https://peakskis.com/products/peak-98
These are my kind of skis, lively and playful.
The ski business has done a complete one-eighty. In the last century it was dominated by Rossignol, known for its lively skis. Yes, that was the French ethos, as opposed to the Austrian and German ethos, which specifies heavier, stiffer skis. You were either in one camp or the other, and then...
The shaped ski revolution came along and Rossignol was caught flat-footed. Salomon, an upstart French brand, became the new king with its X-Scream. And had a good run until...
Tecnica bought Blizzard, invested a ton of money in a new factory, hyped its "FlipCore" and ultimately became the new titan. From nowhere, to everywhere. At first it was the Bonafide, the initial iteration of which I found to be a plank. It would plow through anything, but when it came to turning... The ski was heavy, stiff and dead. The Bonafide has improved over the years, and the women's Black Pearl became the best-selling ski in the world. And Blizzard kept innovating. Creating unique wooden cores for each ski length. And now they're breaking up the top titanal sheet into three pieces. Yes, if you want innovation, if you want what everybody else has, you want Blizzard.
But not me.
I'm a French guy. I've owned untold numbers of Rossis, but then Rossis became more damp and I switched to the sister brand Dynastar, from Chamonix. And I've had so many pairs of Dynastars, I loved them, until... They decided to remove the metal (the aforementioned titanal, which is not titanium) and make the ski stiffer and it skied okay, but it didn't hold on the hard snow.
That's when I decided to pay retail, demo everything, and pay through the nose for what I wanted.
And surprisingly ended up with K2s, a brand I hadn't skied on in over half a century.
I tried the Stockli Stormrider. As Dirk in the shop says, it's silky, the smoothest ski available (and priced to match). I would have laid down the bucks, but I like a faster turn, and in the bumps... They were just too stiff.
I tried the Bonafide, which was greatly improved, you could even kinda ski it in the bumps. But I thought to myself, can I really buy an Austrian ski?
Then I tried the K2 Mindbender 99, the newly improved version, and when I hit Pepi's Face, the steepest, iciest slope at Vail, however short, the Mindbenders held no problem. And I bought them.
Well, before I laid down my cash I had to try the latest Dynastars, the M-Pro 99. And as per usual, the Dynastars turned better than everything else. But they didn't hold like the K2s. So I passed.
Now I also bought a pair of Mindbender 108s. Utterly astounding, they turn even better than the Mindbender 99s. But that dancing on snow... The 99s could not deliver that, even though the wider 108s could, which makes no sense, but that's the truth.
Just in case you're flummoxed, 99 represents 99 millimeters, that's the waist width, and that's the standard Vail ski.
But it's not the everyday east coast ski. You want something narrower in the east. Vail is wide open, you want a wider board. But having said that, you really need a quiver, a bunch of skis of different widths for different conditions. The right tool makes all the difference.
So today I skied on the Peak 98s.
Let me be clear, I got these for free. Although I did have to spend $75 to get them mounted.
And I was riding up the lift looking down at them and they seemed pretty straight, would they ski like planks, unable to turn?
Oh, now we're into sidecut. The bigger the hourglass, the sharper the turn. And when I got off the lift, I rode them straight, all the way from Chair 3 to Chair 2, to Lodgepole, a blue run. And then I built up a head of steam and planted my pole and turned...AND I WAS SHOCKED! These Peak skis turned faster than anything else in my quiver, even my 72s. Furthermore, they held on the hard snow.
This blew my mind, this is not what I expected. I expected a slow-turning plank. And oftentimes, lively skis don't hold on hard snow, so this was a revelation.
But they are light. Not ultra-light, but nowhere near as heavy as the Blizzards and German-made Volkls. What would happen if I really ripped?
Well, I did. Blitzkrieging Riva Ridge from the top. Let's be clear, they were not as steady as my K2s, but they held just as well on the hard snow and...my frame of reference was off, it's been a long time since I've been on skis like this.
And, as good as the initiation of the turn was, was the finish equally good? As good as the Dynastar?
Now I took the Peak 98s into the back, Ricky's Tube, where I could barely see, but I didn't ski them in any crud, any loose snow. So I don't know how they'd be in that.
But one thing is for sure, I had FUN on the Peak 98s. It's an elusive concept, you know it when you feel it. I'm skiing thinking about how a heavier ski might handle, but that liveliness, that playfulness in the Peak was exhilarating. And when I was coming down at the end of the day I realized, I was dancing on snow, the ultimate experience.
So, are the Peaks for you?
Well, unlike the heavy Austrian and German skis, French skis have a reputation for losing their grip as they age. A pro could notice between days fifteen and twenty. And by time you were at day fifty, never mind sixty, you really needed a new pair of skis.
And most people have not skied a lively ski like this in their lives, because they're out of fashion.
So if you ski on stiff Blizzards and even stiffer Volkls, you might be shocked. (As for the vaunted Nordica Enforcer...true insiders think its blah, kind of dead.)
But those Blizzards and Volkls are good on the groomers, in the crud. In the bumps? A lot of work.
I once bought a pair of Volkls. Essentially unskiable in the bumps, but very smooth elsewhere.
So there are trade-offs, and preferences.
Which is why you should demo before you buy. You can tell the difference between skis in one run. Unfortunately, you've got to buy the Peaks to demo them, but they've got a no questions asked return policy.
Yes, the Peaks are internet only, direct to consumer. And therefore retail shops are down on them. Once again, don't listen to anybody tell you what to buy. Especially your friends. They paid for their skis, they love them. As for the experts... They've got preferences. Which may or may not align with your needs.
Now this was only one day on the Peak 98s. But I pushed them hard, very hard. Going down Blue Ox nonstop... I'll be honest, I did not feel as steady as I did on my K2s. But they held just like the K2s. And they turned faster, much faster.
It's a different experience, One I thought was lost to the sands of time.
And I can't wait to get out on them again tomorrow, primarily because unlike almost all the big brands, once again, the Peak 98s are FUN!
But having said this, let me remind you that skis are secondary to boots. And when it comes to boots...
Here's where I differ with many. I like old school heavy boots. I owned a pair of light and stiff Salomons and got rid of them after one season, I just could not get forward in them. Now I'm in the Lange RS 130, a legendary boot, maybe the most legendary extant. The progressive flex is astounding, revelatory.
Now if you're not looking for the ultimate, Lange has a new boot the Shadow, which everyone is raving about. I could explain how it works, but that's a whole 'nother e-mail.
And next year they're updating the RS 130 for the first time in eons.
But if you're an avid skier, buy your boots. You can always rent your skis. And if you don't ski much, that's what I advise, renting the skis. You'll always be on new equipment (but don't cheap out, you've got to pay for the "performance" package).
As for those who've gotten this far but still have no idea what I'm really talking about, earlier today I saw this video on Instagram Reels:
https://shorturl.at/bxN05
Click and watch the clip, it's brief.
But if you're time or technology challenged, here's what it says:
"Honestly, skiing fixes everything.
It's like the best therapy money can buy.
Had a bad day?
Go skiing.
Had a bad week?
Go skiing.
Got dumped or played?
Go skiing!
The amount of good memories you get from skiing is phenomenal...
Almost like a dream come true."
Ain't that the truth.
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Saturday, 10 February 2024
Friday, 9 February 2024
Beatle Breakthroughs-SiriusXM This Week
Tune in Saturday February 10th to Faction Talk, channel 103, at 4 PM East, 1 PM West.
If you miss the episode, you can hear it on demand on the SiriusXM app. Search: Lefsetz
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Thursday, 8 February 2024
Biden's Memory
The President of Mexico?
This press conference proves the point.
I've stopped commenting on politics, everyone is baked into their position, all political speech does is alienate people. But this memory event begun today with the report of the Special Counsel... How do you defend yourself against that?
By having a press conference. Wherein Biden came across as a doddering old man with experience who you indulge, but don't let drive.
This is what I was worried about. This is what happens when you play it safe.
I know, all my fellow baby boomers will be telling me to STFU, just get in line and vote for Biden. I'll tell them I will, vote for Biden, that is, but I'll also say that my vote in California is irrelevant. But in a handful of states, like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Arizona and Georgia, every vote counts. And this revelation about Biden's memory, that he couldn't remember when his son died, when he was Vice President, is enough to persuade people not to vote for him in those states, to the detriment of his presidential hopes.
This guy has got to go. He's not only putting the Democratic Party at risk, but the entire nation.
How did this happen?
Trump has been aggressive, fighting every legal battle, putting up fictitious roadblocks all the while. The Democrats? Have been somnambulant. Asleep at the wheel. Passive. How can you win if you don't put points on the board?
Blame the boomers, and the Gen-X'ers, completely out of touch with the youth, many of whom can now vote. The "New York Times" recently featured an article in its Business section with instructions how to give up your smartphone. I'm sure there were Luddites saying the same thing about the automobile. Am I going to defend Internet hate? Of course the smartphone comes with downsides, but the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.
Is anybody in charge?
I guess the billionaires. Did you see that Musk is going to fund an anti-Disney suit? Musk battles all the time, and it's working for him.
That's the modern mantra. Be aggressive. It's like everybody in America is a rapper, not suffering any slight without retaliation. That's our culture.
Except when it comes to Biden and the Democrats.
Every excuse Biden's team has made abut his memory losses seem ridiculous. No one is buying it.
And with this press conference we're supposed to deny our own eyes? Biden looked old and untogether. And life is all about perception, and the perception of too many, many of whom count, is that Biden has jumped the shark.
If this were business, Biden would be gone within days. Even Johnson knew when to punt. And I can't find a single person who wants Kamala.
Don't say it's too late, it's never too late.
This is why you live life, for the unexpected twists. Unfortunately, this was foreseeable.
So Comey kills Clinton and Hur kills Biden. You can argue with the refs all you want, but it never works.
Biden needs to take his name off the ballot within the next week.
Or else...
P.S. Biden meant to say Egypt.
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This press conference proves the point.
I've stopped commenting on politics, everyone is baked into their position, all political speech does is alienate people. But this memory event begun today with the report of the Special Counsel... How do you defend yourself against that?
By having a press conference. Wherein Biden came across as a doddering old man with experience who you indulge, but don't let drive.
This is what I was worried about. This is what happens when you play it safe.
I know, all my fellow baby boomers will be telling me to STFU, just get in line and vote for Biden. I'll tell them I will, vote for Biden, that is, but I'll also say that my vote in California is irrelevant. But in a handful of states, like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Arizona and Georgia, every vote counts. And this revelation about Biden's memory, that he couldn't remember when his son died, when he was Vice President, is enough to persuade people not to vote for him in those states, to the detriment of his presidential hopes.
