John Sykes is an American entertainment industry executive. He is the president of entertainment enterprises at iHeartMedia and the chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. A co-founder of MTV, Sykes was previously president, VH1; president, Chrysalis Records, North America; and chairman and CEO, Infinity Broadcasting Corporation. Sykes was raised in Schenectady, New York, the son of a retail executive and a college professor. He attended the at Syracuse University, where his college roommates were Phil Quartararo and talent agent Rob Light. He received a BS in Communications from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications in 1977, and upon graduation, was hired by Columbia Records.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is a podcast from Doubor.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Here again is Larry Minty with the WOR Saturday Morning Show.
It is one of the best shows on TV and
it happens once a year, the induction into the Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame. What can we expect tonight?
Here's John Sykes, chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall
(00:24):
of Fame.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
John. Nice to meet you.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Oh, nice to meet you. Thanks for having me on
the show after a very busy week.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Yeah, it's gonna be a busy week. I'm sure for
you as well. I mean, I guess all of the
logistics are finished, but talk about what it takes to
put something like this together.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
Well, it's interesting because if you look at tomorrow, we're
twenty four hours away from from our fortieth induction ceremony.
We began working on probably seven or eight months ago,
so it's been a long time coming. But when you're
bringing these kinds of artists into be inducted, and dozens
(01:00):
of artists who they're there to duck them, to support them,
to collaborate with them, it's a bit of a Rubik's
cube that comes together, and it's very messy at the beginning,
but at the end it seems to all come together
because these are great artists, and once you hand the
show over to great artists, they make it.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
They make it smooth, right.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
And it's fascinating too because it's a TV show, and
everythinks of a TV show as being taped, but this
is live streaming on Disney Plus. So it is a
performance that is live and has to go perfectly. That
presents a challenge in and of itself. But I guess
the Hall is used to that by.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Now, Yes, exactly.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
That's rock and roll. Rock and Roll has never been perfect,
it's never been clean. It's always a little messy and
you never know what's going to happen. But what's really
unique about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony,
which is different than the traditional award shows, is that
you have in many cases young artists paying tribute to
their heroes. So you know, a few years ago, Harry
(02:01):
Styles came up to pay tribute and sang with Stevie Nicks.
Obviously there's the famous moment where Prince got up to
play while my guitar gently weeps in honor of George Harrison.
Will go down as one of the probably the most
famous performances of all time, and this is what's going
to happen again this year because in some cases, for example,
Joe Cocker has passed, but his young incredible artist named
(02:22):
Teddy Swims is going to sing Joe song. You're going
to have young artists that are going to get up
there and play along with Bad Company and with Soundgarden,
and you're going to see an incredible rock band that
the Killers play tribute to Warren Zevon and David Letterman
is going to induct Warren Yvonne.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
So it's this incredible collection of movie.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
Stars, personalities and rock stars together for one night. And
you'll never see these performances in these collaborations again.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
No, And that's the best part of the show every
single year, to see the other artists collaborating with those
that are being honored or representing them on the stage.
That's what makes the ceremony special. But this year you've
got some challenges as well. Right, you have some performers
that are refusing to perform for various reasons, like Chubby
(03:15):
Checker and Paul Rodgers from Bad Company. How do you
deal with those challenges?
Speaker 4 (03:20):
Well, we always say that's rock and roll and rock
and roll is never You can never predict anything because
these are artists and some of the greatest geniuses of
all time. In some cases, in the case of Paul Rodgers,
it's health. Paul has not been doing well the last
year and so he wanted to come, but the last
minute he just as doctor said, he couldn't get on
(03:42):
a plane. He's had a few strokes in the last
few years, and although he can sing well, the doctor
just didn't want him to fly. So his friend Brian
Adams is going to come and singing his place. And
you have members of Pearl Jam that will also play
along with Bad Company. So this mutual admiration comes together
and as a result, and an artist isn't there, someone
(04:03):
will pay tribute to them. In the case of in
case of Warren's Evon Office, he's passed, so the Killers
are going to be there for him with Cyndi Lauper,
she'll be there because she's and she'll perform. Salt and
Pepper will perform. Jack White and Meg White were in
the White Stripes. They don't you know, Meg did not
feel comfortable attending. Jack will be there and some guests
(04:25):
will be there, you know, to support Jack and so
it really is a lot of artists in their twenties
performing for Artistshore being a ducted who are in their
seventies and eighties. So it's incredible mix of sounds. But
you'll see some of the greatest moments of these young
artists going toe to toe with their heroes.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Now you have been with the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame, you've been the past performances, You've probably seen some.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Of the rehearsals for this. Do you still get a
thrill out of it?
