Okey-Doke

Last post until later today - should be at the DayJob already.
I was just reading Todd Marten's LA Times blog and so let me pass this tip to you - for this or any blog, if you are reading concurrently with the event the posts make sense - if you're checking in later, scroll down to the bottom (earliest posts) and read up.

Read Up! My slango for today.

West Coast Live Grammy Blog

Here's another LA Times feature - Todd Martens did a live blog. I don't agree with his opinion of the Album of the Year Award, but it is interesting to check out another take on the event.

LA Times Photo-commentary

This is great - kind of like what I do, but done good.
Check it out.

Lights Out on the East Coast

Enjoy, you West Coasters. Don't read it until you see it. Just watch - some fun is in there. Weird to think that it is over now, but you're out there where it is just beginning - but over - and we're out here where it is over. And over. With this Scotch running through the tpypyey fingers, I don't think I'll be getting up at 5:15 for a Yoga class. Enjoy the Grammys, folks.

40 years since Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

So, that's the fade out. I'm the last one standing, it appears. Grammy is (are?) - changing with the times, I guess.
Glad that Herbie Hancock won for Album of the Year. He was overcome, and it was touching. Dave Grohl seemed to feel that he deserved his award. I'm so full of attitude, eh?

Thanks to the par-ti-cipants. You make it more of a spastic experience for me. Much Type-y to do! Especially when the Dewar's starts to kick in. Not to mention the greasy chicken-honey-blue cheese fingers.
Thanks for your posts. See you next year.

50 Grammy Will. I. Am

"Go out and vote" ? Cool.
Here's Quincy Jones (Producer of the year to Mark Ronson)
Now! Grammy for Album of the Year - And it's . . . .
Herbie! For River: The Joni Letters.
HH is overcome. 40+ years since the first-and-only Jazz artist got the Album of the Year award.
Thanks Miles, Coltrane, and says "Yes, we CAN!" (To coin a phrase, he says)
Thanking! the whole list of musicians.

Again - Fabi says . . .

". . . did you see where Keith Richard has the balls to tell Amy Winehouse anything about drugs?"
Sit back, Keith.

Little Richard!

Fabi says " Got his Prom Hair on!"
Fogarty did key in on a certain vein of Rock and Roll - I saw him with Credence in San Francisco in 1968.

Bonnie!

Going overtime - John Fogarty and the Killer - a little messy, but that's Rock 'n Roll!
Wooooo, Jerry!

Eldar!!!

Herbie likes you, buddy. Neil is talking more - is this the 'dead now' segment? Zawinul? Yikes. Hilly Kristal? Don Ho?
Porter (Cable) Waggoner? Tommy Makem and John Stewart? Ike? Oscar Peterson and Luciano?
Here's the Josh Groban/Andrea Bocelli moment. I'm 'Groban-deprived', I guess. Fabi says " I don't know why women love this shit - they do, though."

Amy -

Okay - drugs aren't always bad, but music is better, isn't it?
You looked stunned - come on back and give us more - you've got a gift.

Uh - thank you?

Mum and Dad. My incarcerated Blake. Aaaaalright, Amy!

Natalie and Tony

Tony needs better glasses. Natalie can read the card.
Record of the Year - Tony has won it, Natalie has won it.
Beyonce?
Foo?
Jay and Rhianna?
Justin?
Amy Winehouse!!!!
Record of the Year, Baby!

In a shot glass

No - No - No!
We think she's FINE!

Ms. Wine in the House!

She's bionic! And those boys are jumpin' good!
I tol' Ya I was Trouble!
REHAB! Too! She's killing me.

A couple of youngsters?

Giving the award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. Jay Z and Rhianna.
Me so Clueless. Me love you long time.

Ooooh - Gershwin!

Rhapsody in Blue. Wasn't that in the Woody Allen movie soundtrack for "Manhattan"?
I missed the name of the Asian guy playing piano with Herbie - they're crossing their hands and burning it up.

Hey, Posters . . .

We'll keep going with this for the next couple of days - don't sweat it.
Click on the 'comments' thing at the bottom of the post, and you can go anon for now if you want.

Ringo and Dave Stewart

Best Country Album - Vince Gill. Fabi likes him. "Getting an Award from a Beatle" He's a good guy. And Kanye's a sport, too.

And John Mayer

Once again - he gets props from me for being a good player.
Good Boy!

25 time winner?

Wow! Stevie - intro-ing Alicia Keyes. I agree with Bob Dylan. I don't care whose shampoo she uses - she's cool.

Keely Smith

. . . and Kid Rock? I was looking at her name the other day when I looked at 1958 Grammy Winners. Singing is good for you, apparently.
Camera panned to Bonnie Raitt in the audience - with another damn date!
Best Rock Album- oh, no - Foo Fighters beat Springsteen. I don't think so!
You've got to go through a 'cool-rehab', Dave.

