Before the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony was televised, it used to be freewheeling, with wild speeches and lots of insider stories.
Billy Joel's induction of John Mellencamp was a throwback to those days, telling the story of how he was hesitant to play at Mellencamp's Farm Aid concert in Indiana.
"I’m a New York Jew, they hate people like me," Joel joked. "They’ll kill me. Let me see if I can get another Jew for you. So I called Randy Newman."
Like several presenters, Joel teased the struggling record industry, saying, "Congratulations John, you outlived the music business." He also threw in some jabs at VH1, adding, "It used to be a lot more fun before it became a TV show."
PHOTO: Jason DeCrow for Associated Press