Friday night is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony for the class of 2017. The event will be held at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, with tickets long sold out, though many are available on the secondary market beginning at just over $300 and topping out at a whopping $3,000. The show won’t air live; instead, HBO will broadcast a truncated version of it April 29.
Folk singer Joan Baez, Electric Light Orchestra, Journey, Pearl Jam, rapper Tupac Shakur, pro-rockers Yes will all be getting the nod, with Nile Rodgers set to receive the Award for Musical Excellence. Expect social media to be alight with reactions to the ceremony as there are a multitude of subplots with the inductees, which should make it quite interesting. Here are some of the things for which to keep an eye out.
THE MILLION-DOLLAR STEVE PERRY QUESTION
Journey keyboardist already let it slip in an interview that singer Steve Perry would be attending the ceremony. Guitarist Neal Schon sent out a tweet Monday confirming the songs “Lights,” “Separate Ways” and “Don’t Stop Believin'” would be played – with current frontman Arnel Pineda. Perry left the band almost 20 years ago, but is still the most beloved to have stood at the mic in the group’s history. The big question is whether he will take the stage with his former bandmates and if he does, what song will he perform?
PEARL JAM’S DRUMMER OVERLOAD
Seattle grunge rockers Pearl Jam were a shoo-in for first ballot entry, but there’s a bit of an issue with their drummers. They’ve had five (!) of them in the past 25 years, but only two, current drummer Matt Cameron and original one Dave Krusen are being inducted. Matt Chamberlin can’t make it. Jack Irons is questionable. Dave Abbruzzese, who played on the landmark ‘Vs.’ and ‘Vitalogy’ records, and then ousted from the band, has been vocal about his displeasure at being left out of the equation. Offering an olive branch, PJ has invited everyone to show up. Rock Music Menu is hoping for a massive drum circle.
GET IN THE RING WITH YES
The Rock Hall induction ceremony always has a bit of salacious controversy brewing. From Paul McCartney refusing to attend the Beatles’ induction to Blondie ignoring pleas from original members to play to no shows like Van Halen, Axl Rose and the Sex Pistols, it’s worth paying attention just for the fireworks. This year, bets are on something to go down with Yes.
Eight members of the band are getting inducted Friday. One of them is dead. One is off doing his own thing. One is retired. The remaining five are split up into two different lineups, both performing Yes material and on tour this summer. It doesn’t take a degree in physics to figure this one has the potential to go south – fast.
THE INDUCTEE AND INDUCTOR SPEECHES
Jackson Browne is inducting Joan Baez, Dhani Harrison is inducting ELO, Train’s Pat Monahan is inducting Journey, David Letterman is inducting Pearl Jam; Rush’s Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee are inducting Yes, Snoop Dogg is inducting Tupac Shakur and Pharrell Williams is inducting Nile Rodgers. Someone is bound to say something off script.
THE ALL-STAR JAM
From said inductees to inductors, there’s a ton of talent at the ceremony each year, but 2017’s edition has a really diverse degree of respective musical specialization. Where does one even begin deciding on a genre, let alone a song? Unless something like the 2014 mess, where the E Street Band took 40 minutes to deliver their speeches and causing the show to go way over its running time, leading to the scrapping of the jam, it’s going to happen.
To contact music columnist Michael Christopher, send an email to rockmusicmenu@hotmail.com. Also, check out his blog at www.delcotimes.com.
