This Saturday night, the 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will air live from Cleveland's Public Auditorium on the Fuse network and Fuse.tv. We're heading to Cleveland to cover the ceremony and will be posting updates to Future Rock Legends via our Twitter feed, which you can read and comment on here.

Also be sure to check out the coverage at Cleveland.com, where they'll be exclusively webcasting some pre-ceremony events.

Darryl "DMC" McDaniels will perform without his partner Reverend Run, the morning of the induction ceremony at the Hard Rock Café in Cleveland. It will be a "Rock & Roll Brunch" and $15 gets you brunch plus the show. Hopefully this means that Run-DMC will perform together at the induction ceremony later that evening, but that has yet to be confirmed.

In other Rock Hall performance news, Rolling Stone spoke to Jason Newsted about his involvement in the induction ceremony with his old band Metallica.

“I wanted everything to be righteous, because I feel strongly that they have a powerful touring band that’s firing on all cylinders now,” he says. “There’s not a lot of bands that get inducted into the Hall that can still f*cking knock it down. We’re all still clear-eyed and clear-minded and able-bodied, and all that, so its not something that always happens. We’re getting called out pretty early, so for us to be strong and capable to still mow everybody down, as it would be expected, is a fantastic thing.”

The 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony is fast approaching and there are still a couple of open questions still hanging out there.

Two months ago we asked if Run-DMC would be performing at the induction ceremony, because they haven't performed together since the death of Jam Master Jay in 2002. There still hasn't been an official announcement on the issue, but RollingStone.com continues to assume they'll be performing.

Last week, all of the presenters were announced for the event, except for the name of the person who will be inducting Wanda Jackson. We're guessing Elvis Costello wasn't available? Jackson herself still doesn't know. When asked about it yesterday she said, “I don’t know that. I’m just planning on not fainting — I’m going to hold on to somebody.”

We'll be sure to update you as we get answers to these questions in the next couple weeks.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has a new website, Rock Immortal (not to be confused with rockimmortals.com), where you can share your photo and video tributes to the 2009 inductees. [Watch out for the slow-loading Flash content and the swirling guitar picks.]

Fuse also has a special page set up for the 2009 induction ceremony, which they'll be broadcasting live online as well as on cable.

Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted has been invited by Metallica to perform with them at this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Kirk Hammett told About.com that Newsted will "most likely" perform with the band. Hammett continued, "He put in 14 years with Metallica, so I think there’s no reason for him not to be there." James Hetfield also weighed in:

"We wanted to invite everyone who was involved with Metallica," says Hetfield. "You know, the drama that goes around the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is pretty ridiculous most of the time. We’re trying to avoid that. We are a band that’s alive and feeling good and still creating, and we want it to be a family reunion. We’ve invited pretty much everyone from our first drum roadie to the head of the record company now, and all in between. We put the invite out there and anyone is welcome."

Hetfield also continues to discuss other artists who he feels should be inducted but have never even been put on the ballot by the Nominating Committee.

"We’re very honored to be recognized. There’s a whole genre around us that hopefully we can invite through the door. Hopefully there will be recognition for some of the bands that have changed music and changed people’s lives. That’s what I think the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame should be about. There are certainly a lot of bands that aren’t in there that I can’t belive aren’t: Motorhead, Rush, Judas Priest, Deep Purple. But for us to be in there, hopefully we can bring some awareness to heavy stuff."

Here are the inductees and their presenters for this year's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (they are all first-time presenters):

• Jeff Beck - Jimmy Page
• Metalliica - Flea
• Bobby Womack - Ron Wood
• Run-DMC - Eminem
• Little Anthony & the Imperials - Smokey Robinson
  
  
• D.J. Fontana - Max Weinberg
• Bill Black - Garry Tallent
• Spooner Oldham - Paul Shaffer
  
  
• Wanda Jackson - TBD

It was previously reported that Aerosmith would be inducting Run-DMC, but that turns out not to be the case. Eminem is an interesting choice because in some ways he represents the result of the mainstream hip-hop crossover that Run-DMC achieved as a result of their landmark collaboration with Aerosmith on "Walk This Way."

Although Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers may not seem like an obvious choice for inducting Metallica, guitarist Kirk Hammett approves. "It's cool that he's not in a heavy metal band but is a well-respected musician you might not expect," Hammett said. Flea may just be checking out the stage for next year, since his band is a heavy favorite for induction in 2010.

The 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony is being held in Cleveland this year for just the second time in 24 years, and this will be the first time the event is open to the public. Tickets to the ceremony quickly sold out after they went on sale, however the Fuse network will be broadcasting the event live on cable and also at Fuse.tv.

Future Rock Legends will be in Cleveland to cover the event live and will be posting updates during the ceremony.

