Rock Hall Induction Ceremony 2009

My Honey Bunny and I were lucky enough to to get two tickets to attend the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies. It was a great night in Cleveland. You could feel the excitement as you wandered around downtown Cleveland. Everyone in an eight county area knew what was going on at Public Hall. As we approached Public Hall we could see the red carpet area which was fenced off and covered by a tent. Limousines were pulling up and dropping people off. The fans were sequestered from the music bigwigs and there was no chance of the two crossing paths. We were routed up a ramp that took us to the second floor of the hall where all of the fans were allowed.

Our seats were about half way back sec 9, row A, seat 1 and 2. what was cool was they had a camera on a crane that would fly around the auditorium over the heads of the bigwigs but at times would stare right at me and my Honey Bunny. Who knows maybe some day the two of us will be in a movie in the Rock Hall. The stage has a glass pyramid that resembles the Rock Hall except that the windows are dirty and broken. A few chandeliers are hanging over the top of the stage.

A few speeches preceded the actual show. One speech was by Jan Weener (misspelling on purpose) of Rolling Stone Magazine. When the Weener was introduced there was a small, polite, smattering of clapping. I guess I was not the only one in attendance that knows the Weener has bad mouthed Cleveland over the years. I refused to clap but I did restrain myself from yelling out obscenities or booing at the rat bastard.

The house band has just taken the stage and I can see Will Lee on an Upright Bass. Wait a minute a short bald guy is on keyboards stage left, yes it is Paul Schaffer. The house band is The Late Night Band. But that is not Anton Figg on drums, no it is D J Fontana form Elvis Presley's band and one of the inductees of the night. And that is how it would go all night. Anton Figg would rejoin the band but other guest players would also join in for a song or two such as Ronny Wood backing up Bobby Womack whom he inducted. Little Anthony and the Imperials Inducted by Smokey Robinson. Little Anthony and The Imperials took the stage and did a few tunes.

Rosanne Cash inducted Wanda Jackson, whom I always thought was a country singer. Boy did she prove me wrong. That old lady still has some pipes and belted out a few old tunes to prove it.

Paul Shaffer did a nice job for the induction of Spooner Oldham. Paul would play a few chords of a song that Spooner had played on and you knew the song and the keyboard piece. Yes Spooner deserves to be here. Too bad Spooner did not play any songs himself at this point in time.

I had to stage a silent protest against Run DMC getting into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. RAP AINT ROCK!! Run DMC are very good at what they do but, someone needs to start a Hip Hop Hall of Fame. They do not belong in the Rock Hall. I refused to stand or clap during the induction for Run DMC and I noticed that other people sitting around me were doing the same thing. We were not rude, I did not yell out "RAP AINT ROCK". Run DMC does not deserve to be in the Rock Hall before Genesis, Yes, John Mayall, Joe Walsh as a solo artist. I can't believe I am going to say this but, Foreigner, Journey and Boston deserve to be in before any RAP star. Now that I have said it, let me clarify by saying, Foreigner, Journey and Boston don't belong in the Rock Hall either.

The highlight of the evening for me was seeing Jeff Beck get inducted to the Hall of Fame as a solo performer. What the hell took you so long. One of the best guitarists in the universe and it took you Cretins 24 years to notice that Jeff Beck is not in the Hall of Fame. Oh but lets put another RAP group in. Jimmy Page Ushered in Jeff Beck and then the Two of them joined in a rendition of Becks Bolero and Immigrant Song. Wow, it just blew me away. Two of the greatest guitarists on stage playing together, it doesn't get any better than this, or does it. (Who is the tiny chick on bass playing with Jeff Becks Band? She played with him at the Cross Roads Festival. She is gooood.)

Maybe I am getting tired, but Metallicas speeches seemed a little long. Flea, who inducted Metallica, did a good job except when he dropped a few F-bombs, they seemed forced. They finally stopped talking and started playing "Enter The Sandman". I am giving devil horns and thrashing my head back and forth to the camera that is flying around. I enjoyed their performance, my Honey Bunny did not. Metallica may not be my cup of tea but they do belong in the Hall of Fame.

Now the fun begins. Little Anthony and the Imperials, Bobby Womack, Spooner Oldham, D J Fontana, Wanda Jackson, Jeff Beck, Ron Wood and Will Lee do a version of Jail House Rock that just knocks your socks off.

Clear the stage and bring out Jeff Beck, Ron Wood, Jimmy Page, Joe Perry, Metallica and Flea. what do they play? "Train Kept a Rolling". WOO, WOO, excellent. All of those great guitarists playing together, three bass player and a drummer. What more can you ask for? Nothing.

I will definitely go back the next time Cleveland hosts the Induction Ceremonies. Anyone who has ever bought a record or listened to a FM radio should not miss it. Memories were made on 4/4/09 that I will never forget. I have never been to an awards ceremony of this stature but from what I could tell Cleveland did a great job. Total entertainment for four hours with very few breaks in the action. Great. I give it five twirls and a moth catcher move.