I have been watching the annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony for years, and have always enjoyed seeing these great artists getting the ultimate recognition. Best of all, these artists perform a mini-set live and some of them have brought some truly memorable moments and collaborations.
"The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2020 Inductions" (2020 release; 128 min.) opens with some words of welcome by Dave Grohl that "we can't gather in person this year" (due to COVID-19 of course). Ah yes, the little virus that would "magically go away", per the current POTUS who just got fired by the American people. We then dive into the first induction, the Doobie Brothers, who also celebrate 50 years as a band this year. Next up is Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails, the king of industrial goth. They are introduced by Iggy Pop. The format of this year's HOF Induction is now clear: introduction, video recap of the artist's achievements, and then closing out with ZOOM thank you(s). Next is Notorious BIG. I was struck when this segment reminded me that he was only 24 when killed, wow. Next up is Depeche Mode, one of my all-time fave bands, and introduced here by uber DM fan Charlize Theron. When watching the archive footage of the very early years, what is striking is how incredibly young the guys area (Dave Gahan was 18 when joining the band in 1980). In the annual obituary remembrance segment, Eddie Van Halen gets a long look. Next induction is of T Rex, introduced here by none other than Ringo Starr, who was a close friend of the band's ringleader/singer/songwriter/guitarist Mark Bolan. T Rex was a one hit wonder in the US for "Get It On (Bang a Gong)" but in the UK and Europe had an impressive string of hit singles and albums. I grew up with these guys during my teenage years in Belgium. So glad to see them recognized and induced into the R&R HOF after all these years. The last artist induced this year is Whitney Houston. Someone please remind me of the rock & roll aspects of her career and music?
It's nobody's fault that this year's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremony had to be completely remote and virtual. But all it did was to emphasize what we are missing: the outright joy of being together and celebrate rock music by providing live performances and unexpected on stage collaborations. Let's hope that next year's R&R HOF Induction ceremony will bring back those free-flowing moments.