What are your plans for the ceremony? Did you score tickets to the ceremony? Traveling from out of town? Let us know if you're coming and perhaps we'll see you there.

Dave Mustaine, Megadeth frontman and one of the first members of Metallica, has finally made a statement regarding his former band's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Mustaine posted an open letter on Megadeth's website.

"Metallica, as you know, has been selected to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. So, it is with much respect that I say congratulations!

"I also had the nice surprise of hearing that they called to invite me to the pre-ceremony party the night before, and then to the actual ceremony. Unfortunately, as you all know, I will be winding down our European tour with Judas Priest, so I will be unable to attend. However, I'd like to say to Lars (Ulrich) and James (Hetfield), I am so very proud of all you have accomplished. I will continue to pray for the very best for you and your families, as I always have.

"Thank you for the invitation and thinking of me."

It sounds like Metallica have handled this situation with class and Mustaine responded in kind. It's nice to see they're able to put their contentious years behind them.

Wanda Jackson is a 2009 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the "Early Influence" category, and apparently that distinction means she doesn't get to pick who will give the speech in her honor.

Q: Who's doing your induction speech? Don't you get to choose?

A: We thought the artist would have that option. We found out in these special categories - see, I'm in "early influence" - the people that head up these various categories are the ones who choose who's the presenter for each artist, so I put in my request for who I wanted. Elvis Costello was the first one who became an advocate for me. He wrote a rather stinging letter to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but anyway he and Bruce Springsteen have spoken out for me.

We would be surprised if doesn't turn out to be Elvis Costello who inducts her. As Jackson mentions, Costello was one of the squeaky wheels that got the Nominating Committee's attention. Jackson's husband / manager also started actively campaigning for her "a few years ago," which might explain how she received her first nomination in 2005 after being overlooked for 20 years.

James Hetfield of Metallica feels a little guilty about his band's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year, when so many of his greatest influences haven't been recognized yet. Hetfield mentioned earlier that he would like to see Motörhead get in someday, and now he's stumping for arguably two of the biggest snubbed bands out there, Rush and Kiss.

Hetfield expressed some embarrassment at being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame before some acts who were an inspiration for Metallica. Metallica will be made a member of the illustrious club on April 4.

"We've been nominated and we are still alive," he said.

"It's ironic that a band that has been inspired by all of these other ones are getting in there before them. We are going to go up there and kick some ass and kick the door down for some heavy bands that have not been recognized, like Rush and Kiss."

Hetfield will have the chance to influence future inductions because as a Hall of Famer he gets to be on the Voting Committee. However, the importance of the voters has greatly diminished over the last few years because there are fewer artists placed on the ballot by the super-influential Nominating Committee. This year, two thirds of the artists who were on the ballot will be inducted.

Jimmy Page will induct his former Yardbirds bandmate Jeff Beck into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the April 4th induction ceremony in Cleveland.

It is also being reported that Aerosmith will have the honor of inducting Run-DMC at the ceremony.

Darryl "DMC" McDaniels made the rounds with the local media yesterday, talking about Run-DMC's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and he managed to make a little news during one interview. Appearing on radio station WAAF-FM, DMC was asked who should induct the rap act. "It's a no-brainer if Aerosmith does it," said McDaniels. "I hope they're listening. It's their hometown." Wisely, the station immediately rang up Joey Kramer, and asked the Aerosmith drummer if he might do the intro. Of course, Kramer said. Run-DMC's 1986 LP "Raising Hell" was one of the biggest-selling rap albums of all time, thanks to the cover of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way."

There is still no word on who the presenters will be for Little Anthony & the Imperials, Bobby Womack and Metallica.

Tickets to the ceremony sold out within minutes of going on sale to the public, but can be still be had for around $500 for a pair of seats on Ebay.

Thanks, Daryl.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame watcher Charles Crossley, Jr. maintains a list of members of what he calls "The Clyde McPhatter Club" which consists of artists who have been inducted multiple times. The 2009 inductions will add two members to the group, Jeff Beck (previously with the Yardbirds) and Sam Strain of the Imperials (previously with O'Jays). Here is the entire list:

