I Love Rock and Roll

I'm weeping. Over the 2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony being held at this very moment at the Waldorf Astoria. I love to imagine Ronnie Spector and Patty Smith and Michael Stipe and Grandmaster Flash and whoever the hell is going to show up from Van Halen (not Dave or Eddie, we know that much) getting drunk backstage and talking smack and maybe even tearing up a little. It's a big, commercial, musical lovefest, and I'm loving every second of it.

Van Halen is one of my favorite bands. Mostly because they were the favorite band of my three best friends in junior high: the boys. The boys were in a little band of their own, Addiction, that rehearsed in one of their attics. They were a fearless threesome, drums, lead guitar, and vocals. One of them had printed out a banner in computer class: ADDICTION in zeros and ones on oversized, perforated 1980s printer paper, which hung over the drumset. It was hung there so that when they made VHS tapes of themselves performing, people wouldn't mistake them for the actual Van Halen.

I was one of the only girls allowed up in the attic. After a while, they even let me sing the "Hey Hey Hey!" part on "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love." I never told them this, but that was pretty much the greatest thing I did in seventh grade. I was in the band. For five minutes, but still. Up close, I got to see Dan tap out the guitar solos, Bret do the work of Alex and Mike by drumming and singing backup vocals, and Diamond Jay leap around doing his best Diamond Dave impression, minus the mesh bodysuit.

Only Mike Anthony and Sammy Hagar showed up tonight. Eddie's in rehab, Dave refused to show, and Alex is lost in the Bermuda Triangle or something. Mike and Sammy played "Why Can't This Be Love" with Paul Schaeffer and his brass-laden band, which was pretty painful. Then Velvet Revolver covered "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love." At the "Hey Hey Hey!" part, I was transported back to the attic, and I couldn't help but think that the boys sounded just as good.