2010 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony backstage: Faith Hill, Iggy Pop, Genesis and more

Regardless of how you feel about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, it is still considered by many to be one of the greatest honors in the music industry. (The Sex Pistols have been the only honorees to not accept their induction in the Hall of Fame.) The Hall of Fame inductees for 2010 gathered March 15 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City for a night of reminiscing, tributes, collaborations and, of course, a celebration of music. Fuse had a live telecast of the ceremony; the network will have repeat airings of the show at 5 p.m. Eastern Time on March 21 and March 27.

The performers inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of 2010 are ABBA, the Hollies, Genesis, Jimmy Cliff and the Stooges. The year’s non-performer inductees are music mogul David Geffen, plus songwriters Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, Jesse Stone, Mort Shuman and Otis Blackwell.

Backstage, several of the inductees, presenters and other performers stopped by the press room to pose for photos and answer questions from the gathered reporters. The celebrities who spoke to the media included Faith Hill, who sang ABBA’s "The Winner Takes It All" at the show; Matchbox Twenty lead singer Rob Thomas, who performed during the songwriters' tribute and the all-star jam at the end of the show; Barry and Robin Gibb, who inducted ABBA; Steven Van Zandt, who inducted the Hollies; Wyclef Jean, who inducted Cliff; and Train lead singer Pat Monahan, who performed "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" in a tribute to the Hollies. Here’s what they had to say.

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FAITH HILL

What are your memories of ABBA music?

Just having a lot of fun.

Do your daughters listen to ABBA?

Yes, they do.

Will you and your husband, Tim McGraw, ever do a duets or gospel album?

I’d like to do both someday. I have no idea when, but someday. That would be wonderful. It’s on the agenda.

How do you feel about being chosen to perform the ABBA tribute at this Rock and Roll Hall of Fame show?

I’m so honored to be able to sing "The Winner Takes It All" with Benny [Andersson] playing on the piano at their induction in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. You just really can’t write a story better than that. It was a real honor to be on stage.

Do you own a Kindle or eReader?

I do not, but my husband does. He’s reading a book about Tammy Wynette.

How do you and Tim influence each other musically?

We have so much respect for each other musically, that’s a great influence on one another.

What can you say about your next album?

We’re still working on it.

Is there anyone think should be inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame who hasn’t been inducted yet?

I haven’t really thought about it, to be honest with you. I’m just honored to be here tonight. I just think it’s an incredible evening.

What designers are you wearing right now?

I think my shoes are Gucci, and my dress is Alexander McQueen, God rest his soul.

How important do you think fashion is to music?

I think style is important. Fashion is definitely extremely important … I think one cannot go forward without the other. I think we [music artists] inspire fashion, and vice versa.
 

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THE STOOGES

Did the Stooges ever donate any memorabilia to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Iggy Pop: Yeah, they’ve got a guitar. I told them where to buy all the stuff that I sold for drugs in the ‘70s.

Have you ever been to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland?

Pop: I don’t get to Cleveland a lot, but if we have an opening in the Stooges’ schedule, we’ll [go there]. If Cleveland is ready for us, we’re ready for Cleveland, we’ll stop off at the Hall. I’d like to see it, actually.

Do you feel like the Stooges are better than ever?

Pop: To me, what’s been happening for us is already happening. This [induction] is symbolic of it. It let certain people know that who are nervous; it just lets them know it’s cool to like us. It’s just one more thing, and it’s a nice thing.

How do you keep in shape? You have a hot bod.

Pop: I play with my dog to keep my bod hot.

James, what was it like to play with the Stooges again tonight?

James Williamson: It’s like I never left. After all I got the synapses working for the guitar part, it was fun!

How do you feel about the Stooges finally being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, after being nominated and passed over for years?

