Sunday, February 11, 2007

Grammys 2007

The Police delivered, though I would have preferred "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" over "Roxanne." Still, great to see their energy and enthusiasm.

Carrie Underwood is mind-bendingly good for someone who just popped on the scene post American-Idol. What presence!

I've loved Mary J. Blige for awhile so I'm gratified to see her win big.

We *loved* the girl paired with Justin Timberlake for the duet. Could you believe she got up there and performed like such a pro after just hearing her name announced moments before? Great voice, cute personality, total confidence. Gotta love all this reality TV infiltration into every aspect of television now.

Sorry that Corrine Bailey Rae and James Blunt will go home without Grammys.

Dixie Chicks are getting a lot of Grammy gold off of retaliating at the public for shunning them for their anti-American speech in Britain. (Footnote of interest: Cincinnati radio stations refused to play their music after that and I've never heard "Not Ready to Make Nice" on the radio... ever.)

Red Hot Chili Peppers are too fun.

So we wait now for Album of the Year.... and no surprise. Dixie Chicks. What do you think?

10 comments:

David Blakeslee said...

Grammys? Ehhh!

Unknown said...

Is that a stick-your-tongue-out at the Grammys or you forgot to watch?

David Blakeslee said...

No, I watched... some. I missed the beginning, saw bits of the middle and the very end. Didn't see any of the performances you mentioned here. Saw the Don Henley tribute (ho-hum) and the Chris Brown "stomp the yard" number as well as the James Brown tribute, which was cool. We were busy playing Seafarers of Catan, watching the DVD that comes with the Josh Groban "Awake" album and playing on the Wii throughout the evening.

I just don't put a lot of stock into who wins or not. I think the Dixie Chicks did a fine thing last year with their comeback album and all, but I don't really like it when the awards pile up so extravagantly in favor of one act... like a few years ago when Norah Jones won something like six or eight awards. For her first album, which is pleasant but really so lightweight. The Grammy organization seemed intent on making a statement with the awards this year but it was so obvious that it seems rather awkward.

The show itself is fine entertainment and of course I am interested in pop music so this is one of the best showcases out there, but the people who vote on these things have very M.O.R. tastes as I see it which aren't often validated in retrospect. I'm probably just too indie/underground at heart to really get into these awards. But I enjoy your enthusiasm and dig that you are getting into a Police reunion. I'm pretty excited myself that Iggy Pop and the Stooges have a new album coming out later this spring! (Google 'em if you don't know who they are or why a Stooges reunion is such a big deal.) :o)

Sandy said...

Really enjoyed The Police opener-like you, I would've preferred "Every Little Thing" or "Every Breath" or really anything over "Roxanne." Sting really ages well doesn't he? Ho-hum on the Don Henley tribute here as well-guitars and back-up vocals were good but the Rascal Flatts lead didn't cut it for me. Loved Chris Brown, Beyonce & Mary J. Blige. Totally agree about the girl paired w/ Justin - she belted it and didn't miss a step. Good for her. Felt so bad for Corrine Bailey Rae & James Blunt too - really wanted one or both of them to win. Anyone else think the stage set up was odd - made for a lot of off stage distractions and odd crowd views.

Unknown said...

Ah, Dave. I get it. I do.

I know Iggy Pop and the Stooges so I'm not only pop 40 lightweight. :) And I agree about spreading the wealth in terms of awards.

Sandy, yes, Sting has aged well. Good God! :) In fact, I think he's a lot better looking in his fifties than he was in his twenties. Yoga, etc. seems to be working for him.

carrie said...

Since I missed thawards all I can comment on is the picture you posted of Sting. And all I can say there is, "Oh, my! Wow!"

Dalissa 365 said...

I loved Christina Aguilera doing one of James Brown's songs. The police were great, too. but like you, I would've like to have heard them sing something else. Sting must be dying that little patch of hair he has. I was disappointed in the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I've seen them perform wayyyyy better than that... their lead singer just didn't seem "on". I thought it was a bit of overkill the way the Dixie Chicks won for so many awards. And, fwiw, I've seen Iggy Pop in concert at a very small venue. (This last sentence is mostly for Dave).

David Blakeslee said...

Hi Dalissa,

So nice to get a personal note in somebody else's comment page! :o)

Where did you see Iggy? And when? If you saw him back in the 70's I am super-jealous! I saw him live back in 1981, and I have a DVD he made of his first Stooges reunion concert in Detroit a few years back, which took place on the same day that the huge power blackout swept across the American Northeast and Canada. His show was affected when the lights went out for awhile, not for terribly long though, and it's all caught on video.

The RHCP are not really the kind of band that can just plug it in for one song and put on the show. They are just too grungy at heart, even though they've had a lot of showbiz success - way more than a band like them could have ever expected, really. They are survivors, give them credit for that.

I didn't see the Police performance, nor am I especially eager to look it up. I think Roxanne was a disappointing choice for them to perform - it was their first hit and not really all that good of a song, IMO. I'd rather have seen them do anything from the "Ghost in the Machine" LP or "Every Breath You Take."

Anonymous said...

Been away for a while, and I know this is an old post, but I wanted to point out something. The Dixie Chicks did not make an "anti-American" statement. They made an "anti-Bush" statement. In some people's minds, that might be the same thing. In my mind, and I think, in theirs, it is too VERY different things.

Unknown said...

Cheryl, excellent correction to my post. I agree with you. (I happen to think - could be wrong - that they made an unreflective comment that they then had to back up).

But yes, anti-Bush, not anti-American. Thanks.