Since its formation on April 20, 1983, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has inducted a slate of accomplished musicians into its ranks on a yearly basis, causing excitement, consternation and everything in between. Though the worthiness of nominees and inductees is hotly debated with each “class” and a number of distinguished artists continue to be ignored year after year, one thing can be agreed upon: a lot of great music has been played for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It continues to host performances at its Cleveland home, which opened its doors in 1995. Each year, inducted musicians take the stage in Cleveland and at a New York induction ceremony, often with old colleagues or young musicians whom they have influenced. Hence, Eddie Vedder joined the remaining Doors for “Break On Through,” Bruce Springsteen teamed with Mick Jagger on “Satisfaction,” Dhani Harrison accompanied two Wilburys, Steve Winwood and Prince for his late father George’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” and the Allman Brothers partnered with Sheryl Crow for “Midnight Rider.”
In past years, only one major album came from The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum’s vast archives, a 1996 release collecting performances from the 1995 concert that inaugurated the actual museum. In 2009 and 2010, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame teamed with Time-Life for a series of DVDs (available as a box set and individually) bringing together highlights from those often-controversial induction ceremonies, as well as CD and DVD releases of 2010’s 25th Anniversary concerts, held at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
The Time-Life association will continue this fall with the release of Best of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum Live, a 3-disc box set bringing many of these blazing performances to CD for the very first time. Longtime Hall supporter Bruce Springsteen appears no fewer than six times on the box, joined by performers like Chuck Berry, Wilson Pickett, Mick Jagger and U2. It’s a guitar-lover’s dream when a team of axemen including Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Ron Wood, Joe Perry, Flea and Metallica take on “The Train Kept A-Rollin’,” and when Cream reunites on “Sunshine of Your Love” for the first time in over two decades. Other highlights include James Taylor’s solo performance of Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock,” the Dave Clark Five’s “Glad All Over” as interpreted by the supergroup of Billy Joel, Joan Jett, John Fogerty and John Mellencamp, and Green Day paying homage to the Ramones with “Blitzkrieg Bop.” The Righteous Brothers and The Ronettes celebrate the heyday of Philles Records, and the definitive line-up of rock legends also includes Paul McCartney (“Let It Be”) and The Who (“Won’t Get Fooled Again”).
Hit the jump for more, including the full track listing!
Best of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum Live is in stores on November 1 from Time-Life Records, and you’ll find its complete track listing below. Billboard reports that a digital collection of ten volumes will follow the CD box set on November 15. The digital performances will encompass the period between 1986 and 2009. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will soon announce its inductees for 2012 from a nomination list including The Beastie Boys, The Cure, Donovan, Eric B. and Rakim, Guns ‘N Roses, Heart, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, Freddie King, Laura Nyro, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rufus with Chaka Khan, The Small Faces/The Faces, The (Detroit) Spinners, Donna Summer and War. The release of this box set marks the second major collection due this fall of all-star concert performances; Neil Young’s Bridge School Concerts, featuring many of the same performers, hits stores next week on both CD and DVD.
Various Artists, Best of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum Live (Time-Life, 2011)
CD 1
- Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry with Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
- The Train Kept A-Rollin - Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Ron Wood, Joe Perry, Flea and Metallica
- A Change Is Gonna Come - Al Green
- Be My Baby - The Ronettes
- Sweet Little Rock and Roller - Kid Rock and the Rock Hall Jam Band
- I Saw Her Standing There - Mick Jagger, Bruce Springsteen and the Rock Hall Jam Band
- Glad All Over - Joan Jett, John Mellencamp, John Fogerty and Billy Joel
- All Day and All of the Night - The Kinks
- You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ - The Righteous Brothers
- (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction - Mick Jagger, Bruce Springsteen and the Rock Hall Jam Band
- It’s My Life - Eric Burdon and Bon Jovi
- Substitute - The Who and the Rock Hall Jam Band
- I Got You (I Feel Good) - James Brown
- For What It’s Worth - Crosby, Stills & Nash with Tom Petty
- California Dreamin’ - The Mamas & the Papas
- Break On Through - The Doors with Eddie Vedder
- In the Midnight Hour - Wilson Pickett with Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
- Let It Be - Paul McCartney and the Rock Hall Jam Band
CD 2
- Sunshine of Your Love - Cream
- While My Guitar Gently Weeps - Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Steve Winwood, Dhani Harrison and Prince
- Green River - John Fogerty & Friends
- Beck’s Bolero - Jeff Beck with Jimmy Page
- Woodstock - James Taylor
- Won’t Get Fooled Again - The Who and the Rock Hall Jam Band
- Dear Mr. Fantasy - Traffic
- Midnight Rider - The Allman Brothers Band with Sheryl Crow
- Who’ll Stop the Rain - John Fogerty & Friends
- Fire and Rain - James Taylor
- Crossroads - Cream
- Iron Man - Metallica
- Roadhouse Blues - The Doors with Eddie Vedder
- Sweet Home Alabama - Lynryd Skynyrd
- Born on the Bayou - John Fogerty & Friends
- La Grange - ZZ Top
- Tired of Being Alone - Al Green
CD 3
- Tie Your Mother Down - Queen with Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins
- Say You Love Me - Fleetwood Mac
- Sweet Emotion - Aerosmith with Kid Rock
- Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out - Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
- Landslide - Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham
- Only the Good Die Young - Billy Joel
- American Girl - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
- Blitzkrieg Bop - Green Day
- The Promised Land - Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
- Running on Empty - Jackson Browne
- Pink Houses - John Mellencamp
- Pride (In the Name of Love) - U2
- R.O.C.K. in the USA - John Mellencamp
- I Still Haven t Found What I m Looking For - U2 with Bruce Springsteen
- Handle with Care - Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Steve Winwood and Dhani Harrison
- Man on the Moon - R.E.M. with Eddie Vedder
JoeF says
I'm sure some of the performances are great, but I don't think this is essential. Sounds like a mess, actually.
Shaun says
"Let It Be" should probably be noted to include Billy Joel, as he played piano and sang a verse or two to start with until McCartney finally made it out to the stage to sing it. As I recall from watching it on TV, Paul seemed a bit, um, tipsy that night so that probably had something to do it with. Billy jumped ahead in the lyrics a bit, but I got the feeling it was sort of an impromptu thing to cover for Paul until he got out there.
Anyhow, I have to agree with JoeF... I bet there's some great stuff on here, but it also seems like a real mess. Tracks thrown together with no real rhyme or reason.
Mr. Falby says
I think George Harrison is on the Jagger/Springsteen "I Saw Her Standing There."