Pop: I didn’t think they’d ever have us in that club. I was shocked and surprised. I’ve told people this before. For me, for years, it was just like Charlie Brown and the football. Every time in the fall, when football season started, Lucy says, "Hey, Charlie Brown, I’ve got a football. I’ll put it down here and you can [kick] it …" And he says, "You’re going to jerk it away and I’m going to fall on my ass!" And she does that every year.

I never called up anyone and asked them to nominate us. You just keep hearing about it. It’s like high school has come back to haunt you. It was cool [to be inducted in the Hall of Fame]. It was nice. It was no problem.

What did you think about Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day inducting the Stooges into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Pop: I think Billie Joe did a great job. Billie Joe has certain old-school showbiz talents. He knows how to do a buildup. It’s hard to do a speech at one of these things. Jesus! Some guys put people to sleep here. Let’s face it. The part where [Billie Joe Armstrong] alphabetized all the groups [that were influenced by the Stooges] … I don’t know what he said at the end. Do you know what he said?

"And my band, too."

Pop: "And my band, too?" That was cool. He has a nice energy. He’s a nice person.

For the Stooges' performance tonight, did you know you were going to invite random people on stage before you got on stage?

Pop: Well ….

Williamson: He’s been known to do that.

Pop: It was more like, "You can’t do that." You can’t really stage dive in that place [the Waldorf Astoria].

Iggy, in your speech, you said that the music industry needs to make big changes in order to survive. What’s your advice?

Pop: I think what I tried to do was portray that with our music. My advice is to watch the film. Hopefully, maybe there was a thing or two in there that maybe that would set something off. These people [in the industry] are supposed to be a lot smarter than I am. Let them figure them out.

You’re not going to retire, are you?

Pop: We’re never going to retire, baby. We’re never going to slow down.

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GENESIS

How did it feel seeing old footage of yourselves in the Hall of Fame tribute?

Mike Rutherford: It was quite nice seeing your younger self in those films. It nice to be inducted … You see more guitar-based rock bands [inducted] … so it was really nice.

Will there more Genesis reunion tour dates or possibly a reunion album?

Tony Banks: [He says jokingly] I don’t know. We’ve got plenty more awards to get.

What do you think of your fellow Hall of Fame inductees from this year?

Phil Collins: I think this year, there seems to be more of a variety: ABBA, us, Jimmy Cliff, the Hollies. It seems to be more inclusive. I don’t know if that’s changed because of the people involved in selecting the names for nomination. We’re very happy to be here.

Why isn’t Peter Gabriel here?

Collins: He’s busy with his orchestral tour.

What’s next for you?

Collins: We’re all doing new albums. We’re all doing a new Genesis album, individually.

Steve Hackett: I’m doing an album with Chris Squire [of the band Yes]. That’s another band I hope will get inducted [in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame].

What did you think of Trey Anastasio of Phish inducting Genesis into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Collins: I think his speech was really from the heart. We all met him earlier and he said that he really grow up to Genesis. To put it into words the way he did, I thought it was really touching. And they [Phish] did our song very well.

Phil, how are you feeling after your neck surgery?

Collins: I can’t play [drums] anymore, but I’ll get better.

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JIMMY CLIFF AND WYCLEF JEAN

Jimmy, what are your plans for touring or recording?

Jimmy Cliff: I have just completed a new album. It’s called "Existence," which I believe will be out in the summer. I will do a European tour, also this summer.

Wyclef, what does Jimmy Cliff’s music mean to you?

Wyclef Jean: Jimmy is the godfather, you know what I mean? I wouldn’t be here without Jimmy Cliff. It’s natural. If you watch my shows, my performances, my swagger, there’s a lot of spirituality in it. And that’s all because of the godfather Jimmy Cliff.

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 ROB THOMAS

What can you say about the next Matchbox Twenty album?

We’re writing it right now, and we’ll probably come out with the record next year.

Who’s producing the album?

I don’t know yet. There are a few people in the running. We had a great time with Steve Lillywhite. Rob Cavallo is a guy we’ve been talking to a lot.

