The Smiley Smile Message Board

Not sure if anyone saw this or not, but it was a great concert.  And during the opening credits of this concert, guess what song is playing?  None other than the Beach Boys' "Our Prayer".  Very nice touch. 

I've seen bits and pieces, and it was indeed a nice way to open the show.  I'm surprised Brian wasn't invited to take part though...maybe because he was inducted as a Beach Boy and can't appear unless it's with them?  Given his importance to rock history, I was disappointed that he wasn't there. 

In fairness to the producers, there were only a select number of bands from different genres of rock who appeared as headliners; within these sets were "special guests" who would collaborate or take a lead or two with the main bands to give the concerts a little more scope. I don't really see Brian and his band fitting in too well with this approach. He could have appeared (John Fogerty did without Creedence Clearwater Revival), but I think the producers considered the California sound to be covered by Crosby, Stills & Nash. Obviously, Cameron Crowe felt there needed to be some kind of acknowledgement which is why "Our Prayer" was included.

Personally, I thought this was one of the most spectacular, emotional concerts I have ever seen. So many incredible highlights: Simon & Garfunkel (how come these 60-something guys sound absolutely brilliant, but every hot young artist needs to be auto-tuned to survive?), Little Anthony & The Imperials, Jeff Beck performing "A Day In The Life" as a guitar instrumental, Darlene Love backed by Springsteen, Fogerty & Springsteen performing "Oh, Pretty Woman", U2's fantastically re-arranged "Gimme Shelter" with Jagger guesting, Tom Morello's amazing guitar solo on "The Ghost of Tom Joad" and on-and-on.

Honestly, Brian Wilson as a performer could very well have been a disaster.  You need top-notch performers to be on that stage, and Brian Wilson is anything but. 

They could've got Al!!!

Damm straight they should've gotten Al. But thanks for 40+ years of Brian Brian Brian, too many viewers would be scratching their heads and asking "who"???

They should've used the occasion to break out The Beatle-Boys"

Mike, Paul, Al, Ringo, Brian, and Bruce!!

They could open with Back In The USSR and Mike could tell his tale of helping write it! Paul could take the lead on God Only Knows.... Then they could all crash through a 10 minute Helter Skelter where Mike would bust a few tamborines!

Then they'd do a full tour!!!!!!!

As corny and tongue in cheek as this post is, that actually sounds like a half decent show.  ;D Paul doing God Only Knows would probably work. I'd like to hear him sing You Still Believe In Me. Even at his age, he could still probably hit that high note at the end.

Paul actually HAS sung "God Only Knows"; dueted with Brian Wilson at one of those Landmine benefit concerts a few years back.  Brian flubbed some of the lines during this performance...too bad.

And on the theme of "Beatle Boys", I recall a post awhile back on some message board where someone came up with the concept of Ringo and Paul of the Beatles starting a band with Roger Daltry and Pete Townshend of the Who and callin' them "The Whotles".  :-)

I have enjoyed the HBO special more than once over the past week.  As an avid fan of Darlene Love, I was very very pleased with her performance and Bruce's support of her HOF induction.  At least she was nominated.  For My money, I wouldn't take 10 Aretha's for a single Darlene.  Never cared for Aretha.  Her vocals and style leave me cold.  Darlene  has to be the greatest of the R&B females of rock with a gospel background.  From any decade.

For those who care to catch it....she will be doing her annual appearance on Letterman on the 23rd of December.

In general, I was knocked out by all of the performances.  What a treat!  I also felt a little sad realizing that many of the performers are approaching their 7th decade on the planet.  We may never see the likes of such an assemblage performing so superbly ever again.

David Crosby's voice just knocked me out...he really still has the pipes.

How about "Crosby Stills & Love?"

Nah, Nash has a great voice, aged well...and does the high part on the songs.

Gotta keep nash.   I felt Art Garfunkel put it on the line. His voice mellowed but not silenced ( :-[) by age And Paul Simon looked and sounded better than in years...glad to see he shed that ball cap finally.  Are those guys still a little competitive (after all these years?)  :p

Has Fogerty had work done or is he just holding up well?

Yes.  David Crosby has a voice that can blow most other singers off the stage.  Quite under-rated as a vocalist.  There is a great solo acoustic version of "Almost Cut My Hair" that really shows off his vocal chops.  In fact, here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSOxQsqwem8

Ok, so how about "Crosby, Stills, Nash, and sometimes Love?

I think Crosby is BETTER now then at his "peak" in 1968-74-ish. In the two times I saw CSN, he was literally louder than the microphone, if that makes any sense.

*pinches nose*

"So your brother's bound and gagged, and they've chained him to a chair...."

