Blog 5 of X: Its up to US to want them there and SHOW it!

And, as I promised in the last 'Lesson Learned', I do promise to share with you about the support we've been blessed to receive (and that I'm so grateful for) since we started this effort.

First, though, a lesson.  I'd like to address some logic that fans have used to dimish or to talk away this effort of raising awareness for Duran Duran and their elegibility for Rock Hall induction.

Some fans logic

The Band does not want a place in the Rock Hall, they've said so in interviews.
The Rock Hall is too political...its no place for our guys!
They will get in eventually, so what is the point?
Why should I even do anything to help raise awareness at all?

The Band does not want a place in the Rock Hall, they've said so in interviews

You are right in one sense but not absolutely correct.  The band has said that 'being in the Rock Hall' is not important or a 'must have' in their career right now.  This was said in a UK Heart Radio interview that was in answer  to my very question to them.  I believe other members of the band may have been quoted as saying something like 'You shouldn't bother...its too political.' (I believe it was John and he was being nice).

The logic you are missing is that the band has never said they would not accept induction if given the honor.  Further, you may not know that this desire to be in the Rock Hall is not something that is that far from their hearts.  If you read the last interview we had with the Rock Hall of Fame you will learn that the band has loaned items to the Rock Hall and the Rock Hall has been pleased to show them.  Why would they donate items to the Rock Hall at all if they were against it?

Also--for those that know the band, you know this...they are quite humble about taking any honor to themselves, Rock Hall or otherwise.  Of course they would say its not that important to them!  They would say that about any honor if asked.  Plus, if you listen to Simon carefully in that interview...he says there are many bands in there who have less honors than them.  He basically admits that his band has stood the test of time and could stand up to many that are already in the hall.

And riddle me this...if the band did not want in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, why would their official website support a mock Rock Hall poll so loudly (speaking of the recent Mercury News poll).  The tweets supporting the poll speak volumes.  I must say that I was happy to be a Duran Duran fan that day when the poll results were released. Here are the results of that poll if you didn't see them...

http://www.mercurynews.com/entertainment/ci_23038372/rock-and-roll-hall-fame-vote-duran-duran


The Rock Hall is too political...its no place for our guys!

Have you been to Cleveland to visit the Rock Hall?  Do you know what its really about?  I've been inside a couple of times and toured the exhibits.  They are great!  They do a good job at showcasing the important contributions of many artists and its incredible to see some of the amazing things they have on display.  People can go there and see Rock history displayed before their eyes, and either learn something new or reminisce about the days they watched their favorite artists making that history.  And did you read the interview I had with the Rock Hall?  All the proceeds of the events they sponsor (including the black tie dinners) goes towards a good cause.  They are a non-profit, plain and simple.

They will get there eventually, whats the point?

This is the excuse that angers me the most.  I don't know about you, but I would like to see Duran Duran accept Rock Hall induction 'in the flesh' instead of (heaven forbid) post humous.  I know this may come as blunt and harsh, but I need to make this point clearly.

I know before I had said 'what is the point of beating on the Rock Hall's doors, they never listen.'  Well, I will happily admit that I was proven wrong when fan favorite Rush was inducted this year.  I have had the unique pleasure of 'listening to the ground' about other fans' efforts to get their their favorite band in the Rock Hall of Fame and this I know now...all the efforts Rush fans did actually paid off.  Rush was inducted and I know there were many happy Rush fans that day.

As an analyst, its a clear association....if what happened with Rush really happened and what the fans did actually helped...this means that the more we raise awareness of Duran Duran for Rock Hall induction...the higher the probability is that they will get in sooner rather than later.  I absolutely believe this and I ask you please....as friends of mine...please help support this effort and raise awareness to this great band.  There is no time to lose!

Why should I even do anything to help raise awareness at all?

I think you will be happy to know that we have received support from some pretty amazing people.  Nathan Stack, from the band Autohypnosis, graciously contributed to the writing on our petition.  Mr. Mystere (he has asked that we don't reveal his name as of yet) is a friend of the band and has done work with them.  He has translated for us in the past and has been nothing but supportive of us.  Then there is Andy Golub.  Andy, who is a historian of the band, has been a guiding light to me personally...something that I will always be grateful for.  I still remember the first time we made contact and how excited he was to get to know me and our little effort.  To this day we still remain friends and I can always count on Andy for an inspiring word.

Someone I don't talk a lot about, but definitely deserves mention is Neil Carlill.  Neil works with Warren Cuccurrullo (who we all know).  It was from Neil that we first got word that Warren is 'cool' about our effort.  I have since met Warren in Second Life (in my guise as 'BilltheKirk').  In fact, you might find this pretty cool...but when I first gave a asked fans to guess about the DDTTRH interview we were waiting on...it was Warren who guessed Bryan.  Here is a picture of him and I chatting later that same day:

Julie Ann Rhodes is very good at radiating positive energy, its very apparent if you've ever had a conversation with her.  Its thanks to Julie Ann that we changed the intro of our petition to be more upbeat and positive. It is thanks to Mike, our California rep at the time, that we received words of support from her.

Katy Krassner has been very gracious with us.  She is always excited when DDTTRH gets Duran Duran's name out in the press.  Further, its been a real joy talking to her about over-zealous Duran fans.  I still remember that my first contact with Katy was rather curt and business-like.  Over the years though, as Katy has seen what we've been doing, I've noticed a lightened mood coming through in our conversations.  In fact, when we created a split off (not affiliated with the Rock Hall) effort, Duran Duran Worldwide, Katy was happy to share with us signed posters to use for our promotions.  Every now and then we will provide her updates about our effort, and she graciously listens.

Nile Rodgers has also been a great supporter.  You will find his name on our petition!  He currently follows us on Twitter and although hasn't had time to interview with us, his willingness to put his name in with our effort has been a true blessing.

Someone else I've had the pleasure to work with is Kitty from Gimme a Wristband fame.  Recently, when we lost our Publicist, Ladyaslan, Kitty has been helpful to me in editing interviews and making sure I ask questions that are insightful and appropriate.  She has also helped me know how to talk with agents who represent stars.  I for one have never worked with famous people directly.  And I will be the first to admit that I've made some mistakes in my associations with some of them.  I liken Kitty's help to being like a fountain of pure spring water that I discover while I'm trekking across a vast arid desert.  I would have been lost without her.

Other people I've had the pleasure to talk with are Salvo from Duranasty, Nuno the graphic artist from Portugal, and M. Douglas Silverstein who produced 'Something You Should Know; A Duran Fan Documentary'.  I wanted to same some special words about M, actually.  I hope we will not mind.  When I first met M, we had asked him if we could use some scenes from his documentary for our videos.  Through some miscommunications on our end, our Youtube specialist at the time had posted a video including scenes from the documentary without prior consent.  Obviously, M was perturbed and so was I.  We rectified the problem though and established policies to where this would not happen again.  It was really good of M to forgive us and follow up with us for an interview.  I can honestly say that this was one of the nicest experiences I have had since starting this effort.

So, why should you even do anything to help raise awareness for Duran Duran and Rock Hall induction at all?  The answer is simple.  There are many friends of the band that want this for them and Duran Duran certainly deserves it.  It is up to us to want them there and supporting this effort is a way to show it.  I have told you that I am only in this because I want to give something back to the band that has meant so much to me.  Join me in giving back as well.  Sign our petition, invite others to sign our petition.  If you have hesitated before, don't hesitate now.  If you have something to say about the band...interview with us.  If you see or read about Duran Duran in the media....let us know and we will add it to our ongoing research.

And you sour grapes out there in the fan community (you know who you are)...its time to become sweet again!  Bitterness of the past must be replaced with a more sweet and satisfying future.  All of us owe it to Duran Duran and ourselves.

With love,

Kirk Harrington
Captain - Duran Duran to the Rock Hall - Official Effort
www.ddttrh.info

Interview with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Meredith Rutledge-Borger

If you google 'Meredith Rutledge-Borger, you will learn of the passion she has as a curator at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  In reading about her, here are some quotes I found that provide insight into what she is about and more about this passion she brings to her work:

"I am an old-school, vinyl LP lover. For me, a huge part of the experience of music has been holding a 12 by 12 album cover in my hands, minutely examining the artwork, the liner notes, the credits – CDs and MP3s just don’t work the same way."  Quote from Women Who Rock Exhibition Installation, Update #2, April 27, 2011
http://rockhall.com/blog/post/5790_women-who-rock-exhibit-install2/


"It’s been said that fashion and style are the natural visual counterparts to creative musical expression. Rock and roll artists have had a long relationship with the world of high fashion — picture Elvis Presley’s iconic gold lamé suit designed by Nudie, then fast forward to Madonna’s equally iconic gold bustier designed by Jean Paul Gaultier.  Fashion designers like Gaultier, Thierry Mugler and  Gianni Versace have all become synonymous with the branding of rock stars like Madonna, Mick Jagger and Elton John."  Quote from Fashion Meets Rock and Roll, February 12, 2013
http://rockhall.com/blog/post/3821_fashion-meets-rock-and-roll/

In a NY times article, she is quoted as saying this about the Women Who Rock exhibit (which was on display at the Rock Hall in 2011/2012)...

“Women have always been the outsiders of rock ’n’ roll...we wanted to show that women persevered and their music — and there were different kinds — became part of the fabric of the rock ’n’ roll industry...they were singers and they were songwriters, instrumentalists, producers and even record-label owners.”  Article:  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/28/arts/artsspecial/women-who-rock-exhibit-traces-female-music-artists-in-america.html

You can also read about Meredith travelling to the UK to do research for a 2-Tones record exhibit (http://rockhall.com/blog/post/9174_spotlight-exhibit-preview-2-tone-records-rock-hall/).  You can also learn more from her about the Beatles 'Apple Boutique':  http://rockhall.com/blog/post/9351_gallery-talk-the-beatles-apple-boutique-exhibit/.  You may also learn that the movie 'Lady Sings the Blues' which stars Diana Ross (who portrays Billie Holiday) "may well have been introduction to being a music curator!":  http://rockhall.com/blog/post/6155_bessie-smith-billie-holiday/

Kirk at DDTTRH caught up with Meredith while she was busy working on a major exhibit for the Rolling Stones which opens May 24th.  Here is our interview with her:


Kirk, DDTTRH:  Meredith, thank you for taking the time to speak with me.  Something I thought would be great to do is to speak to someone at the 'other side' of our effort, which represents the 'RH' in our name...DDTTRH or Duran Duran to the 'Rock Hall'.  

I've been reading up on you a bit and some of the exhibits you've talked about.  How long have you been an Assistant Curator at the Rock Hall and what do you enjoy most about what you do?

Meredith:  I’ve been working for the Rock Hall since 1996. I started in the curatorial department in 1999. I really enjoy the fact that I am getting paid to follow my passion, and that I have the opportunity to share that passion with our visitors – giving them fresh insight into the music that changed the world.

Kirk, DDTTRH:  I love that you have passion for what you do.  I remember my last visit to the Rock Hall...I really enjoyed the exhibits that to me were put together with great care.  I actually learned a lot just reading and perusing through them.  One thing that interested me most was a video I was able to see about the history of Rock and the various branches that Rock created.  Further, I remember seeing the David Bowie exhibit and thinking that he is not necessarily under the definition of 'Classic Rock' (would you agree?).  Has the Rock Hall changed its views over the years about what it considers to be the classic 'vein' of Rock and Roll and how have those views affected the bands/artists it inducts?

Meredith:  Here at the Hall of Fame we try to be inclusive rather than exclusive in terms of our definition of rock and roll.  We also make an effort not to glue artists in to any one particular pigeon-hole – artists are just artists who bring their own unique skill-set to the table.  So we honor artists that are traditionally defined as rock artists, but also artists whose work predates rock and roll, work that we consider to be the roots of rock and roll. Any music that shares those roots – even if it is outside of the traditional definitions of rock and roll, is all welcome at our table. Traditionally-defined “classic” rock and roll carries no more weight here than folk music, or R&B or hip-hop. The criteria for induction as an artist (as a performer, composer, or musician) into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is that the artist must have released a record, in the generally accepted sense of that phrase, at least 25 years prior to the year of induction; and have demonstrated unquestionable musical excellence. We consider factors such as an artist’s musical influence on other artists, length and depth of career and the body of work, innovation and superiority in style and technique, but musical excellence is the essential qualification for induction. 

Kirk, DDTTRH:  Please define what you mean by 'musical excellence'.  That can be subjective, right?  I guess it would depend on who you speak to.  Who helps decide if an artist is 'excellent'?

Meredith: Everyone personalizes everything about rock and roll.  Without metrics, the definition of "rock and roll," who is or was important, and who should be inducted is inevitably subjective. 

As a result, our Nominating and Voting Committees are replete with Inductees (in fact, they are the largest bloc of voters).The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has built our Voting Committee around the most qualified group possible:  the living Inductees, which number around 400 at this time.  

The selection of Performers is a two-step process.  It begins with a Nominating Committee consisting of a diverse panel of living inductees, journalists, educators, historians, noted musicians, industry heads, etc. Each member receives a guide noting those eligible for the first time, those who have been nominated unsuccessfully before and all other eligible artists.  Virtually every significant artist of the past 50 years has been discussed at this level.  A large majority are very qualified but have yet to get the votes to make the final ballot.  Some have even made it on the ballot numerous times, but have not received sufficient votes to be inducted. 

Those nominated are sent to a Voting Committee of about 600 people (all living inductees, educators, journalists, historians, music industry management, musicians, etc.) around the world. Again, the factors to be considered are impact, innovation and influence on this music that we broadly define as rock and roll, as well as their overall “musical excellence”  - as defined by working musicians.

Gold records, number one hits, and million sellers are not appropriate standards for evaluation.  Standards for artistic merit cannot be objective, because such standards are historically and culturally constructed.  Artistic merit can’t be measured by stats.  What is valued as good music or visual art or literature changes over time, depending on cultural conditions and who is deciding.

Those receiving the highest number of votes are inducted into the Hall. Usually, this means five to seven new performing members each year. 

Having said all this, I believe that all worthy candidates will be inducted, just not always when they or their fans deem timely.  This phenomenon is not unique to us.  The sports halls of fame have had many great stars that do not get inducted in their early years of eligibility or for many years to come.  

Kirk, DDTTRH:   Thank you Meredith for this fabulous explanation!  I think its important for fans to know about and understand so they don't take it 'personal' if their band is passed over repeatedly.  I think RUSH is a great example of this.  As part of a group trying to raise awareness for our favorite band (Duran Duran of course), I have had my 'ears to the ground' about other efforts and I know those RUSH folks have been waiting for quite some time now.  I am very happy that RUSH was able to be inducted this year.  I also have talked to Greg Method (also a native Clevelander) and he is promoting Weird Al Yankovic I know.

On that note--I noticed something new and exciting this year that led up to the induction ceremonies.  There was a poll on your website which lets people place their votes for who they think should be inducted.  Can you tell us more about that?  Do these votes really mean anything prior to the final decisions?  I'm sure these kind of votes would not hold the kind of weight the living inductees would...I do think its rather fun though which is why I'm asking about it.

Meredith:  For the first time in its history, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame offered fans the opportunity to officially participate in the induction selection process. The public had the opportunity to vote for the five nominees most deserving of induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The top five artists, as selected by the public, comprised a “fans’ ballot” that was tallied along with the other ballots to choose the 2013 inductees,  The fans’ ballot counted as one vote – on several occasions the difference in who gets inducted is decided by one vote, so this is significant. The Hall of Fame adopted this model from the Heisman Trophy organization, which uses a similar method to allow fans the opportunity to vote on winners.

Kirk, DDTTRH:  This is exciting!  And, this is especially great for fans who actually would look forward to see their voted on act inducted into the museum.  Do you plan on doing the same thing in 2014?

Meredith:  As far as I know, we plan on keeping the fans’ ballot in place for future inductions.

 
Kirk, DDTTRH:  Speaking of the museum, I have heard that although Duran Duran has not been inducted yet, it has received items from the band--my guess is that most things are in storage.  Further, a friend of mine who is an archivist in Seattle has said to me that he has helped in getting items to the Rock Hall.  Is this true, and if so...what kind of things do you have from Duran Duran?

Meredith:  We have had multiple items of clothing on loan from John Taylor and Nick Rhodes, and we had a John Taylor bass.  All of the items were on extended exhibit in the Museum at various times throughout the years, and because they were loans, they were returned to the band.

Kirk, DDTTRH:  This is good to hear.  I'm sure John wanted his bass back [;.  This next question has to do with attitudes I'm sure you've come across in regards to the Rock Hall.  Many bands and artists think that the Rock Hall is too political, that its too much like a business, and that its aim is not to induct the most deserving artists, but the ones that can bring in the most ticket revenue.  Some have even knocked on your black tie dinners that are held during induction time and the extravagant ticket prices (I've heard its about $2500 per ticket).  They may see these events and ceremonies as too 'posh' and artists that have either been inducted or are eligible may look unfavorably at you.

What would you say to people like this that criticize the Rock Hall in this way?

Meredith:  A lot of folks don’t know that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a not-for-profit, 501-3c educational institution. As a non-profit, all of our Museum ticket sales and the funds that come to us from the Foundation, which puts on the induction ceremony, go towards fulfilling our mission – running the Museum, putting together exhibits and award-winning educational programs that serve toddlers to seniors., both in the Museum, and around the world via our Distance Learning programs. The Induction Ceremony is essentially a benefit – a fund-raiser for the Museum, and the ticket prices to the Ceremony reflect that.

 
Kirk, DDTTRH:  And a related question...What is the image you strive to convey to guests as a curator at the Rock Hall?

Meredith:  In terms of the kind of image I want to project for the Museum as a curator – rock and roll is so many different things to different people, so there’s no one image to project. If there is one idea that I want to project, it is that of welcoming and inclusion. This is the music that changed the world and brought people together – I want our visitors to feel welcome and see themselves represented.  I also want to challenge visitors’ ideas of what rock and roll IS, and show them where it came from, where it’s going and how it really did change the world.

Kirk, DDTTRH:  What other types of things is the Rock Hall Foundation involved in?  Is it just overseeing the Museum and its inductees?

Meredith:  In 1983, A small group of music industry professionals led by Atlantic Records Founder and Chairman Ahmet Ertegun and including Rolling Stone magazine publisher Jann Wenner, attorney Allen Grubman, manager Jon Landau and record executives Seymour Stein, Bob Krasnow along with attorney Suzan Evans set out to establish an organization to “recognize the people who have created this music which has become the most popular music of our time.” Ertegun approached the heads of various record companies with his idea, spearheading the formation of the non-profit organization that would eventually become the Foundation. 

In 1986, the Foundation held the first annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. That same year, the Foundation selected Cleveland as the permanent home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.
 
In September 1995, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum opened in Cleveland. In 2006, Joel Peresman, a music industry veteran and former chief of Concerts and Entertainment at Madison Square Garden, became President and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. Under Peresman’s leadership, the Foundation announced the return of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies to Cleveland in 2009 and every three years thereafter.  The Foundation also staged the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary concerts on October 29 and 30, 2009, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. These historic shows and their broadcast on HBO helped fund the first-ever endowment for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland. 
 
In addition to these projects, the Foundation provided an $8 million gift in 2008 to the Museum’s Capital Campaign, which was used to build the Library and Archives center in downtown Cleveland and the 2010-2011 Redesign of the Museum interior. The Foundation also provides funding for Museum capital projects on an on-going basis and continues to be the largest single contributor to the Museum.
 
Beyond funding, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation leverages its presence in one of the world’s major cultural and philanthropic centers to provide increased exposure for the Museum mission, connections to artists and philanthropists, and other partnerships to advance the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum’s cultural preservation initiatives.

Kirk, DDTTRH:  This question comes from one of our fans.  They were wondering if you had seen the recent Mercury News poll regarding dream inductees to the Rock Hall...Duran Duran made it to the top 4, which is exciting!  http://www.mercurynews.com/entertainment/ci_22927434/rock-and-roll-hall-fame-duran-duran-kiss

Meredith:  How much does public opinion and polling factor into the induction process?  When it comes right down to it, all the induction voters are FANS – whether they are past inductees, journalists, academics, record company executives – fans with the same differences of opinion as other members of the public about what music has made a difference and who should be recognized. As I said in a previous email, we are sure that ALL DESERVING artists will eventually  be recognized.

Kirk, DDTTRH:   This next question comes from Suzanne, one of our fans...
"Has the Rock Hall considered renaming the museum "music Hall of Fame" since many nominees and inductees are clearly not Rock & Roll stars?"

Meredith:  As I think I may have mentioned earlier, we try to be inclusive rather than exclusive here at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. We broadly define rock and roll to include the music that predates rock and roll and was important to the development of rock and roll.  We also open our doors to music that we understand as sharing the same roots as rock and roll, so that would include soul, metal, R&B, folk, hip-hop, disco, techno, roots rock, alternative…we embrace diversity and try not to pidgeonhole artists or styles. The definition of what rock and roll is shifts as this is a living artform, constantly growing.

Kirk, DDTTRH:  I had a couple of extra questions, hope you don't mind.  One is a fun one from me and the other is really a favor for a 'Friend of Mine' (Duran Duran pun intended) who also has an effort that started in Cleveland for his favorite artist, Weird Al Yankovic.  

What do you think?  Weird Al at the Rock Hall?  He certainly is a unique artist and has a depth and breadth of work that it pretty amazing...albeit satirical.  Has his name come up do you know in any discussion of inductees?

Meredith:  Since Weird Al released his first record in 1978, his name, along with everyone else who released their first recordings in 1978, has been in consideration as a nominee since 2005. As I’ve said before, we believe that every deserving artist will be recognized eventually. 

Kirk, DDTTRH:  So, lets imagine Duran Duran does get inducted one day to the Rock Hall (which I know would make a lot of people in my group happy).  As a curator that helps in building displays, what artist or band would you put them beside?  What kinds of things would you show about them to highlight their musical contributions?

Meredith:  When Duran Duran artifacts were on display here in the past, we exhibited them along with other artists of the 1980s.  While I do ant to emphasize that we try not to cram artists into a pigeonhole here, we do like to  give visitors a sense of the chronology of the music.

Kirk, DDTTRH:  This was certainly an enlightening interview.  Thank you SO MUCH for sharing with us your time.  Its so refreshing to know that the Rock Hall and the foundation is out and about 'doing good' for Cleveland and the world in its great mission of preserving music history and our rich music culture.

 

To learn more about Meredith Rutledge-Borger and her work at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, please visit the Rock Hall's website:  http://rockhall.com/blog/author/meredith-e-rutledge-borger/

To learn more about Duran Duran to the Rock Hall and its mission to raise awareness of Duran Duran and its impact on music history, please visit:  http://www.ddttrh.info/

To learn about how Greg Method, also a fellow Clevelander, who is trying to 'Make the Rock Hall Weird', please visit:  http://www.allthingsyank.com/rockhall/

 

 

 

 

 

Second Life Party Report, 2/23/13

Its hard to describe how exciting our party was in Second Life last weekend, 2/23/13 at 2 PM EST.  I arrived 10-15 minutes early at the red carpet in front of the Lipstick Tower.  I was looking to change into something stylish before the big time.  To my surprise, Chrissy Wellinder was there, chatting with Warren Cuccurullo!  And it was the real Warren (dressed like a pirate).  I just remember being in shock and saying something like 'Hey Warren!'  and he said 'Hey' back.  And then I invited Chrissy and Warren to our party and Chrissy said they would come.  I said we were going to meet at the Savoy and Chrissy informed me that the Savoy was gone, but that we could do it at the Lipstick Tower.  At this point I remember my blood pressure rising of excitement and I remember it being a little hard to breath...lol.

If you don't know Chrissy, she is one the the 'official' Second Life designers who works directly with Nick Rhodes for any special events the band has in the Duraniverse.  And yes, its the same Duraniverse that is featured in many of the band's concerts.  What a surprise that her and Warren were there and they were gracious to come to our DDTTRH party!

As I was changing behind a bush, several more of you arrived.  You all looked so fabulous in your Second Life garb...it made me jealous!  I especially enjoyed the black outfit and glittering shoes of Rachael Rhodiva--she looked ravishing!  If you don't know Rachael, she is a long time Second Lifer and fan of the band.  You guys in Second Life--you must take me shopping sometime...because my wardrobe totally needs a makeover!!!!  I learned that as I was flipping through my clothes trying to find something to wear--and all I could settle on were some generic clubbing clothes...lol.

2:00 arrived and the red carpet was packed!  Chrissy announced that Warren was in the DDU for the FIRST TIME and then more kept appearing in.  I welcomed everyone to the party and made the special announcements.  Here they are:

We have an interview in with the people of Bryan Ferry (former member of Roxy Music).  They have received it well and I think we can be optimistic about the idea that we will get it back.  When I was playing a game asking people to guess who the interview was with, it was Warren that guessed Bryan Ferry, actually.  And he said something like 'Good, as long as it wasn't that bloody Chris Deburgh!'.  That was a very cool moment!

Then, I told people about two new people that we are bringing onto DDTTRH.  Tracey Elena, from Dayton, who will be our new Rock Hall Liaison.  Tracey has experience with promotions and has a background working with professional wrestlers.  She is also very upbeat and fun--something we totally need in our group right now.

