When Def Leppard is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tomorrow (Friday) night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, Queen guitarist Brian May will introduce them. That's appropriate since Queen was a big influence on the band and May is a friend.
But there is another close friend and influence who was also invited, but he's unable make it --Ian Hunter, who fronted one of Joe Elliott's favorite bands, Mott the Hoople. Elliott has long said that he wants Mott's version of David Bowie's (another hero) "All the Young Dudes" played at is funeral.
Ian tells us he was asked to perform with them and Brian May at the end of the night, but he's in rehearsals for Mott the Hoople's tour, which starts Monday in Milwaukee.
There are many people who feel that Mott the Hoople, or at least Ian, has been overlooked by the Rock Hall. Ian says it would be a nice honor, but at the end of the day he's really not into awards shows:
"I'm not keen on the Oscars, the Emmys, all this stuff. If it was nurses I'd go, you know. I just don't see... and the only other thing that's good about it, like I say, you do bump into people, you know, and that's nice. To go and sit there all night long and not really drink..."
Regardless, Ian is happy for Def Leppard and he can watch highlights of the ceremony on HBO on April 27th.
Also being inducted this year are The Zombies,Roxy Music,The Cure, Radiohead,Janet Jackson and Stevie Nicks.