I don’t think too much of the Grammy Awards. To me it’s a lot like the presidential elections, or any election actually… no one I vote for ever wins. I could write a diatribe about how lame I think the whole sales = good system, lambasting the elite for their complete lack of participation in the arts, and carry the whole thought over into a critical look at commerce and trade here in babylon, and really stick it to the man.
Yes, I could do that.
I only know two things about the Grammys:
1. The nominations are set based on sales, thus the system is egalitarian. Couldn’t be more marxist, and I’m certain the counting is vastly more precise than the votes in any election. So people who are nominated find themselves in this position because of the number of records they’ve sold. It’s not about who deserves it. After all, the awards are for outstanding sales, because in our society we give the people what they want, and if the people don’t know what they want, we tell them. Fair enough.
2. If I were nominated, or ever lucky enough to receive a Grammy Award, you bet your sweet ass I’d not only be at the ceremony, but I’d be grinning like an idiot the whole time. So, ultimately, you have to file my opinion about the poor judgement of the masses in a capitalist society and how those sales are converted into “quality” and then used to sell more records under shut the fuck up, ok?
Congratulations to Al Jereau, George Benson, Gnarles Barkley, John Mayer and Lorraine Hunt Lieberson.
Nice Job!
4 Comments
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I just posted a semi-long-winded diatribe about the Grammys on J’s board, as I do.
But now they’ve got Ornette Coleman on the Grammys, so I guess I’m going to have to bow down on some of my blaphemous statements, because that man, is the poop!
Him and I share a birthday. Yes, it’s true, Ornette Colemen, Bruce Willis, Glenn Close and me. But I’ve seen Mr. Coleman many times, and he’s about the sweetest man ever. One of those things I cherish living in Oakland. Secret hideaways of glorious music tucked in all over the place. And if you don’t mind being the only white person in the joint. It’s very VERY cool.
Ok, 5 past Sunday Soul, time to get yer Donnie Simpson on.
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I missed the Grammy’s, because one, I don’t own a TV, and two, like you Sunshine, usually no one I am interested in ever wins.
Typically I am not in on what’s popular to the masses, and veer to the more obscure, and edgy. To me that is much more stimulating
But if you won a grammy, I would be delighted, and would make an effort to find a TV to watch and cheer you on. :)
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Having been part of the machine, you’re incorrect about nominations being based on sales. Nominations come from the NARAS membership, which are people involved in various aspects of the recorded music industry.
Nominations are selected by the NARAS board; nominating someone for a Grammy requires filling out a whole stack of information and sending copies of the material that’s being proposed for nomination.
A ballot is then sent out to the Membership to be voted upon. Traditionally, the NARAS membership body votes for the artists that they’re most familiar with or seemed to make the biggest impact in ‘popular’ music that year. This is why Jethro Tull won for Best Metal Performance over Metallica when they introduced that category years ago.
While the Grammy system has its flaws and the awards show itself is decent at best, it’s the best music awards show I’ve ever been to - all walks of the business - studio people, musicians, label people, managers, agents, publishers coming together to celebrate its accomplishments and successes of the previous year.
Most other music awards shows are back-slapping strokefests.
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Interesting…
Ths is news to me. I was under the impression that it changed nearly a decade ago and was entirely based on sales.
* color me corrected *
I suppose this only serves to increase my contempt for these wankers…
… sweet!