Credit: Far Out / Matija Sundalic / Eric Friedebach

Bernie Taupin takes aim at Jann Wenner during Rock and Roll Hall of Fame acceptance speech

Sat 4 November 2023 10:11, UK

Last September, former Rock & Roll Hall of Fame co-founder Jann Wenner, made a series of unwelcomed comments where he claimed that black and female artists “just didn’t articulate” at the level their white male peers did. Bernie Taupin, famed Elton John songwriter, took aim at Wenner for them at last night’s induction ceremony.

When previously promoting his book The Masters, Wenner explained his choice only to interview white male artists. “The women, just none of them were as articulate enough on this intellectual level,” he had claimed. “Joni [Mitchell] was not a philosopher of rock ’n’ roll. She didn’t, in my mind, meet that test. Not by her work, not by other interviews she did.”

While defending his choice to interview only “philosophers of rock”, he said: “I suppose when you use a word as broad as ‘masters,’ the fault is using that word. Maybe Marvin Gaye, or Curtis Mayfield? I mean, they just didn’t articulate at that level.”

Three hours into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2023 ceremony, Taupin made a dig at Wenner, who was removed from the board of directors following his comments.

During Taupin’s acceptance speech for the Musical Excellence Award, he pointedly said how honoured he was to be sharing the spotlight with so many “articulate” – which he said with air quotes – women and black artists. It was the only reference to the disgraced Rock Hall founder the entire night.

Elsewhere in the show, Elton John spoke highly of his songwriter and “best friend”, reflecting on their first two albums together, and saying they hadn’t argued in years. He also teased that they have an album in the works that is going to “surprise the shit” out of fans.

Taupin now joins writing partner Elton John as part of the illustrious inductees.