Feature Photo: Randy Miramontez / Shutterstock.com
The first thing you’ll say to yourself when you read the names just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is, “are you kidding me?” Peter Frampton is not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Many of us knew that Foreigner wasn’t in, which is ridiculous. I guess you could say that Ozzy Osbourne is actually in with Black Sabbath but not as a solo artist. Nonetheless, this year’s Hall of Fame inductees are led by Peter Frampton, Foreigner, Dave Matthews Band, Ozzy Osbourne, Cher, A Tribe Called Quest, and Mary J Blige. Additionally, a few artists were selected as recipients of the Musical Excellence award, including Jimmy Buffett, Dionne Warwick, Norman Whitfield, and the MC5.
How on earth has Peter Frampton not been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? His career began as a member of one of the all-time great classic rock bands in Humble Pie. Then, of course, he branched out as a solo artist and released a handful of really great solo albums before he released what would become the biggest-selling album of all time, at least at the moment, called Frampton Comes Alive. If his career ended in 1976, he still should have been put into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And, of course, then there’s Foreigner, who everybody loves and has released so many outstanding records. The Dave Matthews Band is also very deserving for many reasons, especially because they helped revitalize the jam scene in the mid-90s.
There’s a lot of debate and anger when artists not considered rock and roll get into the Hall of Fame. We’re not going to jump on that bandwagon here because, in many ways, we believe all music is connected, and we don’t see anything wrong with that, although it would help if they put them in an R&B category to calm everyone down. Anyone who understands the history of rock and roll can see the connection between R&B and soul music to rock and roll. However, what we do see that is very wrong, and it’s a big one, is so many classic rock bands that should have been put in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame years ago are still being passed over. How are bands like Emerson Lake and Palmer, Foghat, Grand Funk, America, Bachman Turner Overdrive, Bad Company, Blue Oyster Cult, Joe Cocker, Rick Derringer, and so many more ignored?
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame needs to make some rule changes and start inducting more than a handful of rock artists each year. There are so many more to put in, and it would be nice if these musicians were still alive when they did it.
Eric Clapton’s music has never been about spectacle. It’s been about feel, phrasing, and restraint, qualities that don’t age quickly. That same approach carried into the visuals tied to his work, which is why vintage-style Eric Clapton t-shirts still make sense today.
Eric Clapton’s career has always been about precision and intention. Whether it was early blues-driven work or later solo material, the focus stayed on the music itself. The imagery tied to that work followed the same approach: understated, era-specific, and closely tied to the sound.
Eric Clapton’s career has always been defined by restraint and control. The playing was precise. The songs were built to last. Nothing needed to be oversized or overstated to make an impact.
