Nirvana, Kiss among new members of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Members of the rock group 'Kiss' in Los Angeles Nirvana swept into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in its first year of eligibility, the musical museum said, welcoming it and other groups like glam outfit Kiss. Peter Gabriel, Hall and Oates, Cat Stevens and Linda Ronstadt join Nirvana and Kiss -- known for Gene Simmons' famously wagging tongue -- among the new members announced Monday. They will be inducted next year.
The Cleveland, Ohio institution said Brian Epstein, manager of the Beatles from 1962 until his death in 1967, will be inducted for Lifetime Achievement.
So will Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham, the Hall of Fame said in a statement.
Oldham propelled the Stones to "worldwide stardom and crafted their bad boy image so well it became both their brand and burden," it said.
He "helped shepherd a run of landmark recordings that continues to bear influence a half-century later."
Another honoree is The E Street Band, which Bruce Springsteen formed in 1973. It helped "establish Springsteen’s legendary reputation as one of the greatest performers in the history of rock and roll."
Springsteen, or The Boss, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.
To be eligible for membership, a performer, composer or musician must have released a record at least 25 years prior to the year of induction and "have demonstrated unquestionable musical excellence," in the words of the Hall of Fame.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame president Joel Peresman told Rolling Stone magazine it was "really no surprise" that Nirvana, led by the late Kurt Cobain, had gained entry in their first year of eligibility.
The band's first single "Love Buzz" came out in 1988 and Cobain, who struggled with substance abuse, committed suicide in 1994 at the age of 27.
Cat Stevens, who later in life converted to Islam and took the name Yusuf Islam, was hailed by the Hall of Fame as an "introspective cornerstone of the 1970s singer-song writer movement."
He said the change of faith cost him many fans and led to his being ostracized. "However, I had found the spiritual home I’d been seeking for most of my life," he told Rolling Stone, according to the Hall of Fame web site announcement.
The Hall of Fame said Kiss were downright inspirational.
"Few bands short of the Beatles inspired more kids to pick up the guitar than Kiss," it said.
"With their signature makeup, explosive stage show and anthems like 'Rock And Roll All Nite' and 'Detroit Rock City', they are the very personification of rock stars."
It said they started out pretty much as duds but "quickly gained a national following for their bombastic, pyro-filled stage show."
Simmons, the tall and imposing bass player, was known for his startlingly long and agile oral appendage.
Daryl Hall and John Oates fashioned an original mix of soul and rock that made them the "most successful pop duo in history." During their career they logged six Number One hits.
The induction ceremony will be held in April of next year in Brooklyn, New York.
Source: AFP