Dee Dee Sharp, of "Mashed Potatoes Time" fame, feels like she should have already been inducted into the Rock Hall:

Metro Times: You have so many awards and accolades. Why aren't you in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Sharp: [laughs] That's a good question! I got a Rhythm & Blues award in 2001. But I don't know. I can't answer that. Maybe I'm just not blessed enough; I don't know.

MT: Well, you should be.

Sharp: Well, I appreciate that. But I found that sometimes tooting your own horn just doesn't work. But I really can't answer why I'm not in. I do know that I was the first woman to do a lot of things. I was the first African-American woman to ever be placed on the cover of 16 Magazine. So I don't understand. I have no idea as to why I'm not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It's ridiculous as well that I don't have a star on the Walk of Fame in Philadelphia.

Sharp's former husband, Kenny Gamble was inducted in 2008 in the Non-Performer category.

Future Rock Hall currently gives Dee Dee Sharp a 3% chance at future induction.

Back in 1997 when Cleveland first hosted the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, it was held in a ballroom at the Renaissance Hotel. For the 2009 ceremony, Cleveland is moving up to the historic Public Hall, (aka Public Auditorium). Capacity is 11,500, but that will likely be reduced to under 10,000 after the VIP tables get set up on the floor.

The large venue will allow for the public sale of tickets to the event for the first time. Typically, when the ceremony is held in New York at the Waldorf Astoria, a seat will cost you at least $2000, if you can get invited. But here, the Rock Hall has mentioned that tickets should be available for under $100.

The event will be held on a yet to be determined day in March of 2009.

---

In this same article, Rock Hall president Terry Stewart emphasizes that the new Rock Hall Annex is not a precursor to the entire museum moving to New York City. It's also revealed that the Rock Hall may open an annex in Abu Dhabi on the Persian Gulf (in addition to the planned one in Memphis).

Future Rock Hall has announced its prediction of the 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees: The Stooges, Chic, Metallica, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Hollies, Beastie Boys, Run-DMC, Kraftwerk and Donna Summer. Check out the full story here.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies used to be a lot more fun before they began televising them. Drunken, rambling speeches, insults and two-hour jam sessions were the norm. Take, for example, Mike Love's induction speech in 1988 with the Beach Boys:

And I think it's wonderful to be here tonight, but I also think it's sad that there are other people who aren't here tonight. And, uh, those are the people who have passed away, those are the obvious ones. But the other not-so-obvious ones are people like Paul McCartney, who couldn't be here tonight because he's in a lawsuit with Ringo and Yoko. That's what he sent a telegram to some, uh, high priced attorney in this room, you know. And that's a bummer, because we're talking about harmony, right, and the world. If we can't get it together in America and in England, and harmony within our groups. I mean, believe it, you can believe it the Beach Boys have their own [unintelligible] or whatever you call it, squabbles. But that's a bummer when Ms. Ross can't make it, you know?

The Beach Boys have continued to do, about, we did about 180 performances last year. I'd like to see the Mop-Tops match that! I'd like to see Mick Jagger get out on this stage and do "I Get Around" versus "Jumpin' Jack Flash", any day now. And I'd like to see some people kick out the jams, and I challenge the Boss to get up on stage and jam.

[during Mike's pause, someone in the house band plays the theremin line of "Good Vibrations" during the crowds tepid response] I wanna see Billy Joel, see if he can still tickle ivories, lemmee see. I know Mick Jagger won't be here tonight, he's gonna have to stay in England. But I'd like to see us in the Coliseum and he at Wembley Stadium because he's always been chickenshit to get on stage with the Beach Boys.

The video of the speech was on YouTube, but sadly it has been taken down. If anyone knows where it can be seen, let us know in the comments.

In 1989, when Stevie Wonder was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at the age of 38, he became the youngest person ever to be honored. He held that distinction until 1997 when the Jackson Five were inducted. Like Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson was also 38 when he was honored with his brothers, and Jackson is still the youngest person to ever be enshrined (he beats Stevie Wonder by a few months).

Given the minimum 25 year waiting period for eligibility, it's unlikely anyone will break Michael Jackson's record anytime soon. We can't think of anyone else who began their career at an age younger than 13 who has any chance at future induction. Any contenders out there?

The new Rainn Wilson movie, The Rocker, opened today, and a portion of the movie's plot involves the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Two years ago, Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny used the Rock Hall prominently. Last year 30 Rock also had the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in its "Cleveland" episode.

Is the Rock Hall now iconic enough to find it's way into more mainstream Hollywood fare? Are there any other movies where the Rock Hall makes an appearance? Let us know in the comments.

In the same year that Cleveland will finally wrestled the Induction Ceremony back from New York, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced it is opening a new $12 million museum annex in SoHo.

