Guns N' Roses

Axl Rose Tweets Apology To Cleveland Fans For Rock Hall Of Fame Snub

18 Apr 2012 08:41:10 EDT

'Cleveland does in fact Rock!!' Rose writes to his Ohio fans.
By Gil Kaufman

Axl Rose clearly has no interest in resurrecting the classic lineup of Guns N' Roses, but the enigmatic hard rocker may just be on the cusp of bringing back another classic: the long-form letter. After dashing off a scathing note  last week in which he rejected the induction of GNR into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , Rose typed up another wordy missive to his fans in Cleveland, apologizing to them for not visiting their city while expressing his continued confusion about just what the RRHOF is really all about .

"To: Cleveland, Ohio, Guns N' Roses Fans and everyone who's shown support for my decision regarding the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame," read the letter Rose tweeted out on Tuesday. "I seriously didn't plan on or expect the overwhelmingly positive response and public support for my decision regarding the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

To: Cleveland, Ohio, Guns N' Roses Fans and everyone who's shown support for my decision regarding the Rock And (cont) tl.gd/h15648
— Axl Rose (@axlrose) April 17, 2012

With such a generous outpouring of solidarity from fans, media outlets, writers and other artists, I'm truly humbled, blown away and unbelievably relieved! To be honest, I thought it would go the other way and was just hoping to weather the storm. As I said, I sincerely didn't want to disappoint anyone. It gets old being the outlaw even if 'it's only rock and roll.'"

Rose said it took a lot of "focus and soul searching" to be sincere and informative in his original letter while still being diplomatic. In fact, Rose said he made honest efforts to learn everything he could about the Hall of Fame, including speaking to its president and some members.

"Though I inducted Elton John and Bernie Taupin in '94 saying something to the effect of 'I'm learning what the Hall's about...'   I still don't exactly know or understand what the Hall is or how or why it makes money, where the money goes, who chooses the voters and why anyone or this board decides who, out of all the artists in the world that have contributed to this genre, officially 'rock' enough to be in the Hall?  ," he wrote.

"This isn't an attack. These are genuine issues I don't have enough verified information on to have more than rough ideas. Certainly not enough information to make any judgments about. "

The main point of the note, it seems, was Rose's desire to apologize to the fine folks of Cleveland for not attending the ceremony in their city. "I think they know how much I genuinely love performing there," he said. "Cleveland does in fact Rock!!  Now that the smoke's cleared a little, any desperate, misguided attacks have been just that, a pathetic stab at gossip, some lame vindictiveness, the usual entitlement crap, he's obsessed, crazy, volatile, a hater. I once bought a homeless woman a slice of pizza who yelled at me she wanted soup. We got her the soup. You can get your own  Again: HUGE thanks to the fans and to everyone for the incredible public support. My congratulations to the other artists inducted. And my apologies to the city and people of Cleveland, Ohio. I hope you'll forgive me and we hope to see you again soon!"

The note ended with a request that, unlike the previous communiqué, this second note posted on the official GNR website, Facebook account and Rose's personal Twitter feed is not intended as a press release. "If anyone does choose to pick this up as has been done previously I'd appreciate if you'd run in full including this paragraph so as not to give a partial picture, have things taken out of context or to imply or inadvertently give the impression this was intended for other outlets."

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Guns N' Roses Shout Out 'That Metal Show' At Rock Hall

16 Apr 2012 13:48:56 EDT

Steven Adler reps VH1 Classic show onstage during GN'R induction.
By MTV News staff

Axl wasn't there, but Saturday night's (April 15) Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony did feature three original members of Guns N' Roses — Slash, Duff McKagan and Steven Adler — who jammed with former Gunners Gilby Clarke and Matt Sorum (plus Alter Bridge frontman Myles Kennedy stepping in to fill Rose's shoes) on a medley of the band's biggest hits.

