The Little Things You Didn’t Know About The 2019 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Inductees
Since 1986, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has added 323 inductees. As with the nominees' list, since 2012, the official nominating committee selects a group of artists nominated for induction. Todd Rundgren, Rage Against The Machine, and John Prine and Devo were all nominated but failed to make the cut.
For the nominees for the next class, the induction ceremony will be held at Brooklyn's Barclays Center on March 29th. Before the groups are inducted, let's take a look at the most significant moments of their careers.
The Zombies Stood Apart From The Rest Of The British Groups
The classic lineup of The Zombies go back to their school days at St. Alban's. Keyboardist and singer Rod Argent met guitarist and vocalist Paul Atkinson and drummer Hugh Grundy as schoolmates. Bassist Chris White and lead singer Colin Blunstone joined shortly after.
Their band's sound filled space gorgeously and completely with jazz-inflected electric piano and choirboy vocals. That would be enough for the group to part from the raw sound of American blues and R&B.
Roxy Music Wasn't Creating Just Any Rock And Roll Band
Bryan Ferry and Graham Simpson formed Roxy Music in 1970. But, they weren't two guys looking to make music. Their now infamous 1971 Melody Maker magazine ad is still discussed.
The ad was looking for a new guitar player for their "Avant Rock Group." They wanted someone who was original, creative, adaptive, and scary. That description was accurate considering they sat somewhere between David Bowie and The Velvet Underground.
The Name Cure Has Stood For A Long Time
The founding members of The Cure first met when they were teenagers. Primarily, they were school friends at Norte Dame Middle School in Crawley, West Sussex. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with vocalist, guitarist, and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member of the group.
The Cure first began releasing music in the late 1970s with their debut album The Imaginary Boys being released in 1979.
Def Leppard Was The Most Commercially Successful New Wave Of British Heavy Metal
Def Leppard ignited the eighties in full with their thrashing metal sound. Their anthemic hooks, melodic but powerful guitars, larger-than-life drum sounds, and sexy swagger created the ultimate stadium experience.
A group of fresh-faced teenagers formed Def Leppard in Sheffield, England in 1977. Combining new wave's accessibility with metal’s guitar-driven power and glam rock’s sexiness, they set the stage for metal’s domination of arenas. Def Leppard is responsible for defining visual theatricality.
The Youngest Member Of The Jackson Family Found Her Own Spotlight
Janet was in the spotlight when she was young. Jackson was an actress on the TV show Good Times. She would later appear in A New Kind of Family, then she had a recurring role on Diff'rent Strokes. She also played the role of Cleo Hewitt in the fourth season of Fame.
When Jackson was 16, her father-manager arranged a contract for her with A&M Records, with Janet Jackson being released in 1982.
Radiohead Met In The '80s As Classmates At An All Boys School
The members of Radiohead met while attending Abingdon School, an independent school for boys. Singer Thom Yorke and bassist Colin Greenwood were in the same year. Guitarist Ed O'Brien and drummer Phillip Selway were a year above. Johnny Greenwood, Colin's younger brother who was the last to join, was two years below the rest of the group.
In 1985, they formed On A Friday, a reference to the band's usual rehearsal day at school.
Odessy And Oracle By The Zombies Has A Big Reputation
Their second and final album has earned a reputation and stands alongside other greats such as The Beatles White Album and Beach Boys Pet Sounds, just to name a few. The album was received indifferently on its release, but since then, it's become one of the most acclaimed albums of the sixties.
Because the band split up before the album was even released, the Zombies never performed any of the songs onstage whatsoever.
The Early Intentions Of Roxy Music Came Clear On Their Self-Titled Debut Album
Roxy Music came right out of the gate with the opening track "Re-make/Re-model." Essentially, they added elements of modern fashion, cinema, art, and the avant-grade. They pushed the perception of the listener's essence of pop music.
Also, when people figured them out, they changed. Everyone has a favorite Roxy record, and the artwork behind each album is super intriguing. It doesn't hurt that a lot of their songs would make anyone want to groove out.
Their Larger-Than-Life Concerts Were Something Else
Def Leppard didn't hesitate to stage larger-than-life concerts. They were filled with pyrotechnics, unencumbered performance energy, and sexy swagger. They credited the model for hard rock bands looking to harness MTV's hard rock potential with videos like "Photograph" and "Rock of Ages."
