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Gene Simmons says Iron Maiden’s Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame snub is “disgusting”

He also added that the Hall “should be ashamed of themselves” for not inducting Rage Against The Machine.

Gene Simmons / Iron Maiden

Image: Steve Granitz / Annamaria DiSanto / Getty

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Gene Simmons has hit out against The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for not including Iron Maiden and Rage Against The Machine in its 2021 class.

Following the news that the two bands would not be making the cut, losing out to Foo Fighters, The Go-Go’s, Jay-Z, Carole King, Todd Rundgren and Tina Turner, Simmons took to Twitter to express his anger about the snub of nominated acts Iron Maiden and Rage Against The Machine.

With regards to the NWOBHM band, Simmons tweeted: “RR Hall of Fame is a sham not to include Maiden. Disgusting!”

He later tweeted: “Sadly, Rage Against The Machine shut out of RR Hall of Fame. The Hall should be ashamed of themselves…”

Simmons’ bandmate Paul Stanley also added his opinion to the forum, saying: “Regardless of whether it matters to them, Maiden not being in the [Rock And Roll Hall 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?”

Stanley’s note of “whether it matters to them” is seemingly in reference to Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson’s views on the rock hall. He has previously stated that he would decline induction if offered, and called the Hall “an utter and complete load of bollocks.”

The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame’s president and CEO, Greg Harris, was recently asked about the perception of the organisation as disdainful of metal. He responded: “It’s an interesting one, because we do [respect metal artists]. We celebrate all forms of rock and roll. They were nominated, and we’ve nominated Maiden, Judas Priest have been nominated, we put Def Leppard in.

“Those that are nominated, over 80 per cent 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.’”

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