad Company is in no matter what I mean, they're a great band. You know Rock and Roll, fantasy, it's a great band. Yeah, and they've been great for years.
Speaker 1:I'm just surprised they finally got themselves nominated through the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and they deserve to be there, believe me. Yeah, 2025 is 50 years from the release of their debut album and, as I said, they've been eligible since the year 2000. Definitely so deserving. Definitely so deserving. Should have been in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 20 years ago at the worst, but, as I said, never even nominated. To me, that's even more criminal than the fact that they're. I definitely think they're a shoo-in. Yeah, I definitely think they're a shoo-in.
Speaker 1:I agree so, but I think the fact that they have never been on a ballot is more criminal than the fact that they're going to finally get in this year, because that's just insane to me. Yeah, but to be on a ballot and never get in is, you know, is one thing, but never even be considered is completely different. It's insane. So yeah, definitely so. You and I agree Our vote would go for bad company. Yes, all right, black Crows.
Speaker 2:Black Crows I'm not really familiar with. There's a few songs yeah, I do like. Uh, I'm not sure if this is this is the first time, bella or not. I don't think they're ready to to be let in, because I I just feel that there's other bands that have more to serve me okay all right.
Speaker 1:well, black crows they established in 1984. They put their first album out in 1989, and that was Shake your Money Maker, and that's the one that had huge hits on it. They've been eligible since 2014.
Speaker 2:So, basically, 11 years, 10 years they've been eligible.
Speaker 1:I believe this is the first time they've been on the ballot, at least from memory anyhow. Uh, me personally I think the Black Crows are deserving of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. A couple of reasons. When they broke, they broke during an era of 80s hard rock Bon Jovi, poison Rat, motley Crue, those bands and when the Black Crows broke they were nothing like those bands, I mean completely different than those bands and they didn't just break but they broke through and it was that Southern rock, kind of a bluesy flair, kind of a. Honestly, it was very dirty, if you want to call it that, kind of just or dirgy I've used that term once or twice on the podcast to describe something but just like dirgy, but very influential at that time and a good sound, not necessarily unique, but unique at that time based on what was going on at that time.
Speaker 1:So I do, I like the Crows and they've been back touring now the Robinson Brothers for the last couple, three years or so, four years Maybe. I need to see them live. You know what? We should check it out. You and I we love going to shows together. We should. We should see if they're coming to the area anytime this year. Check them out, get ourselves in there, I know we'd have a good time.
Speaker 1:I'm sure we would. I'm sure we have a good time We'd probably be up.
Speaker 2:I'm sure we would.
Speaker 1:I'm sure we'd be up dancing the whole time.
Speaker 2:Well, you will. I only do that when I drink, and I don't drink anymore, so it's on him. All right, we'll watch you.
Speaker 1:Okay, all right. Third on the list, mariah Carey.
Speaker 2:Oh so wait, wait.
Speaker 1:Okay, so Black Crowes. I'm sorry, let me back up. So Black Crowes was a yes for me, but not yet for you. Yeah, not yet for me All right. Cool, cool. Okay, all right, so now let's move on.
Speaker 2:Mariah Carey, although she's very popular. Yep, I'm not ready to vote her in yet. Okay, she owes me money. Okay, and let me tell you a quick story about that. We went to go see her at Dodger.
Speaker 1:Stadium. Let me put my hair behind my ears first. Do what you got to do.
Speaker 2:I want to hear. I took the wife to Dodger Stadium because she wanted to see her in concert. She headlined the band's Wango tangles with their shows. Called for Kiss FM, she came on and did one song and took off and never came back.
Speaker 2:Of course, the excuse they gave out, which is true, it's unfortunate, but it's true she had stage fright. What a punk. How in the world do you have stage fright if you're going to perform? If you're not going to perform, don't. She has good Christmas music. So I'll say that I'm not sure I'd vote her in yet. I'd give her probably another couple more years, Depending on who it is.
Speaker 1:I think she was on the ballot last year and obviously didn't get in. I don't recall if last year was the first think she was on the ballot last year and obviously didn't get in. I I don't. I don't recall if last year was the first time she was on the ballot or not. You know, here's the thing. The rock and roll hall of fame has really broadened their scope um in the last 20 years.
Speaker 2:yeah, they, yeah, certainly do.
Speaker 1:And I mean it's called the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, not the Disco Hall of Fame, not the Hip Hop Hall of Fame, not the Country Music Hall of Fame Outside of disco. I think rap and hip hop have their own hall of fame. I know country music has its own hall of fame and they don't allow artists out of the genre in those halls of fame. Yeah, so I I don't understand the logic and the thinking. Well, I do a little bit, um, I just don't think it's right um, behind why the hall of fame does it.
Speaker 1:You know, the bottom line is in all of this. You'll see, when we go through the list, you're going to see some older acts, you're going to see some newer acts and then you see stuff that's out of the genre and they're trying to tell you that everything is rock and roll. If you talk to John Sykes who runs, not the guitar player, not the musician, but if you talk to John Sykes who runs the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, no, everything is rock and roll, is all encompassing, it's basically whatever you say it is. So I suppose if you and I took a hammer and nails and a saw and made a bunch of noise. We could call it rock and roll and maybe we'd be eligible in 25 years Stupid.
Speaker 2:But nonetheless, that's our opinion. You're welcome to go on and voice yours.
Speaker 1:Unfortunately, the bottom line in it is it's their Hall of Fame, it's their deal. They can make or change the rules as they see fit, which they do, which they do and they have back to Mariah Carey. Other than on a morning show, when they're talking about an artist or maybe even having a few chuckles or a few laughs, mariah Carey does not get played on rock radio no. I don't. Mariah Carey is not played on rock radio, so then she would not be considered rock and roll and yeah, of course, she's quite popular.
Speaker 1:Sold a bazillion records.
Speaker 2:She has a great voice, there's no doubt about that. She's owed me $150. Yeah, well, yeah.
Speaker 1:And primarily because she owes Spaz some money. She's definitely not getting my vote?
Speaker 2:No, she's not getting mine either.
Speaker 1:That's the only reason, mariah, you're out. Better luck next year.
Speaker 2:Yeah, snub.
Speaker 1:She's a snub. Okayub, she's a snub, so she's a no for the both of us sorry, mariah too bad, so sad I'm glad alright. So next on the list is Chubby Checker, and I think you and I probably have some differing opinions on this.