• Clyde McPhatter (inducted solo in 1987 and with the Drifters in 1988)
• Eric Clapton (with the Yardbirds in 1992, with Cream in 1993, solo in 2000, the only artist inducted three times)
• John Lennon (with the Beatles in 1988, solo in 1994)
• Jimmy Page (with the Yardbirds in 1992, with Led Zeppelin in 1995)
• Neil Young (solo in 1995, with Buffalo Springfield in 1997)
• David Crosby (with the Byrds in 1991, Crosby, Stills & Nash in 1997)
• Stephen Stills (with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills and Nash, both in 1997, the only artist to be inducted twice in the same year)
• Curtis Mayfield (with the Impressions in 1991, solo in 1999)
• Paul McCartney (with the Beatles in 1988, solo in 1999)
• Michael Jackson (with the Jackson 5 in 1997, solo in 2001)
• Paul Simon (with Simon & Garfunkel in 1990, solo in 2001)
• Johnny Carter (with the Flamingos in 2001, with the Dells in 2004)
• George Harrison (with the Beatles in 1988, solo in 2004)
• Jeff Beck (with the Yardbirds in 1992, solo in 2009)
• Sam Strain (with the O'Jays in 2005, with Little Anthony & the Imperials in 2009)

Who are some future potential members of this group? Ozzy Osbourne? Ringo Starr? Sting? Lou Reed? Peter Gabriel? Or, thinking much further ahead -- Jack White? Dave Grohl? Eddie Vedder? Thom Yorke?

Be sure to also check out Crossley's list of 250 top eligible artists for the Rock Hall.

Even though the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame probably won't reveal the names of the presenters of the 2009 inductees for a of couple months, it's not too early to start the speculation (hey, it's what we do). Here are some preliminary ideas:

• Metallica :: Dave Grohl - for reasons we've already discussed.
• Jeff Beck :: John Mayer - a "new guitar god" to induct an old one.
• Run-DMC :: 50 Cent - he's executive producing a documentary about his mentor, Jam Master Jay. Another great choice would be Chuck D.
• Little Anthony & the Imperials :: Billy Joel - one of Little Anthony's advocates who is no stranger to the induction ceremony.
• Bobby Womack :: Tracy Chapman - from one Cleveland native to another.
• Wanda Jackson :: Elvis Costello - the man who may be most responsible for her induction.

What do you think? Leave your predictions in the comments.

The 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be broadcast this year by the Fuse network. To help promote the new partnership with the Hall of Fame, Fuse hosted a press conference in New York to announce the 2009 inductees, with Metallica as the guests of honor.

Metallica were asked which artists they would like to see inducted -- James Hetfield wants Motörhead; Lars Ulrich wants Deep Purple; Kirk Hammett would like to see Rush; and Robert Trujillo made the case for UFO.

The question about who is getting inducted has also been answered. The current lineup will be inducted along with former bassists the late Cliff Burton and Jason Newsted. Dave Mustaine will not be included with Metallica.

It was announced yesterday that Wanda Jackson will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the "Early Influence" category. The induction is unusual for two reasons. First, she was nominated this year, and in a previous year, as a "Performer." And secondly, can should she be considered an "early influence" on rock and roll?

Regarding the voting issue, the Cleveland Plain Dealer has the story:

In another curious subplot, Jackson is being inducted as an early influence, although she was nominated as a performer on the ballot.

When Jackson didn't receive enough votes to get in as a performer, she was singled out for induction by a committee that handpicks early-influence honorees, said Joel Peresman, president and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation.

Sidemen inductees are selected by a separate committee.

So, presumably if Jackson had received the votes to be inducted as a "Performer," she would have been gone in under that tag. Then they would have either appointed some other early influential artist or simply not use that category this year (which isn't uncommon). As commenter Philip pointed out in the comments, other artists have been nominated as performers and later inducted in other categories (Carole King as a "Non-Performer"; King Curtis as a "Sideman"), but never has it happened in the same year. If Wanda Jackson was going to be inducted whether she won or lost the vote, then why bother taking up that valuable spot on the ballot with her name?

As to whether or not Wanda Jackson belongs in the "Early Influence" category at all, let's look at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's description of that award.

Artists whose music predated rock and roll but had an impact on the evolution of rock and roll and inspired rock’s leading artists.

Rock and roll's origins can be traced to the years just prior to the time when Jackson's career began in 1954. Wanda Jackson got her start nearly the same time Elvis Presley did, so it is strange that she is considered an "early influence" under the Rock Hall's own definition.

Let's break down the 2009 inductees one by one:

Metallica -- It should come as no surprise that Metallica was voted in the first time they appeared on the ballot. Future Rock Hall has given Metallica the highest induction chances of any artist ever since its inception even though there are very few heavy metal bands in the Hall of Fame.

Jeff Beck -- Voters clearly responded to a true guitar hero on the ballot even though most probably couldn't name a single song from his solo career. Beck is now a two time inductee since he was already in the Hall of Fame as a member of the Yardbirds.

Run-DMC -- Run-DMC are hip-hop artists who have truly transcended their genre, as evidenced by their appearance on Rolling Stone's list of 100 Immortals of Rock and Roll. Their induction shows that the Voting Committee is still willing to induct hip-hop artists even after they rejected Afrika Bambaataa and the Beastie Boys last year (who were perhaps nominated a little too soon).

