This was made clear at Saturday's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Guns N' Roses was forced to perform without Rose after he declined the ceremony invitation.
The fans in attendance weren't too pleased, as Rose's name was met with a splattering of boos when he was mentioned. Green Day front man Billie Joe Armstrong had to defend the genre's icon as the chorus continued.
"Shut up," Armstrong said. "He was the greatest front man to ever step in front of a microphone."
The comment is reconciliatory, but at the same time it does decrease the importance of the Hall of Fame.
It makes sense, though.
Guns N' Roses was one of the greatest bands of all-time before Saturday. The Hall of Fame is an accomplishment, don't get me wrong, but I doubt their legacy would diminish if they didn't get enshrined. Appetite for Destruction (1987) wouldn't be placed on a lower plateau if the band wasn't inducted.
Rose isn't any less of a front man for turning down the induction. He's still going to be recognized as one of the best. Sure, his reasons for doing so are childish (he cites disagreements with the original lineup as a reason), but it's the music that's being canonized, not the person.
I think the gesture would have a more negative impact if it were for another subject. I figure Scottie Pippen or John Stockon would suffer a larger backlash if they gave a similar reason to not join the Hall of Fame. People were furious when Marlon Brando declined an Oscar for his work on The Godfather (1972).
Cultural critic Tour?(c) succinctly explained why Rose's declination is different from other circumstances in a tweet Saturday night: "By disdaining the Rock Hall, Axl gets to eat his cake & have it, too. He disses it, retaining rock cred, & gets in, gaining immortalization."
So, in a sense, Rose symbolizes Rock and Roll with his refusal. The genre has always carried a sense of rebellion and aggression. By not attending the ceremony, Rose has rejected conformity and upholds some of Rock and Roll's most important motifs.
His semi-selfish reasoning continues the '80s metal theme of self-indulgence. Sex, drugs, and mayhem are a few items the era was known for (Armstrong indirectly acknowledges this in his commemoration speech). Fans knew Rose wasn't the greatest person back then, but that's part of what gave him recognition in the first place.
I'm speaking from an outsider's perspective, of course. But to relate, I'd be outraged too if Andre 3000 declined induction as part of OutKast.
But I'd still play Aquemini (1998) as religiously as I do now.
Email: brian.josephs@ubspectrum.com
