Last year, I waited till the last minute, got horribly ill and couldn't finish my blogs about the Grammy Awards - with my annual picks and predictions. In fact, for the first time in my life, I totally missed the entire broadcast altogether. Anyone who knows me knows that the four major U.S. showbusiness awards dates are almost like a national holiday for me - these next several blogs will be all about the music, which is food for my soul.This year, as always, the Grammy nominations provide a hodge podge of what the music industry sees as it's best worthy of recognition. They have gotten younger in their choices, but all in all every category has what should be there along with one or two surprises - and, of course, a few glaring omissions.
I am kicking off my Grammy coverage with two categories that I have always argued whether or not Grammy ever gets it right. Sometimes they reward an artist for career achievement here, without having to give them a vocal Grammy (ie Janet Jackson and Madonna won their first Grammy Awards in these categories), other times they go so left field one wonders who is choosing in these categories (if anyone at all). Short Form is for those videos we lay people seemingly catch on MTV, VH1, et al - Long Form is collections, concerts, documentaries with longer running times.
Best Short Form Music Video
AIN'T NO GRAVE / THE JOHNNY CASH PROJECT
Chris Milk, video director; Jennifer Heath, Aaron Koblin & Rick
Rubin, video producers [American/Universal] (Johnny Cash)
LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE (EXPLICIT VERSION)
Joseph Kahn, video director; Maryann Tanedo, video producer
[Aftermath] Eminem & Rihanna
STYLO
Pete Candeland & Jamie Hewlett, video directors; Cara Speller,
video producer
[Virgin Records] Gorillaz, Mos Def & Bobby Womack
F*** YOU
Matt Stawski, video director; Paul Bock, video producer
[Elektra] Cee Lo Green
BAD ROMANCE
Francis Lawrence, video director; Heather Heller, video producer
[Streamline/Interscope/KonLive/Cherrytree] Lady Gaga
I say it is between Lady Gaga and Cee Lo Green. First of all, let it be known I am tickled pink about F*** YOU getting some nominations. It says a lot about censorship, freedom of speech, etc. Cee Lo Green I ain't mad at ya! I love it. However, Lady Gaga simply, very simply worked the hell out of that Bad Romance video and I hope she gets the prize here. Don't count out Eminem & Rihanna (Em has the most nominations this year with 10) and everybody industry wide loves them some Johnny Cass and I wouldn't be surprised if they reward him posthumously here.
My Pick: Bad Romance - Lady Gaga
My Prediction: Bad Romance - Lady Gaga, BUT...she may be 'too popular' for Granny tastes among elder Grammy voters beaming it to Cash, or those who want to make a bold statement guiding Grammy Cee-Lo Green's way.
Best Long Form Music Video
NO DISTANCE LEFT TO RUN
Blur. Will Lovelace, Dylan Southern & Giorgio Testi, video directors;
Thomas Benski, Laura Collins & Lucas Ochoa, video producers
[Parlophone/EMI]
WHEN YOU'RE STRANGE
(The Doors). Tom Dicillo, video director; John Beug, Jeff Jampol, Peter
Jankowski & Dick Wolf, video producers [Eagle Vision]
THE GREATEST EARS IN TOWN: THE ARIF MARDIN
STORY
(Arif Mardin) Doug Biro & Joe Mardin, video directors; Doug Biro & Joe
Mardin, video producers [Nunoise Records]
RUSH: BEYOND THE LIGHTED STAGE
Rush. Sam Dunn & Scot McFadyen, video directors; Sam Dunn & Scot
McFadyen, video producers [Zoe]
UNDER GREAT WHITE NORTHERN LIGHTS
The White Stripes. Emmett Malloy, video director; Ian Montone & Mike Sarkissian,
video producers [Third Man/Warner Bros.]
A lot of history here. The Doors, Rush, Arif Mardin, White Stripes, Blur... WOW!
My pick: Arif Mardin - Gone, but not forgotten - he was such an awesome producer and this would be a nice testament to his legacy.
My prediction: The White Stripes are Grammy darlings and I just have a hunch about this one.
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Photo: Lady Gaga, from Nick Knight photo shoot, CREDIT TO THE PHOTOGRAPHER
The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards will be telecast live on Sundays, February 13 - 8pm on CBS.
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