Kiss my bass: Why this Rock Hall inductee is boycotting the ceremony

When the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees were announced earlier this year, Carol Kaye‘s name was on the list in the category of Musical Excellence. But the legendary bassist — who played on The Beach Boys‘ Pet Sounds, influenced Paul McCartney and contributed to thousands of pop songs — is boycotting the November ceremony in LA. In a new interview The New York Times, she explains why.

Kaye, who’s 90, tells the paper, “I don’t do things because other people want me to do them. I have to do things the way I see fit.” The way she sees it, she tells the Times, “First off, I’m not a rocker, I’m a jazz musician. And I’m not a soloist. I worked in the studio as part of a team.”

The “team” who Kaye’s best known for working with is the group of first-call session players known as the Wrecking Crew — a name she finds insulting. The Times speculates that Kaye may be skipping the ceremony because her recognition is overdue: Wrecking Crew drummer Hal Blaine was inducted in 2000, as was fellow bass icon James Jamerson.

Kaye has also been called a crank for criticizing the 2008 Wrecking Crew documentary. She tells the Times, “When you get put on a pedestal, you better say the right things, or else you’re going to be known as nasty. … But I just tell people, listen, this is what happened. This is how I feel. If you don’t like it, I’m sorry.”

Whether she attends or not, Kaye’s legacy is secure. The late Brian Wilson once called Kaye “the best bassist in the world,” while McCartney tells the Times that hearing Carol’s work on Pet Sounds “really changed my style.” 

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will stream live on Disney+ Nov. 8. 

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