Latest news with #RockAndRollHallOfFame
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Carol Kaye Declines Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction
Carol Kaye, one of the most recorded bassists of all time, has declined the invitation to attend this year's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. 'People have been asking: NO I won't be there,' wrote Kaye in a Facebook post shared on Wednesday. 'I am declining the rrhof awards show (and denny tedesco process)…..turning it down because it wasn't something that reflects the work that Studio Musicians do and did in the golden era of the 1960s Recording Hits.' More from Rolling Stone Cyndi Lauper on Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction: 'If You Persist, You Prevail' Warren Zevon's Son Thinks His Dad Would Be Proud to Enter the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Guitarist Kim Thayil on Soundgarden's Hall of Fame Induction: 'Chris Cornell Would Be Proud' During the Sixties and Seventies, Kaye became part of a group of session musicians known as the Wrecking Crew, a collective often called upon by the Beach Boys, Phil Spector, the Monkees, and more. However, in her post, the 90-year-old musician criticized the group's name, while emphasizing the collaborative nature of studio musicians. '[Y]ou are always part of a TEAM, not a solo artist at all….there were always 350-400 Studio Musicians (AFM Local 47 Hollywood) working in the busy 1960s, and called that ONLY ….since 1930s, I was never a 'wrecker' at all….that's a terrible insulting name,' she wrote. While Kaye featured in Denny Tedesco's 2008 documentary, The Wrecking Crew, she has long objected to the name, stating that the collective didn't use it and that drummer Hal Blaine was the one who dubbed the group. 'Just so you know, as a working Jazz musician (soloing jazz guitar work) in the 1950s working since 1949, I was accidentally asked to record records by producer Bumps Blackwell in 1957, got into recording good music, w/Sam Cooke, other artists and then accidentally placed on Fender Precision Bass mid 1963 when someone didn't show,' Kaye continued. 'I never played bass in my life but being an experienced recording guitarist, it was plain to see that 3 bass players hired to play 'dum-de-dum' on record dates, wasn't getting it…..it was easy for me to invent good bass lines…..as a Jazz musician, you invent every note you play……and they used a lot of Jazz musicians (and former big-band experienced musicians on all those rock and pop dates too).' The famed bassist ended her note by declaring, 'I refuse to be part of a process that is something else rather than what I believe in, for others' benefit and not reflecting on the truth – we all enjoyed working with EACH OTHER.' Kaye was set to receive the Musical Excellence Award at the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Nov. 8 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Other inductees this year include Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, OutKast, Soundgarden, and the White Stripes. Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Legendary Bassist Carol Kaye Is ‘Declining' Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction, Citing ‘Insulting' Use of ‘Wrecking Crew' Nickname for Studio Musicians
Legendary studio musician Carol Kaye has long been known for not suffering fools gladly. We may be able to add the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to the list of people she considers fools, judging from her announcement that she will be boycotting her induction into the Hall this fall, due to her objections to language used to characterize her illustrious history. Specifically, Kaye has never made a secret of how much she hates the 'Wrecking Crew' moniker that has long been affectionately applied to the loose confluence of studio musicians that played on scores of the greatest hits of the 1960s. The fact that there was a popular documentary called 'The Wrecking Crew' in 2008 that brought many of these musicians (including herself) further into the public eye only served to heighten her antipathy toward the name. More from Variety Chubby Checker on Finally Twisting His Way Into the Rock Hall of Fame: 'Everybody's Made a Whole Lotta Money Off Chubby. Give the Man Some Credit!' (EXCLUSIVE) Rock Hall of Fame Inductees Unveiled: Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, White Stripes, Chubby Checker, Warren Zevon and More to Join Class of 2025 Phish Wins Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Fan Vote; Bad Company and Billy Idol Come In Second and Third 'People have been asking: NO I won't be there,' Kaye, 90, wrote in a Facebook post. 'I am declining the RRHOF awards show (and Denny Tedesco process)' — a reference to the director of the 2008 documentary — 'turning it down because it wasn't something that reflects the work that Studio Musicians do and did in the golden era of the 1960s Recording Hits.' Not everything about her Facebook statement is immediately clear to those without a previous understanding of some of the beefs Kaye has raised before. But her aversion to any language referring to 'the Wrecking Crew' is crystal-clear: 'I was never a 'wrecker' at all,' she writes. 'That's a terrible insulting name.' Of course, Kaye turning down the invitation to attend and be personally honored will not stand in the way of her being inducted anyway, in absentia. In 2022, when Dolly Parton attempted to derail her own induction, the Rock Hall made it clear she'd be honored with or without her personal approval, before she came around. Some other more rebellious rockers have rebuffed the honor, like Johnny Rotten, yet remain official Hall of Famers nonetheless. Kaye's declaration that she plans to pass on being personally honored in October did not come as a total surprise to anyone keeping track of her social feed. In April, when she was first announced as one of the Rock Hall's 2025 inductees, she immediately revealed mixed feelings. ''I appreciate so highly all the nice things you have said here, and appreciate the wonderful loyalty!' she wrote in a message to fans. But, she added then, 'Please know our only name was Studio Musicians, not the name a drummer made up for his own quest for fame.' (The drummer in question would be the late Hal Blaine, who came up with the Wrecking Crew nickname and occasionally comes up for scorn in her writings.) As far as a trip to Cleveland went, she was 'not sure if I can put up with their 'wrecker' ID to go to it,' she said in April. She also suggested at the time that health could stand in her way: 'Am not feeling up to much.' Kaye also appears to be objecting to being singled out for an honor apart from the greater collective that she prefers to only be called 'Studio Musicians.' 