The Baseball Hall of Fame recently determined that Andre “The Hawk” Dawson will enter the Hall and be memorialized on his plaque as a member of the Montreal Expos. Years ago players elected to the Hall of Fame could determine which team they would represent. I believe the Hall decided to take more control in this decision after George Steinbrenner began offering millions of dollars to Dave Winfield and other well-traveled inductees to enter the Hall wearing a Yankees cap, even if they played just a few years with the Yankees compared with longer, more accomplished stays in other cities. Dawson, who starred for the defunt Expos for the first 10 years of his career wanted to go in as a member of the Cubs, for whom he won an MVP award during his 6 years and actually played in front of enthusiastic, English-speaking crowds. He said he’s going to figure out some classy way to pay homage to his Cubs fans while respecting the Hall’s decision to cast his likeness in bronze wearing an Expos hat.
What’s all this have to do with jeans – I mean rock ‘n roll? I was thinking about some well-traveled musicians who’ve been inducted in the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame and, if that Hall had such rules, making it necessary to determine one band lineup or instrument to cast in bronze. As it is, the R ‘n R HoF allows for artists to be inducted as both a member of one band and a solo artist. I don’t think they make a Pete Townshend, for instance, choose a single guitar to represent his display. But what if they did?
What single guitar would the R ‘n R HoF choose to represent Pete Townshend, the Rickenbacker of his Maximum Rock ‘n Roll days or the Gibson SG of the band’s breakthrough festival years?
What about Eric Clapton, who’s been shilling Fender cell phones of late but much of whose best work was done on other guitars. Would Slowhand have to find a classy way to acknowledge Fender or, more importantly, if the Hall had to choose one format in which to induct the guy, does he go in as a member of The Yardbirds, Cream, Derek and the Dominos, or a solo artist? We assume the Hall would have already legislated against John Mayall throwing a few million his way to enter as a member of his Bluesbreakers. I know, I know, the Hall has already inducted him in three formats, but let’s pretend we have to choose one. “Layla” may be his signature song. Can Clapton find a classy way to acknowledge Jim Gordon‘s piano coda? Then we’ll work on Jeff Beck‘s status as a Yardbird or a solo artist.
Lou Reed, solo or as a member of the Velvet Underground? You may think I’m whack, but I say it’s a tougher call than you probably first imagine.
Let’s say The Rolling Stones’ plaque needs to represent one version of the band’s three classic eras: the educated RTH public probably lobbies the Hall to cast the Mick Taylor-era band, while the general public can’t imagine anything but a plaque including Ronnie Wood. (You may recall Rock Town Hall’s original credo: Fans of Ron Wood need not apply.) Does the Hall go for one of these lineups, or do the so-called Stones purists among the curating crew win out and decide that the Brian Jones lineup wins the bronze?
You get the idea. Feel free to weigh in on these examples or add your own. I’m sure, for instance, that there are some evenly split multi-instrumentalists who would need to be cast playing one instrument or the other.
Mod, what if Pete elects to be inducted with the shiny black mutant Schecter Tele he played in the Eminence Front video?
“actually played in front of enthustastic English-speaking crowds”
Mr. Mod, you, of all people, should remember the time that the Expos were a contender who drew crowds in the late ’70s-early ’80s & were actually in the thick of the NL pennant race in 1994 when the strike happened.
Going to the topic in hand, I think that the statute of the Kinks should be their original lineup in their 1964-65 hunting jacket glory, w/Dave Davies playing that gincy Flying V prototype that you see in the front of the Kinks’ Greatest Hits.
I think Townsend goes in with SG
What bass would The Ox go in with? Daltry would go in with the heavily taped microphone from his fringed jacket days, and Moon would go in with the premier set with the double bass drum.
The Rolling Stones go in with Brian Jones. But “The Stones” go in with Woody!
BigSteve, the Hall will legislate against any references to “Eminence Front,” if I’m made curator.
