This isn t a slight against the Dixie Chicks."Taking the Long Way" is a fair enough album from a trio of good musicians with great harmonies who get some superb songwriters behind them. They should be applauded for finally helping to pen their own tracks as singer Natalie Maines did for the latest release, and maybe all it took was some inspiration.
There certainly was no shortage of it; Maines ran her yap in 2003 about being ashamed President Bush was from the Chicks home state of Texas, a putdown that sat none to well with the conservatives in the South, who pretty much cut the band off. Backlash was heavy-handed, and undeserved, with the notoriously prickly Nashville establishment keeping the band s music off the airwaves. It also turned into some sort of misguided rallying cry for free speech from people who didn t even really like country music.
While commendation should be given for being able to survive vicious attacks in the past few years, let s not overdo it. Although overdoing it seemed to run in tandem with the theme of the Grammys, at one point it seemed to have morphed into the Country Music Awards; without even involving the Dixie Chicks. In a weird, nearly half-hour portion of the telecast, LeAnn Rimes, Rascal Flatts, Reba McEntire and Carrie Underwood turned the Staples Center into the Grand Ole Oprey.
Inexplicably, with the recent death of James Brown, the Recording Academy decided to launch a massive tribute -- to The Eagles.Yes, that band of 70s excess, massive egos and pink champagne on ice were paid homage with three of its songs performed by Rascal Flatts and Carrie Underwood. Hearing "Hotel California" (right up there with Stairway to Heaven" as songs to never be played again -- by anyone), "Desperado" (see "Hotel California"), and "Life in the Fast Lane" had me wondering if Glenn Frey had died.
Rascal Flatts singer Gary LeVox looked like a former jock five years removed from high school that aged badly but still kept the same wardrobe and lame haircut. And it figures that when he wasn t singing, dude kept busy by playing an artful combination of air guitar and air drums. Certainly more deserving of recognition would ve been the Godfather of Soul, who was honored admirably by Christina Aguilera belting out "It s a Man s World," a quick dance by Chris Brown, and one final cape draping by Danny Ray.
It wasn t near enough; not for a man who defined a genre, epitomized persona and influenced countless acts across the musical universe. The most unbelievable part? Prince was in the house and wasn t utilized -- unless you count his three-word introduction to Beyonce s performance.
Just one week removed from his blistering Super Bowl performance that people are still talking about, the Grammys sat him down when he could ve very well torn up the stage in the tradition of "Soul Brother Number One." That s not to say the show was all bad, it did have its moments. As expected, The Police opened the show with much fanfare.
Sting began the performance by exclaiming "We are The Police and we are back!" which induced as much pandemonium as could be expected from the music industry stiffs in the crowd.Plodding though a still to be perfected version of "Roxanne," just seeing the three together again was spellbinding.
The old-school Police logo emblazoned across Stewart Copeland s bass drum, not seen since 1986, was downright chill inducing. But again, how does a reunited Police get just under four minutes when a needless and uninspired collaboration between Corinne Bailey Rae, John Mayer and John Legend gets almost 15? It seemed too easy to think event organizers would be so predictable in starting off with such a bang only to go quickly downhill; there had to be something else of merit, some sort of surprise -- right?
Unfortunately, the answer in the negative was clear before Mayer made his first creepily contorted facial expression while hitting notes on his guitar. Speaking of awards, The Dixie Chicks and the evening s other big winner, Mary J. Blige, had nothing on one man; Rick Rubin.
He won a total of five Grammys, Producer of the Year being the big one, but also for his work on Album, Record, Country Album and Rock Album of the Year.In total, he ended up having a hand in a total of 10 award wins from Country to Metal. Rubin s niche is that he has no niche.
He co-founded Def Jam records in the early 80s, providing a starting point for Run DMC and the Beastie Boys. He founded Def American (which later morphed into American Recordings), and produced artists from Neil Diamond to Jay-Z to Slayer.He s currently working with Metallica on what many are considering the band s last chance a relevancy.
. And at the Grammys, not to get all John Lennon, but Rubin seemed bigger than Jesus Christ this year. Save for a few multiple shout outs to the Lord and Savior by Blige, for the first time possibly in the show s 49 year history, God was out-thanked by a lesser being.
From the Dixie Chicks to The Red Hot Chili Peppers; and even presenter Don Henley, Rubin was praised, lauded and congratulated as the man of the night -- and he wasn t even in attendance! It s fitting that on a night when the Recording Academy confirmed it just can t find a groove; the biggest winner doesn t even show.Next year is the golden anniversary of the Grammys, and with a whole year to prepare, organizers should do us all a favor and try to get it right.
* Tyrese with Luke Q and Stixx at the TLA March 5. * G3 w/ Joe Satriani, John Petrucci and Paul Gilbert at the Tower Theatre April 7. * Fall Out Boy with +44, The Academy Is, Paul Wall and Cobra Starship at the Tweeter Center June 1.
* Roger Waters at the Wachovia Center June 1.
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