Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex Opens in New York With Debbie Harry Bash

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex in New York's Soho opened its doors last night with a bang: Visitors took an audio tour of the museum with a little help from wireless headphones before retreating upstairs to a huge loft party. Rolling Stone's Jann S. Wenner gave the opening remarks, and Dave Mason performed the Traffic hit "Feelin Alright." Debbie Harry, in a black beret, belted out "Call Me" and a border-line acoustic version of "Heart of Glass." After making their way down the red carpet, guests such as Jimmy Destri, Les Paul and Run DMC's Darryl McDaniels took turns signing a huge make-shift plywood wall. Click above for our report live from the party's red carpet and below for a virtual tour of some of the museum's coolest artifacts and the story behind the Hall's new branch:

• Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Preps Satellite Museum in New York
• Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Annex: A Guided Tour of New York's New Home of Music History

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Song Stories

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Nirvana | 1991

"Smells Like Teen Spirit," named after a brand of deodorant marketed to girls, was Kurt Cobain's attempt to "write the ultimate pop song," he said, using the soft-loud dynamic of his favorite band, the Pixies. Cobain "had that dichotomy of punk rage and alienation," the song’s producer, Butch Vig, told Rolling Stone, "but also this vulnerable pop sensibility. In 'Teen Spirit,' a lot of that vulnerability is in the tone of his voice." Sadly, by the time of Nirvana's last U.S. tour, in late '93, Cobain was tortured by the obligation to play "Teen Spirit" every night. "There are many other songs that I have written that are as good, if not better," he claimed.

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