More Music Therapyby Man from U.N.C.L.E. (guest blogger)

O.K., so from my previous guest blog on Karaoke you should know that I place great value in music as a tremendously therapeutic device. I don't wish to be repetitive, so shoot me if you think I am or indulge me, but I really perceive music as a legal drug, allowing one to be transported to another plane of being. When it is well done, it can be as beautiful to the ear as the wildflowers (sp. indigo spammamammajamma) that Nonny Nu has photographed are to the eye. Music can be as revitalizing as the fresh air that the Nonny Nu crew inhale during their hikes. I think we need to appreciate this natural beauty in all its forms.


Music has the power to be the plush comforter to wrap around you when you need a hug. Music has the ability to shift your mood from unmitigated sorrow to unbridled joy or vice versa. For me, and I realize I may come across as overdramatizing, music is seemingly the essence of living - it has helped me cope with hard times and enhanced the good times ten fold. I can't imagine life without music.

I've been trying to transmit my love for music to my little brother for the past 5 years. As a reward for getting all A's (is this breaking Nonny Nu's previously posted apostrophe rule?) as a 13 year old, I took him to his first Rock Concert - a five act show with Linkin Park as the headliner - not my choice but his. We made it through the first 4 acts, but :15 minutes into the Linkin Park set, (the band he really wanted to see), he said he was tired and ready to go home! That was a $150.00 well spent. *rolls eyes*

I've been thinking of taking him to The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland. He's full of questions about who's in it, will it be like Tenacious D and The Pick Of Destiny, will he see Fall Out Boy, etc? So I did a little research and found this wonderful site about eligibility and future inductees. If you're interested check it out.

Now the site creates a wonderful opportunity for debate regarding who will get in vs. who should get in, and I'd like to make some predictions. For those of you at home or the office, please score along with me and put this blog in a time capsule for future reference as to my ability to divine such Earth-Shattering information.

• 2007: Sure Things: Madonna, Metallica, Beastie Boys, Sting. These artists set standards for their particular styles of music and have had career longevity.
• Should Be's: The Bangles (as female only rock group), Culture Club (80's pop- soul perfection), Ice-T (although he's a better big screen star than rapper), Yaz (faggy synth-pop groundbreakers).

• 2008: Sure Things: Bon Jovi, Violent Femmes, Run-DMC. These groups again have very little in common with one another, but each excelled at what they did. One could argue that no rap group should make it into the Hall since they aren't Rock & Roll per say, but the Hall has already broken that barrier with the inclusion of Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five. But these three groups all seem to appeal equally to both genders. You can predict that if you went to a concert today of any of these three you would see a 50-50 mix of men and women.
• Should Be's: Lita Ford (pioneering hard rock female), Stevie Ray Vaughn (dead guitar hero), New Edition (before BB went nuts this group turned out a string of jams), Wham! (no, they didn't last long, but who can deny "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go"?).

• 2009: Sure Things: Hard to say that any are sure things when compared to the other Rock & Roll Classes that have come before or will come after.
• Should Be's: Red Hot Chilli Peppers (diversity of musical styles), Pet Shop Boys (just because "...I feel like taking all my clothes off and dancing to the rite of spring...") Cyndi Lauper (critics love her), Sheila E. (dexterous female musician - too bad people often only think of her as a Prince Sideshow- this woman can play).

• 2010: Sure Thing: Whitney Houston. One could argue again that Whitney is not Rock & Roll, but her early career was record breaking in terms of numbers of Number 1 hit singles. Before there was Mariah, Celine, X-Tina and the rest there was Whitney. Despite what she has become today, I think she still gets in on the merits of her first four albums.
• Should Be's: Indigo Girls (folk singing lesbians - who doesn't love them some folk singing lesbians?), Enya (perfected that ambient sound).

• 2011: Sure Things: Bob Geldof gets in for his role in organizing LIVE AID. Guns & Roses for resurrecting hard rock. Salt 'N' Pepa are still the all time best selling female rap group.
• Should Be's: Crowded House (beautiful Brit-Pop), They Might Be Giants (quirky, indescribable good times), The Melvins (pioneers of the Seattle Grunge scene).

So those are the upcoming five classes of musicians who are eligible for induction to the RNRHoF. If this is well received, I will post my predicitions for the next five classes in a future entry. If I've just bored everyone with senseless information, I'll just turn up my iPod headset to 11 (which is one more than the standard). Freelance Midget will award you 4 street cred points if you identify that reference in the previous sentence. What are your predictions?

MESSAGE TO NONNY NU

Please delete what follows:

Nonny Nu: I'm too tired to add the little linkey clickee things tonight, if you'd like to add them as you see fit, I would in no way be offended, it would be a great collaboration Or I can do it in the morning.

MESSAGE TO Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Dude, you are so delusional. Get to work!!

Your editor,
Nonny Nu


MESSAGE TO NONNY NU

I'm about to go Cesar Chavez all up in here! FM, Cl. Panic, Monkeypig, are you with me?
MFU



MESSAGE TO Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Here, I'll help you along. Print this out on something sticky and apply it to your car's bumper: