Former Pearl Jam drummer Dave Abbruzzesse is challenging the decision of Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame organizers to leave him off the list of band members set to be inducted into the Cleveland-based institution next April.
Pearl Jam were among the artists named this week to be inducted into the Class of 2017, alongside Journey, the Electric Light Orchestra, Yes, Joan Baez and Tupac Shakur.
Joining the current Pearl Jam lineup of Eddie Vedder, Mike McCready, Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament and Matt Cameron will be founding member Dave Krusen, while leaving out drummers Abbruzzese, Matt Chamberlain and Jack Irons.
“The qualifications required for me to have been inducted with my former band mates certainly have been met,” writes Abbruzzesse on Facebook. “I challenge anyone to justify why I am not worthy of a place in the history of Pearl Jam. The official reason given from the RRHOF makes it bulls**t.
“It make my years of hard work appear to be worthless towards the success born of the formative years of Pearl Jam. This is simply not the case. The milestones and the success obtained during my period in the band...The Grammy, AMA's, MTV Awards, over 20 plus million albums sold. MTV Unplugged performance, SNL twice, etc. Over 275 shows.”
"For anyone to take a stand for denying my right to be recognized," he continued, “I deserve to hear how you are possibly justifying such an absolute travesty. Statistics and the opinions of the Pearl Jam fans voiced on social media for the last 20 plus years will attest to that. Someone need only to pull their head out of their a** and add my name. 'Nuff said? Thank you, everyone!!”
A friend of Abbruzzesse’s who researched the Rock Hall’s decision-making process found the following: “As the original ballot is created, the members of each eligible band are determined by largely who was present and active during the most influential recording years.”
The drummer first appeared with Pearl Jam on tour in support the 1991 debut, “Ten”, before recording tracks for the 1992 “Singles” soundtrack, 1993’s “Vs.” and 1994’s “Vitalogy.”
The latest effort marks Abbruzzesse’s second attempt to be included as part of Pearl Jam’s lineup for the 2017 induction; he reached out to the band via social media to request their help in October when the Rock Hall announced the nominees.
“It’s just a fine opportunity to see what Pearl Jam has to say in response,” posted Abbruzzese at the time. “Let’s see if they do the right thing. It’ll be interesting to see the spin that is put on it. That band and its management have never been ones to shy away when an injustice is done. Let’s see if they still have the courage to fight the good fight!”
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