ELO, Joan Baez, Journey, Pearl Jam, Tupac And Yes Enter The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame

Big Night In Brooklyn

The 2017 ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME induction ceremony took place FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2017 at BARCLAYS CENTER in BROOKLYN, NY for the third time. The show will have its television premiere on HBO, and a radio broadcast on SIRIUSXM.

The 2017 inductees included ELO (ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA), JOAN BAEZ, JOURNEY, PEARL JAM, TUPAC SHAKUR and YES. An Award for Musical Excellence was given to NILE RODGERS.

[Video From The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame]

Some of the highlights of the evening included STEVE PERRY's first onstage appearance with JOURNEY in 26 years, a reunion of Prog kings YES, who performed with RUSH's GEDDY LEE sitting in on bass, a tribute to TUPAC SHAKUR and a performance of PEARL JAM with their original lineup.

DAVID LETTERMAN replaced an ailing NEIL YOUNG, and said, "When I came here for rehearsals, I was reminded what a gift live music is," adding while inducting PEARL JAM. "Never take live music for granted."

ROLLING STONE reports, ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME Chairman JANN WENNER, "spoke about the recent death of CHUCK BERRY, the first person ever inducted into THE HALL OF FAME. 'No one in this room would be here tonight but for this man,' he said. 'He is called the father, or the inventor, of rock & roll. He was the first to hear it. He put the poetry of the common man to the beat and then he laid down the law with that revved-up, motorvatin', double-string guitar attack for every rock & roll musician that came after'."

The ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA followed, "with their 1973 cover of BERRY's 'Roll Over Beethoven,' wrote ROLLING STONE, "JEFF LYNNE broke out a guitar solo that would have made BERRY proud and sang with a pristine voice that showed remarkably few signs of age. The group then tore through 'Evil Woman' and 'Mr. Blue Sky,' though it remains a mystery why keyboardist RICHARD TANDY wasn't in the house despite being a key part of ELO since the very beginning and current member of the touring lineup."

Next up was 60s icon and folk queen JOAN BAEZ. ROLLING STONE noted, "After a speech by JACKSON BROWNE that explained her key role in the folk revival and the civil rights struggle, she pointed out that she's not exactly a rock icon. 'While one cannot say I'm a rock & roll artist, one cannot overlook the folk music of the Sixties and the immense effect it had on popular music including rock & roll," she said. 'Nor can anyone overlook the roll that I played in that phenomenon.' She wrapped with an optimistic vision for the future. 'Where empathy is failing and sharing has become usurped by greed and lust for power, let us double, triple and quadruple our own efforts to empathize and to give our resources and ourselves,' she said. 'I want my granddaughter to know that I fought against an evil tide and had the masses by my side'."

RUSH's GEDDY LEE and ALEX LIFESON then inducted YES. "AS YES PLAYED IN MY ROOM, I PLAYED TOO," said LIFESON. "I spent hours picking my way through songs like 'Starship Trooper' and 'Yours Is No Disgrace.' They made me want to be a better musician and that provided some of the determination to one day stand on this stage giving tribute to this amazing band."

ROLLING STONE summed up, "YES fans have spent years wondering what would happen when the group performed at the HALL OF FAME given so many redundant members and years of bad blood. It turned out to be less complicated than one might think. Original drummer BILL BRUFORD refused to come out of retirement for the evening, though he did make it to the show. That meant ALAN WHITE was the sole drummer, and KAYE's absence allowed WAKEMAN to handle all the keyboard parts. On 'Roundabout," 'GEDDY LEE played bass, while STEVE HOWE and TREVOR RABIN played guitar. For 'Owner of a Lonely Heart,' HOWE gamely took over despite not being in the group when it was recorded. It was a wonderful sight for long-suffering YES fans that have spent years seeing partial lineups and hopefully paves the way for a reunion tour (though the death of bassist CHRIS SQUIRE in 2015 makes any complete reformation impossible)."

SNOOP DOGG then inducted his friend TUPAC SHAKUR. ROLLING STONE writes that SHAKUR was, "the first solo artist rapper to enter THE HALL OF FAME. He credited TUPAC with giving him his first blunt back in 1993 ('I was a zig-zag man before that shit') and told an hysterical story about parasailing with him in MEXICO. 'Does anybody know what parasailing is?' he asked. 'Because we damn sure didn't. Me and PAC were sitting on the edge of the boat with all this gear and shit on and all of sudden the boat pulls away and we start floating and slammed up into the water like boom. I don't know what was in there. Sharks, or octopus or whatever. It was crazy.' Since TUPAC has no children or living parents, SNOOP accepted the award on his behalf and then participated in an incredible medley of the rapper's songs – everything from 'Dear Mama' and 'Changes' to 'Hail Mary' and 'I Get Around' – with ALICIA KEYS, T.I., YG and TREACH."

