Author Topic: Watching the Grammys  (Read 2916 times)

Pilgrim

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Watching the Grammys
« on: February 13, 2011, 07:57:05 PM »
LOVED the opening tribute to Aretha.  Those ladies have some powerful voices, and they really showed them off.

About 50 minutes in -

I didn't catch the full names, but this young lady named Janelle and her group are laying it down.  The bass player in that group is just ROCKIN'!!  The good-looking young man with her just did a number that I swear could have been 60's Motown...with him throwing in sme pertty solid James Brown.  The bass sounded like Jamerson's work to me, plus some very tasty small runs.

They flat tore it up!!!

Update: she is Janelle Monae and the guy is Bruno Mars. They are separate acts... shows you how little I know.

What a pleasant surprise to see a new number staged in a retro setting and sounding like Motown!

Unfortunately, Justin Bieber is coming up.  I'll be coming back to listen to him after both his testicles finally descend.....

« Last Edit: February 14, 2011, 05:38:27 PM by Pilgrim »
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Pilgrim

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Re: Watching the Grammys
« Reply #1 on: February 13, 2011, 08:12:18 PM »
Oh, lawdy.  Bieber is dressed in black leather and trying to look tough ("I will never say never...and I will fight you forever...").  And he's rapping with Will Smith's kid.  And now Usher is starting up, complete with all his voice processing and posing.  That guy is about 80% choreography with low-crotch pants (shouldn't someone tell him that is so 1990's?) and about 20% manufactured voice.  He's already blown two notes so badly his auto-correct couldn't save him.
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Pilgrim

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Re: Watching the Grammys
« Reply #2 on: February 13, 2011, 08:23:18 PM »
Geez, Lady Gaga won a grammy for pop vocal album - wearing a black outfit with Batman-style pre-cast boobs and butt cheeks.

60 Minutes did an interview with her that aired in the program before the Grammys...she's actually a very sharp cookie and knows exactly what she's doing.  She has researched fame and how people get it and keep it.  Her number early in the program actually rocked pretty darn hard, and I enjoyed it! That was "Baby I Was Born This Way"... it really did rock.
« Last Edit: February 14, 2011, 05:40:55 PM by Pilgrim »
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Pilgrim

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Re: Watching the Grammys
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2011, 08:34:34 PM »
So Bob Dylan comes on and does essentially a jam version of Maggie's Farm - with 12 guys behind him, and his voice sounding like a long night of cigars and whiskey, and about as incoherent as most Dylan vocals always are.  He had a Shure Green Bullet mike in his right hand so I figured there was a harmonica break coming, but he only gave us about two bars of harmonica closing out the number.

Which made his performance only about 100 times better than Bieber and Usher.
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Pilgrim

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Re: Watching the Grammys
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2011, 08:41:32 PM »
Clay Matthews (Packers linebacker) and Lea Michele just introduced Lady Antelellum to do a Teddy Pendergrass tribute.

Matthews looked like a Hummer next to that lady,  Go, PACK, Go!!!!!!!
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Pilgrim

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Re: Watching the Grammys
« Reply #5 on: February 13, 2011, 08:49:20 PM »
Now Cee-Lo Green is doing the euphemistically re-titled "Forget You" (wearing a feathered outfit and headdress that would make Elton John look like a schoolgirl) with the Muppets doing choreography and Gwyn Paltrow joining in.

Did someone find the sugar cubes left over from the 60's in Tim Leary's cupboard?
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Pilgrim

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Re: Watching the Grammys
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2011, 09:04:03 PM »
Katy Perry can't sing well enough to match the women who opened the show, but she sho' looks fine.  The first number she did was weak, but then they kicked into Teenage Dream - which she does fine.  Unfortunately showing less cleavage than usual.

