TIE FOR #11 - JIMMY CLIFF "SACRED FIRE EP"

Having Tim Armstrong of Rancid produce Jimmy Cliff was a stroke of genius.  Mr. Cliff's full length LP comes out next year, but the Sacred Fire EP is a preview of what it will be like (except that most of the album will be new songs, and there are three covers on this EP).

Tim is a huge fan of The Clash (and signed Joe Strummer to his Hellcat Records label in the '90s) so it's no surprise that the EP includes a cover of "Guns of Brixton," originally sung by The Clash's bassist/reggae fanatic Paul Simonon (the song also references The Harder They Come, the classic film that Cliff starred in).  It's a perfect song for Jimmy to cover.

Another cover is Rancid's "Ruby Soho," one of the band's ska-influenced tunes.  It's a song about being on the road, so it's something that the 70-something legend can relate to. Also covered: Bob Dylan's "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall," which I bet Dylan has heard and probably loves.

There's one original, "Ship Is Sailing," and that's the one that makes me most optimistic about the LP coming out next year.

I can tell you from first hand experience that Jimmy is still vital and passionate.  I filmed this performance that he did at the SiriusXM Studios a few weeks ago.  I never even knew that he played guitar.  He came and performed a solo acoustic set for us while being interviewed by The Joint's boss, Pat McKay. It was one of the highlights of my career and life to be in the room during this performance.

TOMORROW NIGHT ON THE CATHOLIC CHANNEL: JIMMY CLIFF

For those of you who are new to No Expiration, once a month I go on SIRIUS XM's Catholic Channel's Busted Halo show on "Faith and Culture Thursday." Each time I discuss a different artist. Tomorrow, I'll be talking about reggae legend Jimmy Cliff, who was recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Some may think that Cliff is an unusual subject for the channel. But then again, so was Black Sabbath.

At JFK Jr.'s funeral ten years ago, the Kennedy family asked Wyclef Jean to perform "Many Rivers To Cross." It was also covered by Annie Lennox at the American Idol special "Idol Gives Back" in 2008.  It's also been covered by Oleta Adams, Lenny Kravitz, Gov't Mule, Joe Cocker and UB40, among others.  And Haitian singer Emeline Michel sang it at MTV's Hope For Haiti Now telethon. It is a beautiful song that crosses the boundaries of age, religion and skin color.

My first exposure to Jimmy Cliff though was The Jerry Garcia Band's cover of "The Harder They Come, The Harder They Fall." Once I started getting into reggae music, I soon picked up the soundtrack to the film The Harder They Come, which starred Jimmy Cliff, and introduced western audiences to reggae quite a few years before Bob Marley appeared on the western pop culture radar. It is still my favorite reggae album (it doesn't just have Jimmy Cliff, it also features Toots & The Maytalls and Desmond Dekker, among others). It is a great rebel anthem, and has also been covered by Rancid, Cher, Keith Richards, Madness, Willie Nelson and Joe Strummer, among many others. It is about 180 degrees from the "Many Rivers."

Anyway, I hope you tune in tomorrow night at about 7:20 pm ET (ish) and check it out.

LOLLAPALOOZA 2010: SOUNDGARDEN, GREEN DAY, LADY GAGA

Well, the rumors were true. Soundgarden, Green Day and Lady Gaga are headlining Lollapalooza this year (August 6-8 in Chicago's Grant Park). I am pretty sure this is the first show that Soundgarden has announced, and it is appropriate as they are one of the only bands (along with Tool) to be a Lolla headline act more than once (in 2991 and 1997), Also on the bill: Arcade Fire ,Social Distortion, Jimmy Cliff, the Black Keys, Devo, Cypress Hill, The Drive-By Truckers, and many more.  Find out more at the festival website.

