Bad. I vaguely remembered there being a British rock museum in Sheffield. It turns out it was called the National Centre for Popular Music and it lasted 15 months.
It was opened by two non-Jarvis fellers from Pulp. They did so in the voices of Councillors Cox and Evans, suggesting they weren’t taking it entirely seriously.
It’s always surprised me just how seriously the American version is taken by … erm … the Americans.
I’ll let others take up the slack for the post-60s, but the fact is that the UK championed the blues, Dylan, “Pet Sounds,” Jimi Hendrix, Beefheart & Zappa (OK, maybe only Peel), early Floyd et al AT THE TIME, we didn’t need a ceremony 20/30/40/50 years later to do it.
Well, without going the full Joni, I’d have thought having somewhere to gather atrifacts that doesn’t force you to have a ropey burger as part of the deal has merit. The whole nominations and induction thing is a load of toss but the museums themselves seem more worthwhile.
I haven’t been to the US one but have heard a lot of positives from those who have.I did spend half a day in the Grammy museum in LA and it managed to be both fun and dare I say informative. Sad contrast with the Chess Museum in Chicago which has Willie Dixon’s double bass and very little else although they are doing the best they can.
That’s kind of what I was thinking along the lines of. Look at how successful the Bowie exhibition was. Why not have a dedicated hall of fame? A properly curated one? School trips. It’s surely long overdue to examine and be proud of. Heck! Radio one roadshows even.
I was lucky to go to the Rock and Roll hall of fame museum in Cleveland and to be fair it’s pretty good. However Sun Studios is much better.
The Americans are pretty good at doing museums it has to be said.
I would quite like something similar in UK- The Beatles museum is good but something with wider coverage would be welcome
I don’t know what the Sun Studio is like these days, but I was lucky enough to visit Memphis in the early 80s and went out of my way to see it. it felt like visiting a holy shrine. Tiny little place, not done up at all, save for a few photos on the wall. They weren’t even trying to flog souvenirs back then. It just oozed unaltered history. Also did Gracelands as well, and was pleasantly surprised not to have my very worst fears about it confirmed.
Maybe, but after the first few thousand visitors have felt suitably smug that -say- Nick Drake is in but there’s no George Micheal – I can see visitor numbers plummeting as most people would say “never heard of him”. It’d be a bit like American visitors seeing a waxwork of Percy Thrower at Madame Tussauds (which they actually had back in the early 70s). You wanna stay open, you gotta keep the civilians happy.
Mrbellows says
Gatz says
Bad. I vaguely remembered there being a British rock museum in Sheffield. It turns out it was called the National Centre for Popular Music and it lasted 15 months.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Centre_for_Popular_Music
Moose the Mooche says
It was opened by two non-Jarvis fellers from Pulp. They did so in the voices of Councillors Cox and Evans, suggesting they weren’t taking it entirely seriously.
H.P. Saucecraft says
I bagsy Freddie Garrity
mikethep says
Dreamers not optional.
Mrbellows says
Consider Freddie bagged,Sir Saucercraft Sir. Would Sir be requesting Freddie to be bound also?
What do you want done with the dreamers?
Mike_H says
Wake them up and send them back to work at ‘t mill.
Bloody layabouts.
Mrbellows says
This is your captain calling. Do we have an anthropologist aboard?
mikethep says
We are all anthropologists now.
Mrbellows says
Is this leading to Pete ‘n’ Dud? I hope so.
Moose the Mooche says
Bladdy Greta Garbo!
Kaisfatdad says
It seems that not even wax works when it comes to honouring, the UK stars of Rock.
Tussaud’s Rock Circus was fairy short lived. It was certainly ambitious.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Circus
deramdaze says
It’s always surprised me just how seriously the American version is taken by … erm … the Americans.
I’ll let others take up the slack for the post-60s, but the fact is that the UK championed the blues, Dylan, “Pet Sounds,” Jimi Hendrix, Beefheart & Zappa (OK, maybe only Peel), early Floyd et al AT THE TIME, we didn’t need a ceremony 20/30/40/50 years later to do it.
I’d say, “bad idea.”
count jim moriarty says
Couldn’t have put it better. Up!
fortuneight says
Well, without going the full Joni, I’d have thought having somewhere to gather atrifacts that doesn’t force you to have a ropey burger as part of the deal has merit. The whole nominations and induction thing is a load of toss but the museums themselves seem more worthwhile.
I haven’t been to the US one but have heard a lot of positives from those who have.I did spend half a day in the Grammy museum in LA and it managed to be both fun and dare I say informative. Sad contrast with the Chess Museum in Chicago which has Willie Dixon’s double bass and very little else although they are doing the best they can.
Mrbellows says
That’s kind of what I was thinking along the lines of. Look at how successful the Bowie exhibition was. Why not have a dedicated hall of fame? A properly curated one? School trips. It’s surely long overdue to examine and be proud of. Heck! Radio one roadshows even.
SteveT says
I was lucky to go to the Rock and Roll hall of fame museum in Cleveland and to be fair it’s pretty good. However Sun Studios is much better.
The Americans are pretty good at doing museums it has to be said.
I would quite like something similar in UK- The Beatles museum is good but something with wider coverage would be welcome
Slug says
I don’t know what the Sun Studio is like these days, but I was lucky enough to visit Memphis in the early 80s and went out of my way to see it. it felt like visiting a holy shrine. Tiny little place, not done up at all, save for a few photos on the wall. They weren’t even trying to flog souvenirs back then. It just oozed unaltered history. Also did Gracelands as well, and was pleasantly surprised not to have my very worst fears about it confirmed.
Black Celebration says
A museum with old records, hi fi, posters and instruments – fine. But a rock and roll academy with waxworks and burgers? Nope.
Twang says
It would be the same boring usual suspects too. I can pretty much guess who the first 50 candidates will be.
Mrbellows says
It needn’t be so. There’s a massive history that is just not being told.
Slug says
Maybe, but after the first few thousand visitors have felt suitably smug that -say- Nick Drake is in but there’s no George Micheal – I can see visitor numbers plummeting as most people would say “never heard of him”. It’d be a bit like American visitors seeing a waxwork of Percy Thrower at Madame Tussauds (which they actually had back in the early 70s). You wanna stay open, you gotta keep the civilians happy.