Good call on The Kinks, diskojoe, and yes, my apologies to the once-faithful of Les Expos. I maintain that their crowds were largely composed of French speakers. Poor Andre probably didn’t understand much of the support the hometown fans sent his way.
andyr, tough choice, but I’d agree with you on Pete being cast with the SG. Even though it would be out of sequence, wouldn’t The Ox have to go in clutching one of those stupid spider basses?
I’m going w/Pete in his Pearly King jacket heaving his Ricky towards a Marshall amp.
Also, the front cover of London Calling would make a great statute.
Speaking of statutes, here’s an article on the Wezen-Ball baseball blog that rates the statutes in the various baseball parks:
http://www.wezen-ball.com/2010-articles/february/baseballs-best-statues-by-ballpark.html
Thanks for the link to those baseball statues. I’m surprised the writer ranked the Citizens Bank Park statues so high. I think the Ashburn statue is appropriately understated, and I love the Robin Roberts one, but the statues of the Phils heroes of my youth are terrible! Plans are underway for a Harry Kalas statue that also look terrible. A model being proposed has the Phils’ late, legendary announcer leaning on a baseball bat. Kalas was never a player and never pretended to be one. It’s such a lousy way to memorialize the guy.
Of ballpark statues I’ve seen in person, I thought the Giants were ranked a little low. Their 3 statues are simple, classic, and inspiring as you approach their excellent ballpark. The Tigers statues were ranked appropriately high. The park is really nice.
When I was at the Braves’ field I was really bugged by how little Hank Aaron love is on display. The statue was not impressive and I couldn’t find a Hank Aaron t-shirt at their concession stands. I can’t stand the Braves, but I really wanted to leave that park with a cool piece of Aaron merch. All I could find was a #44 pin. This was the same game I made the Hobson’s choice to root for the Mets rather than the home team, which I usually do when I’m visiting a park on the road.
I can’t wait to see the Pirates’ park one of these days. I’m hoping to make a road trip to Pittsburgh this summer.
As much as I’m a fan of the Maximum R & B Rickenbacker era, I’d have to go with the Live at Leeds SG with the P-90’s. I do have a soft spot for the Monterey Pop button coat and the soon-to-be-splintered Strat. And I’m not even a Fender guy.
Brian Jones, definitely. Though would he be playing a Vox teardrop or the Gibson Explorer? That one is a toughie.
There is a much tougher issue than figuring out what guitar Pete should be playing for his statue. What pose will he have? I can’t think of anyone who even remotely as prolific as Pete in terms of iconic rock poses.
Would the statue have him:
1. Jumping up with his legs spread apart sideways
2. Jumping up with his legs spread apart front to back
3. Windmill
4. Ramming the neck of his guitar into a marshall cabinet
And I’m sure I’m missing some obvious ones.
Once you decide what pose to go with, the guitar issue will answer itself.
Now, where did I place my pince nez… Ah, yes, here they are. Ah-hem…
I believe you mean Gibson Firebird, Trollyvox.
Gotta go with Pete in the boilersuit, with an SG, arm raised in mid-windmill. No beard.
Stones with Brian playing the Teardrop.
How about John Lennon? B&W Rickenbacker or Epiphone Casino? (And if the latter, sunburst or natural finish?) Of course, guitar choice implicitly also chooses hair length, wardrobe and whether or not there will be eyewear, facial hair.
The iconic Townshend pose is an awesome question, cdm. I’ve gotta think about that one.
I hope non-sports fans in the Halls of Rock begin to appreciate what us sports fans have been living through on a regular basis our entire sports-loving lives.
Although Lennon is best known for playing the Rick live, I think he’s got to go into the Hall with the Epiphone, long hair, and beard – basically his Let It Be Look. I’m sure I’m in the minority on that issue, but whenever the shot of Lennon squeezing out a double-bend from Let It Be shows up in the RTH rotating header image I feel like I’ve hit the jackpot.
Does this mean you’re putting Lennon and Harrison in the Hall of Fame in the fur coats from the Rooftop Concert? I do think Paul, Ringo and Billy Preston all had enshrinement-worthy Looks during the Rooftop show.
It would be highly controversial, but yes, I’d consider putting the whole band in – with Preston, as an extremely classy gesture – in their rooftop mode.
