Appetite for induction

GnR reunion unlikely for Rock Hall gala – but Rod Stewart wants Faces performance as other inductees comment on honour



Original Guns n’Roses drummer Steven Adler admits it’s unlikely the band’s classic lineup will reunite to mark their induction into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame next year.

But Faces frontman Rod Stewart says he’s ready to reform his old outfit, as long as his bandmates are available.

The renowned acts are lined up with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Beastie Boys, Donovan and Freddie King to receive the honour, for which they become eligible 25 years after their debut release.

Adler, who was the first member of GnR to leave the celebrated lineup, tells Rolling Stone he doesn’t even think all his bandmates will attend the event in Cleveland on April 14: “Absolutely not. But as far as I know there is a God and a higher power, and it’s possible. Unfortunately I don’t foresee it. The drama hasn’t stopped for 25 years.”

But he adds: “My fingers are crossed. My toes are crossed.”

Meanwhile, singer Stewart is far more upbeat about the chances of the Faces gathering again. The band toured in 2009 with Simply Red’s Mick Hucknall fronting them after schedule problems stopped the original singer’s appearance.

Now Stewart says: “I’d love it. If they’re all available I’ll definitely make myself available. It’s something I would want to do.”

But problems could arise from guitarist Ronnie Wood, who’s waiting to discover whether the Rolling Stones will reform for a 60th anniversary tour next year.

“It’s getting a commitment from Ronnie,” says Stewart. “He’s hanging onto what the Stones are going to do. He’ll suddenly say, ‘Hey, let’s tour next week!’ I’ll say, ‘Hold on, Ronnie, I’ve got commitments for the next year.’

“If we all sat around and said, ‘Let’s do it next summer,’ or, ‘Let’s do it for charity,’ I would do it. It’s not totally ruled out.

Chilis frontman Anthony Kiedis admits he was worried his dad would leak the news of their induction before it was officially announced.

He explains: “I called my dad and told him he couldn’t say anything. He’s a big internet freak and he’s been known to be a wikileaker. I was like, ‘Dad, you and I are blood. I’m going to tell you something, but you can’t tell anybody.’ My dad cried.”

Kiedis admits the honour has brought back memories of original guitarist Hillel Slovak, who died of a drugs overdose in 1988.

“That was where it got me,” says the singer. “Because he’s no longer with us, it seemed emotional and beautiful. It’s really his induction I’m most excited about. He’s a beautiful person that picked up a guitar in the 1970s and didn’t make it out of the 1980s, and he is getting honoured for his beauty.”

And Scots folk-rock icon Donovan is looking forward to catching up with some good mates at the big event.

He says: “The Faces are my old chums – we used to hang out. The Chilis, some of them appeared on my Rick Rubin album. Guns n’Roses I did a couple of things with.”