rock and roll hall of fame

December 11th, 2012 | 2:19 pm by Zara Golden (@zaragolden)

Rush, Public Enemy And Donna Summer Lead The 2013 Class Of Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Inductees

We here at VH1 would like to extend the heartiest of congrats to this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees: Donna Summer, Heart, Rush, Public Enemy, Albert King, Randy Newman. Additionally, Lou Adler and Quincy Jones will both receive the Ahmet Ertegun Award for non-performers.

This year’s class includes an eclectic mix — a disco diva, lady rockers, prog-rock legends, hip-hop pioneers, a guitar hero and, um, Randy Newman (none like him!) among them — and they make for worthy bunch, to be sure. We’re particularly thrilled to see that first time nominees Public Enemy and Rush, as well as VH1 Divas honoree Donna Summer and our favorite female rockers, have made the cut. But we have to ask, what about those who were passed over?

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October 4th, 2012 | 9:35 am by Mark Graham (@unclegrambo)

Which Of The 2013 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Nominees Is Most Deserving Of Induction? (POLL)

Public Enemy, Rush, N.W.A. And Heart Lead 2013 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Nominees

The nominees for the 2013 Class of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame were announced this morning. The group is, as it has been for the last few years, an eclectic bunch made up of artists from a wide variety of musical genres: First-time nominees this year include prog-rock legends Rush (who finally made the ballot after being inexplicably snubbed for years), heavy metal originators Deep Purple, politically-charged hip-hop pioneers Public Enemy, gangsta rap stalwarts N.W.A., Motown trendsetters The Marvelettes, moody British rockers Procol Harum, and blues guitar aficionado Albert King.

Returning to the bill are disco pioneers Chic (their seventh nom), the late, great Donna Summer (her fifth), and a whole slew of second-time nominees: Heart, Joan Jett, Kraftwerk, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Randy Newman, and The Meters.

The RRHOF’s induction process is mysterious and secretive, so you don’t see the same kind of public campaigning by nominees for induction that you see in, say, the sports world. However, that doesn’t mean that the committee off 600 or so people who makes the decisions of who gets honored and who gets snubbed isn’t reading this blog post. So, with that in mind, vote for the act that you feel is most deserving of the honor in our poll below, and maybe, just maybe, Jann Wenner and his band of choosy cronies will pay heed!

[Photo: Getty Images]

April 16th, 2012 | 6:30 pm by Mark Graham (@unclegrambo)

Steven Adler Sports A That Metal Show T-Shirt At This Weekend’s RRHOF Induction Ceremony

Steven Adler That Metal Show T-Shirt

Well, after more drama than we care to recall, this weekend’s Rock And Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony went off without a hitch (relatively speaking, of course). Sure, there were a few prominent no-shows —W. Axl Rose, Rod Stewart, Adam “MCA” Yauch, Izzy Stradlin— but those who were there very clearly had a blast.

This year, Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Beastie Boys, Donovan, Laura Nyro, the Faces, and, of course, Guns N’ F*cking Roses were inducted into the Hall. This year’s private ceremony was held in Cleveland, and clips of the performances that happened on Saturday night that are popping up on YouTube are getting pulled down without haste, presumably to get everyone to tune-in when HBO airs the ceremony in a few weeks.

That said, our favorite moment of the evening is easily to call out: Guns N’ Roses drummer, former Celebrity Rehab patient and longtime friend of That Metal Show Steven Adler wore a TMS t-shirt to the ceremony! You can take a gander at it, in all its majesty, in our gallery below (and you can get one of your own in the TMS Shop on VH1.com).

We’ve also got a joint interview featuring Steven and Matt Sorum for you below!