Of course, there was also a cameo that only eagle-eyed fans of VH1 Classic's "That Metal Show" probably caught: The show's logo, worn squarely on Adler's chest.

Adler has appeared on "That Metal Show" before and is an avowed fan of the program — he even canceled a performance by his band Adler's Appetite in 2010 to appear as a guest. McKagan and Slash have both also appeared on "TMS," and, in fact, late last year, the former Guns guitarist discussed the band's inclusion in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with hosts Eddie Trunk, Jim Florentine and Don Jamieson (and Jamieson's awesome Wolverine sideburns).

And "TMS" also got the most elusive prize, a sit down with Axl Rose, who explained some of what caused so many starts and stops on old Guns tours. "A lot of times, the day of show, for some reason everything goes wrong.You're making mistakes, they are making mistakes and no one knows why. Everyone gets hit by ADD or something," said Rose. "A lot of this goes way way back to '91 when we were super late going onstage." Watch the Full Interview Here

At the time, Slash was still trying to figure out how the HOF even worked, and he was sure drama would certainly follow GN'R's induction, but he called it an honor nonetheless.

"The thing is trying to figure out exactly what the RRHOF actually is. Who put that together? Anybody could've come up with that," he laughed. "Under the circumstances, I don't spend a lot of time dwelling on it, but it's an honor, all things considered."

"That Metal Show" airs every Saturday at 11 p.m. ET on VH1 Classic.

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Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame Welcomes Guns N' Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers

15 Apr 2012 15:38:57 EDT

Beastie Boys were also inducted on a night when Guns singer Axl Rose refused to attend.
By Gil Kaufman

If it's the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, then drama is as much a prerequisite as loud guitars, receding hairlines and a night-ending all-star jam on a golden oldie.

Saturday night's 27th edition was no exception according to reports, with as much intrigue as a telenovela, as well as some genuinely peaceful Southern California bro-downage, irreverent induction speeches and fresh spots in the Hall for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beastie Boys, The Faces, Freddie King, Laura Nyro and Guns N' Roses.

The spotlight, of course, was on the famously fractured band of battling former brothers in GNR. Lead singer and sole remaining original member Axl Rose loudly decried the institution in a scathing letter  earlier in the week, saying he would not attend and intimating that anyone who did was a fraud.

That was just fine for former guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan, who made the most of the honor, while, ahem, never once mentioning Rose. "I don't know that it matters who's here tonight, because it's about the music that these bands played," said McKagan, who jammed a short time later on three songs with a pseudo-GNR made up of Slash, former Guns guitarist Gilby Clarke and drummers Steven Adler and Matt Sorum and Alter Bridge singer Myles Kennedy. It was the first time in nearly 20 years that Slash, McKagan and Adler had performed together and according to reports there were little signs of rust on the classics "Sweet Child O' Mine" and "Paradise City."

In his induction speech at the Cleveland ceremony, Green Day singer Billie Joe Armstrong dubbed Guns' 1987 album, Appetite for Destruction, "the best debut album in the history of rock and roll ... every song hits hard. It takes you ion a trip to the seedy world of Los Angeles. The thing that set them apart from everyone else was guts." And after ticking off the strengths of all the members of the group, he cheekily added, "Let's see, who am I missing?" The latter set off yet another chorus of four-letter catcalls from the 7,400 in attendance, which inspired Armstrong to add, "Shut up. He [Rose] was the greatest frontman to ever step in front of a microphone."

Rose wasn't the only star missing. Rod Stewart was not on hand to celebrate with the Faces/Small Faces because he was reportedly sick with the flu and Beastie Boys member Adam Yauch was absent because of ongoing recovery from cancer treatment.

B Boys member Mike D made up for it, giving a shout-out to the trio's hometown for inspiration. "Thank you, New York City, for basically raising us and giving us all the music we love and grew up on," said D, who was on hand along with bandmate Ad-Rock to celebrate becoming only the third hip-hop act in the Hall. During a later performance, Kid Rock, Travie McCoy and the Roots' Black Thought joined the duo for a medley of their classics, including "Sabotage."

