Recent Comments
Re: “The F Word: Rochester Music Hall of Fame”
GREG- we respect your feelings about the Chesterfield Kings being in the ROCHESTER MUSIC HALL OF FAME, and I think many on the selection committee also feel you and Andy have had very notable musical careers outside of the band. Many people have asked us about the CKs and when are they going to be inducted. We have not pushed it anymore because we know how the members feel about it. The Sex Pistols (and I have represented Glen Matlock of that band) were inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame and declined to be attend or accept for many of the same reasons you stated in your post. That's cool and understandable based on their personalities. As far as I am concerned, the Chesterfield Kings are in their own Hall of Fame.. one that relies on memories and attitude. And maybe that's a more appropriate home for the band's legacy. Wishing you and all the former members the best in all your musical endeavors.
Re: “The F Word: Rochester Music Hall of Fame”
Frank- your comments and suggestions are always welcome and as one who as been
omni-present on the Rochester music scene for years, they are usually insightful. However, just as our organizations nominations to the ROCHESTER MUSIC HALL OF FAME appears to be getting stale in your words, so is the argument you offer. Everyone feels justified to criticize us when the artists they like have not yet been nominated and inducted. Thats understandable but its also selfish. That is not to say most of the artists you mention as being overlooked are not worthy of induction; they are, but we do not focus on one specific area of music, we cover it all. We have inducted a number of worthy classical musicians (Dorion Anthony Dwyer; Jeff Tyzik; Howard Hanson); theatrical performers such as William Warfield, James Rado, and Charles Strouse; blues artists like Son House and Joe Beard; punk musicians like Wendy O Williams; Rhythm & Blues icons such as Pee Wee Ellis and Wilmer & The Dukes; Gospel heroes like The Campbell Brothers; jazz greats such as Chuck & Gap Mangione, Ron Carter; and Cab Calloway; Radio personalities and stations like Nick Nickson, Jack Palvino, Uncle Roger, and WDKX; and yes, a good share of established rock stars such as Lou Gramm, Gene Cornish of the Rascals; Gary Lewis & The Playboys and others. We have honored the legacy of local heroes like The Rustix and Duke Jupiter who had a period of national recognition; and of course, world class studio/touring performers such as Tony Levin & Steve Gadd, who frankly played on more hit records than most of us have blood cells. We have also honored institutions like The House of Guitars and record executives like Mitch Miller and music marketing mavens such as Ferdinand J Smith. And in the end, we have done some pretty cool things like reuniting Don Potter and Bat McGrath as a duo for the first time in over 40 years and giving a chance for Gadd, Levin, Ferde, John Beck, the Campbells, and Robert Randolf to jam out, on of all things, a smoking version of Jimi Hendrix Purple Haze. You call that stale? We have made it a point to pay attention to diversity in our selections, both in terms of the people we induct and the type of music we honor. Sure, it would be great to cater to a younger, hipper audience but if true music fans are hip, then they will get what we are doing; and they do, because we have lots of under 30 aged people in our audience. There are other factors to consider. When we formed as an organization we said we would only undertake this endeavor if we could do it right and with the integrity and promotion it deserved. Our board of directors are 17 people (along with countless volunteers) who work all year long to make this happen. We have raised thousands of dollars in sponsorships to keep it at the level we have; and we also use our success to underwrite a number of music education initiatives and financial awards that are funneled back into this community and the young musicians Rochester is currently developing. Ever wonder what it costs to put on an event like our induction ceremony at a place like The Eastman Theater? In any given year, this event can cost upwards of six figures to produce; and we have still been profitable since year one and given a significant amount of those profits back to our own arts community in Rochester. You questioned the validity of inductees like Al Jardine, saying he only lived here for 5 minutes. Well, actually it was 4 years and he began playing music here. The Beach Boys have been called Americas rock band, and its 1966 album Pet Sounds has been named by many rock critics and media outlets as the Greatest Rock Album of All Time, and Paul McCartney even has said it was the true inspiration for Sgt Peppers and the transformation of The Beatles from a pop band to the studio icons and brilliant songwriters they became. The last time I looked places like The Baseball Hall of Fame, The Football Hall of Fame, and yes, The Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, all seemed to be honoring inductees with long, rich histories and legacies. We want to honor as many of these artistic heroes as we can while THEY ARE STILL ALIVE. Bands like Joywave, Mastodon and Flogging Molly have Rochester natives as members and deserve to be inducted, as do many of the local and regional acts you mentioned in your F WORD BLOG, such as Colorblind James Experience. We have tried a number of times to induct The Chesterfield Kings, however, you have to get those guys to be willing to stand in the same room with each other first. Not an easy task, so maybe the answer is to induct Andy Babiuk and Greg Prevost each on their own; but is that fair to all the other guys who played, wrote, rand recorded with The Chesterfield Kings? So, the Board of Directors show up day after day; week after week; month after month and year after year and try to shape an event that puts Rochesters music in the national spotlight and pays tribute to the thousands of great musicians and behind-the-scenes people who deserve that recognition. Bringing in world class celebrities like Paul Simon, Paul Shaffer, Fred Wesley, and Mace Parker to help elevate our celebration to a level of ticket sales that will fill a 2400 seat theater. And now, we are moving in other areas such as our BOOKS BACKSTAGE series of music author presentations; using our new East End facility to further promote music history and performances in Rochester. And our members do it all as volunteers. No one at The Rochester Music Hall of Fame Board gets any compensation. So, the next time you think what we are doing is stale, go out and buy a loaf of fresh bread and make yourself a ham sandwich; and sit back and watch other Rochesterians do all the work. With Love, from Bruce Pilato, Rochester Music Hall of Fame Board member and show producer.