I hear you, EEE, and I've come to realize that the music that inspires me at the moment isn't going to get a Grammy nomination. It won't be played on the radio, and  rarely will there be a reference in the mainstream music press. But that's okay. 

During the last decade or so, I just haven't been seeking out much new music but the stuff that has provided inspiration, like Frank Turner, Jeff Rosenstock, and, to a lesser extent The Smith Street Band, aren't widely known, and that's fine by me. 

As to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in my opinion, it's overlooked a lot of stellar bands and artists like The Jam, Graham Parker and The Rumor, Richard Thompson,  Paul Kelly and The Messengers/Coloured Girls, Paul Heaton (of The Housemartins and The Beautiful South), Weddings Parties Anything, The Pogues, The Bottle Rockets, to name a few.

And many of the bands that have been inducted over the years have never done a damn thing for me:  Black Sabbath, Heart, Guns and Roses, Joan Jett, Billy Joel, Journey, Kiss....I could go on and on, but hey, that's just the way I hear things. I mean, I absolutely HATE Kiss and Journey, detest them!  We all have strong opinions when it comes to music, that's why we met here. 

I see Depeche Mode is getting inducted, can't say I know anything they've done, and I'm pretty sure I'm not missing anything, same with Nine Inch Nails. I see the Doobies are also getting in, okay, a few decent songs but they sure aren't the Allman Brothers. 

I figure, if the bands I like got more popular, it would make it more difficult to get a ticket. 

But damn, The Jam should be listened to by everyone who loves rock, and Graham Parker's first 3-4 albums represented about as strong a beginning as any artist ever had.

Peter T.