2/09/2009

Random Grammy Notes

This is what caught our attention last night:

- That chubby British chick got Best New Artist. Good for her.

- Radiohead were actually at the Grammy ceremony. And performed, too. Strange days, indeed.

- So many cringe-inducing bad jokes from the presenters. A word to the wise: comedy is dangerous; leave it to the professionals.

- Kickin' it old school: Neil Diamond's performance of "Sweet Caroline" met with the approval of many of the hip-hop world in attendance; they were unmoved by Paul McCartney's rendition of the early Beatles classic "I Saw Her Standing There", though. Maybe they're Red Sox fans.

- Speaking of "I Saw Her Standing There", Dave Grohl was inexplicably unimpressive behind the kit. Dave, how hard can it be? Ringo used to play this, you know?

- Keith Urban is a mean guitarist. Didn't know he could offer up some tasty soul/blues/jazz licks.

- The Bo Diddley tribute--featuring Buddy Guy, BB King, John Mayer, and the aforementioned Urban, backed by a grooving rhythm section--was the best thing we saw all night.

- The new U2 song is just OK.

- Pregnant artists should be preparing for birth not prancing around on stage on their due date.

- Robert Plant--alongside Alison Krauss, who has 26 of 'em--won his first Grammy ever. (Led Zeppelin got a Lifetime Achievement nod in 2005.)

- Kanye West is an ass.

- Did not know President Obama has won two Grammys. (For the audio versions of each of his two books.) A Grammy winner in the White House. Now, there's a first.