CONGRATS TO THE STOOGES

I was really happy to see Genesis and Jimmy Cliff getting into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tonight. I've been listening to Genesis for almost as long as I've been listening to music, and Jimmy Cliff was the second reggae artist I ever got turned on to (after Bob Marley of course). I like The Hollies. And ABBA... well, I think they belong in the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

But for me, and probably many others, it's all about The Stooges. They influenced almost every band who followed that I love. Not every band, but almost every band. Punk rock, "alternative," heavy metal, it wouldn't be the same without them. And their performance tonight was classic Stooges, they were as bad-ass as ever, they didn't water it down for the millionaire audience. They even invited the audience up on stage, and Eddie Vedder, Mike McCready, the Green Day dudes and some non-rock star folks obliged. It was amazing. For a lot of us, it was our first time seeing the band with James Williamson back. I will go to see them wherever they play, whenever they play there. I just read a quote by Henry Rollins, who said that he loves lots of older rock bands, but he isn't too into the idea of seeing guys in their '50s or '60s doing their old hits. Except for The Stooges. I get it. Congrats Iggy Pop, Scott Asheton, Dave Alexander, James Williamson and Ron Asheton. I wish the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame could have given this honor to you last year, so Ron could have been on stage with you guys.

ROCK HALL ANNOUNCES PRESENTERS: LITTLE STEVEN BILLIE JOE ARMSTRONG, WYCLEF, TREY

Today Rolling Stone announced the presenters for this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day for The Stooges. You know I love Green Day. But Billie Joe, to me, isn't the right guy.  In my mind, it would have been Anthony Kiedis or Perry Farrell.  Even Kris Novoselic.  Of course, Billie Joe and Green Day did back Iggy Pop on his Skull Ring album, so there is some connection.

Trey Anastasio of Phish for Genesis. A weird pick, and I really thought Muse would have perfect for this. I know that when Trey split up Phish, he was really influenced by Peter Gabriel's solo song "Solisbury Hill," which was written about quitting Genesis.  I'm not sure that makes him the right guy to celebrate Genesis, especially the trio lineup from the '80s and '90s.

Wyclef Jean for Jimmy Cliff. That's who I would have picked. He does a great "Many Rivers To Cross," and at one point I heard that The Fugees were going to star in a remake of The Harder They Come.

Little Steven Van Zandt for The Hollies. I kind of picked that also. If you listen to Little Steven's amazing SIRIUS|XM channel The Underground Garage, you know that Steven is a huge champion of the more pop and harmony based '60s garage rock bands.  He gives a great speech: his speech about The Rascals in the '90s is what got him his role on The Sopranos.

And Barry Gibb and Robin Gibb of The Bee Gees will do the speech for ABBA, which makes sense. I was kind of thinking Madonna or Lady Gaga or even Elton John, but the Gibbs is a great choice.

Anyway, I can't wait for the ceremony, which airs on March 15 on Fuse.

STEVIE WONDER, TENACIOUS D, DEAD WEATHER TO PLAY BONNAROO

Bonnaroo announced their 2010 lineup today. Like last year, it seems like they are having four headliners this year (the festival will be on June 10 - 13): The Dave Matthews Band, the sort of overrated Kings Of Leon, Stevie Wonder and Jay-Z. Also on the bill: Tenacious D, Weezer, The Flaming Lips (doing their Dark Side Of The Moon thing), Damien Marley and Nas, Norah Jones, Michael Franti and Spearhead, John Fogerty (he should be a headliner!), newly minted Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jimmy Cliff, The Avett Brothers, Thievery Corporation, Tori Amos, Grammy-winners The Zac Brown Band, Les Claypool, John Prine, Steve Martin (yes, that one), Jeff Beck, The Dropkick Murphys, She & Him, Daryl Hall with a hip-hop duo called Chromeo (I gotta find out more about this), Jamey Johnson, Clutch, Kris Kristofferson, GWAR (what?), Tinariwen, The Gaslight Anthem, They Might Be Giants, Miranda Lambert, Calexico, Cross Canadian Ragweed and many, many more.

TOMORROW ON OUTQ PART 2: THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME

As I mentioned in my previous post, tomorrow morning (December 16) I will be on SIRIUS XM channel OutQ's The Morning Jolt with Larry Flick for a full hour (rather than my usual half hour) starting at 9 am ET. My original topic was going to be last minute holiday gifts, but since The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction class has been announced, we'll be addressing that as well. Feel free to call in with your opinions! 866-305-6887.

