{"id":359690,"date":"2025-11-06T11:41:13","date_gmt":"2025-11-06T11:41:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/359690\/"},"modified":"2025-11-06T11:41:13","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T11:41:13","slug":"why-los-angeles-long-overlooked-by-the-rock-hall-finally-gets-its-musical-due","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/359690\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Los Angeles, long overlooked by the Rock Hall, finally gets its musical due"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A cross-section of music superstars \u2014 Soundgarden, Outkast, Warren Zevon, the White Stripes, Cyndi Lauper<\/a>, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Salt-N-Pepa, Bad Company and industry icon Lenny Waronker \u2014 will be inducted Saturday into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in a ceremony to be held at L.A. Live\u2019s Peacock Theater.<\/p>\n

A roster of music stars spanning generations will be on hand to celebrate the inductees. Among them: Olivia Rodrigo, Elton John, Janelle Monae, En Vogue, Beck, Doja Cat, Brandi Carlile, Flea, Joe Perry, Questlove, Teddy Swims, Bryan Adams, Avril Lavigne, Heart\u2019s Nancy Wilson, Donald Glover, Jerry Cantrell, 21 Pilots and Raye. Comedy veterans David Letterman and Jim Carrey also will participate in the event.<\/p>\n

John Sykes, chairman of the Rock Hall, said, \u201cBeing inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has become music\u2019s highest honor.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cAn induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is recognition that an artist has helped shape the sound of a generation. It means that their music has, in some way, defined culture,\u201d said 21 Pilots\u2019 Tyler Joseph.<\/p>\n

Vicky Cornell, widow of late Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell, said: \u201cThis recognition means so much as it not only celebrates the extraordinary body of work that Chris created with his band \u2014 songs born from his soul, his imagination, and relentless dedication; it honors Soundgarden\u2019s profound effect on music that helped create a whole new genre \u2014 grunge \u2014 with the depth of Chris\u2019 writing and his creative vision at its core. … It reminds us that Chris\u2019s spirit lives on \u2014 in every song, every lyric, and every soul his music continues to touch.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Times spoke with Sykes, who made L.A. part of the induction calendar, along with New York and Cleveland, home of the actual Rock Hall building, when he replaced Jann Wenner in 2020. Sykes gave a preview of the night, which will include many surprises.<\/p>\n

How do you approach a ceremony in L.A., which obviously has such a distinct history versus the other places?<\/b><\/p>\n

Well, although the primary goal of the hall is to each year induct the most deserving candidates, we do look at where we\u2019re going. And if one of the artists is from that area geographically, we try to shine a light on them. For example, Warren Zevon has been eligible for years and almost inducted. This year, he happened to get in. So, we\u2019ve decided to celebrate that and really shine a light on him, not just because he deserves to be, but also, he was from L.A. So, I have something very special planned for him. Also, Lenny Waronker is deserving. He would have gotten in no matter what city he was in, but because it is in Los Angeles, it\u2019s great that Lenny will be there. But, for the most part, we are focusing on the most deserving artists. And because we know it takes so long sometimes to be inducted, that\u2019s our primary focus every year.<\/p>\n

You have Outkast, Warren Zevon, White Stripes and Cyndi Lauper, among others, all being inducted together. <\/b><\/p>\n

What I love about this class of inductees is that they really reflect the diversity of rock \u2018n\u2019 roll. They really reflect the sounds that really were influenced by the original creatives of rock \u2018n\u2019 roll from rhythm, blues, gospel, and country in the \u201850s, which has lived on through rock \u2018n\u2019 roll, through hip-hop, through various genres that have evolved, but they all have their roots that go back to rock \u2018n\u2019 roll.<\/p>\n

Then you get someone like Chubby Chucker, who was there at the beginning of rock \u2018n\u2019 roll.<\/b><\/p>\n

I was actually surprised that he, as a performer, hadn\u2019t been inducted. One of our nominating committee members, Cliff Bernstein, really convinced the room that, although we celebrated the song in the past, \u201cThe Twist,\u201d Chubby didn\u2019t get his moment in the spotlight. And he did very well in the voting. Sometimes an artist can get in the first ballot. For others, it takes years.<\/p>\n

How did you choose L.A. as a regular market for the induction ceremony?<\/b><\/p>\n

When I took over the hall in 2020, I made a commitment that we would have more induction ceremonies in Los Angeles because so much of what we\u2019ve seen in the history of rock \u2018n\u2019 roll music and its growth came from Los Angeles. It just seemed that for years, the Hall of Fame was a New York-based foundation with the museum in Cleveland when half, if not more, of the artists came from Los Angeles. So, it\u2019s really why now every third year we\u2019re in New York, Cleveland or Los Angeles. Los Angeles now is one of the cornerstones of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. I\u2019m very proud of that.<\/p>\n