But, on their multi-platinum albums Pyromania and Hysteria, Mutt Lange guided the band as they honed their signature sound. That guidance would sustain the band from pub rock to metal and points in-between.
The Story Of The Band Has Many Chapters
As mentioned before, Robert Smith has been the only consistent member of The Cure. After some youthful first efforts billed as "The Easy Cure," the band began exploring dark imagery. They settled into a distinctive formula of Existentialist philosophy, Gothic themes, and a lot of reverb.
The records released between 1979 and 1982 saw Smith develop a lyrical prowess and a haunting sound as both a singer and guitarist.
Jackson Wasn't Afraid To Explore Social Issues
Coming from a background in television didn't overwhelm Janet. Instead, she tackled social issues, especially on Rhythm Nation 1814. The pop singer explored poverty, race relations, and drug use on the 1989 concept album. The album was so successful that it broke records with seven top five singles.
It's the only album in the history of the US Billboard Hot 100 to have seven commercial singles peak within the top five positions.
Radiohead's Breakthrough Song Was Written When Thom Was In University
Yorke wrote the lyrics to "Creep" after being rejected by a girl he was fascinated by. It's about being in love with someone, but not feeling good enough. The alternative rock band would release the song as their debut single in 1992. Initially, it wasn't a chart success, but it became a worldwide hit when it was re-released in 1993.
But, the members grew tiresome of the song, refusing to play it for some time.
The Zombies Song "Time Of The Season" Is Used In Pop Culture
"Time of the Season" was released as a single, but little did anyone know how big of a hit it would be. The song is frequently used to represent the era of its release. It would be featured in a handful of films and TV shows.
But, the ones that stood out the most were A Walk on the Moon and even The Simpsons used it in an episode as well.
Roxy Music's Album Siren Spawned An Incredible Worldwide Hit
The song "Love is the Drug" has been featured in video games, TV shows, and movies. The song gave the group its first expose in the United States too. In the DVD, More Than This: The Story of Roxy Music, Nile Rogers of Chic stated something about the song.
He said that it was an influence as the bass timing is almost identical to the one in Chic's song, "Good Times".
With Def Leppard, The Band Is Greater Than The Sum Of The Parts
It was Joe Elliott's anthemic hooks that went soaring above the glossy vocal harmony layers. At the height of the band's popularity, Steve Clark and Phil Collen saturated their songs with guitars. Mainly, they would track single-note melodic licks over chunky power chords. Then, Rick Savage slapped the bass to anchor the sonic texture above his bandmates sound.
But, it was drummer Rick Allen who came up with an opportunity after losing his left arm in a car accident.
In 1982, The Cure Opened A New Chapter
Ready to move on from the stress of what Smith called "the sordid side of life," the band opened a new door. The Head on the Door set the standard for a more pop-orientated sound. With its variety of styles, this transformation allowed the group to reach a wider audience in both Europe and North America.
Over in the United Kingdom, it became their most successful album of all time.
Her Music Videos Were Very Stylized
Much like her brother and his incredible Moon Walk Dance, Janet had her own style. Her highly stylized music videos were full of innovative choreography. Essentially, that would establish the former child actress as a fashion icon. Her early videos such as "Nasty," "The Pleasure Principle," and "Alright" became iconic for their intense dance moves.
"Rhythm Nation" has been considered as the most influential choreography, thus helping her achieve such legendary status.
The Band Briefly Reunited In 1991 And More Touring Followed
The Zombies reunited with keyboardist Sebastian Santa Maria and recorded the album New World. A few tracks from that album were released in Europe in 1990 on an album called The Return Of The Zombies. This album features numerous tracks from that release that were remixed or re-recorded, as well as new tracks, which was released in April 1991.
Unfortunately, Rod Argent wasn't available to join them for more than one song.
There's Something Happening In The Single To "Paranoid Android" From Radiohead
"Paranoid Android" is categorized by three distinct moods written in what Yorke referred to as three different states of mind. The single from the group's third album, OK Computer, had an interesting sound on the percussion side. The rattling percussion sound is nothing more than a cabasa. It's an instrument that's mainly used in Latin Jazz.
Interestingly enough, the instrument is used in music therapy, especially for those who have neurological disabilities.