I've written a lot about The Stooges over the past few years: to me, if they don't deserve to be in, hardly anyone does. They didn't sell a lot of records, were probably never on the radio, classic rock radio doesn't play them today (instead opting for Boston, Styx, The Eagles, etc), didn't get much love in the press during their era. And yet. They influenced David Bowie, Patti Smith, The Ramones, The Clash, The Sex Pistols, U2, R.E.M., Jane's Addiction, PJ Harvey, Hole, Nirvana, Soundgarden, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nine Inch Nails and many more. Music would be really different if they never existed, and I don't know how many other bands you can say that about. They've been eligable for 15 years, they've been on the ballot and rejected I think eight times, but better late than never. Although it is really sad that guitarist Ron Asheton passed away just a few months before this announcement. If you're not that familiar with the band and want to get into them... well, there's no real "best of." But do yourself a favor, just pick up their three albums: 1969's The Stooges, 1970's Fun House and 1973's Raw Power (which I think is getting a deluxe reissue soon). Their 2007 reunion album The Weirdness is cool, but it's the first three that you need, trust me on that.

Jimmy Cliff is the only other inductee that I would have voted for. I don't remember why, but the soundtrack to The Harder They Come was one of the first reggae albums I ever owned. I'm not a reggae expert, but I do enjoy it a lot. Jimmy Cliff starred in that film, and is all over the soundtrack, which is the best non-Marley reggae album ever and maybe the best overall. It has a great song for children "You Can Get It If You Really Want It," a beautiful gospel tune (perfect for funerals!) "Many Rivers To Cross" and a rebel anthem "The Harder They Come, The Harder They Fall," which has been covered by Joe Strummer, Rancid, Jerry Garcia and Cher. "Sitting In Limbo" is another classic from the album. He also has other great songs like "Viet Nam" (not many reggae singers addressed Viet Nam) and "Trapped" (famously covered by Bruce Springsteen). If you're just looking to try out Jimmy Cliff, check out the deluxe edition of The Harder They Come (featuring lots of other great reggae artists like Desmond Dekker and Toots & The Maytals, the later of whom I might also nominate for the Rock Hall) and the 2 CD Anthology, released in 2003 on Universal.

Genesis? Would I have voted for them, despite the fact that I am a big fan? Maybe not. That said, I'll be glad to see a band that has recieved such sharp and venomous critical barbs through their entire career get this great honor. That said, it is terrible timing, because Peter Gabriel and Steve Hackett might have performed with the other three, but now that Phil Collins is injured and can't play the drums, the opportunity to see the classic five-man lineup will probably never play again. My suggestion? Have Muse perform a Gabriel-era song, and then have Rob Thomas join them for a Phil-era song. If you are looking to get into Genesis, I would start with Turn It On Again, which concentrates on the Phil era. If you prefer Peter, the best albums are The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway and Selling England By The Pound.

The Hollies? They wouldn't have gotten my vote, although I love some of their songs, especially "Look Through Any Window." Still, I'm sure this is the result of much campaigning by Little Steven, maybe his speech about them will convince me. He is a great advocate of the more poppy '60s-era rock bands, which I respect. I certainly wouldn't own any Rascals or Dave Clark 5 if not for Little Steven. I only have one Hollies CD, Epic Anthology.

ABBA? Sorry - and I know that this may not be popular tomorrow on the radio - but no. Hell no. If this were the Songwriter's Hall of Fame? Sure. I'm not a "rockist" snob - I have no problem with Madonna in the Hall of Fame, or Michael Jackson. They both have a certain edge that makes them rock and roll to me, which ABBA lacks. I just don't think they should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and certainly not over KISS, Alice Cooper, The MC5, etc.

FINALLY! THE STOOGES INDUCTED INTO THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME

Time and time again, I have criticized the fact that The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - an institution that I respect and generally am a fan of - has not yet inducted one of the best and most influencial bands of all time, The Stooges. I'm glad to say that's over - they are finally getting in this year, after fifteen years of eligibility and being rejected eight times. Better late than never! Although it's a shame that it finally happened just months after the death of founding guitarist (and bassist) Ron Asheton. Hopefully they will perform at the ceremony, and it will be one of thier first performances with guitarist James Williamson, who joined the band for thier classic album Raw Power (bassist Dave Alexander had been fired, and Iggy Pop forced Ron to switch to bass). If you are a fan of rock and roll, you should have The Stooges, Fun House and Raw Power, period.

