Stevie Nicks, Janet Jackson, 5 Brit bands lead rock hall inductees

Published 10:39 pm Friday, March 29, 2019

By David Bauder

Associated Press

NEW YORK — Stevie Nicks became the first woman inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Friday — after 22 men — and in her acceptance speech, she urged her fellow female rockers to join her as she led a class of inductees that included Janet Jackson and a quintet of British bands.

Two of Radiohead’s five members were on hand for their induction, and not everyone from Roxy Music was on hand. Def Leppard, the Cure and the Zombies were also ushered in.

Nicks had already been inducted as a member of Fleetwood Mac but was honored this time for her solo legacy. She told the audience at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center that when she started her solo career, she wondered how her fellow band members would react. It obviously worked, and she said she hoped to be an influence.

“What I am doing is opening up the door for other women,” she said.

During her four-song set, she brought onstage a cape she bought in 1983 to prove to her “very frugal” late mother that it was still in good shape and worth its $3,000 price tag. Don Henley joined her to sing “Leather and Lace,” while Harry Styles filled in for the late Tom Petty on “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around.”

Styles inducted her, touching on Nicks’ sense of style and friendship. He said “Dreams” was the first song for which he learned all the words, even though he didn’t know what they meant. “I thought it was a song about the weather,” he said.

David Byrne inducted Radiohead, noting he was flattered the band named itself after one of his songs. He said their album “Kid A” was the one that really hooked him, and he was impressed Radiohead could be experimental in both their music and how they conduct their business.

“They’re creative and smart in both areas, which was kind of a rare combination for artists, not just now but anytime,” he said.

Radiohead drummer Philip Selway and guitarist Ed O’Brien were only band members on hand to accept, so the band didn’t perform; there was a question of whether any of them would show up given the group’s past ambivalence about the hall.

But both spoke highly of the honor.

“This is such a beautifully surreal evening for us,” said O’Brien. “It’s a big (expletive) deal and it feels like it. … I wish the others could be here because they would be feeling it.”

The also gave props to their bandmates and the bond that has kept them together for three decades, even as Selway admitted “it can be an awkward and challenging band to be in sometimes.”

Roxy Music, led by the stylish Ferry, performed a five-song set that included hits “Love Is the Drug,” ”More Than This” and “Avalon.” Brian Eno didn’t show.

Simon LeBon and John Taylor of Duran Duran inducted them, with Taylor saying that hearing Roxy Music in concert at age 14 showed him what he wanted to do with his life.

“Without Roxy Music, there really would be no Duran Duran,” he said.

The soft-spoken Ferry thanked everyone from a succession of bass players to album cover designers. “We’d like to thank everyone for this unexpected honor,” he said.

Jackson will join her brother Michael and the rest of the Jackson 5 as members of the rock hall. Janelle Monae was on hand to induct Jackson, whose hits include “What Have You Done for Me Lately?” ”All for You” and “That’s the Way Love Goes.”

There was some potential for awkward vibes, since the show was being filmed for later airing on HBO — the same network that angered the Jackson family this winter for showing the documentary “Leaving Neverland,” about two men who alleged Michael Jackson abused them when they were boys.

Def Leppard sold tons of records, back when musicians used to do that, with a heavy metal sound sheened to pop perfection on songs like “Photograph” and “Pour Some Sugar on Me.” Queen’s Brian May was to induct them.

The Cure’s hit-making peak was in the 1980s. The former goth rockers fronted by Robert Smith proved potent pop songwriters through songs like “Friday I’m in Love” and “Boys Don’t Cry.” Trent Reznor was to induct them.

The Zombies hail from rock music’s original British Invasion in the 1960s, and Bangle front woman Susanna Hoffs was to induct them.