Maybe I’m old-fashioned and I don’t give a [expletive] or whatever.”Those comments drew immediate fire on social media.
(The foundation, created in 1983, chooses the artists who are inducted, and is affiliated with the museum in Cleveland.)
Interviews with four people with direct knowledge of the board vote, who spoke anonymously because the panel’s deliberations are confidential, paint a picture of urgency and rage inside the institution.
While board members felt personally appalled by Wenner’s comments, they were also worried about the impact on the hall itself, and its vital relationships with artists — some of whom were already beginning to complain.
This year’s honorees include Kate Bush, Missy Elliott, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, Rage Against the Machine, the Spinners and George Michael, who died in 2016.
Persons:
Pharrell Williams, LL, ” Troy Carter, Prince, Wenner, Wenner’s, —, missive, Bernie Taupin, Elton John’s, Heather Taupin, Kate Bush, Missy Elliott, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, George Michael
Organizations:
Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, Spotify, The Times, Barclays Center, Machine, Spinners
Locations:
Cleveland, Brooklyn