Neither Tom Johnston nor his Doobie Brothers bandmates have "spent oddles of timing thinking about" the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But in the wake of the group's first-ever nomination on Tuesday morning (Oct. 15), there's sincere happiness about being, well, one step closer to induction into the shrine.
"We're all honored to be nominated," co-founder guitarist Johnston tells Billboard. "I'm sure we've all paused to reflect, and I think I speak for all the other guys when I say that it seems rather odd we haven't been selected before. But at the same time we don't take it for granted and we are honored to be nominated, and if we can just carry it all the way to getting in it would be awesome."
Guitarist Patrick Simmons, the lone mainstay in the Doobies' entire career, adds that while he's always viewed the group's enduring appeal as "my prize," he also remains "proud of the band and would love to see it recognized in any capacity that anybody wants to put forth. Something like this comes along and I just go, 'Yeah, we've been wishing it would happen' and our fans have been pushing and writing letters and everything. So now at least we're getting the nomination and, damn, that means a lot to me."