Gene Simmons of KISS has criticized the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after Iron Maiden and Rage Against The Machine failed to make the cut this year.
Both bands were nominated for induction in February but were not among the inductees announced on Wednesday.
“RR Hall of Fame is a sham not to include Maiden,” Simmons tweeted Thursday. “Disgusting!” In a second tweet, the 71-year-old musician said “The Hall should be ashamed of themselves” for not honouring RATM.”
Inductees are decided by votes from a committee of more than 1,000 music industry insiders as well as online fan votes.
Last month, Simmons’ KISS bandmate Paul Stanley said the lack of fan votes for Iron Maiden this year was “INSANITY.” He tweeted: “Regardless of who is writing in or not, the Committee must induct them. They have helped spawn an entire genre of music. What else do you need to do??”
KISS was inducted in the Rock Hall in 2014.
Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson has previously blasted the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as “an utter and complete load of bollocks” run by “a bunch of sanctimonious bloody Americans who wouldn’t know rock and roll if it hit them in the face.”
But, on Thursday, Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider tweeted at “those saying ‘Maiden didn’t want to be inducted.’” He wrote: “There are many actors and filmmakers who didn't want their Oscars but got them anyway because THEY DESERVE THEM. How the artist feels about the group giving the awards shouldn't matter.”
Earlier, Snider said musicians and fans need to continue to push for more metal bands to be recognized – “but it still would be more appropriate to call it the Music Hall of Fame.”
In February, the “We’re Not Gonna Take It” singer called Rock Hall committee members “arrogant elitist a**holes who look down on metal & other bands that sell millions because we’re not their definition of cool.” He said voters are “too old.”
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame CEO Greg Harris recently told Audacy Music: “We celebrate all forms of rock ’n’ roll … Over 80 per cent of [nominees] eventually do get inducted.”