VAN HALEN make AUSSIE newspaper...

[PT 5150]

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sto...005961,00.html

R.E.M. and Van Halen honouredFrom correspondents in New York

January 09, 2007 08:13am
Article from: Agence France-PresseFont size: + -
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R.E.M and Van Halen are among the latest group of ageing rockers to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which this year honours a hip-hop group for the first time.

Besides college rock legends R.E.M and hard rockers Van Halen, the Hall of Fame will also honour hip-hop and rap pioneers Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, 1960s girl group The Ronettes and punk poet Patti Smith.

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five are credited with pioneering DJing, MCing and competitive rapping, or freestyle battles, in New York in the 1970s.

R.E.M., who burst onto the scene with Radio Free Europe in 1981, just met the qualifying requirements, which stipulate that artists are eligible for induction 25 years after the release of their first recording.

"Obviously, we're really honoured ... and the thought of ourselves and Patti Smith and Grandmaster Flash all being there, it's going to be a very exciting night,'' frontman Michael Stipe said on MTV.

"Of course, Bill will be there with us, he'll definitely be on stage with us,'' Stipe said of former drummer Bill Berry, who left the band in 1997.

But with so many changes of line-up in Van Halen over the years, the stage could be set for a repeat of last year's ceremony, when estranged members of newly-inducted new wave band Blondie had a very public spat.

While the foundation this year again honours punk artists of the 1970s with Patti Smith following The Ramones, The Clash and The Sex Pistols, who were admitted last year, The Ronettes have had to wait far longer.

The threesome are perhaps best remembered for their Phil Spector-produced tracks such as Be My Baby as well as their beehives and black eye make-up.

The five inductees will be honoured at a ceremony in New York on March 12.

"We couldn't be more proud to honour this unique, diverse group of rockers, rappers, singers and poets. This is what rock and roll is all about,'' Hall of Fame President Joel Peresman said.

The ceremony will also honour Ahmet Ertegun, the founder of Atlantic Records who died last month.

The inductees are chosen by 600 voters of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. The Hall of Fame is based in Cleveland, Ohio, where the signature of each inductee is inscribed in glass.

[belikemike]

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sto...005961,00.html

R.E.M. and Van Halen honouredFrom correspondents in New York

January 09, 2007 08:13am
Article from: Agence France-PresseFont size: + -
Send this article: Print Email
R.E.M and Van Halen are among the latest group of ageing rockers to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which this year honours a hip-hop group for the first time.

Besides college rock legends R.E.M and hard rockers Van Halen, the Hall of Fame will also honour hip-hop and rap pioneers Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, 1960s girl group The Ronettes and punk poet Patti Smith.

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five are credited with pioneering DJing, MCing and competitive rapping, or freestyle battles, in New York in the 1970s.

R.E.M., who burst onto the scene with Radio Free Europe in 1981, just met the qualifying requirements, which stipulate that artists are eligible for induction 25 years after the release of their first recording.

"Obviously, we're really honoured ... and the thought of ourselves and Patti Smith and Grandmaster Flash all being there, it's going to be a very exciting night,'' frontman Michael Stipe said on MTV.

"Of course, Bill will be there with us, he'll definitely be on stage with us,'' Stipe said of former drummer Bill Berry, who left the band in 1997.

But with so many changes of line-up in Van Halen over the years, the stage could be set for a repeat of last year's ceremony, when estranged members of newly-inducted new wave band Blondie had a very public spat.

While the foundation this year again honours punk artists of the 1970s with Patti Smith following The Ramones, The Clash and The Sex Pistols, who were admitted last year, The Ronettes have had to wait far longer.

The threesome are perhaps best remembered for their Phil Spector-produced tracks such as Be My Baby as well as their beehives and black eye make-up.

The five inductees will be honoured at a ceremony in New York on March 12.

"We couldn't be more proud to honour this unique, diverse group of rockers, rappers, singers and poets. This is what rock and roll is all about,'' Hall of Fame President Joel Peresman said.

The ceremony will also honour Ahmet Ertegun, the founder of Atlantic Records who died last month.

The inductees are chosen by 600 voters of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. The Hall of Fame is based in Cleveland, Ohio, where the signature of each inductee is inscribed in glass.

Doesn't anyone find it odd that Stipe mentione that having Grandmaster Flash, his band, and Patti Smith being there would make it a very special night. Not much of a Van Halen fan??

[YO!Edward]

Doesn't anyone find it odd that Stipe mentione that having Grandmaster Flash, his band, and Patti Smith being there would make it a very special night. Not much of a Van Halen fan??

Yup. First thing I spotted. What a dick....but then again Grandmaster Flash and Patti Smith are SO much cooler than Van Halen!

Never liked him and now I wont ever like him.

[Erikson90]

makes ya feel proud to be australian but i will be more happy if they tour here either this year or next

[Number 47]

Doesn't anyone find it odd that Stipe mentione that having Grandmaster Flash, his band, and Patti Smith being there would make it a very special night. Not much of a Van Halen fan??

Van Halen fans used to beat on flakes like Michael Stipe in high school.

[Number 47]

Yup. First thing I spotted. What a dick....but then again Grandmaster Flash and Patti Smith are SO much cooler than Van Halen!

Patti Smith is very cool.
I've actually got all of her CD's, and can tell you that while she may be rather unknown to the general public, the body of work she has created in the last 30+ years is undeniably true rock and roll.

Iggy and the Stooges would have been my vote this year over Grandmaster Flash.

Iggy was the violent punk, Patti was the sensitive punk and Dave was the Atomic Punk!

They all deserved to be together for one night to prove it.

Patti Smith paved the way for R.E.M. to be able to do what they did, to induct them in the same year doesn't make sense to me.

