Starting with the Cher induction, I admit I only knew it was Dua Lipa who came onstage because she was announced as one of the performers for this segment. I'm not a Dua Lipa fan by any stretch (also not a hater, I'm just not in her target demographic, and she'd probably have a worse night's sleep if I were a rabid fan and she knew that). Despite a couple missed notes, the only thing I can really say is that this probably wasn't in her key, because they were playing for Cher to join her onstage. In which event, I think they could've done a key change, possibly. Maybe it wouldn't have worked well, because they would have had to modulate downward, which wouldn't have been a good sonic aesthetic. I do think the moment between them though was supposed to symbolize a passing of the torch, or at least a shared hold on it, Cher giving her blessing to Dua Lipa. Zendaya was a curious choice. The speech was fine, but it didn't answer the question of why she was inducting Cher. There was no personal connection to the music or even the image. It was cosplay. I think they were trying to call attention to the breadth of her talent, that she was just as importantly influential to female actors as she was to female musicians. In this case, I think they were just trying to do too much. This is a music award and a music award show. They should have just stayed in their lane. The video package did a great job of addressing both the Sonny aspect, as well as autotune elephant while taking nothing away from Cher's immense talent. As far as "If I Could Turn Back Time"... well she's not as young as she used to be. Had it been a smaller class, we would have probably gotten a third song, one from her Sonny And Cher era. I'm sad that we're never gonna see a Sonny And Cher induction, because that incarnation should be inducted and Cher should be a double inductee. Good speech from Cher; it didn't feel long.
Alexis Korner... I don't know if I really learned anything about him that wasn't said in the class reveal episodes on the podcasts. It's another weird induction into the Musical Influence category, because he's not really being inducted for his music, but more for what he did. Like yes, he played the blues in England at a time when it wasn't hip in England to do so... but what songs is he known for, his renditions of? At least he had a catalog, unlike DJ Kool Herc, so putting him in this category is at least justifiable. I have to admit, I almost wish they would have made it an induction for the Blues Project instead, just to clean up the Previously Considered list. They could have inducted the band with Korner being the only inducted member of the group. Also, contrary to what others have said, I'm glad they separated the inductions of Korner and John Mayall. To combine them, or play the video induction packages simultaneously would have diminished the inductions of both of them. Even though their inductions are both pretty much for the same reason, and clearly championed by the same person in the room, they are separate inductees, and they deserved their individual moments, because they were not going to get one inductor who would be given extra floor time to do justice to each inductee, the way Carole King was given in 2010 for all the songwriters, or Smokey Robinson was given in 2012 to address the importance of each of the retconned groups. If you paint yourself into the corner with that big a class that you can't give an inductor extra time to wax eloquent on Korner and also wax eloquent on Mayall, then at least separate the inductions so people don't think they're a duo. The Hall got this one right. That's my hot take.
Onto Kool And The Gang, Chuck D's speech was awesome. The metrically loose rhyming poetry of his speech was clearly well-rehearsed and well delivered, the video package was okay but fell a little short. I think that's just because the Kool And The Gang story and impact is simply too big for the amount of time they had to cram it in. But the performance... they should have been the headliner. Kool and JT absolutely slayed, as did the band behind them. Also, someone should have started a train in the audience during "Celebration." Maybe that would have been too White, but honestly, who would have blamed them? Great moment from Kool to say the names of all the inducted members. That was important to do. JT's speech was tight, and it was appropriate for him to also read the names of the band who are no longer with us. Beautiful.