“Establishing outposts like these is becoming a strategy of other major institutions,” said Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Terry Stewart, citing the Guggenheim Museum of New York, Britain’s Tate Modern and the Louvre in Paris as examples. “These projects allow museums to extend their reach, but also provide space to travel exhibits and allow curators to display some of our priceless artifacts for the first time outside of Cleveland.”

The Rock Hall also plans to open other satellite museums in Las Vegas and Memphis.

You can check out the website for the Annex and apply for a job at RockAnnex.com.

Rush has been in the news a lot lately, thanks to a big summer tour and some high profile media appearances. One of these was the band's recent performance on the Colbert Report:

Stephen Colbert asked the band, "You are yet to be inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Is there any chance that your next album will be titled That's Bullshit?"

Rush's exclusion from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a common thread through these media appearances and Wired's Listening Post is trying to get to the bottom of the issue. Wired's Scott Thill has a Rock Hall contact in Cleveland who will answer three questions about Rush and the induction process, and he is seeking input on what to ask.

Although it's unlikely Rush will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009 (after 10 years of waiting), there are signs that this might be the best chance they've had in years. Never underestimate the Colbert Bump.

Sonic Youth became eligible for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last year, and despite being one of the most important and influential artists of the last 20 years, they didn't get nominated. Guitarist and singer Thurston Moore was asked by the Washington Post about the Rock Hall:

Do you think Sonic Youth will ever be voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Do you care?

I have no problem with awards or awards ceremonies. I don't take issue with them; what it means is that people are celebrating your work in some capacity. But the Hall of Fame - whatever. It's a certain cabal of people who created this institution. It's not like real people are voting. It's like the Grammys. Very rarely does something win that doesn't have to do with sales of the record or the lobbying of the record label or management. It's the same thing with the Hall of Fame. You start lobbying your artist a decade early and the cabal votes. But that was before the Sex Pistols got in, so who knows?

Moore's cynical attitude about the Rock Hall process certainly isn't unfounded, but the "cabal" he refers to isn't what it used to be. As the years go on, it will be harder and harder for the Hall of Fame to ignore Sonic Youth's contributions to experimental and alternative music.

Future Rock Hall predicts that Sonic Youth has a 58% chance at induction, one of the highest ratings of the eligible artists. Here's to hoping they get in sooner rather than later.

Does Rolling Stone's list of "The Immortals" hold the keys to induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Find out here.

Tonight, VH1 is broadcasting the 2008 version of the Rock Honors series. This is the third edition of the broadcast, and over the first couple of years it was interesting that most of the honorees were notable Rock and Roll Hall of Fame snubs. Some feel that Rock Honors serves as an alternate award to the Hall of Fame, that perhaps better reflects the fans' hard rock heroes.

In 2006, Rock Hall snubs KISS, Def Leppard and Judas Priest were all honored (as well as Hall of Famers Queen). In 2007, three more Hall of Fame outsiders, Heart, Genesis, and Ozzy Osbourne were featured (ZZ Top too). Going in a different direction this year, the show focuses exclusively on The Who (inducted into the Rock Hall in 1990).

It's not hard to imagine that future years of Rock Honors could pay respects to Mötley Crüe, Iron Maiden, Rush, Motörhead and others who probably aren't going to get much attention from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame anytime soon.

Rolling Stone magazine has notoriously ignored Rush over the years, but the band has finally been given a feature article in the current issue. Rush fans have long felt that because of the close link between Rolling Stone and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, that Rush has been blackballed by the Rock Hall Nominating Committee (Supposedly, Jann Wenner has declared they would get inducted over his dead body). So now that Rolling Stone has given the Canadian power trio some attention, will that change their fortunes with the Hall of Fame?

The band was asked about their being snubbed by the Rock Hall in the article:

Self-effacing poise may be rare to arena rockers, but like Green Party candidates and Nascar heroes, the members of Rush have adjusted to both idolatry and disregard.  Just prior to tonight's dinner, they were once again snubbed by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which instead inducted no greater rock luminaries than the Dave Clark Five. But Rush seem convincingly unfazed.

"I just keep saying we're too young to be in there," says [Geddy] Lee.

"Yeah," says [Neil] Peart.  "Unlike all those other people, we're still working."

"I think it upsets our fans,"  allows [Alex] Lifeson.  "It's a big issue for them."

Guitarist Alex Lifeson also talked to Cincinnati.com recently about the issue:

"It doesn't matter at all," Lifeson says. "If we were inducted it would mean we'd probably have to go up there (to Cleveland) and play there."

Some Rush fans have resigned themselves to the idea that Rush will never get in, so they petitioned for a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which Rush was given this year.

Longtime Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominating Committee member, Seymour Stein, described himself in 2001 as a "doo-wop fanatic," who was working hard to get the artists from his youth fully represented in the Hall of Fame.

