Mar 122007
What: HOT, LIVE BLOGGING ACTION during the 2007 Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies
When: Monday, March 12, 2007, beginning at 8:30 pm EST
Where: VH1 Classic and your computer
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Don’t just sit there. Sit there with a laptop!
Pre-show ZEP! Double-neck-12 string-6string-Plant’s pubic snail trail-4 way mirror shot…. WOOOOOOOOOO!
Not sure. But I think Jimmy might be high.
OH. Bonham’s solo. Time to take a piss.
2000 hits, baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
WOOOOOO. JAY-Z! OWWWWWW.
Jann Wenner is boldly letting the grey show, at least in the beard. You go, boy! Too bad many of the people watching right now don’t have any idea who he’s talking about.
Say, when is Jandek being inducted? 😉
Who was Joel Shumaker?
They honor a Grateful Dead ROADIE?! Big ups for the awesome Bruce Gary, though.
The graphic guy shit a brick when he read about Brad Delp.
WOOOOOOOOOOO! TURKISH DIPLOMAT!!!!!!
WOOOOOO!
We can LOVE Stills out of it!
Actually, this is definitely the kinder, gentler Stills.
WOOOOOOOOOO! STILLS! WOOOOOoooo….
OK, I’ll stop now.
How come when they cut to the audience it looks like film instead of live video?
Steve Stills — aka “the turtle” — went to my high school in Costa Rica. And — to bring this to a weird RTH anecdotal close — that guy who sold Mike Mills the acid? I met his aunt recently, and it turns out she *dated* Steve Stills in high school!
Strange but true!
Listen to that drummer play that shuffle! Fuckin’ A! Who is that guy?
It’s a pretty standard feature now on digital cameras- you can turn on the film look anytime. They probably do it on the audience as the lighting would not be so great, so the film look can mask it some.
Clive Davis ass-kiss! Excellent!
I can’t see the drummer very well. Luckily it’s tough to see Paul Schaeffer.
OK, Aretha, enough testifyin’…back to the music.
Good thing he doesn’t have to return the favor. We’d be here all night.
Who’s talking in the background: “Hello, can you hear me?” Did you hear that?
That first Aretha number kind of blew, but this one is hot!
WTF?! Mystery voice from the heavens?
What’s the frequency, Kenneth? Was that a nation-wide flub?
Nice Clive Davis exchange, you two!
Sammy, you are one funny dude! Hilarious!
She should work the cough into her vamp.
That piano player rocks too. I wish I could turn down the tasty licks on the guitar though.
The house guitarist is a schlub.
Man, this is getting aweome! I loved that “I’m a little husky tonight…” thing. Let it ALL hang out, Aretha!
This is just so fucking NOT rock and roll. I realize I’m stating the obvious, but shit, it’s a travesty.
I don’t mean Aretha, I mean the event, the black ties, the chardonnay, and so forth. Like I say, not an original thought.
Somewhere, Brian Wilson is laying a turd in his Depends.
For a second I feared that Dick Clark had just died.
Here comes our first disputed nominee. Let’s see if we change our minds?
That dance in the green sparkly dress was convincing; this version of “I’m All Shook Up” is NOT.
I think it’s funny they have this ‘event’ on a Monday night. I guess everybody’s busy on the weekend.
BigSteve’s a tastylicksphobe!
I dunno Fritz, nothing necessarily un-rock about a tux. A wise man once said that every girl’s crazy about a sharp dressed man.
I hate to say it, but Aretha kinda sucked. It’s sad really. She’s lost a step or ten.
Do the other Ronettes even exist, or are they constantly replicating, like Menudo? Let’s see…
Oh, here comes Keef. Look at that cigarette! How fuckin’ cool! Skull ring: Check! Kind of dreads: Check! I’m layin’ $10 he refers to The Ronettes as “spades.”
Keith! That ‘stache is AWESOME! Fucking A!
Hey, there are…the other two.
STIPE sighting!!!
Hey What Happened?! Those aren’t the Ronnettes. These ladies aren’t remotely hot.
Phil Spector wrote her speech.
He does have a ‘stache, doesn’t he? My picture sucks ass. If he doesn’t, he should.
Fritz, your picture sucks ass? What happened to the fancy new hi-def?
EDDIE MONEY shout-out! What were the odds on that? (Notice the piano note, too?) Man, this is heading toward Sly & the Family Stone Reunion territory, and don’t you think she should learn to pronounce her idol’s name?