This guy has got to go. He's not only putting the Democratic Party at risk, but the entire nation.
How did this happen?
Trump has been aggressive, fighting every legal battle, putting up fictitious roadblocks all the while. The Democrats? Have been somnambulant. Asleep at the wheel. Passive. How can you win if you don't put points on the board?
Blame the boomers, and the Gen-X'ers, completely out of touch with the youth, many of whom can now vote. The "New York Times" recently featured an article in its Business section with instructions how to give up your smartphone. I'm sure there were Luddites saying the same thing about the automobile. Am I going to defend Internet hate? Of course the smartphone comes with downsides, but the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.
Is anybody in charge?
I guess the billionaires. Did you see that Musk is going to fund an anti-Disney suit? Musk battles all the time, and it's working for him.
That's the modern mantra. Be aggressive. It's like everybody in America is a rapper, not suffering any slight without retaliation. That's our culture.
Except when it comes to Biden and the Democrats.
Every excuse Biden's team has made abut his memory losses seem ridiculous. No one is buying it.
And with this press conference we're supposed to deny our own eyes? Biden looked old and untogether. And life is all about perception, and the perception of too many, many of whom count, is that Biden has jumped the shark.
If this were business, Biden would be gone within days. Even Johnson knew when to punt. And I can't find a single person who wants Kamala.
Don't say it's too late, it's never too late.
This is why you live life, for the unexpected twists. Unfortunately, this was foreseeable.
So Comey kills Clinton and Hur kills Biden. You can argue with the refs all you want, but it never works.
Biden needs to take his name off the ballot within the next week.
Or else...
P.S. Biden meant to say Egypt.
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Robert Fripp-This Week's Podcast
Mr. King Crimson
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/episode/robert-fripp-148662348/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/robert-fripp/id1316200737?i=1000644620826
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2bHcITLXgxVOZGphEKe1HF?si=T0DVCLsqT8qzd-mIj_2q0w
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/59c0b5f0-ac25-4abf-8a8d-fc8715f99a32/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-robert-fripp
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https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/episode/robert-fripp-148662348/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/robert-fripp/id1316200737?i=1000644620826
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2bHcITLXgxVOZGphEKe1HF?si=T0DVCLsqT8qzd-mIj_2q0w
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/59c0b5f0-ac25-4abf-8a8d-fc8715f99a32/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-robert-fripp
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Wednesday, 7 February 2024
A Book & A Series
THE BOOK
"Eastbound": https://shorturl.at/vBZ03
I loved this book. I'm still thinking about it. I'd like to return to the headspace I was in when I read it. But I'm not sure I can recommend it.
You see it's a translation from the French, and I've got to believe it could have been done better. It reads like a literal translation, with all the adjectives, the descriptions, and this makes it hard to read. Well, not really, if you skip over that which does not resonate.
You see it's about the story.
Let's just say it takes place on a Russian train. Well, it does take place on a train in Russia, and there's a conscript traveling on the Trans-Siberian Express and...if you're overwhelmed with politics, society, want an escape, this is it.
"Eastbound" is very brief. Only 135 pages. And you know I read for plot. And I found it very difficult to put down, there was so much TENSION! And thoughts. And choices.
Maybe get it from the library. Don't jump out and buy the paperback or Kindle version. Then again, when Kindle books used to be less than ten bucks, I would have told you to dive in. But a lawsuit ended that, returning power to the publishers, and killing e-books. Yes, the market stalled. Take that! Bezos wanted to grow the market, but the publishers were so afraid of losing control...
Not that I'm the only one on this book. Reviews are stellar, from the likes of the NYT and WSJ, not unknowns. And the Amazon rating is nearly unheard of, 4.3, and on Goodreads it's got a 4.0. And I think I got it because it was one of the "New Yorker"'s best books of 2023.
Let's see... The NYT book podcast said it was "a miniature masterpiece of narrative tension and compression."
And Amazon calls "Eastbound" "gripping."
It's kind of like "Anna Karenina." You should really read it in Russian. And the translations are so different, if you get a bad one you'll put the book down soon, if you get a good one you'll think it's the best book ever written.
I wish there was another translation. But still, the essence of "Eastbound" shines through.
THE SERIES
Netflix: "Sleeping Dog" trailer: https://twtr.to/Uy9ir
It wasn't until the credits after the final episode that I learned "Sleeping Dog" was based on the Israeli series "The Exchange Principle."
Now the Israelis and the Danes make the best streaming TV, and I wish I'd seen the Israeli version first, but it's not on any of the major services (although research tells me it can be viewed if you're a member of Cascade PBS KCTS 9). Israeli shows are more about the aforementioned tension and drama than the trappings, the look, the cinematography, and that's what makes them great.
But "Sleeping Dog" is pretty good.
You won't know what is happening at first, and you won't know what is happening at various points in this six episode series, but that does not detract from your enjoyment. And the main plot point is the lead character, Atlas, doesn't know what is going on, what happened.
So it's a crime drama. You know, police and attorneys, supposed justice. And there's personal drama, as in Atlas has a family but he's living on the streets.
This is a German show.
Now a German show is very different from an American show. People say they love what's on HBO, but most of those shows are immediate, starring people you know, you can eat popcorn, they're not gripping, they're entertainments. German shows are more cerebral, less about action than motivation and emotion.
And during the show you'll wince once or twice when the plot points are obvious, but then they aren't.
If you're the type of person who's watched no foreign television, don't start here, I could tell you about many better shows. But if you've seen all those, like me, "Sleeping Dog" is a good watch.
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"Eastbound": https://shorturl.at/vBZ03
I loved this book. I'm still thinking about it. I'd like to return to the headspace I was in when I read it. But I'm not sure I can recommend it.
You see it's a translation from the French, and I've got to believe it could have been done better. It reads like a literal translation, with all the adjectives, the descriptions, and this makes it hard to read. Well, not really, if you skip over that which does not resonate.
You see it's about the story.
Let's just say it takes place on a Russian train. Well, it does take place on a train in Russia, and there's a conscript traveling on the Trans-Siberian Express and...if you're overwhelmed with politics, society, want an escape, this is it.
"Eastbound" is very brief. Only 135 pages. And you know I read for plot. And I found it very difficult to put down, there was so much TENSION! And thoughts. And choices.
Maybe get it from the library. Don't jump out and buy the paperback or Kindle version. Then again, when Kindle books used to be less than ten bucks, I would have told you to dive in. But a lawsuit ended that, returning power to the publishers, and killing e-books. Yes, the market stalled. Take that! Bezos wanted to grow the market, but the publishers were so afraid of losing control...
Not that I'm the only one on this book. Reviews are stellar, from the likes of the NYT and WSJ, not unknowns. And the Amazon rating is nearly unheard of, 4.3, and on Goodreads it's got a 4.0. And I think I got it because it was one of the "New Yorker"'s best books of 2023.
Let's see... The NYT book podcast said it was "a miniature masterpiece of narrative tension and compression."
And Amazon calls "Eastbound" "gripping."
It's kind of like "Anna Karenina." You should really read it in Russian. And the translations are so different, if you get a bad one you'll put the book down soon, if you get a good one you'll think it's the best book ever written.
I wish there was another translation. But still, the essence of "Eastbound" shines through.
THE SERIES
Netflix: "Sleeping Dog" trailer: https://twtr.to/Uy9ir
It wasn't until the credits after the final episode that I learned "Sleeping Dog" was based on the Israeli series "The Exchange Principle."
Now the Israelis and the Danes make the best streaming TV, and I wish I'd seen the Israeli version first, but it's not on any of the major services (although research tells me it can be viewed if you're a member of Cascade PBS KCTS 9). Israeli shows are more about the aforementioned tension and drama than the trappings, the look, the cinematography, and that's what makes them great.
But "Sleeping Dog" is pretty good.
You won't know what is happening at first, and you won't know what is happening at various points in this six episode series, but that does not detract from your enjoyment. And the main plot point is the lead character, Atlas, doesn't know what is going on, what happened.
So it's a crime drama. You know, police and attorneys, supposed justice. And there's personal drama, as in Atlas has a family but he's living on the streets.
This is a German show.
Now a German show is very different from an American show. People say they love what's on HBO, but most of those shows are immediate, starring people you know, you can eat popcorn, they're not gripping, they're entertainments. German shows are more cerebral, less about action than motivation and emotion.
And during the show you'll wince once or twice when the plot points are obvious, but then they aren't.
If you're the type of person who's watched no foreign television, don't start here, I could tell you about many better shows. But if you've seen all those, like me, "Sleeping Dog" is a good watch.
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E-Mail Of The Day
From: Mr. M. Shadows
Subject: Update: Avenged Sevenfold VR / Blockchain
Bob-
Hope you are well. I still get people in the industry bringing up our talk we did a while ago so thought I'd hit you with an update.
I have been working hard on the full vision of our fan ecosystem. On the day our VR concert launches (Feb. 28th) we will launch our all encompassing loyalty / reward system. A couple points below:
-As an artist, no one shares our fan data with us. We are expected to create a mailing list, which no one opens, while "streaming services" and many others use our data to their own benefit. If we are lucky they let us sell a shirt to our fans at the end of the year. For instance, we had 14m new listeners last year, we sold a few thousand shirts via their "top fans" program…. Who are the other 13.99m people?
-Merch companies, Record Labels, Social Media sites, all streaming services (Tidal, Amazon, Spotify, Apple), Ticketmaster etc…. none of them tell us who our fans are. (Though, David Marcus and his team have been massively helpful building web3 services for us including trackable Digital Ticket Stubs.)
- Solution – we are now tracking every stream, ticket sale, piece of merchandise (web and tour), event ( online and IRL ) and funneling them into a reward system. Think American Arline AAAdvantage or a Fortnite Battle Pass.
- By using nfc tags, Ticketmaster Digital Tickets, streaming tokens and other tools we are able to give points based off of participation. We are also able to reward our biggest fans in the way they actually want to be rewarded. Examples would be: Early Access to tickets (token gated) merchandise discounts (token gated through shopify), early music, collectibles, free tickets and meet n greets. This program will be the ONLY way to get any of those rewards. (side note: our Deathbats Club members get a 1.5x accelerator on rewards points)
- We already have over 435k Ticketmaster digital ticket stubs distributed and ready to be counted.
-Also, 700k items have been sold through web and tour, all tagged and in the hands of the fans. That gives people "points" already and all they have to do now is opt-in for free and start collecting rewards.
- This is all completely free… all you must do is download a digital wallet and opt in.
We are going fully independent and I want to fully own our fan experience. As new technology comes out we can either have tech and labels own it… or an artist can lead the way and create the future THEY want to see.
Thanks for reading, hope you are surviving the rain!
