Deep Purple, NWA Among 2016 Hall of Fame Inductees
British hard rock trailblazers Deep Purple and rap pioneers NWA are among the five acts newly announced as 2016 inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The ceremony, on 8 April next year at the Barclay Centre in New York, will see them honoured alongside Steve Miller, Chicago and Cheap Trick.
Purple devotees have long campaigned for their induction into the Hall of Fame, for which an artist becomes eligible 25 years after their first release. NWA had previously been turned down for the recognition three times, but both blues-rock guitar great Steve Miller and rock heroes Cheap Trick are being inducted from their first nomination. Chicago’s induction, like that of Deep Purple, recognises a successful career stretching back to the late 1960s.
Purple drummer Ian Paice told Rolling Stone: “I knew it would probably happen one day. I do appreciate how difficult it was for them to do it with so many line-ups, so many different members. It’s a minefield, really. I suppose it’s rather nice.”
Asked if he thought fellow founding member Ritchie Blackmore, who left the band in 1993, would even attend the ceremony, he added: “That’s questionable. He can confuse you sometimes. You think he’ll do one thing and he’ll do the other. I wouldn’t put money either way on that one.”
Other acts who were on the ballot paper for the consideration of more than 800 voters, but were unsuccessful, included Janet Jackson, Yes, the Cars and Los Lobos.
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