Well, you can’t start out a show with better than Stevie Nicks. She wowed the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame crowd at Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn and dueted with Don Henley and with her new bestie, Harry Styles (in place of Tom Petty) She got the crowd to their feet with her solo hits like Stand Back as the first female to be inducted twice – once for for Fleetwood Mac and now for her solo work.
Trent Reznor gave a fan-boy tribute to The Cure and after the thank yous, Robert Smith‘s vocals were undiminished, 40 years on, with hits like I will Always Love You, Just Like Heaven and Boys Don’t Cry.
And then it was time for the, Miss Jackson, if you’re nasty. Janelle Monáe give her BIG respect. And Janet said in her acceptance she followed her brothers into the R&R Hall of Fame, adding,
“Tonight your baby sister has made it.”
But disappointingly, she didn’t perform.
And then, Roxy Music! OMG. Inducted by Simon LeBon and John Taylor, who said,
“Without Roxy Music there would be no Duran Duran.”
They gave us, Love is the Drug, More Than This, Avalon, Boys Will Be Boys, and Brian Ferry looked pretty damn good at 73.
Plus, Radiohead. OK, Computer! Kid, A. Geniuses.
“It’s about feeling free to record a piece of music, and that’s what it’s about – FOREVER.” –Thom York
David Byrne inducted Radiohead which took their name from a Byrne lyric, and two of the band members accepted – but Thom York was a no-show. Boo.
The Bangles‘, Susann Hoffs inducted the eternally influential, Zombies and then we were treated to a live performance by the nearly geriatric Z’s, with Time of the Season, Tell Her No, and She’s Not There.
Normally, not my cup of tea, but when it was time to induct Def Leppard , they turned in one of the best performances of the night. But then it IS called the Rock ‘N Roll Hall of Fame and they DO rock.
Pour Some Sugar on Me.
They finished the night out with some help to do Bowie‘s All the Young Dudes.
Watch Harry & Stevie do Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around…
You can see it all on HBO & HBO Now.
(Photos, screen grabs, HBO)
