The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced its Class of 2015, and it’s a doozy and a half. In fact, it’s hard to say who the “headliner” of the group is: Green Day, Ringo Starr, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Joan Jett would all get their own top billing pretty much any other year.
Because no performer or group is eligible for inclusion until a minimum of 25 years have passed since its first performance, it’s maybe most helpful to point out that this means Green Day has existed for 25 years. And that it’s been 20 years since Dookie, which means “Welcome to Paradise” and “Basket Case” and “When I Come Around” are 20 years old. Which means you rocked out to those songs at your middle and high school dances two full decades ago. And now you are free to feel old.
Speaking of old, Ringo is 74. And, as of next year, he’ll join the his Beatles bandmates in the select group to have been included as an individual as well as a member of a band. That’s right: John, Paul, and even George made it in individually before Ringo did. And George died 13 years ago. (You may continue feeling old.)
Interesting side note: Lou Reed, who was already in the Hall as a member of the Velvet Underground, will be inducted solo next year as well.
A few more interesting facts, per the Cleveland Plain Dealer:
-Stevie Ray Vaughan got his first big break playing lead guitar on the David Bowie song “Let’s Dance” in 1983.
–Joan Jett’s debut album was rejected by 23 different record labels, so she formed her own to put the thing out.
-The Paul Butterfield Blues Band has been eligible since 1988, and has been nominated every year since 2006. So, double congrats to them.
The induction ceremony will take place in spring 2015. Stay tuned (and turned to 11).
(Joan Jett photo credit: Glenn Francis)
