Rock & Roll Hall of Fame makes Motörhead U-turn
In the wake of widespread criticism, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has added long-serving members Mikkey Dee and Phil Campbell to Motörhead’s ballot.
The 16 acts on the shortlist for the class of 2020 were announced last Tuesday (15th October) with Motörhead, Judas Priest, Thin Lizzy, T.Rex, The Doobie Brothers, Todd Rundgren and Soundgarden among the artists in the mix.
‘Classic’ Motörhead members Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister, “Fast” Eddie Clarke, and Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor were all listed on Motörhead’s ballot, yet bafflingly, guitarist Phil Campbell and drummer Mikkey Dee – who were members for 31 and 23 years respectively – were omitted.
This prompted Mikkey Dee to call the omission “pure wrong.” He explained to Billboard: “I know Phil (Campbell) will be very disappointed, too."
"We've been carrying the flag for 25 years together, and actually brought Motörhead to what it was. We did 25 years out of the 40. The original band lasted just a few years.
“They started it off, but as Lemmy said himself they wouldn't have lasted another six months doing that line-up. I don't think we would've been where we are today without the 25 years we spent touring."
In an apparent U-turn in the wake of criticism from Mikkey and fans alike, Mikkey Dee and Phil ‘Wizzö’ Campbell were both added to the ballot today.
As well as changing the ballot, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame also updated the band’s biography to include information about the Mikkey and Phil.
Celebrating the news, Motörhead shared an image to Twitter of Lemmy, “Fast” Eddie Clarke, Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor, Mikkey Dee and Phil Campbell on stage together at Birmingham National Indoor Arena in November 2014.
They wrote: “Thanks to everyone who spoke up loudly. Thanks to the #ROCKHALL2020 for listening and adding Phil & Mikkey. All for one and one for all! #motörhead”
The five inductees will be announced in January and they will be formally inducted at a ceremony at Cleveland’s Public Hall on 2nd May 2020.
Artists can only be nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25 years after the release of their first studio album.
A voting pool of more than 1,000 artists, historians, journalists and members of the music industry will select the new class, and for the seventh year running fans themselves can have a small say on the inductees - the “fan's ballot" will count as one of the ballots that decide the class of 2020.
Once again, despite being one of biggest and most influential heavy metal bands on the planet, Iron Maiden haven’t been included in the shortlist. Still yet to pick up a nomination, Maiden have been eligible since 2005.
Earlier this year, Def Leppard were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside Radiohead, Roxy Music, The Cure, The Zombies, Stevie Nicks and Janet Jackson.