Velvet Revolver singer explains David Lee Roth Rock Hall issue

One of the issues surrounding Van Halen's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction on Monday (March 12th) was the absence of original frontman David Lee Roth. Last week, Roth told the Los Angeles Times that he was staying away from the event after being banned from singing at the show with Velvet Revolver, who were performing in tribute to Van Halen. The Rock Hall denied the charge, saying Roth declined, and Velvet Revolver frontman Scott Weiland is backing the institution.

Backstage at the ceremony, Weiland said his band tried to accommodate Roth, but that he refused: "He wanted to sing 'Jump,' and we felt, from an artistic standpoint -- and I'm being totally honest with you -- that that wasn't a song that we felt comfortable with. We don't have keyboards, and we felt to bring a keyboard on stage, it wouldn't work for us. And we said, you know, we would do 'Jamie's Crying' or 'Girl, You Really Got Me,' and he was adamant that that wasn't OK."

Roth had claimed that after being turned down on "Jump," he offered to do any other song from his tenure in Van Halen, at which time he was told he couldn't perform. The Rock Hall countered that Roth was offered a chance to sing with Velvet Revolver, or to do a song with the house band, but that he declined.