We’re just days away from the annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony at L.A.’s Peacock Theater, and the list of no-shows seems to be growing by the hour. We’ve known for quite some time that Iron Maiden will be touring Australia on induction weekend, not that they were going to show up anyway, and that New Order‘s Stephen Morris and Gillian Gilbert are remaining in England as she undergoes cancer treatment.
But we’ve just learned that Sade and Oasis won’t be there either. Phil Collins plans on attending, but he’s said that he won’t perform. That means Billy Idol and Wu-Tang Clan could be the only nominees in the Performer category who step away from the podium and play some music.
In past years, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced a long list of presenters and guest performers prior to the ceremony. But they’ve done nothing of the sort this time, shrouding the event in more mystery than any induction ceremony in recent memory, or perhaps in the entire history of the organization. It’s leaving us with quite a few burning questions. Here are 10 of them.
What will happen with Joy Division/New Order?
Joy Division/New Order fans have spent the past 20 years hoping the group would take a page from the Talking Heads playbook by putting aside all their differences on induction night and playing together one last time. When we spoke to bassist Peter Hook back in April, he was willing to consider it under the right conditions, even though it’s been two decades since they last played together. “If Bernard [Sumner] pops his head around,” he said, “and goes, ‘Hey Hooky, sorry about that eight-year legal battle that cost you six years’ wages. I’m really sorry about it. We should maybe have just had a chat about it.’ So you never know, dear. Life is full of surprises.”
Two months later, a huge surprise indeed happened when Morris and Gilbert announced they were exiting the touring lineup, leaving Sumner as the last founding member for their upcoming run of South American dates. The tour kicks off Nov. 23 in São Paulo, Brazil, meaning Sumner is on the verge of crossing the Atlantic. Might he come over a bit early and head up to L.A. to make peace with Hooky? We have no idea, since Sumner hasn’t said a word in public about the Hall of Fame, but it seems pretty unlikely.
Does that mean Peter Hook accepts the award on his own? Does he perform with his band, the Light, even though his son and bandmate, Jack Bates, is playing with the Smashing Pumpkins that night at the Darker Waves festival in Huntington Beach, just 40 miles away? Could Jack somehow pull a rare Phil-Collins-at-Live-Aid maneuver and make it to both events? Will another artist or band instead play “Love Will Tear Us Apart” and “Blue Monday”? Will Peter Hook perform with them? There are a lot of questions here, and no answers as of yet.
How about Oasis?
If Liam and Noel Gallagher had been feeling extra cheeky this year, they could have shown up and completely taken over the induction ceremony. The speeches would have been legendary, and it would have gone down in history as one of their all-time great moments. Unsurprisingly, they both decided to remain in England. Noel is playing at Goldie’s EFG Jazz Festival at London’s Royal Festival Hall, and Liam has his own reasons. “Everyone’s a soft cunt these days there boring as fuck everyone’s up there own arse and far too sensitive,” he wrote on X. “I’d rather stay and stack the dishwasher…If it was in the UK I’d be there but for some reason it’s in LA and that’s miles away.”
The other members have yet to speak out, but it’s very safe to assume that current members Gem Archer, Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs, and Andy Bell have no intention of angering their paymasters by showing up. They’ve done no press since the reunion began, and they surely won’t be seeking out the spotlight here. But the Gallagher brothers have no sway over past members Tony McCarroll, Paul McGuigan, and Alan White. It would be quite amusing to see those guys stand at the podium representing Oasis, but it’s certainly possible. (Something similar happened when Dire Straits got in back in 2018 and Mark Knopfler stayed home.)
But it’ll be tough for two drummers and a bassist to perform “Wonderwall” and “Champagne Supernova.” The Hall of Fame is going to have to bring in guest artists for that. We have no clue who they’ve lined up.
Is there any chance Phil Collins changes his mind?
Back in May, Phil Collins spilled his Hall of Fame plans to the BBC. “They asked me if I would perform,” he told host Charlotte Gallagher. “I said no. You’ve gotta be match-fit to do something like that. You can’t just go onstage. You’re going to have to rehearse. And by that point, if you haven’t been singing, your voice is going to be shot, and that’s not going to be good. I’d rather not do it.”
But that was six months ago. Since that time, Collins has said that he’s been thinking about a comeback tour. “Once you’ve been onstage all your life and tasted that, it’s difficult to stop,” he recently said in an interview with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. “I never say exactly never. Every now and again, I think about, well, going out on the road again. You can’t do that kind of thing just for a half a dozen shows, because it’s not financially practical. So I do think every now and again that I haven’t finished.”
It’s extraordinarily unlikely, maybe 100 to 1, but not completely outside the realm of possibility that he’s secretly been getting his voice in shape and will begin this live comeback at the Hall of Fame. It’s very easy to close your eyes and imagine the moment. The lights dim at the start of the ceremony. A familiar drum loop begins to play. The spotlight hits a man seated in a chair. “I can feel it coming…” The place would absolutely erupt. But now open your eyes and rejoin a reality where Collins will likely sit in the audience and watch a group like Twenty One Pilots or Coldplay play the song.