Matt
--
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--
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Subject: Update: Avenged Sevenfold VR / Blockchain
Bob-
Hope you are well. I still get people in the industry bringing up our talk we did a while ago so thought I'd hit you with an update.
I have been working hard on the full vision of our fan ecosystem. On the day our VR concert launches (Feb. 28th) we will launch our all encompassing loyalty / reward system. A couple points below:
-As an artist, no one shares our fan data with us. We are expected to create a mailing list, which no one opens, while "streaming services" and many others use our data to their own benefit. If we are lucky they let us sell a shirt to our fans at the end of the year. For instance, we had 14m new listeners last year, we sold a few thousand shirts via their "top fans" program…. Who are the other 13.99m people?
-Merch companies, Record Labels, Social Media sites, all streaming services (Tidal, Amazon, Spotify, Apple), Ticketmaster etc…. none of them tell us who our fans are. (Though, David Marcus and his team have been massively helpful building web3 services for us including trackable Digital Ticket Stubs.)
- Solution – we are now tracking every stream, ticket sale, piece of merchandise (web and tour), event ( online and IRL ) and funneling them into a reward system. Think American Arline AAAdvantage or a Fortnite Battle Pass.
- By using nfc tags, Ticketmaster Digital Tickets, streaming tokens and other tools we are able to give points based off of participation. We are also able to reward our biggest fans in the way they actually want to be rewarded. Examples would be: Early Access to tickets (token gated) merchandise discounts (token gated through shopify), early music, collectibles, free tickets and meet n greets. This program will be the ONLY way to get any of those rewards. (side note: our Deathbats Club members get a 1.5x accelerator on rewards points)
- We already have over 435k Ticketmaster digital ticket stubs distributed and ready to be counted.
-Also, 700k items have been sold through web and tour, all tagged and in the hands of the fans. That gives people "points" already and all they have to do now is opt-in for free and start collecting rewards.
- This is all completely free… all you must do is download a digital wallet and opt in.
We are going fully independent and I want to fully own our fan experience. As new technology comes out we can either have tech and labels own it… or an artist can lead the way and create the future THEY want to see.
Thanks for reading, hope you are surviving the rain!
Matt
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
Monday, 5 February 2024
Re-The Grammy Telecast
I also thought the Tina Turner tribute was terrible. it felt meaningless. And why Proud Mary? Why not simply The Best, a song she said she wanted to be remembered for the most- a song of positivity and celebration. Of course I'm biased.
I cried watching Joni Mitchell. She was one of the reasons I became a songwriter. When I was fourteen I bought her "Lady's of The Canyon" songbook and taught myself how to play guitar with it. Joni sung in a really low octave. I guess that happens to singers when they get older. I thought the segment was very touching. And God bess Brandi Carlile for getting her back out there and helping to preserve her legacy. She did that with Tanya Tucker as well.
I also think that putting Billy Joel performance's after the last award was a let down. And the tune was -meh.
Personally I thought Annie Lennox was disappointing. She kind of warbled her way through the song.
I will say I loved that the show (for once) was dominated by Female nominees and winners It was definitely empowering and unique to see them out in full force. Overall I though it was cool show.
Holly Knight
_________________________________
You nailed this. I was at the show watching and was completely perplexed. It felt so out of touch with what the public and especially young people actually care about and listen to. Zach Bryan, Noah Kahan, and Tyler Childers - 3 artists who are selling out stadiums and arenas this summer, were nowhere to be found. Just same old, same old for the most part...
Keith Levy
_________________________________
You're so right about what qualifies as a "hit" right now. When Miley Cyrus was performing "Flowers" and whipped out "Why are y'all acting like y'all don't know this song?", it was because a lot of them probably didn't! The country people down front likely hadn't heard it. Same for hip-hop. Even R&B and pop were probably 50/50. Nobody has to listen to anything from artists or genres we don't love anymore. There hasn't been a "song of the summer" in, what, 15 summers?
Tim Wood
_________________________________
I didn't watch the show, but I must respond to something you wrote.
"I know kids who don't listen to music. Period."
I teach guitar and piano at a successful arts academy just outside of Nashville, TN. I would ask new students, "What kind of music do you listen to?" I have lost count how many times I have heard, "I don't really listen to music."
I've stopped asking.
Steve McClain
_________________________________
Bob, The telecast was so long and at times very boring. The standouts for me was #1 Joni. It was a very emotional performance that was reflective thought provoking and brought tears to my eyes. I was happy to see Larkin Poe get their well deserved Grammy in the pre telecast.
Fast Car also as you stated was a stand out and one of the best of the night.
I also liked Billy Joel's "Turn the light on". It may not be a smash hit, but I think it's the best song he's written in many years and a perfect set up for his upcoming stadium shows with Sting. He can't hit the high notes like he used to, but he's still got it.
I like Taylor Swift, but I think it's way past overload. Her win was just advertisement for her new album which I'm sure will probably sell a million or more. Sometimes you just need to take a break.
Alan Oreman
_________________________________
The only time when an array of once-in-a-lifetime transformative artists appeared on the show was during the "In Memorium" sequence where we saw some of the greatest, irreplaceable artist of the later half of the 20th Century, who are leaving us daily.
Sadly and unfortunately, NO ONE currently plying their "craft" in the spotlight (except for barely a few of those remaining from the last Century) can hold a candle to their greatness.
George Gilbert,
_________________________________
Did you somehow miss that last night's Grammys was the confirmation that women now dominate the music industry and we are all better for it?
Mark McLaughlin
_________________________________
Re: Square Pegs
And Jami Gertz. We put Devo on the show once. I actually thought The Grammys did a lot right. More than I can say for The Academy Awards. I've been part of both and I hope the AA's were watching.
Bill Gerber
_________________________________
Bob. Wrong. Best Grammy in years!!! You didn't mention Miley?!? The whole show was worth her win, her speech and performance. Fast Car gave me goosebumps. It was an awesome show. And not to pull rank, but my friends all agree. Everyone was texting each other, like the old days.
Lizzz Kritzer
P.S. Trevor Noah was SPOT ON. Funny without being mean. Actually, he was brilliant. And how about all the females represented???
_________________________________
Miley for me was the real deal!
Harvey Leeds
_________________________________
Hi Bob. Jon Pareles in the New York Times calls the "In Memoriam" segment one of the best. I thought it was disgraceful and one of the worst. It was not about those we lost, it was about the performers. Not sure how many names we missed on the screen as the camera panned to Stevie or Annie or Fantasia.
And my pet peeve is that now, two years after we lost him, Danny Kalb, founder of the Blues Project, has been ignored. Keep up the great work!
Rich Moylan
_________________________________
Why is an emaciated woman suggesting to the entire country that she isn't wearing any underwear?
She needs to eat something and STFU
No class
Madeline Depnnte
_________________________________
Always spot on with your comments! As a massive Prince fan I loved seeing Wendy and Lisa on stage and I love Annie/Eurythmics but ceasefire? Really? How about "release the hostages"??
I'm a huge Billy Joel fan - first album was Glass houses when I was ten. I personally like the new song a lot but I had a sense of sadness watching him close the show…getting closer to the borderline.
Nathan B
_________________________________
I'm just thrilled that Laufey won her first Grammy. Her career is already caught fire in such a short time, now even more so. She's a real talent. I would have not even heard of her until Spotify suggested I listen to her in March of 2022 before her first full album was released. 2 years later, 2 tours later. 2 albums later she's a Grammy winning artist who writes her own songs and sings live without the need of background dancers or props. A real singer songwriter. We need more of that!
Russ Turk
_________________________________
Billy Joel sang that last song because it was my Jim's favorite song and it made the show really personalized to me.
I think in the afterlife they're able to direct things like that and this was Jimmy's moment to get billy Joel to play his favorite. Kind of woo woo I know, but I imagine Jim's name on that list right next to Jimmy Buffett .
I bawled because my jim sang that probably have as much as Billy Joel has sang it. Sometimes even better
Lina Lambert
_________________________________
Agreed about the awkward order of the acts. First Grammy Show I can remember where tears flowed easily, and not just once!
Tracy Chapman & Luke Combs? Fuhgeddaboudit!
Joni was awesome!
Annie Lennox with Wendy & Lisa? I want in on that tour!
And very touching to see the Grammys include Jeffrey Foskett in their memoriam.
Robby Scharf
Beverly Hills, CA
_________________________________
Great rant. I've always watched Grammys as a musical outsider. My music made rare appearances. But it's always fun to experience the disconnect. We sat there thinking the music was mostly more meaningless than usual and the real talent was either on the road or were handed their awards pre-show. The writhing and gyrating was gross. And just when you needed him to wrest the Grammy from Taylor's self-promoting hands Kanye wasn't there! You don't watch commercials? You don't know what fun you're missing! You've never seen the "How can such a tiny prick be so powerful" commercials? No, it's not about Trump. You've never seen the balloon woman singing and dancing about her A1C? The drug ads are a window onto our collective bad health as Grammys was to bad taste. You referenced sound. I watch on a pretty big surround sound system using a roof antenna for broadcast TV. It has by far the best sound and picture and looks amazing on sports. The degradation cable produces is major. However, the sound last night even using the best ATSC tuner absolutely sucked: compressed, murky, distant and completely lacking in transparency. The sound on The Ed Sullivan Show 60 years ago was 1000 times more immediate and transparent and it's captured on videotape & transferred to discs so you can hear for yourself. Easy to hear, but then vacuum tubes and simple signal paths were involved. It's gone so far in the wrong direction. movie sound mostly sucks today too. I'm surprised there wasn't an "It Never Rains In California" joke last night from an elderly presenter who knows the tune…..
Michael Fremer
TrackingAngle editor
The Absolute Sound Editor at Large
_________________________________
I know how much you hate the award shows, but you have to give the '24 Grammies this: They pulled off a thousand small miracles.
Three and a half hours and not one technical issue I could spot. Yes, I grew tired of the too-long video segments with their repetitive animations, but I also knew that—while those were playing—a small army of technicians was performing an elaborate ballet; moving sets into place and wiring up the next act. And they got it right. Every. Single. Time.
You might say that getting the tech right is table stakes for being in this business, but—when most concerts don't get the sound for ONE band dialed in until the 3rd or 4th song, these guys did it for different bands and configurations all night. The sound, lighting, and camera work were spot-on. Those of us who know what it takes to put a show like this together, appreciate that. These guys are the pro's pros.
I agree, though, that there were a dozen creative misses:
You're right that Trevor Noah's opening monologue was way too long. (He's done OK as an Emcee, but this year it felt like he was shilling for the Academy just a little too hard. I miss LL Cool J.)