'You are always part of a TEAM, not a solo artist at all,' she writes. 'There were always 350-400 Studio Musicians (AFM Local 47 Hollywood) working in the busy 1960s, and called that ONLY (s)ince 1930s. … I refuse to be part of a process that is something else rather than what I believe in, for others' benefit and not reflecting on the truth — we all enjoyed working with EACH OTHER.' She adds in the comment thread, 'There's more to it than meets the eye, just so you know.' This is not the first time Kaye has taken something intended as a compliment as ultimately patronizing, if not demeaning. In 2020, she made headlines for slamming the TV series 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' for introducing a character loosely based on her. In an interview with the New York Post, Kaye said, 'A lot of people are saying, 'That must be you. I love it!' But I am not a cartoon — and my life is not a joke. Nobody contacted me. I didn't know a thing about it. I thought that was pretty bad — kind of like slander. … Don't get me wrong, I have a sense of humor … but I am a professional. This is like a putdown to me.' If Kaye can be a little rough around the edges in deflecting would-be homages, that will not put any dents in her reputation as one of the great studio musicians of all time — a legacy that came up again in the wake of the death of Brian Wilson, who used her on 'Pet Sounds' and many other classic Beach Boys records, including 'California Girls,' 'Good Vibrations' and 'Heroes and Villains.' Kaye is one of the most recognized studio musicians of all time, partly by virtue of having been a pioneering woman in an exclusively boys' club, but mostly because she played unforgettable parts on an inordinate amount of the greatest records of all time. She was part of the studio teams assembled by Motown, Phil Spector and Quincy Jones. She contributed to classic cuts by Frank Sinatra, Sonny & Cher ('The Beat Goes On'), Simon & Garfunkel, the Monkees, Glen Campbell ('Wichita Lineman'), Barbra Streisand ('The Way We Were'), Elvis Presley, Joe Cocker ('Feelin' Alright') and Ray Charles. She appeared on TV themes including 'Mission Impossible,' 'Hawaii Five-O' and 'The Brady Bunch.' Kaye used her message Wednesday to relay a quick summary of how she came to specialize in playing bass, despite having first been a jazz guitarist. 'Just so you know, as a working Jazz musician (soloing jazz guitar work) in the 1950s working since 1949, I was accidentally asked to record records by producer Bumps Blackwell in 1957, got into recording good music, w/ Sam Cooke, other artists and then accidentally placed on Fender Precision Bass mid 1963 when someone didn't show…….I never played bass in my life but being an experienced recording guitarist, it was plain to see that 3 bass players hired to play 'dum-de-dum' on record dates, wasn't getting it…..it was easy for me to invent good bass lines…..as a Jazz musician, you invent every note you play……and they used a lot of Jazz musicians (and former big-band experienced musicians on all those rock and pop dates too).' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar
Forbes
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Fleetwood Mac's Massive Song Is Back — But It Was Somehow Never A Single
Fleetwood Mac's 'The Chain' reenters Billboard's Rock Streaming Songs chart and the Billboard Global ... More 200 as 'Dreams' climbs to No. 3 on the rock tally. NEW YORK, UNITED STATES: Members of the British rock group Fleetwood Mac (from left) John McVie, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, Mick Fleetwood and Lindsay Buckingham appear together after receiving their awards and being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 12 January in New York. The thirteenth annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction dinner also honored Santana, The Eagles, The Mamas and Papas, Lloyd Price and Gene Vincent. AFP PHOTO (Photo credit should read JON LEVY/AFP via Getty Images) Fleetwood Mac typically performs well on the Billboard charts every frame thanks in large part to its album Rumours. To a lesser extent, the group's Greatest Hits compilation also keeps the rockers somewhere on the weekly lists. From time to time, one or two tunes featured in the Grammy-winning act's discography manage to find space as well — and at the moment, a pair of cuts are charting once again as one begins a comeback. 'The Chain' — long regarded as one of Fleetwood Mac's most popular compositions — breaks back onto the Rock Streaming Songs tally at No. 23 this week. It also narrowly manages to find space on the Billboard Global 200, the worldwide ranking of the most-consumed tracks, where it settles at No. 195. 'The Chain' has only appeared on the Billboard Global 200 for four nonconsecutive weeks throughout the half-decade the tally has been compiled. Its lifespan on the Rock Streaming Songs list is far more impressive. The Fleetwood Mac tune has now racked up 85 appearances somewhere on the ranking of the most-played rock tracks on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and iHeartRadio, where it stands as one of the group's top 10 wins on that roster. Fleetwood Mac scores a pair of hit tracks in the U.S. this week, as 'The Chain' joins 'Dreams' on both the Rock Streaming Songs list and the Billboard Global 200. 'Dreams' is rising across all the tallies it appears on, inching closer to the summit on the rock ranking, where it pushes to No. 3. The same tune can also be found on both the Streaming Songs tally and the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. at the same time. The latter roster removes all sales and streaming activity from the United States to show what the rest of the world is listening to. Both 'Dreams' and 'The Chain' were originally featured on Fleetwood Mac's masterpiece Rumours. While 'Dreams' was selected as a proper single, 'The Chain' never earned that status – but that hasn't stopped it from becoming a certified classic, and one of the band's most beloved songs.