Retract the induction!!!
zzzzz
Keef’s definitely working on a ‘stache. Your picture’s fine, Fritz.
Standard-def looks crap on it. But never mind that! Does Keef have a ‘stache or not???
Who’d have thought anyone could appear more loaded than Keith?
Clearly, Phil and Ronnie were a match made in hell.
Thank god the other 2 Ronettes kept their shit together over the years. This third woman is a welcome shot of dignity.
Sheesh! Now I know what a favor they are doing everybody when they play people off at the Oscars after 30 seconds!
whew
I have a fgeeling this part will be edited severely for the re-broadcast.
I guess one of the Ronettes can’t sing no mo
Just got home and found out we don’t get VH1!!! I wish I could see the ‘stache in all it’s rock glory. I wish I could see the production! *&@#!!!
Where’s andyr’s fave percussion guy when you need him?
Also, the Ronette in the gold dress still knows how to shake it! Sorry for these thoughts I’m havin’, Jesus!
I forgive Nedra for the speech. She looks so cool now that she’s singing!
why did the missing Ronette have to go AWOL, given the fact that there are four or five backup singers belting away in the back? Just turn her damn mic off!
She seems scared shitless. Nedra is having a blast though.
So are we getting the trainwreck out of the way early or does anybody see a group rendition of “The Message” later in the night?
No commercials? Wow.
Wow — that Spector reaction was pretty interesting.
What was the reaction?!?
Someone’s going to recap this, right?!
Yeah,everybody seemed pretty excited to hear that a guy who recently killed his girlfriend and used to beat up the girlfriend/wife who just left the stage had sent warm wishes on an index card.
!!!!! crazy!!!! thanks cj!!
Shut up MAN.
Zack de le Rocha?! That’s a stretch. Does anyone care about this guy anymore?
Who is this pud? Did anyone ever care about him. Did he have an incident at a tanning salon or what? He looks like something you could make at Build-A-Bear.
If you’re going to quote this famous line, dude, maybe you should get it right. And dissing Van Morrison? Fuck you. Your speech sounds like a book report.
Rage against your lameness.
Michael Anthony is wondering who she is.
That speech was awesome, but the Michael Anthony moment was transcendant!
And if he’d ever been with her.
Porkpie with a smoke behind the ear! I’ve got bingo!
Not a huge Patti Smith fan but she does a nice job with this song. Apparently it’s from a new covers album she’s releasing. You can download this song as a free MP3 on the Pitchfork homepage today.
Does anyone here feel that what Patti stand for is far greater than her actual music?
I like this drummer.
I like the IDEA of Patti Smith a lot more than I actually dig the tunes.
This may be the only time I’ve ever actually seen Lenny Kaye, and I know him way more from having curated the ‘Nuggets’ sets than I do from him having been Patti’s guitarist.
Rock ‘n Roll… finally.
Alright, this is officially smokin’! I need to re-evaluate this chick. Seriously!
Plant, in the holster!
This Zep/Young thing is “classic”? or did they say “flacid”?
Haven’t you always wanted to hear Plant solo on this song? This is what I remember — Page looking like he thinks Neil is some kind of joke.
PLEASE stop dancing, Plant!
That Plant shuffle was inappropriate.
Press conference as footnote … and damage control.
Fuckin’ A! Al Sharpton. Please, please let him sing…
Especially before the Rev. came out!
That Patti Smith segment was beautiful. What a great dose of humanity and humility. What a sincere embodiment of The Power & Glory of Rock! As much as I love Townshend’s love for The People, Patti Smith outdoes his 10 times over. I felt like I was being inducted in the HoF. Awesome!!!
The Plant holstering reenactment was particularly lame.
Listen up, BigSteve: BigAl’s gonna explain why Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five are being inducted!
I want to hear Al Sharpton pronounce ‘genre’ again.
The more I thought about it today, there;s lots of people in the HoF that are not technically rock & roll, Jamees Brown among them.
Who woulda guessed that Al Sharpton would crib his James Brown tribute speech from ‘Grapes of Wrath’? Wild!
Good luck to whoever follows JB.
Has anybody seen Eddie? I heard he is in rehab with Britney. No joke!
And WHERE is Gary Cherone?
What does Sammy Hagar get to be involved with this? Seriously. I’m confused.