Also inducted were Donovan, blues guitarist Freddie King, Laura Nyro, music exec Don Kirshner and a number of sidemen and backup musicians.

Accepting their award from comedian Chris Rock, Red Hot Chili Peppers singer Anthony Kiedis said it felt a bit weird to join such a hallowed hall when his band is still out on the road promoting new music. "We're going somewhere," he said. "How can we stop and take an award when really we're just halfway there?" The Peppers later performed with a triple-drummer line-up that included two former skins pounders, Jack Irons and Cliff Martinez.

The five-plus hour ceremony will be boiled down to a two-and-a-half hour special for a May 5 HBO broadcast.

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Will Any Guns N' Roses Alumni Be At Rock Hall Ceremony?

13 Apr 2012 20:00:40 EDT

'If it were totally up to me ... it'd be great if everybody showed up,' former bassist Duff McKagan told MTV News last month.
By James Montgomery, with reporting by Vanessa WhiteWolf

Ever since Axl Rose very publically announced he wanted nothing to do with Guns N' Roses induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, speculation has run rampant about just which (if any) of his former (or current) bandmates will be on hand to accept the honor. And with the ceremony set for Saturday in Cleveland, we're still not sure.

While Rose's open letter to the Hall may have upset some, one former GN'R man probably wasn't all that surprised. When MTV News sat down with bassist Duff McKagan (who served in Guns from 1985 until 1997) last month to discuss the paperback release of his biography "It's So Easy and Other Lies," well, he didn't seem all that optimistic that his former bandmates would ever be able to put aside the past two decades of squabbles and appear at the Hall.

"If it were totally up to me ... it'd be great if everybody showed up," he said. "If not, that's the way it's supposed to be. That's it; it's that simple for me."

And McKagan has already been down this path before: In 2007, he and his Velvet Revolver mates were tapped to induct — and subsequently jam with — Van Halen, a band whose backstory rivals possibly only GN'R's in terms of acrimony. By all accounts, former frontman David Lee Roth and guitarist Eddie Van Halen were all set to let bygones be bygones, share the stage together and bask in the moment. Of course, that didn't exactly happen.

"Five years ago, we were going to be the band, and David Lee Roth was going to get on and sing with us, and Eddie was going to play with us, and those guys weren't talking, but we were going to be the band and they were going to get up and play with us, somehow," he laughed. "And then it kind of fell apart, and we were already in New York, and we were kind of left holding the bag a little bit."

Still, even though he was eerily aware of all the drama that would come, McKagan was definitely touched by Guns' induction into the Hall — mostly because he knows how much it means to his fans (take note, Axl).

"It's an honor. It's not something I strove for my entire career, was not even on my radar, but I saw the outpouring of the fan reaction when we were nominated, and suddenly it became important, because I saw how important it was for people who got me to a place where I can be in a house and support my wife and kids," he said. "And what a journey we had, going from a little club band, playing to three people to eventually playing stadiums, just out of thin air ... and it's really incredible for it to be 25 years later, talking about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."

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Axl Rose Isn't First To Blast Rock And Roll Hall of Fame

12 Apr 2012 16:12:36 EDT

Black Sabbath, Kiss and the Sex Pistols have also blasted the institution.
By Gil Kaufman

Suffice it to say that in his lengthy, lawyerly letter to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this week refusing his induction  as part of the classic line-up of Guns N' Roses, singer Axl Rose had a bone (or two, or six or 20) to pick with the process.

It's hard to say who the enigmatic hard-rock icon was most mad at, but his steadfast refusal to attend the induction, or even acknowledge the honor, put him in a long tradition of rock legends who've either bashed the RRHOF for not including them (only to change their tune once their number came up) or refused to show up, not to mention the fans who've raised holy hell when their favorite bands couldn't make the cut.