Then there is Lynn Capirsello from Albany.  Lynn comes to us with experience in Interior Design and Visual Arts.  She will be our Lead Promotions Specialist.  She will be working with our Youtube specialist, Jake Crawford from Australia to come out with more videos.  Plus, we are hoping Lynn can help us to create a unique design for and get permission to have an official DDTTRH t-shirt!  And, she says she has a friend in LA who works in the music industry--so maybe we can get some 'ins' to promote our effort that way.

Here's a picture of all of us gathered--if you look closely--you will see Warren!  And there's a cat on his shoulder...which everyone is talking about!

After the big announcements some of you stayed to play hide and seek with me to win prizes.  Thats when I learned about the built-in Second Life locator in Second Life--so it didn't make hide and seek as fun as it could have been.

Then later, I met up with some fans and cool people in the Sushi bar above the Lipstick Tower.  We discussed the Rock Hall, TV Mania, and other fun topics.  The virtual sushi was great!  And yes, by that time I had finally found something cool to wear...a Star Trek Captain's uniform [; and I went for the Picard look.  Here's a picture of us there, just chilling out. 

I just want to say...I had a wonderful time with all of you and hope to see you again in Second Life.  And for those of you that have not visited the Duran Duran Universe...PLEASE COME!  You are missing out on a great time!

Kirk
Captain of DDTTRH

PARTY at the DDU to Celebrate 3000 Likes!

PARTY AT THE DDU!!!!!!

Hi all!  I said I would like to celebrate when we made 3000 likes....so lets do it!  DDTTRH will have a special gathering at the DDU (The Duran Duran Universe in Second Life) next Saturday the 23rd at 2:00 PM EST.  That will give you plenty of time to get your avatar, pick out some virtual clothes, and join us!  I thought we'd start the party at the virtual Savoy.  Lets meet at the bar with Vin Diesel!
Then, we can go explore the DDU together!

Here's what to do to get yourself set up (if you are not already).

Click this link: 
http://bit.ly/fgJOD2

If you already have an account, it will prompt you to be teleported to the DDU.  Otherwise, there are instructions to 'SIGN UP NOW for free'.  You will need to download the Second Life program as part of the process and you may need to go back to this link to teleport once you are all set up (its been awhile since I set up--I'm pretty sure thats how it is).  I think it may even prompt you to set up the DDU as your home...if it does, you can do that.

I would set this up sometime this weekend or during the week and if you have troubles, please email me at ddttrh@yahoo.com or through the contact page at www.ddworldwide.info.  You can also facebook me at Kirk DDTTRH.  You might want to go early to the DDU and check things out, get used to the controls, etc, before the party.  I can even meet you sometime during the week if you want.  Otherwise, you can try to figure things out yourself!

When you get the chance as well, please LIKE the Duran Duran Universe at Second Life through Facebook.  Here's a link to that:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/theduranduranuniverse?fref=ts

So you know, this is the same place where big Duranie parties happen and is the same place featured in many of the band's live performances...so it is worth it for you to check it out.

Hope to see you next Saturday!

Kirk, DDTTRH

If it helps--here's a picture of me in front of the Savoy!  You will need to fly to get there.

Lessons Learned Blog 4 of X

Due to the sensitive nature of Blog 3 of X (and to be respectful of those mentioned in it), I decided to share that one privately with certain people.  If you are interested in Blog 3 of X, please email me through the ddttrh.info site and I can share it with you.

I did though want to share this tidbit from it, as the start of Blog 4 of X...

Something I need to admit is this...and I know I've mentioned it before to some of you.  I do not know everything there is to know about Duran Duran.  I have not lived and breathed them every minute of every day since they came out (I do appreciate those who have--I learn a lot from you [:)  I will say that I have appreciated their music for years and what I said in the article to Jeff Piorworski in the Sun Times article about their music 'singing to my soul' is absolutely true.

You might ask why I didn't go to more of their concerts over the years.  Well, because of childhood circumstances, being called on a mission to South America, financial struggles, being in college, getting married and struggling again...it was not in the cards.  I did make it though to my first concert recently, and it was one of the most amazing experiences of my entire life.  I was so excited to be there and to be representing the band in my very little way...I called the press to come and film me...and they came!  You can watch that here...
http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/entertainment/rock_hall/local-duran-duran-fan-feels-80s-pop-band-needs-to-be-inducted-in-rock-hall-

 Because of this experience, I had an 'Epiphany' about this effort and about life, really.  Here are some cherished excerpts from it (you can read the full version in the Blog archives, October 2011)...

The Rock Hall may not really deserve Duran Duran and its not really necessary that Duran Duran be there. They are legends already, they have made music history already and no honor, induction, and award will make a difference.

I got to see the amazing and beautiful community of Duranies at this concert and I was overwhelmed by the love they had for Duran Duran and the love Duran Duran had for them. Something Simon said during the concert resonated with me. He said something like 'I see a bunch of happy people!'. Thats what its about, what its always been about for them...making people happy.

In life its not about the rewards you get or the 'recognition'...its about the people whose lives you touch, the love you show them, and the happiness you give them. Duran Duran has certainly showed this to their fans. If you think about it, its 'The World' that focuses on such honors...of making someone better than someone else. The lyric from All You Need is Now comes to mind..."Everybody's gunning for the VIP section...but you're better off in running in the other direction".

