Backstage at the 2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Scott Weiland of Velvet Revolver attempted to explain the reason why David Lee Roth wasn't there:

"We were asked to perform. Kinda what happened was, [David Lee Roth] wanted to sing the song 'Jump.' We felt from an artistic standpoint, and I'm being totally honest with you, that it wasn't a song we felt comfortable with. We don't have keyboards. To bring a keyboard on stage wouldn't work for us. We said we'd do 'Janie's Cryin' ' or 'You Really Got Me,' and he was adamant that wasn't OK."

Weiland, how about you pick the songs you want to play when you get inducted into the Hall?

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation has denied there was any foul play in the vote counts for this year's inductions:

Joel Peresman, president and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, said the Fox News story was wrong.

When asked if [Jann] Wenner fudged the voting, Peresman said, "No. There is a format and rules and procedure. There is a specific time when the votes have to be in, and then they are counted. The bands with the top five votes got in."

Peresman said the only thing new about the induction process was a reduction in the number of voters. "We used to have 1,000 people who voted," Peresman said. "But we looked at who hadn't been voting over the years and took them off the list. Now we have about 560 or 570 voters. And of those, we have about an 80 percent return in votes."

In Cleveland, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum President and CEO Terry Stewart said he deals with similar charges every year at this time.

"It's aggravating because these kinds of anonymous sources and accusations serve to confirm the beliefs of anybody who feels their favorite band should have gotten in," he said.

Peresman doesn't deny that there were late votes that would have put the Dave Clark Five ahead of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, but he doesn't confirm that either. Why would Wenner have even opened the late votes -- especially when he apparently had the lineup he wanted? The Rock Hall simply needs to discard unopened ballots that come in after the deadline to avoid this type of controversy, or hire someone independent to tally the votes.

Chris Rock was a guest on Late Night with Conan O'Brien last week, and after a commercial break, the talk turned to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

[The Max Weinberg 7 plays returning from commercial break.]

Chris Rock: You know Max... Max got the funk tonight! Are you in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Max?

Max Weinberg: No, no.

Conan O'Brien: What are you talking about? What do you mean, the E-Street Band is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Max Weinberg: No, actually. No. No, I looked last night. No.

Conan: You check every night?

Max: Yes, yes I do.

Conan: You go online every night to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame dot com?

Chris: What happened, you bet on baseball?

Max: [looks puzzled] Yeah!

Conan: You should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and I'm going to see to it that you are!

Max: Okay, thank you Conan! I love you! [applause]

Chris: We gotta do somethin about that, man.

Conan: Why would you applaud that? I have no power.

Chris: Isn't Tone Loc in?

Conan: Tone Loc is in, yeah...

Chris: [to Max] And you're not in? That's horrible, man.

Conan: Funky Cold Medina is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Chris: Young MC is in there.

Conan: Oh yeah.

Chris: Color Me Badd, they in there! You really must have pissed somebody off!

Max: Yes, yes.

Conan: We're going to find out more about this. We're going to find out what you did.

Max Weinberg, Conan's band leader and drummer of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, is correct about his exclusion from the Rock Hall. Surprisingly, the E Street Band wasn't included when Bruce was inducted back in 1999.

So, Conan, it's your move. If you need help getting Max into the Hall of Fame, just let us know.

Music industry critic, Bob Lefsetz wants Jann Wenner to respond to the report that there was tampering with the 2007 Rock Hall voting totals.

I think we all believed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  Because it represented what was most important to us, music.  Sure, we railed about who has and has not gotten in.  But we liked that acts were recognized, were given a stamp of approval, additional longevity.

But what if the process is tainted, what if it’s failed?  If we can’t believe in our institutions, what have we got?

I don’t need to believe in Jann Wenner.  But I don’t want him messing with my institutions.  Sure, he gets credit for helping establish the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but George Bush has a program that keeps alcoholics off the street.  Most people aren’t all bad.  But when they’re bad when it counts, that’s important.

We need an investigation.  Who will do this, I’m not sure.  It’s not like the heads of the major labels are trustworthy.  And a bunch of the music industry lawyers…well, there’s the same problem.  But someone’s got to check into this.  And if what Mr. Friedman says is true, Mr. Wenner must lose his job.  Must have nothing to do with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ever again.  Oh, he can visit the museum, but he can’t nominate, can’t vote, certainly can’t chair and must stay home and watch the ceremony on television.  Sure, Jann Wenner has done a lot for rock and roll, but Pete Rose did a lot for baseball.

