Well hey … it wouldn’t be a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame without some kind of drama.
After all, bands break up for a reason and when and if that inevitable invitation to be honored comes along, they have a very simple choice:
A. Suck it up and go have a good time, maybe jam a little, and remember why you became a band in the first place.
B. Dredge up decades-old drama and ruin the good time for everyone.
Alas, too many bands pick the latter and now it looks as if Peter Cetera will not reunite with former band-mates Chicago for the induction ceremony.
Cetera presided over Chicago’s most prosperous era, singing on hits such as “If You Leave Me Now,” “Hard Habit to Break,” and “Hard to Say I’m Sorry.” Arguably, he also steered the blues-rockers into ballad territory. Cetera last performed with Chicago in 1985.
31 years ago. When Chicago co-founder Robert Lamm said that he might like to reunite with Peter Cetera, the former lead declined to take part in the reunion. Then he was in. Then, possibly out due to some unnamed issue in the negotiations. And now, he’s absolutely out.
I’ll let Peter take it from here…
I just sent this to the RnR hall of fame people. This is the the short high road nice version of what I really wanted to say. I’ll post that response at the appropriate time.
Ciao, Hello Alex and Joel!
Unfortunately, this scenario doesn’t work for me. I know we all did our best to make it happen, but I guess it’s just not meant to be. Personally, I’m frustrated and tired of dealing with this and it’s time to move on. I have a life with two beautiful daughters and a solo career and its time to get back and give them all the full attention they deserve.
Thanks for all your help and consideration! Have a great show and please send any individual award I receive to the contact you have for me.
All the best, Peter Cetera
So there you have it. Chicago now follows the proud tradition of Van Halen (accepted in 2007 by the two guys not in the band at the time), KISS, and Blondie (not to mention the long-list of famous no-shows) … not because they are all part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
But because somebody just had to be an A-hole about it.
