A day before the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Powerline veteran scribe Carol Anne Szel had a chance to ask KISS drummer Eric Singer some serious Rock Hall questions: The long-lasting KISS snub and the recent Axl Rose controversy. Here is an excerpt from the chat:

Eric Singer: "I don’t know Axl that well, but he should do what he wants. I don’t always agree with the choices he makes or how he goes about it. And I think a lot of the guys that are in a band with him, they’ll try to justify it or they’ll say whatever. Because the bottom line is they don’t want to lose their gig. And they’ll lose their gig probably if they really say what they feel. But I think that he has a right to do whatever he wants. And in some ways, honestly, I kind of think, ‘You know something, that’s pretty cool of Axl.’ I think it’s pretty cool that he’s not only thumbing his nose at them, but that he’s giving them the middle finger. I think it’s cool. It’s like ‘Who the fuck are you guys to dictate what should and what shouldn’t be?’ It’s almost, in a lot of ways, if you want to look at it from this point of view, he kind of has a voice for a lot of people who think the whole thing is kind of a joke.

Look, I think the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame — and the idea of one — is a very cool thing. But the process by which they go about it is ridiculous. They should put a ballot out where people can call in and vote. Just like they do for American Idol or just like they do for sports All-Star teams. Yeah, some of it’s based on popularity, but that’s what it’s all about. The reason bands are popular is because people like them."

Read the entire interview at Powerline.