I only watched about half of the Grammy Award telecast (Penguin game, yo) but I had a few thoughts to share…
I had fun watching DJ David Guetta pretending to twiddle some knobs on stage with Chris Brown.
http://www.vevo.com/watch/david-guetta/i-can-only-imagine-54th-grammys-on-cbs/GB28K1220005
Might be bad business to say so but most DJs lack something as “performers”, even if they happen to be among the hottest producers in the world. Now Deadmau5, with the crazee light-up mouse head–different story! If only his music were more…musical.
In what I thought was an upset given Nicki Minaj’s greater exposure in 2010 (you can take that two ways) Bon Iver won Best New Artist. Accepting the Grammy, Justin Vernon said, “It’s really hard to accept this award”. I think I know what he meant: past winners include Christopher Cross, Debby Boone, Starland Vocal Band, Milli Vanilli and the Swingle Sisters.
Sad and nostalgic to see Glen Campbell do his thing, probably for the last time. Sadder still to see the “polite applause” from some of the younger (and may I say less gifted) artists in the room. Campbell is a giant, a legend, not only as an interpreter of great songs (many written by Jimmy Webb) but as a superb session musician before he ever stepped out as a solo artist. A member of a legendary studio session band known as the L.A. Wrecking Crew who recorded a list of hits too lengthy to name here, and briefly one of the Beach Boys (as a replacement for Brian Wilson, no less) Campbell has announced his impending retirement from the music business due to Alzheimer’s.
Although it appeared to take a few minutes for his voice to warm up, I found Paul McCartney a welcome finale, performing some truly timeless music to end the show. He did the “Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End” medley from the end of Abbey Road and, for me at least, it seemed to be a reminder of where the bar for excellence is set.
Every Moment Has A Song 