Speaker 2:I think Chubby Checker should make it. He's been in the business for many, many years and, of course, the twist has always been popular. Everybody else is singing it. Now Different acts are singing it, but yeah, it started with him and I'll go with that.
Speaker 1:I wouldn't induct him, I'll induct him. You know, when I heard his name or saw it actually I saw it first before I heard it when I saw his name on the ballot, I was kind of I was quite surprised yeah because chubby checker, he was an established artist. In 1958 his first release and and back then there was there was a lot of singles put out before albums.
Speaker 2:Yeah, a little different, but his first release was 1959.
Speaker 1:So he's been eligible since 1984. Now I don't remember when the first class went into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I think it was like 1986, I think it was. I could be off a year or two on that, but I think it was 86. So now I believe in that first class you had artists like bats. Domino might have had chuck berry in there. Chubby checker falls right in line with those guys.
Speaker 1:So, like I said, I was very surprised to see his name on the ballot, because I thought that chubby checker was already in the rock and roll hall of fame and, I think, deservedly so, because he, along with, along with, like I said, chuck Berry, bats, domino, elvis Presley, those artists, little Richard Don't forget Little Richard, no way those artists were the foundation of rock and roll. They were the foundational artists of rock and roll and so to almost, like you know, founding fathers, so to speak, and so to not have him included for all these years is kind of criminal, and so I mean, I just think he's so deserving anyway. Yeah, he only had like two big hits, but it was the influence, it was the influence factor. You know, yeah, you know, you get the twist, you get twist again. He had another couple songs, hey, but come on, how many people get their own commercial in the 70s? Remember that coffee, the freeze-dried crystals, brim?
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and he had his commercial. Come on, baby.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's right.
Speaker 1:Let's do the brim twist.
Speaker 2:I forgot about that.
Speaker 1:That's right, let's do the brim twist? I can't remember that. Yeah, and they had the. Do the brim twist? I can't remember, yeah, and they had the jar of brim there and it would be twisted. You know all that kind of stuff. So, but yeah, no Chubby Checker definitely definitely.
Speaker 1:He's like. He's like 83 or 86 right now too. And the thing is also, when you have to think about this too and this thing, when I mentioned this, this takes bad. I mean, I'm thinking about bad company as well. You want these artists that are deserving of this honor to be in the Hall of Fame, you want them to be able to celebrate and enjoy it too. You want them in before they die. And, like I said, chubby Checker's in his 80s I don't know if he has any health problems. I know, in regards to Bad Company, paul Rogers has had a lot of health issues the last couple of years, in fact, so much so he did put out a solo album a little over a year ago, but he is done performing because of the health issues that he he's had. He's had, I think, a few strokes or maybe heart attacks, one of the two, something like that. It's heart related.
Speaker 1:Nonetheless, you want to get these guys in before they die yeah and the and the rock and roll hall of fame has screwed that one up plenty of times in the past, so anyway. So yes, chubby, you get my vote. You're in chubby as far as I'm concerned okay uh, and that's a yes for you too, right? Yes? All right, okay, well, we're, we're okay on on. Uh, two of four right now, all right. Next up is jo is Joe Cocker.
Speaker 2:Joe Cocker is in. Yeah, his, he's got loads of music Tell me about it, Come on man, I just there's so many songs that I just don't, I just don't remember, but there are so many songs that he's performed that. They're awesome.
Speaker 1:Come on, I think everyone is going to agree. Well, you don't have to agree what his biggest song is.
Speaker 1:Uh, you are so beautiful I think it's I think it's uh, you're so beautiful, or a little help from my friends, that's correct. Or A Little Help From my Friends? Yes, correct. And you know, I think Paul McCartney even said that A Little Help From my Friends. That's not a Beatles song, that's a Joe Cocker song. Joe took that song and he just that was. He made it his song, he owns it. Well, joe has passed away. So again, see, joe Cocker's been eligible since uh, let me get my glasses on here. I wrote it down since 1994.
Speaker 2:yeah, I don't know how many times he's been on a ballot if he has been 31 years. I don't recall him moley that's criminal, yeah, that's ridiculous.
Speaker 1:Okay, he didn't write a lot of a lot of his material, but, boy, he performed the crap out of it, yeah, and he made those songs his own. And there's a lot of artists that are already in the rock and roll hall of fame that didn't necessarily write their own songs. Elvis Presley is a prime example. Elvis Presley wasn't a writer. He's in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and rightfully so. But you know, for Joe Cocker to not be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame already, to this point, in 2025, that's insane. What's it going to take? What's your favorite Joe Cocker song?
Speaker 2:You Are so Beautiful is one of them.
Speaker 1:Okay, all right.
Speaker 2:But that's what put him on the map, in my opinion.
Speaker 1:It's that song. But you know, then he did and this is more on the pop side that he did of when we Belong with Jennifer Warren. I mean that song went to number one on the Billboard Top 40. And it's a great ballad and you know, joe had a voice like, he sounded like he had like rocks in his throat or even razor blades in his throat or something you know.
Speaker 1:But man he made that voice. So how do you describe it? You could feel the passion, yeah, in his voice. Um, just tremendous. But how about? You can leave your hat on come on in the 80s. Tell me a strip club that wasn't playing that song. How would you know? I don't know and that's the truth. That is the truth. I don't lie, but I'm trying to be funny here.
Speaker 1:But really no, but a great song, what a sexy song, and you know so much so that this is what I'm talking about. When it comes to what an artist does with their gift or even lack of a gift, because Joe didn't have a great voice but he made it so good, so soulful. When Tom Jones did a cover of you Can Leave your Hat On. That song pales in comparison to Joe Cocker's version. Joe Cocker's version is the version I mean. It's such a great song, such a dynamite song. Love that one. It's probably been my favorite Joe Cocker song. That one or there's one, I think it's when the Night Comes that was off of a movie soundtrack. I believe he might have had it on an album too, but I remember it being on a movie soundtrack. So okay, so, without going on and on and on and on, so Joe gets our vote right.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Okay, good, well, I have four. I have four on my ballot, yeah, and you have three right. Yeah something like that. Okay, Sorry about that people.
Speaker 2:Next on the list Billy.
Speaker 1:Idol. Billy Idol is in is in great great.
Speaker 2:He kind of can perform like no other, you and my kids.
Speaker 1:I wear my hair like this because of Billy well, not really, but yeah. Billy well not really, yeah, but but uh, yeah man, eyes without a face, white wedding man.
Speaker 2:Those songs, man, go through everyone through high school yes, you know well, okay.
