Rick Wakeman has slammed the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for leaving the progressive music genre “ignored” – and says he might not attend if Yes are inducted next year.
They’ve been nominated for the third time after first becoming eligible in 1994.
Wakeman tells WROR: “I pushed for Yes to go in the Hall of Fame when I wasn’t in the band, because I felt the band deserved to go in years ago.
“There’s some bands that have been inducted that I have no idea why they’re in there. There’s bands like Yes and a few others and you go, ‘Why aren’t they in?’ It just doesn’t make an ounce of sense to me.”
He continues: “It seems that anything to do with prog rock was considered a dirty word by them.
“It’s the most inventive and the most influential music to musicians that there’s ever been in the history of rock’n’roll – and yet it’s ignored.
“I’m not sure whether I’d turn up. I’m so disgusted with the way that prog rock and Yes have been treated, I might be busy.
“I might be washing my hair that night.”
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Wakeman is currently touring with Yes offshoot Anderson Rabin Wakeman, featuring singer Jon Anderson and guitarist Trevor Rabin.
Anderson said last month that a potential Rock Hall induction would be the perfect reunion opportunity, adding: “There won’t be much room, but it will be fun.
“Three or four years ago I went to the Hall Of Fame. I met everybody and they were very sweet. They were very upset I wasn’t in – they pointed to a corner on the second floor and said, ‘That’s reserved for Yes.’”
Public voting continues until December 5, with fans allowed to vote once a day until then.
Forget Yes – the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame still hates Prog
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame nominees 2017
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Bad Brains
Chaka Khan
Chic
Depeche Mode
ELO
The J Geils Band
Jane’s Addiction
Janet Jackson
Joan Baez
Joe Tex
Journey
Kraftwerk
MC5
Pearl Jam
Steppenwolf
The Cars
The Zombies
Tupac Shakur
Yes
Steve Howe: Good luck to Anderson Rabin Wakeman
Anderson Rabin Wakeman tour dates 2016⁄17
Oct 26: Red Bank Count Basie Theatre, NJ
Oct 28: Atlantic City Borgota Event Center, NJ
Oct 29: Akron Goodyear Theater, OH
Nov 01: New York Beacon Theatre, NY
Nov 02: Pittsburgh Heinz Hall, PA
Nov 04: New Buffalo Four Winds Casino, MI
Nov 05: Chicago Theatre, IL
Nov 07: Nashville Schermerhorn Symphony Centre, TN
Nov 09: St Louis Fox Theatre, MO
Nov 11: New Orleans Saenger Theatre, LA
Nov 12: San Antonio Majestic Theatre, TX
Nov 14: Austin Moody Theater, TX
Nov 16: Denver Paramount Theatre, CO
Nov 17: Salt Lake City Capitol Theater, UT
Nov 19: Las Vegas Pearl, NV
Nov 20: Phoenix Celebrity Theatre, AZ
Nov 22: Los Angeles Orpheum, CA
Nov 25: San Francisco Masonic, CA
Mar 12: Cardiff Arena
Mar 13: Birmingham Symphony Hall
Mar 15: Brighton Dome
Mar 16: Bournemouth International Centre
Mar 18: London Hammersmith Apollo
Mar 19: London Hammersmith Apollo
Mar 21: Nottingham Royal Concert Hall
Mar 22: Edinburgh Usher Hall
Mar 24: Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Mar 25: Manchester Apollo