Little Anthony & the Imperials -- As an artist that had been passed over by the Nominating Committee for too long, the voters took the opportunity to induct them as soon as they had the chance.

Bobby Womack -- Womack's induction was certainly the least predictable of the five, but as a Cleveland native, the Rock Hall will enjoy having a local story to promote for the hometown induction ceremony on April 4th.

Wanda Jackson -- It seems clear now that Jackson was not one of the top five vote getters from the nine nominees, but the Hall of Fame took the opportunity to induct her anyway by placing her in the Early Influence category. If her induction was going to be guaranteed this year, why did the Rock Hall bother to nominate her as a performer anyway, taking up a valuable slot on the ballot?

Here are the nominated artists who didn't get inducted this year:

The Stooges -- Seven times nominated, seven times on the outside looking in. Hopes were high this year after their show-stealing performance at the 2008 Rock Hall induction ceremony.

Chic -- Similar to The Stooges, Chic have been on the ballot multiple times without getting over the top (in their case five nominations). Chic will find its way into the Hall eventually. No artist has ever been nominated this many times and not gotten in at some point down the road (Update: except Chuck Willis).

War -- This was the first time the funk group ever made the final ballot even though they had been on the radar of the Nominating Committee for some time. Their future chances will be clearer if they can make it back on to the final ballot within the next couple of years.

Run-DMC haven't performed live since the death of Jam Master Jay seven years ago. With the announcement today that Run-DMC had been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, differing reports surfaced about whether or not the group will perform at the ceremony.

From Rolling Stone:

Run-DMC are the second rap group to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame, two years after pioneers Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five were selected for induction. "I can't even comprehend this is happening," Daryl "DMC" McDaniels tells Rolling Stone. "I want to let the world know that there are others receiving this honor with us. I'm talking about our heroes Afrika Bambaataa, Treacherous Three, the Cold Crush Brothers and DJ Kool Herc." The group's performance at the April 4th induction ceremony in Cleveland will be their since founding member Jam Master Jay was murdered seven years ago in Queens, New York.

The AP has a different story about the possibility of a performance:

Jam Master Jay — whose real name was Jason Mizell — was shot to death in his recording studio in 2002. McDaniels doesn't consider the induction bittersweet — "because Jay isn't here to celebrate doesn't mean he's not partaking in this event" — but said he couldn't see the duo performing during the April 4 induction ceremony in Cleveland without him.

"We can't do it without Jay," he said. "I want people to remember the last time they saw us together, the three of us."

Perhaps Rolling Stone's reporting was just wishful thinking, but right now it seems like Run-DMC will be content to let someone else perform their music at the Induction Ceremony.

01/17/09 Update: Reverend Run addressed the performance issue in a chat with MTV:

Reverend Run, one-third of the group, said he was honored by the recognition but still unsure if he and DMC will take to the stage despite the nod.

"I don't know, I'm leaving that in D's hands," Run told MTV News by phone Thursday. "The best comment was that working without Jam Master Jay wouldn't feel the same — I [actually] think D wrote that. So I'm just following his lead."

The reality-TV dad also said he wouldn't be interested in a younger group performing the Queens trio's hits as an homage — but he again deferred to DMC as to what exactly will take place.

A request made by MTV News to DMC for comment has not been returned as of press time.

You would hope that there will be at least some kind of performance of Run-DMC's music at the Induction Ceremony, but we'll see.

The 2009 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees were announced today. Congratulations to Metallica, Run-DMC, Jeff Beck, Little Anthony & the Imperials and Bobby Womack. They will all be honored at the induction ceremony in Cleveland on April 4, 2009. Much more on the 2009 winners here.

Future Rock Hall has learned that Metallica will be one of the five artists announced as members of the 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class when the inductees are officially revealed tomorrow, January 14th.

Wanda Jackson confirmed today to tulsaworld.com that she will be one of the five artists honored at the 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. [01/14/09 Update: The article never actually said she was voted into the Hall. We just assumed she was because, uh, she was on the ballot. Turns out she will be inducted in the "early influence" category, which is not voted upon by the 600+ member voting committee.]

“This is the big one,” [Jackson] told the Tulsa World on Friday in a telephone interview from her Oklahoma City home. “It’s turning out to be more exciting than I thought it would be.

“The main reason I wanted this is because the people I love have worked so hard to make this happen. I may get the award, but my husband and fans and people who have done so much for me all these years deserve all the credit.”

Jackson's husband and manager also mentioned that the official announcement will come "early next week" (we're hearing Tuesday will be the day).

Thanks, Philip.

