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Courtney Love has set her sights on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, writing a compelling story about the starving of women and Black artists who appeared in the Cleveland-based organization.
“If there are too few women being inducted into the Rock Hall, then the selection committee is broken,” Love wrote in an op-ed for the Guardian. “If there are few black artists, few women of color, who are being recruited, then the voting system must be improved. Music is a living force that is constantly evolving – and can never go on. Shame on HBO for supporting this award.
Love didn’t stop when the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame came calling. “Almost 8% of those recruited are women. Making the canon not only seems like policing sex, but also stupid and angry,” wrote Love, a musician, singer and actor who directed the 1990s band Hole and was married to late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain (who died. import).
Representatives of the Rock Hall did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Love’s criticism comes on the heels of last month’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominations, which, surprisingly, are the most female nominees in the hall of fame’s history. four decades: Kate Bush, Cyndi Lauper, Missy Elliott, Meg White (The White Stripes), Gillian Gilbert (New Generation) and Sheryl Crow. Artists are eligible 25 years after the release of their first record. Founded in 1983, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Little Richard, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, the Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley performed in the first class, which had no women. Sister Rosetta Tharpe, who Love thought should have been the first class, was not added until 2018, after public support for her.
Love noted that only nine of the 31 members of the Rock Hall’s nominating committee are women and less than one-tenth of those inducted. they are women, and it also highlights the problems faced by black artists.
“The bar shows low for men to jump over (or slide down),” Love said. “If the Rock Hall isn’t willing to look at the ways in which the racial and sexual tensions that artists face in the music industry are represented, then they can’t honor what these artists have done. see, update, renew and contribute to the popularity. music – well, then put it to hell in a hand bag.”
Despite his distaste for the Rock Hall, Love knew the induction was still very important. “Despite its derision, the Rock Hall is a barrier against erasure, which all female artists face whether they long for glory or want to spit on it. It’s still a sports game, history is made and marked,” Love said.
On Instagram, sharing his story, he also announced the names of the board of directors. Earlier this month, the singer stormed the Rock Hall to share a tweet from writer Jessica Hopper and a photo of a text conversation with member Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters and Nirvana together. and the phrase “better than these guys.”
Nominations are sent to a voting panel of 1,000 members of the music industry, with an additional vote held through April 28. The nominees will be announced in May, and the ceremony will be held this fall