Even though the 2014 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony took place over a month ago, most people couldn't see the ceremony until it aired on HBO last night. Here are eight things I learned from watching the ceremony.
1. Peter Gabriel's Getting Old
When he was doing those little synchronized hops during the chorus of "In Your Eyes," he was clearly losing his breath immediately. Peter, you're a great songwriter and a great singer (back in the day, at least), but it's time to admit that you're getting too old for the light acrobatics.
2. Tom Morello Really Loves Kiss
I'm used to hearing Tom Morello getting worked up about important stuff, like the government or civil rights, but apparently none of that matters when Kiss is in the room. It seems like he wanted Kiss to be inducted into the Hall of Fame more than he wanted a worker's revolution.
3. Cat Stevens Sounds Exactly the Same
Considering Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) is 65 years old and doesn't sing his old songs very often these days, I was definitely expecting him to have some trouble, but luckily I was wrong. When he was singing "Peace Train" and "Wild World," he sounded pretty much the same as he did back in the early '70s.
4. Everybody Takes This Way Too Seriously
Daryl Hall said it was "f**ked up" that Hall & Oates was the first act from Philadelphia to be inducted. Seriously? It's pretty strange, yeah, but when talking about something that matters as little as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, "f**ked up" is a bit of an overstatement.
5. Daryl Hall Can't Sing Anymore
Unlike Cat Stevens, Daryl Hall sounds much worse than he used to. He definitely tried to hit the falsetto notes in "You Make My Dreams," but it wasn't quite there. Time to give the old songs a rest, or at least change the key.
6. Nils Lofgren Looks Just Like Bruce Springsteen
Maybe not so much anymore, but the resemblance between Nils Lofgren and Bruce Springsteen circa 1978 is uncanny. Maybe Bruce recruited him originally because he wanted to pull an Elvis Presley, Bubba Ho-Tep style switcheroo. It could have worked. Seriously, look at this photo of Lofgren from the ceremony:
And now look at the cover of Darkness On the Edge of Town. Am I wrong?
7. Courtney Love Is Probably Never Getting In
Call me crazy, but I thought it was pretty distasteful for the crowd to be booing Courtney Love as she was accepting an award on behalf of her dead husband. She powered through it and ignored the crowd, though, so good for her for being the bigger person. Hole is definitely Hall of Fame worthy, but if the crowd's reaction to Love was any indication, she's not getting in for a long, long time.
8. Kim Gordon Rules
I already knew this before I saw her sing "Aneurysm" with Nirvana, but it's definitely been re-affirmed.
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