"We Want You on That Wall, We Need You On That Wall": Our Open Letter To Axl Rose 

Among the other hell-raisers:

Ozzy Osbourne/Black Sabbath: Before the group got the call in 2005 , the Blizzard of Ozz had been very vocal about how little he wanted to do with the Hall. In a 1999 letter to the Hall of Fame, Ozzy famously told the institution, "Just take our name off the list. Save the ink. Forget about us. The nomination is meaningless, because it's not voted on by the fans. It's voted on by the supposed elite for the industry and the media, who've never bought an album or concert ticket in their lives, so their vote is irrelevant to me." He added, "Let's face it, Black Sabbath has never been media darlings. We're a people's band and that suits us just fine."

John Lydon/Sex Pistols: Lydon (aka "Johnny Rotten") was his typical snotty self when his pioneering punk band made the short list in 2006. In a cheeky letter, the perennially put out Lydon wrote, "Next to the Sex Pistols rock and roll and that hall of fame is a piss stain. Your museum. Urine in wine. We're not coming. We're not your monkey and so what?" Needless to say, the band did not show up for the ceremony.

Gene Simmons/Kiss: The kabuki theater bass player is never at a loss for words. And nothing makes him angrier than the fact that the "greatest band in the world" has never been invited to the party. He's lashed out at the Rock Hall repeatedly in the 12 years since his group became eligible. "There are disco bands, rap bands, Yiddish folk song bands, but not Kiss," he said in 2008.

David Lee Roth/Eddie Van Halen/Van Halen: The longest-running soap opera in rock was kicked up a notch in 2007 when VH was slated for induction. Original singer Roth had been rehearsing for the event and speculation swirled for months about who would show up and if replacement singer Sammy Hagar would be on hand as well. Then, in classic VH fashion, Eddie and Dave both bailed and it was left to Hagar and now-former bassist Michael Anthony to accept on the band's behalf.

And then there are the fans. In addition to the unending volley of complaints from the Kiss Army, followers of Canadian prog rockers Rush have been bellyaching for the past decade of the band's eligibility that the wizardly trio deserve their spot in the Hall. They've picketed, launched petitions and all but drawn their broadswords and threatened to storm the I.M. Pei-designed glass pyramid in Cleveland to rectify this grave injustice. All to no avail.

Are you disappointed that Axl Rose won't be at this weekend's Hall of Fame ceremony? Let us know in comments below.

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An Open Letter To Axl Rose And Guns N' Roses Fans Everywhere

12 Apr 2012 14:58:19 EDT

Our columnist comes out in support of the last remaining rock star after Axl's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame kiss-off.
By James Montgomery

To: W. Axl Rose, Guns N' Roses Fans and Whom It May Concern,

Greetings from New York City, which is approximately 490 miles from Cleveland, site of this weekend's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony and roughly 50 bazillion miles from whatever Bedouin caravan Mr. Rose is currently encamped with — though, to be honest, it feels much farther removed from both. Especially given the reaction most GN'R fans have had to Rose's open letter to the Hall of Fame, which he published Wednesday and which has subsequently turned him into the most hated man on the Internet.

Here's the thing (and, really, the reason I'm writing this letter): Despite the thousands of comments his letter has generated — which largely run the gamut from "YOU SUCK" to "Axl Rose is a freaking whiny-ass bitch" — I'm happy to be in the minority of people who seemingly have no problem with it whatsoever. In fact, I think it's pretty awesome.

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Because I support Axl Rose. And yes, I am aware that, in the past, I have called him "the creepy old guy with the Raiders jersey who lives on top of the hill" and compared him to Lil Wayne. And sure, I realize his recent, uh, output might not be on par with Guns' previous efforts (anyone can have a bad 20 years). But after reading his letter, none of those things matter. Or, if anything, they actually made it better for me. Because Axl Rose is a rock star. Maybe the last one standing. He is an anachronism and an enigma. There will never be another like him, and really, his missive to the Rock Hall is just further proof of all those points.

