2008 Grammys

The Grammy Awards air tonight on CBS, live from Los Angeles. There was a lot of concern about whether the show, like the Golden Globes, would be a bust because of the writer’s strike. Apparently those in charge decided since the show is about music, they don’t need writers. Whatever.

I’ll probably tune in. A lot of years I don’t, but this year I’m interested in seeing how the White Stripes and Amy Winehouse fair. The White Stripes are up for four awards, including Best Alternative Album and Best Rock Song (“Icky Thump”), but, unfortunately, are not scheduled to appear or perform.

Amy Winehouse is slated to perform via satellite after Visa issues, then her decision not to fly to the States after all. She’s up for six Grammys, including Album of the Year and Song of the Year (“Rehab”).

Some other interesting performances: The Foo Fighters will perform with 20 unsigned musicians as part of an orchestra. Three of these musicians will vie to be a featured instrumentalist during the performance of “The Pretender.” Arranging and conducting will be Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones.

It may also be entertaining to see Rihanna onstage with the reunited Time. Morris Day. Jimmy Jam. Terry Lewis. Very cool stuff. Oh-ee-oh-ee-oh.

And of course, John Fogerty is going to make his Grammy debut tonight, somewhere in the area of 40 years after CCR’s first album was released. He’ll perform alongside Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard as part of a “Cornerstone of Rock” segment. “When I was a young guy, none of the people I liked got Grammys. That's just the way it was,” Fogerty said at a Grammy week event Wednesday night. “They honored a lot of great people, but they just weren't in my musical universe. Then something changed 15, 20 years ago, where they started kind of getting a little hipper, honoring rock and pop and even rap. It seems to be not just reserved for old, gray white men anymore, kind of like our politics.”

Love is a Losing Game (acoustic).mp3 Amy Winehouse, AOL Sessions
Rehab (acoustic).mp3 Amy Winehouse, AOL Sessions

Icky Thump (live).mp3 White Stripes, live MSG; July 4, 2007
Effect and Cause (live).mp3 White Stripes, live, unknown date.

Gunslinger.mp3 John Fogerty
Proud Mary (live).mp3 John Fogerty, live World Café; Oct. 26, 2007

Jungle Love.mp3 The Time

While I’m here, I may as well weigh in with my guesses as to who’s going to win some of the bigger categories:
-Record of the Year: “Rehab”
-Album of the Year: Graduation, Kanye West (Kanye beats Amy? Sort of a toss-up, but I think her personal issues are going to keep voters from allowing her to sweep.)
-Song of the Year: Amy comes back to win this one with “Rehab.”
-Best New Artist: Feist. Amy Winehouse is nominated, but she’s not really new. I don’t even know who the hell the other nominees are.
-Best Pop Performance: who cares.
-Best Pop Album: toss-up between Amy Winehouse and Paul McCartney. Probably Amy.
-Best Rock Performance: C’mon – do you even read this blog? I’m not rooting against the White Stripes for anything.
-Best Hard Rock Performance: QotSA over not just Ozzy, but the Foo Fighters. Although the Foos are performing. Hmmm....
-Best Rock Album: The Boss for Magic. He and John Fogerty are both way over-due, but it’s Springsteen in a photo finish.
-Best Alternative Album: Icky Thump. Duh.

Not to slight the rap and R&B categories, but I don’t listen to enough of either anymore to even make a half-assed guess. Probably whatever Jay-Z and/or Timbaland are involved in.

Labels: Amy Winehouse, classic rock, current events, hip-hop, live music, White Stripes

posted by aikin @ 3:37 PM