General Music Chat

every year I get perplexed this time of year when I watch the "talent" performing at the Grammy's on TV.. there are people that post on this board that I would get more listening pleasure from.. just why is this that sets this less than 1% of musicians into this higher paying bracket of performers/writers/arrangers?.. is it who they know? rather than what they know, or how they perform..is it spiritual? could those in this higher bracket be sipping the devil's nectar? and the devil rewards his spawn? or is it just luck? I think it is because these Grammy Awards performers are just "better connected"? then the rest of us..

Yes. They have to have a shtick. Something non-musical that attracts publicity. Baffle'm with B.S.

Its not the horn you know...
Its the Horndog you blow...

That's how the one-percenters do it.. Its all insider trading, Dane.

Timberlake and Jay-Z were not bad but it did not blow me away like an Emerson Lake & Palmer could have done doing Brain Salad Surgery or something..it's just fascinating how completely OK they all are, but not extraordinary imo

The Grammies are all about image. It's a huge wool job, pulling wool over millions of eyes. In fact all award shows are wool jobs. They're meat markets, "fashion" statements. They're tabloid material and little else.

Nomination process

Record companies and individuals may submit recordings to be nominated. Nominations are made online and a physical copy of the work is sent to the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Once a work is entered, reviewing sessions are held, by more than 150 experts from the recording industry, to determine whether the work is eligible and entered in the correct category for official nomination.

The resulting list is circulated to all NARAS members, each of whom may vote to nominate in the general field (Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist) and in no more than nine out of 30 other fields on their ballots. The five recordings that earn the most votes in each category become the nominees. There may be more than five nominees if there is a tie in the nomination process.

Whereas members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are generally invited to screenings or are sent DVDs of movies nominated for Oscars, NARAS members do not receive nominated recordings.

After nominees have been determined, final voting ballots are sent to Recording Academy members, who may then vote in the general fields and in no more than eight of the 30 fields. NARAS members are encouraged, but not required, to vote only in their fields of expertise. Ballots are tabulated secretly by the major independent accounting firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.[12] Following the tabulation of votes the winners are announced at the Grammy Awards. The recording with the most votes in a category wins and it is possible to have a tie. Winners are presented with the Grammy Award and those who do not win are given a medal for their nomination.

In both voting rounds, Academy members are required to vote based upon quality alone, and not to be influenced by sales, chart performance, personal friendships, regional preferences or company loyalty. The acceptance of gifts is prohibited. Members are urged to vote in a manner that preserves the integrity of the academy.

The eligibility period for the 2012 Grammy Awards was October 1, 2010 to September 30, 2011.




They don't provide all NARAS members with the music being voted on, so it would probably tend towards names of people the voters either know personally or have heard of.

Fun - "we are young" was given the award for song of the year.

My band covers that song, and without a doubt, it's generates the most audience response, both in cheering and dancing.

From that alone, I would agree with the award.

Just saying..

I am surprised nobody did not comment about my intentional pot stirring word play regarding sipping the devil's nectar/ devil's spawn , I can never forget reading Hammer of The Gods and thinking about the refusal of John Paul Jones to sign in blood the contract with Satan that would bring riches and fame and everything else considered a "successful" music career.. ask Jay Z , or Jim Morrison when he drank blood with a witch too..as they said in the 70's you need the "chico marks", ..look it up

It's just abominable what's become of popular music. Yikes....don't even get me started!

And what was with that country duet Dirks & Bentley? Did they really need an upright AND an electric bassist? I couldn't really hear EITHER and the upright guy was cracking me up jumping around and trying so very hard to look like he was having the time of his life.

I hate car salesmen.

It was clear to me, as my mind skimmed over the show playing in the background, that Rhianna is the best pop music has to offer right now; and she's not American.

Other 'credibles', in whatever label you choose to put on them - Adele, and Jack White

every year I get perplexed this time of year when I watch the "talent" performing at the Grammy's on TV.. there are people that post on this board that I would get more listening pleasure from.. just why is this that sets this less than 1% of musicians into this higher paying bracket of performers/writers/arrangers?.. is it who they know? rather than what they know, or how they perform..is it spiritual? could those in this higher bracket be sipping the devil's nectar? and the devil rewards his spawn? or is it just luck? I think it is because these Grammy Awards performers are just "better connected"? then the rest of us..

Yes, Yes, No, and Yes.

I didn't watch it and probably never will again as I can't relate and don't know who those people are. One exception I have heard 'Mumford & Son"! I watched reruns of SG1!

I was expecting more from Mumford and Sons. I dunno, they're ok I guess but I heard no melody or counter melodies from the instruments. Just everyone kinda just "stumming" along. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

I like a good vocal as much as anyone but the same three or four chords "strummed" over and over doesn't really hold my interest very long.

And I think that's the problem with much of the stuff that's popular now. It's one thing that there isn't a solo (and that's ok....I get that not every song NEEDS a solo) but please, I've got to hear something going on melodically from the instruments besides boring "play the changes" backup.

[i]Nomination process[/quotte]

Record companies and individuals may submit recordings to be nominated. Nominations are made online and a physical copy of the work is sent to the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Once a work is entered, reviewing sessions are held, by more than 150 experts from the recording industry, to determine whether the work is eligible and entered in the correct category for official nomination.

We can see the gross conflict of interest this presents. I do believe this is the root cause of why the music selections aren't always stellar.

The resulting list is circulated to all NARAS members, each of whom may vote to nominate in the general field (Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist) and in no more than nine out of 30 other fields on their ballots. The five recordings that earn the most votes in each category become the nominees. There may be more than five nominees if there is a tie in the nomination process.
Whereas members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are generally invited to screenings or are sent DVDs of movies nominated for Oscars, NARAS members do not receive nominated recordings.

So basically, this part of the voting could have been done at the previous stage of the process, but for the possibility that NARAS members would not know what to look for in the first place. Thus , welcome to " It feels good today so its got my vote'. Just saying, that real expertise could be questionable here?

After nominees have been determined, final voting ballots are sent to Recording Academy members, who may then vote in the general fields and in no more than eight of the 30 fields. NARAS members are encouraged, but not required, to vote only in their fields of expertise. Ballots are tabulated secretly by the major independent accounting firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.[12] Following the tabulation of votes the winners are announced at the Grammy Awards. The recording with the most votes in a category wins and it is possible to have a tie. Winners are presented with the Grammy Award and those who do not win are given a medal for their nomination.

In both voting rounds, Academy members are required to vote based upon quality alone, and not to be influenced by sales, chart performance, personal friendships, regional preferences or company loyalty. The acceptance of gifts is prohibited. Members are urged to vote in a manner that preserves the integrity of the academy.

This is most difficult. An Academy member is presumed to have expertise. But they are asked to judge on 'quality' which may exceed the scope of their specializations. Again its a crap shoot, now subjectively expressed by ivory tower seats. You'll notice, there was not one song that shook the world... But it may very well have shook a judges world... so all that says about the song is that an impresario liked it...

I can never forget reading Hammer of The Gods and thinking about the refusal of John Paul Jones to sign in blood the contract with Satan that would bring riches and fame and everything else considered a "successful" music career..

Haven't read that book, but I find that interesting since JPJ is the one member of Zep who is most clearly "signed to satan".

Have you ever seen Diamanda Galas, whom he collaborated with? I don't think I've ever seen a more demonic act in my life. She has multiple voices coming out of her when she sings.


This one, "The Litanies of Satan" will curdle your spine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Th1hLNoOjn4



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