by Flack » Wed May 03, 2023 8:43 pm
Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue recently said he was personally told by members of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that their band would never be inducted into the Hall due tot he band's "bad behavior." And while none of the members of Motley Crue are angels, their "bad behavior," for the most part, falls under that classic umbrella of sex, drugs, and rock & roll.
It's hard to think of Motley as being the "bad boys of rock and roll" when RATM was standing on stage, literally getting tens of thousands of kids to chant "fuck you I won't do what you tell me!" I remember seeing the video for "Freedom" on Headbanger's Ball and getting those chills when you've seen and heard something that just changed everything. RATM certainly wasn't the first band to give the middle finger to the establishment, bands like Minor Threat were playing small, sweaty clubs while RATM was playing Lollapalooza. One of the many things the band exposed was the fact that the music industry is so greedy that if you are popular enough, you can literally talk shit about them and they will put up with it because you are making them money. The Clash advertised themselves as a political band and most people know at best two of their songs. Rage Against the Machine wrote a song about guerilla radio and it played during the opening of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2.
One of the most "RATM" RATM moments happened at the 2000 MTV Music Awards. During the show, RATM bassist Tim Commerford snuck out of his seat and climbed one of the show's giant set pieces on stage. Nobody recognized him and everyone assumed he was just some random protester. While Limp Bizkit stood on stage trying to accept some award, Commerford was rocking the top of the set piece, trying to bring the whole fucking thing down during the show. MTV wasn't in on it. Nobody was in on it. MTV called the cops and they had to stop the show while ten cops stood around scratching their heads trying to figure out how to get this guy out of a giant metal tree looking thing who was literally raging against the machine.
Several years ago when I visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I found a room near the lobby full of cars. Janis Joplin's Porsche is there, as is ZZ Top's infamous Eliminator. In the back corner is this ratty ass Chevy Astro minivan with a busted drum kit inside. There's a sign next to the van that says "Rage Against the Machine's original tour van." You can see inside; the seats are faded and the carpet is all shitty. When you're a kid I didn't think there was anything more rock and roll than ZZ Top's car, and when I saw that Chevy Astro I was like... goddamn, this is rock and roll, man. Rock and fuckin' roll.
Now freedom must be fundamental
In Johannesburg or South Central
On the mic, 'cause someone should tell 'em
To kick in the township rebellion
It's hard to come up with a scenario more bizarre than RATM getting inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Several artists (including the Sex Pistols) have rejected being inducted. All I can say is, RATM actually accepting the award may be an even bigger middle finger than turning it down.
Anger is a gift.
Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue recently said he was personally told by members of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that their band would never be inducted into the Hall due tot he band's "bad behavior." And while none of the members of Motley Crue are angels, their "bad behavior," for the most part, falls under that classic umbrella of sex, drugs, and rock & roll.
It's hard to think of Motley as being the "bad boys of rock and roll" when RATM was standing on stage, literally getting tens of thousands of kids to chant "fuck you I won't do what you tell me!" I remember seeing the video for "Freedom" on Headbanger's Ball and getting those chills when you've seen and heard something that just changed everything. RATM certainly wasn't the first band to give the middle finger to the establishment, bands like Minor Threat were playing small, sweaty clubs while RATM was playing Lollapalooza. One of the many things the band exposed was the fact that the music industry is so greedy that if you are popular enough, you can literally talk shit about them and they will put up with it because you are making them money. The Clash advertised themselves as a political band and most people know at best two of their songs. Rage Against the Machine wrote a song about guerilla radio and it played during the opening of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2.
One of the most "RATM" RATM moments happened at the 2000 MTV Music Awards. During the show, RATM bassist Tim Commerford snuck out of his seat and climbed one of the show's giant set pieces on stage. Nobody recognized him and everyone assumed he was just some random protester. While Limp Bizkit stood on stage trying to accept some award, Commerford was rocking the top of the set piece, trying to bring the whole fucking thing down during the show. MTV wasn't in on it. Nobody was in on it. MTV called the cops and they had to stop the show while ten cops stood around scratching their heads trying to figure out how to get this guy out of a giant metal tree looking thing who was literally raging against the machine.
https://youtu.be/o7X3F8xPPNw
Several years ago when I visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I found a room near the lobby full of cars. Janis Joplin's Porsche is there, as is ZZ Top's infamous Eliminator. In the back corner is this ratty ass Chevy Astro minivan with a busted drum kit inside. There's a sign next to the van that says "Rage Against the Machine's original tour van." You can see inside; the seats are faded and the carpet is all shitty. When you're a kid I didn't think there was anything more rock and roll than ZZ Top's car, and when I saw that Chevy Astro I was like... goddamn, this is rock and roll, man. Rock and fuckin' roll.
[i]Now freedom must be fundamental
In Johannesburg or South Central
On the mic, 'cause someone should tell 'em
To kick in the township rebellion[/i]
It's hard to come up with a scenario more bizarre than RATM getting inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Several artists (including the Sex Pistols) have rejected being inducted. All I can say is, RATM actually accepting the award may be an even bigger middle finger than turning it down.
https://youtu.be/H_vQt_v8Jmw
Anger is a gift.