"The Best is Yet to Come" for the death sequence? (Who thought that was a good idea?)
I thought the Tina Turner bit was OK, but longer than it needed to be. Likewise for the Tony Bennett tribute. (Is it just me, or is singing a duet with a dead guy just creepy?)
The telecast abandoned jazz and classical music a decade ago, but metal?
And they shouldn't let Jay Z talk on live TV. Ever.
But they also got a bunch right:
Joni Mitchell (even though it was painful to watch… and Jacob Collier on piano was a brilliant add)
Celine Dion (a nice surprise and forever elegant)
Afro-Beat (something new? Yay!)
The Vegas Sphere (and I think there might have been a band in there, too)
And—BTW—what was "Black Cars," if not a Ken Erlichean "Grammy Moment?"
Living in the far north, this was fun to see. Just my 2¢.
=R=
Rick Cornish
Ely, MN
_________________________________
Spot on. Thanks for saving me 3+ hours that have little to do with artistry and substance. I've been told even dubious shows like The Voice now have production numbers, for amateur artists? I stopped watching SNL before I stopped watching the Grammys but both were a long time ago.
Commercials are too painful. The reality is, you can watch a staggered start of a recorded footbal game in about 24 minutes, lopping off unexciting plays, filler and ads. It looks like you could easily watch the Grammys in about 15 if you skip the crap.
John Brodey
_________________________________
Answering the question of why hijack it for personal reasons....WHY NOT?! That's all it's good for. In a few (maybe as much as 10) years the Grammy's will likely be cancelled for something else, done online for much less money. Taylor is the only one smart enough to squeeze what little value left out of them.
Stephen Tatton
_________________________________
and no mention by you of Annie Lennox hijacking the program for a cease-fire call with absolutely no mention by her also of the poor hostages STILL some THREE months later held in captivity??
J. Cohn
_________________________________
Best Rock Performance Boy Genius Not Strong Enough? WTF. I am also a Billy Joel fan and I thought the new song had excellent lyrics and was poignant. But on an album it would be just another track. Not a standout single but decent for sure. You're right music was everything for us. Life affirming music. Now not so much , but I still have a huge collection to listen to again and again
John Emms
_________________________________
Always appreciate your take on all things music and more often than not agree with your views. I take exception to your thoughts on the new Billy Joel song, however. I haven't had a song hit me this powerfully in a long time. Now granted, at 51 years old, I'm not the target demo for the Grammy's or who would understand what a "hit" song is in today's market. You are right in so much as this will not be a hit, but man, what a great return from Joel. The vocal melody has embedded in my brain after only two listens. My 13 year old daughter played the song for me on Friday (because at this point, she is on top of the music world than I am). The emotional reaction was immediate for me.
Perhaps it's knowing a bit of the public history of Mr. Joel, his history on the marriage front, as well as his dealings with depression. While I haven't had the same experiences that Billy has had, I hear so much emotion in the vocal line and the accompanying music. Someone who has screwed up love before hoping that he didn't screw up again. Who can't relate to that? Maybe not on the romantic front, but Lord knows there are times when I realize I'm screwing up in the same way I've screwed up previously with the fear that I didn't catch it in time. Man, that is universal.
I couldn't love this song more and for a 74 year old who hasn't written this kind of music (at least publicly) in decades, well it's a gift and I for one am beyond grateful for the song. It touches me deeply in a way I haven't felt in quite a long time.
Chris Fitzgerald
_________________________________
Nailed it again Bob.
Your final insight on the actual tastemakers migrating to streaming TV is 100% right on. I would also add that you would probably find people like Mo Ostin and David Geffen in tech or streaming TV only these days, there's no $ in music by comparison, and we have lost our commerce brain trust to other mediums.
Perhaps that has to do with the fact that TV and Film have cohesive unions that protect the creators. They were also an industry that embraced streaming technology far more quickly and gracefully than music did. Ive been saying for years that Streamers like HBO and NETFLIX have run creative shops more akin to Warners in the 70s. Network TV still pays more (Thank you again Unions!), but all that said, the next one who figures out AI will be the winner here.
Sadly, all the stuff that excites me about those Union protections in Film and TV are a band aid on a gunshot wound. But they have staunched the bleeding for a lot longer than music cared to. The Lucian Grainge article in the New Yorker was pretty interesting on the topic of AI. Id love to hear your thoughts on that. The Grammys are a nod to the past that only wants to celebrate the future through that traditional business view. Its through the looking glass Bob, I hope everyone enjoyed the champagne and got their labels to foot the bill for the statues (billed back to the artist of course)...
Scott Sharrard
_________________________________
What I saw was a snapshot of where we are today. The art reflects the culture of the times. That culture appeared to be about ME, ME, ME, and ME. I must say that Miley Cyrus held the stage like a star, can really sing, and needed no dancers or cages to pull off a great performance. But then she said "The only reason I'm doing this is so I can watch myself tomorrow on the Grammys." I liked that she told the truth, but ouch.
Mariah came out and stood in front of a giant image of…Mariah. Ouch.
As far as Taylor Swift is concerned, my daughter-in-law, 12-year old granddaughter, and the Swifties momentum finally overtook me last month and I thought, "Well, give her credit for making her own way and the fact that she changes her music as needed for the moment is just her art form." But last night's first remarks kind of killed it all for me. Of all the things she might have said, to speak to young women everywhere, she chose to drop her new album date and then said something like, "I will now go post a picture of my album cover." It also seemed important for her to tell everyone that this was her 13th Grammy. I finally realized her true greatness, her true authenticity. She's an authentic marketing machine.
That's what the show seemed to be about—how many awards can we win. It used to be the award was a nice bonus reflection on how important the music was. Now it's like bowling trophies.
But maybe it was always like bowling trophies. I remember when Bob Dylan won his first Grammy. We Columbia Records guys were in the audience thinking, "Wow, they finally got around to giving Bob a Grammy (something like 1979). It's a little late for that. By the way, Bob Dylan means more to the world than the entire Grammy Award thing." Even he got a chuckle out of it. His speech (for those of us who understand Bob speak) was disguised. It pretty much meant, "Are you kidding me?" Followed by "F*ck you guys." And, finally in speak that everyone understood, he said something like, "You know my dad always told me when something nice happens for you sometimes you should just simply say thank you and leave it at that. So thank you." Ah, integrity, remember when we had that?
I liked it when the music and the artist was more important than the award.
Paul Rappaport
_________________________________
I'm tired of Taylor Swift but terrified to say that to anyone.
Agree that the rain is and continues to be the winner. Stay Safe.
Went to see American Fiction last night instead of watching the Grammys - incredible flick - hope in the entertainment biz.
All the best
Zach Sutton
_________________________________
Thanks for the insightful analysis as always. I have one pushback concerning Taylor Swift making her new album announcement and no, you're not a loser for having your opinion. I just happen to disagree with you. You always preach that an artist has to speak to their fan base and not be concerned about the masses. Well, watching the Grammy's with my wife and 2 teenage daughters you would have thought we won the lottery when Taylor made her announcement. They were all talking before the show about a Reputation Taylor's version release but they were completely taken by surprise with this news. All their phones are pinging with texts from their friends the rest of the night. Mission accomplished for Taylor and her fans.
Kevin Bennett
_________________________________
Bob, admittedly I know very little about Taylor Swift, other than her cameos at Chiefs games -- but the way she totally ignored Celine Dion was shameful -- and the revelation of the secret she claimed to be keeping for two years.... the release date of her next album?? Based solely on her totally self-absorbed onstage behavior, I don't think I want to know too much else about her.
Tom Werman
_________________________________
For the second year in a row, I was thinking that the only time the Grammys really get to the breadth, power, and intensely personal reach of music is the segment where they honor those who have died. They should make that a two hour program of its own and run a two night show. I bet the "memoriam" show would become the big draw…
Steve Lindstrom
I cried watching Joni Mitchell. She was one of the reasons I became a songwriter. When I was fourteen I bought her "Lady's of The Canyon" songbook and taught myself how to play guitar with it. Joni sung in a really low octave. I guess that happens to singers when they get older. I thought the segment was very touching. And God bess Brandi Carlile for getting her back out there and helping to preserve her legacy. She did that with Tanya Tucker as well.
I also think that putting Billy Joel performance's after the last award was a let down. And the tune was -meh.
Personally I thought Annie Lennox was disappointing. She kind of warbled her way through the song.
I will say I loved that the show (for once) was dominated by Female nominees and winners It was definitely empowering and unique to see them out in full force. Overall I though it was cool show.
Holly Knight
_________________________________
You nailed this. I was at the show watching and was completely perplexed. It felt so out of touch with what the public and especially young people actually care about and listen to. Zach Bryan, Noah Kahan, and Tyler Childers - 3 artists who are selling out stadiums and arenas this summer, were nowhere to be found. Just same old, same old for the most part...
Keith Levy
_________________________________
You're so right about what qualifies as a "hit" right now. When Miley Cyrus was performing "Flowers" and whipped out "Why are y'all acting like y'all don't know this song?", it was because a lot of them probably didn't! The country people down front likely hadn't heard it. Same for hip-hop. Even R&B and pop were probably 50/50. Nobody has to listen to anything from artists or genres we don't love anymore. There hasn't been a "song of the summer" in, what, 15 summers?
Tim Wood
_________________________________
I didn't watch the show, but I must respond to something you wrote.
"I know kids who don't listen to music. Period."
I teach guitar and piano at a successful arts academy just outside of Nashville, TN. I would ask new students, "What kind of music do you listen to?" I have lost count how many times I have heard, "I don't really listen to music."
I've stopped asking.
Steve McClain
_________________________________
Bob, The telecast was so long and at times very boring. The standouts for me was #1 Joni. It was a very emotional performance that was reflective thought provoking and brought tears to my eyes. I was happy to see Larkin Poe get their well deserved Grammy in the pre telecast.
Fast Car also as you stated was a stand out and one of the best of the night.
I also liked Billy Joel's "Turn the light on". It may not be a smash hit, but I think it's the best song he's written in many years and a perfect set up for his upcoming stadium shows with Sting. He can't hit the high notes like he used to, but he's still got it.
I like Taylor Swift, but I think it's way past overload. Her win was just advertisement for her new album which I'm sure will probably sell a million or more. Sometimes you just need to take a break.
Alan Oreman
_________________________________
The only time when an array of once-in-a-lifetime transformative artists appeared on the show was during the "In Memorium" sequence where we saw some of the greatest, irreplaceable artist of the later half of the 20th Century, who are leaving us daily.
Sadly and unfortunately, NO ONE currently plying their "craft" in the spotlight (except for barely a few of those remaining from the last Century) can hold a candle to their greatness.
