The 15 nominees to be inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of fame have been announced, and there are one or two surprises to be found.

The words Rock and Roll conjure images in one’s mind of electric guitars and decadence, however this hip-hop artists the Beastie Boys and LL Cool J have been shortlisted for induction into the Cleveland-based Hall of fame.

One of the nominations towers above the rest in quality and couldn’t be more deserving of this nomination; Mr. Tom Waits.

I first discovered Tom whilst studying music at university and his songs completely transformed my understanding of what a songwriter, a performer and a singer can be. His career has been so intensely diverse and vast in its unparalleled quality that it’s impossible to give you a couple of highlights; however I am inserting a couple of beneath this post in the hope that you will venture further into his cave of brilliance.

If you’ve never heard Tom’s music before, please let me know what you think @monkeyhotel

For all the other nominees and information you might want click here.

Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis/Silent Night
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12qBoy2rhVw

I Don’t Wanna Grow Up