To wit: There are a lot of words in Rose's letter (more than 1,000 of them), none of which are "apology." This is because Axl never apologizes. Because he doesn't have to, and he doesn't care if that offends you. He also never allows himself to be backed into a corner — and everything from his unrelenting blood feud with Slash to the 15-year wait for Chinese Democracy is basically proof of this — and he intimates at several points in his letter that everyone from the HOF committee to his former bandmates was basically attempting to do just that. So rather than be intimidated, Rose just decided to walk away from the whole thing. As he writes, "No one's taking the ball and going home. ... From my perspective ... the ball's never been in our court."

It's easy to call Rose a jerk for doing this, but, really, he is a jerk. It's what makes him who he is and why he's still able to sell out arenas around the world. We've come to expect nothing less, and yet we're willing to vilify him for acting the way he always has.

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In some bizarre way, by skipping the induction (and asking his name not be mentioned in absentia), Rose displays a supreme level of actual integrity. Unlike, say, Ozzy Osbourne, who previously asked that his band Black Sabbath no longer be considered for the Hall only to show up at the 2006 induction and call it an "achievement," Axl won't come crawling back. And unlike fellow 2006 inductees Blondie, he spared anyone the ugly onstage feud that surely would've erupted by simply saying, "No thanks." He does what he wants and only what he wants. And the same goes for that much-discussed GN'R reunion, which he shuts down in the letter because, really, it's "time to move on."

And that last quote should be taken to heart by all the Guns fans out there raging against Rose today. Because, really, it is time to move on. Move on from your misguided beliefs that Rose is ever going to change or suddenly have a moment of clarity. It's been, like, 20 years now, and he's never wavered from his original point: No reunion, not ever. Guns N' Roses are still a band and they still tour, and if you don't like it, then don't come out to the shows. Even though you probably still will.

So, sure, be angry with Axl today. Make claims of never listening to his music again (which would suppose he's ever going to make music again) and accuse him of putting himself before his fans. But don't take him to task for being the same person he's been for 25 years now, because, really, you wouldn't want him to change. Not for a reunion tour, not for an induction ceremony, not for anything. He will continue to blaze his own path whether you follow him or not. And I applaud him for doing so. He is Axl Rose, after all. He is rock and roll in an era where that phrase has increasingly less clout. We want him on that wall. We need him on that wall. It's about the only way we can sleep at night, knowing somewhere, Axl is watching over us all. And writing open letters to let us know he still cares.

Sincerely,
James Montgomery

Is Axl a jerk, the last real rock star or all of the above? Let us know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @positivnegativ!

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Axl Rose Turns Down Guns N' Roses Rock Hall Induction

11 Apr 2012 18:42:50 EDT

'I respectfully decline my induction as a member of Guns N' Roses to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,' frontman posts on Facebook.
By James Montgomery

Ever since Guns N' Roses were announced as Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees in December, speculation has swirled about just who from the band's lengthy list of current (and former) members would show up at the ceremony.

Well, now we know who won't: mastermind Axl Rose, who announced Wednesday (April 11) that not only does he have no plans to attend Saturday's induction ceremony in Cleveland, but he wants nothing to do with the Hall at all.

"I won't be attending ... and I respectfully decline my induction as a member of Guns N' Roses to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame," Rose wrote in a Facebook message. "I strongly request that I not be inducted in absentia and please know that no one is authorized, nor may anyone be permitted, to accept my induction or speak on my behalf. Neither former members, label representatives nor the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame should imply, whether directly, indirectly, or by omission that I am included in any purported induction of 'Guns N' Roses.' "

Rose added that his reasoning behind the message was "personal" and "neither meant to offend, attack or condemn" any GN'R members who decide to attend the induction. He also hinted that, since Guns were announced as inductees, he'd worked with Hall officials to find an appropriate solution to the very real problem of who would be inducted under the name of Guns N' Roses, hoping to avoid "a complicated or awkward situation."

