"Little Steven" Van Zandt, E Street Band guitarist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominating Committee member, was recently asked about who he will push for induction into the Rock Hall later this year:

Q: You worked hard to get the Dave Clark Five into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year. Who's on top of your list now of bands that ought to be in?

A: Right now the priority is the Hollies. It's ridiculous. I think Johnny Burnette & the Rock 'n' Roll Trio is still high on my list. . . . Paul Revere & the Raiders deserve to be in. Herman's Hermits deserve to be in.

Q: Really?!

A: Absolutely. People forget how important Herman's Hermits were when they started. . . . We all get very elitist about who should be in and who shouldn't, but I consider great, great, great '60s pop music absolutely essential to the development of the art form.

Van Zandt is clearly passionate about the artists who helped shape him as a musician during his youth (he was born in 1950), but does he really think the '60s are underrepresented in the Hall of Fame?

The Rock Hall generally nominates at least a couple of bands from the '60s every year, so you can pencil in The Hollies at the top of your list of potential nominees for the 2009 ballot.

Thanks, Tom.