Stein, an avowed "doo-wop fanatic" who identifies heavily with the music of his youth, feels like there's "quite a bit of catch-up to do." He cites the Hollies, Brenda Lee, Conway Twitty, Gene Pitney, Percy Sledge, Chuck Willis and panoply of doo-wop acts such as the Five Satins ("In the Still of the Night") and the Penguins ("Earth Angel") as acts that should be full-fledged inductees. "I don't want to forget artists from the '50 and '60s, but not at the expense of worthwhile artists from the '70s," he said. "I don't want to sound like George Bush, but I don't want to see anyone left behind. But I really mean it, hence the difference."

Of those eight artists he listed there, Lee, Pitney, and Sledge (one of the most controversial inductions, by the way) have been honored since that interview. And since Stein is still on the Committee, and he doesn't want to leave anyone behind, you can bet he will join Steven Van Zandt in trying to get the Hollies in.

Stein goes on to make a prediction, that is laughable in hindsight:

Stein does not predict that any artist, whether in 2001 or in future years, will ever sail into the hall the first year they are eligible, the way, say, the Beatles did in 1988, or Bruce Springsteen did in 1999. He cited a random selection of artists, from James Taylor to Earth, Wind & Fire to Gene Vincent to Parliament-Funkadelic to Joni Mitchell to the Bee Gees to the Velvet Underground, who waited a few, or many, years for induction.

Presumably Stein felt that no other artists will ever live up to the standard of the Beatles or Springsteen. But his theory about first ballot Hall of Famers was proved wrong the very next year when Tom Petty, Talking Heads and the Ramones were all inducted in their first year of eligibility. In fact there have been 11 first ballot Hall of Famers since Stein made his prediction, Madonna being the most recent example.

Stein and Van Zandt have been rather candid about their biases in favor of the music of their youth. At some point, don't you have to close the book on that chapter in rock and roll history and start recognizing some of the gaping holes in later periods? How many groups from the 50's and 60's still need to be inducted before the award is completely stripped of its prestige?

As a way to keep a fresh perspective on the Rock Hall, perhaps there should be term limits for the Nominating Committee members. There is little doubt that each of the members, past and present, have been qualified to help shape the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But you can imagine what happens when the same group meets year after year: At the committee meeting, the member nominates a few artists, they get tossed around and ultimately get rejected or put on the ballot. The next year, the committee member tries again with the same names that didn't make it, and tries to wear down the other members into submission. A five year term limit would allow committee members ample opportunity to advocate for their favorite artists, but wouldn't let them stay so long that their perspective gets outdated.

So, are term limits a good idea? Is five years the right amount of time? Let's hear it in the comments.

Sure, this story is from eight years ago, but it is well worth repeating here:

Last week, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced its annual list of inductees. The news was followed by the annual list of grievances and complaints about those choices in the music business. This year, however, the opposition included a particularly high-profile and vitriolic voice, Courtney Love's.

. . .

Some in the music industry were upset that punk-rock and female acts were not represented in the winners' circle, but Ms. Love had her own ax to grind. Evidently not a fan of the New York Dolls, Black Sabbath or Lou Reed [nominees who weren't inducted that year], she lambasted the Hall of Fame in a telegram: ''How dare you fools not put Lynyrd Skynyrd, Patti Smith, or AC/DC in your Hall of Fame. Damn you to the darkest belly of the underworld. Stop.''

She goes on to demand that the items belonging to herself and her husband, Kurt Cobain, that are in the possession of the Hall of Fame's museum in Cleveland be returned: ''Any of my stuff you stole, I want back immediately. Stop. This includes any of mine or Kurt's clothes, guitars, or debris that you scavenged for. Stop. I hope that no one I know is ever inducted into your idiotic 'Hall of Fame.' ''

One wonders what will happen in 2011, when Nirvana, Cobain's old group, will most likely be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Ms. Love concludes her telegram: ''You are a sham and you deserve Bush. Stop. He probably has the same taste in music as you.''

An employee for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame said the sentiments expressed in the telegram captured the true spirit of rock 'n' roll.

Well, Michael Stipe has been inducted into the "idiotic" Hall of Fame, and he's Love's daughter's godfather, so that's at least one Hall of Famer that she knows.

For the record, Nirvana can't actually be inducted prior to the 2014 Induction Ceremony and Hole won't be eligible until two years after that.

Rolling Stone magazine recently came up with a list of the "100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time." Despite the name, the list isn't really indicative of the best guitar songs, but more of a rundown of the greatest artists of all-time with tracks selected from each.

These types of lists are generally good indicators of who Rolling Stone thinks the important artists are. And because of the overlap between the Rolling Stone writers and the members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominating Committee, it might show who could be headed for future induction.

