Steve Miller says the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, like the stoner robbers of his hit “Take the Money and Run,” are trying to rip people off.
During his induction to the Hall on Friday in Brooklyn, Miller gently critiqued the organization’s nomination process and slowness to induct women artists. Backstage, though, he really brought the heat. Because you know what other women he thinks the Hall is disrespecting? The wives of the guys in his band: The Steve Miller Band.
“When they told me I was inducted they said, ‘You have two tickets — one for your wife and one for yourself,” the 72-year-old said, according to The New York Times. “Want another one? It’s $10,000. Sorry, that’s the way it goes,’” he said, adding, “What about my band? What about their wives?”
The Times reported that when a publicist for the Rock Hall tried to jump in, Miller replied: “No, we’re not going to wrap this up — I’m going to wrap you up. … You go sit down over there and learn something.”
He then continued, holding two fingers close together: “This is how close this whole show came to not happening because of the way the artists are being treated.”
The chastened publicist — or another publicist — wandered off to assemble a statement.
“Rock ‘n’ roll can ignite many opinions,” the statement said. “It’s what makes it so great. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was honored to induct Steve Miller tonight and congratulates him.”
N.W.A’s Ice Cube, whose group was also inducted Friday after years of eligibility, told the Times his group was honored to be inducted but didn’t perform because “We really didn’t feel like we were supported enough to do the best show we could put on.”