Velvet Revolver?!?!
Trading fours on a speech, what a concept.
Are you happy, Fritz?
Are you telling me that only Hagar and Anthony are coming out? Not even a Van Halen? No DLR? CROCK!!!
Never mind that! Where’s the fucking band?! Unbelievable!
Dude, Van Hagar BLOWS!
Fuck. Not even Wolfie? Valerie?
Shneider? No one?
Daughters or dates?
This is the lamest HoF induction ever.
Props for Gary Cherone.
Where’s Alex???
DLR much be home washing his hair. Singular.
Sammy Hagar, a class act. Who knew?
You should be humbled you slack shit son of bitch.
Man, I can’t watch this Scott guy dance.
Oh, how I wish the Accuser was watching, so we could get his take on this singer!
Is Weiland always this much of a spaz? His ‘dancing’ looks like a parody.
BigSteve, a question: who’s better, Van Halen or these guys?
Does Weiland’s horizontal stripe shirt count as one of those French mime/new wave shirts? I keep having to avert my eyes.
What a pathetic chapter in the VH legacy.
That was fucking awful.
Oh, dude! Did you just hear that guy in the audience shouting: “That wasn’t Van Halen!” Priceless!
I don’t know Fritz, it’s like choosing between being shot and being strangled. It’s not fair to judge the Velveteen Popgun playing someone else’s material.
Hagar wearing a Van Hagar T-shirt. bad rock form! Major rock fashion faux pas!
Oh, and the song sucks ass, too.
Michael Anthony seems like a normal human being who realizes how lucky he’s been. But he needs a new barber.
When I saw Stone Temple Pilots’ Nuremburg Rally show at the time of their second album, Weiland danced like that the whole time.
Oh, Lord. Is this band cursed or something? They managed to follow that shit-fest and make things *worse*. Sad. Pathetic. Awful.
The previous performers should be embaraassed to be outrocked by the Letterman band.
Wow, Van Halen deserves much better than this dreadful shit. Ick!
Eric Clapton taking jobs away from real blues musicians.
Michael Anthony and Sammy Hagar were real troupers for going through with that entire mess. Good thing they’re probably fried on Hagar’s Cabo Wabo tequilla.
Anybody else surprised to see that Sammy Hagar seems like such a genuinely nice guy? I mean, I still dislike him and all… I’m just sayin’
Can I go to bed now? This is total shit.
Finally, a set of acceptance speeches worth listening to! Thank you, GMF and the FF!
Can we all agree that this live concept was a bad idea.
Yeah, Sammy seemed like a decent dude who recognized his own dumb luck. He sux ass though and ruined VH.
BigSteve- I think they put it live on VH1-CLASSIC for they knew that only idiots like us would watch it and that it would require major editing to make it viewable. Curious to see what they do with Patti’s n-word song. I haven’t watched that many HOF shows but that Patti performance was probably the rockinest performance I’ve seen.
These guys handing records back and forth with Grandmaster Flash are the hip hop equivalent of guitar techs?
Dude is buff.
Ah… now HERE’s a great performance! Watch Prince tear the roof off!
Fuckin’ Jeff Lynne sticking his shit where it don’t belong again. Is that Dani Harrison?
Is that George’s son playing rhythm guitar behind Tom Petty? He looks just like him!
Do Slash and Jeff Lynne shop at the same hat-wig-big shades combo shop?
Fritz, before you go to bed, here’s your chance to get down with your boy Prince’s guitar solos.
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five really upheld my premise going into tonight’s show, which I’ll write more about later.
Hey, that percussion guy in this “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” performance – is that Andy’s coveted pick, Ray Cooper?
I don’t think I have EVER seen Jeff Lynne where he isn’t committing some sort of LOOK crime.
Woh! Prince.
Yes that’s Dani. Who wa that guy with the cap that Prince is blowing off the stage?
Friggin’ SWEET! Prince is tearin’ it UP!!!
Yes, that’s Dani.
Are you getting off yet, Fritz? I hope this helps make up for the soft-on of that VH atrocity, my friend.
By the way, who’s more of a trouper, Sammy and Michael or us? Rock on, Townspeople. I challenge someone new to jump into the fray. You can do it!
I can’t remember the name of the capped guitarist. I think I used to know who he was. Sad.
Geezus. Is there a Prince album where he rocks like that?! Or is all like purple paisley crotchless panty shite?
