STEPHEN PEARCY Says 1980s Hard Rock And Heavy Metal Bands Don't Get Enough Respect From ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME

RATT singer Stephen Pearcy has blasted the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for not inducting more hard rock and heavy metal acts.

Even though artists are eligible for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25 years after the release of their first album or single, iconic hard rock and metal bands like IRON MAIDEN and MOTÖRHEAD have yet to be recognized by the institution, which inducted GUNS N' ROSES in that group's first year of eligibility.

"It's all politics, man," Stephen told Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And that's the worst thing about the Hall Of Fame. It's, like, sorry, Dave Grohl, but how many times can Dave be the ambassador or awarded. I mean, there's so many musicians from the '50s, the '60s, the '70s… They don't give a shit about us, the '80s groups, at all — the Hollywood scene; they don't give a shit. You're not gonna see MÖTLEY [CRÜE] up there anytime soon, or RATT. We were lucky enough to see VAN HALEN get it. SCORPIONS, are they in? [JUDAS] PRIEST… That was a milestone, having JUDAS PRIEST in it. They had to break; they didn't have a choice… They had to. I mean, it's overwhelming. It's, like, you've given everybody else this award. And even guys in the band. It's like THE POLICE have one, and Sting has one [individually]. It's, like, break it down. The group or the guy? Does he need two of 'em? At least [BLACK] SABBATH is in there."

Pearcy continued: "Inevitably, they have to throw us a bone. Our genre of music in the '80s made billions of dollars for the music industry — billions. And what do we get for it? 'Oh, it ain't cool.' 'You're not cheesy enough or cheeky enough' or whatever the fuck. It's, like fuck you! I have awards in my office that mean more to me than having a Grammy or something, because it's from the hardcore fans, it's from the heart. It's not a political… 'Hey, fill out this ballot, and we'll change it on the day.' Kind of like the presidency."

Back in 2021, Pearcy says that he didn't think RATT would ever be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. He told The Rock Shop With Ralph: "I doubt that'll ever happen. Unfortunately, everything is politics.

"I watched the last Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. It's such a piece of shit," he continued.

"Some people deserve to be there and some people really don't. I mean, there's some people from the '50s, '60, '70s… Let's go, people. I hope you give a shit. Some '80s people need to be in there — definitely. But not what's politically… you know, 'This is the token hair band' kind of a thing."

MÖTLEY CRÜE — which has been eligible since 2006 — won the 2019 "Voice Your Choice" in-museum Rock Hall fan vote but failed to make the list of nominees for the Class Of 2020. The band saw its votes surge when its biopic "The Dirt", premiered on Netfix in March 2019.

The Rock Hall didn't induct BLACK SABBATH until 2006, and METALLICA followed three years later.

Rock Hall rules state that artists become eligible a quarter century after their first records were released, but the Hall also claims that other "criteria include the influence and significance of the artists' contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock 'n' roll," which is, of course, open to interpretation.

Eligible for induction since 1999, KISS didn't get its first nomination until 2009, and was finally inducted in 2014.

DEEP PURPLE was eligible for the Rock Hall since 1993 but didn't get inducted until 2014.

PRIEST received the Musical Excellence Award at last year's Rock Hall event, which honored Eminem, Dolly Parton, DURAN DURAN, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, EURYTHMICS and Carly Simon in the Performers category.