The rest of the inductees: reggae legend Jimmy Cliff (the soundtrack to The Harder They Come, which he starred in, features most of his greatest songs, and is maybe the best non-Marley reggae album ever, and one of the best albums ever in any genre).

Genesis - a band I am a big fan of.  Were they super influencial on rock and roll?  Hard to say. But the timing couldn't be worse: Peter Gabriel may be willing to peform with the band, but Phil Collins is sadly unable to play the drums at the moment.

The Hollies - I'm sure Little Steven campaigned hard for this one, as he did in years past for The Dave Clark 5 and The Rascals. I wasn't convinced about either of those bands either, until I heard Little Steven and Tom Hanks' speeches about them, respectively. 

ABBA - If this was the Songwriter's Hall of Fame, no question.  I wouldn't have voted for them in a million years.  I feel the same way about Hall of Famers James Taylor and Leonard Cohen.  Great songwriters, not rock and roll.

My ballot would have featured The Stooges and Jimmy Cliff, as well as The Red Hot Chili Peppers (maybe they pulled themselves off the ballot due to their recent lineup change), KISS and LL Cool J. 

And the Hall of Fame still needs to induct Alice Cooper, The New York Dolls, The MC5 and Motorhead!

STOOGES, KISS, LL, CHILI PEPPERS AND JIMMY CLIFF ON THE ROCK HALL BALLOT

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced the artists on the ballot for their next induction class. This isn't the inductees: it's who is will appear on the ballot. For the millionth time, The Stooges are on. Their classic self-titled debut came out 40 years ago. They are one of the best and most influential bands of all time, and it's embarrassing that they aren't in yet. I hope that not only the original members are eligible, but also later-day guitarist James Williamson, who played on Raw Power, and who recently rejoined the band.

Shockingly, KISS is on the ballot. I say shockingly, because Rolling Stone founder and Rock Hall co-founder Jann Wenner famously hates them. But they are also one of the most influential bands in rock and roll, like it or not. They totally deserve to be in. Although they may be on the ballot just because of the hype that that will generate - especially with a new album coming out. And sorry to KISS fans, I would think that the only members being inducted would be the original four (with apologies to the late, great Eric Carr).

Hip-hop legend LL Cool J is on the ballot, and I would definitely be voting for him also. The first artist to release anything on Def Jam, he is more of an actor/celebrity these days, but his early records had a definite rock and roll attitude if not a rock and roll sound the way Run-DMC did. I am totally cool with some hip-hop artists being in the Rock Hall, especially LL. I'm surprised that The Beastie Boys aren't on the ballot - they were last year. Maybe the Hall wants to wait for them to be able to perform - and right now they can't since Adam Yauch is still recovering from surgery.

Reggae legend Jimmy Cliff is also on the ballot - I'd vote for him too. Bob Marley is the only reggae artist in the Hall, and while it isn't the Reggae Hall of Fame, some reggae artists have certainly influenced rock and roll, and I think Jimmy definitely has. How many rock bands have covered "The Harder They Come"? I'd also think that Peter Tosh would deserve to be inducted.

Also, The Red Hot Chili Peppers - I can't believe they are 25! They'd get my vote also. One of the greatest bands of the modern era, and they are still relevant, unlike so many of thier peers. I wonder who will be included: I think original members, the late Hillel Slovak and Jack Irons should get in, along with John Frusciante and Chad Smith, but I wonder if Dave Navarro will be included?

Also on the ballot: Genesis (who I like but wouldn't vote for this time around - and it would be nice if Phil Collins is healthy and could play drums if they were to be inducted - I'd actually favor Peter Gabriel as a solo artist), The Hollies (cool, but they wouldn't get my vote), Darlene Love (ditto, but I bet she gets in), Laura Nyro (a Rolling Stone favorite), and Donna Summer.

Big omissions in my mind: the aforementioned Beastie Boys, Alice Cooper, The MC5, The New York Dolls, Motorhead and Tom Waits. And Bill Withers.