Def Leppard Singer Rips Rock Hall: 'Faceless Tuxedo-Wearing Morons'

artist: def leppard date: 03/24/2014 category: general music news
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Discussing the band's upcoming co-headlining tour with KISS, Def Leppard singer Joe Elliot touched on the matter of Rock Hall, bashing the institution as elitist and two-faced.

"I see, comically trying to make a movie in your mind, this board room of faceless tuxedo-wearing morons," Joe told Hitfix. "Mr. Roboto times six or whatever, leafing through [pretends playing with a stack of papers] 'Def Leppard, nah. Tom Waits, absolutely. Bon Jovi, no. Nick Cave, absolutely. Leonard Cohen, yes. KISS, no. Sabbath, no. Springsteen, yes. Mellencamp, yes. Tom Petty, yes.'

"That's the way I look at it," the singer added, continuing with the impersonation, "'UFO, Thin Lizzy, no, no.' Because they aren't cool, they're just not cool, man. And that's how I see it. I don't care about people like that."

The list of artists still not inducted in the Rock Hall also includes the likes of Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Judas Priest, Motorhead and more. Continuing to bash the institution, Joe added, "Is it going to pay my mortgage off? Is it going to put my kid through schools? Am I going to sleep better at night? What am I going to do? Wear a sheriff's badge with 'I'm a member' on it? It was cool to have an Old Grey Whistle Test badge and wear that. I don't give a flying rat's a-s about the R&R Hall of Fame."

But Elliot's stance isn't exactly shared by his bandmates. "Now, truth be known, the other four guys would say, 'We've gotta do it,'" the vocalist confessed. "And I go 'Why? The Sex Pistols told them to shove it.' They say, 'We should, it's going to be good for our...' I couldn't care less. I don't see where we're going to sell one ticket more, sell one more record. The cool factor? There's nothing cool about being inducted into something that I don't think is very cool."

However, Elliot did note that if Def Leppard were to be inducted, he would likely attend the ceremony. On the side note, the band's been eligible for the Rock Hall since 2006. "If I happen to be in Cleveland, fine," he said. "A free dinner, free drinks. I am not wearing a tuxedo, I will not join the Mr. Robotos."
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