The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Guns N' Roses and the Beastie Boys been named as inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Announced on Wednesday morning, the Class of 2012 also includes Donovan, Laura Nyro, The Small Faces/The Faces, Freddie King, Don Kirshner, Cosimo Matassa, Tom Dowd and Glyn Johns.
We are pleased to announce this year's Hall of Fame inductees, who represent the broad spectrum of artists that define rock and roll, Joel Peresman, President and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, said in a statement.
Now in its 27th year, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction festivities honor the best of rock and roll in four categories: performer, early influence, nonperformer and the award for musical excellence.
To be eligible for induction, the artist or artists must have released a record at least 25 years prior to the year of induction. Every year, musicians (and their fans) who have surpassed that milestone patiently wait for a nomination (usually announced in September) from the Hall of Fame.
The announcement of the Class of 2012 means that the following artists did not make the cut (even though they were nominated in September): the Cure, Heart, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Eric B. and Rakim, the Spinners, Rufus with Chaka Khan, War and Donna Summer.
As with every induction, the new class will deliver live performances as they are honored at Cleveland's Public Hall.
Does this mean the original members of Guns N' Roses will be performing for the first time in more than 20 years?
You figure that time heals all wounds . . . but some people just really hold a crazy grudge, Steven Adler recently told Rolling Stone.
I just had lunch with Slash two days ago. He loves Axl. He holds no grudges towards him . . . it's only rock and roll, my god! It's not rocket science, Adler added.
The 27th annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held on Apr. 14, 2012 and will be open to the public. The Hall of Fame will kick off the celebrations early, with a 10-day event schedule that includes the grand opening of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Library and Archives chapter, a free concert and museum tours.
Click through for a complete list of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Class of 2012.
Formed in Brooklyn, NY, in 1979, the Beastie Boys have come a long way, selling more than 40 million albums worldwide. Their first Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction happened in 2007, 25 years after the release of the band’s first EP, “Polly Wog Stew.” In 2011, the Beastie Boys released their eighth studio album, “Hot Suace Committee Part Two,” featuring guests like Nas and Santigold.REUTERSScottish musician Donovan has been in the biz for a very long time. One of the first major British folk singer-songwriters of the '60s, Donovan (whose real name is Donovan Phllips Leitch) also heavily influenced John Lennon and Paul McCartney during their Beatles days.REUTERSThe question on every Guns N’ Roses fan’s mind: who will play at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony in April? REUTERSOne of the most beloved singer-songwriters of American music history, Laura Nyro tragically lost her life to ovarian cancer in 1997, at the age of 49. During her career, Nyro produced hit album after hit album, including “New York Tendaberry” and “Eli and the Thirteenth Confession.”www.lauranyro.com/"I called my dad and cried,” Anthony Kiedis told Rolling Stone about the moment he got the Hall of Fame news.“It really fills my heart with the reality of how much welove doing what we do, and how much Flea and I love each other. We have stuck together through thick and thin and we want to keep on trucking and continuing to do what it is we do,” he added.REUTERSOne of the greatest things to come out of East London created some of the greatest tunes of all time: “All or Nothing,” “Tin Soldier,” “Lazy Sunday.” In 1969, after The Small Faces crumbled, Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood and some original members formed The Faces. Ah, rock and roll in the ‘60s and ‘70s.REUTERSAlong with Albert King and B.B. King, Freddie King was part of an elite group some called “The Three Kings.” He was also given the nick name “The Texas Cannonball,” for his thrilling electric blues guitar sound. King died in 1976, after a grueling tour schedule that led to stomach ulcers and acute pancreatitis. www.freddiekingsite.comThe man who developed the “New Orleans Sound” was inducted into the Louisiana Hall of Fame in 2007. In his heyday, Cosimo Matassa served as engineer and studio manager (the historic J&M) to several legends like Ray Charles, Smiley Lewis, Bobby Mitchell and the Spiders. Now retired from the music business, Matassa works in his family’s food store in the French Quarter. defendneworleans.tumblr.comLynyrd Skynrd, Rod Stewart, Chicago, Aretha Franklin, Willie Nelson -- the list can go for miles. A longtime engineer and producer under Atlantic Records, Tom Dowd recorded some of music’s greatest albums, and in 2002, was honored with a lifetime achievement Grammy Trustees Award. Dowd died in 2002 at the age of 77.www.thelanguageofmusic.comGlyn Johns leads a family of great music producers. While Glyn has worked with The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Who, Bob Dylan and other rock and roll greats, his brother has worked with Jimi Hendrix while his son Ethan has worked with Ray LaMontagne and Kings of Leon. Glyn Johns is not stopping anytime soon -- he recently produced Ryan Adams’ 13th studio album, “Ashes & Fire,” which came out in October.alt-country.org
