So Does Cleveland Rock? - mmm not really
So due to various permutations of travel plans, booking and canceling of trade shows, and airline schedules I find myself spending my birthday on my own in Cleveland. So what to do?

Head to the "ROCK AND ROLL - Hall of Fame + Museum" (to give it its official title).

After a brisk chilly walk to its location on the shores of Lake Eire, six hours wandering its various levels and another brisk walk back downtown, I'm once more ensconced in my hotel room trying to warm up and decided what to do for the evening.

So what did I think of the R'nR-HoF?

On the whole I enjoyed my time while I was there - otherwise I wouldn't have spent half a day exploring it - but on reflection I think that came more from a passion about the subject than the way it was presented. In many ways the visit was unsatisfying and the treatment of such a complex and fascinating subject was somewhat superficial.

Perhaps it works for the casual visitor, but I wanted to know more.

The over-riding question for me has always been just why is this particular Hall of Fame in Cleveland? No-where is that question answered, several exhibits in the museum proclaim Memphis as the birthplace of rock 'n' roll. It appears that Cleveland's claim is based solely on the fact that a self-promoting local DJ with dubious business practices was the first person to use the phrase "rock 'n' roll" for commercial purposes. A tenuous link if you ask me. This certainly isn't a music town and there are many other cities with much greater impact and influence on popular music. Nothing I saw today convinced me that the HoF should be here.

As an amateur rock historian and writer on the subject I was amazed by several inaccuracies and misleading text on various exhibit placards. Things that could be checked with only minimal research. Nothing was grossly wrong or misstated but once you notice the minor flaws it undermines the veracity of everything else you see and read.

The placing of the various sections and artist exhibits seemed somewhat haphazard and without context or thought to the relationships and influences they shared. For instance why have Buddy Holly and Richie Valens at opposite ends of the same room, when they shared the same fate? Why not have Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochran next to each other as their careers were so intertwined?

Why have a John Lennon section that equaled the size of The Beatles section, but none for Paul McCartney or George Harrison? (As an aside I did enjoy seeing the originals of several documents I had referenced in Before They Were Beatles and had only seen in photographs and copies before). And how come The Beatles exhibit referenced early "manager" Allan Williams but didn't mention Brain Epstein?

The Ramones section was back to back with one on Bob Seger, Joy Division was back to back with Eric Clapton. - What's the connection? They weren't even inducted in the same year.

It wasn't just the placing of the artists sections that made no sense, a piece on Les Paul and the development of the electric guitar was immediately followed by a piece on MTV.

Giving it some thought as I walked around I realized what the problem was - there was no narrative sense. When I visit these sort of places I like to be taken on a journey and experience the story behind what I'm looking at. With the story in mind you begin to empathize and relate to what you are looking at - otherwise it's just stuff behind glass - and by the time I reached The Doors exhibit on the top floor that is what it had become - stuff behind glass.

For the story of the birth and early days of Rock-n-Roll you can't beat the Rock And Soul Museum in Memphis, for the story and appreciation of the music there's the Experience Music Project in Seattle. In comparison the R-n-R HoF was the MTV of Rock Museums - just giving you brief glimpses of the sights and sounds.

I'm glad to have had the opportunity to visit and can now tick it off my personal must visit one day list - but I doubt I'll be making any effort to arrange a return visit.

As for the rest of this evening, well it seems like that local sports team has another game or "rounders" this evening so there'll be no live music in any of the downtown bars.

Think I'll head across to the sushi place across the road from the hotel