Axl Rose in November at Target Center/ Star Tribune photo by Renee Jones Schneider

Axl Rose did it again. He fooled us in the name of Guns N' Roses as the band with the revolving lineup landed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on its first time on the ballot, the hall announced at 2:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Wonder if Axl will reunite with Slash, Duff and — oh, you know how these Hall of Fame inductions go with estranged band members.

Other new inductees voted in by several hundred industry experts are the Beastie Boys, the Small Faces/Faces (featuring Rod Stewart and Ron Wood), Donovan, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Laura Nyro, a New York singer-songwriter who is probably best known for writing hits for others including "Eli's Coming," "Wedding Bell Blues" and "Stoney End."

(For the record: I voted for Beasties and Faces — and Heart and Eric B & Rakim, neither of which got elected.)

Bluesman Freddie King was named as an early influence inductee, and the Rock Hall board will honor four non-performers: producer/engineer Glyn Johns (Rolling Stones, Eagles, Eric Clapton); producer/engineer Tom Dowd (Ray Charles, John Coltrane, Allman Brothers); publisher/impresario Don Kirshner (Monkees, Archies, "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert") and New Orleans engineer Cosimo Matassa (Fats Domino, Little Richard, Professor Longhair).

The induction ceremonies will be held April 14 in Cleveland and will be open to the public for the first time. HBO will provide television coverage in early May.