Speaker 1:So so billy was billy, left, uh, generation x in the late 70s to take on a solo career. He was the lead singer in that band, which a punk band. So when Billy comes to New York to start a solo career, you know he's coming from the punk side of it and, to be honest, early on you wouldn't consider White Wedding a punk song. But Moany, moany kind of had that punk flavor to it or flair, um his cover of it. Of course it's not an original song, uh, not a billy idol original, yeah, but his, his version kind of had that flair to it.
Speaker 1:But then you get to his uh second album, rebel yell, and that's where it just explodes. That's where it just explodes for, that's where it just explodes for Billy. And you got a lot of stuff on there. You've got some hard driving rock and roll, you've got some punk attitude and Billy always approached that hard rock with a punk attitude. You know he was coming from his punk roots and infusing that into hard rock. And when you incorporate a guitar player by the name of steve stevens, when you incorporate that in there and those guys are writing tunes together, it's just off the charts billy idols bad ass. He's in. No, yeah, billy's in, bill he's in.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Billy's in.
Speaker 1:Billy's in, look, and we have to go because he's touring this year with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Yeah, for sure, they're co-headlining on a tour. That's a good bill right there. Yeah, joan Jett's.
Speaker 1:Excellent From both artists, you get from the punk side kind of punky hard rock, I mean even even uh, into the late 80s. Uh, you know, uh billy was getting a label because he started getting a little keyboardy um in late 80s of being like techno, punk and stuff like that. I mean he embraced it. Of course he embraced all that and so much so I think it was like 1992 or 93, he had an album called Cyberpunk. But during the 90s of course, all the great music, all the great hard rock that we grew up loving and all that stuff kind of took a backseat to the grunge stuff that was happening in the early 90s. But Billy released an album in late 05 called the Devil's Playground and son of a gun.
Speaker 1:That is so good. I'm telling you from front to back on that album. It is killer. Great, great stuff and what I gosh Dynamite stuff. I shake my head because it's so good. And what's cool is on that album there one of my all-time favorite christmas songs it makes my top 10 christmas song list every year is yelling at the christmas tree. That's a great song. But uh, uh, billy's so good and he's so good still.
Speaker 2:Dude just turned 69 years old and he looks like he's only 40.
Speaker 1:Yeah fabulous stays, stays fit. Oh man, can't wait. We're gonna have to, you know, go when we get off the, when we get off the air here, when we stop recording. We're gonna have to like jot down like four or five shows you and I need to take in this year?
Speaker 2:Definitely, billy. We'll have to get our list going. Billy Allen's a good show. Yeah, I've seen him several times.
Speaker 1:Yeah, oh man, billy puts on a killer show. So so, so good. You know what, though I hope, because you know I did some, I tried to do some looking, and normally it comes a little further down the road. The further down the road, um, the rock and roll hall of fame will kind of announce each act like who's going in with that, with that act, like with bad company? Okay, uh, bad company.
Speaker 1:There was a period of time where paul rogers wasn't in the band. Yeah, in the lateies, early nineties, brian Howe took over lead singing duties and made four albums with the band and actually when Paul left, that was when he left to go do the the the firm. Yeah, uh, uh, the band was. They had just come off of a very low point. For them I think rough diamonds was the album they released and it was the poorest selling of their previous six albums. It was the worst selling. So the band was at a low point. Brian Howe comes in and now they kind of change direction a little bit, but they started getting airplay again on Top 40 Radio, on Rock Radio.
Speaker 1:So my point to all this is who's going to be included in that? My personal feeling is I think it's going to be the original four. That's who I think it's going to be. I don't think Brian Howe is going to be included in that. I honestly think he should be and rest in peace, brian Howe. He passed away a few years ago, but I do hope it happens. I hope it happens for Brian because he deserves to be there, because he did. He carried that torch, he helped to bring the band back and they were doing very good business when Brian bowed out. So anyway, but like with Billy Idol now, billy's had a lot of players coming in and out over the years. Please, please, please. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, get this one right. Steve Stevens has to be there. He's Billy's right-hand man. He has to be there. Okay, all right. Next on the list New Order Joy Division.
Speaker 2:I only know one song, guys, and I couldn't Blue Monday. I couldn't tell you the rest of the songs that they played and I probably wouldn't know once I heard them, but I'm not familiar with them enough to vote them into the whole thing, so they don't get my vote for that only reason.
Speaker 1:You know what, when it comes to New Order and Joy Division sorry, you saw me take a sip of water and now it's right here and I'm choking on it we don't have cough buttons here I know that they have a big influence on the post-punk, new wave genres. I know they have a huge influence on that. Both, both, both acts joy division and new order. I know like their big song is blue Monday. I would actually have to hear it to know if I recognize that song. I'm sure I probably do, but who knows? I just I don't know. I don't know right now if there's enough there. So right now you're saying no, yes, I'm going to say I'll think about it because we still have like seven or eight more to go. Think about it, yeah, so I'm going to think about that when we'll come back. Right now, look, I only have to put in two more. I got two more votes Because I put in five already.
Speaker 2:I got three more right.
Speaker 1:I think so, yeah, so next on the list is Cyndi Lauper.
Speaker 2:Cyndi Lauper is in. Even though she's not a rock and roll band per se, she's got a lot of great music. Girls want to have fun and even in slow battles like Time After Time, true Colors great musician she was, she still is, I'm sorry.
Speaker 1:I'm up in the air on this one. I am. I'm up in the air on this one.
Speaker 2:Money changes everything. Man, she had a bowl of hits.
Speaker 1:Well then, maybe if somebody gave me some money, it would change my mind. Well.
Speaker 2:You don't get paid to do this. Show you like that? You know you do? Oh my goodness. Yes, so she has my vote. So if you could, say what you want.
Speaker 1:She has my, I am. I'm up in the air on that one. I look, I like cindy lopper I. I saw her live. I saw her perform.
Speaker 2:She opened for share this was, I must have been, too long ago. This was a while back, this was in the 80s, and 90s.
Speaker 1:I can't, even 15 years ago, something like that. I saw her. She opened for Cher. I thought she was incredible. I thought she had a bang-up job. She had a bang-up job. It sounded great. I'm hoping everything was all live. I'm hoping the tracks were live, because she sounded great. I'm hoping everything was all live. I'm hoping the tracks were live because she sounded phenomenal. Obviously she's, you know, popularity great. You didn't hear. I have to look. I have to go back to part of my argument for against Mariah Carey, you don't hear Cindy Lopper on rock radio. Not at all. I'm not on rock radio, pop radio, top 40 radio, even adult contemporary radio, yes, of course, of course, but not on rock radio. So I saw, I'm kind of conflicted on that one. If they had you know they had a pop Hall of Fame man, she's in like that.