Ron Asheton, the guitarist of The Stooges was found dead at his home last night.

Alongside Iggy Pop, David Alexander and his brother Scott, Ron co-wrote such classics "I Wanna Be Your Dog," "No Fun" and "1969."

At the height of the flower-power and psychedelic period of the late 1960s, Asheton pioneered an aggressive, rudimentary and stunningly loud style of playing that was the antithesis of everything popular at the time. The Stooges never achieved commercial success (their 1969 debut peaked at Number 106), but the punk acts that followed — from the New York Dolls to the Sex Pistols and the Ramones — cite them as their single biggest influence.

The Stooges are one of the nine nominees for the 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions, with the winners set to be officially announced later this month. This death on the eve of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony is all too reminiscent of the DC5's Mike Smith passing away last year, a month before he was to be inducted.

Update: Here's a quote from Asheton from this past summer about his chances of getting into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame:

So is covering Madonna the closest you'll get to being in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or do you think you'll get the nod soon?

Well, to tell you the truth, it would be cool to be in there with all our heroes and people that got us into music. The Beatles were the ones who changed my life, the Beatles and the Stones, to make this life choice ... I know this, though. If we don't get it next year, we don't go in, we're not going in. I mean, what is it, five-time losers? I mean, if we don't make it this time ... And you know what? It won't break my heart. As everyone else says, it's not going to better your career. It'd be nice, but I'm not going to be heartbroken. And we kind of wear it as a badge of honor that we've been turned down.

It's almost a foregone conclusion now that Metallica will be one of the five 2009 inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The band has not been shy about talking about the honor as if it is a done deal. Here, James Hetfield talks about who would be an appropriate person to introduce the band at the induction ceremony.

The Pulse of Radio asked frontman James Hetfield if the band has given any thought to who should induct them at the ceremony if they make the cut. "It's tough," he said. "We haven't really, you know, hit the ultimate person who we'd like to have do it. It's like you want someone who actually you've inspired, and you want someone who's charismatic, who can tell their story, but also you kind of want someone that people actually know who they are. You know, I was thinking, 'Well, why don't we just get, like, the uber-fan, you know, go up there and induct us, you know. How cool would that be?' So we're still going back and forth with all of that."

So, who would be an appropriate artist to induct Metallica (you can forget about an uber-fan doing it)? Dave Grohl seems like an obvious choice -- he's famous enough, he loves metal and he loves to talk about it. Who would be your pick?

Charles A. Hohman takes a look at the 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees and attempts to find the worthiest candidates. For example:

Chic

Worthy of induction? Disco has been as if not more influential on the last thirty years of pop music than the more critically-beloved punk rock. And yet only one disco act is in the Hall of Fame: The Bee Gees. However awesome “Tragedy” and “Night Fever” are, the Brothers Gibb are white heterosexuals representing (and appropriating) a subculture rooted in blackness and gayness. And probably more than any disco act, Chic’s grooves were instrumental to hip-hop’s formative years.

But will they be? In the Wennerist mindset, “disco sucks” is still a credible theory. Credible enough to shut Chic out yet again, in favor of less deserving contenders.

Hohman personally favors Metallica, Run-DMC, Chic, The Stooges and War, but thinks that the actual inductees will be the five that we have predicted. Read the whole post here.

Little Anthony and the Imperials are one of the nine nominees for the 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but Little Anthony has never given much thought to the honor. In a recent interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Little Anthony "couldn't even say who was nominated or how many [artists] would get in."

Q: What was your reaction to being nominated for the Rock and Hall of Fame? I guess you waited a long time.

A: You know what? We never waited. And you probably say, "Oh, he's jivin'" But we never discussed it. We felt that we were fulfilling what our destiny was. There are a lot of people in that Hall of Fame that ain't performing anymore. We reached a pinnacle in our career where we were working at some of the finest places in the world, from Vegas to Lake Tahoe, all the biggest rooms. It was almost to us like, I don't know how they decide who gets to be in the Hall of Fame, but we realize that the only thing we had to do was to be better - better performers. People like Billy Joel, Paul Shaffer, Paul Simon, those were the people who were really lobbying for us. We don't have any power.