I'm reminded of the cartoon of the older guy staring at the hot singer on TV and telling his wife "She has a terrible voice, but she certainly sings well otherwise."
« Last Edit: February 13, 2011, 09:13:36 PM by Pilgrim »
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Nocturnal

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Re: Watching the Grammys
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2011, 09:06:13 PM »
So Bob Dylan comes on and does essentially a jam version of Maggie's Farm - with 12 guys behind him, and his voice sounding like a long night of cigars and whiskey, and about as incoherent as most Dylan vocals always are.  He had a Shure Green Bullet mike in his right hand so I figured there was a harmonica break coming, but he only gave us about two bars of harmonica closing out the number.

Which made his performance only about 100 times better than Bieber and Usher.

I thought that the bit with the two bands leading into (and then backing) Dylan was cool. Something unlike most of the other pre-packaged crap that makes up these shows.
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Pilgrim

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Re: Watching the Grammys
« Reply #8 on: February 13, 2011, 09:07:27 PM »
Lady Antebellum's "Need you Now" takes song of the year, which I confess sits better with me than the also-nominated aforesaid "Forget You".

I guess there was some sentiment that the Eminem/Rhianna number should have taken it, but not having heard it (and not being a rap fan of any kind) I have no opinion.  "Need you Now" has a beautiful melody and I can whistle it, so I have no argymints with the selection.

Update: that number got "Record of the Year", too!
« Last Edit: February 13, 2011, 10:04:47 PM by Pilgrim »
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Pilgrim

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Re: Watching the Grammys
« Reply #9 on: February 13, 2011, 09:08:03 PM »
I thought that the bit with the two bands leading into (and then backing) Dylan was cool. Something unlike most of the other pre-packaged crap that makes up these shows.

Agreed!  That was kind of a pleasant kick in the butt, wasn't it???  Those boys were having a lot of fun.
« Last Edit: February 13, 2011, 09:14:18 PM by Pilgrim »
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Re: Watching the Grammys
« Reply #10 on: February 13, 2011, 09:15:58 PM »
Hey!  Eminem came on with Rhianna and I actually HEARD one word he said!  (The rest was incoherent.)

"Lucky".

Does that constitute "lyrics"?

Update: Dr. Dre joined him and I heard 'cracker" and "white".  Obviously powerful social commentary - or something.
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Pilgrim

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Re: Watching the Grammys
« Reply #11 on: February 13, 2011, 09:24:11 PM »
Jazz singer and bass player Esperanza Spalding wins "best new artist"...defeating Justin Bieber.

There's still a place in the world for smooth music played by adults!  WOWZER!
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Pilgrim

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Re: Watching the Grammys
« Reply #12 on: February 13, 2011, 09:38:28 PM »
Jagger can still strut!  Dang, that man commands the whole stage.

Nice tribute to Solomon Burke, with "Everybody Needs Someone to Love"..had the whole crowd up and rockin'...and you can see the musicians are having a great time playing the music.  No wonder the Blues Brothers used that number!  Again, it's a pleasure to see an oldie rockin' the entire house.

And although I've never been a Babs Streisand devotee, at least least I could understand what she was singing and her voice didn't have have to go through a processor to correct mistakes (are you listening, Usher?)...and she was right on the money with Evergreen.  That's a pro.
« Last Edit: February 13, 2011, 09:50:18 PM by Pilgrim »
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Re: Watching the Grammys
« Reply #13 on: February 13, 2011, 09:53:05 PM »
"Best Rap Album"......hmmm.

That may be an oxymoron.  Kind of like "Most Comfortable Hangnail" or "Best Foot Fungus".

At any rate, Eminem took it for his Recovery album.  Maybe his Brisk tea Stupor Bowl ad put him over the top?  He did have the grace to thank Rhianna for "helping propel it to the top".
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Pilgrim

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Re: Watching the Grammys
« Reply #14 on: February 13, 2011, 10:03:50 PM »
Rhianna is pretty enough, sings well enough and was wearing little enough that I enjoyed her number "What's My Name."  Catchy tune, even though it's another one where I can't understand the lyrics.

Maybe that's why I play bass...once we leave the big band era, I seldom can make out lyrics in popular music.
« Last Edit: February 13, 2011, 10:09:12 PM by Pilgrim »
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