2020 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

The musical artists inducted in to this year's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame are Depeche Mode, the Doobie Brothers, Whitney Houston, Nine Inch Nails, Notorious B.I.G., and T. Rex. In order to be considered, at least twenty-five years must have passed since the musician’s first recordings were released in order to ensure that their contribution to music has stood the test of time. Jon Landau, a producer/manager and manager, Irving Azoff will be receiving the Hall’s Ahmet Ertegun Award, which honors industry professionals who have made a significant influence in the world of music.

The induction dinner and ceremony was going to be held live for the very first time back in May but COVID-19 put an end to that idea. So the socially-distanced event will be broadcast on HBO on November 7th.

DEPECHE MODE 

There is really only one band who changed our ideas on the possibilities of electronic music while making the sound commercially viable and that is Depeche Mode. This British band began in 1977 with schoolmates, Vince Clarke and Andy Fletcher who played together in a rock band. Martin Gore later joined them in a band called Composition of Sound and they moved towards electronic music, which was beginning to emerge in 1980, and learned to play synthesizers. Clarke invited Dave Gahan to join as their lead vocalist and they changed the name of the band to Depeche Mode. Not long after the release of their debut album, "Speak & Spell" in 1981, Clarke became disillusioned with the direction of Depeche Mode and left (where he would later form the bands, Yazoo and Erasure). Alan Wilder would replace Clarke in the band and Gore would step in as the lead songwriter. He would begin to incorporate themes involving sex, religion and politics in to their music. And this would help expand their fanbase and Depeche Mode went on to sell over 100 million records across the globe. Wilder would leave the band in 1995 and Depeche Mode has remained a trio with their last album to date was "Spirit" in 2016.

THE DOOBIE BROTHERS

The Doobie Brothers are a rock band from San Jose, CA. that blended folk, country and r&b to create their unique sound. They began with Tom Johnston (on guitar and lead vocals), Patrick Simmons (on guitar), Dave Shogren (on bass) and John Hartman (on drums) in 1970 and the band's name was only supposed to be temporary until they came up with something better (which never happened). After playing all over Northern California, they were signed to Warner Bros. Records and released their self-titled debut the following year. But their breakthrough came with their next album, "Toulouse Street" which featured the hits, "Listen To The Music" and "Jesus Is Just Alright".  More hits followed with "Long Train Runnin'", "China Grove", "Black Water", and a cover of "Take Me In Your Arms" until health issues forced Johnston out of the band in 1975. Michael McDonald would replace him and took the band in to a different direction with more of a soft rock and blue-eyed soul sound. This helped the Doobie Brothers find a new audience and become even more popular with the songs, "Takin' It To The Streets", "It Keeps You Runnin'" and "What a Fool Believes" which went to number one on the US pop chart in 1978. After a brief break-up in 1982, the Doobies reunited (including Johnston) five years later and have been playing together ever since. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the band and they had planned on going on tour to celebrate but will have to postpone until hopefully next year.



WHITNEY HOUSTON

It was not really surprising that Whitney Houston would become a singer with her cousin being Dionne Warwick and her mother was Cissy Houston, a revered vocalist and part of the group, Sweet Inspirations. But no one could have imagined to what heights she would reach as a performer. With the guidance of music executive, Clive Davis, Houston would find major international success immediately with the release of her self-titled debut in 1985 and would continue to grow until she became a true pop superstar. Houston would make her acting debut in "The Bodyguard" and not only would that movie become a monster hit but the soundtrack was even bigger, selling over 45 million copies worldwide and winning the 1992 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. But the pressures of fame took it's toll and the gifted vocalist fell deep in to drug addiction for a number of years. Houston seemed to recover by 2009 and released an album, "I Look To You" which brought her back to the charts. Yet sadly, Houston had difficulty maintaining sobriety and died in 2012 from an accidental drowning in a bathtub. Whitney Houston is considered to be one of the greatest voices in popular music and what she could do with a song was absolutely breathtaking.

THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G

The Brooklyn rapper, Christopher Wallace, who was known to the world as the Notorious B.I.G., was a central figure in the East Coast rap scene and is considered one of the greatest rappers of all time. Wallace (who went by "Biggie Smalls" early in his career but changed it due to someone else using that name) signed to Sean Combs' Bad Boy Records in 1993. He began to attract attention after he make brief appearances on other artist's records before his debut album, "Ready To Die" dropped in 1994. With the singles, "Juicy" and "Big Poppa", Biggie became an instant sensation. Wallace was a skillful storyteller with his raps being playful and funny yet also displaying emotional honesty. He used some of his experiences of childhood hardships and involvement in crime to express himself musically. At the height of his fame in 1997, Biggie was in a car in Los Angeles following an appearance at the Soul Train Music Awards when it was fired upon by an unidentified assailant. Wallace would tragically die later of his injuries at the age of only twenty-four. The Notorious B.I.G. managed to have made a deep impact on hip-hop and rap during his brief time and remains an influential artist in the genre.

NINE INCH NAILS

The industrial alt-rock band, Nine Inch Nails has always been essentially multi-instrumentalist, producer, singer and songwriter, Trent Reznor. While he would utilize a variety of different musicians over the years to help back him up on tours, Reznor was the only creative force during all recordings. But musician, Atticus Ross, a frequent collaborator with Reznor on several film scores (including "The Social Network" which won the team Oscars in 2010), became an official member of Nine Inch Nails in 2016. Reznor began playing with several synth-pop bands in his youth but eventually decided to work alone as he had difficulty finding other musicians to help create what he wanted. With the debut Nine Inch Nails album, "Pretty Hate Machine" in 1989, Reznor played all the instruments (except the drums) and the record was met with rapturous praise and created a rabid fanbase. However, Reznor became unhappy with his label, TVT Records who were pressuring him for a follow-up and trying to take creative control. After refusing to record for them, TVT sold his contract to Interscope Records, who wisely left him alone do his work. Nine Inch Nails would go on to release the critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums, "The Downward Spiral" and "The Fragile" which went on to further create a bigger audience for industrial metal. Reznor has has sold over 20 million records and has been nominated for thirteen Grammy Awards, winning two for the songs, "Wish" in 1992 and "Happiness in Slavery" in 1996.

T. REX

T.Rex was a British band formed by singer, songwriter and guitarist, Marc Bolan. The band began under the full name of Tyrannosaurus Rex, releasing four notable albums of psychedelic folk beginning in 1967. But by 1969, Bolan shortened the band's name and embraced what would be called glam rock. Despite a number of musicians who came and went, T. Rex found great success and popularity with such songs as "Ride a White Swan", "Hot Love", "20th Century Boy" and "Bang a Gong (Get It On)". In 1977, shortly before the release of the band's twelfth studio album, "Dandy in the Underworld", Bolan died in a car crash which sadly brought an end to T. Rex. But the band has remained highly influential and their music would help spark indie pop and the punk movement.

RANDOM SIGHTS + SOUNDS

I am feeling some comfort in the synthpop sounds from the 1980's right now and here are a few of my favorites that take me back to the seemingly simplier, calmer days of my youth:

With marital woes, financial problems, personal health issues and a popular reality show involving her family drama, Toni Braxton has had many distractions over the years that has prevented her from creating the smooth r&b that first brought her fame and acclaim. In 2018, the singer finally returned to music with "Sex & Cigarettes" (her first in eight years) and the album received a rapturous response which was in part due to the hit single, "Long As I Live". The song reached number one on the US Adult R&B Songs chart and earned Braxton three Grammy Award nominations including Best R&B Album. Now the fifty-two year old vocalist is back with an upcoming album and a second single is now out, simply called "Dance". The track (set to a disco beat) is another classic Braxton staple about catching a cheating partner but instead of being upset, will simply dance her troubles away. The music video has Braxton impressively keeping up with her back-up dancers and there is even a remix of "Dance" from Dave Audé that pushes the throbbing beat even further. Braxton's tenth studio album, "Spell My Name"  is due out at the end of the month.

And here are a couple of recent songs from two artists I enjoy who also happen to bring an openly queer perspective to their music; Orville Peck, the mysterious country artist does a twangy cover of Bronski Beat's 1984 gay anthem, "Smalltown Boy" that retains the original's moving power. The British nu-disco performer who goes by the inventive moniker, Bright Light, Bright Light (real name, Rod Thomas) has the song, "I Used To Be Cool" with the video offering a decidedly different take on summer romance.

MY FAVORITE SONGS OF 1981

The year was 1981. After graduating from high school, I had officially become an adult. I was a man-child of eighteen, excited yet apprehensive about of my future. Living in the suburbs and about to attend an art college in the big city of Detroit, I had always wanted to become a great commercial artist. Later in my third year of school, a teacher told me to seriously reconsider my dream of being an artist. Lacking the required self-confidence and being very practical, I eventually decided to drop out of school. This setback forced me to rethink my life plans and hastened my goal to move out of Michigan.