George Gilbert,
_________________________________
Did you somehow miss that last night's Grammys was the confirmation that women now dominate the music industry and we are all better for it?
Mark McLaughlin
_________________________________
Re: Square Pegs
And Jami Gertz. We put Devo on the show once. I actually thought The Grammys did a lot right. More than I can say for The Academy Awards. I've been part of both and I hope the AA's were watching.
Bill Gerber
_________________________________
Bob. Wrong. Best Grammy in years!!! You didn't mention Miley?!? The whole show was worth her win, her speech and performance. Fast Car gave me goosebumps. It was an awesome show. And not to pull rank, but my friends all agree. Everyone was texting each other, like the old days.
Lizzz Kritzer
P.S. Trevor Noah was SPOT ON. Funny without being mean. Actually, he was brilliant. And how about all the females represented???
_________________________________
Miley for me was the real deal!
Harvey Leeds
_________________________________
Hi Bob. Jon Pareles in the New York Times calls the "In Memoriam" segment one of the best. I thought it was disgraceful and one of the worst. It was not about those we lost, it was about the performers. Not sure how many names we missed on the screen as the camera panned to Stevie or Annie or Fantasia.
And my pet peeve is that now, two years after we lost him, Danny Kalb, founder of the Blues Project, has been ignored. Keep up the great work!
Rich Moylan
_________________________________
Why is an emaciated woman suggesting to the entire country that she isn't wearing any underwear?
She needs to eat something and STFU
No class
Madeline Depnnte
_________________________________
Always spot on with your comments! As a massive Prince fan I loved seeing Wendy and Lisa on stage and I love Annie/Eurythmics but ceasefire? Really? How about "release the hostages"??
I'm a huge Billy Joel fan - first album was Glass houses when I was ten. I personally like the new song a lot but I had a sense of sadness watching him close the show…getting closer to the borderline.
Nathan B
_________________________________
I'm just thrilled that Laufey won her first Grammy. Her career is already caught fire in such a short time, now even more so. She's a real talent. I would have not even heard of her until Spotify suggested I listen to her in March of 2022 before her first full album was released. 2 years later, 2 tours later. 2 albums later she's a Grammy winning artist who writes her own songs and sings live without the need of background dancers or props. A real singer songwriter. We need more of that!
Russ Turk
_________________________________
Billy Joel sang that last song because it was my Jim's favorite song and it made the show really personalized to me.
I think in the afterlife they're able to direct things like that and this was Jimmy's moment to get billy Joel to play his favorite. Kind of woo woo I know, but I imagine Jim's name on that list right next to Jimmy Buffett .
I bawled because my jim sang that probably have as much as Billy Joel has sang it. Sometimes even better
Lina Lambert
_________________________________
Agreed about the awkward order of the acts. First Grammy Show I can remember where tears flowed easily, and not just once!
Tracy Chapman & Luke Combs? Fuhgeddaboudit!
Joni was awesome!
Annie Lennox with Wendy & Lisa? I want in on that tour!
And very touching to see the Grammys include Jeffrey Foskett in their memoriam.
Robby Scharf
Beverly Hills, CA
_________________________________
Great rant. I've always watched Grammys as a musical outsider. My music made rare appearances. But it's always fun to experience the disconnect. We sat there thinking the music was mostly more meaningless than usual and the real talent was either on the road or were handed their awards pre-show. The writhing and gyrating was gross. And just when you needed him to wrest the Grammy from Taylor's self-promoting hands Kanye wasn't there! You don't watch commercials? You don't know what fun you're missing! You've never seen the "How can such a tiny prick be so powerful" commercials? No, it's not about Trump. You've never seen the balloon woman singing and dancing about her A1C? The drug ads are a window onto our collective bad health as Grammys was to bad taste. You referenced sound. I watch on a pretty big surround sound system using a roof antenna for broadcast TV. It has by far the best sound and picture and looks amazing on sports. The degradation cable produces is major. However, the sound last night even using the best ATSC tuner absolutely sucked: compressed, murky, distant and completely lacking in transparency. The sound on The Ed Sullivan Show 60 years ago was 1000 times more immediate and transparent and it's captured on videotape & transferred to discs so you can hear for yourself. Easy to hear, but then vacuum tubes and simple signal paths were involved. It's gone so far in the wrong direction. movie sound mostly sucks today too. I'm surprised there wasn't an "It Never Rains In California" joke last night from an elderly presenter who knows the tune…..
Michael Fremer
TrackingAngle editor
The Absolute Sound Editor at Large
_________________________________
I know how much you hate the award shows, but you have to give the '24 Grammies this: They pulled off a thousand small miracles.
Three and a half hours and not one technical issue I could spot. Yes, I grew tired of the too-long video segments with their repetitive animations, but I also knew that—while those were playing—a small army of technicians was performing an elaborate ballet; moving sets into place and wiring up the next act. And they got it right. Every. Single. Time.
You might say that getting the tech right is table stakes for being in this business, but—when most concerts don't get the sound for ONE band dialed in until the 3rd or 4th song, these guys did it for different bands and configurations all night. The sound, lighting, and camera work were spot-on. Those of us who know what it takes to put a show like this together, appreciate that. These guys are the pro's pros.
I agree, though, that there were a dozen creative misses:
You're right that Trevor Noah's opening monologue was way too long. (He's done OK as an Emcee, but this year it felt like he was shilling for the Academy just a little too hard. I miss LL Cool J.)
"The Best is Yet to Come" for the death sequence? (Who thought that was a good idea?)
I thought the Tina Turner bit was OK, but longer than it needed to be. Likewise for the Tony Bennett tribute. (Is it just me, or is singing a duet with a dead guy just creepy?)
The telecast abandoned jazz and classical music a decade ago, but metal?
And they shouldn't let Jay Z talk on live TV. Ever.
But they also got a bunch right:
Joni Mitchell (even though it was painful to watch… and Jacob Collier on piano was a brilliant add)
Celine Dion (a nice surprise and forever elegant)
Afro-Beat (something new? Yay!)
The Vegas Sphere (and I think there might have been a band in there, too)
And—BTW—what was "Black Cars," if not a Ken Erlichean "Grammy Moment?"
Living in the far north, this was fun to see. Just my 2¢.
=R=
Rick Cornish
Ely, MN
_________________________________
Spot on. Thanks for saving me 3+ hours that have little to do with artistry and substance. I've been told even dubious shows like The Voice now have production numbers, for amateur artists? I stopped watching SNL before I stopped watching the Grammys but both were a long time ago.
Commercials are too painful. The reality is, you can watch a staggered start of a recorded footbal game in about 24 minutes, lopping off unexciting plays, filler and ads. It looks like you could easily watch the Grammys in about 15 if you skip the crap.
John Brodey
_________________________________
Answering the question of why hijack it for personal reasons....WHY NOT?! That's all it's good for. In a few (maybe as much as 10) years the Grammy's will likely be cancelled for something else, done online for much less money. Taylor is the only one smart enough to squeeze what little value left out of them.
Stephen Tatton
_________________________________
and no mention by you of Annie Lennox hijacking the program for a cease-fire call with absolutely no mention by her also of the poor hostages STILL some THREE months later held in captivity??
J. Cohn
_________________________________
Best Rock Performance Boy Genius Not Strong Enough? WTF. I am also a Billy Joel fan and I thought the new song had excellent lyrics and was poignant. But on an album it would be just another track. Not a standout single but decent for sure. You're right music was everything for us. Life affirming music. Now not so much , but I still have a huge collection to listen to again and again
John Emms
_________________________________
Always appreciate your take on all things music and more often than not agree with your views. I take exception to your thoughts on the new Billy Joel song, however. I haven't had a song hit me this powerfully in a long time. Now granted, at 51 years old, I'm not the target demo for the Grammy's or who would understand what a "hit" song is in today's market. You are right in so much as this will not be a hit, but man, what a great return from Joel. The vocal melody has embedded in my brain after only two listens. My 13 year old daughter played the song for me on Friday (because at this point, she is on top of the music world than I am). The emotional reaction was immediate for me.
Perhaps it's knowing a bit of the public history of Mr. Joel, his history on the marriage front, as well as his dealings with depression. While I haven't had the same experiences that Billy has had, I hear so much emotion in the vocal line and the accompanying music. Someone who has screwed up love before hoping that he didn't screw up again. Who can't relate to that? Maybe not on the romantic front, but Lord knows there are times when I realize I'm screwing up in the same way I've screwed up previously with the fear that I didn't catch it in time. Man, that is universal.
I couldn't love this song more and for a 74 year old who hasn't written this kind of music (at least publicly) in decades, well it's a gift and I for one am beyond grateful for the song. It touches me deeply in a way I haven't felt in quite a long time.
Chris Fitzgerald
_________________________________
Nailed it again Bob.
Your final insight on the actual tastemakers migrating to streaming TV is 100% right on. I would also add that you would probably find people like Mo Ostin and David Geffen in tech or streaming TV only these days, there's no $ in music by comparison, and we have lost our commerce brain trust to other mediums.
Perhaps that has to do with the fact that TV and Film have cohesive unions that protect the creators. They were also an industry that embraced streaming technology far more quickly and gracefully than music did. Ive been saying for years that Streamers like HBO and NETFLIX have run creative shops more akin to Warners in the 70s. Network TV still pays more (Thank you again Unions!), but all that said, the next one who figures out AI will be the winner here.
Sadly, all the stuff that excites me about those Union protections in Film and TV are a band aid on a gunshot wound. But they have staunched the bleeding for a lot longer than music cared to. The Lucian Grainge article in the New Yorker was pretty interesting on the topic of AI. Id love to hear your thoughts on that. The Grammys are a nod to the past that only wants to celebrate the future through that traditional business view. Its through the looking glass Bob, I hope everyone enjoyed the champagne and got their labels to foot the bill for the statues (billed back to the artist of course)...
Scott Sharrard
_________________________________
What I saw was a snapshot of where we are today. The art reflects the culture of the times. That culture appeared to be about ME, ME, ME, and ME. I must say that Miley Cyrus held the stage like a star, can really sing, and needed no dancers or cages to pull off a great performance. But then she said "The only reason I'm doing this is so I can watch myself tomorrow on the Grammys." I liked that she told the truth, but ouch.
Mariah came out and stood in front of a giant image of…Mariah. Ouch.
As far as Taylor Swift is concerned, my daughter-in-law, 12-year old granddaughter, and the Swifties momentum finally overtook me last month and I thought, "Well, give her credit for making her own way and the fact that she changes her music as needed for the moment is just her art form." But last night's first remarks kind of killed it all for me. Of all the things she might have said, to speak to young women everywhere, she chose to drop her new album date and then said something like, "I will now go post a picture of my album cover." It also seemed important for her to tell everyone that this was her 13th Grammy. I finally realized her true greatness, her true authenticity. She's an authentic marketing machine.
