Even when you expect the worst, the Grammy Awards show surpasses anything you could possibly imagine. It’s hard to know where to begin with a menu this egregious, but I’ll just jump in with Lady Gaga.
Once I heard she was chosen for a David Bowie tribute, I braced myself. She would turn it into an awful showcase for her androgynous mugging and strut around like a Vegas act for people who vaguely recall Ziggy Stardust. Check, check. But it was so much worse.
Even David Bowie’s son couldn’t contain himself and tweeted in exasperation. Please go away, Lady Gaga. You’ve already tainted poor Tony Bennett, your work was done long ago.
Now for Taylor Swift. Her performance of that awful song with woods and wolves was all about her sparkly unitard and scrawny giraffe-like physique. Her come-hither gazes into the camera were disturbing enough to make my stoic husband recoil. Where is that washed-out fake country girl we used to not love? Can she come back? I am begging.
Then, when Taylor won her award, she began, “As the only woman to win two Album of the year awards…” as though accepting the Nobel Prize for discovering the Time Space Continuum. She went on to urge girls to own their success, evidently a coded message to Kanye West to stop fucking with her. As if!
Kendrick Lamar or Lamar Kendrick performed a gripping rap that made one aware of how corrosive racism is in America and I’m being perfectly serious. He is to Kanye as Richard Pryor is to Kevin Hart. I think. Because I may be too white for any of this.
Demi Lovato sang something very loudly but I like her for her struggles with mental health issues and her great eyebrows.
On the Cute Guy front, we had the always dreamy John Legend, Dave Grohl looking fresh and eager, Miguel and Bruno Mars easily making up for their diminutive stature (or statures plural) with great style. Justin Bieber was also kind of hot, in a clueless rent-boy sort of way.
If like me, you were waiting for Adele to come out and justify the whole torture-fest, you were stunned and baffled nearly to tears. WHAT HAPPENED TO HER PERFECT VOICE?! We cringed at the bad notes, wondering if our last beacon of hope for pop music has suddenly gone dark.
However, it seems that technical difficulties, like a mic falling into the piano, had fucked her up. This makes sense. I am going to accept this explanation and cling to it for dear life. We’re counting on you, Adele. Don’t leave us alone in the wilderness of auto-tuned screeching and jazz hands!
Finally, the debut of Johnny Depp‘s band, the Something Vampires, featuring Joe Perry and Alice Cooper and also Duff Something from Guns And Roses.
I wondered what millennials thought of this stupid throwback attempt at hard rock at it’s most posturing and pointless. Why can’t these guys indulge themselves in their home studios and leave us out of it? For anyone still on-board with Johnny Depp, jump. Even if there’s no lifeboat.
Where is Madonna when you need someone to roll around on a bed or just trip on a cape?
If it gets any worse, I will have to watch the Grammys blindfolded, with earplugs.
Okay. What did I forget?
Have to admit I didn’t watch (we’ve cut the cord, and I didn’t feel like using up a favor by watching it at a friends), but it certainly did sound ghastly.
As for poor Adele, I’m afraid that her style of singing, without a lot more technique than I’ve ever seen her display, pretty much guarantees a short shelf-life for her voice. Tony Bennett may not have the best track record in singing partners lately, but there’s a reason he’s still sounding so great – it’s all about how you treat the throat. Unless she gets some decent coaching and takes it seriously, fast, Adele may not make it to 30, vocally.
“and also Duff Something from Guns And Roses.”
Eh? What? Was I there? Can’t remember! Must have smoked something funny. And who or what are “Guns and Roses”? It’s nearly 60 years since I last carried a gun and I hate gardening.
Sometimes you confuse me, Big Sis!
Try Alabama Shakes. They invoke a feeling that few can offer us listeners in this time period.
My girl who is 10 is all about the Tay Tay and biebs and the rest. It hurts my heart. This is the girl that I danced in the living room to Aretha with. The one that was lulled to sleep by dylan, Simon and Garfunkel and jammed out to Janis and hendrix in the car.
I tried.
Dave Grohl, yes all the way!!!
I absolutely loathe this culture.
The ratings for the Grammy’s dropped to a seven year low…I wonder why.
All these bland faced narcissists can’t hold anyone’s attention but their own.
Wow…that took a bit of effort to get posted. Apparently 9-8=I’m human.
Thank you.