Bruce Springsteen rocks the Waldorf in ‘Hall of Fame’ show

[HMG Celebrity News] – Bruce Springsteen can hold an audience transfixed for hours, but last night he joined Neil Diamond, Alice Cooper, Tom Waits and Darlene Love at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame awards to form the greatest band money can’t buy.

The Hall of Fame held its 27th annual induction at the Waldorf-Astoria on Monday, and as you’d expect from musicians there was a lot of strange humor, plus a jam session that went way past midnight.

Among the night’s highlights was heavy metal freak, Rob Zombie introducing Alice Cooper; “Alice Cooper invented the rock show,” Rob enthused. “They were more than a band; they were like a gang of murderous drag queens.”

Showing his usual restraint, Alice accepted the honor in a blood-spattered shirt, with a bright yellow boa constrictor wrapped round his neck.

“We’ve always been a hard-rock band,” said the 63-year old star. “We just wanted to decorate it a little differently.”

He then tried to exit the stage – and went the wrong way; “There’s always that ‘Spinal Tap’ moment,” he told the crowd.

Performers can’t join the Hall of Fame until 25-years after they release their first song. So Neil Diamond has been eligible since 1991. But he got added this year. And Paul Simon blamed ‘You Don’t Bring Me Flowers’ – Neil’s 1978 duet with Barbra Streisand;

It’s Barbra Streisand,” he told the audience. ”I don’t think they allow that DNA even close to the Hall of Fame!”

One of the most popular nominees of the night was Darlene Love. Now 71, Darlene was a major component of Phil Spector’s famous ‘Wall of Sound’ in the ’60′s. And Bette Midler’s still a big fan;

“Listening to her songs, you had to dance, you had to move,” Bette said in Darlene’s introduction. “No voice drove me crazier than Darlene. “She picked us up by the scruffs of our necks and shook the starch out of us.”

Almost in tears, Darlene found the words to reply; “This is the best gift I could ever have had,” she told the black-tie crowd. “I’ve given over 50 years of my life to the music industry and I’m so thankful for the genius of Phil Spector.”

Neil Young then tried to introduce songwriter Tom Waits; “Tom’s indescribable…and I’m here to describe him,” he mused. And Tom was equally dry, asking if there was a key-chain version of the bulky award; “In case I hear somebody say, ‘Take the cuffs off him. He’s a Hall of Famer!’”

With the awards all delivered the ceremony then morphed into a jam session no concert promoter could ever afford; Tom Waits got it started. He was joined by Neil Young, then John Mayer and Bruce Springsteen came in. Darlene Love did some vocals with Bette Midler, then Neil Diamond got the tired crowd on their feet.

By now it was 1.30am, but Alice Cooper pinned the suits to their seats with one last barrage of noise, then Paul Shaffer told the hall it was over;

“That’s it from the greats of Rock & Roll,” he said as the stage emptied. “We’ll see you next year.”

It’s hard to imagine how the bosses could top this, but 2012 is the first year Guns N’ Roses could join….

Source: E-Weekly