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| Now immortalized, music-wise |
Because
just think of how unique it would seem if the announcement had been made
Thursday that the CTA was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
THE
ROCK ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame, to be exact, which decided that the 1970s soft rock
band Chicago was one of five musical acts worthy of some lasting recognition
for their contributions to our pop culture.
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| Chicago's biggest band, if not for "Chicago" |
Of
course, Chicago is the band that has given us countless albums distinguished
from each other merely by the numbers used to identify them. Although I’m sure
there are some hardcore fans who can tell me off the tops of their heads what
the difference is between “Chicago 8” and “Chicago 17.”
Now
I’m not knocking the band, although I must confess to not having been a big fan
of theirs when they were in their 1970s heyday, and think of the fact that they
continue to perform and tour as being something along the lines of the fact
that The Turtles (a late ‘60s’ band that gave us “Happy Together,” for those of
you so clueless) still performs nostalgia concerts.
Not
exactly something I want to pay good money for in order to get pricey tickets.
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| Would anyone really mistake a bus for a band? |
BUT
THE BAND did always stand out, and not just because of the song “25 or 6 to 4.”
After
all, how many bands take on the identity of our home city as their very own? If
not for Chicago, we’d have to get all worked up over that ‘60’s band” The
Buckinghams, who chose to take on the identity of the Grant Park fountain that
the Germans allegedly identify with Al Bundy and “Married, with Children.”
A
Chicago band called “Chicago.”
Kind
of intriguing, particularly since the band originally created itself as the
Chicago Transit Authority – taking on the name of our very own elevated train
and bus system.
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| We stop there today for a hot dog, if they were still open |
WHICH,
AFTER LEARNING that a real-live rock group released an album called “Chicago
Transit Authority,” actually filed lawsuits to force a name change. Which is
when they simply became “Chicago.”
Too
bad, because let’s be honest. If there’s anyone whose image would have been
ruined by the association, it would be that of the band. Who’d want to hear
music performed by a group that named itself for the entity that often can’t
get people to their destination on time and whose cars and buses have been
known to reek of graffiti and body odor?
So
we don’t have the CTA making it into a Hall of Fame. Nor will we have officials
in Brooklyn (which likes to think it has the ultimate mass transit) having to
honor Chicago transit during ceremonies to be held in the spring of '16.
Instead,
we’ll be hearing our home city’s name being praised – regardless of what you
think of all those horns being incorporated into a musical form that some
people think should never advance beyond three guitar chords and a simple bass
line.
THAT
IS WHY one of my favorite moments from the 1999 film “Three Kings” was the
quarrel between soldiers played by Spike Jonze and Ice Cube over what was good
music – with Jonze’s character favoring heavy metal and Cube preferring
something softer and we hear the intro to “If You Could Leave Me Now.”
Besides,
you have to admit that a band (even with its most significant members long
gone) that can last for decades and still draw some crowds (no matter how old
or nostalgic) has to be worthy of some attention.
Particularly
if they bring to mind the finest city on Planet Earth every time somebody
mentions their name!
-30-
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