With the announcement of the 2009 inductees being so close, it's likely the five artists who will be honored have already been notified. Last year, word of the inductees started to leak when John Mellencamp let the cat out of the bag. Before the 2007 inductees were announced, Sammy Hagar also let it slip early. This doesn't seem to bode well for Little Anthony, because it sounds like he hasn't heard anything yet, but we'll know for sure in January when the official announcement is made by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Future Rock Hall predicts the 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees will be:

• Metallica: It was shocking last year when Metallica wasn't nominated in their first eligible year because they have the highest induction chances percentage of any artist. This one is truly a no-brainer for the voting committee.
• Jeff Beck: Voters are also likely to respond to a legendary name who is appearing for the first time on the ballot.
• The Stooges: Is this finally the year The Stooges get in after losing out on the final ballot six previous times? Their performance at last year's induction ceremony should put them over the top.
• Run DMC: As hip-hop immortals they should be a sure thing, but last year's rejection of the Beastie Boys shows that voters may be taking it slow when it comes to hip-hop.
• Little Anthony and the Imperials: Nostalgia could play a factor in inducting this doo-wop group, especially since they are peers of many of the inductees who are part of the nominating committee.

Over 1700 Future Rock Hall voters cast their ballots in the 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame poll. The top five vote getters are Metallica (on 79% of ballots), Jeff Beck (77%), The Stooges (75%), Run DMC (69%), and War (60%). [Last year, FRH voters accurately predicted three out of the five inductees.] The poll results are just one of the factors that go into Future Rock Hall's induction forecast, but there is agreement on four out of five nominees.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will announce the official 2009 inductees in January. Keep checking Future Rock Hall for all of the latest Rock & Roll Hall of Fame news.

It was announced today that the cable music network Fuse signed an agreement to begin airing the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, starting in 2009. They will broadcast the ceremony live for the next three years, moving back to New York City after April's show in Cleveland. No word on who will stream the ceremony live on the internet.

Presumably, this line in the article that prematurely announces the '09 "inductees" is a mistake, although it is a highly plausible list:

The 2009 inductees include Run-DMC, Metallica, Jeff Beck, Little Anthony and the Imperials, and The Stooges.

The five inductees will be officially announced in January.

If Metallica are inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April of next year, who should be inducted? It's clear that guitarist/singer James Hetfield, drummer Lars Ulrich, guitarist Kirk Hammett, deceased bassist Cliff Burton and former bassist Jason Newsted all deserve induction. But what about Dave Mustaine?

Mustaine was kicked out of the band before they made their first album, but he is credited with co-writing some of the signature songs on their first album, Kill 'Em All. Who knows how Mustaine himself feels about the issue, but he'd most likely rather be inducted on his own with Megadeth.

And how about current bassist, Robert Trujillo? Is playing on the latest album enough to get enshrined? There aren't really any stated rules on these issues, so it will be interesting to see what the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame decides to do.

For his part, James Hetfield believes Trujillo should get in, but not Mustaine. Here's a portion of Hetfield's recent interview with Rolling Stone (via Blabbermouth.net):

Rolling Stone: Most likely, Metallica will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame next April. Who will be onstage with you?

Hetfield: "Everyone that played on a record should be there. You're considered for the Hall 25 years after your first recording, not after you formed."

Rolling Stone: That would omit Dave Mustaine [former Metallica guitarist and current Megadeth mainman].

Hetfield: "He wasn't on a record. Jason Newsted [former Metallica bassist] should be up there — he was in the band for 14 years and played on quite a few records. And so should Robert [Trujillo; current Metallica bassist]."

Rolling Stone: Will it be weird to be there with Jason?

Hetfield: "There's no reason for it to be weird. We don't want to be part of the soap opera of the Hall of Fame. Everybody wants a train wreck, like with BLONDIE onstage arguing over crap [in 2006]. That really cheapens the moment."

What would really be weird is if the Hall of Fame used Hetfield's qualifications. By his logic, producer Bob Rock would be inducted as a member of Metallica because he played bass on St. Anger, when Metallica was still in between bassists after Newsted left. I doubt Hetfield, or anyone else, thinks Bob Rock should be on stage if Metallica gets inducted.

Thanks, David.

Our friends over at A List of Things Thrown Together Five Minutes Ago, famous for their Keltner analysis of artists to determine their worthiness for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, have some thoughts on Jeff Beck's 2009 nomination, and why he shouldn't be inducted:

• [Jeff Beck] clearly inspired Nigel Tufnel's haircut and wardrobe, and possibly Tufnel's childish petulance, in Spinal Tap.
• [Beck] was unable to create a hit single in two albums with a young Rod Stewart (though he and Stewart much later had a hit with a bastardization of the Impressions' sublime "People Get Ready").
• Jointly responsible for revitalizing the bloated charity benefit when he, Page, Clapton, Stewart, and Ron Wood staged the Rock for ARMS (Action for Research into Multiple Sclerosis) concert to benefit Ronnie Lane, which in turn prompted a delusional Neil Schon to muse that the 1980s equivalent of Clapton/Page/Beck was Schon/Santana/Van Halen.
• Contributed to annoying pomp-rock fetishization of "Greensleeves," the sixteenth-century version of "Hey Ya."

