http://awards.music.yahoo.com/blog/48-parental-advisory-explicit-nominee-grammys-dance-around-cee-los-hit
Parental Advisory, Explicit Nominee: Grammys Dance Around Cee Lo's Hit
Caryn Ganz
Thu, Dec 2, 2010
Since Cee Lo Green dropped his amazingly catchy -- and amazingly obscenely titled -- summer jam "F--- You," everyone from radio hosts to journalists have had a tricky time figuring out what to call the song in front of the kids and the FCC. Now the Grammys are getting in on the fun: "F--- You" picked up four nominations for the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards last night, marking the first time a song with one of the most R-rated of the Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television has had a prominent spot on music's biggest night. (Despite its name, the song is actually not sexually explicit.) Selena Gomez took the first crack at the title while revealing the nominees for Song of the Year, announcing, "The song otherwise known as 'Forget You' by Cee Lo Green." When LL Cool J and Craig Ferguson ran through the list of artists up for Record of the Year, the rapper/actor chuckled as he said the same phrase, and Ferguson added an eye-rolling, "Yeah." LL Cool J then hopped into the audience to interview Green, poking fun at the song's alternate title. "Seems like no one will be forgetting you anytime soon," he said, with a little nudge-nudge, wink-wink. "Anything you want to say? Keep it clean, keep it clean." (Green had no problem offering a profanity-free thank you.)
While the Grammys were clearly tip-toeing around a touchy issue, it's worth noting that the profane version of the tune, and not its radio-friendly edit with the extra syllable, received all the nominations (the official list of nominees on the Grammy website reads "F*** You" and not "Forget You"). It's an extra big deal considering CBS, the network that airs the Grammy Nominations Concert and the actual Grammy Awards, is particularly wary of violating the FCC's rules -- after Janet Jackson inadvertently flashed her nipple during the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show in 2004, the network faced legal action and large fines.
Perhaps because the actual music and melody of "F--- You" recall smooth soul jams from the '70s, Cee Lo's song has gotten a bit of a pop cultural pass -- and some extra love from Grammy voters who typically prefer classic sounds. When the song first emerged, news outlets enthusiastically wrote about its lyric video, which was essentially a story about nothing but the track's profane words. And Gwyneth Paltrow covered the tune -- albeit the "Forget You" version -- on a recent episode of "Glee."
The Grammys, like most major awards shows, are broadcast live with a slight delay so censors can catch any errant bursts of profanity -- like when Bono accidentally exclaimed, "[Expletive] brilliant" during the 2003 Golden Globes, which the folks in the control booth actually missed (whoops!). Last year, the Grammys' censor went on overdrive during Eminem and Lil Wayne's medley of "Forever" and "Drop the World," bleeping the songs almost to a point where they weren't recognizable. "We have great respect for artists' creative freedom, but there are certain things you can't say, or sing, on television," CBS' Chris Ender said at the time.
With that in mind, Cee Lo isn't expecting to sing "F--- You" on Grammy night. "Of course, I prefer the original. I'm an adult and I prefer adult entertainment," he told E! "But everybody will be watching the Grammys so I'll do the one that's appropriate for everyone, which is probably the cleaner one. It's just a privilege to perform either of the versions."
Showing posts with label Grammy Awards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grammy Awards. Show all posts
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Friday, February 13, 2009
Plant chooses creativity over Led Zeppelin nostalgia
http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/turn_it_up/2009/02/grammy-windfall-robert-plant-chooses-creativity-over-led-zeppelin-nostalgia.html
Grammy windfall: Robert Plant chooses creativity over Led Zeppelin nostalgia
Greg Kot
greg@gregkot.com
February 9, 2009
Robert Plant could have been doing something other than winning five Grammys on Sunday with Alison Krauss. He could’ve been out making mega-millions of dollars on tour with the surviving members of his old band, Led Zeppelin.
The opportunity was there for the taking when Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones were joined by Jason Bonham, son of the late Zep drummer, John Bonham, for a one-off London reunion gig in 2007.
That same year, Plant collaborated on “Raising Sand,” a relatively low-key yet highly adventurous album with country-pop singer Krauss. It was a risky little effort, with both Plant and Krauss working outside their comfort zones. On Sunday, it brought home a mini-avalanche of five Grammy Awards, including album of the year, topping heavy competition such as Coldplay, Radiohead and Lil Wayne.