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April 13th, 2012 | 4:54 pm by Mark Graham (@unclegrambo)

More RRHOF Drama: Rod Stewart Calls In Sick To The Faces Reunion

What started out as a SUPER promising Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Class of 2012 induction ceremony is turning out to be littered with disappointment. First off, Hall organizers announced that this year’s ceremony would take place on the same weekend as Coachella, forcing many people to make a difficult decision as to which event they would ultimately attend. Next, the Beastie Boys announced that they would not be performing at the ceremony this year as Adam “MCA” Yauch continues to recover from cancer (but they WILL be attending). Then, Axl Rose dropped a bombshell on Tuesday night when he penned an open letter to the Hall wherein he refused to be inducted alongside his former GNR bandmates (a decision that That Metal Show host Eddie Trunk applauded). Now, in a late breaking story, it appears that the eternally spiky-haired rocker Rod Stewart will be skipping out on the ceremony, too!

You see, Rod “The Bod” was supposed to join a reunion of the seminal sixties Brit rockers Faces, a band that also includes guitarist Ronnie Wood (Rolling Stones), drummer Kenney Jones, and keyboardist Ian McLagan. However, at a press conference in Cleveland earlier today, Wood announced that “Unfortunately Rod is complaining of a sore throat,” and told a group of reporters that Stewart will not be attending the ceremony this weekend. Fortunately for fans of Faces, they have a backup: Mick Hucknall, the lead singer from Simply Red, will be taking Rod’s place. Now that we think of it, Slash, Duff and the rest of the guys in Guns N’ Roses might want to ask Mick if he knows any GNR tunes, too…

Rod Stewart To Skip Faces Reunion At Rock Hall Induction Due To Illness

April 12th, 2012 | 9:15 pm by Mark Graham (@unclegrambo)

Eddie Trunk On The Axl Rose Controversy: “Knowing What I Know About The Hall, I Like Him Even More For Standing Up To This Whole Thing”

The buzz surrounding the rock royalty that will be in attendance for the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame’s 2012 induction ceremony this weekend is currently being overshadowed by the buzz surrounding the one person who will NOT be in attendance. Of course, we’re talking about the one and only W. Axl Rose, who gave the Hall the proverbial middle finger last night with his open letter declaring his refusal to be inducted alongside his former bandmates in Guns N’ Roses.

This declaration has sent shockwaves through the tight-knit community of hard rock supporters, so we thought who better to reach out to help us contextualize these developments than the host of That Metal Show himself, Mr. Eddie Trunk. Eddie has been communicating with his fans through his official @EddieTrunk Twitter account ever since the news broke, but we were able to get him on the phone earlier afternoon for an extended conversation about these controversial events. We caught up with him when he was playing blackjack (and winning!) at the Revel Casino in Atlantic City, and as you might expect, he had LOTS to share about Axl, the likelihood of an eventual GNR reunion, his interest in creating an institution to rival the RRHOF, and his disdain for the Hall’s inductee selection process.

EDDIE ON WHETHER OR NOT HE WAS SURPRISED BY AXL’S DECISION:
“I’ve got to say, I was not surprised at all. Anybody who has followed, listened or watched me knows that not only do I have disdain for the Hall and the way they treat rock bands, but I never thought there was a chance in hell that Guns N’ Roses would play. Reading his letter, of course there’s deeper things there. Axl’s a complicated guy, everybody knows that. I thought it was extremely remote that Axl would ever show up.”

EDDIE ON WHY AXL DECIDED TO BOW OUT OF THE CEREMONY:
“When we sat down to talk to him about it on That Metal Show, he seemed like it was at that point he wanted to take a look at it and see what was involved in it. Judging from his letter, he clearly did look at it, had conversations with them, and saw that it wasn’t for him. Here’s why I think that this happened: He had issues with the Hall. Listen, if he doesn’t even want to be inducted, obviously something really went wrong there in the discussions. Purely speculating, I can tell you that this is a guy, for right or wrong, completely wants to promote and embrace his current band. This induction is NOT about his current band; they’re not included. He saw this for what it really was. If he stands up on stage with Slash and those guys, it’s going to throw a huge gallon of gas on this reunion outcry, and it’s the last thing he wants. I know the fans want it, but I can tell you this: I know all of the original members of GNR better than Axl, and none of them, with the exception of maybe Steven Adler, ever talk about a reunion. They’re all focused on their other projects.”

