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With Hall of Fame induction looming, who would be fit for a Prince?
Jon Bream, Star Tribune

Published November 9, 2003 POP09


It's a lock: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will announce sometime in the next few days that Prince is one of its new inductees. Given his career, influence and impact, he is the most compelling choice on a ballot that includes John Mellencamp, ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, George Harrison, the Sex Pistols, Bob Seger, Black Sabbath and Patti Smith, among others.

What's not certain is who will give Prince's induction speech at the ceremonies in March in a New York City hotel ballroom. Because the event is taped and edited for broadcast on VH1, the programming poobahs seem to have some sway when it comes to choosing presenters.

With all due respect to Paul Shaffer, who traditionally directs the live music for the induction ceremonies, we offer a Top 10 list of candidates to induct Prince.

10Sly Stone. A Hall member, he was a major influence on Prince, and Sly's hybrid sound and coed, multiracial band also reflect Prince's approach. But Sly, a tortured genius, hasn't been heard from in years. A logical sub would be Sly & the Family Stone bassist Larry Graham. A giant among bass players, an R&B hitmaker and a close friend of Prince's (and fellow evangelizing Jehovah's Witness), Graham would be too obscure for the TV masses, however.

9Carlos Santana. Another Hall of Famer and early influence on Prince. However, Santana's speeches tend to be lost in the spiritual ozone. Plus, Clive Davis, the record-label president who is a Hall of Famer himself, insists that Santana associate with young artists such as Michelle Branch.

8George Clinton. In 1997, Prince gave the Hall of Fame induction speech for the Godfather of Funk, his friend and hero. As for a role reversal, well, Clinton's music speaks louder -- and more clearly -- than his words.

7Chaka Khan. As a teen, Prince had posters of her on his bedroom walls. She scored a solo hit with an interpretation of his "Feel 4 U," but she isn't much more talkative than the shy Prince.

6Bob Dylan or Bruce Springsteen. It would be a dream if Dylan, a fellow Minnesota maverick, inducted Prince, but Dylan isn't big on making speeches. However, Springsteen is, and he's been called upon to induct several Hall of Fame heavyweights, including Dylan and Roy Orbison. Both the Boss and Prince had their biggest albums ("Born in the U.S.A." and "Purple Rain") in 1984. Other than that, there isn't much of a connection -- musical or personal -- between them.

5Joni Mitchell. Another Hall of Famer who influenced Prince. She didn't even show up for her own induction, so why would she turn up this time? Well, she did travel to Sheridan, Wyo., for the premiere of Prince's second film, "Under the Cherry Moon."

4Beck. VH1 would love someone relatively young and hip like Beck. He's a funky cross-breeder of styles, and he often covers Prince songs in concert. But to VH1 programmers, he's so 1990s.

3OutKast. This hip-hop duo is hot, hip and heavily influenced by Prince. But are they recognizable enough to VH1 viewers to honor the year's most prominent inductee?

2Neil Young. Musically, this two-time Hall of Famer (both as a solo act and with Buffalo Springfield) has little in common with Prince. However, both are iconoclasts who travel to their own beat, thumbing their noses at major labels and even their own fans. That would make Young a fitting choice. But he has such an unfavorable view of VH1 that it's questionable whether he'd show up.

1Lenny Kravitz. He and Prince are friendly enough to have jammed onstage and in the studio. He borrows from some of the same '60s/'70s influences that Prince did. VH1 loves him as much as he loves Prince. Just last year, the music network named Kravitz one of its "25 sexiest." And if he's still squiring Nicole Kidman come the March induction ceremony, his Q rating will be higher than Sly Stone could ever take you.

Kravitz, who launched his career as Romeo Blue as a tribute to you-know-who, is the one to induct His Purpleness.

Jon Bream is at 612-673-1719 or popmusic@startribune.com.

sonicfreak said:

Gotta b Clinton Or Chaka...

sonicfreak said:

That'll be the one then!

me

I'm just glad that he's gonna be in there. Carlos Santana would be really cool...or Chaka.

I reckon it will be Chaka Khan

That article makes me think Jon Bream is a real dork.

JudasLChrist said:

He is actualy lol he couldn't decide whose the one that should give Prince the induction speech and then VOTE 4 Lenny for a shallow ass reason

He stated Chaka as the bathroom wallposter girl who made Prince waste alot of ()s when its obevious that her influence is solid in Prince.

bananacologne said:

Definitely! I mean, it's a perfect match. I'd love to see it, too, since Santana's brand of spiritual spaciness is far more entertaining than Prince's. Prince tends to be simply exasperating, while Carlos rambles on colorfully about Metatron speaking to him, and MJ and Prince being destiny brothers, or something like that.

I vote Carlos.

FunkMistress said:

ehehehe, let's really push the boat out and plump 4 Lee 'Scratch' Perry!

JDINTERACTIVE said:

I now destroy the mentality of war, atomic energy from your mind, I give you de blessing of love and order if you obey me in eight nine O zed. That's the power of their computer controlling. Thank you sah.

That's an actual quote from the Upsetter himself. Sounds like the Babelfish versions of Prince songs.

Man, are any of our musical geniuses sane?



quote this edit
[This message was edited Sat Nov 8 13:24:27 PST 2003 by FunkMistress]

Don't shoot me but,I think that Lenny is the only choice.He & Prince r close friends & I think that it would be more likely that Prince would show up if it were Lenny inducting him. IMO.

NOT LARRY GRAHAM. NO NO NO NO!!!

I'd like TTD to do, but that won't happen

Lenny is a good bet

is this true?
is he in?

Joni Mitchell ! ! ! ! She is the best songwriter up there besides Dylan, and I've always felt it was Prince's imaginative songwriting that has kept me hooked all these years.

Blame Canada!!!

BTW...



L VE this pic.

sonicfreak said:

Very interesting point.

So it is true, Prince is going to be inducted into the Hall of Fame? This is not just a Hollywood rumor that's a load of ? I hope so, because it's about time Prince got the props that he well deserves.

edited because Psycho is so excited about the fact that Prince is getting into the Hall of Fame that she can't type correctly
[This message was edited Sat Nov 8 14:05:32 PST 2003 by psychodelicide]

psychodelicide said:

I don't know what he thinks, but it scares me.




wherethefuckismyH edit
[This message was edited Sat Nov 8 14:14:05 PST 2003 by FunkMistress]

ROFL @ FunkMistress. Why does it scare you? I think it's cute.

psychodelicide said:

The eyes and...the teeth...dear god, the teeth...

He's doing Mr. Green:

Speaking of which, where's that PR-era pic of him doing this one: ?

Now that you mention it, he does look like he's doing a mrgreen.

well the most logical choice would have to be: The Org members!

TA-DA!!!

Milty said:

'...when we gonna get 2 the award 4 best ass?'

Milty said:

That'd be a great idea! Can you picture a bunch of us standing up there onstage with Prince and a bunch of us sitting in the front rows of the audience when Prince gets inducted? It would be party time!

Bob Dylan - warrior poet.

psychodelicide said:

Da horror. Da absofreakinlute HORROR.

And God, please don't let it be Clinton. Get somebody who's sober.

It'll be someone lame like Alicia Keys ... but what about Stevie?? He gave him an award a couple of years ago and Prince looked liked he was gonna cry, he couldn't have been more honoured.

JONI JONI JONI! Prince would be honoured, she'd be happy to do it, it'd be a blast!