Next up, TRAIN's PAT MONAHAN inducted JOURNEY, who ROLLING STONE explains, "have been the subject of fierce speculation about the status of former singer STEVE PERRY in the past few months. He hasn't performed with them since a one-off BILL GRAHAM tribute show in 1991 and they haven't even laid eyes on the guy since his surprise appearance at their HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME induction in 2005. Reports were flying through the press that he was going to finally sing with them at THE HALL OF FAME, and even though both camps quickly shot it down there was still hope in the air that a miracle might take place. Those hopes only grew when PERRY walked onstage, hugged NEAL SCHON and then spoke very warmly about seeing the band for the first time. 'Though their musicianship was absolutely par to none, there was one instrument that was flying about the entire city of LOS ANGELES,' he said. 'That was the magic fingers of NEAL SCHON's guitar!' He even mentioned ARNEL PINEDA, their current lead singer who was hired in 2008 solely for sounding just like PERRY. 'I must give a complete shoutout to someone who sings his heart out every night,' he said. 'And it's ARNEL PINEDA'."

The band went backstage for a minute, and came out to play a long intro to "Separate Ways" with no vocalist onstage. ROLLING STONE writes, "PINEDA came bounding out for the difficult task of singing PERRY-era JOURNEY to a crowd that just saw the man himself minutes earlier. The challenge seemed to fuel him, though, and he belted out 'Separate Ways' and 'Lights' (featuring original JOURNEY keyboardist/singer GREGG ROLIE and original drummer AYNSLEY DUNBAR) with stunning power. They closed with an inevitable 'Don't Stop Believin'." 

PHARRELL WILLIAMS came out to present NILE RODGERS with the "Award For Musical Excellence." ROLLING STONE noted, "The CHIC frontman has been vocal about his unhappiness at getting in without his group, but when he stepped up to the podium, he was nothing but gracious. 'This award, which is amazing to me, is really because of all the people that have allowed me to come into their lives and just join their band,' he said. 'Be it MICK JAGGER, be it MADONNA, be it DURAN DURAN, be it DAFT PUNK, be it PHARRELL WILLIAMS, be it DIANA ROSS, be it SISTER SLEDGE. It just goes on and on and on."

The evening wrapped up honoring PEARL JAM. DAVID LETTERMAN stepped in for an ailing NEIL YOUNG, and said, "In 1994, these young men risked their careers by going after those beady-eyed, blood-thirsty weasels [in TICKETMASTER]. And because they did, because they stood up to the corporations I'm happy to say, ladies and gentleman, today every concert ticket in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is free."

PEARL JAM, including original drummer DAVE KRUSEN, "gave heartfelt speeches that referenced their families and their musical influences, concluded ROLLING STONE. "I want to thank THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS for taking us out with the band and to the many bands that inspired me," said guitarist MIKE MCCREADY. "CHEAP TRICK, QUEEN, BOWIE, HENDRIX, THE STONES, BEATLES, UFO, KRAFTWERK, THE RAMONES, BRANDI CARLILE, THE KILLS, SOCIAL DISTORTION, MUDDY WATERS, SEX PISTOLS, THE CLASH, and my new favorite band, THUNDER PUSSY."

EDDIE VEDDER spoke last. "I listen to music every day of my life," he said. "A lot of that was in small apartments, when I grew up, we lived in some tight spaces with my family, my mom and my brothers. My mom, she did really good parenting. She wouldn't tell us to turn it down, she would just kind of end up being fans of the bands that we were playing really loudly." He also thanked all their former drummers, including DAVE ABBRUZZESE, who was reportedly upset over his non-induction and has been estranged from the group since 1994.

ROLLING STONE wrapped up, "They opened their set with a ferocious rendition of 'Alive' with DAVE KRUSEN on drums, marking his first live appearance with the band since he was fired right after the recording of 'Ten.' MATT CAMERON took over behind the kit for 'Given To Fly' and an emotional 'Better Man' that had the entire arena singing along. And even though [NEIL] YOUNG didn't show, they still wrapped up with 'Rockin' in the Free World' where they were joined by a stunning assortment of guests, including GEDDY LEE, ALEX LIFESON, NEAL SCHON, TREVOR RABIN, DHANI HARRISON, JONATHAN CAIN and JACK IRONS, who shared the drum kit with MATT CAMERON. The union of PEARL JAM, RUSH, JOURNEY and YES was a truly once-in-a-lifetime sight to behold."

And in the memoriam segment, the 2017 ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME acknowledged the passing of our dear friend TOMMY PAGE.

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