This from All Access:

MADONNA, JOHN MELLENCAMP, the DAVE CLARK FIVE, the VENTURES, and LEONARD COHEN will be inducted into the ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME in 2008. The HALL announced this year's honorees THURSDAY. PHILLY Soul producers/songwriters KENNY GAMBLE and LEON HUFF will be inducted as non-performers with the AHMET ERTEGUN Award, and harmonica virtuoso LITTLE WALTER will be honored in the sideman category.

This year's nominees stretch the definition of "rock and roll," with pop superstar MADONNA and cult Canadian folk/cabaret singer-songwriter-poet COHEN not typically thought of as fitting into the rock genre. The five inductees will be honored at a MARCH 10 ceremony at NEW YORK's WALDORF-ASTORIA.
________________________________________________________________

The Ventures were a Northwest Instrumental Rock Band. Here's a bio on the group:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ventures

John Mellencamp is in, yet Rush is not?

Again ... the Rock and Roll HOF is not legitimate in my eyes until the Trio from Toronto is in.

Blasphemy!

Rush don't get in until hermins hermits make it, after all Rush is a niche band, where the Hermits were hughly popular across all generes.

This is really great news -- I am happy for Nokie and the gang!

In my opinion, if Gamble and Huff are being inducted, they ought to include the great Joe Tarsia and make it a trio. If all three of those legends had not gathered in Philly at Sigma, the world would have missed out on a stack of timeless records.

Brian, perhaps Leonard will put in a good word for his fellow countrymen. I agree, Rush ought to be in the HOF.

"Rush" is already in my "Hall of Fame"! They need to have a "Rock and Roll Hall of Shame" for some of the hacks pumping out the crap that they do.

The Rock HOF sucks ass.

I totally agree with you about Herman's Hermits Nwokie, no argument there.

Calling Rush a "niche" band though ... really? "Niche" bands don't kick ass for almost 35 years and put out new material like they have that is so exemplary. "Niche" bands don't get nominated for Grammys at this point in their career.

Look up Niche band in the dictionary and Rush's name is all over it.

They suck ass and they are Canadian so even more reason to keep them out.

Oh come on Mc!

They've demonstrated top-notch musical acumen their entire careers! That alone should put them there. And the niche? Totally. But that's a solid reason to put them there too. Being niche is not bad at all. All depends on the niche and how it's been managed. In the case of RUSH, it's all good, and has only expanded the scope of rock. Put it this way. Rock would be significantly less without their constant influence on it.

That's HOF behavior for sure! They occupy (and totally freaking own) their segment of rock. It's not for everybody, true that. (but they are damn fools, IMHO, if they are gonna pass on RUSH) That too, is a solid reason for their niche status.

What I think is significant is they built their niche, continue to own it, make it relevant across multiple generations AT THE SAME TIME, and have only improved their technical skill in presentation of it.

IMHO, age will take them long before they even come close to burning out their niche. Instead, they continue to expand on it, without really diluting it. (more fans every year, without losing existing ones for the most part)

Stepping out and crafting a specific sound formula is fairly common. It's not all that common for said niche (or read that as new sound, depending on your perspective!) to remain relevant for such an extended length of time.

This really is one of the reasons I absolutely love RUSH. They are completely true to themselves. Their sound is theirs. Rather than bend it, or exploit it for whatever appeal rules the day, they simply execute it to the best of their ability, weaving socially relevant themes into it. This makes their sound compelling instead of making a sound that might be compelling. One considers RUSH, not because it's a NEW sound, but because RUSH has something to say that matters!

If, at any time, they had decided to step away from it (their sound), set the expectation that what is old is old, they would have fallen as so many others did, relevant or not. That takes a kind of conviction to the music that's not all that common.

When all is said and done, that niche RUSH built, will be theirs completely and totally. The work they did, the love they showed it, has forever expanded the defninition of what is rock and what is not.

There is a very strong case for there being rock, and there being RUSH actually! It's that differentiated. That may also be why they are not in the HOF yet. Those making those calls, just don't get it. Their loss, IMHO.