That's what the show seemed to be about—how many awards can we win. It used to be the award was a nice bonus reflection on how important the music was. Now it's like bowling trophies.
But maybe it was always like bowling trophies. I remember when Bob Dylan won his first Grammy. We Columbia Records guys were in the audience thinking, "Wow, they finally got around to giving Bob a Grammy (something like 1979). It's a little late for that. By the way, Bob Dylan means more to the world than the entire Grammy Award thing." Even he got a chuckle out of it. His speech (for those of us who understand Bob speak) was disguised. It pretty much meant, "Are you kidding me?" Followed by "F*ck you guys." And, finally in speak that everyone understood, he said something like, "You know my dad always told me when something nice happens for you sometimes you should just simply say thank you and leave it at that. So thank you." Ah, integrity, remember when we had that?
I liked it when the music and the artist was more important than the award.
Paul Rappaport
_________________________________
I'm tired of Taylor Swift but terrified to say that to anyone.
Agree that the rain is and continues to be the winner. Stay Safe.
Went to see American Fiction last night instead of watching the Grammys - incredible flick - hope in the entertainment biz.
All the best
Zach Sutton
_________________________________
Thanks for the insightful analysis as always. I have one pushback concerning Taylor Swift making her new album announcement and no, you're not a loser for having your opinion. I just happen to disagree with you. You always preach that an artist has to speak to their fan base and not be concerned about the masses. Well, watching the Grammy's with my wife and 2 teenage daughters you would have thought we won the lottery when Taylor made her announcement. They were all talking before the show about a Reputation Taylor's version release but they were completely taken by surprise with this news. All their phones are pinging with texts from their friends the rest of the night. Mission accomplished for Taylor and her fans.
Kevin Bennett
_________________________________
Bob, admittedly I know very little about Taylor Swift, other than her cameos at Chiefs games -- but the way she totally ignored Celine Dion was shameful -- and the revelation of the secret she claimed to be keeping for two years.... the release date of her next album?? Based solely on her totally self-absorbed onstage behavior, I don't think I want to know too much else about her.
Tom Werman
_________________________________
For the second year in a row, I was thinking that the only time the Grammys really get to the breadth, power, and intensely personal reach of music is the segment where they honor those who have died. They should make that a two hour program of its own and run a two night show. I bet the "memoriam" show would become the big draw…
Steve Lindstrom
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Sunday, 4 February 2024
The Grammy Telecast
And the big winner tonight is...THE RAIN!
You have no idea what is going on here, it's positively apocalyptic, it's supposed to come down for three days straight and this ain't no east coast rain, it's coming down like God and everyone in heaven is throwing down buckets.
Did the rain play a part in the arrest of Killer Mike? Was he just trying to get out of the wet? Isn't it amazing that you get arrested and it's world news, but the fact that you just won a couple of Grammys? That's already been forgotten.
I don't need to piss on the Grammys, Jay Z already did a good job of that. And in truth it was a pretty good show as these things go, but that's just the point, "as these things go"... Which means network television with commercials trying for broad appeal to garner enough viewers that they will meet the number sold to advertisers. And that paradigm is dead.
I never watch TV in real time, and I wonder how people can, with all the spots. Only in TV can the big breakthrough be the addition of ads to streaming services. That'd be like adding ads to Spotify. You hear ads on the free tier, if you're a schnorrer, but on TV streaming you have to pay to endure commercials. Talk about a backward move. Once you're beholden to Wall Street, once you take your focus off satiating your customers, you're on the wrong path. That's how we got into this mess, with overpriced CDs containing one hit single. The public was pissed, but the labels were myopically rolling in dough until file-sharing came along and they weren't. Anger the public at your peril. The key is to get ahead of the public, provide something they don't even know they want, underpromise and overdeliver, not the opposite.
And in truth I wasn't even going to watch the show until CNNi recruited me to comment when it was done. And it wasn't an endurance test, then again I spent so much time scrolling on my phone.
This was not Ken Ehrlich's Grammy show, thank god. No endless "Grammy moments," you know, the dreaded duets. The show moved along, except for Trevor Noah's execrable monologue. But I can't say everything was worth seeing.
They had it backward, Billy Joel should have opened the show and Dua Lipa should have closed it. Because by time Lipa got out of the cage and was through dancing my e-mail was blowing up with people complaining. What has this got to do with music? The production numbers were edgy and salacious, but otherwise they were no different from variety shows of the sixties, of the fifties! Or the MTV eighties and nineties.
This show was made like the internet doesn't exist, like the landscape hasn't been completely altered in the twenty first century. Now distribution is open to everybody and the stars' music has less reach than any time in the era of broadcast. But don't let the truth get in the way of making a show.
What was wrong with this telecast was it didn't capture the zeitgeist. It was all about the Spotify Top 50 when in truth the hits are garnering less audience every year. You no longer have to listen to anything you don't want to. Which just might be almost all the music on this show. Vapid pop. These might be the biggest stars we've got, but they don't compare to the size of the stars of yore, irrelevant of the statistics their PR people keep forcing down our throat.
Everyone agrees with the fact that the Tracy Chapman/Luke Combs duet was the highlight of the night. But what was really interesting was when they panned to the audience, all the stars. THEY WERE ALL SINGING ALONG! This was the only time we saw this all night. That's the difference between a hit of yesteryear and one of today. Also, isn't it interesting that a simple acoustic number with some chord changes and hooks was triumphant. It's like we've lost the formula.
Joni Mitchell sang surprisingly well for someone who told us for two decades she couldn't, sing that is. And Burna Boy was a pleasant surprise.
I'm a Billy Joel fan, but couldn't someone tell him that new number is not a hit? Also, closing with "You May Be Right" was like the Beatles closing with "Hey Bulldog."
Now if I want to be honest, a lot of other genres were recognized in the pre-show, but unless you won an award, or are related to or work with the winner, no one knows and no one cares. They won't put this music on the telecast, it's not broad enough. But broad to everybody was pre-FM, and then the twenty years of MTV. The best stuff is always outside. True fans would pooh-pooh so many of today's hits, they're looking for something more fulfilling.
As for Taylor Swift announcing the release of her new album... This reminded me of nothing so much as Macy Gray stitching the drop date of her new album on the back of her dress at the VMAs. That's when the VMAs jumped the shark. And I'm not saying the Grammys have much gravitas, but why hijack it for personal reasons?
But it's Swift's year and I'm a loser for saying anything negative.
That's the world we live in, if your analysis is contrary to that of the fans, you're an object of ridicule, which is why so many shut up.
The tribute to Tina Turner was just plain awful.
Celine Dion... Talk about gravitas. Supposedly she was too ill to go on the road, it was a complete surprise. And unlike too many on the floor she owned the aging process, she looked like a woman, she looked like a star. Can't say I'm a big fan, but I will say her music penetrated the public more than that of any recent hitmaker. Our heart will go on with Celine.
Harvey Mason, Jr. was great at Musicares, here not so much. You don't start a speech by congratulating the show you're on. We watched it, we didn't need a replay. You start with the hit, you grab the audience right away, it's show business number one. Mason's delivery was pretty good, quick and relatively lighthearted, but the speech was positively awful.
And why didn't U2 play a song from "Achtung Baby," since that's what they're playing at the Sphere? You've got to realize, most people are watching with crap sound, they can hardly recognize the hits, help them out.
Who won?
It's already been forgotten, or at least it will be in a day or two. It's not that important to the public,
So what we had here was a carnival show. Deep thinkers anonymous. I wouldn't want to take political advice from a single one of them. They made the college graduates milking tech and finance look good. But it used to be the musicians were seers, if you wanted to know which way the wind blew, you turned on the radio, you listened to a record. Music was the anti, a commentary on the system, not the system itself.
Yes, this was a CBS show.
Oh, I forgot Annie Lennox singing Sinead's song (I know it was written by Prince, no need to hassle me). Good, better than Stevie Wonder's numbers, but...
It's an impossible task, making a great Grammy show. Not only can you not please everybody, the public is dumb, and the televised awards reward dumb, when it's intelligent in the cracks that people yearn for and cling to. It's the lifers, who channel the gods, who are ultimately remembered. People who've given up on the hit parade and are following their muse.
So the Grammy show has improved. Not a heavy lift, it was so damn bad before.
But it's out of time. It's like selling CDs. Do you even have a player? Do you even subscribe to cable? Do you even know what channel CBS is on?
There used to be something happening here. In music. And what it was wasn't exactly clear. But we knew that music was the bleeding edge, that it was peopled by those who questioned, most of whom didn't even make tracks to become hits. And they call so much of that music "classic rock." But that also includes Leonard Cohen, who never had a hit single. Ditto Tom Waits. Today's hit music vertical is so narrow as to leave no room for the aforementioned gravitas. For that you have to dig deeper. And the good thing is people are. And other than maybe Burna Boy, they didn't get turned on to any artist tonight that they didn't already know, that they might have already discarded.
We want more. And in truth, people are doing their best to deliver it. But they're not signed by major labels, they're not on this show. They're doing it their own way and their audience is building slowly, usually live. Now you build it on the road, not with recordings.
The times have changed, but the Grammy telecast has not. If this is a snapshot of where music is today, god help me. But thank god it's not. It may be nearly impossible to ferret out the good stuff, but that's coming, we can't continue to live in the wilderness forever. Too many people have already jumped ship. I know kids who don't listen to music. Period. That used to be unheard of, not today. It's got to be so powerful, so desirable, so informative that it's irresistible.
You could resist everything on the show tonight.
Except, of course, "Fast Car." But that's from 1988.
And the guy who signed her, Brian Koppelman, is now famous for "Billions," he left music behind. And that tells you everything you need to know. The zeitgeist is contained in streaming TV, where they tell stories that inform and titillate and surprise us. Every time I get together with people they want to talk streaming TV, not music. Even youngsters.
And the music business continues merrily along with blinders on.
Thank god the barrier to entry is so low anybody can play, the square pegs are not squeezed out.
We need more "Square Pegs." Hell, isn't that where Sarah Jessica Parker got her TV start? On a sitcom? She moved on, she grew. I wish I could say the same about the "artists" who performed tonight.
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You have no idea what is going on here, it's positively apocalyptic, it's supposed to come down for three days straight and this ain't no east coast rain, it's coming down like God and everyone in heaven is throwing down buckets.
Did the rain play a part in the arrest of Killer Mike? Was he just trying to get out of the wet? Isn't it amazing that you get arrested and it's world news, but the fact that you just won a couple of Grammys? That's already been forgotten.