So Jann…  Say it aint’ so.  Or do what you always urge the politicians to do.  Lay it on the line, tell us the truth.  We may not forgive you, but we’ll accept what you say.  Do it in the name of the Hall.  it’s bigger than you, it deserves its dignity.

Roger Friedman of FoxNews.com reports today of a brewing controversy about this year's Rock Hall inductees.

According to sources knowledgeable about the mysterious ways of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, British Invasion group The Dave Clark Five and not Grandmaster Flash finished fifth in the final voting of the nominating committee and should have been inducted on Monday night.

According to sources, Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner, who recently appointed himself chairman of the Foundation after the death of Ahmet Ertegun, ignored the final voting and chose Grandmaster Flash over the DC5 for this year's ceremony.

"Jann went back to a previous ballot instead of taking the final vote as the last word," my source insisted. "He used a technicality about the day votes were due in. In reality, The Dave Clark Five got six more votes than Grandmaster Flash. But he felt we couldn't go another year without a rap act."

R.E.M., Van Halen, The Ronettes and Patti Smith were the top four vote-getters, with Grandmaster Flash finishing fifth when the votes were counted on the first date ballots were due in to the Rock Hall office.

But when all the ballots were counted a few days later, the DC5 had pulled ahead. Wenner decided to ignore that and stick with the earlier tally.

It's not clear how enforcing a vote deadline is a "scandal," especially if the five inductees had already been contacted and told they were in. Friedman's source obviously has a bone to pick with Wenner, as the article goes on and takes other shots at the Rock Hall Foundation.

It would be simple enough for the Rock Hall to avoid these nagging controversies (which have dogged them for years). They should make public the voters and the vote totals the way the Baseball Hall of Fame does. Or they could use an independent accounting firm, the way the Oscar ballots are handled.

The 2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is streaming live (and on demand afterwards) at the AOL Music website. Keep checking back to Future Rock Hall for updates during the show.

8:30 p.m. ET - Jann Wenner making introductory statements. The Ronettes induction will be up first.

8:35 - Wenner gets emotional dedicating the evening to Ahmet Ertegun. The "In Memoriam" video montage follows. Scattered applause for the more recognizable names.

8:40 - Video tribute to Rock Hall Founder Ahmet Ertegun. Aretha Franklin's tribute performance to follow.

8:45 - Stephen Stills comes out to say a few words about Ahmet. "He was a true and great original." Stills then introduces Franklin. (In case you were wondering, those weren't his only words.)

8:51 - It's always a bit disconcerting to see Paul Shaffer and the CBS Orchestra as the backing band for such legends. Aren't these the guys that write the "Will it Float?" jingle?

8:58 - Here's the show rundown (from Cleveland.com):

• The Ronettes will be inducted by Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards
  
  
• Patti Smith will inducted by Rage Against the Machine's Zach de la Rocha.
  
  
• Van Halen gets its due, inducted by Velvet Revolver.
  
  
• Hip-hop enters the Rock Hall courtesy of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, inducted by rap mogul Jay-Z.
  
  
• And R.E.M. will be the finale, inducted by Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder.
  
  
• On the menu at the Waldorf-Astoria: Smoked salmon appetizer, tournedo of beef, chocolate cake.
  

And Sammy Hagar will perform.

9:05 - Keith Richards, with cigarette dangling from mouth, makes his entrance to induct the Ronettes.

9:08 - The Ronettes approach the podium to a standing ovation. "We've waited so long!"

9:12 - Ronnie Spector reads off a list of "thank you's", including Eddie Money. I wonder if Phil Spector is watching and hurling things at the TV screen right now.

9:16 - Ronnie concludes with an exuberant "Let's rock!" Estelle Bennett and Nedra Talley make brief remarks and accept their trophies.

9:20 - The Ronettes transition over to the performance area to sing a few songs.


9:30 - The Ronettes conclude their set with their biggest hit, "Be My Baby." Paul Shaffer then reads a nice note from Phil Spector congratulating the Ronettes. Quick break to set up for Patti Smith, so they show highlights from past ceremonies.

9:40 - More highlights...

9:46 - Patti Smith segment getting started with a video retrospective.


9:49 - Zack de la Rocha introduced to honor Patti.


9:52 - They keep cutting to a split screen showing an antsy Patti Smith backstage.

9:53 - Patti arrives onstage to a rousing ovation and accepts her trophy.


10:01 - Michael Anthony in the house. We'll see if he'll perform with Sammy Hagar later.

10:03 - Patti Smith wraps up her speech and takes to the performance stage.

