Despite what we wrote in this week's cover story -- and despite what nearly everyone with taste and a brain belived -- the Stooges did not get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year. We repeat, just in case you missed it: THE STOOGES WERE FUCKED BY THE ROCK 'N' ROLL HALL OF FAME YET AGAIN THIS YEAR.
But, hey, that's OK. Metallica went in. That's right: Metallica...but not the fucking Stooges.
I talked to photographer Robert Matheu earlier today. He was on the runway at Metro Airport, waiting for the plane to take off. He was in town for Ron Asheton's private funeral ceremony in Ann Arbor yesterday (January 13th). Bob told me not to post it at that point...but he said he talked to the Stooges' acting manager, Eric, on Monday who had already heard the Stooges had been denied entry yet again. But Eric didn't even tell Iggy and the rest of the band because he thought -- just maybe, by some quirk of fate (you know, like Ron Asheton dying and stuff) -- Jann Wenner and Seymour Stein and the rest of that lame crew just might change their minds and induct Detroit's most influential band at the last minute. But it didn't happen...Again...! (Seymour Stein, as the head of Sire Records -- you know, the label that signed the Dead Boys, the Ramones, Richard Hell & the Voidoids...that is, all the bands that wouldn't exist without the Stooges -- should hang his heads in shame today).
We heard from very reliable sources that if the Stooges had been nominated, the band wanted Alice Cooper to induct them. In our cover story today, James Williamson -- yes, that James Williamson -- said he wanted to play with Iggy and the guys if they were inducted this year.
Gee, what would you rather watch? Alice Cooper inducting the Stooges who'd then perform with James Fucking Williamson? Or another performance by Metallica?
Doesn't take a rocket scientist. As someone said on a music biz forum I frequent after this news was released: "Gee, I'd watch the ceremony on pay-to-view...if they paid me."
I'm extremely pissed about this. Yeah, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (and note how it's officially "Rock AND Roll" as opposed to the infinitely much cooler "Rock 'N' Rolll) is a joke...but it mattered to the Asheton brothers that they get in this year. Everyone should now take a lead from Johnny Rotten, who told me in 1997 when I asked him "What happens if the Sex Pistols get in?" -- and he replied: "We. Won't. Show. Up." And the Pistols were true to their word. (And then there's Van Morrison, who didn't say "thank you" or "fuck you" when they inducted him. He just never acknowledged it, period.)
For the record, here's the list of those who did get inducted...that is, over the fucking Stooges:
Run-DMC, Metallica, Jeff Beck, Bobby Womack and Little Anthony & the Imperials as well as Wanda Jackson in the "early influence" category, and Spooner Oldham as well as two of Elvis Presley's ' 50s musicians — drummer D.J. Fontana and bassist Bill Black -- in the "sidemen" category. (Gee, those last two have been eligible for induction into the fucking Rock AND Roll Hall of Fame since its inception...but, hell, those Elvis Presley records weren't very important in the history of rock 'N' roll, after all...)
Can we all agree and just end this with a resounding: FUCK the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!
Here's a piece on that lame institution that I wrote for another publication a few years back.
Yeah, this institution certainly looks more "rock AND roll" than the Stooges...