Speaker 1:So, I don't know, I think. I think right now I'm going to take a pass at that one. I'm going to kind of hold my judgment on that, uh, right now. So that's two in a row. I'm holding my vote on wow okay, well, I mean, I mean yeah, I'm not saying yes, I'm not saying no, so I'm holding, holding my uh, my vote on on on cindy right you'll have to come back for that.
Speaker 1:We'll come back. I've got five now and I'm looking at the rest of the list and I don't know if I've got two more out of that. Oasis, no, no. Next one was Mana.
Speaker 2:Oh no, I don't know any of this band's songs.
Speaker 1:As far as I know, this is the one and only time they've ever been on a Rock and roll hall of fame ballot, and I don't know enough about them anyway. I don't know their influence, I don't know anything about them, so it's a no. Wow, sorry, manon.
Speaker 2:Well that was quick.
Speaker 1:It was quick, it was quick.
Speaker 2:It was quick. Well, we don't know. What do we do? No, no, well, we don't know. What do we do? No, no, we just don't know.
Speaker 1:Okay, so now we'll get into the next one, okay.
Speaker 2:Now we got Oasis Okay, no, because I don't think. They only have one song that I know of, and that's Wonderwall. Yeah, but everything else I do not know. So I'm going to say no because of that, maybe a few more years later down the line, but I'm not comfortable arguing in my vote.
Speaker 1:Okay, well, you know, and here's the thing. I'll say this Look what's happening right now. Oasis is on this ballot for one reason the Brothers Gallagher have gotten back together on their reunion tour for this year. It's the biggest tour in the world right now. It's huge, it's enormous. They've they've sold out all their shows. Um, they did. They do have a few shows in the united states. They sold everything out in the UK and in Europe. I mean, I think they did like nine or 10 nights at Wembley and they're all sold out. So the thing is, oasis is completely different on that side of the Atlantic than they are here in America. Popular, but I don't even know. Like I said, they have a few shows here, all stadium shows, all stadium. I don't know if they're sold out in the United States. They're beyond sold out in, like I said, on that side.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they got a lot of airplay over there.
Speaker 1:In the United States, though they're basically known for two albums, and so I, I basically known for two albums, and so I, I, I know why they're like.
Speaker 1:I said, I know why they're on the ballot.
Speaker 1:They're on the ballot because if they get the votes, then the rock and roll hall of fame gets to say yes, we've got the brothers gallagher that reunited for this tour and and we're going to get them on our stage as well. Um, because I said, you know, I I think I said it early, um, early in the show that the rock and roll hall of fame not only are they putting people into their hall, but they're also, they also have to produce a television show, true, so they're going to have some classic acts, they're going to have some more current acts, because they have to sell out an arena for their production. So I honestly, I think that's the biggest reason why they are on this ballot for this year. I mean, come on, I don't think it takes a genius to figure that one out and call me cynical or whatever, but I think that's why, yeah, I just I'm not sure right now I'm not, as I'm sitting here in my seat. I'm not sure that there's enough there. I'm going to withhold my vote right now.
Speaker 2:So that's three in a row. It's three out of four. No, three out of four, but not a no.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but not a no, but three out of four. That I'm not sure yet. You going to flip a coin. We may have to flip a coin once we get through the list.
Speaker 2:If I can't find two more, we may have to start tossing coins. I say just make a decision and live with it.
Speaker 1:All right. So next one is Outkast. They're a hip-hop band.
Speaker 2:A couple of songs are good, but no, I haven't heard enough, no well I mean to me, to me. I haven't heard enough music. Some songs are good, but I haven't heard right now in the hip-hop rap community. These guys are like legendary. Okay, well, they are sure they're very yeah yeah, and they're.
Speaker 1:They're very influential, they're legends, all they're legends, all that good stuff. But the way you and I are looking at this as well, right now, this minute, I'm not playing by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's rules. I'm playing by my rules, our rules. Okay, because it is my ballot, so I can vote for whomever I want. Yeah, so I'm going by my criteria. Show us yours. I want to see the rock and roll acts in there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, until KISS gets in the Country Music Hall of Fame or they get in the Hip Hop Hall of Fame or something like that, then no, yeah, okay, so I don't no, yeah, okay, then.
Speaker 1:So I I don't know. Yeah, you know, but anyway, so that's, that's the way I, that's the way I'm playing this one out, and right now it's it's a no, it's a no, and I think this is this. I think this is the second or third time they ballot. Oh yeah, they weren't on it last year. Um, I don't, I don't think they were. You know, I could go through my notes. You can take a seat from lying to you, but I know I don't believe they were on there last year, maybe the year before, but yeah, no, it's possible, it's possible, okay.
Speaker 2:So uh, next up is fish now, I don't know much about fish, but I have friends who've seen these guys in concert and they play their rear ends off, yeah. So I'm going to say I'm going to say yes, basically because I've heard so many good things about them. Of course, I haven't seen them personally, but they are a very, very good band. They've been playing for years and they fill out stadiums everywhere they go, including LA.
Speaker 1:That is true. That is true. They're in that jam band genre. They're a rock and roll band. All they do is jam. It's a jam band genre, I can tell you. I'm not sure if I know any of their songs at all. I know that they have an enormous following. Oh, they do. I do know that. I do know that right after U2 did their 41 or 42 shows at the Sphere to open it up, I know Phish came in right after that and they did a run sold out all their shows. It wasn't 42 shows but, um, they're not, they're not you too either.
Speaker 2:No, but they sold, yeah, they sold out, they sold out their uh, their shows.
Speaker 1:I know they have, like I said, a tremendous following. Apparently their musicianship is just off the charts. I don't know enough about them. I do know their popularity, their influence and that type of thing.
Speaker 2:I got them in. I know you got them in. I know you got them in. I don't know where you're at on this one.
Speaker 1:I got them in. Right now it's not a no. Right now I'm going to wait. Three out of four. Four out of six. Four out of the last six. Well, look, rock of the Hall of Fame. When they put the nominees out, they top loaded it. Definitely all the ones that I wanted to see in, sure, okay. So next up is Soundgarden, soundgarden, black Hole Sun Great song, that's the only song I know, but it's a great song Black Hole Sun Great song.
