Menu
Jacob, you are welcome to your opinions. To those of us who consider ourselves
real fans of The Ventures, there has never been a question that they are
absolutely one of the dominant rock acts of all time.
If measured on record sales, they were 6th in U.S. album sales, during the
1960's, meaning that they appealed to a far larger and more devoted audience
than a large number of existing H.O.F. inductees ever did!
If measured on "influence", two generations of rock guitarists, some of them
legends themselves, cite The Ventures as having been an early motivating, and
instructional force in their lives.
If measured based upon "hits", they charted in the Top 40 at least three times,
with Walk Don't Run (1960) #2 Nationwide; Walk Don't Run '64, and Hawaii Five-O
(1969).
The use of the word "better" in comparing other bands, is a matter of opinion.
Better how? In muscianship, song-writing, longevity of career, number of active
fans?
There's also a question of due-recognition and of the Hall of Fame being fair
and accurate in such recognition. Many people have forgotten the name of the
band, (The Chantays) who first recorded the song "Pipeline", but they got their
induction into the R&R Hall of Fame, years ago, and were cited as having written
and recorded one of the most influential Instrumental tunes of all time.
Likewise the Surfaris, with "Wipe-Out".
Now, Jacob, not to take away one iota of recognition from The Chantays or The
Surfaris, if you were The Ventures, don't you think you would wonder why a song
that pre-dated Wipe Out, and Pipeline, but is considered by most Rock historians
to have been the most influential, essential hits of the era - Walk Don't Run,
has failed so far, to get The Ventures, (who taught the world to play guitar)
into the H.O.F.?
A few years ago, Guitar Player Magazine listed the most essential songs and
albums of all time, (from a guitarist's perspective). The Ventures were on the
Top 20 list, NOT The Chantays, NOT The Surfaris. Both the other bands had
active careers that lasted but a few years. (Yes, I know that both bands have
resurrected themselves since the 1990's, and one can see them perform from time
to time). The Ventures weathered the onslaught of the British Invasion,
survived the 1960's, still responsible for Top 100 album sales 10 years after
Walk Don't Run.
In fact, as late as 1972, they were the world's #1 Instrumental Pop/Rock Band
according to the Playboy Pop and Jazz Poll!
Most Ventures fans, including me, view the H.O.F.'s continued ingoring of The
Ventures to be a total travesty, an indication of their unfitness to be an
arbiter of what was or was not great, given this patent lack of objectivity on
their part, in steadfastly refusing to admit The Ventures.
My opinion, based on dozens and dozens of other acts that have been admitted to
the H.O.F.
is that by any objective standard, based on already-admitted bands, The Ventures
absence represents a glaring, scandalous omission on the part of those who run
the H.O.F.
You're welcome to your opinions, Jacob, but you won't find much support for them
on this discussion group. Certainly none from me.
All surf musicians, and Surf Music fans owe a tremendoous debt to The Ventures,
and I for one, will continue to energetically and enthusiastically support their
way-overdue induction, at long last, into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
One last thing, Jacob. You say the guys are trying too hard. Do you have an
ounce of empathy or compassion in your soul? At the current age, (and likely
state of health), just how many years do you think they can afford to waste,
waitiing around for those &%#@#'s at the HOF?
Bruce D
jacobdobner <> wrote:
I have never once heard a Ventures song on 97.3 who was sponsoring the
concert.
I think the Ventures are trying to hard to get into the Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame. It isn't like it will make their career any more
illustrious. They are the freaking Ventures. They have influenced
millions of people.
Besides there are better groups than the Ventures but I guess the Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame doesn't exactly go on most deserving but most
popular.
Eric was the concert a few years ago at the Skychurch with Los
Straitjackets? The drummer in our band was at that one. His Dad's
friend put that concert on.
--- In , "Eric Hutchinson"
<surfinseattle@h...> wrote:
>
> The
> whole point was primarily to get signatures for their nomination into
> the rock and roll hall of fame. Which is surprising that they haven't
> yet.
.
Visit for archived messages,
bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
Yahoo! Groups SponsorADVERTISEMENT
---------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links
To visit your group on the web, go to:
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Make Yahoo! your home page
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
