While covering the subject of Hall visitors, the conversation migrated to the recent announcement that the Hall Annex in New York City was going to be closed.  I asked him about all the talk of taking the Annex on the road as a travelling exhibit.

“Our partners are looking at ways that make sense financially to move it to another town or to take it on the road.  That’s in their hands to come back to us with an opportunity that makes sense.”

Here’s hoping for a decision that places the Annex, or at ,least a tour stop, here in the Dallas area!

With responsibilities such as Stewart’s, I asked him if there was any Hall business that kept him awake at night.

“Well, surprisingly enough, no.  We’re in the best shape, financially that we’ve been in ten years.  We don’t have a big operating reserve that we should have.  But we’re in better shape than we have been.  So, I wouldn’t say that I’m staying awake at night.  I’m always concerned since we really are based on how much money we generate each year.  Every January 1^st we start over again.”

The business geek comes roaring out of me when we start talking about the business end of the Hall.  In addition to the revenue from admission fees, they also have a tremendous store, both physical and online, where one can pick up items such as mugs, clothing, books and pins. 

As for those last two categories, I tried to appeal to Stewart’s generous side and tell him that I could go broke on my low budget (queue up the violins!) buying the great books and pins offered by the store. 

His response?  “Feel free too!”

Putting my business geek propeller hat back on, I asked Terry about how else the Hall is supported.

“Well, we also have our philanthropy.  We have about 75% 78% of our business earned through the door and the store.  Then the other 25% is membership, individual donations, corporate donations, grant foundations, and government funding.  So it’s a wide mix of money that makes up the rest of that mix.”

Knowing that many of Boomerocity’s global readers and their companies might be interested in helping the Hall with a contribution, I asked Mr. Stewart how they might donate.  He doesn’t hesitate even one nanosecond to answer.

“They can do it online or they can do it in person.  There are MANY ways we can take your money! We’ve got levels all the way up to Platinum, Chairman’s Club and all of that.  Membership runs up to $500 and after that you’re in the Donor’s Circle as far as different designations go.

“We don’t have a lot of programs or shows but we do the American Music Masters in the fall, which is a big deal. We have our induction ceremonies (to be held March 15^th at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City) and our gala in May.  There are a lot of events here where you can separate yourself from your dollars and do some good with it.”

Ah!  He brought up the induction ceremony!  Probably the only real criticism that I’ve ever heard with regards to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is every year when the inductees are announced.  This year was no exception.  While some of the names left me scratching my head, I keep my thoughts and opinions to myself.  However, I did want to know how he handled the question that had to be thrown at him at least a couple of million times.

“Well, it has to be a standard response because I get asked so often.  The fact is that we have a very disciplined, methodical process that we go through to induct performers.  There are 35 members on the nominating committee and 600 who vote.  And the realities are when somebody doesn’t get in, they simply didn’t get enough votes.  That never satisfies anybody but that is the case. 

“When you don’t have the support on the committee, you won’t get on the ballot.  If you get on the ballot, you have to get the votes from the 600.  BUT, the three other categories, non-performer, early influence and side men, are all done by committee.  I tell people that I think that the people that are worthy will get in.  They may not necessarily get in when they want to or when their fans want them to get in.  As soon as they get passed over for a year or two, people go, ‘Oh, my god . . .’”

Many huge names in the rock world have visited the Hall of Fame.  What have their reactions been?

“Oh!  The ones who come here love it!  There’s no issue about that.  They all love it.  They love music.  They love the history of this music.  When they come here and see how we treat it, they’re incredibly endorsing.  I don’t know that we ever had anybody here that didn’t think it was fabulous or inductees that came through.  I’m sure that there are some nit picks, nits and picks that they would like to change but then who wouldn’t?”

What is planned for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the near and long term?

Well, we just moved in to our new library and archive building.  We won’t open it until next fall.  So a lot of my focus right now is on finishing the capital campaign to pay for the library and to pay for the redesign of the museum because they’re redesigning about 30% - 40% of it.  That’ll take place over the next two years. 

“The library is up, staffed are moved in but it won’t be open to the public until next fall and to have enough material to open it up so that people can enjoy it.  There’ll be digital audio and video as well as hard copies of magazines, periodicals and books in the lending library.