About The 2011 Alternative Music Hall of Fame

If you've listened to the live streaming listening party I partially host, Causticvox!, I've called my abode 'The Future Home of The Alternative Music Hall of Fame' for the past two years.  Well, as you can believe construction is going quite slow but it's time to induct the first class, regardless of its completion!  

The 30 initial nominees are located here.  I curated the list by several subjective items:

1.  Longevity/Date of 1st full length release--I selected nominees whose 1st full length LP was released no later than 25 years ago, in this case 1986.  Less important is longevity. How long did the artist/band remain relevant.

2.  Impact--Did the recorded material have an indelible mark on the history of Alternative Music?  Did it change the state of popular music?

3.  Influence--This is potentially the most important factor.  Have other alternative bands/artists used, copied, or were in somehow inspired by the work of the nominee?   

I'm selecting a minimum of 25 people who I personally believe have the Alternative Music acumen to select the four most important artists out of the thirty nominees--the selection committee!  Those 25 selection committee members can refer other people who they believe can make an objective selection of their top four out of the eligible nominees.  All of those selections will be forwarded to me to tally.  

The four artists/bands that receive the most votes will be announced as the initial class of The Alternative Music Hall of Fame 2011!  I'll announce the inductees the first weekend of 2012 on Causticvox!  All selections will required by December 1, 2011.

Finally, I know how passionate people can be about music.  I'm an certified 'music snob.'  These 30 nominees will bring criticism, & possibly hate, because I slighted someone by not making them a nominee.  Please understand, it was difficult to select the 30 I have here but another four will be added for the nominees of 2012.  If an omission was truly a trailblazing alternative artist/band, they'll eventually become a nominee!     

 Rotten!

Summer '11 Brings New Wave To Fremont St., Las Vegas!

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25 Years Later "The Queen Is Dead" Still Resonates

1986.  It was the height of '80's excess, Reaganomics was in full effect & his buddy Thatcher resided on the other side of Atlantic wreaking her own form of havoc.  I was in my sophomore year of college in Tuscaloosa Alabama, skipping classes, drinking beer & essentially doing what I do now--obsessing about alternative music, working as little as possible & drinking beer.

From 1983 until that year I'd already recognized The Smiths as being a transcendent band based on their first three LP's.  The self titled 1st was otherworldly in the way it mixed Morrissey's poetry with a racket that was so out of place in 1983-'84 in comparison to other Alternative acts of the day, e.g., Duran Duran, Thompson Twins, Dead Or Alive etc.  It was followed by the bludgeoning condemnation of "Meat Is Murder" & finally, due to their prolificness at the time, the accumulated singles/B-sides LP that became "Hatful Of Hollow."   

The Legend Continues...

I really didn't have any idea of what to expect from their next 'proper' album.  What direction could they go?  All of their previous recorded output already showed nothing but brilliance.  Surely there had to be a chink in the armor.  No band as heralded as this new powerful storm from Manchester has ever maintained such a vibrant catalog of music without a sudden fall unless they were from Liverpool 20 + years earlier.   

The Smiths didn't waver.  Instead they gave us "The Queen Is Dead."   From the opening shot of the title song, this album became an instant masterpiece--Johnny Marr became a god!  The arrangements, the intricate guitar playing didn't make the previous three LP's pale in comparison, but it certainly gave them a nagging cough!  Morrissey's lyrics & singing didn't take a back seat to Marr's arrangements. 

The Mozzer tore through everything from the body politic of the time, ("The Queen Is Dead"), to the personal, ("Never Had No One Ever").  Vocally he sold every riff with the conviction of his lyrics.  Sometimes with venom, other times with stinging remarks & tongue firmly in cheek & finally in abject despair.

 A Once Sentence 'Rotten' Comment Song By Song...

1.  "The Queen Is Dead": The first tour de force, filled with anti-royal bile & brilliant drumming.

2.  "Frankly Mr. Shankly":  A shambling ditty that hides the daggers aimed squarely at those in charge.

3.  "I Know It's Over":  A slow second tour de force that on countless occasions brought me to youthful, mournful tears as a confused demi-adult.

4.  "Never Had No One Ever":  A slow dirge that replicates my own previous life of romantic rejection unlike anything else that's reached my ears. 

5.  "Cemetry Gates":  Thank god for a lifting, light, piece of a jangling romp except I don't understand why a sunny day would be dreaded?

6.  "Bigmouth Strikes Again":  The third tour de force replete with most pwerful arrangement ever by the band & a vocal that matches the musical instensity.  

7.  "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side":  A beautiful, poignant, driving, yet delicate tune that gave me empathy for the gay struggle.

8.  "Vicar In A Tutu":  A rockablily song about a 'Vicar in a Tutu'--need I say more?!

9.  "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out":  The greatest 'outsider' song of all time & the 4th tour de force on this magnificent LP!

10.  "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others":  A possible throwaway tune but to me a perfect oddball closer to an LP I consider the closest to perfect in the Alternative Music era. 

ROTTEN

Jon Bon Jovi Misses A Beat. Steve Jobs Didn't Kill Music! Technology Just Robbed Him of Old Memories

I want to start this by saying that I like Jon Bon Jovi.  No, I don't secretly hum the lyrics to 'You Give Love A Bad Name' whilst in the shower.  In fact, I felt Bon Jovi was killing music in their heyday!  Of course their musical merit is a matter of taste.  For me, musically, Bon Jovi (the band) makes me taste the bile that churned in my stomach moments ago from a rancid piece of poultry. 

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Why Are We In A State Of Musical Stasis?

I dare you to listen to the radio.  Yes, that's a dare.  I've been stricken with a rental car for more than 3 weeks now & I find the musical fare, for the most part, intoreable!  Sure, I could've thrown in a homebrew CD but I wanted to see what the masses were consuming.  My conclusion is that the masses aren't really consuming anything.  They're captive listeners.

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