SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR singer Corey Taylor was asked by Loudwire Nights for his opinion on recent comments Gene Simmons made about the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inducting rap artists. He responded (see video below): “I see what Gene’s saying, and, you know, I’m old-school guy as well; I get it. But at the same time, the more I look at what N.W.A. did, man, I mean, they influenced me, and I’m a rock and roll guy. So how do they not deserve to be in there? To me, bands like that, bands like RUN–D.M.C., it’s a different type of band, but it’s a band, man. I mean, that’s straight up. So I can see both sides of it.”
He continued: “I have bigger problems with the Hall Of Fame than some of the people who have gone in. Mine has more to do with the fact that until this year, CHEAP TRICK and DEEP PURPLE weren’t in. That, to me, is disrespectful on a whole other level. Does N.W.A. deserve to be in. You’re goddamn right they do. But did CHEAP TRICK and DEEP PURPLE deserve to be in years before they got in? You’re damn right they did. So that whole organization needs to figure out who they’re gonna honor and when, because there are still bands right now who aren’t in that should be.”
Simmons originally took issue with hip-hop acts — and other non-rock artists — being inducted into the Rock Hall Of Fame during a 2014 interview with Radio.com. He stated at the time: “It’s really back-room politics, like Boss Tweed. A few people decide what’s in and what’s not. And the masses just scratch their heads. You’ve got Grandmaster Flash in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame? RUN-D.M.C. in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame? You’re killing me! That doesn’t mean those aren’t good artists. But they don’t play guitar. They sample and they talk. Not even sing!”
He continued: “If you asked Donna [Summer], ‘What kind of artist are you?’, do you think she would say ‘rock?’ If you asked Madonna, ‘What kind of artist are you?’ do you think she would say, ‘Oh, rock!’ So what they hell are they doing in the Hall Of Fame? They can run their organization any way they’d like, but it ain’t rock! It just isn’t! If you don’t play guitar and you don’t write your own songs, you don’t belong there.”
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, the KISS bassist/vocalist predicted that rap would soon die out, and he’ll be the first one to dance on its grave.
“Rap will die. Next year, ten years from now, at some point, and then something else will come along,” he told the magazine. “And all that is good and healthy. I am looking forward to the death of rap. I’m looking forward to music coming back to lyrics and melody, instead of just talking. A song, as far as I’m concerned, is by definition lyric and melody, or just melody.”
Source: Blabbermouth