Roxy Music's Final Album Avalon Saw The Band End On A High Note
It was the band's most successful studio album, reaching No. 1 in the UK. It offered a pop tune laden, chill lounge album filled with vast musical landscapes equally cerebral and emotional. Although Avalon was considered to be a sleeper hit, it became the band's only million-selling record in that country.
Ultimately, the group received an RIAA platinum certification. The single "More than This" was a top 10 hit in Britain and Australia.
The Acclaimed Album Bloodflowers Ushered New Heights For The Cure
Bloodflowers was released at the turn of the new millennium. It was favorable amongst critics in the music industry, but not for the Trouser Press, which wrote "Bloodflowers feels like a forced recreation of the earlier gloomy classics. The album sounds completely uninspired, as Smith and company go through the motions of Cure-ness."
A year after the release of the eleventh studio album, it was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album.
Def Leppard Was An Influence For Many Bands
It's no surprise that the boys of Def Leppard were an influence. They opened the doors for acts like Mötley Crüe, Guns N' Roses, and Bon Jovi. As for other influences, Metallica and Taylor Swift made the same claim. However, it's the band's perseverance that will forever be their greatest asset.
Throughout the countless changes in the music industry and personal struggles, Def Leppard continues to find new ways to rock.
Ironically, Kid A Was Radiohead's First Number One Album In America
The achievement would affirm the band's drive to continually challenge itself. And, they would do that with its audience over the next two decades. Radiohead released no singles or music videos to promote the album. Instead, the group became one of the first major acts to use the internet as a promotional tool.
The album was made accessible to stream, with bootlegs of the album being released before the commercial release.
Jackon's Longevity Is Remarkable
From child actress to renowned choreographer, Janet is always reinventing herself for a new generation. She's the only artist with #1 singles in the eighties, nineties, and 2000s. But, it would be her 2015 album, Unbreakable, where the pop star achieved another new height.
This time, she earned her first single under independent label Rhythm Nation Records, which features J. Cole and Missy Elliot. Her music and complex dance moves influenced Usher and Britney Spears.
The Long Overdue Induction For The Zombies Is A Defining Moment
The British Invasion group have been eligible for induction since 1989. However, they didn't appear on a ballot until 2014. In fact, both Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone aren't bitter about the long wait. When interviewed by Rolling Stone, Blunstone spoke of the induction:
"The thing is, this is our fourth nomination. I suppose that there's a part of you that wonders if our nomination could ever turn into an induction."
Roxy Music Had A Different Take — Well, Bryan Ferry Did
The frontman Tweeted that "We are delighted to accept this prestigious award on behalf of everyone who has been involved in the world of Roxy Music." He added: "Musicians, engineers, producers, designers, and numerous people behind the scenes... and of course our loyal fans."
Since being eligible for the Hall of Fame since 1997, Roxy Music and The Zombies are getting the long-awaited recognition they've deserved one and for all.
Joe Elliott Is More Than Thrilled To Be Inducted
When being interviewed by Rolling Stone, the frontman was extremely blessed by the achievement. I think it is a nice badge of honor. I don't think it’s going to make too much difference to many people. It was something that we weren’t overly concerned about until the fan vote thing became a major part of it."
Now that the fan vote is over, Def Leppard is nearing the end of a long year of touring.
The Cure Was One Of The First Alternative Bands To Have Chart And Commercial Success
This came in an era before alternative rock had broken into the mainstream. In 1992, NME declared The Cure had, during the 1980s, become "a goth hit machine and international phenomenon and, yet, the most successful alternative band that ever shuffled disconsolately about the earth." Of course, those words would ring true almost thirty years later.
For being one of the first faces of alternative rock, The Cure is deserving of this recognition.
Jackson Has Numerous Accolodes Under Her Belt
As one of the newest members of the Hall of Fame, Janet has a big trophy case. She's got six Grammy Awards under her belt. But, that's not all of her awards. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Song for "Again" in the movie Poetic Justice.
With sales of over 160 million records worldwide, the youngest of the Jackson family stands as one of the best-selling artists of all time.
Being Inducted Doesn't Mean Radiohead Is Going To Show Up
During an interview with Rolling Stone, Phil Selway had this to say: "It's a bit like having the free bus pass in the UK when you reach a certain age." Then Colin Greenwood added this:
"I'd be grateful if we got in. I don't know if everyone else will go through. It might be me just doing bass versions of everything like, 'Come on, you know this one!’ I’d have to play the bass part to ‘Creep’ five times."
