European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 24, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Rock a no Roll Hall May hold key to great mysteries Dave Barry 1 Knight Ridder newspaper i n View of the Many disturbing events on the International scene i recently decided that it was my duty us a journalist to visit Clove land my objective was to find out How they re coming along with the Rock and Roll Hall of Rome. You a Hep Civkin out there May remember that Back inj�?~186 there was a Competition to see which City would be tensile of the flail and Cleveland won an upset Victory Over cities More associated in the Public min Davilli the entertainment Industry such As new York los Angeles Tehran . At the time a lot of people Ycre surprised. A  they said in the same tone of voice they would use later to say a a Qunyi a because 4 lets face it Cleveland has an image problem largely because of the City a own inferiority Complex As be fleeced Iri its official motto Quot Cleveland what s the Point a. But it just so happens that Quot Cleveland has a Strong claim to being the Birthplace of Rock. Consider these facts. A the very term a a Rock a no Roll was invented in Cleveland in 17114 by Jhc famous exploring group of in  Clark who later recorded Quot my boy friends Back a a the beatles came rom Cleveland a near the end there Elvis was almost As big As Cleveland. A a a a a 1 a. A a anyway the critics who scoffed at Cleveland Fri Ipoh Are eating their words today because the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has turned out to be a raging Success with Only one minor Kink remaining to be ironed out namely that the fall docs not in a physical sense exist. There is however a real Nice Model of it about tie size of a Harmom Ca in the f fall of Fame office which is located in a downtown Cleveland building a a a a i visited inc office and it Wasny to what i expected. I expected it to be staffed by Funky Long Quot haired tattooed Jittu bugging degenerates engaged in Rock and Roll style office activities such As singing into their dictaphones painting Peac symbols on their faces with correction fluid smok my typewriter ribbons and writing Interoffice memos that had choruses like a Quot whoa Sweet thing you look so unbelievable. I just got to get into your accounts  but in fact the Hall of Fame office was very Businesslike. The staff consisted of a Secretary and a director Larry Thompson a 43-year-old suit wearing Short hair cd attorney who told me that he never not even in the �?T60s, played in a Rock band. I believe he is one of Only two 43-Ycar old men in the country who can make that statement the other one being the vice president Thompson was cordial but Businesslike the Clos Cost he came to really cutting Loose was when he described his reaction to being offered the Dirac tors Job. By u a a a i said a Good Golly miss Molly a a he recalled. Thompson said that the Hall of Fame had some problems in the Early years but is now moving briskly ahead with $44�?zniiliion in donations and a site on Scenic Lake Erie motto a contains some actual wait re they Hope to break ground later a this year for a building designed by noted Rock v Roll architect . Quot Sec term pc. Thompson said the building will include a museum containing in a portent Rock artefacts such As the lyrics to Quot purple i Laze in Jimi Hendrix a actual handwriting. I asked Thompson if the whole project Wasny to sort of contradictory a to have a formal museum dedicated to a kind of music whose major historical moments tended to involve wide Pup led men dropping their pants on the stages of municipal stadiums. But Thompson said the exhibits will a have an important education function. A a younger people today done to understand anything about the roots of Rock v Roll a he pointed out. A. A. A no kidding Collins London England a 11 to a c a r what 5 countries spent on arts West Germany a average $73 per person Netherlands a $33 per person France a $29 per person great Britain a $12 per person United states a 71 cents per person in 1989 later figures not available. Source Art in America Magazine. A. H a class ranks of presidents who graduated from military academies Ulysses s. Grant West Point a 21st out of 39 Dwight Eisenhower West Point a 61 St out of 164 0 Quot Jimmy Carter naval Academy a 59th out of 820 source world almanac of  fads Isnit that the truth. My 10-Ycar-old son spends hours in his room listening to rap music a proven killer of brain cells. Quot Robert a i Tell him. A Stop listening to that trash come out Here and listen. To Louie Louie a a a speaking of songs with mysterious lyrics Thompson said there will be archives at the Hall of Fame so that scholars will be Able to come and study academic Rock of Roll issues. In a very excited about this because some  been bothering me for years such As what exactly do the Beach roys sing in the first line of Quot help me. Rhonda this is the line that goes a Weil since she put me Down something something a what it sounds like to me is ,. A a Well since she put me Down a the Crew pc been owls puking in my bed.�?�. But this seems unlikely. I mean you could. \ imagine owls show mpg up in the Beds of some bands particular the Early stones you could even imagine Small horses. But not with the Beach boys. So this a quest Ion 1 would definitely like to Sec some  Clear up. Y. Another one is in flip song Quot land of 1,000 dances Quot what do Cannibal and the headhunters really mean when they  said a na7na Nana Nana a Nanna Nana Nana Nana a Nana Nav a a. This has bothered me for years. You know what i mean v of do pass me that typewriter ribbon. Page 24 a sunday february 24. 1991