Updated/revised 4/5
Okay, I made it in to the main ballroom.
I did have press credentials, but didn’t find out until I got here that press doesn’t get into the main concert room, just an adjoining press room with TV screens displaying the show. The inductees and various dignitaries will be paraded through for photo ops and a few quick questions, but it's not like being there.
This blows dead ones. I have covered this event one way or another almost every year since 1995 and this is the first time since '97 that it's been in Cleveland. I expected full access.
The red carpet earlier was fun, though I couldn't get any wifi access: Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Joe Perry just strolled on by, chatted with Joe – a rock guitar Hall of Fame right there. The weather was good – cool and windy but sunny, and the red carpet was under an awning, so it was very pleasant. As red carpets go, it wasn’t the Oscars, but it wasn’t bad either. My Plain Dealer pals were there in force and somehow I casually wedged between them as we strolled past the guards at the entrance to Public Hall. I feel the official swag bag awaiting me at the dining table is my birthright. As is the food.
The food by Executive Caterers is amazing: chicken AND beef – I inhale it. Of course, since I made it into the concert room itself, the wifi isn’t working; so I am now writing this in Word – will cruise over to the press room at some point to get this up on the web. It's also very dark. And the right stem of my reading glasses just broke. I balance them on my nose. They fall more than once into my plush chow. My table mates look the other way politely. I fear the occasional typo under the circumstances.
Up first is Little Anthony and the Imperials, who sing “Tears On My Pillow,” “Shimmy Shimmy Koko Bop,” and “Shout.” Smokey Robinson introduces/inducts Little Anthony, who has 8 kids, one of whom has passed, and Anthony dedicates the event to Casey. The group came from Brooklyn and on the strength of Anthony’s tenor and some killer material, they hit big right away. But that was a long time ago. Anthony also lets it be known that they have never won a Grammy, and with a new album out (hint hint) they would like to see that rectified.
Next up is Wanda Jackson – who is a tiny little woman (saw her at the red carpet). She is being introduced/inducted by Roseanne Cash. Roseanne says Wanda was the only woman who could hold her own with the “Elvis crowd.” She’s been married for 47 years – a powerhouse but "always a lady." Her father drove her to shows and her mother sewed outfits. She did packet shows with Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins. “She was always a lady,” but had "rockin’ rhythm and a powerhouse voice, a rock ‘n’ roll queen."
Article comments
1 - Glen Boyd
That Jeff Beck set was just SICK! Becks Bolero with Immigrant Song in the middle -- Page doing the power chords, while Beck did Plant's vocal parts on guitar -- just SICK! Jeff Beck is the best guitarist on earth, period.
-Glen
2 - Brian Garrepy
Great "Live" Blogging...
Metallica is only [the]second metal band in the Rock Hall
I totally agree with you ,Eric, about YES,Rush,etc.. BUT, after Black Sabbath it should have been Iron Maiden.
These people [Rock Hall & Voters] have no idea what Maiden did for Heavy Metal especially the amount of albums sold without the help of Radio & TV! Hell, Maiden didn't just perpetuate a genre they re-invented it! They need to get their fucking act together...
3 - Pamela
That wasn't Bill Black's 3 kids...one of those guys was DJ FONTANA...which you so kindly COMPLETELY skipped over. Unbelieveable that so much attention is focused on Run DMC and the pioneers of rock and roll go virtually unnoticed. Maybe you were too busy trying to go "places you weren't supposed to be" to notice who was really on stage. Talk about the ultimate disrespect to Mr. Fontana!!!
4 - Jordan Richardson
Wow, Pamela. Take it easy.
5 - Pamela
Take it easy? After what DJ contributed to music, and he was actually refered to in this blog as one of Bill Black's kids? Nothing about his speech was mentioned and when Max was introducing him, this blog stated that he was droning? No I won't take it easy. That's just terrible reporting and extremely disrespectful to the man that paved the way for music today. He couldn't even be given the decency of this "reporter" acknowleding his presence on stage. Lame. Maybe we should talk about how Run DMC brought their whole freaking family on stage and we had to listen to that drone on and on and on, which, if hadn't been allowed to happen, maybe the broadcast wouldn't have been cut off so early.
6 - Donald Gibson
U2 was another band that was inducted while still a "current" best-selling act. And Prince, come to think of it.
On the Bobby Womack/Ronnie Wood collaboration, (the one you've got as "Used To Love Her"), was it "It's All Over Now" -- which Bobby wrote and the Stones made a huge hit out of in the '60s?
7 - Jordan Richardson
Pamela, we all have our opinions in terms of what should be covered, who "drones" on and on, and so forth. It's a blog posting, one I found to be entertaining.
To be honest about it, if I was at the Ceremony the last thing I'd be thinking about doing was blogging to allow readers a bit of insight into what was going on inside.
Save your moral indignation for something worthwhile or, better still, write about the importance of DJ Fontana yourself.
8 - Jordan Richardson
he was actually refered to in this blog as one of Bill Black's kids?
By the way, I didn't see this specifically in the entry. I'm not sure, the author might need to clarify, but isn't it possible that when Eric said "his three children chat" he actually meant Bill's three kids and didn't mean to infer that DJ was one of them?
Again, just spitballing here because I couldn't find any actual specific, clear reference to what you were so angry about. In your first post, you act like Eric didn't even mention DJ Fontana when even the briefest reading reveals otherwise.
9 - Eric Olsen
Now that I've fixed typos (with Glen Boyd's help, thanks!) and weird constructions, it should read a little better.
Very sorry to neglect DJ Fontana, Pamela, totally not my intent. The Elvis trio was absolutely integral to making Elvis what he was. Remember, I was just trying to cover what was going on, my impressions, in between talking to people, answering questions about what the hell I was doing, and the like.
10 - Glen Boyd
Yer quite welcome boss-man.
-Glen
11 - Eric Olsen
I am certain there was a fair amount of inelegant structure and ambiguity in my meaning in the original version - that's live blogging. Thanks all!
12 - tink
Thanks for the bird's eye view...am pea-green with envy!!!
Yea, EO!!!
13 - Eric Olsen
thanks tink - was hectic but a lot of fun! Why does anyone ever try to thwart me?
14 - Al
Eric as one of your “table mates” at the ceremony I’ll confirm (for Pam) that you were trying your best to capture the essence of the night. You had your hurdles to vault with the Wi-Fi issues and glasses but having just read your post (a week later) I think you captured the program well. The biggest problem with the induction speech for DJ wasn’t the “droning on” but rather the board operator for the PA must have fallen asleep during the speech and I had trouble (at the back table with you) hearing Max and Gary. I was there to hear the music AND the speeches after all hearing about these careers is what it’s all about. Right? It was great meeting you.