Catching up with my favorite blogs, I found an interesting article in music blog Gunshy Assassin. According to writer Chris Harris, several fans have started a petition to get acclaimed rock band Alice in Chains in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
As of this writing, the petition had 1,158 e-signature of the desired 2,500. I'm not sure how effective e-petitions are, or if the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame would care even if the organizers exceed 2,500 e-signatures.
But I do know Alice and Chains belongs in the Rock and Hall of Fame.
According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's website:
Alice in Chains' first album, Facelift, was released on August 21, 1990. This was no minor release either. "Man In The Box" was on Facelift.
Following Facelift came Dirt, the band's best selling album and the album considered one of the best grunge albums of all-time. Since the release of Dirt, Alice in Chains has been a major success in the music industry. According to the all-knowing and almighty Wikipedia:
Alice in Chains has sold more than 14 million albums in the United States, around 35 million worldwide, released two number-one albums, had 21 top 40 singles, and has received nine Grammy nominations.
Not only were Alice in Chains successful, they were also influential. Since their emergence, many other bands copied elements of Alice in Chains' distinct sound. Bands such as Godsmack, Staind, Sevendust, and dozens of less successful bands emulated their riffs and rhythm. Their lyrics of pain, strife, and suffering inspired bands such as Disturbed, Korn, and the Deftones. As a matter of fact, most of the late '90s and early 2000s heavy rock that was played on the radio owed a debt of gratitude to Alice in Chains. And that, of course, influenced a lot of the metal scene today.
Personally, I never saw the original Alice in Chains live. I did see them with their new lead singer in 2007 and saw a solo show by guitarist Jerry Cantrell in 2004.
Another band who belongs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is Pantera.
Although their first few albums were definitely not the influential sound they were best known for, after they replaced original singer Terry Glaze with Phil Anselmo and released Cowboys from Hell on July 24, 1990, Pantera changed heavy metal forever.
Mixing the grooves of ZZ Top and Van Halen with the aggression of the Louisiana metal scene, Pantera influenced countless bands. From their sound to their style to their legendary partying and drinking, Pantera was one of the biggest metal groups in the world for over 10 years. This despite few singles and a sound that was often a little too loud and hard for radio.
Revisiting the almighty wiki:
They also have been influential to the development of nu metal, metalcore, and several other movements. They have also been called one of the pioneers of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal. Popmatters has claimed that, "Darrell Abbott's influence on the entire genre of heavy metal is massive; after Cowboys From Hell and Vulgar Display of Power, every notable young American metal band since has, in some way or another, copied their guitar style from those records: Korn, Limp Bizkit, Slipknot, Hatebreed, Lamb of God, Shadows Fall... the list is endless."
I also never had the chance to see Pantera live, although I did see side projects from their members when the band was on "hiatus". I saw Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul in Damageplan in 2004 (only three weeks before Dimebag was shot) and I saw Phil Anselmo's Superjoint Ritual in 2005.
Unfortunately, metal bands haven't seen much positive reception from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Seeing that it took until 2006 to elect Black Sabbath, the rest of the metal scene doesn't seem to have much of a chance.
Former Pantera drummer Vinnie Paul has accepted this reality.
From AL.com:
Do you care if Pantera ever gets inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?Either that should change or a separate Heavy Metal Hall of Fame should be created.
Uh, I don't really think so, man. It's already been proven there are tons of travesties that have gone on with that place. How in the world did it take forever to get Black Sabbath in there? Honestly, I don't think Pantera will ever get in there. But if we do I'm going to embrace it just like anything else. I've actually been there and heavy metal is barely even represented in the place so I wouldn't expect that to happen.
While Green Day, Grandmaster Flash, and several pop, jazz, blues, and other acts are embraced with open arms, it's time the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame embrace Alice in Chains and Pantera, two of the most influential acts in recent hard rock and metal history.
