Founding Rush Drummer John Rutsey Excluded from Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction
Controversy strikes the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame once again. In a surprise move, the Hall has just announced that the founding drummer for Rush, the late John Rutsey, would not be inducted along with the existing Rush lineup.
The news was confirmed on Rush's Page on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's website:Inductees: Gary Lee Weinrib aka Geddy Lee (vocals, bass; born July 29, 1953), Neil Peart (drums; born September 12, 1952), Alex Zivojinovich aka Alex Lifeson (guitar; born August 27, 1953)Rutsey passed away on May 11, 2008 due to complications from diabetes.
The induction ceremony will take place at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California on Thursday, April 18th. A two-hour special will then air on HBO in the United States and Canada on May 18th.
Thanks to Ed from RushIsABand for the news.
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That's an absolute travesty... one could argue that without John, there would be no Rush.
ReplyDeleteThat's obviously not to take away from Geddy/Alex/Neil -- but we're not talking John Jones here... we're talking a FOUNDING member who appeared on their debut album...
Terrible. Simply terrible!
GeddyWannaBe you are absolutely right. It seems to me that this is just a way for the RRHOF to dis Rush once again. John was a FOUNDING member who played on the debut album of the greatest band ever! How can he not be inducted!
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree as John was a founding member however, I don't think Rush would be where they are if it wasn't for Neil Peart. When John (may he rest in God's arms)was with Rush they sounded too much like Led Zeppelin and Neil basically Re-established Rush to what they have become. From 1991 Rockline (Bob Coburn) interview with Neil, callers even asked him how he felt about re-establishing an already established band. It's a tough call I think.
ReplyDeleteJohn, let's start a petition. Let's get Eric from PW as well to sign his folks up. This is unacceptable.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's a tough call at all. John helped start Rush and even if he did not leave the band they would have evolved. Albeit, differently, but that doesn't mean he isn't a part of Rush and not worthy of being inducted.
ReplyDeleteIt comes down to longevity and influence in R&R HOF opinion. I have never heard someone admit they were influenced by John Rutsey, and his career was only 6 years long.
ReplyDeleteBut I do agree that he should be inducted. There are only 4 (true) members in Rush history in my mind and to exclude a guy who helped them get a major record deal, played with them for 6 years, and would have remained with the band had he not had diabetes, is a real shaft.
This is the one thing that bothers me about the whole induction thing. Why he wasn't included is beyond me. He was a vital part of the beginning of the band. If it wasn't for him being in the band at the time, there would have not been a debut album. Hence it would have never been played on the radio by Donna Halper at WMMS FM/100.7 in Cleveland.
ReplyDeletePersonally I would have liked for Alex to cut his blah blah schtick a bit short and ended with at least acknowledging that John Rutsey should have been inducted at the same time. Also, without him, there would have never been a band named Rush.
It's just more of the same. EVERY other band they "indict" has every stinking member from the beginning of time trotted up on the stage. John Rutsey ABSOLUTELY should have been included. As someone mentioned he was on their debut album and not only that - but "Working Man" was their breakthrough radio single in the US. Of FRIGGING COURSE he should be inducted with the rest of the band - and SHAME ON Geddy, Alex, and Neil for not standing up and saying so. They definitely fell a couple notches in my book - and Alex's "blah blah blah" speech knocked him down yet another notch or two in my book as well. It was stupid and unprofessional - PERIOD. I get why he did it - but why stoop to the standards of the RRHOF? The first minute was somewhat humorous - after that it was nothing more than a cringe-worthy diatribe.
ReplyDeleteThe RRHOF has no discernible standards, which is why you get Donna Summer and Rush in the same "Hall of Fame". Donna Summer had absolutely nothing to do with "Rock and Roll", and neither did Chuck D and Flava Flav (Public Enemy) - so let's just call the whole debacle what it is - the "Pop Music and General Musical Entertainment Hall of Fame"
Finally - let's discuss Geddy's horrible vocal performance. There is something very weird that has been happening with his voice the past few years - he's sounding worse and worse - it's not just straining to hit the high notes (but that too) - the entire timbre of his voice has changed, which is to be expected since he is almost 60 - but instead of "Donald Duck on Helium" (circa 1976) he's starting to sound like a yelping seal. I think better EQ to notch out those annoying high-mids he's developed would go a long way toward cleaning up his live sound. That said - practically everyone in the RRHOF ceremony also sounded like crap. The ONE person who did not - and never does no matter how bad the mix or the sound system - was John Fogerty, who is pushing 70 (67).
The R&RHOF are a bunch of blowhards.Didn't they induct Jethro Tull as a heavy metal act?Losers.
ReplyDeleteIt's obvious why Rutsey wasn't inducted: During the time he was a member, Rush had not done enough to merit inclusion into the Hall of Fame. The body of work that got them into Hall was built after he was gone.
ReplyDeleteI love Rutsey and RIP, but he simply does not belong in the Hall.