This year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees were quite the varied sort. Alternative (whatever that means anymore) rock faves R.E.M. and classic rock stalwarts Van Halen were the biggest sights to catch at the ceremony. Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony picked up VH’s award (the original band fronted by David Lee Roth did not perform, due to myriad reasons, probably most notably Eddie Van Halen going into rehab). Roth did show up and was given the chance to sing a song with the house band, but instead decided to crybaby about it and not perform.
Of special note this year was Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five’s induction, a first for the institution as there were no hip-hop acts to have been awarded until now. Rapper Jay-Z inducted them in, saying “”Thirty years later rappers have become rock stars, movie stars, leaders, educators, philanthropists, even CEOs. None of this would have been possible without the work of these men.”
Also honored were The Ronettes and rocker/poet Patti Smith, who performed both “Because The Night” and The Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter,” along with what her mother said was her favorite song of Patti’s when she vacuumed, “Rock and Roll Nigger.” The Ronettes were inducted by Keith Richards who performed a few hits. However, Ronnie Spector did not make any mention of her ex-husband Phil, enigmatic producer and creator of the “Wall of Sound.” Afterwards, Paul Shaffer did appear and read a note from Phil which said “I wish them all the happiness and good fortune the world has to offer.”
The night concluded with the token jam, featuring such tunes as The Stooges’ “I Wanna Be Your Dog” and Patti Smith’s “People Have The Power.”
