Grammy 2009 Town Hall

While I don't attend the Grammy Awards in person (can't afford it) I do attend the yearly Grammy Town Hall meeting. Advocacy has become a cornerstone of The Grammy's current administration. This year we had 3 Senators on the panel ( Marsha Blackburn R-TN, John Conyers Jr. D-MI & Darrell Issa R-CA), a Supreme (Mary Wilson), and artist manager Simon Renshaw.

The topic of this town hall meeting?  Legislation that will require radio to pay recording artists a royalty when they play their songs..........Waitaminnute! Don't all artists get a royalty every time a song is played on the radio?

Most people think so.  But the real truth of the matter is "no they don't".

Songwriters receive a royalty (and thank goodness since they don't get much per sale). But artists receive zero royalties from radio when their songs are played on the radio.  Every other developed nation on earth pays a royalty to its artists for radio play.  The United States is the only developed nation that does not.

But gee whiz, those artists are all rich, they don't need more money, and radio provides them with free promotion....right?

Artist provide radio station with free content that the radio industry make billions with. It is the content that drives listeners, which drives advertising, which drive their business. Without the content they have no business.....And the vast majority of artists whose songs are on the radio are not rich.

Radio station argue that they are providing free advertising then they play an artists song that turns into record sales, but during the evening it was Mary Wilson who said it best when she pointed out that for many older and now retired artists , that this is now the only income stream they have. Being a recording artist does not come with a retirement plan and many are physically unable to make a living performing anymore.  Dave Navarro of Lowen and Navarro hammered the point home even further, when he mention that his first couple of albums where released and owned by a record label  that will not re-release them and for this reason the radio play will not equal sales. He then added that his musical partner is suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease and that royalties from radio airplay is needed since his sickness will make them unable to perform.

2009 Grammy Wrap Up

My comments on the 2009 Grammy Awards are in regards to the live performances ONLY!!!!

U2:

The show starts with a bang with U2 performing their new song "Get on Your boots".  Lyrics flash on a big screen behind the band....LYRICS!..... Remember lyrics? It's a great live performance, and then to my surprise Bono introduces Whitney Houston to present the first award. Haven't seen Whitney Houston in years.

 Al Green, with Keith Urban, Boys II Men, and Justin Timberlake: 

 From the first note, this performance is pure awesomeness! Its teams up like this that make the Grammy's stand out. You can't see this anywhere else. I have never listened to a Justin Timberlake album but he sure can kick pretty much anyone's but in the vocals dept. Keith Urban proves what a tasteful guitarist he is and that he can play beyond Country and B2M provide some of the strongest backup vocals ever.

 Coldplay 

I have yet to really get into Coldplay, but it's a solid and professional performance

Carrie Underwood

The last time I heard Carrie Underwood was at the Grammy awards. This is now the second time I have listened to her. The only thing country about the song she is doing is the twang in her voice. This is a Rock song. It's good to see the band get coverage too. Her lead guitarist is awesome and she gets a lot of coverage. I hope it's because she's good, and not because she is pretty.

I think a lot of the guys in the pit where torn between looking at the cameran and looking up Carrie Underwood's skirt. 

Kid Rock: 

Wow! I wasn't expecting this. I mean, I've enjoyed Kid Rock in the past, I haven't heard his new album yet, but now I want to. He did a medley of 3 songs from his latest album. I think I'm going online to buy this one before the evening is over. Even John Mayer was knocked out.  Kid Rock, ROCKED!

Taylor Swift and Miley Cyruss

I am naturally pre-disposed to hate this kind of music. Taylor has a warm folksy voice and Miley has a bad Stevie Nicks thing going on. They are both teen idols. But the difference is that Taylor is the real deal. Taylor is 19 and they are singing a song that she wrote about being 15. If Miley had recorded this song it would have been written for her by a guy in his 30's or 40's.

Jennifer Hudson

Poor girl, She has been through so much lately. I am not into this song, but she is an absolutely OUTSTANDING vocal talent (One of the best). 

The Jonas Brothers and Stevie Wonder

This is the first time I have heard the Jonas Brothers. It's good to see a boy band that is a real band and can actually play instruments You can't go wrong playing "Superstition" (one of the hottest grooves ever)! During the performance one of the brothers choked on his opening line. I can just hear internet talkbackers giving hate over this, But he just swallowed wrong. It happens to everyone. He had the grace and professionalism to keep going. 

Katie Perry

This is the first time I have heard Katie Perry. At first I was hating this. I was thinking "She really can't sing". She falls off key a lot. But then I realized that unlike most pop singers of her genre (who run around and dance a lot through their overkill stage show), that at least it was a real live performance and wasn't relaying on pre-recorded tracks (unlike a lot of pop singers in her genre).  So let me see, here......I am saying that she is off key, but giving her props for not lip synching.....I don't know if it's a good or bad thing.

Kanye West and Estele 

The two of them rap and sing to pre-recorded musical tracks and pre-recorded background vocals. I don't know whose song this is. but I like the song. 

Kenny Chesney

I don't listen to Kenny Chesney. I don't know much about him except that he's a big name in Modern Country music......I don't know, I might like this song if I heard it a few more times. It's well performed. It's more Country than what Carrie Underwood performed. 

Mia

Mia comes out pregnant wearing a shear outfit. I don't know if she is trying to be funny and ironic or not...She also has a lot of big name rappers joining her..But I don't get this. This did nothing for me. 

Paul McCartney (with Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters on drums) 

It's fun watching Dave Grohl head banging while he backs McCartney. I love this song of course. Paul's lead guitarist Rusty does a killer solo on this song.

