Legendary drummer Carmine Appice (BLUE MURDER, VANILLA FUDGE, KING KOBRA) has slammed the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, saying that the name of the institution should be changed to reflect the musicians that have been inducted. "It shouldn't be called [Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame] — it should be called the Music Hall Of Fame," he said in a brand new interview with Rock Titan (see video below). "Because they're bringing in rap artists; they're bringing in all these pop artists. They're not rock and roll… They're getting some of these people in there that have nothing to do with rock. They should have a Pop Hall Of Fame or R&B/Pop Hall Of Fame and Rock Hall Of Fame. Don't put these pop singers into a Rock Hall Of Fame. They didn't influence anybody."
For the past few years, the Rock Hall has broadened its base to include rap artists such as the late Tupac Shakur and N.W.A. The move has drawn criticism from many fans and fellow musicians who have taken issue with hip-hop acts — and other non-rock artists — being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
"I thought it was about influence — not popularity," Carmine said. "Influence on the business, influence on people. All my bands — CACTUS, VANILLA FUDGE and BECK, BOGERT & APPICE — we influenced so many people. I know that, because people tell me that all the time and over the years. But [Jeff] Beck is in there. CACTUS ain't in there. Me and Tim Bogert aren't in there."
Carmine went on to say that he doesn't really care about getting into the Rock Hall. "Because, like I said, they're bringing in rap artists; they're bringing in artists that really don't mean nothing. And now, the people who are bringing them in are so young, they don't even know who VANILLA FUDGE is. So I assume we're not even gonna get in ever. But it don't matter. I mean, I know some rock people that are in there — Rock Hall Of Fame — and they're broke and they're not playing and they never really influenced anybody. So it doesn't really change your career."
Carmine's autobiography, "Stick It!: My Life Of Sex, Drums, And Rock 'N' Roll", was released in May 2016 by Chicago Review Press.
Under the moniker APPICE, Carmine and his brother Vinny released "Sinister", their first joint studio album, in October 2017 through SPV/Steamhammer.