Dionne Warwick's induction is when the technical issues really came to head. The microphone at the stand was clearly fixed for shorter people. There didn't seem to be any problems with Zendaya or Cher. But Teyana Taylor was a little too tall for the microphone to pick her up without her being bent down a little while also reading a teleprompter. And no, apparently the teleprompter team still hasn't been to class. Put your speech on your phone or on paper. And that really detracted from Teyana's speech. I feel the video package made a better argument, talking about the crossover appeal, which really is what made rock and roll so culturally relevant. Taylor's speech at least made it clear that you needed to put some respect on her name. No issue with Jennifer Hudson's performance for me. Seeing Dionne perform though, was something. I've made it abundantly clear I'm not a fan of hers, but seeing her perform those two songs, it was made abundantly clear why Gen Z and Gen Alpha are absolutely bonkers for her. With really no choreography, except for some walking on "Walk On By," she commanded the stage by just being a sweet old lady who exuded so much positivity that it's impossible to not want to grab a pillow and afghan and just curl up and listen to her tell stories.
If there's going to be a presenter speech, there should be a tribute performance. That's most of what I have to say about the induction for the MC5. I still maintain that Patti Smith would have been the absolute best choice to do a tribute performance. Thanks for your service Tom. If nothing else, that did do some justice for their six nominations. But I really wish he would have talked about at least one or two other songs of theirs. And even though the museum is in Cleveland, there's still something wrong about telling a Michigan band "Welcome home" to Ohio. Toledo War, all I'm saying. Video package kicked ass though, and that closing quote about "being young, but we were right" is exactly what Sykes means when he says "rock and roll" is an attitude and the music of youth culture.
Foreigner... Sammy Hagar's speech was okay. I really didn't like how he started by trying to make induction a numbers game, that induction should be more quantifiable than not. Even though I do that with my I-5 system, that's just more the list-making side of me that also is about comparing nominees because we can't vote for everyone. Ultimately, it's not and shouldn't be solely or even primarily a numbers game. That's unfortunately what seems to be the guiding force behind this populist turn of the past few years. The pendulum will swing eventually, and we'll probably be complaining that there's no big name to really latch onto for the public. Or not. The video package was okay, but probably rightly focused on punching the audience in the face with all the big hits. All killer, no filler kind of things. It didn't make me any bigger of a fan, but not like they need my validation either. The performance was serviceable, which again, is probably high praise from a non-fan like me. Also, I think Sammy was just trying to ask Slash to go out drinking with him later when he looked right at him while singing that line. Just my theory. I will give props to Lou though, for still being able to hit the notes while duetting with Kelly Clarkson. Mick Jones's daughter gave a great speech, and I'm glad the other two members up there who weren't Lou were up there too to say a quick piece without mugging and milking too much.
With Norman Whitfield, I'm hoping the lack of almost any mention of Barrett Strong means his induction is coming one of these years. That really should be a thing. The only real guff I'll give about the package is using "Just My Imagination" to exemplify the first era of the Temptations, when truthfully, that hit #1 well after the Temptations were into their funk era, after songs like "Cloud 9" and "Psychedelic Shack." Unforced error. Also, Jimmy Jam sounded like Barack Obama. Just an observation.
Roger Daltrey made the right move using the handheld microphone, if for no other reason than the fact he was too animated to stand behind the podium. The problem with his speech for Peter Frampton wasn't that it was long though. Like the song "American Pie," I think people will be pretty forgiving about length as long as it's entertaining and on point. Roger was for most of the speech. No, the problem with the speech was that it really made a better argument for Musical Excellence than Performer, by talking about the entire breadth of his career with equal weight, for the most part. Like, maybe he and Buffett should have swapped categories. Kudos to Peter for playing the one song of his that I've heard on classic rock stations that wasn't from "Frampton Comes Alive," also, with "Baby (Somethin's Happening)." As far as Peter's speech, it was good, but asking for Humble Pie's induction was a bit of a reach, although I have seen others post on the Future Rock Legends forum in favor of it too. Just don't think it's gonna happen though. Also, if I had been planning the ceremony, Frampton wouldn't have been the headliner, but "Do You Feel Like We Do" would have been the all-star jam: just give all the inductees, presenters, and even people who pitched for inductees to have a moment on the talk box. Just get everyone involved, since the talk box just allows a little fun, and even Suzanne DePasse could have given a quick moment to speak into the mic during the jam. Missed opportunity for maximum possible inclusivity. But given how long it ran, maybe for the better.
