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Rock Hall Pretends Dave Grohl-Rush Onstage Collaboration Isn’t Inevitable

dave grohl, geddy lee, rock and roll hall of fame

This year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is fast approaching (the annual concert-gala happens on April 18), and as per usual, speculation and rumors are flying about possible reunions and collaborations among inductees and presenters.

SPIN previously reported that Foo Fighters Dave Grohl (you may know him from our recent cover feature) and Taylor Hawkins will induct prog legends Rush. According to Rolling Stone, a jam session between the Foo twosome and the Holy Trinity of Nerd Rock sits atop the Rock Hall’s wish list.

“Dave and Taylor were one of the first people we thought about to induct Rush,” said Joel Peresman, president and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. “They said ‘yes’ in about two seconds. I’m hopeful [they’ll play together]. More than a few times in the past, people have got caught in the moment and decide to perform. That’s what happened last year with Green Day — they were just there to present an award to Guns N’ Roses and after hanging around rehearsals, they decided to play.”

Every other living inductee being recognized this year — that’s Public Enemy, Heart, and Randy Newman (who will be joined onstage by John Fogerty and Jackson Browne) — is already confirmed to perform.

As for the other live sets: John Mayer and Gary Clark Jr. will pay tribute to the late Albert King, with Mayer handling the induction remarks (what could possibly go wrong there?); Lotus singer Christina Aguilera will share the stage with inauguration starlet Jennifer Hudson to honor the late Donna Summer; Usher will perform an ode to Thriller mastermind Quincy Jones, who is receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award; and singer-songwriter icon Carole King will play on behalf of the night’s other Lifetime Achievement honoree, producer Lou Adler; Cheech and Chong will induct Adler, who directed the duo’s 1978 film Up In Smoke.

Last year’s event suffered from a few notable absences, but this time around, the Rock Hall will actually bring some reclusive artists back into the fold. Public Enemy’s Terminator X, the former DJ turned ostrich farmer, is expected to be in attendance. “I requested a contact for him and a month passed by and nothing happened,” Peresman said. “Finally, one of our production people did some kind of database search to write him a letter to find him. He said nobody had reached out, but he would be honored. He’s coming and bringing his father. Chuck D asked us his for his contact. We hope they get in touch.”

Heart’s Ann and Nancy Wilson are less eager to reunite their band’s classic 1970s lineup, though. “We’ve been playing with our new band much longer,” Ann Wilson told RS last December. “This is one of those things we need to dust off among ourselves.” When asked if they’d had a change of Heart (sorry), Peresman simply said, “They’re working on it.”

The 28th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is scheduled for April 18, 2013, at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. HBO will broadcast the ceremony on Saturday, May 18, at 9 p.m. ET/PT.