Gonna get my picture on the cover of the Rolling Stone

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Class of '06 was announced today. No one can say the RockHall isn't casting a broad umbrella with this motley crew. (Not to be confused with Motley Crue, who aren't in the RockHall, and never should be.) Anymore, it's looking like any group or performer that hangs around long enough will be elected to the RockHall, regardless of musical competence or quality.

In the immortal words of Jim Lange, "And he-e-e-e-e-re they are!"

Black Sabbath. There's a certain point at which "loud is good" proves to be the rule. Should have been docked a few points for foisting Ozzy Osbourne on an unsuspecting world, but most of Ozzy's infamous excesses — the bat-biting incident, that wretched reality series — had nothing to do with Sabbath. (One could make the case that, without Ozzy's post-Sabbath solo success, Sabbath would be a mere footnote. I wouldn't, but one could.)

Miles Davis. Stretches the definition of "rock and roll" beyond the breaking point, but Miles was so doggoned influential on musicians of every stripe that if someone decided he belonged in the Country Music Hall of Fame, or even the Polka Hall of Fame, it would be difficult to argue. Simply one of the greatest musical minds of all time.

Sex Pistols. Inspired an entire movement. (For me, mostly bowel.) They weren't half the musicians that other contemporaries — the Clash, for instance — were, and they weren't clever like the Ramones. But like 'em or don't, you can't dispute their influence. At least Neil Young got a good song out of Johnny Rotten.

Blondie. Always underrated, in my view. If there had been no Deborah Harry, there would never have been a Madonna, and probably not an Annie Lennox, either. One of the first white American bands to foresee the transition of disco music into hip-hop culture. Also one of the few so-called New Wave bands of the late '70s/early '80s whose music still sounds substantive and enjoyable today.

Lynyrd Skynyrd. I was actually a little surprised to learn that Skynyrd wasn't already in the RockHall. They've been eligible for nearly a decade now, and a lot of arguably less-worthy artists have been inducted in the meantime. Probably deserved the honor for "Free Bird!" alone — not the song, necessarily, but the running in-joke it became in arena rock circles. Once kept The Who from performing at a show at San Francisco's Cow Palace — Skynyrd was the opening act, and the fans simply wouldn't let them end their set. If you blow Pete Townshend and Company off the stage, you should get into the RockHall.