Big Mama's video package was great. It certainly called attention to "Hound Dog" and "Ball And Chain," but it made certain you knew those weren't the only important songs of hers. I knew there'd be no tribute performance for her, just based on the opening credits that listed her under "Also celebrating." Yeah...
Someone with better historical knowledge can correct me, but I think Dave Matthews is the first person to be both an inductee and a tribute performer (all-star jams not included) for another inductee in the same ceremony. It was odd, and I felt it was unnecessary too. White James Taylor (as opposed to JT from Kool And The Gang) gave a fabulous speech, although I somewhat question how well it spoke to the musical legacy aspect of Jimmy Buffett. The video package is what it was. But the tribute performances were both sweet and disingenuous. "Come Monday" and "A Pirate Looks At Forty" both were touching in their solemnity and celebrated his skill as a songwriter. But it's also disingenuous because they ignored his fun side. It's that fun side of his music that made him an empire. It's why Parrotheads are a thing. But Parrotheads are also probably a big part of the reason Jimmy was snubbed by the Hall for so long. They're the "great unwashed" whose musical taste the Hall desperately does not want to validate by enshrining their beloved artist. It's both authentic of the Hall and disingenuous of the induction of Jimmy Buffett to do only those two songs specifically. And it's further proof that this induction was a reactionary attempt to jump on the bandwagon as it was pulling away. For us in the hobbyist community, the result was a faceplant on the ground, just missing the wagon; for the Parrotheads, it's probably good enough. We'll call it a draw.
As with Korner and Mayall, I think putting space between the inductions of Whitfield and Suzanne DePasse was the smart move so that the casual observer who was there to see the Dave Matthews Band wouldn't assume those two inductees were joined at the hip, a duo of sorts. I wish the video package did more. But I think this is more an issue of my bias. When it comes to this category, the Non-Performer category, I like to be able to draw that straight line that screams volumes about the inductee's merits. Suzanne discovered the Jackson 5, although she kind of shared credit on that with Bobby Taylor in her speech, and also the Commodores. They showed pictures of other artists, and played a little more music, including Rick James, and Lionel Richie said she made and saved careers... but didn't give more detail. I'd have liked to have more on who and how she made and saved. The Motown TV special doesn't mean a whole lot to me, nor does the "Lady Sings The Blues" movie, except for whatever hand she had in the soundrack. A slight bobble from her in her speech in saying Jackie twice and missing Jermaine, but we can attribute that to nerves. She maybe could have trimmed a little, but her speech didn't drag, I thought.
Dave Chappelle's speech for A Tribe Called Quest was probably the greatest, in my opinion, really talking about how they changed music and culture. He came off as reverent and even humble, even when calling out the crew for a crappy mic. The video did its job. Jarobi's speech was mostly tight, Q-Tip's was not. He knew he was rambling on and kept going anyway. It started out well, acknowledging the other inductees. While a couple of the speeches went a little long, his was the one that really made you feel conscious about the passage of time. I do have to give him credit for showing the connection between doo-wop and hip-hop, showing why hip-hop is a part of rock and roll from a musical perspective. I have tried to explain it saying that hip-hop is doo-wop turned inside out, making it part of the rock and roll diaspora, and I feel very validated by Q-Tip's comment there. Phife's dad talking was sweet at first. Could've done without the dad jokes that came off as flirting with Cher and Dionne. The tribute performance crushed though.
The commercial for the museum was cute, but the big takeaway was Cyndi Lauper stumping to get on next year's ballot and in the class.
