It's About Time

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducts its class of 2010 on Monday night. Only 22 years after they first became eligible, the Hollies, one of my favorite groups, will finally enter the Hall. Allan Clarke (vocals), Graham Nash (vocals, rhythm guitar), Tony Hicks (lead guitar, vocals), Bobby Elliott (drums), Eric Haydock (bass), Bernie Calvert (bass/keyboards - replaced Haydock in 1966), and Terry Sylvester (vocals, rhythm guitar - replaced Nash in 1969) produced 7,843 hits between 1827 and 1981 (I may be exaggerating).

Unfortunately, there won't be a reunion for the induction. Hicks and Elliott front the current version of the Hollies (who have never officially broken up) and refuse to cancel a gig in London on the same night. Nash has announced that he will sing backed by Maroon 5, with Sylvester possibly sitting in. Clarke will be there but retired from singing in 1999 because his voice is shot. No word yet about Haydock or Calvert.

The following are some of my favorite Hollies songs....

Here's the Clarke/Nash/Hicks/Elliott/Haydock line-up on Shindig! in 1965


I've Got a Way of My Own (1966)


The classic Clarke/Nash/Hicks/Elliott/Calvert line-up:


After Nash left to join those other three unknowns:


Finally, my favorite Hollies song:



For the Hollies, it's about time. For inductee Ellie Greenwich, it's too late. Greenwich, with ex-husband Jeff Barry, wrote a ton of 60's hit including "Be My Baby," "River Deep, Mountain High," and "Do Wah Diddy Diddy." Greenwich died in August. Great timing, Hall. She also wrote my wedding song:



Also, ABBA is being inducted. Fuck them.

Vladimir Putin - Prime Minister and Dancing Queen?

On my regular blog Clever Title I have made known my fascination with Vladimir Putin, the steely eyed Russian who fights bears with the same ferocity as he strangles democracy.

For those of you who don't know, here's my favorite picture of him.

The man is ex-KGB, a judo master and once stabbed a saber tooth tiger with it's own teeth. But this is just his public persona. What do we know about the man behind that cold, cold, cold, ice cold mask? Does he love babies or does he eat them? Is his favorite meal Iron Ingots? What type of music does he like?

Well, it turns out we can answer at least one of those questions.

Apparently, Vladimir Putin love ABBA cover bands.

He... wait, what? Seriously? He... really?

But.... But....

This is all according to the ABBA tribute band Bjorn Again and, of course, Putin never admits to being a closet ABBA fan in the article. Probably to keep his persona intact. But who would make up a story like that? I mean, this band is staring death in the face here. Anyone remember Alexander Litvinenko? Of course you don't - the bastard's dead. Here's a picture after Putin was done with him:

So the question becomes, is Vladimir Putin actually a soft, cuddly teddy bear underneath that exterior, or is this like Curly's glove from Of Mice and Men?

I prefer to believe the later.