I just want to tell Duran Duran and the fans that I get it now. I started this effort just wanting to give back to the band that meant so much to me growing up and means so much to me today. I am left feeling though that I've been giving back the wrong way.

I just want to say sorry to all of you, including Duran Duran, for not seeing it this way sooner. There was something about seeing this band live that has had a changing effect on me....like something awoke in me...a realization...a new happiness.

To be frank, this epiphany leaves me with an identity crisis. I mean what is the point of beating on the Rock Hall's door about Duran Duran? There are other campaigns out there that have done the same thing and they have gotten nowhere. They have focused so much on hating the Rock Hall...continued disappointment with them because their favorite band is snubbed. Even more silly is the notion that one band must get in 'before another'. I mean, its not a race is it? Especially if these bands have already made history, already are legendary, and no award in a Hall can change that

The focus will no longer be on 'getting Duran Duran into the Rock Hall', but of promoting the band...getting people talking about them again...raising awareneness to them and how they've left an indelible impressions on music history and on the hearts and minds of their fans everywhere.

 As you can imagine, this Epiphany was important to DDTTRH and crucial in its progression.  It truly became a 'phoenix moment' for us as we went through the fire of re-creating ourselves.  Something you may not know (or have realized at the time) is that it also made for some interesting confusion with the DDTTRH staff.  We were left with the questions of 'What do we do now?', 'What should out new focus be?', 'Do we kill the effort or keep it?', 'What do we do with the petition?'.  Some of these questions have already been answered, and some are being answered through our branch-off effort, Duran Duran Worldwide (www.ddworldwide.info).

The decision was also made during this period to release the entire DDTTRH staff and start anew.  Kandice decided to leave (which was a very sad moment for me personally), and Anitra went on to bigger things.  Christian stayed on and we kept our Youtube specialist from Australia, Jake Crawford.  Josie Beaudoin has also stayed on as our editor for both DDWW and DDTTRH.

Before the Epiphany and still today, DDTTRH has had its moments.  Like any good cause, it has also had its opposition, critics, and detractors.  It has also had its funny moments and welcome friendships and support that has come from sometimes unexpected and fabulous places.  I think you will surprised to know just from where.

Next time...

• Learn about some amazing and fun moments we've had at DDTTRH
• I will also talk about some of the supporters that have come forth from sometimes unexpected and fabulous places

12/12/12 Special DDTTRH Announcement

Its a fitting day to announce this, given the oddity of the date 12/12/12.  After your votes for this and in talking with several of you, I have decided to make the new petition goal...

12,500

This number, as you can see, starts with a '12', therefore it is meaningful that it is announced today.  What is more is that this number represents a 'DD' version of 50,000 which received the most votes for the petition survey.  Can you figure out why?

50,000 'Double-Downed' is (50,000/2)/2=12,500.

There are other interesting ways you can see this number as well.

If you add the numbers, they = 8, which is a double in itself.  4 + 4 = 8, just as the Duran Duran is a double form and has 4 syllables in it.

Further, the number 5 is significant because there were 5 original members of Duran Duran, and there are 5 letters in each word of Duran.  The '2' could be significant as well, because there are 2 D's which is a shortened form of Duran Duran. 

12 can also be divided into two...two 6's.

More importantly, this number was chosen because while 10,000 is good, 12,500 represents a little more that can be worked for.

Other reasoning for this number:

• Its not too big of a number and not too small.  It can be reached and soon.
• The number is not too flashy and proud.  It is humble and sends a somewhat quiet, yet firm message.
• I think we can make this number represent quality instead of quantity--which I think Duran Duran would appreciate as well.

I am excited to announce this number and excited as we work together in 2013 to make it happen.

And remember--just you signing is not enough.  Also get your friends to sign and with a multiplier effect we will kick this number's ass!  We can do it!  Together we will make history! 

We ROCK because of you.

Captain Kirk
Duran Duran to the Rock Hall - Official Effort
www.ddttrh.info

Lessons Learned 2 of X

I remember my first fan of DDTTRH was my wife, Claudia.  That will always be special to me.  I was happy too when I found early committed fans (like Anitra and Jason) who were willing to give of their time for the cause.  After Anitra and Jason there were Kandice, Josie and Christian.  I don't want to forget to mention Jake as well who has helped us in our most recent past with Youtube videos.

We've had our challenges as well, and these challenged mostly had to do with human resources.  Once we started to grow, I realized there was a need to delineate tasks associated with DDTTRH.  The Youtube piece was overseen by Jason and the Artist interview piece was Anitra.  Then Kandice became in charge of the petition (we nicknamed her fondly the 'Petition Duchess').  Christian's talents were on making websites and he had the extra charge of reaching out to other Duran fan sites to ask their support (if you go to 'Fansites' under the heading 'The Effort' most of those sites there he helped spread the word to).  The other thing we felt we needed early on was a logo to represent our effort.  To do that we had a logo contest and there were many who entered.  It was Nabeel from California that won.  He created our first logo:

The other thing we felt we needed was a Rock Hall Liaison.  This would be someone who hopefully had connections with the Rock Hall that could reach out to committee members and let them know about us.  Someone volunteered for that position.  She started off fabulous.  In fact, given that we were doing research on Duran Duran (mainly on bands that were influenced by them and where Duran Duran was mentioned in media), we needed someone to write up something about how Duran Duran has been involved with community service.  She did an amazing job on a writeup to this effect.  You can see it at our website under the Duran Duran--Community Service link. 