EDDIE ON THE “REAL” REASON THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME IS INDUCTING GNR IN THEIR FIRST YEAR OF ELIGIBILITY:
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April 12th, 2012 | 12:00 pm by Mark Graham (@unclegrambo)

Read Axl Rose’s Open Letter To The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, Wherein He Declines To Be Inducted Alongside His Former Guns N’ Roses Bandmates

Axl Rose Gives The Finger To The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame

May the bridges I burn light my way!

Ever since it was announced that Guns N’ Roses would be inducted as part of the 2012 Class of the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame, the question on everyone’s lips has been “Will the original lineup of GNR reunite for a one night only performance?” Well, as it turns out, we have been asking the wrong question all this time.

Last night, Axl Rose shocked the world when he sent an open letter addressed to “The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, Guns N’ Roses Fans and Whom It May Concern.” Not only will he not be performing alongside Slash, Duff, Steven and Izzy, but he won’t even be attending the ceremony AT ALL. But that’s not it. He’s even instructed the RRHOF Committee not to induct him into the Hall, period. As he writes, Axl “strongly request(s) that I not be inducted in absentia and please know that no one is authorized nor may anyone be permitted to accept any induction for me or speak on my behalf.”

Here’s the complete text of the letter, courtesy of the L.A. Times:

To: The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, Guns N’ Roses Fans and Whom It May Concern,

When the nominations for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame were first announced I had mixed emotions but, in an effort to be positive, wanting to make the most of things for the fans and with their enthusiasm, I was honored, excited and hoped that somehow this would be a good thing. Of course I realized as things stood, if Guns N’ Roses were to be inducted it’d be somewhat of a complicated or awkward situation.

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March 22nd, 2012 | 1:38 pm by Kat George (@kat_george)

Matt Sorum Says Guns N’ Roses Have “No Real Plans” To Play At Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction, But You Never Know

With the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony looming (April 12th), everyone still only has one question — will inductees Guns N’ Roses perform on the night? So far it looks like they won’t, but it seems there’s a “you never know” addendum to their appearance on the night. Drummer Matt Sorum told Billboard, “We’re all sitting at the same table, so it should be cool. After we get a little bit of food in us, hopefully someone will get up and want to play, but I don’t know. I’m not the guy to ask. I just hope it works out.” So according to Sorum, food makes GNR play? We certainly hope so!

He went on to add that, “There’s no real plans,” but the you-never-know uncertainty is, “in tradition, Guns N’ Roses style.” With all original members of GNR attending the induction ceremony, Sorum said, “I feel great about it… I`m glad I made the cut. I don’t know who that secret society is that votes you into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but I’m glad I have some friends in there, somehow. The original band got in and I got in and (keyboardist) Dizzy Reed and that’s it, seven of us. It’ll be a great night.” Finger crossed the boys get up on stage for what we can only image would make for a historical performance.

Guns N’ Roses Have ‘No Real Plans’ For Rock Hall Performance [Billboard]

[Photo: Getty Images]

December 21st, 2011 | 4:00 pm by Kat George (@kat_george)

Will Axl Rose Bring The Original Guns N’ Roses Band Members Back Together For Their Induction To The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame?

Next April will see legends Guns N’ Roses inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and there’s been some speculation as to whether or not the band will get back together for the event. Even with Steven Adler’s misgivings and Axl Rose’s beef with several band members, both haven’t entirely ruled out the possibility of a reunion, although they have remained generally cagey. Now, Axl Rose has stirred up even more speculation telling the L.A. Times that while he would chose to snub Adler and Izzy Stradlin in a reunion, he would consider playing with Slash and bassist Duff McKagan, stating, “The only thing that would make it would be Duff and Slash, really… It’s nothing against Izzy and it’s nothing against Steven, or anything like that. Steven may want it, but these guys I’m working with right now, they work really hard and it’s hard work. I’ve toured with the other guys and I’ve also seen what they’ve done since, and I just know the difficulties. So it’s not really even a full reunion.” We think it would be nice to see the boys lay down their arms and get together for the award ceremony, even if they choose not to tour — they earned the accolades together, after all!

