How I Scooped The Rock Hall (Without Even Trying)
The Rock Hall doesn't like being scooped. Remember, last December the NY Daily News posted the 2012 Inductees, and then the link was promptly taken down (although remnants of it remained online). No, they just don't like it. Hell, they don't even want us to know who's on the Nominating Committee, even though we already know.
But here's the Good News:
The Comets, Crickets, Miracles, Blue Caps, Famous Flames and Midnighters are in the Rock Hall. Finally, after waiting forever.
Yet, I knew this was happening for 3 of these groups long before the Hall announced it. On January 22, a Facebook friend posted this info on his page. He should know, he's writing the bio's for the Crickets, Midnighters and Comets for the induction ceremony book.
I posted the info on this Blog & my Twitter page on January 25th. Before I did, I sent an email to the Rock Hall's publicity address telling them I had this info and would post it. They said they couldn't confirm my exclusive.
But I felt my source was too good.
After I sent the Hall the email, and had already leaked the info, they asked for for my phone #. Rock Hall Director of Communications Todd Mesek called and asked if I would pull my post until they finalize the whole thing themselves. I said I would, but I wasn't happy about it. Even my Facebook friend said it was no big thing.
Oh, and guess who had to take down their initial post about all this? Yeah, my source, who went into his page and deleted his post. Silly? Pretty much.
And speaking of Facebook, had I not spoken to someone at the Hall, I was going to post it there. Where it would have made a bigger splash.
I actually kind of feel like I wimped out. For those of us who follow the Hall, the 3 groups I knew were getting inducted, even at this late date, was a big deal. And I knew a lot of my fellow Hall watchers would want to know about this. That's what I told Todd. But he said something about how they weren't even sure these groups would get in this year. But I was skeptical about that, and I knew they were getting in, but played the good soldier role.
Still, I wonder if I wussed out over the whole thing. Guess I'm no Woodward & Bernstein.
Now I've got to admit something. Todd did say that if I pulled my initial post he would offer me something in return.
Update: Todd did reach out to me and ask what I was interested in.
BTW- I must say thanks to Todd's co-worker in the Hall's publicity dept., Margaret Thresher for being kind enough to answer my email questions.
About this Inductee group:
Good for the Hall for getting the Crickets, Blue Caps, Famous Flames, Comets, Midnighters and the Miracles inducted. Nearly 25 years later, but they've corrected a big wrong.
Now how about the Belmonts, E Street Band and Marley's Wailers. Let's hope they keep doing this until they right all their wrongs.
Final thoughts:
The Hall has known about their initial screw up for a long time. Dave Marsh alluded to it an email to me.
Marsh wrote me that this whole backing group episode was a big "fuck-up", and that this wasn't the first time this subject was brought up.
This type of stuff keeps me interested in the deep workings of the whole Rock Hall process.
And to think that we are just 7 months away from the next set of nominees being announced.
Yet, I still feel like I was duped by the Hall somehow. As if they won something over somebody. Maybe next time I do things differently?
Hmmm.....
But here's the Good News:
The Comets, Crickets, Miracles, Blue Caps, Famous Flames and Midnighters are in the Rock Hall. Finally, after waiting forever.
Yet, I knew this was happening for 3 of these groups long before the Hall announced it. On January 22, a Facebook friend posted this info on his page. He should know, he's writing the bio's for the Crickets, Midnighters and Comets for the induction ceremony book.
I posted the info on this Blog & my Twitter page on January 25th. Before I did, I sent an email to the Rock Hall's publicity address telling them I had this info and would post it. They said they couldn't confirm my exclusive.
But I felt my source was too good.
After I sent the Hall the email, and had already leaked the info, they asked for for my phone #. Rock Hall Director of Communications Todd Mesek called and asked if I would pull my post until they finalize the whole thing themselves. I said I would, but I wasn't happy about it. Even my Facebook friend said it was no big thing.
Oh, and guess who had to take down their initial post about all this? Yeah, my source, who went into his page and deleted his post. Silly? Pretty much.
And speaking of Facebook, had I not spoken to someone at the Hall, I was going to post it there. Where it would have made a bigger splash.
I actually kind of feel like I wimped out. For those of us who follow the Hall, the 3 groups I knew were getting inducted, even at this late date, was a big deal. And I knew a lot of my fellow Hall watchers would want to know about this. That's what I told Todd. But he said something about how they weren't even sure these groups would get in this year. But I was skeptical about that, and I knew they were getting in, but played the good soldier role.
Still, I wonder if I wussed out over the whole thing. Guess I'm no Woodward & Bernstein.
Now I've got to admit something. Todd did say that if I pulled my initial post he would offer me something in return.
Update: Todd did reach out to me and ask what I was interested in.
BTW- I must say thanks to Todd's co-worker in the Hall's publicity dept., Margaret Thresher for being kind enough to answer my email questions.
About this Inductee group:
Good for the Hall for getting the Crickets, Blue Caps, Famous Flames, Comets, Midnighters and the Miracles inducted. Nearly 25 years later, but they've corrected a big wrong.
Now how about the Belmonts, E Street Band and Marley's Wailers. Let's hope they keep doing this until they right all their wrongs.
Final thoughts:
The Hall has known about their initial screw up for a long time. Dave Marsh alluded to it an email to me.
Marsh wrote me that this whole backing group episode was a big "fuck-up", and that this wasn't the first time this subject was brought up.
This type of stuff keeps me interested in the deep workings of the whole Rock Hall process.
And to think that we are just 7 months away from the next set of nominees being announced.
Yet, I still feel like I was duped by the Hall somehow. As if they won something over somebody. Maybe next time I do things differently?
Hmmm.....
posted by Tom Lane at 3:38 PM
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