Former Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello was once so detested by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that he decided to help the museum out. He became a nominating member of the Hall. It may come as no surprise that Morello has helped push through acts such as MC5, Kiss, and Judas Priest. You know...actual rock musicians.
Morello joined the Hall about a decade ago. His complaint was that young rock bands did not care about the Rock Hall because they didn't see bands such as themselves being inducted. Instead, the museum seemed stuck inducting older musical acts, pop stars, and the odd influencer. The odd part was that the museum appeared to be forgetting about the "rock" part of their name by exlcuding some worthy acts.
Morello spoke with Bruce Springsteen's manager, Jon Landau, about the Rock Hall's lack of credibility. Landau was one of the museum's key executives at the time and had influence over who could be a nominating member.
Tom Morello is peeved that Iron Maiden is not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Morello told Landau, "If you're a little league player, your dream as a young baseball player is to have such a career that you would end up in the baseball Hall of Fame. I said, ‘A lot of young rock and roll guitar players have no respect for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. None of their favorite bands are in it."
In a recent conversation on Eddie Trunk's excellent podcast, Morello talked about bands who have been inducted once the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame had other voices such as Morello's involved. People who knew - and loved - rock music. Some would argue that if musical artists such as Judas Priest were not in the Hall, then why should the Hall exist at all?
Still, the lack of induction by one legendary band sticks in Morello's craw. That band is Iron Maiden, one of the more influential metal acts since the subgenre began. Leaving Iron Maiden out of the Hall might not bother the members of the band, especially singer Bruce Dickinson, but Morello had a great argument otherwise: Fans should get to see the band inducted.
Morello told Trunk, "I will chew my leg off like a coyote in a trap if I can't get Iron Maiden in. While there are many other deserving acts, Iron Maiden, for me, is the last most egregious oversight in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...And I know Bruce Dickinson said he doesn't really care. Well, I care as a fan. I care very, very much about it. So I'm gonna do all I can to get, (with) whatever limited influence I have, to get Iron Maiden in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."