If the Hall inducted Phil Collins as a solo artist a decade or two ago, as they should have, we wouldn’t be in this situation. They have only themselves to blame.
Who will sing “White Wedding” and “Rebel Yell” with Billy Idol?
There was never any doubt that Billy Idol was showing up to this thing. He’s been patiently waiting decades for this big moment, and would likely be there even if he got his leg stuck in a bear trap on the way over. And there’s no doubt that he’s singing “White Wedding” and “Rebel Yell” alongside guitarist Steve Stevens. There’s also no doubt it’ll be a big highlight of the evening. Even at 70, Idol remains a stellar live act. His shows with Devo this year were incredible.
But the Hall of Fame won’t put him and Stevens on that stage alone. They’ll almost certainly give him a duet partner. In recent years, he’s sung with both Carrie Underwood and Miley Cyrus. It’s easy to imagine one of them showing up for an encore performance, along with a wide range of others. We don’t know who it’ll be, but he’ll definitely be paired with someone much younger. This is a TV event that attempts to hit as many demographic sweet spots as possible.
How will they honor Bob Weir and Dolly Parton?
Thankfully, we haven’t lost many musical giants since the last Hall of Fame ceremony took place. Two big exceptions are Bob Weir and Dolly Parton. It’s a safe bet that Hall of Fame organizers are going to pause the proceedings to honor both of them. Could that mean John Mayer paying respects to his longtime bandmate? And is there a single country artist on the planet who would turn down the chance to sing for Dolly? We expect to see some heavy hitters on the stage. Let’s pray that Rob Halford is one of them. They had a great moment together when Dolly was inducted in 2022. (Let’s also hope they skip past the obvious “I Will Always Love You.” She has a very deep catalog. And they can’t top the “Jolene” from 2022. Don’t even try.)
Will Iron Maiden get a big moment?
Iron Maiden have not exactly made it a secret that they feel genuine contempt for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. “I’m really happy we’re not there and I would never want to be there,” frontman Bruce Dickinson said in 2018. “If we’re ever inducted I will refuse – they won’t bloody be having my corpse in there. Rock N’ Roll music does not belong in a mausoleum in Cleveland. It’s a living, breathing thing, and if you put it in a museum, then it’s dead. It’s worse than horrible, it’s vulgar.”
The band struck a much more diplomatic tone when they actually got in this year (“it’s always nice to be recognised and honoured for any achievements”), but made no effort to adjust their tour plans to be there. That could just mean the Hall of Fame brings in another hard rock band to play one of their songs. But it also might mean they simply play a mini-doc that sums up their career as the Hall of Fame sets the stage between acts. They’ve done this a lot in recent years to move the show along. It would anger some metal fans, but feels like a very plausible scenario.
Will Sade be reduced to a video montage?
Sade waited until the relative last minute to announce that they weren’t coming to the Hall of Fame, but it was hardly a big surprise. The soul group has been totally inactive since 2011, and lead singer Sade is a pretty reclusive figure. But that doesn’t mean they won’t bring in a guest singer to tackle “Smooth Operator” and “The Sweetest Taboo.” It won’t be easy, though. Nobody can sing those songs like Sade herself.
Who will honor Gram Parsons?
Three days before the ceremony, Emmylou Harris, Elvis Costello, the Black Crowes, Margo Price, and many others paid tribute to Gram Parsons during a special show at the Troubadour in L.A.. It would be pretty easy for the Hall of Fame to simply stage a mini version of it at the induction ceremony, since Gram Parsons is entering as an Early Influence. We’ll see if it happens.
How will they handle the hip-hop honorees?
Wu-Tang Clan are being inducted in the Performer category this year, and Queen Latifah and MC Lyte are both getting Early Influence awards. In a just world, all three acts would get their own spotlight moments. Let’s hope that happens. If they give MC Lyte five minutes to do a medley of “Cha Cha Cha,” “Poor Georgie,” and “Cold Rock a Party,” old-school hip-hop fans will be very happy. At least we have no doubt that Wu-Tang will be given an extended segemnt. And if they all speak, it’ll be a very long evening.
Will Rick Rubin actually dress up?
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony is no longer a black-tie affair where the male inductees wear tuxedos. But most honorees still make an effort to look at least somewhat glamorous. That said, Rick Rubin, this year’s Award for Musical Excellence winner, lives much of his life like he’s cosplaying as the Dude from The Big Lebowski. He’s even worn shorts to major awards show ceremonies. Will he dress up for the occasion or remain in character? Like all the other questions on this list, we’ll have definitive answers in just a few days.
Daniel D`Amico for SANREMO.FM