Speaker 3 (04:55):
I still do.
Speaker 4 (04:56):
I'm still a fan, and I think for all of us,
you know, you're job at w R, my job at
iHeart in the Hall of Fame. These are things I've
loved to do my whole life. I've loved music. I'm
a fan guy all the way for artists. And the
idea that I get paid to do this, well, not
the Hall of Fame, but I get paid to do
so at iHeart is an honor for me. And so yeah,
(05:17):
I never I've never been jaded when I see an
artist that's really great. I'm still fascinated by their talents
because I was in a band in high school and
I did not have that talent. So I look at
these guys and I go, wow, these are They're like
NFL players, there are NBA superstars music. They are just
best in class and it's an honor to be able
to work with easy.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Yeah, that's well said. What was the name of your band?
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Are you ready? The Liquid Giraffe?
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Say one more time? My many stepped on you on that?
Speaker 4 (05:48):
It was I was in seventh grade. It was a
Liquid Draft. Then I think it was called then there
was was it the Electric Circus. I don't know if
I was officially part of that band and then there was,
but I remember the Liquid Draft.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
We were we were we were.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
I was, however old you are, in seventh grade, twelve thirteen,
and we had business cards made up one and and
that was when they were doing all the all the
psychedelia was happening. So we had a giraffe whose head
was shaking wild on the business card because he was liquid.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Anyway, that was our That was our.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
Attempt to be to compete with the with the Who
and the Rolling Stones and and uh psychedelic and uh
all the psychedelia.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
But that was that was our band. We broke up
soon after.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
I said, I think I'm going to pursue a career
behind the microphone, behind.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
The scenes, not on the stage.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Well, you were ahead of your time with some of
that stuff.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Uh, And that's unfortunate that you're not going to be
for performing at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
with your bandmates, But thank god you're there to run
things and to make sure it goes smoothly. John Sykes,
chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation
and President of entertain Enterprises for iHeartRadio. John, thanks so
much for your time.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
Thanks you, guys, Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
This has been a podcast from wor
This is a podcast from Doubor.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Here again is Larry Minty with the WOR Saturday Morning Show.
It is one of the best shows on TV and
it happens once a year, the induction into the Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame. What can we expect tonight?
Here's John Sykes, chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall
(00:24):
of Fame.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
John. Nice to meet you.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Oh, nice to meet you. Thanks for having me on
the show after a very busy week.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Yeah, it's gonna be a busy week. I'm sure for
you as well. I mean, I guess all of the
logistics are finished, but talk about what it takes to
put something like this together.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
Well, it's interesting because if you look at tomorrow, we're
twenty four hours away from from our fortieth induction ceremony.
We began working on probably seven or eight months ago,
so it's been a long time coming. But when you're
bringing these kinds of artists into be inducted, and dozens
(01:00):
of artists who they're there to duck them, to support them,
to collaborate with them, it's a bit of a Rubik's
cube that comes together, and it's very messy at the beginning,
but at the end it seems to all come together
because these are great artists, and once you hand the
show over to great artists, they make it.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
They make it smooth, right.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
And it's fascinating too because it's a TV show, and
everythinks of a TV show as being taped, but this
is live streaming on Disney Plus. So it is a
performance that is live and has to go perfectly. That
presents a challenge in and of itself. But I guess
the Hall is used to that by.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Now, Yes, exactly.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
That's rock and roll. Rock and Roll has never been perfect,
it's never been clean. It's always a little messy and
you never know what's going to happen. But what's really
unique about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony,
which is different than the traditional award shows, is that
you have in many cases young artists paying tribute to
their heroes. So you know, a few years ago, Harry
(02:01):
Styles came up to pay tribute and sang with Stevie Nicks.
Obviously there's the famous moment where Prince got up to
play while my guitar gently weeps in honor of George Harrison.