Here’s a test of how big a man I am… I hated this song (“Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”) for years and slowly came to get something out of it. Nevertheless it’s always on the verge of getting back on my shit list.
Is that ski cap surgically attached to The Edge’s skull? Does he get that from the store where Lynne and Slash shop?
First obvious bald cap of the evening. Thanks, Edge.
Boy, I hate this song.
Ok I’m outta here. Not sitting through Bono to get to… hmm… R.E.M.? Could be interesting. Ok I’ll stay up a bit longer. Think Michael Stipe will wear a dress?
Here comes The Boss to drive this humble ditty back to my shit list.
How sincere do Bono and The Edge look as they watch The Boss? Take note, kids. This, too, gets back to my premise about the RnRHoF: The importance of being earnest.
What we’ve all been waiting for…
I love hearing the stage director’s chatter.
Hearing that “Fall on Me” song I’m reminded: Am I the only person who hears similarities in Michael Stipe’s melodic/singing approach to Neil Diamond?
Vedder: here comes some Earnestness.
Hey, Mod — Vedder’s got a rock beard that works, I think. You agree?
Boy, it’s tough for me to like Vedder, even when he’s blabbering about The Power & Glory of Rock as exemplified by The Who.
I was just admiring the beard myself as well as his sobriety.
I agree, Fritz. Vedder’s a good-looking guy. A man’s man with a touch of pretty boy.
What is it, 25 years from your first album and you’re eligible? So who inducts The Smiths next year?
Cool Bill Berry Is there. Van Halen take note.
Vedder just mentioned seeing them in Chicao: does he have Chitown roots? A friend of mine was recently at the Chicago Cubs’ fantasy camp, and he played against Eddie Vedder. We were trying to figure out what his Chicaglo ties were. We thought he was a San Diego native who moved to the Pacific Northwest.
OK, Eddie. Enough of the lovefest. Do you want a job with Rolling Stone?
Even the Sex Pistols didn’t get in the first time they were eligible. I think it will be a while before the Smiths get in, if ever.
I was probably at the 84 Chicago show. Kiss up to me now before word gets out.
Just want to say, the early backstage preview of Stipe’s Tom Wolfe Look ain’t bad. We’ll see if he gives off the “hasn’t bathed in a month” vibe on stage. And he better not lecture me like he always does, or I’ll go back to hating him, suit or no.
Bassists are always the ones tagged as a band’s “second weapon,” aren’t they?
3000. Hooker!
Stipe’s gonna come through for you, Fritz. I’m telling you, a couple of years ago I saw into this guy’s soul…through the radio! I’ll tell you more about it later.
Ah, the Tom Wolfe look. That makes more sense. From the brief glance I got it looked more like the Colonel Sanders look.
HOOKERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shut up, already!
That’s right, I forgot that Ken Stringfellow is also an Oliver for REM!
I’ll have to say…Vedder still bugs the shit out of me. It’s nice that he’s mature and sober, but he’s such a pompous windbag. I can’t put my finger on which celebrity he reminds me of, probably Robert Redford. Ever hear that guy go off on a serious tangent?
Get a fucking haircut, Mills! A good one!
Was that John McEnroe sitting at the Mills family table?
I just realized they didn’t give any sidemen or industry or ‘forbear’ inductions this year like they usually do.
There he goes, lecturing and ordering about! Bad form!
Sammy, is the crew bumming out at this directorial decision by Stipe (ie, asking people to stand in the audience)?
Can Peter Buck stop drinking for 5 minutes? Jeez!
Didn’t they have some manager from the early days who lasted a long time – Jefferson someone or other? I didn’t hear any thanks his way, did you? These RnRHoF inductees have LONG memories.
Buck can’t say a few words? I guess it would get in the way of that important glass of wine.
Stipe really looks like a professor. And he actually gave a shout out to his boyfriend. I think that’s a first.
Wow, he’s never given a shoutout to his man before? That’s cool. Is Stipe the first openly gay member of the RnRHoF? Did Little Richard ever come out? I’m probably forgetting a bassist in some band, you know, one of those secret weapons.
What is this first song, by the way? Should I know it? I don’t need to like it, do I?
From the wikipedia: “Jefferson Holt is the former manager of rock band R.E.M., from 1981-1996. He was reportedly fired over a sexual harassment case that was settled out-of-court.”
Hey — this is *much* better than the Van Halen performance! Kudos!
