Brookswords

Record Of The Year

I like the music of the troubled songstress Amy Winehouse, with her retro sound and appearance. Her ginormous Ronettes-style beehive and cleopatra eyeliner brings me right back; after all, I was into retro when it was 'now-tro'. I was piqued a couple years ago when she cancelled a gig I'd bought tickets for. But I was bowled over by her string of awards at last year's Grammys. Her beatific rapture upon winning Record of the Year for 
'Rehab' was best described by TV critic Mary McNamara in the next day's LA Times--as she put it, Amy had, upon winning the award, 'the look of fearful joy on her face -- like a beehived Christian mystic catching a glimpse of the risen Christ'.  And, also in the LA Times, music critic Ann Powers said Winehouse was 'the most exciting performer of the evening. Her desperation to do well was palpably human, and her delivery was a gamble -- a harder push, and a more electric one, than you usually see during a staged event like the Grammys.'  But the best take was by  Judy Rosen in Slate: 'Doubtless many viewers had tuned in to witness the latest chapter in the drama—another disastrous performance, or, if things went well, a tear-jerking moment of redemption. What they saw was something more banal, and more uplifting: a professional.'  The entire article is just as perceptive.   

Here's a clip of Winehouse, live via satellite from London, during the Grammys last year; you'll see the professional at work, followed by her stunned reaction upon receiving Record of the Year. I've read she's doing better these days since, contrary to the song, she finally did wind up going ...to rehab.

What Time Is It?

Last summer at Sunset Junction I saw one of the most entertaining performances I'd ever seen, by Morris Day & The Time, so it was a real kick to see them show up at this year's Grammy Awards and duet with a new sensation, Rihanna.

From MTV's website: As the Grammy Awards progressed on Sunday night, one man was making headlines of his own backstage: the Time's Morris Day. Since the Time are noted for their cool ("Cool" is also the name of one of their best songs), he talked about how some of today's artists measure up.

"I don't see Kanye as being cool — very talented, but not cool."

Chris Brown? "He's very hyper, but talented. Give him about 10 years and we'll see. There are some cool people out there. I think Snoop is cool. Puffy's cool. It's embodiment — it's gotta be in you. I'm so cool that even when I'm sweating, it's a cold sweat."

After noting how impressed he was with his own group's performance, Day continued: "I don't know if you were able to watch [our set] because you were too busy eating sandwiches and potato chips, but we had a good time," he told reporters with a laugh. "I still do the dance moves every day, I just happened to do it on the Grammy stage tonight."

When asked if he spoke with longtime friend and foil Prince backstage, Day answered, "I asked him, 'How's the family?' ... He didn't say nothing." (Day and Prince are old friends and rivals — Day split from Prince's camp not long after the blockbuster success of 1984's "Purple Rain," but reunited for 1990's "Graffiti Bridge" and the Time have opened for Prince at several shows in recent years.) Asked if he was going to kick it with Prince backstage, he replied: "Am I interested in kicking him backstage?"

At the right, Morris Day & the Time at Sunset Junction.  Then watch a clip of Morris Day teaching Rihanna a few lessons in showmanship.  After watching it, you may begin to understand why, one hot summer night on the streets of Silverlake, throngs of concert goers were chanting 'o--ee--o--ee--o'.