rock and roll musings by Tim Byrnes

Museum Fleece: Moneychangers in the Temple. Again

    OK, it figures. I go all out to defend, nay, justify the existence of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the basically sound premise that  boils down to “well, how else are kids gonna learn about Bo Diddley?"  and now I find out said Hall of Fame has sued a non-profit online enterprise (that isn’t even up and running yet) for a reported $100,000.
    The name of this online enterprise? The Jewish Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
    Alright, while I still maintain that the RRHOF is conceptually valid, maybe even necessary , I will go down on record as saying that whoever’s behind the wheel there has more than a few screws loose.  The reasoning behind the suit is that people might confuse the two Halls of Fame and since the RRHOF has sold skadillions of dollars of god knows what,  the JRRHOF (a non-profit organization, remember) is somehow gonna cut in on all dem rock and roll ducats.
    Somewhere, Colonel Parker is smiling, and Joey Ramone is spinning in his grave. Why not a Jewish Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? What gives the Cleveland Crew the right to lay claim to our music? Why not a Black Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Asian RRHOF, if only to enshrine Loudness? Remember Loudness, the Asian hair band from the ‘80’s? Let’s give them a RRHOF! Hey let’s make the Jewish Black RRHOF! Give Sammy Davis Jr his own freaking building! Italian RRHOF! Dion, the Rascals, PFM! Remember PFM? Great Italian prog-rock band from the ‘70’s. Give ‘em a RRHOF. Let’s have a Lower East Side RRHOF! Give James Chance a chance! We can hold the opening in the ladies room at the Knitting Factory. 
    We gotta show these self appointed custodians of our culture that, while we appreciate the convenience of having so much cool junk (and that’s what rock and roll basically is, kiddies, cool junk) in one place, they don’t own the music or the words ‘rock’ or ‘roll’.
    Hubris, that’s what it is, pure and simple hubris! Here’s what we oughta do. Each and every one of you reading this declare yourself a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! Choose your own specialized entitlement - I’m gonna declare my house the Cheap Guitar RRHOF- but y’all can call it whatever you like. Hell it’s YOUR rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Email those boobs in Cleveland and threaten to sue them for their heinous attempt in co-opting the object of your enshrinement! Of course we won’t mean it, we’re non-profit online endeavors (email existing mainly online, right?) and can’t afford lawyers, but maybe, just maybe if enough of us do this small thing, the big bad RRHOF in Cleveland will see just how ridiculous they’re being.
    Probably not, I know. The RRHOF is a business above and beyond anything else, especially the dreams dreamt by a wannabe rock critic about rock and roll as a societal model and a joyful, loud and swinging pathway to enlightenment, but god, I want to fuck with these people.
    Won’t you join me?

Posted by: timbyrnes at 07:20 | link | comments (6)

Comments:

#1  09 February 2005 - 23:35

 

hmmm. this is sounding a bit, "fair and balanced" wouldn't you say?

[that statement comes from a paralegal who has seen her fair share of IP litigation. and she is not impressed.]

limine

#2  10 February 2005 - 03:51

 

hmmmm indeed. Define 'fair and balanced' I thought I was being satirical! Oh well, tim

timbyrnes

#3  10 February 2005 - 05:02

 

whoops sorry if that didn't come across well or was misunderstood. i meant i am not impressed with the enormous amount of IP litigation over things like owning words -- like FOX suing Al Franken over "fair and balanced" and that sort of hooey. owning words is a weird kind of claim. like stuck in a skip on an old record of I ME MINE. always a bully technique, so much intellectual property litigation. and i've got a bit of an attitude, i suppose. sorry if i came across as critical of your post! not intentional at all!

limine

#4  10 February 2005 - 06:38

 

god I feel like an idiot.
tb

timbyrnes

#5  10 February 2005 - 15:26

 

so much gets lost in type without tone and expression! easy to misunderand, and i'm not always very clear, sort of writing in phrases and fragments and bits as i do. no worries.

still like your bloggy. yes i do.

limine

#6  17 February 2005 - 04:55

 

Well to be truthful... *looks down at the ground and kicks the dirt* i... i... ummm... couldnt be bothered reading something that had soo many words in it! understand that i am tbag from tbagnwhitey so dont be shocked.. and what the hell is a bloggy? sounds like a canetoad thats been slashed and smooshed all up your road with all its guts and glory all over the place. bloggy... o jesus! what shall i do with my minyons! they are losing a complete trail of thought! no really, dont take me seriously, im just going for a wonder and checking ya blog out... rockin...
laters
tbag

TBag

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