a depressing aside
How sick am I of the music industry? Well, you can get a good idea by checking out the Grammy Award nominees. Here's a few tasty morsels; my picks in bold are either the best, or in some cases, least offensive.
[Comments can be found in italics]:
Record of the Year: [off to a great start]
"A Thousand Miles," Vanessa Carlton;
"Without Me," Eminem;
"Don't Know Why," Norah Jones;
"Dilemma," Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland;
"How You Remind Me," Nickelback.
Album of the Year [At least 1 good album made it this year]
"Home," Dixie Chicks;
"The Eminem Show," Eminem;
"Come Away With Me," Norah Jones;
"Nellyville," Nelly;
"The Rising," Bruce Springsteen.
Song of the Year
"Complicated," Avril Lavigne & The Matrix
(Avril Lavigne);
"Don't Know Why," Jesse Harris (Norah Jones);
"The Rising," Bruce Springsteen (Bruce Springsteen);
"A Thousand Miles," Vanessa Carlton (Vanessa Carlton);
"Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)," Alan Jackson (Alan Jackson).
New Artist [Sigh]
Ashanti;
Michelle Branch;
Norah Jones;
Avril Lavigne;
John Mayer.
Pop Vocal Album [Ugh!]
"Come Away With Me,"
Norah Jones;
"Let Go," Avril Lavigne;
"Rock Steady," No Doubt;
"M!ssundaztood," Pink;
"Britney," Britney Spears.
Rock Album [Tonic has a new album out? HUH?]
"When I Was Cruel," Elvis Costello;
"C'Mon, C'Mon," Sheryl Crow;
"Dreamland," Robert Plant;
"The Rising," Bruce Springsteen;
"Head on Straight," Tonic.
Rap Album [Voted Least Painful: Nelly]
"The Eminem Show," Eminem;
"Word of Mouf," Ludacris;
"Tarantula," Mystikal;
"Nellyville," Nelly;
"Diary of a Sinner: 1st Entry," Petey Pablo.
Country Album: [Atta boy, Willie!]
"Home," Dixie Chicks;
"Drive," Alan Jackson;
"The Great Divide," Willie Nelson;
"Man With a Memory," Joe Nichols;
"Halos & Horns," Dolly Parton.
Female Rock Vocal Performance [Nice to see Bonnie on the list]
"Steve McQueen," Sheryl Crow;
"The Weakness in Me," Melissa Etheridge;
"Sk8er Boi,"Avril Lavigne;
"Gnawin' On It," Bonnie Raitt;
"Alone," Susan Tedeschi.
Male Rock Vocal Performance: [This is more like it]
"Slow Burn," David Bowie;
"45," Elvis Costello;
"The Barry Williams Show," Peter Gabriel;
"Darkness, Darkness," Robert Plant;
"The Rising," Bruce Springsteen.
Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: [Someone alert security; 2 good catergories in a row]
"Girls of Summer," Aerosmith;
"In My Place," Coldplay;
"My Sacrifice," Creed;
"Hero," Chad Kroeger featuring Josey Scott;
"When I'm Gone," 3 Doors Down;
"Take Me As I Am," Tonic;
"Walk On," U2.
17. Hard Rock Performance: [Grohl battles....himself? Win-win]
"All My Life," Foo Fighters;
"I Stand Alone," Godsmack;
"Youth of the Nation," P.O.D.;
"No One Knows," Queens of the Stone Age;
"Aerials," System of a Down.
18. Metal Performance: [Ugh! part 2]
"Here to Stay," Korn;
"Portrait," P.O.D.;
"My Plague," Slipknot;
"Get Inside," Stone Sour;
"Never Gonna Stop (The Red, Red Kroovy)," Rob Zombie.
Rock Instrumental Performance: [Well played, Wayne!]
"Approaching Pavonis Mons by Balloon (Utopia Planitia)," The Flaming Lips;
"Sco-Mule," Gov't Mule;
"Apollo," Tony Levin;
"Starry Night," Joe Satriani;
"Love Theme from 'The Godfather,"' Slash.
Rock Song: [It's those pesky Fighters of Foo again!]
"All My Life," Foo Fighters (Foo Fighters);
"Hero," Chad Kroeger (Chad Kroeger featuring Josey Scott);
"I Stand Alone," Sully Erna (Godsmack);
"The Rising," Bruce Springsteen (Bruce Springsteen);
"When I'm Gone," Brad Arnold, Todd Harrell, Chris Henderson and Matt Roberts (3 Doors Down).
Rock Album: [Again with the Tonic! Has anyone heard this album?]
"When I Was Cruel," Elvis Costello;
"C'Mon, C'Mon," Sheryl Crow;
"Dreamland," Robert Plant;
"The Rising," Bruce Springsteen;
"Head on Straight," Tonic.
Alternative Music Album: [Best catergory of the night; Maybe they can split the phonograph 4 ways...]
"Sea Change," Beck;
"Walking With Thee," Clinic;
"A Rush of Blood to the Head," Coldplay;
"Cruel Smile," Elvis Costello and The Imposters;
"Behind the Music," The Soundtrack of Our Lives.
Finally, the real crime of the evening:
ALTERNATIVE/AC: GRAMMY SNUBS
(New York-AP) -- The Grammy nominations cover just about all
aspects of music and it seems like just about everyone has been
nominated. There were a few snubs, though. Josh Groban was expected
to pick up a Best New Artist nomination but didn't get a thing. The
new wave of alternative bands were also ignored -- The Strokes, The
White Stripes and The Hives.
ROCK/POP: TONIC HAS AN ALBUM OUT -- AND IT'S UP FOR GRAMMYS
(Los Angeles-AP) -- Tonic is up for two Grammys, which is
prompting some people to ask, Tonic has an album out? Guitarist
Jeff Russo is wondering that same thing. He says the album, "Head
On Straight," has been out for a few months but they haven't
really done a big publicity push. He says he was surprised any of
the Grammy voters had even heard of it. Tonic is up for the Grammys
for rock album and rock performance. Russo has sized up the
competition and he's a bit worried. For rock album, they're up
against Elvis Costello, Bruce Springsteen, Sheryl Crow and Robert
Plant. He says, "I'm thinking that might be an uphill battle."
The awards will be given out February 23rd in New York.
