Things the Grammy Awards Taught Us

This is the future of music?

The last time I watched a Grammy Awards telecast all the way through was when John Denver was the host, and the Eurythmics were the hottest band on the planet (that would be 1982, punk). Until last night – I watched from beginning to end, and learned a great deal in the process.

If you were an alien who just dropped in from another planet and watched the Grammy Awards to see what music is all about, the first thing you would gather is that rock and roll is best performed by old guys. The old guys who bookended the show – Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney – peaked long ago as master songwriters but they’re still both dynamite live performers.

Dave Grohl is an old guy too.

Even though Springsteen’s new song “We Take Care Of Our Own” sounds like about 10 other Springsteen tunes, his rockin’ performance managed to stoke a little excitement for the rest of the telecast to come (and, Bruce hopes, his new album which conveniently comes out soon).

And you can’t go wrong with McCartney doing a Beatles classic; or classics, in the form of “Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End” from the Beatles’ Abbey Road album. Sir Paul’s voice has lost a lot of its old bite and he is a clever performer who knows how to manage his limitations.

Which he did by playing the tune backed by his crack touring band (and the awesome drummer Abe Laboriel Jr.) and, next, by turning “The End” into a superstar guitar duel featuring McCartney, his band’s guitarists Rusty Anderson and Brian Ray, as well as guests Springsteen, Dave Grohl and Joe Walsh. Everyone acquitted themselves well except for maybe Springsteen, who looked like he ran out of gas after his first solo. Maybe next time invite Glen Campbell to play.

Mike Love, left, hypnotizes you to believe he's standing next to Adam Levine.

Another thing I learned is that the Beach Boys’ 50th anniversary reunion tour may be entertaining mainly for singer Mike Love’s crazy antics. Probably the most clueless man in rock, Love is the musical equivalent of actor Nicolas Cage – a true head case. The only thing older than that merch-table ball cap was Al Jardine’s comb-over … but the Beach Boys actually sounded all right. Probably that’s because Brian Wilson’s backing band is also a crack unit and all the Boys had to do was sing. (Perhaps the lesson here is if you’re an older rocker get yourself a smokin’ band – like Bruce, Paul and Brian.)

I also learned that rhythm and blues has changed a little. Where R&B used to mean Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding and Smokey Robinson, it now means Chris Brown. Don’t know if the guy can actually sing – he didn’t last night – but he does a mean backflip. And I hear he has a left hook that would do Ike Turner proud. Otis did win an award though, as the title of a rap song.

This pretty much sums up the entire night.

One more thing I learned is that true talent will always save the day. Thanks, Adele. You deserve every award you get, if only for exposing the likes of Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and especially Nicki Minaj as the frauds they are.

So the big lesson we can carry away from Grammy Awards 2012 is that you don’t “get” music by watching stupid TV shows. You need to listen – with your ears, with your brain and with your heart. And only then will you find the music. I think Dave Grohl said that.

As a bonus we’ve added the best moment from last night’s Grammy telecast: a TV commercial from Chipotle that features a neat little story and cool music (Willie Nelson singing Coldplay’s “The Scientist”). Like Chrysler’s Super Bowl ad with Clint Eastwood, this will prove to be the most memorable moment from an otherwise overhyped and bloated affair.

YouTube: “Back To The Start” Chipotle ad

Bonus No. 2: This guy from SPIN snuck into the Grammy Awards, sort of

Bonus No. 3: Houston Press fills us in on just who this “Paul McCartney” guy is

Grammy Nominations 2009

The 52nd annual Grammy nominations came out last night with one glaring omission. Green Day’s excellent 21st Century Breakdown was not nominated for Album of the Year. How is that possible? While I like the new Dave Matthews Band Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King album, it’s not better than Green Day. The Black Eyed Peas The E.N.D. sure as hell isn’t. While I’m sure Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Beyonce have their moments, song for song, there is no way they compare with Green Day.

Bruce Springsteen showed up as a courtesy in a few of categories. Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance and Best Rock Song for “Working On A Dream” and for his “Sea of Heartbreak” duet with Rosanne Cash, but his Working On A Dream album was a no-show. Producer Brendan O’Brien, however, is up for Producer of the Year. U2’s weak No Line On The Horizon LP also appeared in couple of categories, but was shut out of the major ones. Steve Earle’s excellent Townes showed up in the Best Comtemporary Folk Album along with Neko Case’s Middle Cyclone and Elvis Costello’s  Secret, Profane and Sugar Cane (I love Costello, but this is a joke). Wilco, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Lucinda Williams and Levon Helm were also nominated for “Best Americana Album.”

Some pleasant surprises (besides the Americana category) include Adele’s nomination for Best Pop Female Vocal Performance for “Hometown Glory,” Willie Nelson’s American Classic nominated for Best Traditional Vocal Performance, AC/DC’s Black Ice up for Best Rock Album and Megadeth’s Head Crusher being recognized in the “Best Metal Performance.”

The show airs on CBS Sunday, Jan. 31. Maybe Kanye West will steal someone’s thunder again. Maybe Lady Gaga will poor blood on herself again, or maybe, just maybe, we’ll get to see Wilco, Steve Earle, Springsteen/Cash or AC/DC play live. We can only hope.

2009 Grammy Nominations

The music of “One Tree Hill”

As season 5 ends, Lucas Scott (Chad Michael Murray) is sitting in the airport, he picks up his phone, and says “I have two tickets to Vegas, do you want to get married?” Three girls; Lindsey (Michaela McManus), Brooke (Sophia Bush), and Peyton (Hilarie Burton) all say hello and then the screen fades to black. I figure I’ll find out what happens the next day. However, instead of going to season 6, SoapNet goes back to season 1, leaving me hanging.

I know you’re probably shaking your head, or thinking I’m a big fan of candelabras, but we all have our guilty pleasures, and One Tree Hill happens to be mine. Yes, I tape it every day and watch it every night. Not only is the show entertaining, but the producers and the music coordinators are really tuned into some good indie music. Like I said in a post earlier this year, if it wasn’t for shows like One Tree Hill, I never would have come across most, if not all, of these bands.

Friday Extra: Hot n’ Fresh!

Let’s take a little break from our Christmas music onslaught and share some tunes we’ve been bobbing our heads to lately.  Jenny Lewis, the comely former child actress-turned-rock-singer, has a scorching new solo album out.  Acid Tongue is a major effort from this indie darling – its straightforward rock has hints of of jazz, folk and soul.  And it’s kind of all-star affair: M. Ward, Chris Robinson (Black Crowes) and Jonathan Rice make appearances, as does our old buddy Elvis Costello, on the tune included here.  As a bonus, we’ve tossed in the duo’s rockin’ appearance on the David Letterman TV show a while back.

MP3: “Carpetbaggers” by Jenny Lewis with Elvis Costello

YouTube: Jenny Lewis and Elvis Costello on “Late Show With David Letterman”

Speaking of chick singers, try out the latest warbler from across the pond: Adele, from South London, who has been making some waves stateside with her album 19.  At the moment she seems to be a U.K.-only phenom but don’t count her out just yet; “Cold Shoulder” just may be enough to warm you to her charms.

MP3: “Cold Shoulder” by Adele