Similarly to the Grammys, which is largely seen by the general public as one huge night but works year-round, how do you raise the profile of the hall nationally year-round?<\/b><\/p>\n

We made a commitment to have a greater presence in Los Angeles in the last two years. We\u2019ve celebrated some important documentaries, like \u201cSan Francisco Sound,\u201d as part of our Rock & Roll Hall of Fame screening series, and more recently, Bruce Springsteen\u2019s \u201cRoad Diaries\u201d that came out last year on Hulu that we also celebrated in Los Angeles. So, we\u2019re widening the aperture of the Hall of Fame from being just an induction ceremony once a year and really looking at how fans can connect with the hall and its inductees 365 days a year.<\/p>\n

\"Inductees <\/p>\n

Inductees Richie Faulkner, left, and Rob Halford of Judas Priest perform during the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Nov. 5, 2022.<\/p>\n

(Chris Pizzello \/ Invision)<\/p>\n

Would there ever be plans to do traveling exhibits in L.A. or New York or other cities like Detroit?<\/b><\/p>\n

I think if you look at the country \u2014 Detroit, Chicago, Memphis, even the East and Lower East sides of New York and clearly San Francisco and Los Angeles \u2014 there are many touch points, many important cities in this country that have really contributed to the growth and the evolution of rock \u2018n\u2019 roll. And while we\u2019ve looked at traveling museums, what really interests us most is looking at a virtual hall where fans anywhere in the country, or the world, can connect with the inductees, the performances and the legacy of rock \u2018n\u2019 roll music. That\u2019s exactly what we\u2019re doing now tied in with a platform. We\u2019re building a virtual platform and obviously really stepping up our presence on social media to share these incredible artists and stories of rock \u2018n\u2019 roll.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the timeline for that? <\/b><\/p>\n

We\u2019re in process of developing it all right now, and I think soon you\u2019ll see, or in the coming years, you\u2019ll see a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame documentary series. I think you\u2019ll see a real stepped-up social presence, as I mentioned, and a virtual presence that will allow fans anywhere to connect with the hall. Part of our goal is to drive more people to Cleveland, to this beautiful museum. But if they can never make it there … they can celebrate what\u2019s in that museum and what we have in our archives anywhere in the world.<\/p>\n

What are your favorite items in the archives?<\/b><\/p>\n

What I\u2019m very excited about currently in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is an incredible exhibit that we partnered with \u201cSaturday Night Live\u201d on celebrating the 50 years of music on \u201cSNL.\u201d Lorne Michaels came out to see the exhibit, Fred Armisen actually got up and played on the stage at the museum. It really celebrates between 1,500 and 2,000 performances on that show. It\u2019s the only place right now where you can see every single musical performance ever on \u201cSNL\u201d on demand. It\u2019s not available on television, on streaming anywhere. It\u2019s only available at the Hall of Fame. We recently had an exhibit on \u201cGet Back\u201d with Peter Jackson for the Beatles, which was incredible. What I love, though, are some of the hidden gems we have in the archives. We basically have an interview series, oral sessions, with some of the greatest artists in rock \u2018n\u2019 roll telling the story of their lives. There are warehouses filled with incredible pieces that we can share with fans. It\u2019s going to be part of them. Some of them now will be able to be seen live in this new expansion we have that will open in 2027 to our IMPA designed museum in Cleveland.<\/p>\n

\"Three <\/p>\n

Sly Stone, with Freddie Stone and Larry Graham in the background, performing on television on Oct. 15, 1969.<\/p>\n

(CBS via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

This year we lost Brian Wilson, Ozzy Osbourne<\/b> and Sly Stone, among others. Talk about the importance of the hall and sharing these artists and their legacy.<\/b><\/p>\n

Yeah, baseball has Cooperstown; football has Canton, Ohio. The NBA has Springfield, Mass., and for the last 40 years, music has had Cleveland. We have that museum, which is run by Greg Harris, our president. He takes very seriously how we celebrate these incredible artists and their contributions to not only music, but to politics and culture. There\u2019s no one I\u2019ve ever met who hasn\u2019t come out of that museum completely blown away by the depth of content and music that we celebrate. I think that\u2019s what you\u2019ll see in this year\u2019s induction ceremony, where we\u2019re paying tribute to those great artists, like Sly [a.k.a. ] Sylvester Stewart, like Brian Wilson and others that we\u2019ve lost, and Warren Zevon. You\u2019ll see some incredible moments we\u2019ve got ready to go. There are surprises, and you really won\u2019t want to miss them. And some of the biggest names in music will be there, including Elton John. We\u2019re going to have Chappell Roan, Doja Cat, some incredible young artists celebrating their heroes. … So, you\u2019ve seen Olivia Rodrigo singing \u201cYou\u2019re So Vain,\u201d Harry Styles getting up with Stevie Nicks singing \u201cGold Dust Woman.\u201d When you look at a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame stage every year, there\u2019s nothing like it. You see literally the biggest artists in the world today celebrating the heroes from 25 years ago or more.<\/p>\n