Will go down as one of the probably the most
famous performances of all time, and this is what's going
to happen again this year because in some cases, for example,
Joe Cocker has passed, but his young incredible artist named
(02:22):
Teddy Swims is going to sing Joe song. You're going
to have young artists that are going to get up
there and play along with Bad Company and with Soundgarden,
and you're going to see an incredible rock band that
the Killers play tribute to Warren Zevon and David Letterman
is going to induct Warren Yvonne.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
So it's this incredible collection of movie.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
Stars, personalities and rock stars together for one night. And
you'll never see these performances in these collaborations again.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
No, And that's the best part of the show every
single year, to see the other artists collaborating with those
that are being honored or representing them on the stage.
That's what makes the ceremony special. But this year you've
got some challenges as well. Right, you have some performers
that are refusing to perform for various reasons, like Chubby
(03:15):
Checker and Paul Rodgers from Bad Company. How do you
deal with those challenges?
Speaker 4 (03:20):
Well, we always say that's rock and roll and rock
and roll is never You can never predict anything because
these are artists and some of the greatest geniuses of
all time. In some cases, in the case of Paul Rodgers,
it's health. Paul has not been doing well the last
year and so he wanted to come, but the last
minute he just as doctor said, he couldn't get on
(03:42):
a plane. He's had a few strokes in the last
few years, and although he can sing well, the doctor
just didn't want him to fly. So his friend Brian
Adams is going to come and singing his place. And
you have members of Pearl Jam that will also play
along with Bad Company. So this mutual admiration comes together
and as a result, and an artist isn't there, someone
(04:03):
will pay tribute to them. In the case of in
case of Warren's Evon Office, he's passed, so the Killers
are going to be there for him with Cyndi Lauper,
she'll be there because she's and she'll perform. Salt and
Pepper will perform. Jack White and Meg White were in
the White Stripes. They don't you know, Meg did not
feel comfortable attending. Jack will be there and some guests
(04:25):
will be there, you know, to support Jack and so
it really is a lot of artists in their twenties
performing for Artistshore being a ducted who are in their
seventies and eighties. So it's incredible mix of sounds. But
you'll see some of the greatest moments of these young
artists going toe to toe with their heroes.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Now you have been with the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame, you've been the past performances, You've probably seen some.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Of the rehearsals for this. Do you still get a
thrill out of it?
Speaker 3 (04:55):
I still do.
Speaker 4 (04:56):
I'm still a fan, and I think for all of us,
you know, you're job at w R, my job at
iHeart in the Hall of Fame. These are things I've
loved to do my whole life. I've loved music. I'm
a fan guy all the way for artists. And the
idea that I get paid to do this, well, not
the Hall of Fame, but I get paid to do
so at iHeart is an honor for me. And so yeah,
(05:17):
I never I've never been jaded when I see an
artist that's really great. I'm still fascinated by their talents
because I was in a band in high school and
I did not have that talent. So I look at
these guys and I go, wow, these are They're like
NFL players, there are NBA superstars music. They are just
best in class and it's an honor to be able
to work with easy.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Yeah, that's well said. What was the name of your band?
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Are you ready? The Liquid Giraffe?
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Say one more time? My many stepped on you on that?
Speaker 4 (05:48):
It was I was in seventh grade. It was a
Liquid Draft. Then I think it was called then there
was was it the Electric Circus. I don't know if
I was officially part of that band and then there was,
but I remember the Liquid Draft.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
We were we were we were.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
I was, however old you are, in seventh grade, twelve thirteen,
and we had business cards made up one and and
that was when they were doing all the all the
psychedelia was happening. So we had a giraffe whose head
was shaking wild on the business card because he was liquid.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Anyway, that was our That was our.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
Attempt to be to compete with the with the Who
and the Rolling Stones and and uh psychedelic and uh
all the psychedelia.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
But that was that was our band. We broke up
soon after.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
I said, I think I'm going to pursue a career
behind the microphone, behind.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
The scenes, not on the stage.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Well, you were ahead of your time with some of
that stuff.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Uh, And that's unfortunate that you're not going to be
for performing at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
with your bandmates, But thank god you're there to run
things and to make sure it goes smoothly. John Sykes,
chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation
and President of entertain Enterprises for iHeartRadio. John, thanks so
much for your time.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
Thanks you, guys, Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
This has been a podcast from wor
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