What is the new Matchbox Twenty music going to sound like?

[He says jokingly] I think we want to make it a messed-up swing record, only better.

So the band isn’t breaking up?

We’ve always been a band. Our whole goal has always been to put out the 12 best songs we could possibly write at a time, with no [preconceptions] going into it, like, "Oh, this is going to be our this record." When we have songs, we take it somewhere, "Oh, let’s record something."

Can you talk about working with Carlos Santana again to record a cover version of Cream’s "Sunshine of Your Love"?

Yeah, that was pretty amazing. We had this opportunity to work together again. I’ve since then written songs with him for his record … This record of covers [for "Supernatural: Legacy Edition"], it came out great. When you hear him jamming on Cream, it’s an amazing experience.

Can you talk about what any of this year’s Hall of Fame inductees mean to you?

Genesis was the first band I’d ever seen live, on the "Invisible Touch" tour. I’m 38, so that would be around the time [then] my mom would let me go [to concerts]. I think [that concert] was the first time I smoked a joint, too. So it all kind of worked together.

A lot of you guys cover a lot of these events, and you see a lot of people from these different [record] labels and music publishing companies, and no matter what your affiliation is, everyone here seem like a fan. They walk in the door, they sit down, and they’re back to 15 years old. They just want to see bands they love now and bands they grew up loving. It’s really nice to kind of see these people, who spend the entire week trying to kill each other, just sitting back an enjoying the music. It’s really nice to just be a fan.

Would you consider working with Phil Collins or any other major artists?

I’ve considered working with a lot of people. I think it’s another thing if they want to work with us. Like Bruce Springsteen: I’ve considered working with him all the time. [He laughs.]

I’ve been working with Common. When I’m writing, it’s one thing to be in these singer/songwriter kind of bands, but I never want to write outside of myself with people who do what I do. I like to work with the hip-hop guys and Latin guys and country guys, because when I sit back and when I back go home to my own blank page, it widens what that song is going to be.

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ABBA

What can you say about rumors that there will be a sequel to the "Mamma Mia!" movie?

Benny Andersson: I have nothing to say about that.

How does it feel to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Andersson: It’s quite amazing.

Anni-Frid Lyngstad: It’s nice to be one of the females inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

ABBA is one of few performers in the Hall of Fame who aren’t American, Canadian or British. Can you think of any other artists you’d like to see in the Hall of Fame who aren’t American, Canadian or British?

Andersson: I can think of a number of bands that should be in. German bands like Kraftwerk.

What do you think of Madonna’s sampling of ABBA’s "Gimme Gimme Gimme" in her 2005 hit song "Hung Up"?

Andersson: What she did was a really good recording.

What do you think about ABBA’s influence on other artists?

Andersson: The records are still alive … and there are so many musicians in different categories that enjoy the music.

Frida, you’ve worked with Genesis lead singer Phil Collins, so what does it feel like to be inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame during the same year that he's being inducted with Genesis?

Lyngstad: He’s a lovely, wonderful friend of mine. It’s really special.

Is it possible that you and Jon Lord of Deep Purple fame will work together again?

Lyngstad: I’m not sure. We talk all the time about doing something together. We’ll see. Maybe in the future.

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BARRY GIBB AND ROBIN GIBB

When do you think you’ll be coming out with new music?

Barry Gibb: I don’t know. No snap decisions.

What can you tell us about compiling your brother Andy’s final songs?

Barry Gibb: There’s a [Bee Gees] box set coming out in November called "Mythology," and that will be the first time that all four [Gibb] brothers will be on one set. We’ve chosen all of our own favorites, and there’ll be at least one thing from each brother. That includes stuff that Andy did.

What about the songs Andy was working on before he died?

Barry Gibb: Some of them are included [in "Mythology"]. It’s a four-CD set. For the first time, all four brothers will be together [on one box set], so that’s really nice. Andy’s daughter [Peta] was involved in it, [in choosing] the songs of Andy.

