Madonna said yesterday she was hesitant about her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but she has now come around to the idea, even though she may not perform during the ceremony, as reported here first.

"I heard about it and I kind of felt ambivalent, like, 'What is that, the place they put musical dinosaurs?' " Madonna told reporters from around the globe yesterday, including Sun Media in a Canadian print exclusive. She has just started promoting her new hip-hop and R&B-drenched dance album, Hard Candy, due in stores April 29.

"I didn't really know what to think of it," she said, "but then lots of people explained to me that it's an acknowledgement of singers and songwriters who have made a contribution in the world of music for 25 years, and so eventually I came around to the idea that it was flattering."

And she's pleased that she will be inducted by one of her Hard Candy collaborators, Justin Timberlake, who co-wrote many of the songs and sings on the new album, including the Timbaland-produced first single, Four Minutes. Timberlake also appears in the video alongside her as two superheroes trying to save the world.

"It was Justin who offered and kind of surprised me, when we were shooting the video — he said he wanted to be the person to induct me, so to speak, so I said, 'Okay,' " said Madonna, who added how the rest of the induction evening will unfold is up in the air.

"It's supposed to be a surprise for me — somebody sings one of my songs," she said before adding, "Yikes! No, I'm just kidding. I don't know."

That last quote is confirmation that plans are underway to have someone else perform her music. We'll find out on March 10th when the Ceremony airs live on VH1 Classic and at BestBuy.com.

Mike Smith, the lead singer of 2008 Rock Hall inductees The Dave Clark Five died today at the age of 64. Here is the full press release:

Mike Smith, the lead singer and keyboard player of The Dave Clark Five, one of the premier bands to emerge during the 1960’s “British Invasion”, died today from pneumonia at Stoke Mandeville Hospital outside of London. His devoted wife, Arlene, who is known as Charlie, was by his side.  Smith was 64 years old.

Smith, who was due to be inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame with his band mates on Monday, March 10th, was admitted to the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit yesterday morning with a chest infection, a complication from a spinal cord injury he sustained in September, 2003 that left him a tetraplegic (paralyzed below the ribcage with limited use of his upper body).  Smith had been in the hospital since the accident, and was just released in December 2007 when he moved into a specially-prepared home near the hospital with his wife. Prior to his hospitalization yesterday, arrangements were being made to transport Smith to New York so he could personally attend the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

After his accident, Smith found tremendous support from his peers including Bruce Springsteen, Little Steven Van Zandt, and Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits, who helped defray his medical costs through donations and fundraisers.  Long-time fan and “Late Show” bandleader, Paul Shaffer, helped organize a benefit concert in New York in August 2005, which featured many of Smith’s fellow “British Invasion” stars, including The Zombies and Peter & Gordon.  A DVD of the benefit, Paul Shaffer and his British Invasion: A Tribute to Mike Smith will be released in March by VDI Entertainment.

According to Smith’s agent, Margo Lewis of TCI in New York, “These last five years were extremely difficult for Mike. I am incredibly saddened to lose him, his energy and his humor, but I am comforted by the fact that he had the chance to spend his final months and days at home with his loving wife, Charlie, whom he adored, instead of in the hospital, and that he was able to attend a recent concert in London by his good friend, Bruce Springsteen.  He was extremely excited and honored to have been inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame and I am glad that he will be remembered as a “Hall of Famer,” because he was in so many ways.”

Although the press release mentions Smith was preparing to go to the ceremony, it was unlikely he was going to be able to make it due to his declining health.

Ken Barnes from USA Today has a nice tribute to Smith and his work with the DC5.

Here are the inductees and their presenters for this year's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony:

• Madonna -- Justin Timberlake
• The Dave Clark Five -- Tom Hanks
• Leonard Cohen -- Lou Reed
• John Mellencamp -- Billy Joel
• The Ventures -- John Fogerty
• Little Walter -- Ben Harper
• Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff -- Jerry Butler

Unfortunately there's no information about a media partner who will live stream the event, as spinner.com did last year. Update: Good news, it looks like BestBuy.com will be streaming the ceremony this year.

The ceremony will air live on television on VH1 Classic (available in ~35 million households with digital cable or satellite) at 8pm EST EDT on March 10th.

Future Rock Hall has learned that Madonna will not be performing at the 2008 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on March 10th, though she does plan to attend. No word on who will be asked to perform Madonna's music at the event.

This is undoubtedly a huge blow to organizers who were counting on Madonna to provide the star power at this year's event. Given the health of the Dave Clark Five's Mike Smith, it's unclear if they will perform either. The remaining 2008 inductees who will perform are John Mellencamp, the Ventures, and Leonard Cohen.

On March 10th, the Induction Ceremony will be broadcast live on VH1 Classic, and (presumably) webcast at AOL's spinner.com.

Alice Cooper was on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on Monday, and the subject of Cooper's exclusion from the Rock Hall came up:

Craig: Hey, I wanted to ask you something. This is something that came to my attention today. And I am furious, furious about this. Wait until you hear about this, you're going to lose your minds with rage. You're not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Alice: No.

[audience gasps]

Craig: Ah! I can't believe that! They've got Madonna in there! They've got that Alf the alien puppet in there! I can't believe that. Did you piss someone off?

Alice: I must have stepped on someone's glasses or something. No honestly, I don't know how they work it. It's not a popularity contest.

Craig: Clearly!

Alice: It's who they decide that's going to be in the Hall of Fame. The longer I stay out the better the story gets. Because apparently I did something really bad to somebody. I can't imagine what.

Craig: What you mean is you can't remember what.

Alice: I've been a model citizen in rock and roll. I think the best thing in the world would be to get kicked out of the Hall of Fame.

Craig: What are they going to kick you out for, "You were using drugs when you were making that music!" "Yeah, yes I was."

Alice: I'll tell them,"I haven't had a drink in 25 years. You're outta here!"

Craig: Yeah, that would be it. You weren't using drugs. You claimed you were using drugs, but you weren't. "Get out."

Alice: Everyone thinks it's a popularity contest, and you can call in and vote. You can't. You get nominated and then you get either in or you're out. I'm sort of the Pete Rose of rock and roll right now. And I didn't even bet on my band.

A full 95% of Future Rock Hall voters believe Cooper should get in. The Nominating Committee has certainly discussed Cooper in the past, but he has never made the final ballot.

Alice Cooper's quip that he's the "Pete Rose of rock and roll" doesn't seem quite right since he's not being kept out of the Hall of Fame because of a scandal. Who is a better baseball player comparison? Andre Dawson? Jim Rice? Bert Blyleven?

VH1 is giving away a trip to the 2008 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Because the event isn't open to the public (and it costs $2000 just to sit in the balcony if you can manage an invitation), this is probably your only chance to see the ceremony in person this year. On March 10th, VH1 Classic will be airing the ceremony live, and it will most likely be webcast at spinner.com.

You can enter the VH1 sweepstakes right here and let us know if you win!