Axl Rose talks playing the Forum, Hall of Fame gig, reunion [LAT via NME]

[Photo: Getty Images]

December 8th, 2011 | 7:30 pm by Mark Graham (@unclegrambo)

Steven Adler Discusses the Likelihood of a Guns N’ Roses Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Reunion: “Unfortunately, I Don’t Foresee It”

Guns N’ Roses is headed for induction into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in April, and since Wednesday’s announcement, nary a critic has debated their worthiness for inclusion. Instead, the conversation around G N’R this week has mainly revolved around speculation as to whether or not Axl and Slash will be able to put aside 20 years worth of acrimony and actually show up in the same place at the same time. No one has been able to get either Axl or Slash to go on the record with their intentions, but Rolling Stone was able to get former G N’R drummer (and Celebrity Rehab cast member) Steven Adler to dish on whether or not they’ll be getting the band back together for one last night, as well as what he thought about Axl’s recent interview on VH1 Classic’s That Metal Show.

“Unfortunately, I don’t foresee it,” Adler explained to Rolling Stone‘s Andy Greene. “You figure that time could heal all wounds, but some people just REALLY hold a crazy grudge.” Greene pressed Adler further on the issue, and being the eminently quotable guy that he is, Adler delivered:

If the Police could do a reunion … One of the biggest jerks I ever met was Sting,” Adler dished. “If he can do it, then anyone can do it. It’s not that big a deal. And the Eagles! They did it! They severely hated each other. It’s just rock and roll. It’s not like anyone has f***ed anyone’s wife or stole their wife, like the Rolling Stones with Brian Jones and Keith Richards. None of that crap happened.”

During Axl Rose’s interview with That Metal Show, he pretty much said the same thing. At the time of the interview, the band was only on the short list of nominees and they had not been informed of their eventual induction, but Axl still weighed in:
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December 7th, 2011 | 7:30 am by Mark Graham (@unclegrambo)

Guns N’ Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers And Beastie Boys Lead The List Of Inductees In The Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame

The 2012 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will include hard rock veterans Guns N’ Roses, funk-rock stalwarts Red Hot Chili Peppers, bratty hooligans turned socially conscious hip hoppers the Beastie Boys, trippy sixties folk singer Donovan, English blues rockers Faces/The Small Faces, and the pioneering female folkster Laura Nyro. These groups will all be inducted during a ceremony held this April, one that promises to be one of the most emotionally charged and exciting RRHOF events in recent memory.

We’re speaking, of course, primarily of the tumultuous relationship between W. Axl Rose and (most of) the former members of Guns N’ Roses, a band whose explosive brand of hard rock changed the face of not only the Sunset Strip sound of the mid-80s, but also propelled them into a short reign as the World’s Best Band around the time of Appetite For Destruction/G N’R Lies/Use Your Illusion I and II. Thanks to a potent combination of too much fame, too much money, and too many drugs, the group imploded after a disastrous two-plus year world tour that concluded in 1993, and most of the band members have not performed together since. Axl addressed this issue on a recent episode of VH1 Classic’s That Metal Show, noting that he has mended some fences with bassist Duff McKagan and rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, but also intimated that he and Saul “Slash” Hudson are not on what anyone would describe as speaking terms. Can they put aside their differences for one evening, and maybe perform a few tracks? That, my friends, is likely a question that not even Hall organizers will have an answer to until the night of the ceremony.

And, of course, it wouldn’t be a Hall of Fame if every act nominated got in. To that end, this year’s snubs include The Cure, Eric B. & Rakim, Joan Jett, Heart, and the artist that you, the VH1 Tuner readers, voted as being most-worthy of induction into the Hall this year, Donna Summer. It’s not over yet, though, guys! Just ask Alice Cooper, who was passed over for 15 years until being inducted on his 16th go-round last year.

Congrats to all of this year’s nominees; see you in April!