Grammy Thoughts

The Grammys are being held in 3 days, and like pretty much anyone who listens to music, I don't really care. These kinds of self-congratulatory award shows are thankfully suffering for either their stodginess (The Grammys) or their populism (The People's Choice Awards, the American Music Awards). This article offers some pretty good constructive criticism, but I think the problem is less an issue of format than an issue of interest. Does anyone really care if such and such wins whatever award? Aren't award shows just conversation (*cough*and blog*cough**cough*) prompts? Don't most people just go on listening to whatever music they listen to? (Currently: Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Get Happy!!)

 

And that's my train of thought heading into most award shows. Usually I wind up flipping between them and whatever I'm watching or whatever game I'm playing, hoping to catch some decent performances. This year will be no different, but I'm especially looking forward to this year's slate or performances (most of which I'll probably YouTube rather than see live) for one reason.

Is it Paul McCartney with Dave Grohl on drums? U2? Estelle and that wacky Kanye West? Stevie Wonder? Allen Toussaint?

NO!

I'm looking forward to the fact that MIA is scheduled to perform with her baby due that night. In the off-chance she doesn't give birth in the next 3 days (or go into labor hours or minutes before her performance), we can get some high-tension "WTF is she thinking?"/"Is this a good idea?"/"What's their contingency plan?" kind of entertainment. Plus I adore MIA, and not just because I'm a blogger who also loved Pineapple Express and Slumdog Millionaire. Shit could get interesting, is all I'm trying to say.

Oh, and I think it'd be entertaining to see Weezy slur and stumble his way through an acceptance speech if he happens to be on cough syrup at the time... Though in a very sad way.

The Day the Music Died: For the Love of Buddy Holly

This post was meant to happen yesterday, but things get in the way.

Today marks the 50th anniversary of "The Day the Music Died," and a lot of music journalists have done their fair share trying to commemorate the event with articles regarding the importance of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper. MSNBC has a great article about Holly's contributions to modern music:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28979987/

Halftime

So, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band played a bunch of condensed hits an a commercial for their new album at the Superbowl, and what can I say? It was a halftime show.

 

Certainly, it wasn't as good as Prince's spectacle a couple years back (Prince is Prince, though, and I am Jere), but it was a crowd-pleaser. It was a distraction to give people in the stadiums and at home something to look at for 12 minutes (because the bathroom break can't last the whole 12 minutes). I always thought "Glory Days" sounds better when it's played with the horns higher in the mix than the 80s synths on the studio version, which is good. I would've prefered a spirited "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)," but I guess the line "Papa says he knows that I don't have any money..." might've hit a little close to home these days (?). The song still makes me deliriously happy, though.

 

I was horrified when Springsteen's crotch power slid at me in HD, though. Thank God the halftime wasn't in 3D!

 

Anyway, I got up this morning and started wondering who they could pull in to play next year. My mind drifted as far as... New Jersey, where Bon Jovi would be another solid candidate for the job. They're in that class of bands that can play an arena without alienating older parents out there. I mean, who doesn't love singing along to "Livin' on a Prayer" (most especially in Rock Band!)? But then I wanted to be more creative than walking down the block from Springsteen's origins and came up with a couple others...

 

I don't know how well he is, but I bet David Bowie could put on a helluva halftime show ("Rebel, Rebel!" "Heroes!" "Changes!" "Life on Mars!" The possibilities are endless!). I only read a headline of a rumor that he would be suiting up as Ziggy Stardust sometime, and that was the last Bowie-related thing I've read in awhile, though.

 

Another possibility: Elvis Costello. He's come a long way from that time that he got banned from SNL, and his talk show has proven him to be a pretty gifted emcee (in the "host" sense, not in the hip-hop sense). I can imagine him doing a convincing "hits" set with "Pump It Up," "(What's So Funny About) Peace, Love and Understanding," some surprise cover, and whatever.

Also, I can imagine the Foo Fighters filling the slot. Actually, I'm fairly surprised they haven't yet. God knows they always wind up on the Grammys in one form or another a couple weeks after the game. They're heavy enough to keep the football crowd amped but safe enough to not offend the families watching. In the same ballpark is Coldplay, I suppose, though I can't think of a more thoroughly boring halftime show.

 

I guess it's all better than Up with People, though.