Off in the mail.
I understood the initial objections to the very idea of a (ha-RUMPH) “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.” It meant accepting an inevitable truth: rock and soul as conceived in the ’40s through the ’70s was starting to settle into the mainstream of culture. You don’t have a Hall of Fame for dangerous art-forms. I didn’t get very worked up one way or the other. Refusing to have a such an institution would not make rock and roll more dangerous, it would just be a Big Pretend. For many years, I didn’t care that I was not asked to vote on nominees.
Then a few years ago I was kicked off the list for the annual Pazz and Jop Poll at the Village Voice. I felt adrift, though I slowly came to agree with the decision: I was too good for them by then.
So now voting for Hall of Fame inductees feels right. Pick my five favorites out of a list and do something for their place in history, sure.
The 2016 list:
The Cars
Cheap Trick
Chic
Chicago
Deep Purple
Janet Jackson
The JB’s
Chaka Khan
Los Lobos
Steve Miller
Nine Inch Nails
N. W.A.
The Smiths
The Spinners
Yes
So which five did I vote for?
Miles To Go 
Milo, I would say The Spinners, Los Lobos, Steve Miller, Chic and Janet Jackson
Two out of Five!
On second thoughts I’ll replace Janet Jackson with The JBs.
On second thought, Three out of Five!
Janet Jackson, Chicago, Yes, Nine Inch Nails and a toss up between The Spinners & Chic.
One out of five ain’t … well, something.
01. Chic
02. Chicago
03. Los Lobos
04. The Spinners
05. Janet Jackson
Two out of five!
Ordinarily, the Miles to Go policy on accepting comments is that a person has to use their real name or at least I have to know what their real name is. Still a wise rule, I think. I have discovered, however, that I can kick people out (or at least prevent them from posting again) with ease. So, since I invited a guessing game on this post, I will make very cautious exceptions ….
My guess:
The J.B.’s, Los Lobos, The Spinners, Cheap Trick, N.W.A.
Three out of five! Gettin’ there …
You guested
1. Chic
2. The Spinners
3. The J-B’s
4. Cheap Trick
5. The Cars
If I had the chance to vote, I would have picked my 5 favorite
1. The Cars
2. Nine Inch Nails
3. Steve Millers
4. Cheap Trick
5. Janet Jackson
Four out of five! (And the correct ballot should be easy to figure out from here …)
Chic, Cheap Trick, Cars, JB’s, Los Lobos
We have a wiener!
Question is now answered, though side comments still welcome.
Will withhold my reasoning process until after the ceremonies. But will do a post on my least-favorite band on the list that people somehow imagined I would nominate.
Great ballot , Milo.
It was from the gut.