Danny Fields on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Danny says: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has good catering, but other than that...

"At my last meeting, I nominated Yoko Ono, made myself a pastrami sandwich and walked out, never to return."

"As for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...the doors have been shut for quite some time already [James Taylor, anybody?], and properly so. Nobody takes it seriously except old r&b acts still on the road; it'll up their guarantee about $50 to have Rock Hall credentials. For anyone else, it's kind of embarrassing to even think about it. When they finally got around to throwing me off the nominating committee (for being too old not to have known what was happening in the 1980's, I presume, I thanked them. It was a yearly routine--I'd nominate Kiss (not that I like them or their music or wanted to get an all-access pass) and people who were moaning about Ketchup Joe Williams or some bunch of doo-wop nothings would throw paper weights at me. So I guess it wasn't about fame. At my last meeting, I nominated Yoko Ono, made myself a pastrami sandwich (they always had good catering) and walked out, never to return.

No Kiss, no Iggy, what was this institution about, affirmative action? Nothing to do with my life, and when they wouldn't give me or Linda Stein, who managed the Ramones with me for the first astonishing five years of their career, tickets to the induction ceremony ($2500 apiece, I think, yeah, right, I'll see how much cash I have on me) that was it. Oh, I was offered a seat at the table for press biggies, like Hillburn et al, but you get to sit way in the back, and they put a bottle of water on the table (or was it a pitcher?) while everyone else had dinner. I said no thanks for this generous offer, and besides, there's something I want to hear at the Met that night.

So when Johnny Ramone asked Seymour Stein (president of the hall of fame, and president of the record company that first signed the band when I brought it to him in 1975) why I wasn't there the night the Ramones were inducted, he told Johnny that I preferred to go to the opera. I then had to repair my friendship with Johnny, whom I loved until the day he died. Seymour told me to take the shitty water-pitcher ticket and then "sneak up" to his ringside table. Again, no thanks, I don't sneak anywhere for my own band.

That's when I decided that it's kind of an evil institution. I mean, thank god the Ramones got in, the very first year they were eligible, which cannot be said of many artists; I had no opera tickets that night, and Linda Stein and I sat in her apartment and sent out for Chinese food, thus saving $5000, though being unable to participate in our own moment of professional glory.

Cleveland? It was doomed from the moment that city was chosen as its home, with all due respect to they-know-who-they-are."

Best,
Danny Fields

Danny Fields is a punk rock visionary, ex-manager of The Ramones and ex-"company freak" for Elektra Records, where he signed The Stooges, Nico, David Peel and the MC5. He also was one of the most vocal industry supporters of the Velvet Underground, whose music (All Tomorrow's Parties) he played as his opening and closing themes when was a DJ on WFMU.

Hear Dave the Spazz interview Danny here (streaming realaudio link)

thanks Steinski!

Comments

[Listener_Paul]

While I've never had an interest in even the idea of a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I can say that I was pleasantly surprised by the Rock and Soul Museum in Memphis. Since we are obligated to make a pilgrimmage to Memphis at least once in our lives if we are at all able, the Museum isn't a bad place to spend a couple of hours. I'd say it was better than Graceland, not as good as the Civil Rights Museum, about equal to the Peabody Ducks.

[Hell's Donut House]

ROCK 'N ROLL HALL OF FAME

Bombs away on the Rock 'n Roll hall of fame
Even if I get indicted I'd probably feel the same
I don't want to see Eric Clapton's stuffed baby
I don't want to see the shotgun of Kurt Cobain
Bombs away bombs away
Cleveland's cool, Cleveland's cool
I don't want to see the liver of David Crosby
I don't want to see all the drugs I couldn't take
I don't want to see collector scum pay

Blow it up, blow it up
Blow it up before Johnny Rotten gets in
Blow it up before Paul Westerberg sits in
Blow it up before Steve Albini gives a speech
Bombs Away Bombs Away

-- Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments

[Robert G]

As a Clevelander, I'd like to point out to Danny that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame would suck no matter where it was put. Just because it was put in Cleveland, doesn't mean that Cleveland is the cause for its suckiness.

Man, do I hate East Coast/NYC elitism like that. I hate that I have to go around prepared just in case someone wants to tell me that my home city is a piece of crap.

[vmh]

The Sex Pistols had the right idea.

[Norton Zenger]

Yeah, I gotta admit, the whole David Byrne "The Big Country" thing is the thing that sticks in my craw the most about the East Coast too. Dudes, seriously. There is intelligent life beyond Philadelphia.

[Dave R]

I'm not even a Clevelander, but I have to agree wholeheartedly with Robert G above. Danny Fields slam against Cleveland was wholly unwarranted. There surely are many, many valid things to criticize about the R'n'R HOF and its selection process, but the selection of Cleveland seems to me to have been a solid choice, based on true historical merit. Yes, New York City is a great and wonderful place, and it has a great musical heritage, but sometimes New Yorkers really need to get over themselves and quit feeling entitled to everything that is (or in the case of the RRHOF, what COULD BE) remotely cool.

[Dave R]

above I meant to write "many valid things to criticize about the R'n'R HOF and its PROCESS FOR SELECTING ARTISTS TO BE INDUCTED, but the selection of Cleveland AS THE MUSEUM'S HOME seems to me..."

[Robert G]

Norton, if you ever go around the rest of Ohio, you can understand where Byrne is coming from with that song. Listening to WFMU on the Internet is one of the many ways I stay sane while living in this state. If it weren't for a few qualities of Cleveland and Ohio itself that I have personally discovered, I would have shot out of here like a bat out of Hell.

