Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Kennedy Center Dishonors (2012 edition)
(Warning: I know there's a lot of news today, but this is a yearly tradition, so here it is. No real political content here -- I usually try to keep myself out of Plain Blog except for the baseball posts, but once in a while, I make an exception...hmmm, I guess there are the birthday wishes too, but anyway, as I said, this is a tradition. Indeed, this is just updated and lightly edited from the last years' complaint. Oh, also: I'm really happy that Our TV Friend Dave got it; Letterman and Carson remain the two essential late night hosts, at least after the early years of TV. Rant follows:)
The new Kennedy Center Honors list is out. Now, granted, there's no reason anyone should care about the Kennedy Center Honors, but nevertheless...
This year's popular music honoree is...Led Zeppelin. More specifically, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones. This is two years running that I can't even start my rant properly this year, because instead of it being Paul McCartney (2010) or Bruce Springsteen (2009) it's been Neil Goddawful Diamond and the guys who inspired Tap. Who would, some would argue, have been just as good a choice (and at least they're American, sort of). At any rate, Zep? C'mon. They're not even trying, now.
I mean, you can't really argue with McCartney or Springsteen, both obviously deserving, as were Diana Ross in 2007, Smokey Robinson in 2006, and Tina Turner in 2005. That's fine; they were making their way through the 1960s and 1970s, but it's clear they're just going to keep doing that well beyond reason. And even so, Neil Diamond over Carol King is still nuts, and while I'm in the unusual middle ground on Zep, I just can't see it. The Byrds are still alive, and they're at least American, if you have to go with classic rock acts. But, you know, they started with the 1960s in the mid-90s, putting in Aretha about thirty years after her first hit; it's been more than 30 years since Prince's first album, and 35 since Talking Heads '77, and both of them are far more deserving than Led Zeppelin. Maybe it's just time to move on. But all that is a distraction from the main point of this rant.
Here's the list of original rock'n'rollers who have received the Kennedy Center Honors:
Ray Charles
Chuck Berry
That's it. Now, it can't be helped that Buddy Holly died long ago, and that Elvis Presley was gone just before the Honors opened for business in 1978 (and long before they noticed rock-era performers with Charles in 1986). Fine. But: notice anyone missing?
Where's Little Richard?
(For that matter, where's Fats Domino? Jerry Lee Lewis? If Perry Como rates...well, granted, if Perry Como rates, why not the Everly Brothers, Danny & the Juniors, and plenty of others, but still, Fats Domino and the Killer are pretty damn important).
I have no inside information here; I suppose it wouldn't shock me if they had offered it to Little Richard and he turned them down flat. But I've been following this for well over a decade, and there's never been any reporting to that effect, and he showed up in 1993 and 2000, apparently, to take part in the festivities for others.
Little Richard is a more important figure in American culture than Diana Ross, Paul Simon, Elton John, or Tina Turner...I hardly even have to mention Neil Diamond or Led Zeppelin, do I? Or, as much as I think he's great, Smokey Robinson. He wasn't greater than the other rock-era nominees (Bob Dylan, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, and the Who), but he certainly preceded them. Paul McCartney? Without Little Richard, there's no "I'm Down", no "I Saw Her Standing There", no "Oh! Darling." In the comments last year, I asserted that If I was to try to make a list of the ten most influential singers of the recorded music era, I'd probably say there are about five real obvious ones (Crosby, Armstrong, Sinatra, Elvis, Ella) and then you can start getting into fights, but Little Richard is to me at least very much part of the conversation after those five, right?
I mean, I'm not asking them to celebrate the careers of Bob Mould or KRS-One or Andy Partridge. This is Little Richard. C'mon! What's the hold up?!?
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I agree, mostly, but I would argue that Smokey Robinson is probably, ultimately, a bigger influence than Little Richard. As fine a singer/songwriter/performer Mr. Penniman is, Robinson's influence over the entire mid-'60s Motown oeuvre was vast.
ReplyDeleteFats is 84, and not in good health. He really needs to get up there, pronto.
ReplyDeleteCarole King isn't even in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, except in the songwriter's wing. But yes, she deserves this a thousand times before some British people get it.
Phil Spector deserves it too, except for, you know, his little problem.
Prince is an obvious pick. Plus we'd get to see what he'd wear to the ceremony.
ReplyDeleteMould probably wouldn't be a leading candidate, though Paul Westerberg might be a possibility at some point. Granted, their contributions are unequal--both led legendary bands and then went off on their own, but Mould generated at least half a dozen great solo records, while Westerberg's albums typically had three good tracks amidst the filler, until they started being completely unmemorable. Regardless, there's a certain mystique around the Replacements--I think they're an easier band to get sentimental/nostalgic over, though it's far from certain that they bested the Huskers creatively.
ReplyDeleteLed Zep really is a baffling choice, though. Even with, say, the Rolling Stones, you have a group that is very deeply rooted in American mythos and musical styles, that adapts and comments on them. I love III and IV as much as anyone, but originally they were more a part of the Black Sabbath thing, which means that the American influence is indirect at best. Weird choice. If you're not going to honor groundbreaking American acts, at least honor foreign acts with a direct American influence. Right?
I'm always in favor of Talking Heads getting honored, but it's going to be a cold day in hell before Byrne takes the stage with the rest of them.
Actually, there is at least one pretty direct connection between Led Zep and classic Americana... "When the levee breaks"... a throwback to the 1927 Mississippi floods, an event that reshaped this country, especially politically. You're going to find those floods referenced throughout music of that era, and Led Z reached back and found it.
DeleteBut yeah, it's supposed to be Americana, not foreigners. George Jones, Levon Helm... I can name dozens of Americans who are worthy here.
