Metallica’s 2009 Rock’n’roll induction ceremony was epic, and I am sure I could nitpick it. Since then, I have always enjoyed giving some attention to the ceremony. Jack White and Co. were inducted the other day. In his speech, he played it safe. This struck me as odd.

He encouraged the young artists to “drop the screens”.

Wow. Edgy.

Or not.

This causes me to wonder just what it is about some tier one Artists that they cannot recall that they were not handled with kid gloves, by life or other musicians?

If I had written Seven Nation Army, I would look around the room and say, “Thank you for being here. The honor is yours.

“Since Metallica’s induction in the HoF, the quality of inductee and their actual qualifications as ‘Rock’n’roll’ has only deteriorated. Disagree if you like. But you know I am right. You feel it in your bones. Rather, you don’t feel it in your bones. The younger generations are completely devoid of soul, totally out of touch with truth, and utterly unremarkable. They are dishonest, superficial, and technically deficient.”

(I could go on. And if I had written Seven Nation Army, I would slowly and gradually build the tempo and rhythm of the words into singsong.)

The point is, if I was being inducted after having truly “done it my way”, I would give a “my way” speech that would be worthy of study by white nationalist kids at Hillsdale and might, just might, inspire some kid somewhere to make rock’n’roll again.