Names and faces

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s class of 2014 includes one shoo-in and one long shot. Nirvana will be inducted, as was widely expected. But so will Kiss, the costumed and face-painted stars of hard rock who had been snubbed by the Hall of Fame for years. The other stars being inducted in the 29th annual ceremony, to be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on April 10, are Hall and Oates, Linda Ronstadt, Cat Stevens and Peter Gabriel, who is being recognized as a solo performer but has already been inducted as part of the band Genesis. Nirvana was accepted in its first year of eligibility, and its surviving members will receive the award 20 years after its lead singer, Kurt Cobain, committed suicide. But for years Kiss’ absence had been a rallying cry among the band’s fans. The band has been eligible since 1999 but nominated only once before. Also this year, Brian Epstein, the Beatles’ manager, and Andrew Loog Oldham, who worked with the Rolling Stones, will receive Ahmet Ertegun Awards, for nonperformers. Bruce Springsteen’s E Street band will receive the Award for Musical Excellence, formerly known as the sidemen prize. The nominees who did not make the cut this year are Chic, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Deep Purple, LL Cool J, the Meters, N.W.A., the Replacements, Link Wray, Yes and the Zombies.

A judge on Monday revoked Chris Brown’s probation after his recent arrest on suspicion of misdemeanor assault in Washington, D.C., but the ruling will not alter the singer’s requirements to complete rehab and community labor for his 2009 attack on Rihanna. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James Brandlin cited details contained in an arrest report as his reason for revoking Brown’s probation for the second time this year. He ordered Brown to return to court Feb. 10 for an update on his progress in rehab. Prosecutors during Monday’s hearing did not request that Brown be sent to jail. In November, Brown was ordered to spend 90 days in a treatment program for anger and other issues. Brandlin said probation officials reported the Grammy-winner was handling the program well in recent weeks. Brandlin reviewed Brown’s October arrest report filed after a man accused the R&B singer of hitting him outside the W Hotel in Washington. Brown and his bodyguard were initially charged with felony assault, but the case was reduced to a misdemeanor. Brown has been ordered to appear Jan. 8 in a D.C. court.

Front Section, Pages 2 on 12/18/2013

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