10:17 - Smith ends her performance with a song that repeatedly screams out the N-word. Not sure how the audience reacted to that one (our inside source says the audience was ecstatic about the performance). It's safe to say she used it in an entirely non-racist way though.

10:19 - More old Rock Hall clips while setting up for Van Halen / Velvet Revolver.

10:22 - Great old clip of Led Zeppelin jamming with Neil Young.


10:26 - Briefly showing Patti Smith in the press room, must be stalling. Al Sharpton comes on to talk about the late, great James Brown.


10:31 - Al Sharpton makes the obligatory Strom Thurmand joke.

10:32 - "James Brown will never die!" On to the video retrospective.

10:37 - Time for Van Halen. Eddie, Alex and Dave really should be there. It's a shame we're denied that moment of them on stage together again.

10:39 - Odd. The video retrospective makes no mention of the Gary Cherone era.

10:41 - Velvet Revolver apparently were asked to induct the Sex Pistols last year. They're two for two in controversy. Weiland leading the induction.

10:44 - Michael Anthony and Sammy Hagar on stage to accept the award.


10:45 - It's really weird having Anthony and Hagar accept the award when Eddie and Alex Van Halen aren't speaking to either of them right now. Michael thanks Gary Cherone!

10:47 - Sammy is truly honored to be there. Thanks the Hall of Fame for including him when they didn't have to. Sammy introduces "the best rock and roll band left on the planet, Velvet Revolver!"

10:50 - VR start off with "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love." Dave is missed.

10:56 - Sammy and Mike join the house band for "Why Can't This Be Love?"


11:01 - Another classic clip. Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five are up next.

11:09 - Michael Anthony and Sammy Hagar in the press room with their trophies.


11:14 - Arguably the most famous artist in the room, Jay-Z, up to induct Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five -- the first hip-hop artists ever to be inducted.


11:16 - Kid Rock in the house.

11:17 - Short but sweet speech from Jay-Z. Grandmaster Flash takes to the mic.


11:21 - Melle Mel with a plea for anti-violence in the hip-hop community.

11:24 - Keith Richards in the press room, channeling Johnny Depp in Pirates.

11:25 - Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five take the stage with three DJ's and kick it like it's 1979.


11:33 - The Furious Five end their set and implore the crowd to "drive safe." They do know R.E.M. is next, right?

11:34 - More classic moments from years past.

11:40 - Another classic performance -- this one of U2 with Bruce from 2005.


11:44 - R.E.M.'s video montage begins. We'll see if Eddie Vedder has a special haircut for the occasion.


12:01 - Vedder gives a long, but appropriate speech. There's a reason the Hall of Fame keeps asking him to do this. R.E.M. is truly humbled.


12:07 - Michael Stipe thanks nearly everyone in the room personally. But he apologizes for it.

12:09 - Over for their performance... Starting with "Begin the Begin" appropriately enough.


12:14 - Stipe dedicates "Gardening at Night" to his father.


12:18 - Time for "Man on the Moon." It's great to have Bill Berry back behind the drums. Eddie Vedder joins in for a verse. The all-star jam comes early...




12:24 - Patti joins in for "I Wanna Be Your Dog" by the Stooges, who of course didn't get inducted this year.

12:27 - Everyone takes the stage for the final jam -- "People Have The Power." Even Sammy takes a verse.






12:37 - The jam ends. Hugs all around and Paul Shaffer shuts it down.

As the 2007 Induction Ceremony approaches, let's take a look at one of the highlights from last year, the Sex Pistols f-you letter to the Rock Hall. Jann Wenner read the following statement at the Ceremony as the only proper way to honor the band.

In addition to his official duty of inducting the Ronettes into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tonight, Future Rock Hall has learned that Keith Richards will be a part of Patti Smith's performance.

People are beginning to notice the gaping hole in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

At one time in the '70s and early '80s, instrumentally adroit bands such as Yes, Genesis, Emerson, Lake and Palmer and The Moody Blues ruled radio-land, with others -- King Crimson, Rush, Jethro Tull, The Electric Light Orchestra -- dabbling in similar approaches but with their own unique stylings.

For good or bad, the genre has spawned dozens of stepchildren, from Styx to Supertramp, from the Alan Parsons Project to Kate Bush, from Dream Theater to Porcupine Tree. But just try to find a prog-rock band among the 153 inductees thus far.

Let me save you time, because there's only one: Pink Floyd...

When I called the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland the other day, curatorial director Howard Kramer declined comment on the situation, noting all inductions are handled by the Hall of Fame Foundation.

But he conceded the fan contingent backing "prog-rock probably is the most vocal" in e-mailing and campaigning for the genre, which certainly has been represented in museum exhibits if not the Hall of Fame itself.