Throughout the disappointments that are inevitable in life, music has always helped me get through and comforted me while I was feeling insecure. The quirky and high-energy sounds of new wave was emerging during this time which I gravitated towards yet this music was not being played on my local radio station. I heard many of these songs on MTV and on a Canadian version called MuchMusic. Here are a few of my favorite songs of this year which covers a wide variety of music of the day:

WELCOME BACK

BLONDIE

Blondie began as a scrappy New York punk band in the mid-'70's before "Heart of Glass", their worldwide smash rock/disco hybrid, transformed them in to a slightly glossier pop-rock outfit yet they managed to maintain their rebellious spirit. The group, with a line-up at the time that featured Nigel Harrison on bass guitar, Jimmy Destri on keyboards, Frank Infante on guitar, Clem Burke on drummer, Chris Stein on guitar and his girlfriend at the time, Debbie Harry who was the official voice and unofficial face of the band, enjoyed mainstream success for a few years before jealousy, in-fighting and Stein's near-fatal illness drove them apart by 1982.

Each member went on to explore their own musical endeavors, including Harry's moderately successful solo career, before the original five band members of Blondie (which includes Gary Valentine on bass before he was replaced by Harrison in 1977) came back together first for a few live performances in 1997, an international tour the following year and then a new album, "No Exit" in 1999 although Valentine had left the band again before the recording of it.

Now down to Harry, Stein and Burke (with Leigh Foxx on bass, Matt Katz-Bohen on piano and Tommy Kessler on guitar filling out the rest of the band), Blondie has kept plugging away ever since and are preparing to release their eleventh studio album, "Pollinator" in May.  The first single, "Fun" features the early propulsive energy of the band while feeling quite modern.



DEPECHE MODE

The members of the British band, Depeche Mode dabbled in rock and acoustic before moving on to exploring synthesisers in the early '80's. The quartet, consisting of Martin Gore, Vince Clarke, Andy Fletcher and Dave Gahan, helped usher in the new wave-synthpop scene in England and reached the top twenty on the UK chart with "New Life", "Dreaming Of Me" and "Just Can't Get Enough" from their debut album, "Speak & Spell" in 1981. Due to his apparent discomfort with their pop success, Clarke left Depeche Mode although he quickly went and formed Yazoo ("Yaz" in the U.S.) with Alison Moyet and later Erasure with Andy Bell. Clarke was replaced with Alan Wilder in 1982 and he remained with the band until 1995.

The sound of Depeche Mode has evolved over the years with the utilizing of more guitars and offering songs with far weightier subjects. The trio have just released their fourteenth album, "Spirit" and are speaking on these politically charged times. The first single, "Where's The Revolution" pretty much says it all. The band has returned to filmmaker, Anton Corbijn to create the video for the song.

HOT AND FRESH OUT THE KITCHEN

"HEARTTHROB" - TEGAN & SARA

After over ten years of making music, Canadian alt-rock outfit, Tegan & Sara have decided they want to be pop stars. With their seventh studio album, the identical twin lesbian sisters approached producers Greg Kurstin (Pink, Kelly Clarkson) and Mike Elizondo (Fiona Apple) to help guide them to a wider audience. It has seemed to have paid off as their album, "Heartthrob" debuted on the Billboard Album Chart at number three with a remix of the first single, "Closer" reaching number one of the dance chart.

To be perfectly honest, the Quin sisters haven't really altered their sound too radically as the only major difference is that the music has a smoother quality. Regardless, no one is ever going to confuse them with Britney Spears as these ladies certainly continue to rock.

"I'm Not Your Hero" - Tegan & Sara (2013)

"WOMAN" - RHYE

Rhye is the side project of two musicians who each had long careers working with their own bands. Mike Milosh is from Canada and has performed with his electronic outfit, Milosh while Robin Hannibal is a Danish musician who is part of the duo, Quadron.  These two artists came together as both just happened to share the same record label and after each had just moved to Los Angeles.

After collaborating for a week, Rhye was formed which lead to their debut, "Woman". Together they crafted a collection that is sensual and soulful which has prompted comparisons to Sade and Spandau Ballet but bring their own special touch with Milosh providing androgynous vocals. The duo also share a low-key approach to their music with little fan-fare as Rhye has done relatively very few live performances to date.

