It's Official: VAN HALEN To Be Inducted Into ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME

January 8, 2007

Jonathan Cohen of Billboard.com reports that VAN HALEN, R.E.M., PATTI SMITH, THE RONETTES and GRANDMASTER FLASH AND THE FURIOUS FIVE will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame March 12 during a ceremony at New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. To be eligible for induction, this year's class had to release their first single no later than 1981.

VAN HALEN faces the decision of whether to perform at the ceremony with ex-members. The group is without a lead singer, although rumors are swirling that original frontman David Lee Roth will tour with the outfit this summer. In addition, Eddie Van Halen's teenage son recently replaced longtime bassist Michael Anthony in the band.

In a recent interview with The Plain Dealer, former VAN HALEN frontman Sammy Hagar expressed doubt VAN HALEN's members can put aside their differences long enough to get through the Rock Hall ceremony.

"I think it could be ugly," he said. "This might be the best one ever! It's what everybody wants. They want to see blows thrown and yelling and screaming and people making fools of themselves and trying to outshine each other.

"This could be a real comedy, man. This could be a reality series right here.

"I don't think it's gonna be a real friendly, beautiful scene. . . .I could go there and jam with them. Ed, Mike, Al and I probably could pull it off, 'cause we just did it [in 2004]. We were professional when we went onstage.

"But you throw Dave in that mix, and I just don't see it working. Dave's gonna want it to be all about him. Ed's gonna want it to be all about him. And that's a tough one right there. I'll probably just be sitting over in the corner, cracking up."

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