I hope I can rock as well as Paul when I get to be his age.  

Sugarland &  Adelle

Now this sounds Country (Sugarland that is). I might like this song if I heard it a few more times. They're really good. 

I heard a song by Adelle the other day that I liked (But it wasn't this one). I haven't heard much from Sugarland. Maybe I need to check out both of them in more detail in the future

Seeing a new artist like Adelle performing on the Grammy's gives me hope that the modern music industry will start caring more about talent, and less about super model figures.

Radiohead and the USC Marching Band 

Awesome! 

Justin Timberlake & TI

Like I said, I have no desire to buy a Justin Timberlake album, but he never ceases to impress me with his vocal prowess. I don't know who TI is.

I don't know whose song they did, I think it's a medley of songs they both recorded. They had an orchestra and I think the rest of the musicians are from Justin's regular band. He has a great live band.

Jamie Fox, Neo, Smokey Robinson, and Duke Fakir pay tribute to the Four Tops. 

Three stars team up with the last remaining member of the Four Tops to help pay tribute. Another real high point of the evening. Paul McCartney was wowed by this performance and so was I. 

Neil Diamond 

It's always harder for the older guys to vocally sound as on top of it as the younger guys, but you don't hear his age too much. You can close your eyes and still recognize him.

John Mayer, BB King, Keith Urban, Buddy Guy Pay tribute to Bo Diddley

This was so understatedly cool. Four great guitarists sing as much with their guitars as they do with their voices. Pure awesomeness! 

Lil Wayne, Robin Thicke, Allen Toussaint

This is one of the better Raps and Pop mash ups. I have never heard Lil Wayne or Robin Thicke (I have only heard of them). I liked Lil Wayne's rap. Robin Thicke seems to me like a cross between George Michael and Justin Timberlake. Then Allen Toussaint starts cranking on the piano and the musicians take center stage. This was a really cool performance, everyone was really good. 

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss 

I have this album, I like this album. This was a good solid performance of some good solid material. I wouldn't have been surprised to see more, I would've been surprised to see less.  

FINAL WORD

To me this was a very strong Grammy Awards telecasts for live performances. There where a lot of strong performances (and only a few weak moments) and this years show was clearly about the live performances and that's what I watch this for. If you missed this show, try to catch some of these on the internet.

A World Without The Beatles - A World Without Elvis

Last weekend I attended a special event hosted by the Grammy Foundation entitled: “An Evening with Sir George Martin – The Making of Sgt Pepper”.

It was an amazing evening to be sure and there where a number of celebrities in the audience (I Remember spotting Slash and Nancy Sinatra). But of course we where all waiting for the man who is often referred to as the 5th Beatle.

At 81 years old, Sir George is pretty spry, a great speaker, and very funny.

Before getting into the making of the most influential album in pop music history, he took a moment to tell us how he got started in record business, he told humorous stories about the crude technology used to record music in England during the 50's. Tape was still too noisy so they would record on wax disc. Also electricity was too erratic in England at the time to record sound consistently (It would fluctuate), so they would use gravity to power their recording equipment with a series gears and heavy ball (Quite amazing really).

But by the time he was introduced to the Beatles, recording tape was now the standard. It was at this point during his talk, that I came away with (what I felt) was the most significant bit of information.

I was certainly aware that the Beatles had already been turned down by some of the other record labels in England before being signed to Parlaphone records. But according to Sir George Martin (and he should know): By the time he was first introduced to John, Paul, George, and Ringo they had already been turned down by EVERY record label. Including the Parlaphone label that Sir George Martin was now in charge of running......He wasn't aware of this when he first sat down with their manager Brian Epstein and heard their demo. He didn't think the demo was very good either, but he said Brian Epstein pleaded with him, so he grudgingly said to go ahead and bring them to the studio and he would see if there something to them that the didn't hear on the demo......He added, that had he been award that everyone else had turned them down, he would have never agreed to give them a 2nd try.

But he didn't know so, he meet with them, and he felt that they had something......The rest as they say, "is history".

Now as I heard this, there is of course the obvious lesson to be learned about having faith in yourself, even after everyone has rejected you.

But even more astonishing to me is to consider, what if he had known?

What if he had known that every other label had already rejected them? He would have probably said "No thank you".

The Beatles had a strong loyal following in their hometown. It was the sight of kids lining up to see them play at the Cavern Club that first brought enabled their manager Brian Epstein to discover them. They had reached a level of buzz in their hometown and needed something to propel them to a higher level. And in those days there was no way to record an album without record label contract.

But if every label has already said no, what are you going to do?

Maybe things might have worked out in the end, but maybe that might have been it. The Beatles might have remained a local cover band playing at their local club until they and their audience got older and got busy with responsibilities like marriage, kids, etc

There is a similar story about Elvis. The owner of Sun records discovered Elvis as one of his customers (back in those days you could pay about 20 bucks and they would record a one off record of you singing. It was novelty item). Sam Phillips thought Elvis had an interesting voice and thought he might hook him up with some musicians that where looking for a singer. But it almost didn't happen. Sam invited Bill Black and Scotty Moore to jam with Elvis and after taking a number of stabs at traditional country western songs, nothing seemed to jell. They took a break and it seemed like nothing was going to come of it. Then Elvis picked up the guitar and started playing the blues song "That's All Right Mamma". The Band joined in and suddenly the magic happened.

But what if he hadn't picked up that guitar?

And what if Sir George had said “no thank you”?

A world with The Beatles?

A world without Elvis?

It boggles the mind.