Nope, doesn't work.  ;D

Ok, fine! We all know Crosby's "too chickenshit to jam with the Beach Boys" anyway!!!!  :p

I would concur.  Considering he was a spaced out zombie during much of the 80's, his voice came back full throttle once he "got his s__t together..."

Brian Wilson 1988 to roars of laughter....'27 years from now I'd like to come back and get re-inducted all over again.'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCOomdm24hU&feature=related

That would be 2015!  The odds?

OT. Any comments on this years batch?

I thrilled that the Stooges finally made it in...and saddened that Ron Asheton couldn't live to see it.

Darlene Love is quite cool as well. I agree she blew away Aretha Franklin in R&B pipes during the recent concert. In fact, I would rate Franklin's performance as one of the few low-points. According to Rolling Stone, Franklin was the only performer to make things tough for the promoters, demanding air vents be blocked and special food be provided backstage. I found it distressing how she did her best to completely ignore Annie Lennox who was supposed to be doing a duet with her.

Back to the Hall of Fame itself: how long is it going to take to induct Roxy Music, Cheap Trick, Joy Division and Husker Du? I'm sure there's plenty of others who are deserving, but these are personal favorites I would consider worthy of admission by now.

Great for Iggy and the Stooges. How about a shirtless Iggy leading the end of show free-for-all with a rendition of 'Shortnin Bread'?

Like most here, I have a soft spot for the vocal groups. I would put The Hollies in the same league as The Ronnettes with a distinctive lead singer, great tunes but hardly ground breakers. Looking like they may reunite for the show.

Genesis. ok, ABBA...not my choice, Jimmy Cliff for durability.     

LL Cool J, and Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Need I say more?  ::) The Hall Of Fame has become a joke. Inducting rappers, and people like Metallica. Why hasn't Steppenwolf or Three Dog Night been inducted yet??? They did more for music than RHCP and Metallica combined.

Before any other act, Jan&Dean should be the next ones that get inducted....and Tony Joe White

 Mitch Ryder

Of anyone NOT in the R&R Hall of Fame...The Monkees are BY FAR the band that had the biggest impact, biggest hits, had the biggest selling records, and with the songs that have artistically stood the test of time. Really foolish that they are not in. No one was bigger in 1967, the biggest year for rock.

Hell yeah Jon. A travesty and it's one of the many, many reasons I hate Wenner.

Many people don't really think of The Monkees as a "real band". I assume that that's been one of the bigger reasons why they haven't been inducted yet.

Word.

Whilst I do believe that there are certainly some politics involved as to whom gets nominated in the R&RHOF, I can't say that I can find too much fault as to those who have made it in.  It's all good if you just prefer Steppenwolf and Three Dog Night to RHCP and Metallica, but I can't say I see your logic as to how they were more influential or have done more for music than the latter two bands in the long run.  Metallica pretty much jump-started and popularized heavy metal and arguably did it better and more successfully than anybody else.  And the Red Hot Chili Peppers incorporated elements of funk and punk to create their own extremely successful stab at alternative rock.  Both bands started out in the 1980's and remain consistently popular.  So it's really a no-brainer as to why these two bands are getting inducted. 

Three Dog Night may have had three great singers and a slew of hits, but exactly how does that make them more influential?  They didn't even write any of their own material.  I dig 'em, but in the scheme of things, their impact on popular music was negligible at best.  Which is probably why they have yet to be considered for the R&RHOF.  I agree with you though that Steppenwolf should get in.  If anything, their biker anthems have definitely carved their niche in pop culture.  That's good enough.

Well, if we were to ignore the facts that they were little more than a manufactured band (of actors), whom didn't write (and sometimes even play) on their big hits that have "artistically stood the test of time" (on oldies stations at least), and that 1967 was the year that saw Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, you *MIGHT* have a good point.  :-)

With all due respect, read a book. Three Dog Night were the single most successful group of the 1970's. At one point, they were more popular than The Beatles. Not to mention that they recorded one of the all time classic live albums in rock history. Take a listen(or five) to Captured Live At The Forum, and then talk to me about TDN.

With all due respect, read a book. Three Dog Night were the single most successful group of the 1970's. At one point, they were more popular than The Beatles. Not to mention that they recorded one of the all time classic live albums in rock history. Take a listen(or five) to Captured Live At The Forum, and then talk to me about TDN.
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The R&RHOF typically doesn't induct artists based solely on commercial success.  Three Dog Night enjoyed a lot of commercial success, but not so much critical success.  Can you name a single major artist in the last 20-30 years who has cited Three Dog Night as an influence?  What exactly has Three Dog Night contributed to music besides having a number of hits?  Leif Garrett also had hits; should he be in the Hall of Fame? 

Did Three Dog Night even write any of their own songs?

Nope.