I would hope the Harrison Estate would object to George being inducted in those green pants. His Rooftop outfit looked like a throwback to the I Am The Walrus segment of Magical Mystery Tour.
I may have to vote Other in the Townshend statue thread, as I think that the statue display for The Who should feature the statues for Townshend, Daltrey and Entwistle spread out evenly on the floor of the Hall of Fame so visitors could recreate the “Join Together” video.
Wasn’t Ringo wearing a red raincoat during that rooftop concert? I’d hold off casting that statue until we’re sure we’re not going to get some sort of injunction or a cease and desist letter.
I voted “other” in the pole. I would vote for the rolling stone picture of him with the bloody hand
sorry that should be “poll”
hah, i was gonna say something about the bloody hand pic. per cdm, though, i think i’d like to see pete iconified as jumping into the air with his legs twisted up, with his right arm raised up in a windmill while his left was jabbing the headstock into an amp. kind of a tony hawk thing.
ultimately it’ll have to be the ricken-windmill “maximum r’n’r” pose, though. it’s what the hot topic t-shirt has on it, so its iconifying force will be immense.
I’d put Clapton in with Cream. Those were his MVP years. Brian Jones era Stones. Pete with the Rick. I’m just nostalgic.
The Kalas statue should really be him at his announcer desk in front of a mic along with an empty chair and another mic so fans can sit down with Harry and get their photo taken doing the color commentary.
Ahh yes — Pete’s bloody hand in RS, if memory serves that was to promote his solo record at the time — he had a good last run at the pop charts with Empty Glass — that was a huge record.
However, I have not listened to that album in two decades.
I remember that “bloody hand” cover of RS. I think it was a RS interview to promote the Empty Glass album back in 1980.
As for putting the Let It Be rooftop scene as a statute, since it is going to be bronzed, why should anyone worry about the color of the clothes?
Finally, I share Mr. Mod’s disdain of the Braves, although I must admit it would have been cool to keep them here in Boston, especially in the Hank Aaron era. BU now owns the property where Braves Field was & the ticket booth is still there. Speaking of Hank Aaron, do you remember the Oh Henry candy bar commercial featuring him which popped up in between showings of Speed Racer, Kimba The White Lion & the Stooges on my local UHF channel?
Here I am!
For Pete, it has got to be a windmill-type pose. I think it’s signature and iconic for him. For the sake of identity, I also think it should be SG/boiler suit live era Pete that’s seen in bronze. It was a golden period for The Who AND Pete and I think it speaks volumes to both the casual fans (who will easily recognize it) as well as the die-hards.
For me, one the coolest “Pete poses” has got to the “the birdman.” It’s usually preceded by a windmill and is coupled with a “you-like-that-don’t-you” look from Pete. Arms spread, ringing guitar noise, glorious Rock! I do like that, sir. Plus, it’s identity can be assigned to any era of Pete’s.
I’ve gotta go windmill because I’m all about pleasing the masses…
TB
latelydavidband said:
For me, one the coolest “Pete poses” has got to the “the birdman.” It’s usually preceded by a windmill and is coupled with a “you-like-that-don’t-you” look from Pete. Arms spread, ringing guitar noise, glorious Rock!
I say: YES! And thanks for giving that iconic pose a name.
Clapton and Lou Reed both go in as solo artists. Reed’s tenure with VU is just too short, and too small an element of his large and uneven output. You don’t put Cecil Fielder (not that he’s going) in the Hall with the Yankees just because he won the World Series with them–most of his career was elsewhere.
Clapton even more so–the guy is the Stan Getz of rock and roll. Played with everyone but was always in large measure only playing solo.
Gotta go with the Brian Jones Stones despite the fact that the Stones’ greatest work is after his death. I’m not sure of my reasoning here; it’s more a gut feeling that you have to go with the team that first became super stars, not the one that followed out the string–sort of in the same way that Babe Ruth and not Mickey Mantle is the ultimate Yankees icon.
With Townsend, of course it’s the windmill. All other answers are guilty of “know too much trivia” overthinking.