Guitarist Joe Bonamassa has spoken out against the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, asking that they start recognizing some deserving older artists before they pass on.
Appearing on the Artists on Record podcast, he said, "I'm glad [the late John Mayall] was aware that he was going into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I am sad and slightly pissed off that he didn't live to see it because he deserved to go in decades ago." Mayall died last week at the age of 90.
"Same thing with Alexis Korner [who will also receive the Musical Influence Award this year]. He deserved to go in — these are first, second-ballot people. There's a lot of omissions that I think they need to start reconciling quickly, because you cannot wait for them all to die to then go, 'Well, we're gonna put you in posthumously.' It means something. It would have meant something to John to get that statue. It would have meant something to people like my friend Chris Squire from Yes. Yes goes in the year after he dies — it would have meant something.
"There's a lot of people that are now aging out or in their late 70s and 80s that really should have been in decades ago. They need to get them in because it's the right thing to do for the artist...
"They have to reconcile the TV broadcast as well, because the arguments of, 'Well, this is a TV broadcast, so we need to stay relevant,' that's great. You do the TV broadcast. But how about the day before, you have a ceremony, a dinner, and you induct 10 people that maybe are not hip or not active playing-wise so they can't do the playing? A Mayall, somebody like — how about Los Lobos? Let's start there. Anything with Paul Rodgers. Pick one: The Firm, Free, Bad Company."
Also being honored posthumously at this year's induction ceremony, October 19th in Cleveland, are Jimmy Buffett, and the MC5.
Joe Bonamossa will play Choctaw Casino and Resort in Durant, Oklahoma on August 9th.