As much as you want the biggest names, they have to be a match, I assume. When you start to think about who can sing like Joe Cocker, that\u2019s a limited<\/b> list. <\/b><\/p>\n

Teddy Swims will be there singing for Joe Cocker. And he\u2019s going to be backed up by the Tedeschi Trucks Band. They do Joe Cocker live on their shows. Because some of the artists have passed, you\u2019ll see a young artist paying tribute to them. But even a Cyndi Lauper will have some very famous names sharing the stage with her. Jack White will be in the room. Whether he\u2019ll be onstage, you\u2019re going to have to find out. … But I promise you, there are going to be some amazing artists celebrating the music of the White Stripes on that stage.<\/p>\n

\"Soundgarden <\/p>\n

Soundgarden members Kim Thayil, from left, Matt Cameron, Chris Cornell and Ben Shepherd in 2014. <\/p>\n

(Jack Plunkett \/ Invision)<\/p>\n

For a band like Soundgarden, for example, do you make suggestions with them or do they totally pick who\u2019s going to sing with them? <\/b><\/p>\n

We work hand in hand with the artists. Rick Krim, who also runs our nominating committee at the Hall of Fame, works very closely with the artists who help curate the show. So, it always starts out as a conversation. And the artists themselves have ideas. At the end of the day, it\u2019s whoever they feel comfortable with celebrating their success, and we support that.<\/p>\n

I imagine as well it\u2019s a heavy thing for the artists and families inducting people they have lost. <\/b><\/p>\n

It\u2019s huge. And these artists and their families take it very seriously, as do we. We do everything possible to make it the greatest evening of their life. And it\u2019s important, too, to recognize them as not only having an incredible career, but also what they\u2019ve done to contribute to the growth and evolution of rock \u2018n\u2019 roll and its continued impact on culture, 70 years after it was basically invented in the \u201850s through the collision of rhythm, blues, gospel and country, which you can trace all the music today back to those very early days.<\/p>\n

Do you see a common thread between all these artists?<\/b><\/p>\n

The beauty of rock \u2018n\u2019 roll is that these artists don\u2019t look alike. They don\u2019t sound alike, but they have one thing in common \u2014 attitude. They\u2019ve got attitude and they\u2019ve moved generations. That\u2019s the beauty of the induction ceremony. On one hand, you\u2019re celebrating Cyndi Lauper from an album she put out in the \u201880s, and on the other you look at Outkast that changed the game for music in the late \u201890s. But they all exist together in a musical ecosystem that is rock \u2018n\u2019 roll.<\/p>\n

Then when you\u2019re curating it, it becomes the biggest festival in the world.<\/b><\/p>\n

It is a lot of work, but at the end of the day, one of the greatest opportunities to be able to work with all these artists, some of the most important ones of our time, to bring them on one stage, on one night to celebrate their music and those around them. Our job really is to curate, help them plan, and then get out of the way.<\/p>\n

Tickets are available at AXS US – 40th annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony – Los Angeles – Peacock Theater – Nov 8.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A cross-section of music superstars \u2014 Soundgarden, Outkast, Warren Zevon, the White Stripes, Cyndi Lauper, Chubby Checker, Joe…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":359691,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5123],"tags":[8067,1582,276,10443,13593,9958,17746,174941,55257,2961,224,5337,11365,174940,405,168914,983,174939,1628],"class_list":{"0":"post-359690","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-los-angeles","8":"tag-artist","9":"tag-ca","10":"tag-california","11":"tag-chris","12":"tag-cleveland","13":"tag-country","14":"tag-fame","15":"tag-inductee","16":"tag-l-a-live","17":"tag-la","18":"tag-los-angeles","19":"tag-losangeles","20":"tag-museum","21":"tag-music-star","22":"tag-new-york","23":"tag-other-place","24":"tag-rock","25":"tag-roll-hall","26":"tag-year"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115502572393358719","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/359690","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=359690"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/359690\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/359691"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=359690"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=359690"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=359690"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}