Speaker 2:That's the only song I know.
Speaker 1:But it's a great song, spoonman.
Speaker 2:I'm going to say yeah. I'll see ya. They're a good band. Black Hole Sun that gets me going. It's a really great song, Real slow dark song I like going.
Speaker 1:It's a really great song. Yeah, Real slow dark song Like it. It was a dark, it's a dark, brooding song. Definitely, I know for Soundgarden fans they would lose their minds if Soundgarden were to get in this year, especially because Chris Cornell, you know, passed away back in 2017, I think it was.
Speaker 2:It's been six years. Yeah, six, seven no it's been eight years, nine years, Almost yeah.
Speaker 1:So they would love to see that happen. Why are we waiting until people die?
Speaker 2:Now.
Speaker 1:I'll say this and this is, I think, the second or third time Soundgarden's been on the ballot. I'm pretty sure they were on it last year I'm going to say and it just came to me right now, it just came to me right now. I'm going to say, and it just came to me right now, it just came to me right now. I'm going to say, if Rage Against the Machine got into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, why not Soundgarden? Then Soundgarden should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Because, honestly, I think Soundgarden probably has a greater following. I think they had a greater influence. I think they had better songs, definitely, and I think they had more material that you would hear on rock radio as well.
Speaker 1:So just for that alone, I'm I'm gonna say I'm they're gonna get my boat oh yeah, my boat, well okay and it just came to me honestly, honestly, before we, before we hit record in my mind when I'm, when I'm going over this stuff yesterday and I'm thinking about it no, it was a definite no, but yeah, I think, for all the things that you mentioned, I mentioned, I think, yeah, I think they get my vote.
Speaker 2:So, all right, so I have all my seven. Do you have all your seven? I got all my seven. Who's your seven? Off the top of my head, I don't know, but I know all my seven. Who's your seven? Well, I'm top of my head, I don't know, but I know I have seven.
Speaker 1:All right, well, let's okay, so so white stripes one, two, three, four, five, six. Yeah, I've got six. So white stripes. I don't know enough about white stripes. Yes, I look in their music. There was like no bass player in the band and then of course they broke up or whatever, and Jack White went off to do his own stuff and he's supposed to be some great guy. I I don't know if I've ever really heard anything that I can even say I appreciate that has the name Jack White or the white stripes attached to. Okay, you can call me crazy, call me stupid, call me lame, whatever We'll just call you bad.
Speaker 2:You can call me anything you want.
Speaker 1:Just don't call me late for dinner, but it never appealed to me. Yeah, I've got to say no. Okay, I've got to say no, that's it. I don't know.
Speaker 2:Okay, now we have to go back to your decision makers so okay now, billy idol was one more sure, yeah, I bet you I've got, okay, I've got bad company black crows, chubby checker.
Speaker 1:joe cocker, billy idol down garden, so I've got to come now. You don't have Joe Cocker, billy Idol Down Garden, so I've got to come Now. You don't have to. I know the electors, or I should say the voting body. They don't have to choose all seven. I mean, they don't have to make seven selections, but I would say most of them probably do. There's a little over a thousand voters. I'm sure most of them do, maybe not all of them, but for our exercise we're going to do seven.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we're going to do half of 14.
Speaker 1:We're going to do seven. So yeah, I don't want to leave anybody off. I think I'm going to go Cindy Lopper, I do. I think I'm going to go Cindy Lauper, I do. I think I'm going to go Cindy Lauper on this one. I tell you I'm up in the air on that one. I'm up in the air on that one. But I think I'm going to go Cindy Lauper, I do. Okay, so what's your seven? Again, you got your notes real handy so you can.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, I got your notes, you've already kept track for them. You got notes real handy so you can. Yeah well, I got your notes, you've already kept track for them, you got. Well, we both have bad company, yep.
Speaker 1:And then we had, uh, and we both have chubby checker, correct. We both have joe cocker, correct. We both have billy, I correct. We both have cindy lauper, right, and we both have sound garden, correct. So where we differ, I got the black crows and I said no. And and where did you? Where did you go?
Speaker 2:on your seventh one, I I don't think I have a seventh one.
Speaker 1:Two, three, four, five. Yeah, I got seven. So yeah, I don't think you didn't go with fish did you?
Speaker 2:Oh, I went with that. No, I think I went with fish. Oh, okay, that's where we differ.
Speaker 1:Okay, that's where we went Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha, gotcha, which is funny because you're going with Fish, which is known as a jam band, and I'm going with Black Crows, which isn't known as a jam band, but does have. When you see them live, they do have jam band elements.
Speaker 2:Well, I haven't seen them live, so I wouldn't know, okay.
Speaker 1:So we have to see them. So all right, now that we established that, so we have to see. So all right, now that we established that. Let's talk about something that irritates a lot of people, and it irritates me. Are the snubs, the bands or the artists that either have gotten snubbed this year or have been snubbed in the past, or have just always been snubbed.
Speaker 1:Okay, and another one just came to mind, so I'm putting this one down here. So here I will start. I will start this one and maybe something will come to mind. I'm going to say REO Speedwagon yeah, never been on a ballot. They'd be in, if you ask me. Never been considered, never been on a ballot.
Speaker 1:Huge band, been around for better than 50 years, which would make them eligible since around I don't know what, 2000? Something like that. And they put on a great show, live. And now the one thing that you could say I mean they're a band that has been touring nonstop for the last 25 years. Every single year they're out on the road. They have a summer tour every year.
Speaker 1:Um, they do a great job, there's great songs. They, I mean they have a diamond album. Their biggest one, high infidelity, sold 10 million plus copies. I mean there's there's not a lot of, there's not a lot of acts out there, not a lot of bands out there that can claim that. And, um, like I said, the only, I would say the only drawback is that they don't put out any new music. They haven't put out any new music in other than like a live, a live album or something like that, which I know they put out a couple of live albums when they had done some tours with Styx 20 years ago or so, but that would probably be the only drawback. But great band, great songs.
Speaker 2:There's no excuse why it shouldn't be. No, I don't think so. They should be.
Speaker 1:Especially when you have contemporaries from that, that, that era, that genre you've got. You've got foreigner finally now in um, because that was criminal. Uh, journey, of course, um, you know. So bands like that, they're in reo, should I?
Speaker 2:agree.
Speaker 1:Here's another one, sticks.
Speaker 2:They're not in Nope, I thought they'd been Never even been on a ballot.
