2012 Rock & Roll HOF Induction Ceremony

Photo courtesy RockHall.Com

Three bands that first made it "Big" in the 80s were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last night. Guns N' Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and The Beastie Boys are all official members now at the hallowed music grounds in Cleveland, OH. Some other familiar faces from the 80s attended, but turned out the ceremony was mostly about who was not there...

Axl Rose No Where To Be Found

Photo courtesy RockHall.Com

You'll notice that the headline photo of this post is Guns N' Roses, but obviously, that's not Axl Rose. Myles Kennedy, lead singer/guitarist for Alter Bridge and frequently collaborator with Slash, filled in for Rose at the awards ceremony. Rose is quoted in an open letter to the HOF that he didn't plan to attend because it "doesn't appear to be somewhere I'm actually wanted or respected." He went on to say "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 any induction for me or speak on my behalf." After all that though, he ends his letter by thanking the HOF board for their votes and induction. Reuters reports that the 6,000 in attendance booed when Billy Joe Armstrong of Green Day asked them "who was missing" during his induction speech with Guns N' Roses members on stage.

Really Axl? C'mon. If they didn't respect you, would they have invited you? How much more cred and/or respect could he have gained back by being present for the induction. Not that he had to reunite for a one-off show, but to at least make an appearance with his former band members SHOULD have happened. Personally, I don't get why inductees snub the HOF. Maybe for some it's their anti-establishment persona that they don't want to ruin, but in this case, it seems it was just bad blood that has never been transfused.

Peppers Heat Up The Stage

Photo courtesy RockHall.Com

On the opposite end of the induction ceremony spectrum is The Red Hot Chili Peppers. All members attended, present and past. Chris Rock added during his induction speech that he was glad they wore black ties rather than tube socks for such a formal occasion. Billboard reports that bassist Flea let the tears flow freely as he thanked his mother, producer Rick Rubin and others. Lead singer Anthony Kiedis later thanked his longtime friend and cohort Flea for helping him to get clean. The finale was a who's who of musicians in attendance for the RHCP's breakthrough hit in 1989, the Stevie Wonder remake "Higher Ground."

Now that is how you present yourselves when given a lifetime achievement award. Flea wrote awhile back on the RHCP website that "I am not usually one to get to excited about awards or accolades, but about (the Rock and Roll HOF award) I am very excited indeed. I am truly grateful for this honor. To our fans, who have supported us for all these years, given us purpose, and wildly energized us night after night, thank you."

Beastie "Punks" Inducted

 Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

LL Cool J's first impression of the Beastie Boys..."punks", according to his lighter-side induction speech. Chuck D of Public Enemy went the more serious route and said of the inductees "they brought a whole new look to rap and hip-hop. They proved that rap could come from any street -- not just a few." Sadly, Adam Yauch aka "MCA" was unable to attend the ceremony, due to what most believed to be his ongoing struggle with cancer. Mike "Mike D" Diamond and Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz did accept the award and in their speech, read a thank-you note from Yauch that told fans "This induction is as much ours as it us yours." Travie (of Gym Class Heroes), Black Thought and Kid Rock gave a tribute performance to the Beastie Boys.

In a statement released earlier by the Beastie Boys, they wrote “We’re in the rock and roll hall of fame? That’s f---- crazy and awesome! While we are very proud of the music we make, we have to acknowledge the inspiration from our families, friends and musicians like the slits, bad brains, x-ray spex, the treacherous three and too many others to possibly name. And most of all, we give thanks to New York City and the world of musical influence it provided for us.”

Also Spotted at the Ceremony

Mick Hucknall of Simply Red sat in for Rod Stewart during the induction ceremony for Faces. Stewart was at home recovering from the flu. Hucknall, who has been collaborating with the band since 2009, performed a three song set with the band including my personal favorite "Stay With Me."

Mike Coppola/Getty Images

ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill were on hand to pay tribute to blues legend Freddie King who was posthumously inducted. 

Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

John Mellancamp performed a duet with inductee Donovan, who was one of his musical inspirations as a teenager. He talked about his first meeting with his hero, which happened to be after a fistfight with one of his Donovan's guitarists.

Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Thanks to Reuters, Billboard, and RockHall sites for content.

Visit the link below for more pics from the ceremony.

2012 Hall of Fame Inductions Ceremony Photo Galleryat RockHall.com