I don't need to piss on the Grammys, Jay Z already did a good job of that. And in truth it was a pretty good show as these things go, but that's just the point, "as these things go"... Which means network television with commercials trying for broad appeal to garner enough viewers that they will meet the number sold to advertisers. And that paradigm is dead.
I never watch TV in real time, and I wonder how people can, with all the spots. Only in TV can the big breakthrough be the addition of ads to streaming services. That'd be like adding ads to Spotify. You hear ads on the free tier, if you're a schnorrer, but on TV streaming you have to pay to endure commercials. Talk about a backward move. Once you're beholden to Wall Street, once you take your focus off satiating your customers, you're on the wrong path. That's how we got into this mess, with overpriced CDs containing one hit single. The public was pissed, but the labels were myopically rolling in dough until file-sharing came along and they weren't. Anger the public at your peril. The key is to get ahead of the public, provide something they don't even know they want, underpromise and overdeliver, not the opposite.
And in truth I wasn't even going to watch the show until CNNi recruited me to comment when it was done. And it wasn't an endurance test, then again I spent so much time scrolling on my phone.
This was not Ken Ehrlich's Grammy show, thank god. No endless "Grammy moments," you know, the dreaded duets. The show moved along, except for Trevor Noah's execrable monologue. But I can't say everything was worth seeing.
They had it backward, Billy Joel should have opened the show and Dua Lipa should have closed it. Because by time Lipa got out of the cage and was through dancing my e-mail was blowing up with people complaining. What has this got to do with music? The production numbers were edgy and salacious, but otherwise they were no different from variety shows of the sixties, of the fifties! Or the MTV eighties and nineties.
This show was made like the internet doesn't exist, like the landscape hasn't been completely altered in the twenty first century. Now distribution is open to everybody and the stars' music has less reach than any time in the era of broadcast. But don't let the truth get in the way of making a show.
What was wrong with this telecast was it didn't capture the zeitgeist. It was all about the Spotify Top 50 when in truth the hits are garnering less audience every year. You no longer have to listen to anything you don't want to. Which just might be almost all the music on this show. Vapid pop. These might be the biggest stars we've got, but they don't compare to the size of the stars of yore, irrelevant of the statistics their PR people keep forcing down our throat.
Everyone agrees with the fact that the Tracy Chapman/Luke Combs duet was the highlight of the night. But what was really interesting was when they panned to the audience, all the stars. THEY WERE ALL SINGING ALONG! This was the only time we saw this all night. That's the difference between a hit of yesteryear and one of today. Also, isn't it interesting that a simple acoustic number with some chord changes and hooks was triumphant. It's like we've lost the formula.
Joni Mitchell sang surprisingly well for someone who told us for two decades she couldn't, sing that is. And Burna Boy was a pleasant surprise.
I'm a Billy Joel fan, but couldn't someone tell him that new number is not a hit? Also, closing with "You May Be Right" was like the Beatles closing with "Hey Bulldog."
Now if I want to be honest, a lot of other genres were recognized in the pre-show, but unless you won an award, or are related to or work with the winner, no one knows and no one cares. They won't put this music on the telecast, it's not broad enough. But broad to everybody was pre-FM, and then the twenty years of MTV. The best stuff is always outside. True fans would pooh-pooh so many of today's hits, they're looking for something more fulfilling.
As for Taylor Swift announcing the release of her new album... This reminded me of nothing so much as Macy Gray stitching the drop date of her new album on the back of her dress at the VMAs. That's when the VMAs jumped the shark. And I'm not saying the Grammys have much gravitas, but why hijack it for personal reasons?
But it's Swift's year and I'm a loser for saying anything negative.
That's the world we live in, if your analysis is contrary to that of the fans, you're an object of ridicule, which is why so many shut up.
The tribute to Tina Turner was just plain awful.
Celine Dion... Talk about gravitas. Supposedly she was too ill to go on the road, it was a complete surprise. And unlike too many on the floor she owned the aging process, she looked like a woman, she looked like a star. Can't say I'm a big fan, but I will say her music penetrated the public more than that of any recent hitmaker. Our heart will go on with Celine.
Harvey Mason, Jr. was great at Musicares, here not so much. You don't start a speech by congratulating the show you're on. We watched it, we didn't need a replay. You start with the hit, you grab the audience right away, it's show business number one. Mason's delivery was pretty good, quick and relatively lighthearted, but the speech was positively awful.
And why didn't U2 play a song from "Achtung Baby," since that's what they're playing at the Sphere? You've got to realize, most people are watching with crap sound, they can hardly recognize the hits, help them out.
Who won?
It's already been forgotten, or at least it will be in a day or two. It's not that important to the public,
So what we had here was a carnival show. Deep thinkers anonymous. I wouldn't want to take political advice from a single one of them. They made the college graduates milking tech and finance look good. But it used to be the musicians were seers, if you wanted to know which way the wind blew, you turned on the radio, you listened to a record. Music was the anti, a commentary on the system, not the system itself.
Yes, this was a CBS show.
Oh, I forgot Annie Lennox singing Sinead's song (I know it was written by Prince, no need to hassle me). Good, better than Stevie Wonder's numbers, but...
It's an impossible task, making a great Grammy show. Not only can you not please everybody, the public is dumb, and the televised awards reward dumb, when it's intelligent in the cracks that people yearn for and cling to. It's the lifers, who channel the gods, who are ultimately remembered. People who've given up on the hit parade and are following their muse.
So the Grammy show has improved. Not a heavy lift, it was so damn bad before.
But it's out of time. It's like selling CDs. Do you even have a player? Do you even subscribe to cable? Do you even know what channel CBS is on?
There used to be something happening here. In music. And what it was wasn't exactly clear. But we knew that music was the bleeding edge, that it was peopled by those who questioned, most of whom didn't even make tracks to become hits. And they call so much of that music "classic rock." But that also includes Leonard Cohen, who never had a hit single. Ditto Tom Waits. Today's hit music vertical is so narrow as to leave no room for the aforementioned gravitas. For that you have to dig deeper. And the good thing is people are. And other than maybe Burna Boy, they didn't get turned on to any artist tonight that they didn't already know, that they might have already discarded.
We want more. And in truth, people are doing their best to deliver it. But they're not signed by major labels, they're not on this show. They're doing it their own way and their audience is building slowly, usually live. Now you build it on the road, not with recordings.
The times have changed, but the Grammy telecast has not. If this is a snapshot of where music is today, god help me. But thank god it's not. It may be nearly impossible to ferret out the good stuff, but that's coming, we can't continue to live in the wilderness forever. Too many people have already jumped ship. I know kids who don't listen to music. Period. That used to be unheard of, not today. It's got to be so powerful, so desirable, so informative that it's irresistible.
You could resist everything on the show tonight.
Except, of course, "Fast Car." But that's from 1988.
And the guy who signed her, Brian Koppelman, is now famous for "Billions," he left music behind. And that tells you everything you need to know. The zeitgeist is contained in streaming TV, where they tell stories that inform and titillate and surprise us. Every time I get together with people they want to talk streaming TV, not music. Even youngsters.
And the music business continues merrily along with blinders on.
Thank god the barrier to entry is so low anybody can play, the square pegs are not squeezed out.
We need more "Square Pegs." Hell, isn't that where Sarah Jessica Parker got her TV start? On a sitcom? She moved on, she grew. I wish I could say the same about the "artists" who performed tonight.
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
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Listen to the podcast:
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Americanafest Salute To Paul Simon At The Troubadour
Only in Los Angeles.
It was the anti-Spotify Top 50. Working musicians, most sans mainstream fame, all on the same stage performing the songs of one of America's most revered songwriters.
Or to paraphrase Max Yasgur, it was five hundred people getting together for three hours of fun and music and nothing but fun and music. As opposed to the trappings, the outfits, the controversies, the social media posts, the endless hype and sell.
It's hard to be a musician. Sure, you get some attention, but oftentimes what money you make is burned up in travel and other expenses. You may want to be a star, but most people never get there. In other words, you've got to really love to play music to stay at it. It takes dedication. And oftentimes the only payout is the applause you get on stage. Then again, you can't get that applause anywhere else. It's a calling.
Now the show began with the Blind Boys of Alabama singing "Loves Me Like a Rock." Utterly astounding, with the energy and bounciness and sheer joy of the original recording. Rarely do shows start on such a high note. I would have enjoyed a few more numbers by the Boys, but everybody got just one song, and one thing was for sure, the show didn't drag.
Now if you're not a member of the scene, you might not know who Molly Tuttle is, but when she was picking the leads and her male compatriot Keith Secor was playing the rhythm it was an exciting role reversal.
And speaking of role reversal, seventeen year old Grace Bowers positively wailed on the electric guitar, the most rock and roll element of the evening.
But the peak, once again, like last year, was Dwight Yoakam.
Now unlike so many musicians, Dwight is very verbal. And he takes the stage and starts talking... It's not exactly a story, it's more conversational, more intimate, more between him and the audience, but then...
I'm tingling thinking about it. Dwight is so regular, but when he starts to sing... You could release Dwight's performance of "The Boxer" tomorrow and it would be a hit, it was just that good. He said he hillbillied it up just a bit, and that changed the accents to great effect. And as I was listening I was thinking to myself I LIVED THROUGH THIS! These are classics, but I was around when the "Bridge Over Troubled Water" album came out. I saw Simon & Garfunkel live in the interlude between their initial hits and "The Graduate" comeback. I feel privileged. Albeit closer to the end.
But the big surprise, was Mexican chanteuse Silvana Estrada. Unknown by most in attendance, she took the stage and sang "El Condor Pasa" and...
This was the only performance wherein the audience hooped and hollered during the song, Estrada was just that good. And only Dwight got an equal amount of applause at the end. If Silvana did the same thing on tonight's Grammy telecast she'd be a star overnight. She brought gravitas, but without heaviness. She respected the music but not to the point where it was living in a museum. It was contemporary. And with her crystalline voice... You had to be there.
And there were surprises, like Brett Dennen singing "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard." I've seen this guy a number of times and never gotten it. But last night... He personalized the song just a bit, and he physically swung with the music, he added an extra element, to a song I don't love to begin with.
Rufus Wainwright did a great "Bridge Over Troubled Water," but what I marveled at most was this is a guy who's a star who has never ever had a hit. Which is quite an achievement if you think about it. Rufus did it his way. And fans came to him.
The Larkin Poe sisters locked in on "Paranoia Blues," from the unjustly forgotten first solo album. All the focus is on the "Graceland" era, the quiet debut and the as good as it gets "Rhymin' Simon" have been pushed into the back seat, but they're absolutely stellar. Stefan Grossman plays bottleneck on the original and I'll say Megan Lovell trumped it last night. The two women energized the number, added a zest absent from the recording, lifting it to a higher, more intense level.