Speaker 1:Oh boy, I thought for sure, honestly, before this announcement came out Wednesday, I honestly thought Sticks was going to be on the ballot. I really did. They should be. They should be in. Forget about just being on a ballot, they should already be in. They really should. For really the same reasons, actually, and even more than REO, because Styx is still recording and releasing new music to this day. They just put out a new album two years ago, okay, and they're putting out new material. Every two or three years they're putting out a new album.
Speaker 1:The band, as it's constituted right now, really has one original member. That's Chuck, I'm sorry, two original members Chuck Panazzo and JY Young. Tommy Shaw, for all his greatness, is not an original member. That's Chuck, I'm sorry. Two original members Chuck Panazzo and and JY Young. Tommy Shaw, for all his greatness, is not an original member, but he's from the classic era and when you think sticks, you really honestly don't really think of sticks without Tommy Shaw, okay, um, and those guys still do everything live and they still do it so good, there's no, there's no computers and no tapes or anything like that. It's all live and it's all real and it's in the original key. Those guys are tremendous, yeah, so there's no reason. This is, yeah, honestly, for me stick scenario and I'm going to put a little mark right here. Those are like, those are like major snubs. Major snubs have to be on there, have to be on the ballot going into next year, have to be uh, what about this one boston? Yeah, why not?
Speaker 2:wow, they've been out since, like the mid 70s their debut album boston has sold like almost 20 million copies. Yeah I thought their second album.
Speaker 1:Don't look back between the two albums they've sold now. Don't look back. Didn't do nearly as well as the debut, but it still sold like five, six million copies. Okay, those alone, just on those numbers alone, boston should be in. And not only that, but when they broke all that sound that Tom Scholz created, nothing sounded like Boston. When that debut album came out, nothing sounded like that. That was such a unique sound. Nobody had ever heard that stuff before and he created that sound and he wrote that. So he just needed somebody to sing it. So what does he do? He goes and grabs a guy by the name of Brad Delp with an absolutely tremendous voice to sing that stuff, great stuff.
Speaker 1:Boston never been on a ballot, snubbed for way too long. Hopefully next year. Should be in, should be in. This one is totally criminal. Brian Adams, yeah, and I was double checking. I double checked the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame website. So, unless I overlooked something, I double checked it today. Brian Adams is not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me For all of? First off, okay, he should be in, just for his body of work alone.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:However, many of you might not even be aware of the stuff that he has written for other artists. That became humongous. Yeah, sold millions of copies that stuff right there. Okay, brian Adams should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I don't believe he's ever been on a ballot. That's too bad, because he's definitely.
Speaker 1:Another one here, another one here, another one here thin lizzy, I think, is a huge stuff they got on a ballot once, maybe twice, um, but they didn't get in. And I know here in america they're known for like mostly one song, but if you listen to rock radio it's two songs and that's Boys Are Back in Town and Jailbreak. But across the Atlantic, 15, 20 hit songs and they're enormous legendary on that side, enormous legendary on that side. So, and and not only that, but but even in america, their influence, their influence, that they, the influence that they had on so many other bands in that uh, uh, in in the in the 70s, um, was incredible, yeah um it just doesn't get.
Speaker 1:It doesn't get, it just doesn't get. It doesn't get recognized, it doesn't get right. It didn't get recognized a lot by by radio and it definitely has not been recognized by the rock and roll hall of fame. But I definitely thin Lizzie criminal. And what's weird is, like I said, they've been on the ballot, I know at least twice. But then how do they like drop off the ballot? How do they not get on the ballot? I know at least twice. But then how do they like drop off the ballot? How do they not get on the ballot? How do?
Speaker 1:how are they not still on the ballot, right, you know. So it's just weird, the nominating committee they're just you know, they just do whatever they do, so that I think those definitely I'm right. I'm marking stuff down here because I'm like trying to go through like my top five snubs and definitely thin Lizzie's.
Speaker 2:And I agree with all of them too. So, oh, I didn't.
Speaker 1:I didn't put a mark next to Boston. Oh, I didn't put a mark next to Brian Adams. That's five right there, and I still have more. Now this for me is like for selfish reasons, because I don't think they're ever gonna. They'll never get in. They'll never even get on a ballot, which I think is is actually a shame, and that's lover boy oh yeah you know lover boy, they're known.
Speaker 1:They're not known for only one song, but of course it's their biggest song working for the weekend, but it's still an anthem that gets played on radio stations all the time, on Fridays especially, you know that kind of thing. Um, but it's a band that is still out touring to this day and they still, and not only that, it's all original members minus the bass player scott smith, who didn't quit the band but died. So it's four fifths the original band and they still sound great to this day.
Speaker 2:Yeah we saw them a couple years ago.
Speaker 1:Yeah, on the corner tour. Yeah, we saw them a couple years ago, yeah they came out play six, seven, half an hour sounded great awesome yeah, they were on yeah that got cut short, but, but they sounded awesome they were on that and I, just I, I just love that band, love that band. I agree, you met them.
Speaker 2:I did meet them, yeah.
Speaker 1:I have a picture somewhere with them on my phone.
Speaker 2:It was all right, you brought it up and I was there. Yeah, you was, I wasn't there. I was there at the show. This was about 2011.
Speaker 1:And Loverboy was playing a thing locally. It was called the LA Spring Fair Irwindale Speedway.
Speaker 2:At Irwindale Speedway, which is closed.
Speaker 1:I don't know if they ripped it down yet, but it's closed. I think they should put a concert venue there. I think they should put a small amphitheater, maybe 10,000 seater. That'd be a good idea. I think it'd be great for that property. We don't have any good venues now. We have no outdoor venues.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's true.
Speaker 1:Since they shut down Five Points, we have no outdoor venues locally. It's a crime, anyway. Okay, so I digress, let's get back on track. So I had been in touch with Mike Reno, the lead singer of Loverboy. We had kind of emailed back and forth at that time in 2011. He was a co-host on a morning radio show, rock radio in Vancouver, british Columbia, and I would listen to the morning show and I would listen to the morning show. That's when radio stations first started streaming their shows on the internet. So I started listening and it was kind of funny and he was fun to listen to. But they had a way to contact each of the hosts of the show. So I had sent Mike an email and he sent me one back and we were and forth and, you know, told him I was going to be at the show and so, sure enough, I was there and I went to the meet and greet and it was so bizarre is the guys from the band come walking in the room and there was only there was maybe a dozen, maybe 15 people there for the meet and greet and the band comes walking in the room and most everybody was on one side of the room and I, for no particular reason, was kind of by myself on another side of the room and they come walking in the door and four of the five guys walk to that side of the room and Mike walks directly over to me and I introduced myself to him hey, I'm Ben, oh, yeah, okay. So he remembered our exchanges and all that and then we just kind of got to talking a little bit. Very, very nice.
