Talking of the UK Hall of Fame awards, and Channel 4 last night screened the Hackney Empire event that formed the climax of the network's series on the biggest music talents of the last fifty years, and officially opened the new UK Music Hall of Fame for business.
There were two components to the evening - firstly the presentation of honorary membership to the Hall of Fame for Madonna, Bob Marley, Elvis Presley, U2 and the Beatles, all selected for the honour by a panel of industry types including Sir George Martin, Trevor Nelson and Paul Gambaccini.
Then there were the public-voted admissions to the Hall of Fame - Channel 4 viewers had been voting for who else should be included based on short lists from each decade from the fifties to the nineties. In the end Robbie Williams won the entry from the 1990s, Michael Jackson from the 1980s, Queen from the 1970s, the Rolling Stones from the 1960s, and Cliff Richard and the Shadows from the 1950s.
Picking up her award Madonna told the audience: "It means a lot to me that so many nice things have been said about me and that I have been voted into the UK Hall of Fame."
Ronnie Wood, accepting the award for the Stones, pointed out: "I wasn't even there in the 1960s as you all know [Wood joined the Stones in 1975]. But I'm here now."
After the show Bono, who picked up U2's award, admitted "I really didn't want to come. Only respect for the people who were running the show has me here. I hate the idea of being in the UK Hall of Fame to be honest with you. We don't want to be in any Hall of Fame until we're retired or dead."
The first industry player to be inaugurated into the Hall of Fame was Island Records founder Chris Blackwell. Needless to say, artists galore paid tribute to the legendary label boss - though Blackwell himself was sadly unable to attend due to the death of his wife at the start of last week.