The incomparable Tom Lane e-mails in with this interesting news:

On Dave Marsh's weekly Sirius XM show, "Kick Out The Jams", he picked 5 names he would be voting for on this year's ballot:  Chic, War, Jeff Beck, Stooges, and Run DMC.

Marsh also said that this year's ballot was "flawless" and made a remark about how he opposed the Beastie Boys getting into the Hall.

He also said that he wouldn't vote for Metallica because they are going to get in anyway. 

Marsh's belief that the ballot is "flawless" is probably not shared by anyone else outside of the Nominating Committee, but that's great he's happy with the choices he helped make.

Four out of Marsh's five selections are currently leading Future Rock Hall's 2009 ballot, so he may have a chance to see many of his choices inducted in Cleveland on April 4, 2009.

Thanks, Tom. Check out Tom's top snubbed artists here.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer's pop music critic, John Soeder, follows the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame about as closely as any journalist out there. He recently offered his take on the 2009 nominees induction chances, summarized below.

Safe Bets: Metallica, Little Anthony and the Imperials, The Stooges

Too Close To Call: Run-DMC, Jeff Beck, Chic

Long Shots: Bobby Womack, Wanda Jackson, War

Soeder's confidence in the induction of Little Anthony and the Imperials is a little surprising, given this is the first time they have been nominated in over 20 years of eligibility.

You can cast your own ballot here and weigh in on the nominations here.

The official Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominations for 2009 were announced today. There are six first time nominees this year -- Metallica, Jeff Beck (as a solo artist), Bobby Womack, Little Anthony and the Imperials, War, and Run-DMC. Previously nominated artists back on the ballot are Wanda Jackson, the Stooges, and Chic, who have now been nominated 14 times collectively. Run-DMC are the only artist this time to be nominated in their first year of eligibility. The rest of the artists had been seriously considered by the Nominating Committee in the past and can be found on this list.

Some artists who were left off the ballot are 2008 finalists the Beastie Boys, Donna Summer and Afrika Bambaataa. From the newly eligible artists, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bon Jovi, and the Smiths are notably absent.

The Rock Hall continues to nominate artists outside of the traditional "rock" genre. This year there was rumored to be a focus on various rock and roll sub-genres, and that seems to have come to fruition. This year's nominees include heavy metal (Metallica), hip-hop (Run-DMC), rockabilly (Wanda Jackson), doo-wop (Little Anthony and the Imperials), funk (War), disco (Chic), guitar rock (Jeff Beck), proto-punk (The Stooges), and R&B (Bobby Womack) -- but still no prog rock (sorry Rush fans!). By nominating a single artist per sub-genre, the Rock Hall Nominating Committee is having the voters basically choose whichever genres most appeal to them.

We would prefer to see a system which allows more nominees each year, where you voters could have a choice between a couple of artists with similar backgrounds. For example, nominate Jeff Beck and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Run-DMC and the Beastie Boys. The Stooges and the MC5. And on and on. Apparently those discussions and decisions happen behind the closed doors of the Nominating Committee meeting and are kept away from the 500 rock experts on the voting committee.

We'll have more analysis over the next couple of months leading up to the announcement of the five inductees in January, 2009. The ceremony will be held in Cleveland on April 4, 2009. Tickets will be available to the public for the first time ever.

You can cast your own unofficial ballot here!

To comment on the nominations, check out the 2009 Nominees page and go to rockhall.com to read the official press release.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominating Committee got together today in New York to hold their annual meeting to determine the 2009 ballot. USA Today has a feature article speculating about who the committee might nominate, and they come to the conclusion that Bon Jovi has the best chance of any of the newly eligible artists:

The closest thing to the Madonnas, R.E.M.s, Van Halens and U2s that have starred at recent inductions is probably Bon Jovi.

Another leading prospect is the late blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, but the rest of the crop — including Cyndi Lauper, k.d. lang, Billy Bragg, and metal extremists Slayer — are more marginal prospects.

Which means the committee will need to turn to holdovers — those previously eligible artists who have yet to gain sufficient support. Among them are previous nominees Chic, Donna Summer and the Beastie Boys, all of whom must confront the "Is disco or rap really rock?" conundrum that regularly polarizes voters and fans.

Bon Jovi is currently leading USA Today's reader poll with 29% of the vote. Rush (15%), Metallica (10%) and Stevie Ray Vaughan (10%) are the other leading artists.

Back in 1997 when Cleveland first hosted the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, it was held in a ballroom at the Renaissance Hotel. For the 2009 ceremony, Cleveland is moving up to the historic Public Hall, (aka Public Auditorium). Capacity is 11,500, but that will likely be reduced to under 10,000 after the VIP tables get set up on the floor.