But that kind of success couldn’t have been foreseen when the album was released. A Led Zeppelin reunion, on the other hand, would’ve been a sure thing.
Veteran artists with successful brand names (Rolling Stones, Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd) can make lots of money on the nostalgia circuit. No new music is required. It’s play the hits, and go straight to the bank. Tour promoters have been salivating for decades about the prospects of a Zeppelin reunion; many predict it would be the highest-earning rock tour of all time. But Plant has adamantly refused to go along. He has instead continued to pursue a solo career, defined by its adventurous spirit.
It is not a career arch followed by many of Plant’s peers. Presented with the option of making easy money or creating new music, most choose the money. And who can really blame them? It’s the rock-star equivalent of early retirement.
That’s why Plant’s determination to go his own way, to choose creative impulse over financial expedience, is one of the new year’s most inspiring music stories.
Plant is 60 years old. He no longer needs to prove anything to anyone, having changed the course of rock history once with Zeppelin in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Krauss, 37, has had a successful career as the violin-playing singer in Union Station, a first-rate bluegrass band that has had some crossover hits in pop and country. But “Raising Sand” finds them both breaking ground and making music that doesn’t sound quite like anything else.
Picking up where the acoustic side of the 1970 album “Led Zeppelin III” left off, “Raising Sand” burrows into the mystical side of folk and country music. Burnett proposed the project, picked the songs and assembled the band, which put an eerie 21st Century spin on 20th Century roots music.
Plant had never sung vocal harmonies before. He had always been the golden-god front man, his voice clearly the lead instrument. But on “Raising Sand,” he and Krauss blend with understatement and empathy. Plant’s wordless harmonies on “Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us” give Krauss and the song exactly what they need, and it’s a goosebump-inducing epiphany. From the shake-rattle-and-shimmy of Allen Toussant’s “Fortune Teller” to the hymn-like heartbreak of Gene Clark’s “Polly Come Home,” the performances reward close attention and rank with the best work either of these artists has done.
Rounder Records, a venerable independent label based in the Northeast, released “Raising Sand” and it has become one of its biggest hits. Its multiple nominations were old hat for Krauss, who before Sunday has already won 21 Grammy awards. But none were for a project quite this adventurous.
"We ostensibly come from such different places on the musical map," Plant said in a media conference backstage Sunday. "Alison showed me so much I never been exposed to."
That Plant is still learning new tricks is a testament to his artistry. That he’s not touring with a reunited Led Zeppelin is a sign of enduring integrity. That’s a lot of money to be passing up, even if “Raising Sand” did win five Grammys.
But Plant was having none of it. The singer again was confronted with the inevitable question Sunday about his future involvement in any Zeppelin tour.
"How old are you, man?" Plant responded. "Because you look older than me. You try to do 'Communication Breakdown' in these pants."
Grammy windfall: Robert Plant chooses creativity over Led Zeppelin nostalgia
Greg Kot
greg@gregkot.com
February 9, 2009
Robert Plant could have been doing something other than winning five Grammys on Sunday with Alison Krauss. He could’ve been out making mega-millions of dollars on tour with the surviving members of his old band, Led Zeppelin.
The opportunity was there for the taking when Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones were joined by Jason Bonham, son of the late Zep drummer, John Bonham, for a one-off London reunion gig in 2007.
That same year, Plant collaborated on “Raising Sand,” a relatively low-key yet highly adventurous album with country-pop singer Krauss. It was a risky little effort, with both Plant and Krauss working outside their comfort zones. On Sunday, it brought home a mini-avalanche of five Grammy Awards, including album of the year, topping heavy competition such as Coldplay, Radiohead and Lil Wayne.
But that kind of success couldn’t have been foreseen when the album was released. A Led Zeppelin reunion, on the other hand, would’ve been a sure thing.
Veteran artists with successful brand names (Rolling Stones, Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd) can make lots of money on the nostalgia circuit. No new music is required. It’s play the hits, and go straight to the bank. Tour promoters have been salivating for decades about the prospects of a Zeppelin reunion; many predict it would be the highest-earning rock tour of all time. But Plant has adamantly refused to go along. He has instead continued to pursue a solo career, defined by its adventurous spirit.
