Chubby Checker Stages Rock Hall Protest

By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY, AP Music Writer

NEW YORK - Chubby Checker, whose song "The Twist" was one of the most popular dance records of all time, isn't in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And that's OK with him.

But the singer is peeved over what he considers a lack of radio airplay for the classic song and his new material. So he staged a protest — albeit good-natured — outside Monday's induction festivities in midtown Manhattan.

"I'm not doing it to get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at all," he told The Associated Press in an interview. "I don't get the airplay that one in my position deserves. 'Twist and Shout' gets more airplay than 'The Twist,' and that's not right."

Checker, 62, has been recording for decades, and some of other hits include "The Hucklebuck" and "Pony Time." But his biggest hit was the 1960 song "The Twist," which went to No. 1 in that year and again in 1961, sparking a dance craze across the nation. The song was so popular he even had a hit with its sequel, "Let's Twist Again," in 1961. (He also had a hit with "Slow Twistin'" and in 1994 released a song called "Texas Twist").

While the writer of the "The Twist," Hank Ballard, has been inducted into hall, Checker hasn't.

Seymour Stein, president of the Rock Hall's New York chapter and member of the committee that helps select inductees, told the AP: "I think that Chubby is someone who will be considered. He has in certain years."

However, Checker doesn't think it's necessary that he's inducted.

"It doesn't matter at all," he said. "They have 'The Twist' there already. They don't need two in there."

But he does want a photo of himself to welcome people into the Rock Hall's museum in Cleveland, a request the Hall of Fame has not obliged.

"Who's more fitting to do that than me?" he asks.

And he's salty over what he perceives as a lack of respect at radio. He complains that "The Twist" doesn't get the airplay it deserves on oldies stations, and that radio is ignoring his new material, even though his latest song, "Limbo Rock Remixes," has risen to No. 16 on Billboard's Hot Dance Singles Sales chart.

"Here's an old eagle laying new eggs, and I thought that radio would be ecstatic," he said. "But they're not."



"I'm not getting the airplay — no airplay, no payday," said Checker, who waxes on and on about the popularity of "The Twist. He says even foods with the words "twist" and "checker" in them point to the song's enduring popularity. (He also markets "Chubby Checker's Beef Jerky" with flavors like "Sugar Twist Teriyaki.")

Checker hopes that will change with his one-man protest outside the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, where the induction dinner was scheduled for Monday evening.

"I'm really appearing on the street for musical recognition," Checker said.

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Nah, it's not because he's not in the Hall Of Fame. Modern pop radio just isn't giving Chubby his due! Because "The Twist" is so modern. Or something.

I think we should induct every one (ok, two) hit wonder. Right Said Fred should be next. So underrated. Completely changed the face of music.
[This message was edited Mon Mar 15 14:58:00 2004 by VoicesCarry]

One word:

T
W
A
T

one day we should do a Org twist contest

Supernova said:

I kid you not.

http://story.news.yahoo.c...by_checker

I just read it. He is on crazy motherfucker!

Supernova said:

do you dance the twist supernova?

VoicesCarry said:

Oh, bloody hell. Cry me an ocean.


He never ran out of ideas, that's for sure.

jn2 said:

Noooo!

By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY
'Twist and Shout' gets more airplay than 'The Twist,' and that's not right."
I confess I never thought of that what the hell are the U N doing?
*
[This message was edited Mon Mar 15 15:09:39 2004 by jn2]

chubby needs to hush and go eat some of that beef jerky of his. but that's so strange, i wonder why he isn't in the hall of fame....

Chubby deserves to be inducted. He's one of the architects of rock and roll.

Good grief! I remember seeing him on some show and he filed a lawsuit against a store for calling their--what we know as buffalo plaid--shirts, "Chubby Checkers."

Are the Jackson's angry at radio stations for not playing "Dancing Machine?" (They had everyone doing the robot to that joint!) Are Los Del Rios demanding mucho airtime for the "Macarena?" Really. You'd think Checker had invented the wheel or sliced bread. I'm sure he's had his fair share of accolades. I'm sure there are some acts (Los Del Rios?) that would love just a fraction of Checker's over all success.

Anyway, bet he's not in the RNR Hall of Fame because he insisted on it being renamed the Chubby Checker RNRHF.

ThreadBare said:

How so?

Supernova said:

Come on. It's Chubby Checker. He IS an architect of rock and. ... wait, that's Little Richard. Sorry.

Well, back then, people were twisting at the waist just because of him -- well, OK, he didn't invent the dance. And, OK, he didn't write the song. But that tenor of his just had the country twisting the night away. No, wait, that was Sam Cooke ...

Well, still ... it takes an architect to stage such a publicity campaign like this present one. He deserves induction for that alone.

I ... uh ... just hope we ... um ... remember this solid logic when it's time to induct The Time. I mean, they had folks flappin' their arms in '84. All over the country, folks were doing the Bird!!!

ThreadBare said:

VoicesCarry said:

No no..

CinisterCee said:

and that radio is ignoring his new material, even though his latest song, "Limbo Rock Remixes," has risen to No. 16 on Billboard's Hot Dance Singles Sales chart.

VoicesCarry said:

Oh yeah

in what parallel world is Chubby Checker charting at #16?