Yet another year and for yet another year I can't get past the 30 minute mark at the Grammy's. Since I am a pop music fan, and since I have nothing against the pompous self satisfied jerks in theory, I have to conclude that it is the jingoistic bullshit as opposed to any one thing I abhor.
Rock music is not movies and a Grammy is not an Oscar. It is an irrelevance when your job is changing lives a generation at a time (at least in theory). If I was a teenager in 2013 I would consider rock and roll to almost beyond redemption, when you go deep into rock and roll you might find pockets of resistance here and there, but for the most part there is no real alternative. And nothing can shock so even when some form of resistance rears its head, it is folded into the mainstream so fast it fails to impact as an alternative.
The obvious example is Odd Future, who started as a buncha teenage boys from the L.A. slums who were causing near riots in clubs barely 18 months ago and by now have become just another posse guesting on Miley Cyrus new album.
The show opened with Taylor Swift dressed like a circus ringmaster with a bland version of "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" replete with fake English accent, a Harry Sykes reference. Really, it wasn't fun it was sad. And LL Cool J, the MC was worse. He claimed to decide to become a rapper after seeing Michael Jackson at the Grammys. Really? That was why? I don't believe it or at least I certainly hope he is lying. If he decided to become a rapper after watching the Grammys, he deserves the career he got.
Helen's fave Pitbull didn't sing bur along with J Lo handed about best Pop SOlo Performer to Adele for the ghastly and incredibly irrelevant "Set Fire To The Rain (Live)". Oh well, at least Adele didn't waste our time with a speech but if she had, Adele might have wanted to know what the hell that's all about.
Then fun. came out and I wrapped it up. I lost interest in fun. after their worn out performance late last year at Jingle Ball, and blew off their Radio City Music Hall show a coupla months ago. They look as worn out and tired as I feel looking at them. So I hit the road before I accidentally caught a Sting and Bruno Mars collaboration on an ancient Bob Marley song.
I actually went to the Grammy's in 2003 and loathed the experience. Music I might like in a different environment, I can't stand in the Grammys. Everybody should be taken out and shot for ego inflation over and above the call of self interest.