It is not a career arch followed by many of Plant’s peers. Presented with the option of making easy money or creating new music, most choose the money. And who can really blame them? It’s the rock-star equivalent of early retirement.
That’s why Plant’s determination to go his own way, to choose creative impulse over financial expedience, is one of the new year’s most inspiring music stories.
Plant is 60 years old. He no longer needs to prove anything to anyone, having changed the course of rock history once with Zeppelin in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Krauss, 37, has had a successful career as the violin-playing singer in Union Station, a first-rate bluegrass band that has had some crossover hits in pop and country. But “Raising Sand” finds them both breaking ground and making music that doesn’t sound quite like anything else.
Picking up where the acoustic side of the 1970 album “Led Zeppelin III” left off, “Raising Sand” burrows into the mystical side of folk and country music. Burnett proposed the project, picked the songs and assembled the band, which put an eerie 21st Century spin on 20th Century roots music.
Plant had never sung vocal harmonies before. He had always been the golden-god front man, his voice clearly the lead instrument. But on “Raising Sand,” he and Krauss blend with understatement and empathy. Plant’s wordless harmonies on “Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us” give Krauss and the song exactly what they need, and it’s a goosebump-inducing epiphany. From the shake-rattle-and-shimmy of Allen Toussant’s “Fortune Teller” to the hymn-like heartbreak of Gene Clark’s “Polly Come Home,” the performances reward close attention and rank with the best work either of these artists has done.
Rounder Records, a venerable independent label based in the Northeast, released “Raising Sand” and it has become one of its biggest hits. Its multiple nominations were old hat for Krauss, who before Sunday has already won 21 Grammy awards. But none were for a project quite this adventurous.
"We ostensibly come from such different places on the musical map," Plant said in a media conference backstage Sunday. "Alison showed me so much I never been exposed to."
That Plant is still learning new tricks is a testament to his artistry. That he’s not touring with a reunited Led Zeppelin is a sign of enduring integrity. That’s a lot of money to be passing up, even if “Raising Sand” did win five Grammys.
But Plant was having none of it. The singer again was confronted with the inevitable question Sunday about his future involvement in any Zeppelin tour.
"How old are you, man?" Plant responded. "Because you look older than me. You try to do 'Communication Breakdown' in these pants."
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Cheech and Chong reunite
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gem7LeFMnrjpvxGgY0j34fueNbQgD928FAV83Cheech and Chong reunite as feud goes up in smoke
By EDWIN TAMARA
7-30-8
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Their feud finally having gone up in smoke, Cheech and Chong say they're eager to get back on the road for their first comedy tour in more than 25 years.
"We had such a legacy, such a history. We couldn't escape it, even if we tried," Tommy Chong told reporters at a news conference Wednesday at the Troubadour, the Los Angeles nightclub where the pair were discovered more than 35 years ago.
The duo said their "Light Up America" tour will kick off Sept. 12 in Philadelphia.
"It's going to be very theatrical," said Cheech Marin.
If Wednesday's news conference was an indication, it won't spare the pothead humor, either.
"We're definitely still smoking," Chong said when asked.
"I get transfusions now," quipped Marin.
"I like the taste," Chong said. "I'm old fashioned."
Marin told AP Radio earlier this month that he and the 70-year-old Chong had recently decided that if ever they were to reunite the time was now because, "You're not getting any younger and neither am I."
They tossed around some ideas and figured a comedy tour would be "the most fun" and "the least hassle," the 62-year-old Marin said.
Marin and Chong, who broke up amid creative differences, have tried to reunite before, but have always fought too much.
"It takes about three minutes for that to happen, Marin said. "There's this veiled hatred." But he added: "We've kind of resolved that."
During their original run, Marin and Chong released nine comedy albums between 1972 and 1985, were nominated for four Grammy Awards and won one. They also starred in eight feature films, almost always portraying a pair of comical stoners.
"We've gotten to the age where we don't feel like fighting anymore," Marin said, "because the end is a lot closer than the beginning."
Associated Press writers Michael Weinfeld in Washington and John Rogers in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
On the Net:
http://www.cheechandchong.com/
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Strike writers to spare Grammys from picketing
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/22/AR2008012202474.html
Strike writers to spare Grammys from picketing
By Steve Gorman
Reuters
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The union for striking Hollywood screenwriters said on Tuesday it had decided to spare next month's Grammy Awards from picketing that could dampen the recording industry's highest honors.