Dave R., there is actually debate over whether or not Cleveland won the right to have the Hall of Fame. My older friends (read mid-30s, 40s) who were reading into the news surrounding the selection process at the time, swear that we had the ballots stuffed, Alan Freed being here or otherwise. But that's another issue.

[aaufsdhiu]

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[BenjamenWalker]

Friday's doonesbury has Zonker (who works at mcfriendlys) gets a trip to the rock and roll hall of fame! and Cleveland even gets a mention.
http://www.doonesbury.com/strip/dailydose/index.html?uc_full_date=20061103

[monk]

Lord knows I love it when anyone bashes the rock and roll hof, but what was that crack about affirmative action? is fields pissed that his favorites are being passed over for black acts? and since we know it's a stupid club, why does he so desperately want "his" bands to be a member?

[Norton Zenger]

Robert G, actually, I've spent a lot of time in Ohio, and I've spent a lot of time in New Jersey, and no offense to WFMU, which is hands down the best radio station in the country, but I'll take Ohio over New Jersey any day of the week. Sure, Ohio (and the Midwest in general) is packed to the gills with morons, but on the other hand New Jersey is jam-packed with type A personalities, by which I mean jerks. If I have to choose between spending my time surrounded by morons or spending my time surrounded by jerks, I'll take the morons. It's just a matter of personal preference, though, and I can see how someone could feel differently.

[Robert G]

Norton, it could just be that I live too far into the woods to see the trees. I've lived here all my life, and have rarely left to visit other states. The times I have visited places outside of Ohio (Chicago, Washington DC) have left me spellbound! I read the New York Times, mostly the arts section, to see what's going on culturally. Too often am I sitting there and going, "Oh, if only I could go to NYC and see that!" My city is constantly referred to as "the mistake by the lake," and I try to keep a positive attitude about where I live and why I currently live here, but I can't blame them for thinking that Ohio is no different than any other Midwestern state (where things can truly be horrific for someone like ourselves).

It could also be that I am, no lie, a bit of an anti-socialite and my friends are few and far between, so I could possibly be missing out on cool people who live here in Ohio as a result of my social awkardness.

[Don K.]

You shouldn't take David Byrne so literally.

[lee]

i refer to the lyrics for 'late greats' by wilco. the Black Rock Coalition [still around] had some of the greatest rock bands ever playing out in the 80s/90s. due to color, they got no where with execs. few will hear the greatness that was displayed. i beg fmu to hook up with them somehow to get some of it out. they taped it all. they are at wps1 [email]. [ particularly PBR Street Gang- not the newer white wimpo band- the 80s Black band, they were the best. hands down. - they would blow anyone off the stage. ]. guitar fans? u shuda seen Kelvin Bell's solo guit. tribute to the art ensemble of chicago. hmmmmmmm... kinda scarce around here for Black Rock. it is as deep a genre as prog from 70s europe [>>>>HUNDREDS OF BANDS!!!!!<<<<]. just as big, and deserves attention, ok hippest station ever? call Vernon Reed. he's very nice. it will be worth it. [TELL HIM THE JOINT PASSING LONG HAIR WHITE GUYS FROM THE 80S SAID TO CALL. ] dARIUS jAMES MIGHT BE A HELP TOO. READ HIS 'NEGROPHOBIA' , IT REACHES bURROUGHSIAN LEVELS OF VERBOSITY]. FAME? that's just a bowie disco song.

[Tex Storm]

The thing to really pay attention to in Danny's diatribe against the R&RHOF is the fact he was on the nominating committee and they expected him to pay $2500 for a seat at the induction ceremony for the Ramones, a band he managed and made famous.

My own experience with the R&RHOF is that their hands are always out looking for payment for something. If the museum was located in a major metropolitan area, like New York or Los Angeles, they wouldn't have to be so money grubbing. They'd have enough visitors walking through the doors to keep the doors open.

It's got nothing to do with whether or not Cleveland is a nice town.

[Danny Fields]

A letter I wrote in haste and fury about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame made its way onto the FMU blog site, and I said something snide about Cleveland, which I regret. There is nothing wrong with Cleveland; back in the day it had a great FM station, and Swingo's Hotel, and it was a joy to go there. Whoever thought that I meant I wanted it to be in New York was totally wrong in reading that into my unwarranted diss; I want no more cultural institutions here--there are already quite enough tourists and too much traffic. I am an elitist East Coast snob, but not about touting the glories of New York City. I much prefer Tokyo and Paris.
Please, Cleveland boosters and all who were offended, accept my apology for that snotty comment.
Best wishes,
Danny Fields

[Fred Gregory]

Please somone who has a sense of history , tell me why the Clovers have not been inducted into TR&RHOF ?

[Kathy Miller]

I love Danny Fields. Long before the Ramones I knew Danny's work in early rock journalism. Yes, in Datebook, he published the infamous John Lennon "Bigger than Jesus" interview in Datebook. I listened to his show on WFMU religiously, and the night when Brian Jones died, his controversial show where he played early Rolling Stones music calmed my soul. Back in the day, WFMU was the place to hear revolutionary pundits spinning classic future rock music. Thanks to Kokaine Karma - Bob Rudnick & Dennis Frawley - I knew enough to get tickets to see the MC5 & Stooges in Flushing Meadow Park. Danny Fields is a tresure. HE should be in the R&R Hall of Fame, right after Gloria Stavers and Lillian Roxanne & the Robinsons (Richard & Lisa.) As for Cleveland, nice town, but you nicknamed your town "The Mistake By The Lake" - I didn't.