The next thing I was working on with her was a letter which we would present to various persons on the Rock Hall committee letting them know about us.  We went through a draft and a final version, but nothing went farther.  It got so bad the not hearing from her, that after repeatedly reaching out to her and not hearing from her, the rest of the staff and myself decided to let her go.  I found out later that she had taken an extra job and had no time to help out.  To this day I wish she had just said something instead of just not communicating.

I still have that letter by the way--any volunteers to send it out to people on the Rock Hall committee?

Then there was what happened with Nabeel.  He had a serious car accident.  He was hit by a UPS truck and from talking with him, I believe it damaged him extensively.  I had conversations with him after his accident and I could tell how down of spirits he was.  Then there was a point where I didn't hear from him again.  Others of the staff were concerned about him and also tried to reach out, but nobody heard anything back.  To this day we don't know what happened with Nabeel.  He will always have an important place as part of the history of the DDTTRH effort...particularly in giving us our first amazing logo.  We let Nabeel go after not hearing from him for a long period of time.

There were other challenges too.  I had one guy who was interested in helping to be our Blogging Specialist.  I trained him and everything.  Then, I remember there being floods in his area and he told me he no longer had time to help (which is fine--I was happy he at least said something).  I tried to get someone else in his place, and there was a promising candidate to do it, but that petered out quickly. 

Then there was the matter of trying to call City, Country Representatives.  One of them we called and I was hoping they'd be more 'asking us what they can do' vs. us 'telling them what to do'.  We also needed help to translate our blogs to different languages.  Several signed on and when I gave them work to do, nothing came back.  There was someone (Mr. Mystere we call him) that was very helpful with French translations...but he was an exception to the norm.  Another exception was Radio Creme Brulee--we were excited when Pranav (who owns it) reached out to us and was willing to represent Chicago.  I actually met Pranav in Chicago when I was on a business trip.  We had a great chat on ideas of how to promote the effort.  It led to our first Youtube promotion which so far has been fairly a success.  In fact, it was thanks to that discussion that I had the courage to reach out to Katy who works with Duran Duran who gave us signed posters (and she was very happy to do it).  Pranav has not been able to help us as much as he wants too...but something I appreciate about Pranav is that he has told me upfront how busy he is and while he wishes he could do more, he does what he can.

This is really all we wanted from people, and still do.  If they can't help, don't say they can and then quit.  If they start and can't help, let us know, please be upfront with us instead of not communicating straight up with us.  We understand that everyone has lives and is busy.  If you want to help, great, give in what little ways you can...we would appreciate that.  But just 'don't give' because you think you're being inconvenient to us or know you can't give more than you think we expect.  What I'm trying to say is that any little effort you do is appreciated, because all the little efforts eventually will add up to something great.

You might ask why this is important to blog about?  One of the reasons that has caused rifts and problems in our group is essentially this...the lackluster or 'lack-of-follow-through' commitment of some of the fans to DDTTRH.  We even had one representative, who was to represent us in California.  He said he had connections with some famous people and it was thanks to him that we received an email of support from a friend of the band's.  Then, he had offered to present shirts to the band with special messages to the band on our behalf.  I was less disappointed about him falling through on the t-shirts than I was with the dropping off from committing the support (or at least being upfront with me on reasons why).  I actually enjoyed my conversations with him and I was looking forward to somewhat of a friendship...but I've tried and tried to reach out to him and its as if no one is there.

And the other thing that was troublesome was when I asked Kandice if she could help with the representatives and when she reached out to him and others, she was not contacted back.  It was almost as if they felt as they were being treated 'less' because I was having another valued member of our staff contact them.  I never understood this and don't to this day.

Or perhaps you are of the camp that since a couple of members of Duran Duran have said they don't like the Rock Hall (though haven't said explicitly that they would not accept nomination [:--had to put that in there), that we should just do nothing to raise awareness about the band.  It doesn't matter to you that the band's friends and many other have shown support for DDTTRH.  You of all people should know that the band avoids trying to be recognized for the great contributions they've done for the music industry.  I believe that if they were nominated, they would be gracious about it.  I mean--if they were totally against the Rock Hall (which I believe they're not), why would they donate historical pieces to them?  Did you know they did that?

You don't have to go very far in the fan community before you meet someone who 'wants a piece' of Simon, Roger, Nick, or John.  I mean, who wouldn't?  DDTTRH is different than this...it gives you an opportunity...different than any fan group out there...the opportunity to give back to the band that has meant so to all of us...thats what its always been about.  Take away everything else...the imperfections of the people serving in DDTTRH...the structures and organization...the promotions...the 'Rock Hall' in our name....whats left is its sole mission.  We seek to raise awareness of a band that had made history and continues to do so.

~~~~~
Next time....

• Learn about other unique challenges that we've had at DDTTRH.  Some of them, I admit I unintentionally caused...some I admit I have no idea on earth why they happened, or why they were a source of such contention.
• The next blog will also set the stage for the blog about 'The Epiphany' and why that was so important to DDTTRH and changing who we are.