The large venue will allow for the public sale of tickets to the event for the first time. Typically, when the ceremony is held in New York at the Waldorf Astoria, a seat will cost you at least $2000, if you can get invited. But here, the Rock Hall has mentioned that tickets should be available for under $100.

The event will be held on a yet to be determined day in March of 2009.

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In this same article, Rock Hall president Terry Stewart emphasizes that the new Rock Hall Annex is not a precursor to the entire museum moving to New York City. It's also revealed that the Rock Hall may open an annex in Abu Dhabi on the Persian Gulf (in addition to the planned one in Memphis).

"Little Steven" Van Zandt, E Street Band guitarist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominating Committee member, was recently asked about who he will push for induction into the Rock Hall later this year:

Q: You worked hard to get the Dave Clark Five into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year. Who's on top of your list now of bands that ought to be in?

A: Right now the priority is the Hollies. It's ridiculous. I think Johnny Burnette & the Rock 'n' Roll Trio is still high on my list. . . . Paul Revere & the Raiders deserve to be in. Herman's Hermits deserve to be in.

Q: Really?!

A: Absolutely. People forget how important Herman's Hermits were when they started. . . . We all get very elitist about who should be in and who shouldn't, but I consider great, great, great '60s pop music absolutely essential to the development of the art form.

Van Zandt is clearly passionate about the artists who helped shape him as a musician during his youth (he was born in 1950), but does he really think the '60s are underrepresented in the Hall of Fame?

The Rock Hall generally nominates at least a couple of bands from the '60s every year, so you can pencil in The Hollies at the top of your list of potential nominees for the 2009 ballot.

Thanks, Tom.

Alan Light, former Spin editor in chief, and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominating Committee, thinks Madonna is worthy of her 2008 induction:

"She has loomed for a long time as a really significant, really influential figure," said Alan Light. "She is as famous a woman -- if not in the world, certainly in the Western world -- as anybody that's alive."

...

As for any gripes the pop singer doesn't belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, save it, says Light.

"If you define rock and roll in any way other than it has to be played with electric guitars and be based on blues changes or whatever, any definition that is more expansive than that -- anything that talks about the rebellious side of it, the counterculture side of it, the creative, ambitious side of it -- she clearly should be there," Light said. "She changed the playing field."

The article also quotes one of the many artists Madonna influenced, Alanis Morissette:

"To me, she's this woman that's deeply feminine, combined with this masculine drive," said Canadian pop singer Alanis Morissette, who was signed to Madonna's record label, Maverick Records, in 1995. "For a long time as a kid, I felt very self-conscious about what a tomboy I was, but she was someone that I could always look up to."

In 2009, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held in Cleveland for only the second time, and it will be the first to be open to the public (as we learned in December). The ceremony will likely be held at the Quicken Loans Arena downtown (aka "The Q," home of the Cleveland Cavaliers), less than a mile from the Rock Hall Museum. Tickets to the ceremony are estimated to be about the cost of a rock concert ($80?), but no details have been set.

The mayor of Cleveland announced today that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will return to Cleveland for the 2009 event after a 12 year absence. If all goes well, it could return every three years.

It was promised in 1997 that the ceremony would return to Cleveland regularly as a part of a rotation that would include New York, Los Angeles, and London. Obviously this never happened since the ceremony has been held at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York every year except for the one year Cleveland hosted (and L.A. hosted in 1993).

You can check out a list of artists who will be newly eligible in 2008 (for the '09 inductions) right here.

Update:

When [Rock Hall Museum President Terry] Stewart was asked if the inductions were guaranteed to come to Cleveland every three years, he said having future ceremonies here would be contingent upon the success of the 2009 event.

He quickly was interrupted by the mayor.

"It is guaranteed," [Cleveland Mayer Frank] Jackson said. "We intend to make this work. . . . It will be here in '12 and it'll be here in '15 and it'll be here in '18 . . . I want you to understand: It is going to happen. It will work."

Stewart didn't argue the point.

Holding the ceremony in Cleveland every year would be impractical because many record companies and other key Rock Hall benefactors are based in New York, [Rock Hall Foundation President Joel] Peresman said.

"We need to be able to have it there to get their support," Peresman said. "We're talking about the businesses and we're talking about the corporations that have supported the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame from the beginning."

For 20 of the past 22 years, the ceremony was held in New York. Besides the temporary move to Cleveland a decade ago, the inductions were held in Los Angeles in 1993.

For future ceremonies, the foundation isn't looking beyond New York or Cleveland, Peresman said.

The gala here tentatively is scheduled for a Saturday night in March 2009, although the venue has not been chosen. The Rock Hall plans to reveal more details in the spring.