6 comments

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  Maud Newton

  2 years ago

  Hate to kick off the comments with a non sequitur when you've written so brilliantly about the Grammys and popular music, but I'm still stuck on your first words being "Yeah, yeah, yeah."
  
  See, not long ago I had a dream that I was watching a friend's 3-month-old baby. He was threatening meltdown, so I was bouncing him and singing, and then I asked him some nonsense question of the kind people ask babies on the verge of crying, and he said, "Yeah, yeah," in a typically blase NY way. I ran into the kitchen to tell my friend, and she was like, "Yeah, I know. He's been saying it for *weeks* now. A few months old, and already jaded. We're still waiting for 'mommy' or 'daddy' or even 'hello.'"
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  Tony Alva

  2 years ago

  We'll flip over and catch as much as we can before and after Rome on HBO, but overall I despise them for the very reasons you cite. I remember back in 1976 Kiss Alive being the biggest record in the world. Not a kid in my school wasn't talking about it and didn't own it. They were HUGE and certainly not afraid of being labeled commercial, but nary even a mention during the grammys. That's when I knew the award was worthless. Still there have been some great perfromances throughout the years and I've missed few broadcasts for no other reason to watch them get it wrong and get angry.
  
  I look forward to your live blogging. Let'em have it!!!
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  Claire Helene

  2 years ago

  BG, I always seem to miss the live-blogging of things that aren't usually so much fun, but somehow are more fun when live-blogged. I'm going to see Josh Ritter play. I'll come by and read the snark when I get home, though.
  
  I saw Jeff Tweedy solo a couple of years ago, right after Wilco won a Grammy. He started the song off saying that he never thought much of the Grammys, until he won one. (And now his Dad wants a replica of his.) It was funny. I bet you'll be funnier, though.
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  Brendan

  2 years ago

  I had no intention of watching the grammys, but your post has completely changed my mind BG. I am so there. See ya sunday!
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  roxtar

  2 years ago

  The Grammys lost me the year Jethro Tull won for best heavy metal band and that moron Flava Flav hijacked someone else's award for best rap performance (as if there could be such a thing). I was still in the music business then, but I bailed out shortly afterwards to attend law school. Within six months, the top ten consisted entirely of acts that didn't exist a year previous. And believe me, those acts didn't achieve massive airplay based on their musical merit. The record biz has distributed more cocaine than the Medellin cartel. FedEx used to bring it to my door. Maybe someday I'll write my memoir on payola. I've received it and I've dispensed it, and it determined what tunes you tapped your feet to in the '80s. Watch this space
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  m coleman

  2 years ago

  "Yeah yeah yeah" is deliciously ironic considering that the Grammys ignored the Beatles during their heyday in favor of Petula Clark -- sort of the Toni Tenille of the 60s. I've never been able to take the awards seriously as a result.
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