[YO!Edward]

Patti Smith is very cool.
I've actually got all of her CD's, and can tell you that while she may be rather unknown to the general public, the body of work she has created in the last 30+ years is undeniably true rock and roll.

Yes but you may have missed the point here.

Stipe, by not even mentioning Van Halen, has made the worst possible insult.

I hate REM and I hate Stipe and I hate that all night Van Halen will be overshadowed (in terms of media coverage, crowd hype and music industry ass-licking) by 'the band that girls love'. With there unthreatening homosexual lead singer....PS.Not a homophobic statement mearly a comment that women like gay men cus, generally, they know they wont hit on them!

[SactoFan]

Yes but you may have missed the point here.

Stipe, by not even mentioning Van Halen, has made the worst possible insult.

I hate REM and I hate Stipe and I hate that all night Van Halen will be overshadowed (in terms of media coverage, crowd hype and music industry ass-licking) by 'the band that girls love'. With there unthreatening homosexual lead singer....PS.Not a homophobic statement mearly a comment that women like gay men cus, generally, they know they wont hit on them!

This has to be a nominee for dumbest post ever...How is not mentioning VH an insult? Maybe Stipe didn't know...and just maybe he isn't a VH fan...is that such a big deal as to rate the "worst possible insult"?

I'll stipulate that REM jumped the shark quite a while back, but they used to be a helluva band live and on record. So what Michael Stipe doesn't mention VH in a quote? How does that take away from the 3-4 albums REM made that really are fantastic? How does that take away from the greatness of the first VH albums? Answer is it doesn't...

As far as your Stipe is gay rant...dude, you have serious issues if that is what passes for logic in your every day discourse...

[Number 47]

Yes but you may have missed the point here.

Stipe, by not even mentioning Van Halen, has made the worst possible insult.

I'm not sure if any insult was intended, I think Stipe just gravitated toward one or two names he could maybe relate too.

I'm hoping that there will be some cool interplay between Peter Buck and Eddie during the All Star jam at the end of the night, but Dave and Sammy on stage with Stipe should make for a classic awkward moment. (or not!)

[Van Squalen]

This has to be a nominee for dumbest post ever...How is not mentioning VH an insult? Maybe Stipe didn't know...and just maybe he isn't a VH fan...is that such a big deal as to rate the "worst possible insult"?

I'll stipulate that REM jumped the shark quite a while back, but they used to be a helluva band live and on record. So what Michael Stipe doesn't mention VH in a quote? How does that take away from the 3-4 albums REM made that really are fantastic? How does that take away from the greatness of the first VH albums? Answer is it doesn't...

As far as your Stipe is gay rant...dude, you have serious issues if that is what passes for logic in your every day discourse...

Second that. Dude needs a second helping of the candied brains, please. Pass 'em on down to the poor bastard.

[Menlow]

Second that. Dude needs a second helping of the candied brains, please. Pass 'em on down to the poor bastard.

I'll third that. He also didn't mention the Ronettes, was that an incredible intentional insult to them? It's not as though 20 other bands were being inducted and he made a specific point to mention the other 19 bands but not VH.

Further, who gives a rat's ass what Michael Stipe thinks about VH.

[YO!Edward]

As far as your Stipe is gay rant...dude, you have serious issues if that is what passes for logic in your every day discourse...

Re-read my post!

[YO!Edward]

Yeh well you lot can all easily say that in California, Cleveland etc....try coming to the UK and saying 'Van Halen are being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame', I guarantee the response will generally be 'Van who?'

Over here REM are held by the music press is the sort of high regard that royalty or religious leaders should be. Van Halen get fucked over ALL the time over here.

Want to know what NME (UK weekly music magazine) rated Van Halens Best of Both Worlds at? 2 out of 5. So I am SICK of bands like REM in the spotlight- and as far as coverage of the night goes over here (and in Europe) Van Halen will merely be a footnote to the glory of REM 'coming home'! So yes It PISSES me off that Stipe doesnt mention Van Halen. He should have.

So before you throw around posts like 'dumbest ever' try switching on and thinking outside the box....something some of you Americans struggle doing sometimes.

[YO!Edward]

Oh and Stipes insult was by OMISSION.

Legally you can be guilty by omission (anything up to crimes such as Manslaughter) so I dont think I am being melodramatic to state that Stipe 'insulted' Van Halen by not mentioning them.

[Van Squalen]

Yeh well you lot can all easily say that in California, Cleveland etc....try coming to the UK and saying 'Van Halen are being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame', I guarantee the response will generally be 'Van who?'

Over here REM are held by the music press is the sort of high regard that royalty or religious leaders should be. Van Halen get fucked over ALL the time over here.

Want to know what NME (UK weekly music magazine) rated Van Halens Best of Both Worlds at? 2 out of 5. So I am SICK of bands like REM in the spotlight- and as far as coverage of the night goes over here (and in Europe) Van Halen will merely be a footnote to the glory of REM 'coming home'!

So before you throw around posts like 'dumbest ever' try switching on and thinking outside the box....something some of you Americans struggle doing sometimes.

WTF does any of that have to do with Stipe's sexual orientation? Nothing, that's what. Just you being a homophobic moron. And the simple omission from his statement of Van Halen means nothing...while you may not like REM, globally, they're a worldwide respected act.

And aren't you one of the guys who touts VH3 as Van Halen's best work ever? Want to know what WE hardcore American fans rated Best of Both Worlds Greatest Hits package Vol. II, on a scale of 1-5? A minus one, basically. If you need to bitch at your fellow countrymen for not liking Van Halen more, then go ahead and do so. I doubt passive-aggressive ranting on REM will help Her Majesty's subjects rally behind the Van Halen banner.

Don't worry, though...your post was definitely not the dumbest ever...but you're a contender in the top 20.