I didn't have much of a problem with two inductors for Mary J. Blige. Dre clearly had teleprompter issues. Jordan The Stallion... I mean Method Man was definitely much better rehearsed and gave a more enjoyable speech, albeit a little longer, as he really emphasized her strength as an artist, her uniqueness as a talent, and her merits as an inductee. In terms of performance and induction speech, I think Mary J. Blige was a victim of following Tribe and a commercial no one asked for, but everyone begrudgingly accepted. Had she been slotted earlier in the evening, I don't think anyone would be complaining about her set. Well, maybe the speech could have been two or three minutes shorter, but a lot of that was because of either the fans cheering or her being winded. The only quibble I have, and it's very minor, is with the hat on during her performance and speech, you couldn't really see her eyes. You only got to see both of them when they briefly cut to her waiting backstage, and when she got up from her crouch concluding the performance. I really wanted to see the emotion on her face and in her eyes, especially during her speech, and we didn't get that. At least she didn't struggle unnecessarily because of her headwear, like Sia last year. Other than that, I had no problem with it. She was stylish and slayed the performance. And yeah, they should've gotten her that water immediately when she asked for it. I guess maybe someone had to run to the closed concession stand to get one? But given how winded and dehydrated she was at the moment, the pace of her speech was understandable.
Once again, the In Memoriam was fantastic in its breadth of musicians covered, regardless of style, and those involved in the business, from executives, to journalists, to jockeys. Really a great job done. Just a missed opportunity to segue into John Mayall's induction. But again, it might have been better, to not confuse people that the In Memoriam segment was just really, really long on this one guy. Eh, whatever.
For the little I post on Twitter, I did comment about one of the inductors who was announced. I loathe Jack Black. I don't think he's funny. His persona is that of an annoying man-child, who uses profanity as half of his jokes' punchlines. He's what Seth Rogen would be if Seth shotgunned RedBull instead of wake-and-baked-and-baked-and-baked-and-baked. Jack Black is what Peter Pan syndrome would be named if Barrie had chosen a different career path. But enough about Tenacious D-bag. The video package did a great job of showing how Ozzy is, or at least was a persona for John Osbourne, as well as really focusing on his talent and contributions as a solo artist. The tribute performance was apparently significantly different in the room than on the tube. At one point, I sang along with "Mama, I'm Coming Home" just to make sure I wasn't being unfair in being underwhelmed with Jelly Roll's performance, though it was really only on the tagline where he fell short. Maynard rocked; Billy Idol was passable, given he's no spring chicken either. I'm not a Billy Idol fan either. But he'll probably get on the ballot after this.
John Mayall really should have been earlier in the night. probably after Suzanne DePasse's speech. Again, like Alexis Korner, the video induction wasn't all that revelatory, except for maybe drawing attention to the Bluesbreakers' song "Crocodile Rock" and calling attention to one album in particular. But overall it wasn't as educational as I'd hoped. This is where I could've used a episode from Joe and Kristen, though I don't blame them for not wanting to exert the energy, either. The only acceptable "two birds with one stone" way to do the British blues guys' inductions justice would have been to have Jack Bruce there in Cleveland as their presenter, as he was see in both video packages.
Okay, so we have a class with Cher, Ozzy Osbourne, Kool And The Gang, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, and our headliner is... the Dave Matthews Band? Is it because the others had to go to bed? Sorry, having DMB as the closer just feels wrong. Just in terms of legend status, it feels wrong. I get that the place was crowded with their fans, but really? Even Dave acknowledged it, saying he felt like they were swimming in deep waters. Julia's speech maybe could have lost the story of her online research. Sometimes it's amusing, but this time it wasn't. Other than that, it was on point. The video package didn't sell me, but I wasn't looking to buy, either. The performance was tight, even if not my thing. Smart move letting Dave speak for the whole band. But what a change it is for Dave to go from inducting or paying tribute to being the honoree. The toe-in-the-sand, "Oh willikers!" veneer was gone, and he was an ebullient man eager to speak. I didn't like his humor, but I did appreciate the grace with which he spoke about those who couldn't be there, even letting Boyd off easy, even wishing him the best in this cancel culture. The Talking Heads tribute would have been better with other inductees there, but at this point, I don't think anyone was that invested.
But that's a wrap on the ceremony from my armchair perspective. Very stream of consciousness, and hopefully not too rambling. Thanks for reading. More to come soon as we go forward and look back.
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