[HANASHIR:13614] Re: What About Musical Fairness?

[jbielan <jbielan...>]

Hi,
Gotta go, but couldn't pass up the opportunity to respond to your response.

1) This year's Grammys DO reflect a lot of what's selling.  Look at
Billboard's charts. Despite the fact that Bruce didn't win for Album of the
Year (only Rock album of the year - <I'd certainly settle for that... but
that's another topic..>), and despite the fact that the Grammys have often
in the past not reflected much of what was going on in music - do the
numbers.  Count how many millions these folks are selling.   I agree: the
Grammys have often rendered themselves irrelevant because of their glaring
ommisions of gifted artists.  My quarrel is not with the Grammy Show itself
(which looks more and more like "Star Search") - but bemoans the overall
industry as a whole.  As stated - especially the absence of Jewish music.

2) The fact that Marvin, Brian Wilson or any of the others you listed never
won a Grammy has nothing to do with my point.  All you've gotta do is turn
on MTV and do a reality check on the state of contemporary music.  And I beg
to differ... folks with whom I used to work at Motown ARE sickened by much
of what they hear.

In addition, they are constantly getting ripped-off, their recordings
sampled without any remuneration whatsoever,
their income stolen by internet downloading (a whole other topic which I
wouldn't want to get into).

Gotta get to work - let anyone else take the torch now.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <sholom (at) aishdas(dot)org>
To: <hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org>
Sent: Monday, February 24, 2003 10:17 AM
Subject: [HANASHIR:13613] Re: What About Musical Fairness?


> > As I watched the Grammy Awards last night, I often felt like someone
> > should be saying Kaddish for the music industry.
> >
> > I've always prided myself on trying to keep aware of contemporary
> > musical trends
>
> > As I watched the Grammy Awards last night, I often felt like someone
> > should be saying Kaddish for the music industry.
> >
> > I've always prided myself on trying to keep aware of contemporary
> > musical trends
>
> But why do you think that the Grammy's have much to do with contemporary
> musical trends?
>
> >the original
> >Temptations and Marvin Gaye must be rolling over in their graves.
>
> Naah, they never won a Grammy.
>
> Look who else has never won a Grammy for an album or a song:
>
> The Grateful Dead, The Beach Boys, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Neil Young,
> The Who, Buddy Holly, Creedence Cleerwater Revival, Bob Marley, Jimi
> Hendrix,
> The Talking Heads, Sly and The Family Stone, Temptations, Diana Ross,
> Chuck Berry, Jackson Browne, Byrds, Sam Cooke, Elvis Costello, Four Tops,
> Supremes...
>
> (Some of the above won for lifetime achievements -- well after their
> careers had taken a nosedive).
>
> Pink Floyd didn't win until 1994 when they took home one for Best Rock
> Instrumental. The song was "Marooned." Forget about The Wall. Forget about
> Dark Side of The Moon (on the charts for a record 700+ weeks!). Forget
> about Wish You Were Here, Animals, Meddle . . .  They won for "Marooned!!"
> What album was that off of again?
>
> The only Grammys Elvis Presley ever won were for albums in the religious
> categories!
>
> The Allman Brothers Band, who were a pioneering Jam Band since 1969,
> finally took home one Grammy in 1995 for "Jessica" - a song originally
> recorded for the album Brothers And Sisters...in 1973!!
>
> The Rolling Stones didn't win until 1994!!! The honor? Best Rock Album for
> Voodoo Lounge!  Clearly their best and a groundbreaking album (not!).
> (OK, they did get a Lifetime Acheivement award in 1986 -- but nothing
> previous to that.  Tell me how _that_ can happen?)  Steely Dan first won
> in 2001!
>
> Bob Dylan -- who singlehandedly revolutionized pop music in the 1960's and
> 1970's with such landmark albums as Highway 61 Revisited, Blonde on
> Blonde, Blood on the Tracks -- won a Lifetime Achievement in the 1990's --
> but for nothing before that.
>
> I have to conclude that the Grammy's have only little to do with the real
> music scene.
>
> -- Sholom
>
>
>
>


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