That little instrumental passage was a great example of how REM’s music falls flat for me> What was Buck doing to take advantage of that part? NOTHING! Did he need a sip of wine?
Hey — this is *much* better than the Van Halen performance!
It is nice hearing a band that sounds like a band. This second song is familiar…oh, I like this one! The first time I heard this and “1,000,000” I thought I’d really like this band.
See, this is the problem I have with this band. I quite like this “Gardening at Night” song – in fact, for my money, they never wrote one better, or more relevant. So why bother with later albums? Talk about a flat-liner of a band.
Nice song choice. Every song on this EP is a winner.
Jim, it’s called restraint.
It’s nice to see that Bill Berry still has it. I bet he’s enjoying this.
Good to see Stipe still working the lyric stand. I’m with him on that. The rare times when I’ve sung lead, I’ve always struggled to remember my lyrics.
I missed the stand up thing but crew guys generally could give a shit either way.
In the later years I believe the Dead used to tour with a teleprompter for Garcia.
Here’s MY REM song! I get a sense of humor out of Stipe and I really like the chorus.
Oh christ, Vedder! Let’s see if Redford can muster any good humor…Not yet.
Good to have you back, Michael…Shit, Vedder couldn’t even loosen up for the Elvis line in the chorus. Vedder is on my shitlist like he hasn’t been in years. I’d kind of forgotten about all the things I didn’t like about him. How can this dickhead ruin all the good vibes I’ve worked up for REM after years of not caring much for them? YOU SUCK, VEDDER!
Vedder’s vocal style makes a lot more sense now, doesn’t it?
Peter Buck looks a bit like Al Gore.
This is great They’re shaming the Hall for not having the Stooges in there!
Okay, this is cool! Not that the Stooges shouldn’t be there to play it themselves. C
Vedder better criticize the President and do a few days of emissions checks at the Motor Vehicles place to make up for this mess!
Now, the ALL-STAR JAM!!! not my favorite Stooges song for jamming, but this will be a good gauge of which mediocre veteran guitarist is the less mediocre of the two: Buck or Kaye!
NICE! I Wanna Be Your Dog!
MAD PROPS to Stipe and Smith for not holstering a guitar! BigSteve, now that’s restraint!
Throwing an amp at the photographers was not restraint.
Buck refuses to solo. Even worse, he flips over an amp!
New Groove Disques Commandment of Rock: Thou shalt not flip over an amp or smash a guitar if thou hast not first played a fuzzed out solo!
What’s up now, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” mixed with “Everybody Hurts”? That’s my call. I’m layin’ $100.
I think I might be in love with Patti Smith.
This is the first HoF induction I have seen without Robbie Robertson playing bandleader on the all-star jam section of the show. I figured he was best buds with Jann Wenner and as such had that gig permanently.
yeesh
Vedder sucks on this song too!
“People Have the Power” is a mediocre song that nevertheless justifies itself by its Power & Glory of Rock aspirations.
HAGAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Look at Patti WITH The People.
Come on, Ronnie, you can make it through another stanza.
Stills LOVING us out of the song!
Compare nand contrast: The Turtle vs. Prince
What’s Schaeffer out there to do, lick some ass?
I’m glad Robertson isn’t there. His chops are shot. He usually plays as bad as Stephen Stills just did.
Look at how Patti ignores this mess and marches forward. Some would say it’s the story of her career!
Stipe is making the most out of this turd of a song. Vedder still sucks!
I guess Ronnie’s never karaoked before.
That gold Ronette is still the hottest thing on that stage.
Buck’s keeping an eye on his wine glass, did you notice?
Has Keef played one worthwhile riff this entire song?
Hagar threw himself into the song. Good for him.
Net- Big Winners are Patti And Hagar.
Big Losers- All VH no shows and Phil Spector.
Shaefer’s a constant loser so no change there.
Nighty nite.
And with that, I am officially done. That pretty much sucked, in general. A few view-worthy high points, which I think we agreed on. Thanks for your company.
Big ups, Townspeople!!! We did it. We’vee smashed all sorts of records, and I had a few belly laughs. Hope it’s been half as good for you than it’s been for me. Let’s all walk to the front of the stage, hold hands, raise them in unison, and take a bow. Good night! We love you!
Robbie Robertson was listed as ‘Special Adviser.’ I hope Velvet Revolver wasn’t his idea.