But, apparently, no solution could be reached.

"I feel we've been polite, courteous and open to an amicable solution in our efforts to work something out," Rose wrote. "Taking into consideration the history of Guns N' Roses, those who plan to attend, along with those the Hall — for reasons of their own — have chosen to include in 'our' induction ... and how those involved with the Hall have handled things ... [it] doesn't appear to be somewhere I'm actually wanted or respected."

"We are sorry Axl will not be able to accept his Induction in person," a spokesperson for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame told MTV News in a statement on Wednesday.

Rose also used his open letter to (once again) put to rest any and all speculation of burying the hatchet with former members — like guitarist Slash or drummer Steven Adler, to name a few — and launching a full-scale reunion tour, writing:

"Time to move on. People get divorced. Life doesn't owe you our own personal happy ending, especially at another's — or, in this case, several others' — expense," he wrote. "Maybe we can get the 'no show, grandstanding, publicity stunt, disrespectful, he-doesn't-care-about-the-fans crap out of the way ... no one's taking the ball and going home. ... From my perspective, in regard to both the Hall and a reunion, the ball's never been in our court.

"In closing, regardless of this decision and as hard to believe or ironic as it may seem, I'd like to sincerely thank the [Rock Hall] board for their nomination and their votes for Guns' induction," he added. "More importantly, I'd like to thank the fans for being there over the years, making any success we've had possible and for enjoying and supporting Guns N' Roses' music. I wish the Hall a great show, congratulations to all the other artists being inducted, and to our fans, we look forward to seeing you on tour!"

What do you think of Axl's note? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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Guns N' Roses Announce Six U.S. Tour Dates

30 Jan 2012 15:24:10 EST

Axl Rose and company to revisit NYC venue where they performed their 'Live at the Ritz' concerts 24 years ago.
By Andrea Duncan-Mao

All that's old is new again. Axl Rose and his revamped Guns N' Roses will revisit their beloved New York when they launch their Northeast tour in February.

In 2011, the band completed a sold-out international tour and will kick off 2012 with a series of intimate shows in the States, starting with New York. Beginning February 10, they will perform a three-show series in the city, the cornerstone of which will be at the club Webster Hall, which was originally called the Ritz. This is where GN'R played one of their most famous concerts, "Live at the Ritz," in 1998. For their return, the venue will revert to its original name, complete with new signage and marquee, and fans can wax nostalgic about the days when Guns were the biggest band on the planet.

Additional cities include Chicago; Silver Spring, Maryland; and Atlantic City, New Jersey. No word yet if more dates will be announced.

The stark difference this time around is that the original members of the group — namely Duff McKagan, Slash and Izzy Stradlin — will not be there. Axl remains the only original member in this latest incarnation of GN'R, and the latest crew has yet to release a new album. The last Guns N' Roses release was back in 2008 with Chinese Democracy.

McKagan currently lives in Seattle and has had success with his bands Velvet Revolver and Loaded, while the top-hat-wearing Slash, who was also in Velvet Revolver, has guested on tracks from Michael Jackson and Rihanna and is a major figure in the "Guitar Hero" video games.

Guns N' Roses tour dates, according to a press release:

» 2/10 - New York, NY @ Roseland Ballroom
» 2/12 - New York, NY @ Terminal 6
» 2/15 - New York, NY @ The Ritz (Webster Hall)
» 2/19 - Chicago, IL @ House of Blue
» 2/23 - Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore
» 2/24 - Atlantic City, NJ @ House of Blues

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Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers Make Rock Hall Of Fame

07 Dec 2011 08:35:23 EST

Guns N' Roses, Donovan and the Faces will also be inducted in April.
By Gil Kaufman

More than a quarter century after they brought hard rock back to the top of the heap, the original lineup of legendary Los Angeles band Guns N' Roses will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April. Guns were among the acts named on Wednesday as the Class of 2012, which includes fellow L.A. rockers the Red Hot Chili Peppers, iconic New York rap trio the Beastie Boys, 1960s pop singer Laura Nyro, the Small Faces (and their later Rod Stewart-led incarnation, the Faces), as well as mellow 1960s singer Donovan.