"Open" - Rhye (2013)

"SING TO THE MOON" - LAURA MVULA

British songstress, Laura Mvula has already taken much of the world by storm but she hasn't gotten nearly enough attention here in America. This twenty-five year old Birmingham native was working as a receptionist before sending her demos out and getting quickly signed to RCA Records. Her debut, "Sing To The Moon" features beautifully rendered songs written by the artist and producer, Steve Brown which combines elements of soul, jazz and African rhythms. I really dig her sultry sound and predict a very big future for this very talented young woman.

"Green Garden" - Laura Mvula (2013)

Here is the beautiful video for Laura Mvula's very first release, "She":



"EXTENDED PLAY" - FLEETWOOD MAC

The reunited Fleetwood Mac is about ready to embark on a new world tour and have just released an EP with new material appropriately entitled, "Extended Play".  The four songs featured are "Sad Angel", "It Takes Time" and "Miss Fantasy", written and produced by Lindsey Buckingham and a re-recorded version of "Without You", a recently discovered demo written by Stevie Nicks back during her days in Buckingham/Nicks. These are the first new recordings by the band in ten years with bassist, John McVie and drummer Mick Fleetwood ready to perform these tracks (along with their well-known hits) live across the globe.

"Sad Angel" - Fleetwood Mac (2013)

"DELTA MACHINE" - DEPECHE MODE

Depeche Mode, considered one of the most popular EDM bands in the world, has just released their thirteenth full-length recording, "Delta Machine". The British band, currently a trio with Andy Fletcher on keyboards, Martin L. Gore providing guitar, keyboards, vocals and lead songwriter along with Dave Gahan on lead vocals, has gone from a lighter synth-pop sound from their early days in the eighties to the much darker and moody techno-beats that they currently perform today. There are no real surprises on their latest effort but it's still quite engaging. Look for Depeche Mode in your city soon as they have begun the Delta Machine Tour in Europe and will hit North America in August.

"Secret To The End" - Depeche Mode (2013)

The music video for the title track from David Bowie's latest album is considered quite controversial and has even upset the Catholic League. This surreal clip of "The Next Day" displays religious imagery along with priests consorting with scantily-clad women in a club where Bowie, as a Christ-like figure, performs. Like his last video, this is directed by Floria Sigismondi and star-studded, featuring actors, Gary Oldman and Oscar-winner, Marion Cotillard.



Janelle Monáe is finally back and she's delivered a very tasty bit of funk. This dynamic performer has just released "Q.U.E.E.N.", the first single off of her forthcoming record, "The Electric Lady". The music video features her high-style, quirky visuals and slick moves as well as an appearance by the equally fabulous eccentric, Erykah Badu who adds her voice to the track.



Finally, here is the video by Lana Del Rey of her haunting song, "Young & Beautiful" for the film, "The Great Gatsby":

THE FIRST TIME: PART SIX

CELINE DION -"UNISON" (1990)

Celine Dion was born in 1968 in Charlemagne, Quebec, Canada. She was the youngest of fourteen children and while the family was poor, it was happy home filled with song. The children would sing regularly in their family's piano bar. At a very young age, Celine knew there was only one thing she wanted to do: become a performer.

When she was twelve, Celine composed a song with her mother and her brother. She recorded it and her brother got it in to the hands of record producer, Rene Angelil. He was moved to tears by the sound of her voice and decided at that moment to make her a star.

Mr. Angelil mortgaged his home to help pay for the recording of Celine's first record, "Le Vox Du Bon Dieu (The Voice of the Good God)". It became a number one hit in Quebec and helped make her a local star. She went on to make fourteen French-language albums and her fame spread across the rest of the world. After seeing Michael Jackson perform in 1988, Celine told Rene that she wanted to achieve his kind of success. Mr. Angelil knew that in order for that to happen, changes needed to be made so he gave the young Celine an image makeover and English lessons.

Two years later, Celine completed her first English-language album, "Unison". There were two singles released, which didn't go anywhere before the third song, "Where Does My Heart Beat Now?" was the breakthrough and managed to reach number four on the American pop charts.The album sold over three million worldwide.

Celine Dion soon did actually become an international music sensation, selling over two hundred million records across the globe. In 2002, she staged a very successful stage show at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas that ran for five years and accumulating a total gross of $400 million dollars.

