Former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Jack Sherman has hit out at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s induction process.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is a mysterious beast. Several iconic acts languish on the sidelines, ignored by the committee responsible for overseeing the organisation.
Red Hot Chili Peppers were recently inducted into the Hall of Fame, but the organisation only thought to include three of the band’s eight guitarists. Founding member Hillel Slovak, John Frusciante and current player Josh Klinghoffer were all inducted but several musicians were ignored.
Jack Sherman played on the band’s debut album ‘Freaky Styley’ and is understandably upset at not being included in the induction process. Other notable musicians absent from the ceremony included Dave Navarro – the Jane’s Addiction guitarist performed with Red Hot Chili Peppers for five years.
Speaking to Billboard, Jack Sherman argued that the decision was a “politically correct way of omitting Dave Navarro and I for whatever reasons they have that are probably the band’s and not the Hall’s”.
Eric Greenspan – the band’s lawyer – denied this, citing Hall of Fame regulations. “It’s not a decision made by the band, it’s a decision made by the Hall of Fame,” he said. “They determine which of the members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, through their career, will get inducted.”
For their part, Red Hot Chili Peppers addressed the issue of Dave Navarro’s snub at the ceremony itself. Speaking to The Plain Dealer, Anthony Keidis argued that the guitarist’s work with Jane’s Addiction should take precedence over his involvement with Red Hot Chili Peppers.
“He’s in this other band, which may in fact be inducted itself one day, called Jane’s Addiction” the singer explained. “I think that’s the band closest to his heart, and that most represents his contribution to the world in terms of music. So maybe it makes more sense for him to be inducted one day as a member of Jane’s Addiction.”
Red Hot Chili Peppers are set to play the following shows:
June
23 Knebworth
24 Sunderland Stadium of Light