Carol King and Dirk Bentley?

Here's my Feist! A few nominations for her. Mainstream from here on, Sweetie. Nice version.

You can't . . .

. . . do a mashup of the Grammys - it is a mashup already.
Josh Groban and Andrea Bocelli?

Aretha!

She's big, and we love it all! Grammys reachin' out to get me. No hair color contracts for the Queen of Soul.
Only thing is - I get distracted by this little blog thing . . .
The Clark Sisters? Probably known really well in a lot of audiences, but my first time. This is one of the things I appreciate about the show - it shows us things we've missed. Like Isreal and New Bread, too. And Trin-in-tee.
GO, Aretha.

Best Rap Album

My prediction: Kanye.
Yup. With his 'Mama' head, light-up shades, and jacket-o-light. I'll listen. He's a talented person.
Tell 'em to turn off that music, Kanye. Tell your Mama.

Brad Paisley!

"I'd like to check you for Ticks". This is a good surprise! This man can really kill us with the Telecaster. I missed who it was that intro'd him. Let me stop here to watch him 'tele' us something.

Violin Gal

She got my vote for 'genuine-ness' on that stage. Dave'll never get that.

Some years

I'm afraid to walk away from the television because I don't want to miss anything. Not sure I've got that feeling yet this year.
Sure not worried about missing the Foo Fighters.
Hey - the Good Violin Gal wins the chance to play with the Foo Fighters. Good(?) for her.
Dave Grohl was in Nirvana, right? Does that make him a God? Is he finishing out his rock and roll fantasy now?
Put it back in the small clubs, bro.

Wow - Andy is getting older

Andy Williams giving a LAW to Burt Bachrach.
Now a Song of the Year Award - it goes to Amy Winehouse for "Rehab".

I wouldn't dis . . .

. . . Beyonce so much if there wasn't so much machinery behind her. She might be talented, but this is a big thing that delivers her to our TVs. I'm ready to be corrected, if there's anyone who knows better . . .

Beyonce!!

What would the Grammys be without Beyonce? Where would Clairol be without Beyonce?
But Tina! That's another matter entirely. I love her - but it's clear we're all getting a little older.
Aerobics with Tina and Beyonce!

I promise

That I'll know when to be respectful, but I realized a few minutes ago that I needed to pour my first Dewar's and put on my 'disrespectful' glasses.
Fergie and John Legend are giving an award for 'Compilation' - it goes to George Martin. Ringo accompanies Sir George to the stage.

It was . . .

. . . uh, there's a "Tron" thing going on. Remember that movie?
Thanks Mary, I was out of the room - didn't hear that it was Kanye. He's a powerhouse. And I want those 'shades'.

Is this Darth Vader?

Heavy metal Rap? Pyro thechnical Hip-Hop? They'll be selling a lot of those Glow-in-yer-face shades.

"My Grammy Moment"?

Some gal ripping it up on a violin, now some guy (Gal was better), now a cello gal. It's a string-section throwdown. You're (we're?) voting by text message? I don't think so.
I think this show is getting to be a lot more like the things that some people have never liked about it. Big Biz.
I dunno - it is evolving with its audience. I still just hope for some electricity.

Best New Artist

Amy Winehouse - Cindy Lauper and Miley Cyrus announce.

More 'stravaganza

Let it Be - getting a good choir treatment. The choir folks look a little nonplussed, standing next to the C de S folks.

Hanks - Beatles

Sgt. Pepper's won in 1968 - 40 years ago! Yikes.
Here's an extrava-de-ganza with Cirque de Soleil. I'd like to see them do an interpretation of the Bible. Is that supposed to be John Lennon's mom whisked away in a whirlwind?

WHAT TIME IS IT?

Yes, Jimmy. Yes, Morris Day and the Time.
Joined by Rhianna - I recognize the name but haven't seen her before.
And now Tom Hanks is intro-ing The Band. Cool. Lifetime achievement award - would've liked to see them play.

Commercial break

Leads me to wonder who'll do the halftime show - The New York Giants?

Pwince!

The little Prince announcing Best Female R&B Performance noms - Alicia Keys. Oh! Of course - the babe from the opening piece. Bob Dylan said something very cool about her once - "There's nothing about that woman I don't like".

Strikes

Man - a musician's union strike would shut this show down. Write your congressman!
Here's Carrie Underwood with a 'Stomp' road company. Country ain't country anymore, eh? About my cluelessness - I should probably have known who that was in the green dress that into'd Ms. Underwood. Oh, well.

Bang!

