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Seger's night moves many fans
Kid Rock honored to introduce legend to hall of fame Monday
March 12, 2004
BY BRIAN MCCOLLUM
FREE PRESS POP MUSIC WRITER
It takes something special to prompt a little humility from Kid Rock.
Bob Seger and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame seem to be doing the trick. On Monday night, before a black-tie crowd at Manhattan's Waldorf-Astoria hotel, the Detroit star will step to a podium to present Seger's induction into the rock hall -- a poetic moment for the generation-spanning rockers who have become close friends.
It's an occasion long awaited by Seger fans across the country, particularly Michiganders such as Kid Rock who grew up to Seger's music. Gov. Jennifer Granholm is planning to issue a proclamation naming Monday Bob Seger Day. Seger described himself as overwhelmed when he got the news Nov. 20.
"I'm going to shoot from the heart, and make this fun for his fans, his friends, his family, his band," said Kid Rock. "I want to reiterate what he did with his music -- not only making Michigan and Detroit proud, but his friends and family, because this is really special for him."
Seger became eligible for the hall of fame in 1989 -- 25 years after the release of his first single, the regional hit "East Side Story." He joins a 2004 class of inductees that includes Prince, Jackson Browne, ZZ Top, Traffic, the Dells and the late George Harrison. Among the evening's presenters are Bruce Springsteen, Keith Richards and OutKast.
Keeping with ceremonial tradition, Seger will take the stage to play a pair of songs -- his first public performance in eight years. Nobody's disclosing details -- "Turn the Page" is a rumored song -- but Seger will be backed by a familiar cast of Silver Bullet Band players, including guitarist Drew Abbott, keyboardist Craig Frost and saxophonist Alto Reed.
The group reunited early this month for several days of rehearsals at Clutch Cargo's in Pontiac, a closed-door event so private even club staffers were kept out.
Reed said Seger and the group picked right up where it left off in 1996.
"It was as if we'd literally come off the stage a week before," he said. "Bob is in great voice; the band is kicking rock 'n' roll butt."
Details about Monday night's event remain under wraps. Even those closest to Seger -- like his management staff at Birmingham's Punch Enterprises -- said they haven't been provided an itinerary by the hall of fame's producers. That includes plans for the traditional jam session, which typically features the honorees joining for a show-closing set.
When the hall of fame launched in 1986, the brainchild of Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner and other industry bigwigs, the ceremony was a decidedly private event, with few outsiders allowed and scant access for the media. It wasn't until 1999 that VH1 earned broadcast rights to the event, though it cannot air the event live.
An edited version of this year's show will air on VH1 at 8 p.m. March 21.
"All we really know at this point is that everybody will perform," said Rick Krim, VH1's executive vice president of music programming. "But what exactly will be performed, and who will play with who, won't come together until this weekend. That's really not set until show time -- it's part of the magic of the event."
One things is certain: Kid Rock will sit back to enjoy the show and let Seger keep the spotlight.
"This is really about the underdog and the working class, and Seger is the greatest underdog we've had in America," he said. "There's so much importance to this music and these songs."
For Reed, who's been playing with Seger since 1972, it's a bright highlight in a career that has seen plenty.
"Who would have known 30-some years ago that we'd be looking at a star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood, 60 million albums sold, and now this honor for Bob and his phenomenal gifts," said Reed. "It's a very proud moment for us all."
Text
Kid Rock honored to introduce legend to hall of fame Monday
March 12, 2004
BY BRIAN MCCOLLUM
FREE PRESS POP MUSIC WRITER
It takes something special to prompt a little humility from Kid Rock.
Bob Seger and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame seem to be doing the trick. On Monday night, before a black-tie crowd at Manhattan's Waldorf-Astoria hotel, the Detroit star will step to a podium to present Seger's induction into the rock hall -- a poetic moment for the generation-spanning rockers who have become close friends.
It's an occasion long awaited by Seger fans across the country, particularly Michiganders such as Kid Rock who grew up to Seger's music. Gov. Jennifer Granholm is planning to issue a proclamation naming Monday Bob Seger Day. Seger described himself as overwhelmed when he got the news Nov. 20.
"I'm going to shoot from the heart, and make this fun for his fans, his friends, his family, his band," said Kid Rock. "I want to reiterate what he did with his music -- not only making Michigan and Detroit proud, but his friends and family, because this is really special for him."
Seger became eligible for the hall of fame in 1989 -- 25 years after the release of his first single, the regional hit "East Side Story." He joins a 2004 class of inductees that includes Prince, Jackson Browne, ZZ Top, Traffic, the Dells and the late George Harrison. Among the evening's presenters are Bruce Springsteen, Keith Richards and OutKast.
Keeping with ceremonial tradition, Seger will take the stage to play a pair of songs -- his first public performance in eight years. Nobody's disclosing details -- "Turn the Page" is a rumored song -- but Seger will be backed by a familiar cast of Silver Bullet Band players, including guitarist Drew Abbott, keyboardist Craig Frost and saxophonist Alto Reed.
The group reunited early this month for several days of rehearsals at Clutch Cargo's in Pontiac, a closed-door event so private even club staffers were kept out.
Reed said Seger and the group picked right up where it left off in 1996.
"It was as if we'd literally come off the stage a week before," he said. "Bob is in great voice; the band is kicking rock 'n' roll butt."
Details about Monday night's event remain under wraps. Even those closest to Seger -- like his management staff at Birmingham's Punch Enterprises -- said they haven't been provided an itinerary by the hall of fame's producers. That includes plans for the traditional jam session, which typically features the honorees joining for a show-closing set.
When the hall of fame launched in 1986, the brainchild of Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner and other industry bigwigs, the ceremony was a decidedly private event, with few outsiders allowed and scant access for the media. It wasn't until 1999 that VH1 earned broadcast rights to the event, though it cannot air the event live.
An edited version of this year's show will air on VH1 at 8 p.m. March 21.
"All we really know at this point is that everybody will perform," said Rick Krim, VH1's executive vice president of music programming. "But what exactly will be performed, and who will play with who, won't come together until this weekend. That's really not set until show time -- it's part of the magic of the event."
One things is certain: Kid Rock will sit back to enjoy the show and let Seger keep the spotlight.
"This is really about the underdog and the working class, and Seger is the greatest underdog we've had in America," he said. "There's so much importance to this music and these songs."
For Reed, who's been playing with Seger since 1972, it's a bright highlight in a career that has seen plenty.
"Who would have known 30-some years ago that we'd be looking at a star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood, 60 million albums sold, and now this honor for Bob and his phenomenal gifts," said Reed. "It's a very proud moment for us all."
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