Also on the roster for the induction ceremony, which will take place on April 14 in Cleveland and air on HBO in early May, is early influence blues guitarist Freddie King and nonperformer Don Kirshner, who created the Archies and Monkees and hosted the long-running live-music TV show "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert."

Among those passed over  this year were the Cure, Joan Jett, Heart and hip-hip duo Eric B. & Rakim. Acts become eligible for the Hall 25 years after the release of their first single or album, so this year's crop all started releasing music in or before the year 1986.

Led by the mercurial lead singer Axl Rose, GN'R re-invented hard rock with 1987's Appetite for Destruction, which featured such indelible glam-punk hits as "Welcome to the Jungle," "Paradise City," "Sweet Child o' Mine" and "It's So Easy." The band splintered a decade later amid a clash of egos, disagreement over musical direction and drug issues that resulted in Rose soldiering on alone with a parade of replacement sidemen.

Before their induction was announced, buzz had already begun to build around a potential reunion between legendarily unfriendly co-founders Rose and guitarist Slash as well as the rest of the classic lineup, which included rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Steven Adler. Rose is currently on the road with the new Guns.

The Beastie Boys have been mixing rock, rap, soul, punk and funk for more than 30 years, helping to cross hip-hip over into the mainstream in a major way with their bratty 1986 full-length debut, License to Ill, rap's first #1 album. After providing drunken anthems for a generation thanks to "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to) Party," and "Brass Monkey," they followed up with 1989's head-tripping Paul's Boutique, which set a new standard for artistry in sampling. They've continued to rock the mic over the course of five more studio albums, including this year's Hot Sauce Committee Part Two.

Funk-punk lifers the Red Hot Chili Peppers formed in Los Angeles in 1983 and released their self-titled debut the next year. Formed around the core of hyperkinetic singer Anthony Kiedis, high-energy bassist Flea, late guitarist Hillel Slovak and former drummer Jack Irons, the band made a name for itself with a spastic combo of funk, punk, hard rock and hip-hop, graduating from an underground fanbase to worldwide stardom and Grammy-winning albums thanks to such landmark tracks as "Give It Away," "Under the Bridge" and "Scar Tissue."

Like the Who, English mod rockers the Small Faces were heavily influenced by American R&B, which they explored on signature songs "Itchycoo Park," "Lazy Sunday" and "All or Nothing." In their second phase as the Faces, members included future Rolling Stones rhythm guitarist Ronnie Wood and singer Rod Stewart.

Late singer/songwriter Laura Nyro was just 19 when she recorded her debut in 1966, the same year folk trio Peter, Paul & Mary recorded her song "And When I Die." The fragile singer with an eclectic style wrote a string of songs that became hits for other acts, including "Stoned Soul Picnic," "Sweet Blindness," "Wedding Bell Blues" and "Blowin' Away." She also scored her own hit with Carole King's "Up on the Roof."

Psychedelic folkie Donovan Leitch scored a number of hits in the 1960s, including "Sunshine Superman," "Mellow Yellow" and "Hurdy Gurdy Man."

Dissension has become one of the reliable side stories of the Rock Hall ceremonies. While such notoriously splintered acts as Led Zeppelin and the Talking Heads managed to set aside differences for one night (Blondie, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Van Halen not so much), the biggest question this year is whether Rose will make nice with his estranged former bandmates. There are also question marks over whether the Beastie Boys will perform, as the group have eschewed public appearances since the July 2009 revelation that member Adam "MCA" Yauch was undergoing treatment for cancer  of the salivary gland in the throat.