USA Today, in their feature story about the Rock Hall, highlights the arguments for many of the famously snubbed artists, such as Rush, Kiss and Alice Cooper. In most cases, it's the fans who are the ones who feel snubbed, not the artists themselves:

Singer/guitarist James Young of Styx, a progressive rock band eligible since 1997, is accustomed to musical ostracism.

"Like any sort of competition for awards, it's decided by human beings who have bias," he says, noting that Styx has been copiously rewarded in record and ticket sales. "I celebrate the people who went to the trouble to form the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Without it, I'm not sure a lot of black artists would have been recognized."

Besides, he hasn't given up. "How long did it take for Martin Scorsese to win an Oscar?" he says.

Patti Smith perhaps provides a preview of her induction speech in today's New York Times.

Attention Zack De La Rocha: As a presenter at the 2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, you get to customize your own gift bag full of "must have" goods! You have the opportunity to choose from such luxurious items such as a Clock Radio, a J & R Music World t-shirt, K-Swiss sneakers, and blue jeans! Zack, you have some tough decisions ahead of you. Choose wisely.

As the 2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony approaches, it's time to take a look at the hardware the inductees will be taking away with them.
The "form [of the trophy] comprises a stylized human figure, its arms reaching over its head to hold a circular disk representing a record." Much more information on the materials and the process that goes into awards trophies here:

The Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame Award is electroplated in black nickel with a satin finish, complete with a 3x3-1/4-inch gold-plated record. The record disks (which are not cast) are added to the award between the figure's hands and mounted with an adhesive. The figure is then placed on a 3-1/2-inch-square black and white marble base, personalized with a plate that's engraved with the recipient's name. When complete, the trophy stands more than 15 inches high.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame responded to David Lee Roth's allegations that he is not allowed to perform during this Monday's Induction Ceremony. Rock Hall president and CEO, Joel Peresman, sent an e-mail to the L.A. Times:

"The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is sorry that David Lee Roth will not attend this year's induction of Van Halen. We offered him opportunities to play and sing a Van Halen song of his choice with our House band, including his own guitar player or a song with Velvet Revolver and he refused those opportunities."

Peresman concluded the e-mail with a curt denial that the Hall is somehow the bad guy in all this: "We made every effort and the decision not to come was solely his, not ours."

That obviously differs from David Lee Roth's version of the story.

The Roth camp says that the only offer they had received before Friday was an invitation to perform "You Really Got Me" with Velvet Revolver. Roth balked in part because that song, off Van Halen's first album, was originally recorded by the Kinks and is not a "true" Van Halen song.

Roth wanted to do his trademark tune, "Jump," but that was a curveball for Velvet Revolver, apparently, with rehearsal time limitations. On Friday, according to sources close to the show, event producer Joel Gallen offered Roth a chance to do "Jump" with Paul Schaffer and some players of Roth's picking but, for Roth, that came too late, apparently, to allow travel and needed rehearsal time.

Hall officials, privately, were surprised and wondered if Roth really wanted to perform at all. They also said if he had traveled east to New York to work with the producers on site, everything would have worked out.

It's hard to imagine a scenario where David Lee Roth will pass up a chance to be the center of attention, but sadly it looks like this could be one of those times.

Miller Brewing Company has announced a new partnership with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and it begins at the 2007 Induction Ceremony. According the press release, "Miller Genuine Draft will be the exclusive beer sponsor of the black-tie event at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel." It's not every day that "MGD" and "black-tie event" are in the same sentence, but that's what you get when you throw together a formal rock and roll party.

Ann Powers, the L.A. Times pop music critic, makes the argument that the time has come for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to rename itself, or risk becoming obsolete.

It's time to shake things up. Today's most compelling stars — Shakira, Timbaland, the Dixie Chicks, the ever-evolving Kelly Clarkson — are natural cross-pollinators who rock without necessarily being "rock." The underground is alive with mongrels and mutations, because its denizens grew up with samplers and guitars. "Rock 'n' roll" is dead; long live whatever's next. And let's hope our Hall of Fame finds a way to name it.

Powers feels that with this year's induction of the first rap artists, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, that it would be an appropriate time to make the change. Many commenters have argued that same point on Future Rock Hall about "the Rap Question."

Eddie Van Halen won't be attending the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Monday after all. He released a statement today announcing he is going into rehab.

In a note addressed to fans he stated: "I have always and will always feel a responsibility to give you my best. At the moment I do not feel that I can give you my best. That's why I have decided to enter a rehabilitation facility to work on myself, so that in the future I can deliver the 110% that I feel I owe you and want to give you."