Here is the list of artists in order, with their Hall of Fame status in parentheses. The guitar song can be found on Rolling Stone's website -- it's irrelevant here.

1. Chuck Berry (yes)
2. The Jimi Hendrix Experience (yes)
3. Cream (yes)
4. The Kinks (yes)
5. The Rolling Stones (yes)
6. Van Halen (yes)
7. The Beatles (yes)
8. Led Zeppelin (yes)
9. The Allman Brothers Band (yes)
10. Nirvana (eligible in 2013)
11. Led Zeppelin (yes)
12. The Jimi Hendrix Experience (yes)
13. Derek and the Dominos (eligible since 1995)
14. Bruce Springsteen (yes)
15. The Who (yes)
16. Neil Young With Crazy Horse (yes)
17. Black Sabbath (yes)
18. Ramones (yes)
19. Prince and the Revolution (yes)
20. The Impressions (yes)
21. The White Stripes (eligible in 2024)
22. The Beatles (yes)
23. The Yardbirds (yes)
24. Rage Against the Machine (eligible in 2017)
25. The Rolling Stone (yes)
26. B.B. King (yes)
27. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band (eligible since 1988)
28. U2 (yes)
29. AC/DC (yes)
30. Bill Haley and His Comets (yes)
31. Queen (yes)
32. Dire Straits (eligible since 2003)
33. Metallica (eligible since 2007)
34. Aerosmith (yes)
35. The Stooges (eligible since 1994)
36. Pink Floyd (yes)
37. Elvis Presley (yes)
38. The Faces (eligible since 1995)
39. Santana (yes)
40. The Who (yes)
41. Television (eligible since 2002)
42. John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers (eligible since 1990)
43. The Sex Pistols (yes)
44. Sleater-Kinney (eligible in 2020)
45. The Beatles (yes)
46. Dick Dale and the Del-Tones (eligible since 1987)
47. Van Halen (yes)
48. The Clash (yes)
49. Jimi Hendrix (yes)
50. Pixies (eligible in 2012)
51. Ozzy Osbourne (eligible since 2005)
52. Radiohead (eligible in 2017)
53. Creedance Clearwater Revival (yes)
54. Stevie Ray Vaughan (eligible in 2008)
55. Cream (yes)
56. The Byrds (yes)
57. Grateful Dead (yes)
58. Link Wray (eligible since 1985)
59. Jeff Beck (eligible since 1992)
60. Funkadelic (yes)
61. Sam and Dave (yes)
62. Albert King (eligible since 1987)
63. Guns n' Roses (eligible in 2011)
64. Lynyrd Skynyrd (yes)
65. The Police (yes)
66. Stevie Ray Vaughan (eligible in 2008)
67. Bruce Springsteen (yes)
68. B.B. King (yes)
69. Pink Floyd (yes)
70. Smashing Pumpkins (eligible in 2015)
71. The Strokes (eligible in 2026)
72. Weezer (eligible in 2019)
73. Blue Cheer (eligible since 1993)
74. ZZ Top (yes)
75. Frank Zappa (yes)
76. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (yes)
77. Pearl Jam (eligible in 2016)
78. Buddy Guy (yes)
79. Sonic Youth (eligible since 2007)
80. Steely Dan (yes)
81. Michael Jackson (yes)
82. The Ventures (yes)
83. Sublime (eligible in 2017)
84. John Mayer (eligible in 2024)
85. Phish (eligible in 2013)
86. Jeff Beck (eligible since 1992)
87. King Crimson (eligible since 1994)
88. Quicksilver Messenger Service (eligible since 1993)
89. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (eligible since 2005)
90. The Smiths (eligible in 2008)
91. The Mars Volta (eligible in 2027)
92. Mick Jagger (eligible in 1995)
93. My Bloody Valentine (eligible in 2010)
94. Dire Straits (eligible since 2003)
95. Moby Grape (eligible since 1992)
96. Hüsker Dü (eligible since 2006)
97. Queens of the Stone Age (eligible in 2023)
98. Red Hot Chili Peppers (eligible in 2009)
99. My Morning Jacket (eligible in 2024)
100. Tool (eligible in 2017)

There are 46 songs from non-Hall of Famers by 43 different artists. Of these artists, 20 are already eligible for induction, with at least seven having been "previously considered" by the Nominating Committee (Albert King, Jeff Beck, Dick Dale, The Faces, The Stooges, Metallica, and The Paul Butterfield Blues Band).

As for the artists that aren't eligible yet, many of them are very likely future Hall of Famers. Bands like Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, The White Stripes, and Radiohead are almost certainly going to be inducted. As for the Mars Volta, the Strokes, and My Morning Jacket, it's probably a little too soon to know if they'll make it, but making this list is a sign they're on Rolling Stone's radar.