Led Zep would argue that they were just playing blues, especially in the beginning, but I'm not gonna argue...
DeleteI certainly agree about the Talking Heads.
Yeah Zeppelin I and II were full on testaments to American Blues and folk. "You Shook Me" and "I Can't Quit You Baby" were Willie Dixon covers, and "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" was by American folkie Anne Bredon.
DeleteThat said, I don't think they're the best choice.
Hey, Anonymous: Levon Helm died earlier this year. Sorry.
DeleteAs for Letterman, I'm all for it. The early years of the late-night show on NBC were great fun and produced several cultural touchstones, such as the night when the camera rotated 360 degrees from the beginning to the end of the show (i.e., 6 degrees per minute) or the crazy quiz show/Chinese food delivery competition (one of the teams represented Hunan Wok University; don't recall the other).
Oh, I'm aware Helm died... but so did George Jones. ;-)
DeleteHeck, so did Letterman, long ago, and he's gettin' in.
These are some really weird selections.
Well, if Little Richard gets in, then it opens it up for the whole Kiss and Alice Cooper genre.
ReplyDeleteNot that this nonsense means anything. I mean, Letterman? Seriously? LETTERMAN? Those people are just trolling us now. More geeks at the public trough.
Thanks for this, and thanks for making it an annual event. I'll try to limit the length of my various rants:
ReplyDelete1 - If it's the Kennedy Center honoring American artists...THEN DON'T GIVE AWARDS TO THE BRITS.
2 - With Little Richard it's not a question of opening up the Kennedy Center for male artists who wear lots of makeup, it's more that you can't name ANY 1960s (and later) rock and roll/pop artists who weren't influenced by Little Richard.
Well no, that's just hyperbole. You can name tons of rock and roll/pop artists who weren't influenced by Little Richard.
DeleteHeck, Gary Glitter influenced many, too. But like LR, it was his stage presence that was the difference maker, and it brought us to the aforementioned Kiss and Alice Cooper. Top acts to be sure, but more of a dead end historically speaking. Flamboyance isn't musically landmark ... it's just flamboyance.
The ones who weren't influenced by Little Richard were influenced by someone who was influenced by him.
Delete...influenced to be flamboyant... like Kiss and Alice Cooper were... but that's not landmark, as mentioned. Gary Glitter influenced the influential influencers... per your line of reasoning... so I guess he needs to be in there, too.
DeleteI hear you on Little Richard, but don't mess with Neil Diamond.
ReplyDeleteYou really think you can make a case for Neil Diamond over Carole King? Good luck with that.
DeleteI don't really agree with Bernstein's dismissal of Zeppelin, but Neil Diamond is indefensible.
DeleteDiamond has been recording since the 60s. Before he was a stage performer, he wrote songs that were recorded by the Monkees, Elvis Presley, Jay and the Americans, and others. He was one of the biggest recording artists in the 70s and early 80s. Yes, his music since the early 80s has largely sucked, but the same could pretty much be said for a lot of legendary artists, including Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, Stevie Wonder, and the Who (for whom Diamond once opened). And none of those guys ever co-starred with Sir Lawrence Olivier in a major motion picture.
DeleteIt's tricky to compare one artist to another -- I'd probably go with Diamond over Carole King, personally, but I could see an argument either way -- but he's as deserving as many and more deserving than most.
I'd argue that Diamond's post-peak has been far more annoying than the others you mentioned...well, maybe not The Who. But suppose we set all that to zero (big plus for Diamond vs. King)...he really is a straight comp for King, only clearly not as good. I mean, IMO I'd take Will You Love Me Tomorrow over Diamond's whole career. I'd put exactly one Diamond song (I'm a Believer) in a combined top ten. There's nothing else in the neighborhood of Tomorrow, One Fine Day, The Loco-Motion, Natural Woman, I'm Into Something Good, Earth Move, and plenty more.
DeleteJay and the Americans? That's the best you have? Rolling Stones, no? Of course, she has The Beatles, Aretha, Dusty, and on and on. The Monkees too.
FWIW, their chart success seems pretty similar to me. He clearly had a much more significant concert career, and then you have to figure out how to credit the large portion of her greatest songs that were co-written.
I'd say King (at least along with Goffin) is much more important (and better) as a songwriter than Diamond. But in that case you should give it to her and Goffin together (and do they even give these things to people based on songwriting alone?)
DeleteAs recording artists, I have a hard time not seeing Diamond as the more significant. King had one really important album and then kind of faded out, while Diamond was a very popular recording artist for a long time.
Diana Ross's influence can be seen in every wanna be diva in the recording industry.
ReplyDeleteKing over Diamond in a walkover, I'd say. Ronstadt should be considered for her interpretations.
ReplyDeleteIt's the absence of both women in the R&R HOF which strikes me as absolutely bizarre and which causes me to believe that there really is something to the conspiracy theory that if Jann Wenner signals "thumbs down" then artists are denied entrance.
Andy Partridge is arguably one of the greatest pop songwriters ever, and duly DOES deserve to be honored as a silent favorite of thousands upon thousands of people. It is likely that he was influenced by people like Smokey Robinson and other brilliant songwriters.
ReplyDeleteLittle Richard, while very energetic and flamboyant, did not actually ever really express the same level of songwriting skill as did Robinson or Partridge. I found the phrasing about Andy Partridge a little disturbing, but such is life.
I'd agree that Little Richard's songwriting isn't to the level of either Robinson or Partridge -- but his performances were more historically important and influential than either of them. And I say that as a huge fan of both.
DeleteAs far as Partridge...it's the Kennedy Center Honors; I don't think he fits the profile, especially what with him being a Brit and all. But the fact that XTC isn't, apparently, considered qualified for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is to me one of the good indicators that I shouldn't take that institution at all seriously.