Speaker 1:I had my CD. I took a CD for them to sign. Sign the cover. It was the one they released in 2007, just getting started, which is not on any of the streaming services. You've got to own the physical copy of that. That's why you own physical copies. If you want to listen through streaming services, great, but remember, it can always go away. It used to be on the streaming services. It hasn't been on the streaming services for almost 10 years. So, okay, let that be a lesson to you. All right, if you want the stuff, buy the stuff. Okay. When you own physical copy, they can't take it away from you. Anyway, so I did.
Speaker 1:I took that CD because I love that CD and I knew that if anybody else had a CD there to sign, they weren't going to have that one, so I took it and all the guys signed it, and then everybody got to take a picture and somebody took a picture. They were using a phone. They were using a cell phone at the time and back in 2011, the cameras on cell phones are not all that great, so it's a grainy picture. It's a terrible picture. They wouldn't do it with your own phone, so they did it and then they would email it to you.
Speaker 1:So I've done nothing with that picture. Maybe one of these days I'll put it up and let people see it. Um, but I got all five guys around me, and mike and I are standing right next to each other in the center of the picture, and it was fun. It was. You know, it's a quick meet and greet, you know 10 minutes or so, but I got to actually have a conversation with him, so it was cool but uh, so first day to see a concert, oh, it was rained a whole day.
Speaker 2:Man, we were sitting right up there. I mean yeah, I mean we can almost see their nose hairs.
Speaker 1:We were sitting so close. Yeah, we're scared to scare the band. It was great yeah, well, that's the way we are we like to sit so close we can scare the band, but uh, so yeah, for selfish reasons, I think Loverboy should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Speaker 2:I agree.
Speaker 1:I don't think they will ever get a sniff of it, that's too bad yeah. Another one, another one that I think I don't think we'll ever get a sniff, but is well deserving. Rick Springfield yeah, that guy's still going. Yes, he is, and I know his biggest hit is Jesse's Girl. Okay, but he is so much more than Jesse's Girl and he and if you, from 83 on, if you listen to a lot of his stuff it is so much more, it's so much heavier in the rock space. Don't talk to strangers. Don't talk.
Speaker 2:Yeah, don't talk to strangers. Don't talk to strangers. I know I try not to talk to strangers. Okay, I tell my kids that.
Speaker 1:I tell my kids that, but Rick is still putting out music to this day. He's got actually he's got a greatest hits package coming out in a few weeks. I don't remember what it is. Greatest hits two, I think, is what it is. Greatest Hits 2, I think, is what it is, and it basically covers all his material from, I think, 1999 forward. It'll have hits from there, except I know he does a re-record, so it's a new version of Jessie's Girl. It's the last song. I think there's 20 songs on there and it's the last song.
Speaker 1:But anybody out there that's watching or listening if you've seen Rick in concert guy puts on a whale of a show. The guy's like 75 years old Are you kidding? And he's just great shape. It's always without his shirt on and not an ounce of fat on him. Great shape, looks great and just does he puts on a great show.
Speaker 1:One of my favorite albums from Rick well gosh, it's tough. My favorite album might be Living in Oz. That was released in 1983. That might be my favorite album. That's when he really started to turn it on with the harder rock stuff. But in 2017, I think it was. I think it was January 2017.
Speaker 1:He released an album called the Snake King and it's all very bluesy, but it's not like slow down depressing blues, it's very upbeat, a ton of steel guitar in it and just, yeah, really good stuff. Also, I forgot this I think it was 08 or 09, he released an album called Venus and Overdrive. Maybe that one's my favorite Overliving in Oz. I forgot about that. It's got just tremendous stuff. It's a little hard rock, it's a little poppy or maybe it's a little polished, but it's so good, so, so, so good. Victoria's Secret, venus and Overdrive the title track Great, great, great song. My favorite song is just an anthem that I love to sing to Catherine. It's called she and yeah, it's just, it's great, great, great, great, great stuff. But anyway, I don't think he'll get a sniff. I think he deserves to be there. I think he deserves to be there, definitely, most definitely. All right, two right, two more, two more. So you tell me what you think. I know, I know what you'll say about the next one, bill collins.
Speaker 2:Oh, that guy is being snubbed. He's already in with genesis, but yeah he should be in for himself.
Speaker 1:I think as a solo artist, he definitely should be there, yeah definitely should be look at all the great solo material he put out and no Jacket Required. His biggest is one of the biggest selling albums of the entire 80s decade.
Speaker 2:And that's his first album that came out. That was really good. That was his very first album in terms of, well, the first one that came out was Face Value. Was it Face Value?
Speaker 1:That's the Sparrow, sparrow first in terms of Well, the first one that came out was Face Value. It was Face Value. It was the one with the black and white cover.
Speaker 2:No, you're right. No, you're right.
Speaker 1:No Jacket.
Speaker 2:Required came out in 85.
Speaker 1:That was the one with Susudio. And One More Night, and Don't Lose my Number. No, take Me Home, I'm not sure.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you can check my map. I'm not sure I will.
Speaker 1:I know you will but, anyways he belongs.
Speaker 2:He belongs there like.
Speaker 1:I said that album alone. I think it sold almost 30 million copies. Okay, that album alone and it just tremendous, um, tremendous, uh, drummer, songwriter and again kind of like brian adams you don't realize how much, how much phil collins wrote and or played for other artists as well on stuff that sold millions of copies. So I mean just that stuff alone. I think Bill deserves to be a solo artist. Agreed, tremendous, tremendous, yep.
Speaker 1:And he's in bad shape. Oh, that's right. Physically, yeah. So let's get it done. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Let's get him on the bout, let's get him in. Okay, let's not wait. Okay, this year's gone, can't do anything about it. Well, let's get it done. And then you know, I think this one's criminal too, and that's Meatloaf bad out of hell great song, absolutely, you know, bad out of hell and bad out of hell too.
Speaker 1:Those two albums alone probably have 40 million copies. Okay, and now the thing about those two albums is, you had the team of Meatloaf and Jim Steinman. Both of those guys are dead and both of those guys deserved to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame before they died Because of the body of work that they had put out. Meatloaf, what a voice, what a performer Singing those songs crafted by Jim Steinman. Who, if you and Jim Steinman, wrote for other artists as well too.