And Amanda Sudano of Johnnyswim was singing "René and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog after the War," from "Hearts and Bones," a favorite of the cognoscenti, and then her beefy husband Abner Ramirez opened his mouth and this mellifluous sound came out...I was positively stunned. It was so sweet, the opposite of his look.
And the way Abner treated Jackson Browne as a compatriot during the encore, putting his arm around his shoulder, unburdened by Jackson's image, lightening the Southern California bard...
Yes, Jackson, who has allowed himself to age, whose hair is gray and was wearing glasses, gave a long intro to "I Am a Rock," talking about the three minute limit of the singles of the sixties, and then he sang it. Everyone is so worried about their image, trying to look thirty when they're seventy, it endeared me to Jackson, he was owning who he was, what was on the inside was what counted. And when he got to the lines:
"I have my books
And my poetry to protect me"
I was brought right back to the sixties, the pre-internet era, when we'd be home, in our cocoon. I never wrote poetry, but people did. We all read books, like Vonnegut's "Cat's Cradle," we were living in our heads sans exterior stimulation so much of the time. And we could feel outside. I resonated with the bygone paradigm.
Paul Simon left Columbia for Warner Bros. because the company promised him a movie deal. And a film ensued, "One Trick Pony." It was not instantly forgotten, like the small films of today, but it was not a hit, yet I did see it on opening night and bought the soundtrack, with its opening song "Late in the Evening," cut with New York cats different from his usual players. It had a stripped-down feel, there was room around the instruments, its magic grows on you over time, and I was surprised to hear Gaby Moreno do it last night. She was wearing a delicious silver suit, and nailed the rhythm of the original.
And Rodney Crowell did "Graceland" and then most of the assembled multitude came out and performed "You Can Call Me Al," a surprising choice if you ask me. More about rhythm than melody, meaning it's not easy to deliver live, never mind in an ensemble. But they fell into the groove and the horn came in as an exclamation point and all was well.
Now I didn't mention everybody...then it would just be a laundry list. As it is the above reads so much like a recitation of what was. But that's the kind of evening it was, one performance after another, all interesting, not only because of the playing, but the underlying material.
Yes, I pondered how they'd do the same with today's artists twenty or thirty years down the line. In today's 808 one chord culture. But there are people taking the road less traveled, like those on stage last night. And they are not only the heart and soul of Americana, they're the heart and soul of America. Yes, living, breathing. Machines don't do that. I'm not saying you can't make good music on a computer, I'm just saying it's not alive, not breathing the same way as people playing acoustic instruments and singing sans effects. That's what touches you.
So I could have been at Clive Davis's party last night...actually, no I could not have, not with all the negative things I've written about the man. Clive needs the attention, he's trying to be remembered, but it's the music that lasts, if it's lucky. And usually it's not the hits that enter our bodies and never leave, that make our lives worth living, but the album tracks, the left field stuff, the more human stuff, the stuff with less of a sheen.
And we had a whole night of it yesterday. The stars of the Americana world, even number one, Jason Isbell, all together on stage. Because when it comes to music in America...you can play it anywhere, but there are few meccas. Not only the poor people have been squeezed out of Manhattan, but the middle class too. The musicians are now being squeezed out of Brooklyn. So if you're a player, you end up in Nashville or L.A. Not only for the business, but the cross-pollination with other singers and players.
You can live in the hinterlands and the acts last night will come through your town, but only one at a time, they all won't be on the same stage on one single evening.
But they made the pilgrimage here for Grammy week. Or already live in SoCal. Such that they could get together and create magic last night. Not for the money, but for the joy. As Joni Mitchell would say, they were playing real good for free.
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
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http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
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To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
It was the anti-Spotify Top 50. Working musicians, most sans mainstream fame, all on the same stage performing the songs of one of America's most revered songwriters.
Or to paraphrase Max Yasgur, it was five hundred people getting together for three hours of fun and music and nothing but fun and music. As opposed to the trappings, the outfits, the controversies, the social media posts, the endless hype and sell.
It's hard to be a musician. Sure, you get some attention, but oftentimes what money you make is burned up in travel and other expenses. You may want to be a star, but most people never get there. In other words, you've got to really love to play music to stay at it. It takes dedication. And oftentimes the only payout is the applause you get on stage. Then again, you can't get that applause anywhere else. It's a calling.
Now the show began with the Blind Boys of Alabama singing "Loves Me Like a Rock." Utterly astounding, with the energy and bounciness and sheer joy of the original recording. Rarely do shows start on such a high note. I would have enjoyed a few more numbers by the Boys, but everybody got just one song, and one thing was for sure, the show didn't drag.
Now if you're not a member of the scene, you might not know who Molly Tuttle is, but when she was picking the leads and her male compatriot Keith Secor was playing the rhythm it was an exciting role reversal.
And speaking of role reversal, seventeen year old Grace Bowers positively wailed on the electric guitar, the most rock and roll element of the evening.
But the peak, once again, like last year, was Dwight Yoakam.
Now unlike so many musicians, Dwight is very verbal. And he takes the stage and starts talking... It's not exactly a story, it's more conversational, more intimate, more between him and the audience, but then...
I'm tingling thinking about it. Dwight is so regular, but when he starts to sing... You could release Dwight's performance of "The Boxer" tomorrow and it would be a hit, it was just that good. He said he hillbillied it up just a bit, and that changed the accents to great effect. And as I was listening I was thinking to myself I LIVED THROUGH THIS! These are classics, but I was around when the "Bridge Over Troubled Water" album came out. I saw Simon & Garfunkel live in the interlude between their initial hits and "The Graduate" comeback. I feel privileged. Albeit closer to the end.
But the big surprise, was Mexican chanteuse Silvana Estrada. Unknown by most in attendance, she took the stage and sang "El Condor Pasa" and...
This was the only performance wherein the audience hooped and hollered during the song, Estrada was just that good. And only Dwight got an equal amount of applause at the end. If Silvana did the same thing on tonight's Grammy telecast she'd be a star overnight. She brought gravitas, but without heaviness. She respected the music but not to the point where it was living in a museum. It was contemporary. And with her crystalline voice... You had to be there.
And there were surprises, like Brett Dennen singing "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard." I've seen this guy a number of times and never gotten it. But last night... He personalized the song just a bit, and he physically swung with the music, he added an extra element, to a song I don't love to begin with.
Rufus Wainwright did a great "Bridge Over Troubled Water," but what I marveled at most was this is a guy who's a star who has never ever had a hit. Which is quite an achievement if you think about it. Rufus did it his way. And fans came to him.
The Larkin Poe sisters locked in on "Paranoia Blues," from the unjustly forgotten first solo album. All the focus is on the "Graceland" era, the quiet debut and the as good as it gets "Rhymin' Simon" have been pushed into the back seat, but they're absolutely stellar. Stefan Grossman plays bottleneck on the original and I'll say Megan Lovell trumped it last night. The two women energized the number, added a zest absent from the recording, lifting it to a higher, more intense level.
And Amanda Sudano of Johnnyswim was singing "René and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog after the War," from "Hearts and Bones," a favorite of the cognoscenti, and then her beefy husband Abner Ramirez opened his mouth and this mellifluous sound came out...I was positively stunned. It was so sweet, the opposite of his look.
And the way Abner treated Jackson Browne as a compatriot during the encore, putting his arm around his shoulder, unburdened by Jackson's image, lightening the Southern California bard...
Yes, Jackson, who has allowed himself to age, whose hair is gray and was wearing glasses, gave a long intro to "I Am a Rock," talking about the three minute limit of the singles of the sixties, and then he sang it. Everyone is so worried about their image, trying to look thirty when they're seventy, it endeared me to Jackson, he was owning who he was, what was on the inside was what counted. And when he got to the lines:
"I have my books
And my poetry to protect me"
I was brought right back to the sixties, the pre-internet era, when we'd be home, in our cocoon. I never wrote poetry, but people did. We all read books, like Vonnegut's "Cat's Cradle," we were living in our heads sans exterior stimulation so much of the time. And we could feel outside. I resonated with the bygone paradigm.
Paul Simon left Columbia for Warner Bros. because the company promised him a movie deal. And a film ensued, "One Trick Pony." It was not instantly forgotten, like the small films of today, but it was not a hit, yet I did see it on opening night and bought the soundtrack, with its opening song "Late in the Evening," cut with New York cats different from his usual players. It had a stripped-down feel, there was room around the instruments, its magic grows on you over time, and I was surprised to hear Gaby Moreno do it last night. She was wearing a delicious silver suit, and nailed the rhythm of the original.
And Rodney Crowell did "Graceland" and then most of the assembled multitude came out and performed "You Can Call Me Al," a surprising choice if you ask me. More about rhythm than melody, meaning it's not easy to deliver live, never mind in an ensemble. But they fell into the groove and the horn came in as an exclamation point and all was well.
Now I didn't mention everybody...then it would just be a laundry list. As it is the above reads so much like a recitation of what was. But that's the kind of evening it was, one performance after another, all interesting, not only because of the playing, but the underlying material.
Yes, I pondered how they'd do the same with today's artists twenty or thirty years down the line. In today's 808 one chord culture. But there are people taking the road less traveled, like those on stage last night. And they are not only the heart and soul of Americana, they're the heart and soul of America. Yes, living, breathing. Machines don't do that. I'm not saying you can't make good music on a computer, I'm just saying it's not alive, not breathing the same way as people playing acoustic instruments and singing sans effects. That's what touches you.
So I could have been at Clive Davis's party last night...actually, no I could not have, not with all the negative things I've written about the man. Clive needs the attention, he's trying to be remembered, but it's the music that lasts, if it's lucky. And usually it's not the hits that enter our bodies and never leave, that make our lives worth living, but the album tracks, the left field stuff, the more human stuff, the stuff with less of a sheen.
And we had a whole night of it yesterday. The stars of the Americana world, even number one, Jason Isbell, all together on stage. Because when it comes to music in America...you can play it anywhere, but there are few meccas. Not only the poor people have been squeezed out of Manhattan, but the middle class too. The musicians are now being squeezed out of Brooklyn. So if you're a player, you end up in Nashville or L.A. Not only for the business, but the cross-pollination with other singers and players.
You can live in the hinterlands and the acts last night will come through your town, but only one at a time, they all won't be on the same stage on one single evening.
But they made the pilgrimage here for Grammy week. Or already live in SoCal. Such that they could get together and create magic last night. Not for the money, but for the joy. As Joni Mitchell would say, they were playing real good for free.
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
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