Peter Frampton says news of his long-awaited induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame “hasn't sunk in yet.” But he's still thrilled that the honor is upon him after 52 years of eligibility as a solo artist.
“I think I'm a bit shocked and speechless,” says Frampton Advertising sign with a laugh from his home in Nashville. “I never expected this. People always said, “You should be in.” I said, “Hey, what's going to happen,” you know? So mixed feelings because it's something I never expected while other people did it for me. (laughs) It's great.”
Frampton is particularly delighted to have finished second in the fan vote with 528,000 – second only to Dave Matthews Band. “You never know how they view you,” Frampton explained. “I don't think about that. I'm just doing my thing. But coming in at number two actually surprised me. It's an honor that people treat me this way. I'm just honored and excited.”
Of course, Frampton did his part too. during his most recent concert tour he talked about the nomination, placing a QR code on the video screen to take fans to the polling place in real time.
“It was great,” he recalls. “Every night when I was like, 'I got this phone call a few months ago…and my managers were telling me I was nominated for Rock…'” I never brought out 'Fame' — they just went crazy, the audience, every night, and it made me feel like, 'Well, they think I deserve to be in.' So it was very, very nice from the word go. It's very strange that we would be touring during the audience vote, so every night I could hope to get a few hundred out of the two thousand, three thousand that were in the audience. And it made a difference.”
Frampton considers the 2024 Rock Hall lineup “a great class to be involved with,” with many personal connections. He and Foreigner founder Mick Jones, for example, go back to French singer Johnny Hallyday's sessions when Jones was his musical director and songwriter. Jones then played on “All I Want To Be (Is By Your Side)” on Frampton's 1972 debut album, Wind of Change. And Foreigner's lineup included Rick Wills, who also played bass in Frampton's Camel. “I was hoping they'd get in too,” says Frampton. “I thought they would, but you never know, so I'm excited.”
In the category of musical influence, meanwhile, Frampton played with Alexis Korner in the mid-60s and was also a fan of John Mayall. “I was in the front row at the Flamingo and all the clubs, watching Eric (Clapton) and so many other guitarists – Peter Green, Mick (Taylor) from the (Rolling) Stones, so that means a lot to me.” Frampton notes. “It's just amazing that (Mayall) has been a breeding ground for so many great English guitarists.”
Frampton – who started out as a teenager in England before gaining worldwide fame in the band Humble Pie and especially with Frampton comes to life album in 1976 — has begun to loosely think about induction night on Oct. 19 in Cleveland, though he has no concrete plans yet. “I think about the people they're going to invite to play with me and all those things he says,” noting that number one on the list would be Sheryl Crow, who “championed” Frampton by including him in her introductory show last year in Brooklyn.
Meanwhile, Frampton – who continues to work in defiance of the degenerative somatic myositis (IBM) disorder he's been battling for the past six years or so – continues his other work. He is planning a trip to England in June as well as filming a concert for the career documentary he is working on. He is also writing songs for a new album, the follow-up to his 2021 orchestral set Frampton is at a loss for words. “It just has to be the best I've ever done,” he says. Another leg of the tour is also a possibility, he says, “but I don't know when that will be right now. We're still looking at availability and things like that.”
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/peter-frampton-rock-hall-fame-induction-1235662146/
