Rock hall gives Bon Jovi a just reward
Bon Jovi fans are no longer livin’ on a prayer now that their favourite band has made it to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The New Jersey rockers were among six artists out of 19 nominees to make the cut on Wednesday, the others being The Cars, Dire Straights, The Moody Blues, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Nina Simone.
Missing the cut were the likes of The Zombies, Judas Priest, Eurythmics, Depeche Mode, Rage Against the Machine, Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, three-time nominee The MC5 and LL Cool J.
A strong case could certainly have been made for most of the contenders especially Depeche Mode and MC5, which was a heavily influential hard rock outfit despite its short career.
Bon Jovi, however, has to be one of the sentimental favourites among pop metal fans with their ear-friendly, radio-popular catalogue which has made them arena rock icons. While bands come and go, Bon Jovi has managed to survive changing musical tastes and retain their loyal and large fan base. It’s a band that still has relevance.
Bon Jovi is a staple on Sirius/XM’s Hair Nation station, with “Livin’ on a Prayer” getting steady rotation, even as I’ve discovered when customizing the channel to personal taste. Bon Jovi is a band you just cannot listen to Hair Nation without hearing every day.
And that’s not a bad thing because the band does have a substantial catalogue, one which doesn’t get enough airplay on SiriusXM aside from those all-toofamiliar hits. Former lead guitarist Richie Sambora, who hasn’t played with the band since skipping a 2013 concert in Calgary is also an exceptionally talented solo artist whose tune “Ballad of Youth” is one of the most-underrated rock tunes of all time, in this opinion.
I’m a little surprised, though, such a commercially popular band from the days of hair metal actually got in the hall. Critics who believe popular doesn’t equate to good, I’m sure, will be all over this selection as will fans of Judas Priest who may rightfully argue their groundbreaking band deserved inclusion, too. And I’m hoping the Priest will get their just due sooner than later.
As a guy who grew up in the 1970s, I’m also glad to see British rockers The Moody Blues get their deserved moment in the spotlight. It’s just a shame The Zombies weren’t joining them.
The Moody Blues’ 1967 album “Days of Future Passed” is still one of my favourite records and perhaps their most enduring with classics like “Nights in White Satin” and “Tuesday Afternoon” which forever reminds me of deadlines. And who can forget “Gemini Dream” from 1981’s “Long Distance Voyager”? Well, I guess a lot of people who weren’t born in that era but along with The Zombies, whose lead singer Colin Blunstone I interviewed several years ago before a show at the Empress Theatre, the classic tunes of The Moody Blues can still be regularly heard on radio.
I also have a soft spot for the J. Geils Band, whose 1980 effort “Love Stinks” was one of two eight-tracks I had in the car when I drove 18 hours to Ontario in the spring of 1980 to start my newspaper career.
To be honest, while I admire the musicianship of Mark Knopfler I was never a particularly huge fan of The Dire Straits which may come from hearing “Sultans of Swing” way too much when the band’s first album debuted in 1978. And I always change stations when I hear “Money for Nothing” for the same reason.
I’m two thumbs-up, though, with the induction of The Cars, a band which is certainly deserving of their nod. Their punk sensibility has influenced other New Wave artists over the decades and Ric Ocasek is an absolutely brilliant songwriter. Along with Bon Jovi, The Cars may be the least popular inductee among music snobs although I’m willing to bet if LL Cool J had made it, rock fans would have gone absolutely ballistic.
Congratulations to the entire class of 2018, though, for earning a place in music history. Regardless of personal tastes, music is something that always makes the world a better place and life a little easier.