What can you say about yourselves, as far as your how you’ve changed since you first started as recording artists?

Robin Gibb: We’ve developed as good songwriters. "Bee Gees 1st" was obviously a landmark album by us.

Do you think the Bee Gees have lost the "stigma" of disco?

Barry Gibb: There’s no question it was tough for us after "[Saturday Night] Fever" … but it’s all fine for us. For us, it’s just pop music.

What do you think about the artists who’ve been inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Barry Gibb: What’s shocking to us is all the different forms of styles and different of popular music are in.

What do you remember most about being at the height of your record-selling career and what do you think your legacy will be?

Robin Gibb: It was in an era where record sales have never been that high and will never be that high again. We’re very proud to actually have experienced that … The music will be forever. It’s played all over the world today, and it’s one of the greatest song catalogues of all time. It’s fun to be a songwriter, and as artists, we’re very proud of that … From the first song Barry and I wrote, we’ve achieved our goals.

You inducted ABBA into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Was there ever a rivalry between ABBA and the Bee Gees in the 1970s?

Barry Gibb: We did start out as rivals and ended up as friends. It’s like the Beatles or anybody else who’s out there at the time. You have to have somebody to compete with, but we all developed a friendship with each other. Everybody wants attention, and everyone wants to be the lead singer. It’s just the nature of any [singing] group. ABBA is a fantastic group, but we were competing with ourselves more than any other group.

What’s the one Bee Gees song you would like to leave behind as your best?

Robin Gibb: "How Deep Is Your Love."

You’ve said that without your brother Maurice, you couldn’t see yourselves performing as the Bee Gees again. But will you ever perform live or release new music, maybe under a new name?

Barry Gibb: We should get back into making a new album or doing live shows, but it’s like we all have families. We both [Robin and I] live in different countries. It’s a bit of a real effort. We understand each other very well. We miss Mo, and it’s not really the same type of thing [to perform without him]. We love each other, and we just want to take things as they come.

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THE HOLLIES

Graham, how does it feel being inducted twice in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: for Crosby, Stills & Nash and for the Hollies?

Graham Nash: It feels great. I have a pair of book ends. I’ve got to tell you: It’s really a great honor being in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame … And [to be inducted] twice? We’re just kids from Manchester. I grew up with these guys. I’ve known this guy [Allan Clarke] for 60 years.

What can you say about your reunion with Allan Clarke tonight?

Nash: It’s the power of music. When I first told Allan that we were being inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and can you do a couple of songs? He said, "I haven’t performed in 17 years. I don’t think I can sing." And then he called me and said, "You know what? I don’t want to be less than what I was." So we got Adam Levine and the Jesse Carmichael from Maroon 5. And then [Allan] began singing the songs, just like we did. It was a miracle! I’m thrilled to be here in this reunion and standing on the stage with these guys. It’s fantastic!

When did you first realize that the Hollies had an impact worldwide?

Allan Clarke: I don’t think that we thought about it, because it overwhelmed us and had just taken us away. It was so different for us as kids — Graham used to work in a post office, and things like that — and for us, suddenly, we were really famous. It was like we were in a bubble … But it was a great feeling.

What can you say about the longevity of your songs?

Nash: I think it’s heart, and I think it’s real music … This is very, very special to me. Taking it back to the very beginning, it’s why I go into music in the first place: It changes people lives. It makes you feel less lonely. It makes you feel like you’ve got a friend out that. And that’s what the Hollies were … And we all had a great time together.

Your fellow Hall of Fame inductee ABBA is also known for having melodic pop harmonies. What can you say about ABBA?

Nash: I’m a fantastic ABBA fan. You have to realize what the music is, how throughout the world, their music has resonated to millions of millions of people. I would like to see the Hall of Fame induct more producers and side men and the incredible musicians that helped us. There are incredible musicians that helped us become who we are … The Hall [of Fame] will continue to grow … It’s going to be looked at as a really interesting piece of history.

