Bobby, from Cleveland, says with his mother and God in the house, all is well. He remembers the Sam Cooke song “A Change Is Gonna Come” – a change has come, he says. "Father time has changed the words to 'HAS come.'” He gives a shout out to Barack O. “Now I’m gonna play a few songs.”
He plays guitar left-handed. They rock “Wait Until Tonight,” segues into “It's All Over Now," horns blowing. Ron Wood takes on the guitar solo.
Run-D.M.C. film. Ripping. Promoters asked “where’s the band?” “Not paying some 'turntable band' $2000.” From Hollis, Queens. Eminem inducts Run-D.M.C – “two turntables and a microphone," he says. Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, (the late) Jason Mizell. "They broke away from the pack by being a pack." Huge beats, rock/metal guitar samples – tough rhymes. The first rock stars of rap, the first rap group to go platinum, have own sneakers, appear on MTV, infuse rap with rock ‘n’ roll. Baddest of the bad, coolest of the cool. Run-D.M.C. showed him what he wanted to be, Eminem says. “Three kings from Queens.” (Endless reiteration of “two turntables and a microphone”). Jay influenced and tutored Curtis into 50 Cent. Eminem inducts Run-D.M.C.
Rev Run: “Mrs. M let us create routines in her living room, 'Rock Box' was created in her living room. Thanks for not telling me to turn down the music. So much help, so many smart people." He thanks his brother Russell Simmons. “We can mix rap music with rock music and create this thing!” says Run. He says Russell was high at the time – screwdrivers and weed gave him an idea! "We wouldn’t be here if Russell hasn’t had all those crazy ideas and hung out with crazy white people like Rick Rubin."
D.M.C. thanks his mother and father tearfully. "When I speak to kids I tell them to not let their situation define who they are. I am living proof. I represent purpose and destiny – you are looking at what can happen when you take time and give love to a kid. The best thing you can do is give time to a kid, because that kid might grow up to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame one day.”
Jam Master Jay’s mother thanks all: “He broke up every turntable I have, he said 'Mommy, I need another turntable.' I told him I'd buy another when I got paid. He had another turntable on Monday.” Jason’s three sons are here and his wife. His mother continues, she believes in Jesus Christ, she cried when he died and his death broke their bond of love. But she then went to NYC to be a grief counselor. Jay’s wife thanks all.
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.