I guess I just need to have my own little Grammy ceremony, you know, dress up in some outrageous costume like a big fake fur and safety glasses and award myself all sorts of accolades for my favorite music. It would be a love fest for one.
Ive done my best to steer clear of the mainstream over the years mainly because its entirely too boring. I need to listen outside the box, the boombox, that is. As far as current popular music goes, I dont hear the big attraction.
Ill give it to Green Day for winning best rock album with American Idiot. Its a solid effort. I was originally put off by the rock opera connotations and my first attempt to listen to it didnt do much. Yeah thats Green Day. I said. After it won at the Grammys, I decided to try again which is odd since for me, winning a Grammy is like the kiss of death for music. Surprisingly I was pulled in to find a heartfelt set of songs with a real bite to them.
Their political message aside, it was nice to see a band like Green Day mature musically without losing the punk-pop edge that made them lovable in the first place. Actually, Ive never bought a Green Day album. Overall, they just seemed a bit too adolescent and a bit too derivative. There wasnt enough of a mystery there to draw me in. Being obvious can work against you.
So, Hooray for Green Day! Mainstream punk is now palatable. Oddly, this was counter-balanced by the years best album going to Ray Charles. I dont get it.
Are the Grammys about familiarity or true artistic achievement? Of all the albums that came out in 2004, Ray Charles had the best groove goin on? Is that sad or what? I remember my mother playing 45s like Born to Lose when I was a kid and I thought Ray was great back then. He was of his time and contributed some great music to the world. Then I heard The Beatles.
Heres a couple records that should have been nominated for best album. How about The Scissor Sisters? They had a solid, inventive first record. It was fun and a little naughty while managing to be musical at the same time.
And what about Interpols second album, Antics? Never heard it? Too bad. Its really great. Their angry shoegazer approach to music still has the freshness of a new idea, slightly matured. This is something that sounds like now and that is what should be winning awards.
The Killers were nominated for best rock album as well. They didnt deserve to be in that category for putting out a disappointing set of songs that couldnt stand up to their killer single, Somebody Told Me. That should have won best song hands down. It just comes out and kicks your butt and then leaves. Thats what a really great song should do. Save the ballads for the Oscars.
Serious music seems to be appreciated in the jazz category and the country category. Why cant these boneheads get it together for the rest of the genres?
They keep adding new sub-genres, but somehow there never seems to be any real understanding of rock music.
Entertainment Weekly lauded Green Day as the saviors of rock last week. Im surprised I was able to get past such an obvious misnomer. Saviors of rock and proponents of punk dont appear on popular magazine covers unless theyve sold their soul. Thats a given.
Maybe Green Day has done a good deed by saying, Hey! Were still here and theres plenty more where this came from. The fact of the matter is that great rock records are put out every year by bands that few people have ever heard of, simply because they dont get the airplay they deserve. Plus, too many people in radio have such limited taste that their representation of what rock music is and should be today stems from the vast catalogues of Columbia House and BMG.
If theres one thing I know, its rock music. Yes, we know, it all started long ago with people like Robert Johnson and Bo Diddley. Still, bands like Boston and Van Halen led to the kind of piercing histrionics that most people equate with the metallic sound of rocking guitars.
Wrong!
There is so much more to it than hair bands and the never-ending homage to blues roots. Great rock music is very powerful stuff. Sometimes it can be just a trio, bass, drums and guitar. Sometimes an organ can add depth and dimension to the sound. No matter how far the music drifts away from the original formula, pushing the boundaries has always been the vital center to the rock beat.
This all brings me to a bit of exciting news. Cream has re-formed!
You remember that Eric Clapton guy, right? He made all those boring solo albums in the 70s and 80s and 90s. Well, hes back with good old Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce, the granddaddies of the power trio. They could really blast the crowd in the olden days. It would be great to see them do it again.
Everyone is familiar with songs like White Room and Sunshine Of Your Love. Theyre OK, but listen to Live Cream, side one. The sonic onslaught of N.S.U. is what this band was really about. Eventually they got tired of the marathon jam sessions and went their separate ways. They must have finally rested up, because theyre back in business.
Who knows, it could be too little too late, but then again its not like The Beatles have a chance of reforming. Paul and Ringo are too busy besmirching that image anyway.
Lets hear it for Ringo-rama! But first, this commercial for Tough actin Tinactin, right Paul?