Of course, we will see wannabes and admirers in the future, but those will pale by comparison to the real thing. ...and I'll bet anybody exploring that will own up to it too --they would have to, or lose all respect. IMHO, it's not possible to admire and appreciate their work, and miss all of that. Self-correcting really.

If one is so clueless as to not see this stuff, one does not possess the skill necessary to build on it. It's highly likely one then also does not possess what is needed to appreciate it and be a fan of it. (no offense to anyone not liking RUSH, just trying to state something I find difficult to state otherwise!)

One other artifact of this is where somebody ends up considering any one of their tunes. If they grok it on any real level, they've opened the door for nearly the entire body of work. So they might not capture as many new fans every year as would somebody exploring the latest gimmick, but those so captured are just freaking owned. No going back, it's either just great music that feeds the soul, or something to pass on completely.

In a way, brand new RUSH fans are in for one hell of a treat! Discovering their sound appeals is priceless these days! There is so much to consume --and no waiting either. It's possible to go on a huge RUSH binge for a good long time. The rest of us had to wait for it!

The result being there are very few, "I like a coupla RUSH songs" fans out there. Owning their niche so completely is a big part of that. One either likes RUSH, or one doesn't, because RUSH does not give one inch of themselves in the hope of some greater appeal.

They don't have to, and that's all that needs to be said on that.

Maybe Niche is too strong, I think of Rush as one with a very strong, dedicated following, like the deadheads, but there are probably more Rush fans. I think their music is Ok and some of it great. But they don't have the following of an Eagles or other mainstream bands.

The new album from the Eagles sucks! IMHO anyway. Best new albums of the year would have to go to The Scorpions and Rush. They are truly a masterpiece! My own personal tastes give the Scorpions a 60 to 40 over Rush!

That Scorps album is pretty damn good. You are spot on about it just being a matter of taste. I'm the opposite, favoring RUSH over the Scorpions. Both works are top notch and true to their form.

Both are totally relevant today too. That's really the coolness for me.

Sorry Craig, for hammering the Ventures thread. Somewhere I've got a Ventures album. Liked it a lot as a kid. They had a great sound, good production, and the music was interesting.

I'm gonna go an scoop a few tunes to listen to today. Glad they made it! I think they should be there.

Hey, its all good. Mentioning The Ventures was an excuse to get the story posted with a Northwest slant. I don't get bent out of shape when threads I post change direction, as long as posters are having fun, plus the "header" stays up and promotes the honor The Ventures will be given. So let's hear more about Rush!

Possible Venture Question... Years ago at an auto show, I yacked for a while with a guy that had a really nice Stingray convertible. We mostly talked about vintage 63-67 Corvettes, but I think he said that he was once a member of a northwest band. His last name was Zifsky, Zitskie (or something like that)... Does that name "ring a bell" to Ventures (or other NW band) fans?

John Mellencamp????????? PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Talk about an overrated OVERPLAYED piece of garbage. "jack and Diane" is one of the worst songs ever recorded!

There are so many more bands /artists that are MUCH more deserving than John Melloncamp or John Cougar Mellencamp, or WHATEVER THE HELL YOU CALL HIM!

Death is calling Mellencamp and john isnt answering...

Does this guy still chain smoke 10 packs a day?

Jr. Tech: I saw no last name mentioned remotely looking like "Zifsky" in any of the three VENTURES band line-ups through 1988. He probably filled in at some point but was not a member when THE VENTURES made their hits. Or is living a dream like so many musicians that never made it and is telling a tall tale for attention.

This reminds me of KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer, yes he was in the band but not when KISS has making hits & Rockin' The World, Thayer came later.

Mc - have you seen any recent pics of Mellencamp?

Age has not done the man well. His skin has that shoe-leather quality from all that smoking ...

I have a cousin named "Corkey" Hughes, who played guitar with Alabama for years, he was part of the road band. he wasn't a member, so Zifsky could have been associated something like that.

Hey Mc74, Mellencamp stays young by banging his HOT wife every day!
Sex will keep you young! His wife is HOT!!!!

You dont get out much do you Beano?