Globe and Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
'SNL: Ladies & Gentlemen...50 Years of Music' Now Open at The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
CLEVELAND, June 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHAT: The official opening of The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Saturday Night Live's 50th Anniversary exhibit, 'SNL: Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of Music' with a special performance by 11-season veteran of Saturday Night Live, Fred Armisen, from the PNC Stage to help celebrate the new groundbreaking exhibit, which honors 50 years of musical guests and musical sketches on Saturday Night Live. With over 150 RRHOF Inductees who have appeared on the show, the RRHOF is the only place on the planet where fans can view the 1,900 musical guest performances, including some never-before-seen dress rehearsal footage. Additionally, the evening included special activations throughout the Museum including the premiere of the exclusive edit of the critically acclaimed documentary 'Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music' directed by Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson showing in the Foster Theater, with artifact presentations by the Rock Hall Library & Archives and Curatorial Teams, special Saturday Night Live -themed trivia, visitor photo ops, and a jam session with the Rock Hall house band in the Garage featuring songs made famous on SNL. More information about the exhibit can be found at Fans can plan their visit to see the exhibit by visiting and as always, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is free to all city of Cleveland residents through the CLE VIP program sponsored by Key Bank. WHEN: June 14, 2025, from 6:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. WHERE: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 1100 Rock N Roll Blvd Cleveland, OH 44114 MEDIA ASSETS (IMAGES/BROLL): Credit: Courtesy of The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame* *except where otherwise noted MORE INFORMATION: CONTACT/RSVP: J.R. Johnson / Kelly Schikowski FTM@ Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'SNL: Ladies & Gentlemen...50 Years of Music' Now Open at The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Featuring Performance by SNL Veteran Fred Armisen Hero Image CLEVELAND, June 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHO: 11-season veteran of Saturday Night Live, comedian, writer, producer, and musician, Fred Armisen; all 1,900 musical guests' performances from SNL's 50-year history WHAT: The official opening of The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Saturday Night Live's 50th Anniversary exhibit, 'SNL: Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of Music' with a special performance by 11-season veteran of Saturday Night Live, Fred Armisen, from the PNC Stage to help celebrate the new groundbreaking exhibit, which honors 50 years of musical guests and musical sketches on Saturday Night Live. With over 150 RRHOF Inductees who have appeared on the show, the RRHOF is the only place on the planet where fans can view the 1,900 musical guest performances, including some never-before-seen dress rehearsal the evening included special activations throughout the Museum including the premiere of the exclusive edit of the critically acclaimed documentary 'Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music' directed by Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson showing in the Foster Theater, with artifact presentations by the Rock Hall Library & Archives and Curatorial Teams, special Saturday Night Live-themed trivia, visitor photo ops, and a jam session with the Rock Hall house band in the Garage featuring songs made famous on information about the exhibit can be found at can plan their visit to see the exhibit by visiting and as always, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is free to all city of Cleveland residents through the CLE VIP program sponsored by Key Bank. WHEN: June 14, 2025, from 6:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. WHERE: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame1100 Rock N Roll BlvdCleveland, OH 44114 MEDIA ASSETS (IMAGES/BROLL): Credit: Courtesy of The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame**except where otherwise noted MORE INFORMATION: CONTACT/RSVP:J.R. Johnson / Kelly SchikowskiFTM@ Photos accompanying this announcement are available at in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
