Is Bruce Springsteen a man or a machine? Is he Superman? These are the questions that ran through my mind last night as Springsteen and his E Street Band literally picked up the six-hour Rock and Roll Hall of Fame anniversary show at Madison Square Garden and breathed life into it.

The show, which started at 7:30, lived on a weird mix of sedation, old fights, and punctuations of soul for its first four hours. It was divided into sections after Jerry Lee Lewis emerged to play  “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On.” Crosby, Stills & Nash commanded a deadly hour with Bonnie Raitt — the only featured female of the night, plus James Taylor and Jackson Browne. It wasn’t the artists’ fault but it was too much of the same thing, and — coupled with the 98% all white audience — they lent a creepy start to the history of rock and roll. I kept expecting Pat Boone to come out and join them in an acapella “Tutti Frutti.”

Instead, it was time for “Family Feud” with Simon & Garfunkel. After Paul Simon (who is really a devastatingly good songwriter, if not the best) delivered a couple of his solo hits, he brought out Little Anthony and the Imperials. They were the first black artists on stage after two hours. For some reason, Anthony chose “Two Kinds of People,” a little obscure, instead of “Hurts So Bad.” Still, the audience loved them as much as they adored Dion DiMucci on “The Wanderer.” Simon’s guests actually related to the roots of rock and roll, and were authentic.

Adding Art Garfunkel was good for gossip and harmony — the vocal kind only. How these two make such beautiful music and are so awful to each other is beyond me. “The Sound of Silence” was exquisite. “Mrs. Robinson” was playfully woven into Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away.” “The Boxer” was sublime and moving. But then came “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Garfunkel sang the first verse. But Simon cut him off, it seemed, to croak the second verse. This was a mistake. Garfunkel looked pissed, and Simon sounded like Burt Bacharach on a bad day. When Garfunkel took over to begin, “Sail on Silver Girl,” Simon just huffed away. He should have just let Garfunkel sing the song. Anyway, Garfunkel brought it to an emotional and satisfying close.

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Those very high priced Rock and Roll Hall of Fame shows on Oct. 29 and 30 are quietly adding some unannounced special guests to the already published roster.

I’m told that Van Morrison, Smokey Robinson, James Taylor, Sting, Jeff Beck, Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt are among those who will pop during the two nights.

They will join Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel, Bruce Springsteen and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, U2, Metallica and Aretha Franklin.

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The word from one of my favorite groups (I say this facetiously) the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: David Geffen is set to be inducted next spring.

That’s right. On the upside: Geffen started Asylum Records, brought us Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, the Eagles, stole Bob Dylan from Columbia Records to make “Planet Waves,” and, oddly, dated Cher. Later, his Geffen Records brought us Guns ‘N Roses. He also produced “Dreamgirls” on Broadway.

On the downside: the Rock Hall is considered lame for not inducting about three dozen rock acts that should have been there already, has a $14 million war chest and a chief executive who makes over $350,000. The whole thing is run by Rolling Stone’s Jann Wenner, who apparently was instrumental in selecting Geffen.

I’m also told that in 2011, the group will induct Universal Music Group’s Doug Morris, who once labored for Atlantic Records and Ahmet Ertegun.

As for Geffen, the naysayers nay that he sold his company for $600 million years ago and hasn’t been in the business for eons. When he was in the business, they say, he was very annoying.

Anyway, I’m more upset that so many people aren’t in the Hall already. Geffen before Quincy Jones? That’s just obscene. Even Geffen would agree.

Those Rock and Roll Hall of Fame shows set for October at Madison Square Garden: they’re already causing controversy.

Missing from the rosters on both nights are just about everyone important: Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, the Rolling Stones, Van Morrison, Elton John, Sting, Bonnie Raitt, Carole King, The Eagles, Billy Joel, Steve Winwood, not to mention the Kinks and the Who, Fleetwood Mac, and so on.

The listings omit both women and blacks with the exception of Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin. How sad, and stupid. Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Gladys Knight, Lionel Richie–all missing. Al Green, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Sam Moore, Booker T, Mavis Staples, Gene Chandler, Percy Sledge, all the doo-wop groups, Dion and the Belmonts– missing.

What this is: a Rolling Stone magazine celebration cloaked as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Otherwise, Chubby Checker would start the show with “The Twist.” But he’s not even in the Rock Hall. So there!

And where are the chicks, so to speak? Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, Carly Simon, Linda Ronstadt, who made Rolling Stone so big in the 70s? Or all the punky rock groups from the Phil Spector era, or Darlene Love? Something tells me there are going to be lots of medleys led by the indefatigable Paul Shaffer, in between the big acts already announced. It will be like one of those hideous PBS singalongs from Pittsburgh.

And what of the O’Jays, the Dells, the Chi Lites, the Stylistics and Earth Wind and Fire? Blondie, the Cars, the Ramones, the Pretenders and Talking Heads? Elvis Costello? Patti Smith? George Clinton?

And Joel Peresman gets $376,000 a year. It boggles the mind.

I told readers of my old column back in March that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was planning its 25th anniversary for the fall of 2009 at Madison Square Garden.

Now I can tell you that the Rock Hall folks, not exactly my favorite for various reasons, have booked Oct. 29 and 30 for a two-day extravaganza at the Garden.

Tentatively scheduled for the Thursday show are Bruce Springsteen, Simon & Garfunkel, Paul Simon as a solo act, Stevie Wonder, and the whole posse that includes Crosby, Stills, Nash, Young and friends.

Then on Friday: Aretha Franklin headlines, with U2, Metallica, and Eric Clapton. Those are the names I’ve heard so far, but we won’t be surprised if Paul McCartney, Sting, the Rolling Stones and a few other big names like Bob Dylan. I’d like to see some more black acts– like Earth, Wind & Fire, Al Green, Sam Moore, Gladys Knight and Smokey Robinson, and Mavis Staples.

Of course, there are all the great acts who have never been inducted into the Hall of Fame, almost too many to name including Hall  & Oates, Linda Ronstadt, Chicago, Moody Blues, Carly Simon, Todd Rundgren, etc.

As I wrote last spring, Jann Wenner let this past year’s induction ceremony take place in Cleveland at the Rock Hall Museum because he knew he had this event coming up, Very clever, no? The question is, will the proceeds from these shows go to the Cleveland museum or into the Hall of Fame’s $14 million war chest for distribution by Wenner at his will. Maybe ticket buyers should specify that their donations — you know the ticket prices will be very high — go to the Museum itself.

Still unknown: whether the shows will be broadcast on Fuse TV, which has a three year contract with the Rock Hall. Fuse TV and the Garden are each owned by Cablevision.