Gene Simmons slams 'sham' Rock Hall for snubbing Iron Maiden
He calls it 'disgusting'
Last updated 6th Aug 2021
KISS bassist Gene Simmons has criticised the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for not including Iron Maiden and Rage Against The Machine in the class of 2021.
Despite making the shortlist for the first time in 16 years of eligibility, Iron Maiden failed to receive enough votes to be inducted into the Rock Hall this year.
Foo Fighters, Tina Turner, Todd Rundgren, Carole King, The Go-Go’s and Jay-Z are all set to be inducted in Cleveland on 30th October, while Rage Against The Machine and New York Dolls were among the acts who missed out.
Reacting to Iron Maiden not being inducted, Gene Simmons, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with KISS in 2014, tweeted: “RR Hall of Fame is a sham not to include Maiden. Disgusting!”
He added: “Sadly, Rage Against The Machine shut out of RR Hall of Fame. The Hall should be ashamed of themselves…”
Back in April, KISS’s Paul Stanley also called on Iron Maiden to be inducted, writing: “Regardless of whether it matters to them, Maiden not being in the @rockhall of Fame is INSANITY.
“Regardless of who is writing in or not, the Committee must induct them. They have helped spawn an entire genre of music. What else do you need to do?? @IronMaiden.”
Yesterday, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame President and CEO Greg Harris refuted Dee Snider’s accusation that the Cleveland institution doesn’t ‘respect’ heavy metal artists.
Harris said: "It's an interesting one, because we do (respect metal music). We celebrate all forms of rock and roll. They were nominated, and we've nominated (Iron) Maiden. Judas Priest have been nominated. We put Def Leppard in.
“Those that are nominated, over 80 percent of them eventually do get inducted. So, it's really a question of, let's keep nominating them, let's get them on the ballot, and let's get it out to the voting body. Incredible bands, no doubt — truly worthy of nomination, truly worthy of consideration.
“This ballot had sixteen artists on it… They just can't all go in. So, this year these are the six. And we're excited to see what next year brings."
Despite the furore, Iron Maiden are unlikely to care about their omission one iota.
Bruce Dickinson famously lambasted the Rock Hall in 2018, saying: “I actually think the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is an utter and complete load of bollocks, to be honest with you.”
“It’s run by a bunch of sanctimonious bloody Americans who wouldn’t know rock ‘n’ roll if it hit them in the face. They need to stop taking Prozac and start drinking f---ing beer.”
Reacting to the news reports surrounding his comments, Bruce told the Jerusalem Post the following month: "I was so annoyed with that coverage because they took my statement out of context to make it seem like I was upset that we weren't in the Hall Of Fame.
"I'm really happy we're not there and I would never want to be there. If we're ever inducted, I will refuse — they won't bloody be having my corpse in there.”
Iron Maiden’s sole constant member Steve Harris has previously said he “won’t lose any sleep” if the band are never inducted.
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