James Taylor, John Legend and more backstage at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame anniversary concerts

When the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame puts on a show, expect the some of the biggest legends in music to be there. To commemorate its 25th anniversary, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame presented two all-star fund-raising concerts that were held October 29 and October 30 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The lineup of performers reads like a who’s who list of Hall of Famers (including Stevie Wonder, U2, Bruce Springsteen, Mick Jagger, Aretha Franklin, Sting, Simon and Garfunkel, James Taylor, Billy Joel, Annie Lennox, Jeff Beck, Sam Moore, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, John Fogerty, B.B. King, Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica, Jerry Lee Lewis, Dion, Buddy Guy, Patti Smith, Lou Reed, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, Ray Davies and Crosby, Stills and Nash), as well as possible future inductees in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, such as the Black Eyed Peas, Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, Lenny Kravitz and John Legend. (Eric Clapton had to cancel his scheduled appearance at the October 30 concert, because he reportedly had gallstone surgery.)

Stars from movies and television also came out for the event, including Tom Hanks, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Penn Badgley and Mark-Paul Gosselaar. Highlights from the concerts will air as a TV special that premieres November 29 on HBO. Although most of the event’s superstars (such as U2, Springsteen, Wonder, Sting and Jagger) weren’t doing interviews, I was backstage for the show and I got to talk to some of the celebrities in the gift lounge, which was presented by On 3 Productions. The talent who stopped by the gift lounge were treated to products and services from Barcardi (the official spirit sponsor of the event), Cult of Individuality, Anoname Jeans, AMC Entertainment, Schott NYC, Ultimate Ears by Logitech, Zirh, Unitee, New York Health and Racquet Club, Guitar Hero 5, DJ Hero, T-Mobile, 5 Gum and Reebok.

Real-life guitar heroes Beck (whose solo music and work with the Yardbirds are legendary) and ZZ Top’s Gibson had a blast playing Guitar Hero 5 and even posed together with the game’s guitars. Beck said before leaving the lounge and getting ready for his performance that Prince would be his pick to jam with any performer who wasn’t there that evening, because Prince’s albums "Sign O’ the Times" and "Purple Rain" were masterpieces. Here’s what some of the other celebs in the gift lounge had to say.

JAMES TAYLOR

James Taylor

What’s your favorite memory of any of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremonies you’ve seen or attended?

I inducted Crosby, Stills and Nash [in 1997], so that was fun. That was a nice event. I suppose my own induction when Paul McCartney came and read me a tribute. That was great.

You’ve done so many different collaborations on records and on stage. Which artist would you like to collaborate with that you’ve haven’t had a chance to yet?

I had a huge blessing, in terms of people I’ve been able to work with. I don’t know. It’s hard to say. At some point, I’d like to work with Bobby McFerrin. There are a lot of people I’d like to work with.

Which one of your songs would surprise a lot of people if you performed it on stage?

We’re constantly dredging things up in the past and dredging things in front of them. [On October 28, 2009], I performed a song of mine called “Belfast to Boston” for the International Crisis Group. That’s a nice tune —that relatively few people know — to drag out at the right occasion.

JOHN LEGEND

John Legend

Do you get nervous before you do a show?

I don’t get nervous before my shows. Three seconds before my show, I might get butterflies in my stomach. As soon as I start singing, I’m good.

You went to the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and you live here in New York City. So are you rooting for the Philadelphia Phillies or the New York Yankees to win the World Series this year?

I’m rooting for the Yankees. If the curse was still going in Philadelphia, I would have more sympathy for them, because they had a long streak where none of their professional teams won anything, but they won last year.

You’re performing with Stevie Wonder tonight. What’s your favorite Stevie Wonder memory?

My favorite is the first time I met him, when we got to perform together at the BET Awards in 2005. We did “Ordinary People” and “My Cherie Amour” together, which was incredible. We did it on the piano, facing each other. That was pretty crazy.

You campaigned for Barack Obama during the 2008 U.S. presidential race and you’ve also performed for him at multiple events. For people who haven’t met President Obama, what’s the one thing people should know about him?

The thing that’s cool about him is that he is who is — the person he comes across as when he’s giving a speech or giving an interview. He’s real, he’s intelligent, he’s calm. He’s a great man.

You picked up some stuff from the New York Health and Racquet Club in this gift lounge. How often do you work out?

Four or five times a week.

What’s next for you?

I’m going into the studio to finish my next album. I just finished my tour for [2008’s “Evolver”], which lasted a whole year, and I’m ready to relax a little bit.

What do you think your next album is going to sound like?

Incredible! It’s going to be very soulful. It’ll [have] really good energy. It’s actually an album I’m doing with the Roots. It’ll be cool.

KIRK HAMMETT (Metallica)

Kirk Hammett

If there was anyone in the world that you could perform with who’s not here tonight, who would it be?

Jimi Hendrix.

What Jimi Hendrix song would you want to perform with him?

“Purple Haze.”

What’s your favorite memory of either seeing or attending a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony?

Being on stage with Jimmy Page, Joe Perry, Jeff Beck.

You have two dogs. If they were rock stars, which would they be?

Robert Plant and Ozzy Osbourne.

What can you say about the reward that Metallica has put up to find Morgan Harrington, the 20-year-old woman who was last seen at Metallica’s October 17 concert in Charlottesville, Virginia?

The family has put up a reward [$50,000], and we matched the amount. We’re hoping that will be a motivation for someone to come forward and volunteer some information to help us find her.

How is her disappearance affecting you as a band?

It’s very depressing, very sad. It comes back to us as parents, and [a child disappearing] is a parent’s worst nightmare. We empathize with the family. All I can say is I hope she’s found safe — and soon.

What do you think the next Metallica album is going to sound like?

I have no idea. We haven’t even gotten that far yet.

What haven’t you done that you want to do?

[Go to] the moon. 

Photo credits: Getty Images