The announcement by the Writers Guild of America marked a surprise reversal from the union's previous stance that it would likely picket the Grammy show, slated for a live telecast on February 10 from the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles.
Writers Guild leaders said the decision, approved by the WGA's governing board, was "made on behalf of our brothers and sisters" in two unions that represent musical performers and had sought a strike "waiver" for the Grammys.
The move was welcomed by those unions, as well as by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, which sponsors the Grammys, and CBS, which will carry the telecast.
"We are gratified that the 50th annual Grammy Awards will focus solely on the great music, artists and charitable work resulting from our show," academy spokesman Neil Portnow said.
The Writers Guild has been using the threat of picketing of major entertainment awards venues to draw attention to its cause and to press major film and TV studios to renew negotiations aimed at settling the union's 11-week-old strike.
The Grammy decision came as the WGA and studios announced they would open "informal discussions" on Wednesday aimed at paving the way for a resumption of official contract talks that collapsed on December 7. The two sides have not met since then.
In giving the Grammys a pass, the striking writers cleared the way for the show to go on without the spectacle of stars having to cross picket lines. It was not clear whether union writers would still be barred from working on the show.
A number of high-profile Grammy nominees this year, including Justin Timberlake, Beyonce and Alicia Keys, are also members of the WGA's sister union for TV and movie performers, the Screen Actors Guild.
It was the threat of an awards boycott by SAG members that derailed the Golden Globe Awards earlier this month, forcing organizers to scrap their traditional gala event in favor of a bare-bones news conference to announce winners.
But with the principal talent unions for recording stars poised to openly break ranks with the Writers Guild and SAG, it was doubtful a Grammy boycott would have gathered much steam. Beyonce's father and manager last week issued a statement saying she planned to participate in the music awards.
The prospect of WGA picketing still hangs over the film industry's most prestigious honors, the Oscars, whose organizers vow to go on with some form of their ceremony as scheduled on February 24.
(Editing by Dan Whitcomb and David Wiessler)
Strike writers to spare Grammys from picketing
By Steve Gorman
Reuters
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The union for striking Hollywood screenwriters said on Tuesday it had decided to spare next month's Grammy Awards from picketing that could dampen the recording industry's highest honors.
The announcement by the Writers Guild of America marked a surprise reversal from the union's previous stance that it would likely picket the Grammy show, slated for a live telecast on February 10 from the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles.
Writers Guild leaders said the decision, approved by the WGA's governing board, was "made on behalf of our brothers and sisters" in two unions that represent musical performers and had sought a strike "waiver" for the Grammys.
The move was welcomed by those unions, as well as by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, which sponsors the Grammys, and CBS, which will carry the telecast.
"We are gratified that the 50th annual Grammy Awards will focus solely on the great music, artists and charitable work resulting from our show," academy spokesman Neil Portnow said.
The Writers Guild has been using the threat of picketing of major entertainment awards venues to draw attention to its cause and to press major film and TV studios to renew negotiations aimed at settling the union's 11-week-old strike.
The Grammy decision came as the WGA and studios announced they would open "informal discussions" on Wednesday aimed at paving the way for a resumption of official contract talks that collapsed on December 7. The two sides have not met since then.
In giving the Grammys a pass, the striking writers cleared the way for the show to go on without the spectacle of stars having to cross picket lines. It was not clear whether union writers would still be barred from working on the show.
A number of high-profile Grammy nominees this year, including Justin Timberlake, Beyonce and Alicia Keys, are also members of the WGA's sister union for TV and movie performers, the Screen Actors Guild.
It was the threat of an awards boycott by SAG members that derailed the Golden Globe Awards earlier this month, forcing organizers to scrap their traditional gala event in favor of a bare-bones news conference to announce winners.
But with the principal talent unions for recording stars poised to openly break ranks with the Writers Guild and SAG, it was doubtful a Grammy boycott would have gathered much steam. Beyonce's father and manager last week issued a statement saying she planned to participate in the music awards.
The prospect of WGA picketing still hangs over the film industry's most prestigious honors, the Oscars, whose organizers vow to go on with some form of their ceremony as scheduled on February 24.
(Editing by Dan Whitcomb and David Wiessler)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