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Guns N' Roses, Eric B. & Rakim Nab Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Nods

27 Sep 2011 13:25:38 EDT

Joan Jett, Heart, the Cure and the Spinners also among nominees.
By Gil Kaufman

One defined rock in the 1980s and early 1990s, and the other's biggest hit name-calls the genre. Those might be some reasons why Guns N' Roses and Joan Jett are among the leading nominees for this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class of 2012.

In addition to the Axl Rose-led group and the woman who made "I Love Rock 'n Roll" a rallying cry, other first-time nominees who could take the podium at the April 14, 2012, induction ceremony at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio, include legendary mope rockers the Cure, sister act Heart, hip-hop icons Eric B. & Rakim, classic vocal group the Spinners, blues giant Freddie King, soul act Rufus with Chaka Khan and 1960s rockers the Small Faces/Faces.

A number of previous nominees are back again for another shot at the Hall, including the Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, War, Donovan and Laura Nyro.

Acts become eligible for the Hall 25 years after the release of their first single or album, so this year's crop all started releasing music in or before the year 1986.

Jett is one of the most iconic women in rock, from her teenage jailbait tour in the all-girl group the Runaways to her tough-as-nails leather-clad days as a solo star and bandleader of the Blackhearts. With her signature low-slung guitar, spiky black hair and Elvis sneer, Jett broke out as a solo star in the early 1980s with a string of fist-pumping hits (many of which were covers of old-school rock tunes) including "I Love Rock 'n Roll," "Crimson and Clover," "I Hate Myself for Loving You," "Do You Wanna Touch Me" and "Bad Reputation."

Led by the mercurial Rose, GN'R re-invented hard rock with 1987's Appetite for Destruction, which featured such indelible glam-punk hits as "Welcome to the Jungle," "Paradise City," "Sweet Child o' Mine" and "It's So Easy." The band splintered a decade later amid a clash of egos, disagreement over musical direction and drug issues that resulted in Rose soldiering on alone with a parade of replacement sidemen.

New York's Eric B. & Rakim are considered one of the greatest hip-hop duos of all time, rising to prominence on 1986's Paid in Full with a sound that mixed scratching and samples of old-school R&B with B.'s hard-hitting rhymes on tunes such as "Eric B. Is President," "I Know You Got Soul," the title track and "Move the Crowd."

Formed in 1976, British band the Cure have become shorthand for a certain kind of poppily depressive goth rock sound. Fronted by fright-wig-and-red-lipstick-wearing Robert Smith, the Cure are enduring college rock favorites thanks to such gloomily frothy tunes as "Friday I'm in Love," "Just Like Heaven," "Close to Me" and "Why Can't I Be You?"

Sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson formed Heart in 1973 in Seattle, Washington, mixing their love of hard rock and folk music on such mid-1970s radio staples as "Crazy on You," "Magic Man" and "Barracuda." R&B vocal group the Spinners were birthed on the fertile Detroit soul scene in 1961, hitting the charts multiple times with songs including "It's a Shame," "I'll Be Around," "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love" and "Games People Play."

Chicago blues band Rufus struck gold with lead singer Chaka Khan, who helped them score hits with "Tell Me Something Good," "Sweet Thing" and "Ain't Nobody." Late Texas bluesman King (known as "The Texas Cannonball") was often referred to as one of the "three kings" of electric blues guitar, along with Albert King and B.B. King. He was best known for the songs "Have You Ever Loved a Woman" and "Hide Away" and for being one of the first blues players to have an integrated backing band.

Dissension has become one of the reliable side stories of the Rock Hall ceremonies. While such notoriously splintered acts as Led Zeppelin and the Talking Heads managed to set aside differences for one night (Blondie, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Van Halen not so much), the biggest question this year is whether sole remaining Guns member Rose will make nice with his estranged former bandmates should the group make it into the Hall of Fame.

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