Who's going to be the opening act? I haven't heard anything yet. Remember the Police from last year?
A message from the Chairman of the Board. He was cool. Here comes my cluelessness - who is the babe doing the duet with holo-Frank? Ouch - that dress is tight!

Pre-Game show?

I'm prowling the internet(s) ;-) looking for some kind of PreGrammy thang. Listening to Mountain Stage via WXPN in Philly.
I suppose there's a fabulous GrammyStar Expose on the "E!" channel, but I don't think I could watch the Olsen Twins or Britney Spears in any kind of context.

1 hour and 41 minutes

Just in case you were wondering.

Leaving the building

. . . to re-up on celery, Dewar's and Blue Cheese dressing. Though I doubt that I'll be allowed to dip Ellen's Fabulous Hot Wings (an improved version of the old Bayberry wings) in dumb ol' Kraft Blue Cheese dressing.
If she knows it is lurking in the background, she may be motivated to engineer her very own version. Oh, my! What will happen?

"Say something once . . ."

" . . . why say it again?" Quoting David Byrne here, friends. By way of telling you that this post pretty much sums up my feelings about the Awards and my motivation for putting us all through this. Ahhh, maybe I just put myself through it while you guys watch. Comments will be replied to and very much appreciated.
Also - I think that last year I was writing in Word and copying things into post windows. I was less familiar with blogging back then. I'm slightly more accustomed to it now, so I guess I'll be trying to work straight out of the Blogger site.
Don't look for more quality or insight - if there's a time/energy savings I'll probably use it eating and drinking.

Remindez-vous

Just a reminder to new visitors who may have managed to avoid reading blogs until recently - the new (current) posts are at the top. I know - it's weird. I have to remind myself of that when I go to check out a blog. To read really old stuff - ancient stuff from all the way back in February of 2007 - you've got to click on those little triangles up in the 'archives' block.
Thank you for letting me tell you that.

Eleven hour warning.

The wind is blowing hard from the southwest. I could avoid going outside today - there are ice cubes to be made. I could sort the cubes in the freezer, selecting the most perfect ones to use in my drink this evening while I watch the Grammy Awards.

My fabulous wife has promised to prepare gourmet chicken wings for me - none of your overspiced microwaved supermarket hot wings will be good enough for me! I'm going to be watching the Grammy Awards.

Today it is good - really, really good - to be MQMurphy.

Yes, Yes, Yes.

Show Text - from Six Degrees for Sat. Feb 9
I’ve got to overstate this right now:
To yours truly, the Grammy Awards is the Super Bowl. You’ll probably hear me say that at least a couple more times this morning. That is perhaps the main reason that I feel okay about not doing a ‘challenge’ on today’s show – the Grammys just overrides anything else that I could think of doing.
I’m going to be playing Grammy winners from the past 50 years today, along with nominees from this year’s ceremony.

I’ve been blogging about the Grammys for a couple of years now – there is a small group of people – did I say small? I mean small – who I’ve pestered with my running commentary for the last couple of years. For the record, these are family and friends and maybe the occasional geek.
Geek? Well, what else would you call someone who will be sitting there watching the Grammys on TV with a computer next to them? (Or even possibly watching TV on their computer?)
I’ll be doing that – and I’ll have my spicy chicken wings and
a readily refilled/bottomless glass of Dewar’s, too.

Funny thing is – I’m actually a little more psyched about this year’s show than I’ve been for a while. Among the nominees there are some great new artists and some really good new music.
Sad news – as of Thursday night, February 7th Amy Winehouse has been denied a visa to attend the ceremony in Los Angeles. I’m really hoping she gets well – she’s got a lot to offer us and I want her to be around for a long time. She’s nominated in several categories – Best New Artist, Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, (yeah, I know – those ****ing categories), Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best Pop Vocal Album. Whew!
Herbie Hancock is also a nominee this year, for his album "River: The Joni Letters". Album of the Year, Best Contemporary Jazz Album, Best Jazz Instrumental Solo – Herbie Hancock for “Both Sides Now” from the "River" disk.

More here later - got the day job tomorrow.

Uh-oh.

I've been wondering if the Writer's Guild strike would have an impact on the Grammy Awards show. The Golden Globes, that wonderfully entertaining champagne-fueled mid-Winter party, went down without a bubble last week. Through the magic of 'no magic', it was transformed into a non event. An article in this morning's New York Times says that the Grammy show might not be beyond the reach of these troubles.
The ripple effect of the cancellation of the Globes was well documented: restaurants, limousines, hair and make-up salons, and fashion designers all took a serious hit.
If the Grammys are cancelled - or even de-entertainmentized - there will definitely be one less serving of hot chicken wings sold in Cape May County, and a certain portion of a bottle of Dewar's will remain unconsumed.

Oh! the humanity!