KISS rock band star and bassist Gene Simmons inducted the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for inducting hip-hop acts before rock bands like Iron Maiden.
Iron Maiden is, of course, adamantly against ever being honored by the Rock Hall, with Bruce Dickinson saying in 2018: “I’m really glad we’re not there and I would never want to be there. If we’re ever inducted I’ll refuse – they’re not going to have a damned thing with my dead body in there.”
“Rock ‘n’ roll music doesn’t belong in a mausoleum in Cleveland. It’s a living, breathing thing, and if you put it in a museum, it’s dead. It’s worse than terrible, it’s vulgar,” Bruce added.
Despite Iron Maiden’s stated distaste for the American institution, numerous artists have questioned their negligence, including Alice Cooper, Tom Morello and now Gene Simmons.
While questioning hip-hop’s inclusion in the Rock Hall, Gene said, “For example, the fact that Iron Maiden isn’t in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, while they can sell out stadiums and Grandmaster Flash is, right?”
“Ice Cube and I had a discussion about this. He’s a smart guy and I respect what he did. It’s not my music. I’m not from the ghetto. It doesn’t speak my language,” he added.
The Detroit Rock City hitmaker continued on the LegendsNLeaders podcast: “I’ve often said in print: Hip-hop doesn’t belong in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Neither does opera, symphonies or orchestras. How come the New York Philharmonic isn’t in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? Because it’s called the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame!”
“But (Ice Cube) shot back and said, ‘No, it’s the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll.’ Okay, fine. So Ice Cube and Grandmaster Flash and all these guys are in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I just want to know when Led Zeppelin will be inducted into the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame. “Oh, you can’t do that.” Really? Music has labels because it describes an approach. Hip hop and rap are spoken word art. There are some melodies, but overall it’s a verbal thing,” Gene explained in frustration.
“It just doesn’t appeal to me,” he concluded. “The genius of being able to put music and words and arrange them is much more complex.”
It is pertinent to mention that KISS was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.
Meanwhile, Iron Maiden has been nominated twice in the last five years, but failed to get in both times, and it’s safe to assume this would be a big relief for the band.