Celine and her manager, Rene Angelil fell in love and despite a twenty-six year age difference, married in 1994. They have a son, Rene-Charles who is nine and she currently pregnant and due to deliver twins this November.

This song was her first U.S. hit single:

Where Does My Heart Beat Now - Celine Dion 


DEPECHE MODE - "SPEAK AND SPELL" (1981)

This English electronic band was formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex and originally consisted of keyboardist, Andrew Flecher, Martin Gore on keyboards, vocals and guitar, Vince Clark on keyboards and main songwriter and Dave Gahan on lead vocals. They had all played in a variety of different bands as teenagers before coming together. The band's name, Depeche Mode came from a French fashion magazine and translates to: "hurried fashion".

While playing at a gig, the band was approached by Daniel Miller, a musician who was interested in having them record a single for his new music label, Mute. The song they would record, "Dreaming Of Me (2006 Remaster)" became a modest hit, reaching number 57 on the UK charts in 1981. This led to another single, "New Life" which went up to number 11 on the charts.

The next single, "Just Can't Get Enough" was the band's breakthrough. The song went top ten in the UK and was a hit in Australia, Sweden and the U.S. Depeche Mode made their first music video for this song and released their first album,"Speak & Spell [digital version]" shortly after.

While touring to promote the album, Vince Clark became unhappy with the direction the band was heading in and decided to leave Depeche Mode. He would later team up with singer, Alison Moyet and form the band, Yazoo (Yaz in the U.S.), then leave that band and create Erasure with vocalist, Andy Bell.

Alan Wilder joined the band in 1982 as a replacement keyboardist and Martin Gore became the songwriter for the group.

Despite Mr. Clark's departure, Depeche Mode managed to continue making hit recordings and became one of the most successful electronic bands in history. Wilder left the band in 1995 and Depeche Mode have continued as a trio.

Depeche Mode have completed twelve albums to date with "Sounds Of The Universe" being released last year. The band has sold over one hundred million records.

This was their first hit chart topper:

Just Can't Get Enough - Depeche Mode 


RICK JAMES - "COME GET IT!" (1978)

He was born James Johnson, Jr. in Buffalo, New York in 1948. He was one of eight children and his abusive father would later abandon the family when James was seven. His mother did the best she could but as a teenager, James would cut classes and got involved in petty crimes. James soon dropped out of school before he was sixteen and joined the US Naval Reserve to avoid the draft.

James went AWOL from the Naval Reserve in 1964 because it was interfering with his music ambitions. He went to Toronto, Canada, joined the band, the Mynah Birds and stated calling himself, "Big Jimmy". The band went through a few personnel changes and would later audition for Motown records. Motown was interested and the Mynah Birds (that now included future rock legend, Neil Young) began recording an album but their manager stole the band's advance money. The group fired their manager and he went and reported James to the US Naval Reserve. The album was never completed.

After serving some time in the brig, James returned to Motown in 1968, under an assumed name as a songwriter and producer. Later that year, he moved to Los Angeles where he either formed or joined a variety of different bands. He did a few recordings with some of these groups but not much came from any of them.

In 1977, James returned to Motown and worked with the groups, Hot Lips and the Stone City Band. Finally in 1978, he released his first solo album as "Rick James" with, "Come Get It" that included the Stone City Band for the Motown-Gordy label. It features the smash singles, "You And I" that hit number one on the R&B chart as well as number thirteen on the pop charts and "Mary Jane", the thinly veiled homage to his love of marijuana that went to number five on the R&B charts.

Rick James would continue with a string of hit songs over the years that include his signature 1981 classic, "Super Freak" that would be heavily sampled by others artists with the most famous being MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This" in 1990.

He would also be involved with discovering R&B singer, Teena Marie, creating the group, the Mary Jane Girls, producing an album for comedian, Eddie Murphy and working with Motown legends, the Temptations and Smokey Robinson.

Rick James's music career soon came apart by several bizarre incidents, that were most likely the result of his severe drug abuse issues that include an assault on a record producer and in 1993, holding a young girl hostage for six days with his then wife which led to him serving two years in prison for the crime.

In 1997, Rick James attempted a comeback but he would suffer a mild stroke while performing in Colorado. He would continue to try and revive his career during the following few years but on August 6, 2004, he was found dead due to a heart attack.

Rick James released twelve albums during his career and sold a total of ten million copies.

This is the song that Rick James finally hit the charts with:

You And I - Rick James