The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced the presenters who will help welcome the incredible Class of 2012 next month. Public Enemy’s Chuck D will induct fellow New York rappers the Beastie Boys, while comedian Chris Rock, a great admirer of Paul’s Boutique, has been tasked with introducing Red Hot Chili Peppers. (Rock is good friends with the band and directed their video for “Hump De Bump.”) John Mellencamp, who seems to be at this ceremony every year, will welcome Donovan, who will then take the stage with My Morning Jacket’s Jim James for a performance.
The Band’s Robbie Robertson will induct producers Tom Dowd, Glyn Johns, and Cosimo Matassa, and Smokey Robinson will head the Rock Hall’s tribute to great backing bands, including Buddy Holly’s Crickets and Robinson’s own Miracles. Bette Midler will help enshrine Laura Nyro and E Street’s Steven Van Zandt will honor the Small Faces/Faces, Billboard reports. The inductions will take place on April 14 at the Cleveland museum, with HBO broadcasting the ceremony on May 5.
Whoever has the job of introducing Guns N’ Roses, however, has not yet been announced. That likely poses a bigger problem for the Rock Hall. It’s already been revealed that the original GN’R won’t reunite onstage to perform at the ceremony, because if they play together, Axl Rose and Slash will assuredly kill each other onstage. In years past, when an inductee has opted to not perform at the Rock Hall ceremony, the person presenting the band has usually had to do double duty and play a couple of tunes by the Hall-bound artist as well. So what’s needed is someone who can both say a few nice words about GN’R and perform some Illusion cuts, and that’s apparently a tough find with just weeks to go before the ceremony.
We’d vote for Dave Grohl, based entirely on Nirvana and GN’R’s infamous skirmish at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards, when the two bands nearly came to blows. Foo Fighters could deftly handle “Paradise City,” if need be. Courtney Love, who Axl called a “bitch” that night, would also be a fun choice. Worse case scenario, the Rock Hall will call upon Fergie, a Slash acolyte who has sang “Sweet Child O Mine” many times in the past. Or, if they want to prevent an Axl meltdown, the Rock Hall can bring in the big guns and recruit one of Rose’s idols, Elton John, who joined the band for “November Rain” at the ’92 VMAs. Bottom line: Deciding who should induct Guns N’ Roses is just as problematic as getting all the members of the original Appetite-era band under one roof.