Speaker 1:I'm going to throw some songs out here to you, okay, so you tell me, all right, I'm going to throw three of them out at you by three different artists, and your homework is to go listen to each of these songs, because I know you've heard them. But I want you to go listen to each of these songs and say, oh my gosh, they're the same song. Because Jim Steinman had a pattern, the way he wrote songs. His songs were basically like operas, and there was the beginning and a slow build and then it would get to a crescendo and then it would come down, and they were all kind of had that same pattern, but these three songs, again by three different artists, composed by Jim Steinman. Two of the songs were top five on the top 40, on the Billboard top 40. And the other one, I think, broke the top.
Speaker 2:I know it was top 30. It could have been top 20.
Speaker 1:I don't recall. I have to look it up. The first song is Read Em and Weep by Barry Manilow, and all three of these songs came out in 1983 too. That I'm going to mention to you. All three of these songs came out in 1983. Barry Man'm going to mention to you All three of these songs came out in 1983. Barry Manilow Read Em and Weep was the lowest charting out of the three. Making Love Out of Nothing at All by Air Supply, that song went to number two. Well, I know that song, total Eclipse of the Heart Nothing at all by air supply.
Speaker 2:That song went to number two. Well, I know that songs. Yeah, total eclipse of the heart by Bonnie Tyler yeah, number one, I know those.
Speaker 1:I know two of those, so check those three songs out. Jim Steinman was a master songwriter, okay, and he actually had a song. He did have one song that he released as a solo artist. He released it, I think, a couple albums, but one that actually charted, uh, in 1981. Uh, what's it called? Rock and roll, rock and roll, rock and roll. Dreams come through. Yeah, that's what it was and again.
Speaker 1:It's that whole just you got to hear it. It's very, very operatic, but good stuff, interesting. So meatloaf and jim steinman together, they need to be in the rock and roll thing. I don't know, tremendous snubs I don't.
Speaker 1:I don't argue with that Tremendous snubs yeah, so I think three, four, five, six, seven. So I had a list of nine. Seven of those nine and seven of them I think are criminally excluded. Two of them, I don't think have a chance. Anybody come to mind for you? Nope, I did all the work. Yeah, you did all the. Nope, I did all the work. Yeah, you did all the work. I did all the work. I wasn't prepared for all the extra homework I didn't either.
Speaker 2:I just scratched that down. Yeah well, you scratched that. I didn't get a chance to scratch anything, it's all right.
Speaker 1:This is your show. It is my show, this is your program. You are my guest. This is your program and you are free to do whatever you like. Nope, but yeah, so we'll see what the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame voting body comes up with. They probably won't announce oh, I think the ballots are due sometime in April. I think all the votes have to be in first week of April. So we should hear something in the next maybe six weeks and then we'll see how it all plays out. But I'm hoping that we do some more. We do another episode or two regarding the, the stubs. Well, I'd like to do a show or two about some of these folks getting into the rock and roll Hall of Fame. We can really talk about them a lot, really go into their catalogs. We'll see how it all plays out. Anyway, thanks for doing this, and he did it on short notice too, very short notice, I think. I waited until Wednesday.
Speaker 2:I was not fully prepared, but it's okay. I did the best I could do. So you people have been thinking I stink? Yeah, I do maybe, but I did the best I could. You always do well Within a couple of days. You always do well.
Speaker 1:So much so you're the one this may change to the Ben and Spaz show or something I don't know, we're not doing that. He's been on so many times. You know he's like definitely my co-host, you know my wingman, but when it comes to talk and music, you know, you and I we've just had so many experiences and especially shared experiences.
Speaker 2:We're going to agree to disagree. What I like you oh yeah, of course you know what.
Speaker 1:I'm looking at the wall right here and I see that zeppelin on the wall there. You know what you and I need to do. We should go. We should go see that that led zeppelin documentary. While it's out, uh, uh, becoming led zepp. I've already seen it. Did you already see it?
Speaker 2:Yeah, Way ahead of you, sir. What, what man.
Speaker 1:Well, you may have to see it again, or I'm going to have to go drag Catherine to it, or go see it by myself.
Speaker 2:I'll go see it again, but you know what I saw it at home.
Speaker 1:Oh, you did Okay, but then we could critique it, we could talk about it on the show here.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you can watch it as many times as I want to. I think that would be a lot of fun. Yeah, I could be ready to do that.
Speaker 1:Sure, yeah Well, anyways, let's let you guys go. Thanks for doing this, thanks for hanging out with us on Valentine's Day, although by the time you watch or listen to this.
Speaker 2:I'm sure it's not going to be valentine's probably going to be saturday morning.
Speaker 1:Yeah, saturday morning, saturday night yeah, whatever time but but no, thanks a lot, though. It's been great. Uh, it's always good to hang out with you. It's always good to hang out with this guy, yeah, whether we're eating pancakes or we're uh, you know, talking, music, drinking too much coffee.
Speaker 2:No, no, no Hot cocoa.
Speaker 1:Hot cocoa for me. I got ripped on about that, I got teased the whole morning on that one, but anyway, so we'll call it here. We'll let you go and say thanks for being here. As you know, this program is available wherever you get your podcasts, all you have to do is search the ben mainer program and there it is okay. But you know, if you like some of this right here and you like a little bit of that over there and you just got to see the way the two of us uh, you know go back and forth and you're watching on youtube. Thanks for doing that. Just subscribe to the channel.
Speaker 1:Okay, hit the notification bell. Give me a thumbs up and leave a comment. Okay, comments are great. Last but not least, follow me on Instagram. All one word Ben Maynard program. All I can say is just keep telling your family and friends. I have in my head I'm not going to share it, but I have certain goals that I'd like to reach as far as subscriptions, as far as viewers, as far as downloads on the streaming platforms, that type of stuff, and when you get to certain numbers, the algorithms do some, some, some nice things for you, and it's not about making any money, people, it's really not.
Speaker 2:I promise you it's not. Oh, I'm not getting paid for this. I give me a home sleep and right about now and I wasn't there would be something wrong with it. I'm not getting paid, but it's all good though.
Speaker 1:So, look, just help me out. Okay, continue to tell your family and friends. Tell 10,000 of your family and friends, okay, please do that, all right. So with that, whoops, all right, have a great weekend, enjoy, and we'll see you here next time. This is the Ben Maynard Program. Tell a friend.
Speaker 2:Sorry, no yeah.