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PAT MONAHAN

How did it feel performing "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" with the Hollies?

I know this is cliché, but it was really an honor to be up there with the Hollies … Allan [Clarke] is the most wonderful guy ever. I hope you get a chance to meet him and write about him, because he’s a wonderful, dear guy.

How was it trying to get the microphone back from Terry Sylvester after he grabbed it from you?

Yeah, that was a challenge. It was weird. Somebody must’ve staged it, because I didn’t. I thought he was going to do some moves in the middle of the song. Whoo! He bailed on that and went right to the verse. I was like, "All right" … I appreciated Allan giving the mic back to me.

Can you talk about working with Carlos Santana?

Yeah, I sang on Carlos Santana’s new album on "Dance the Night Away," which is a Van Halen song. [Monahan belts out the first lyrics of the song, "Can you see her …"] I guess I ripped off David Lee Roth for a second.

How did it feel playing for a roomful of people who weren’t there to hear Train’s music?

I got really lucky to get such a rock song. Everyone inducted today comes from such a different, unique place, from progressive rock to punk rock and various pop songwriter vocal pop. And I got to do one of the rock songs, so to me, it was kind of easy … You’re going to get the love, just based on the volume, so that was cool.

What do you think about "Hey, Soul Sister" being the biggest-selling single of Train’s career so far?

Who would’ve thought that a ukulele could be so well-received? We didn’t think that "Hey, Soul Sister" would be a bigger song than "Drops of Jupiter." It’s really cool for us. With [Hollies founding members] Graham [Nash] and Allan [Clarke], they really love each other. And the time they’ve spent together musically, [Train members] Scott [Underwood] and Jimmy [Stafford] and I have had that in a similar way, and I think that shows in our music.

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STEVEN VAN ZANDT

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has gotten a lot of criticism for not including certain artists who are eligible to be inducted. How do you feel about the Hall of Fame’s induction choices so far?

When you start to get a little bit cynical … the ‘50s and ‘60s artists are the ones who really appreciate this. That’s why we’re all here. It’s kind of important to them to be recognized for their life’s work. It legitimizes them, in a way.

What do you think about ABBA being inducted this year?

They weren’t part of my rock’n’roll world exactly. They were more of a pop thing. Some records are just so good that you like them, [such as the ABBA hit] "Knowing Me Knowing You." They were [great] for the genre of pop. That’s why I think they were voted in.

What do you think about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducting artists who don’t actually perform rock music?

It’s happened already. The umbrella is getting bigger and bigger. People have different views about that. In the end, I don’t mind. There are people from the pop world — like Madonna; she has legitimate talent … It’s about the spirit of rock’n’roll … It goes through pop, it goes through hip-hop …

You’re a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame voting board. Can you explain the voting process?

The truth is it’s difficult to get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. We have a big [voting] board of 40 to 50 people. Everybody suggests three artists. So we’re talking about 150 artists [who are considered] every year. I’m telling you right now, most of them should be in there …

Various people have various prejudices against certain things, on that board. It’s like any other thing, but overall, I’m pleased. It’s a very difficult thing to get from 150 to [about] 15 [who are inducted every year]. So I think it’s only a matter of time [before certain artists who’ve been passed over in the past will get inducted].

What younger artists do you think should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in about 20 years?

We have a lot of great new groups now coming up. The difficulty will be … the mass success so that a lot of people will know about them. The trouble with the industry right now is the infrastructure is no longer there to support that sort of thing and make the groups famous, [so the artists can] make a living …

In [my radio show] "Little Steven’s Underground Garage," we’ve given exposure to about 500 new bands. Only a few have broken through: the Hives (from Sweden), the White Stripes and the Strokes. We just make some noise. It’s hard; it’s really difficult.

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Photo credits: Pat Monahan: Getty Images. All other photos: AP.