Alcohol has been cited as Eddie's addiction.

Meanwhile, David Lee Roth has decided to boycott the event because he is not being allowed to perform. After Eddie and Alex Van Halen chose not to attend, the Rock Hall didn't want David Lee Roth, Michael Anthony and Sammy Hagar to be the only ones peforming VH songs, so they brought in Velvet Revolver to do the honors. Roth isn't happy about the situation:

"I don't make speeches for a living; I sing and dance for my dinner," Roth said, adding that the decision to skip the event "rips my heart out."

Roth said he had been preparing since December for the chance to perform for the industry elite and the audience watching on VH1 Classics.

"It's just not an option for me to go and watch some other band — who are only performing because they have some new record coming out — do our music," Roth said. "I have nothing against Velvet Revolver — I'm not familiar with their music — but that was my 3 minutes and 22 seconds up there."

Music industry critic, Bob Lefsetz believes this is the last nail in the coffin for the Rock Hall, "When you don't even let the INDUCTEES perform." He continues, "Let every table at the Waldorf-Astoria be adorned with a bowl of brown M&M’s.  And when it comes time for Van Halen to be inducted, let everybody THROW THEM AT THE DAIS!"

A reunited Van Halen was going to be the highlight of the 2007 ceremony. It's too bad that it probably won't happen now, but who knows -- things could change over the weekend.

A nice article today in the San Francisco Chronicle profiling Sammy Hagar in anticipation of his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Monday.

"That's one thing I like about the Hall of Fame. I never expected to be inducted. I really didn't. I knew Van Halen would eventually somehow, someway, but it was still hard for me to imagine Sammy Hagar being part of it. But it is. I'm so honored....

"This is something that is so etched in stone that when you say I'm a Hall of Famer," Hagar says, "you have to live up to it. I think that every time I step up to a microphone from that day on, I have to live up to it. I think I'm going to have to be a f -- Hall of Famer."

And as suspected, Velvet Revolver were not the first choice to induct Van Halen at the ceremony. The Red Hot Chili Peppers were asked to do it, but weren't available because they are playing a show in Oklahoma City on Monday night.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced that in addition to the inductees performances, Aretha Franklin will perform a special tribute to Rock Hall founding member Ahmet Ertegun, who died in December. The official press release can be found here.

After you read the press release, check out the new and improved Rock Hall website. Or if you're into this sort of thing, they have a MySpace page.

On their "Downloads" page, they have desktop images of certain artists' shoes available for download. It's interesting to note that of the seven artists, five are current Hall of Famers. The other two? Alice Cooper and Run DMC -- perhaps a sign of things to come in the future.

Even though Van Halen won't be performing at the 2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, all members (Eddie and Alex Van Halen, Michael Anthony, David Lee Roth, and Sammy Hagar) will at least attend the ceremony.

AOL will stream the 2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony live on March 12th (bookmark this site). The webcast will be shown without commercial interruption and will be available on-demand the following day.

This is a great alternative for people who would like to see the show but don't have access to VH1 Classic or MHD.

Here are the presenters for this year's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony:

• R.E.M. -- Eddie Vedder
• Van Halen -- Scott Weiland and Slash
• The Ronettes -- Keith Richards
• Patti Smith -- Zach de la Rocha
• Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five -- Jay-Z

The reunion everyone has been waiting for won't happen at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. David Lee Roth and the Van Halen brothers have decided not to perform during their induction to the Hall of Fame on March 12th. It's still unclear if they will even attend the ceremony.

Scott Weiland and Slash from Velvet Revolver have been selected to induct Van Halen. Velvet Revolver will then perform a selection of Van Halen songs during the ceremony, similar to how Metallica performed in place of Black Sabbath in 2006. Sammy Hagar had openly lobbied for his friends in the Red Hot Chili Peppers to be the ones to induct Van Halen, but apparently his voice doesn't carry much weight with Eddie and Alex Van Halen these days.

VH1 Classic will televise the entire four-hour 2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony live on March 12th at 8:30 PM/ET. MHD, MTV's HD music channel, will also broadcast the event live in High-Def. This is the first time the ceremony will be available as a live broadcast.

If you don't get VH1 Classic or MHD, you will still be able to see a 2-hour edited version of the ceremony on regular VH1 on Saturday, March 17th at 9:00 PM.

In January, it was reported that VH1 was not going to be broadcasting the ceremony this year since their contract with the Rock Hall had expired, so this is obviously great news for fans of the five inductees and of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in general, since this should be an eventful night.