Update: Grammys-what does it mean to Metal/Prog?

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Hello MMA members,

There is somethng that has been bugging me for years, and now the boiling point has

exploded and I've had enough . . .

"...The Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, as part of an exhibit titled Hip-Hop: A Cultural Odyssey.

The first major exhibit to explore hip-hop�s history debuts February
5 with a Special Media Preview Day during Grammy Week. The exhibit will
run until May 4, 2011".

Hasn't Heavy Metal, and especially Progressive Rock, been around longer than this form

of R&B?  As I remember, "Rapping" was invented in 1975(?).  And that is- as a clear

definition of the rhyming of words in a beat/melody ("Riffing") as a "Genre" of Music.

(Info Edit):

Wiki on Rap:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapping

on Hip-Hop:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip_hop_music

Preface.

Now before anyone accuses me of being a narrow minded music lover . . .

I grew-up with a variety of music that I could be accused by the cliche'd Metal Head

as "Youre not a Metalhead if you listen to that" (well, in true Metalhead fashion, I'd

just say "Fuck Off"), and "That" is whatever Hits were in the 1960's of the British

Invasion, American 1 hit wonders, to the Beatles, Beach Boys and Rockers like the

Who and Cream to the "Crooners" of the 40's thru the 60's and R&B of the mid 60's

and up till the late 70's, including Country till the 80's, and The Alternative/New Wave

and Contemporary Vocalists, Jazz/Fusion, Blues, Classical and Soundtrack Scoring.

And whatever exists in-between.  My knowledge of Rap/Hip-hop is almost non-

existant, but what I've heard from "Trickey" is refreshing and a bit more musical than

what I've heard most . . .

But I'm open to anything and always willing to explore.

But Rock, Metal and Progressive Rock seems to fill me with what I want and what I

come to enjoy because of its diversity and willingness to break bounderies and

challenge the senses.

(I will expound on my "Musical up-bringing" after a few replies have been posted

from all of you).

Grammy's lack of.

I have been super angry at the Grammy's for decades, they supposedly want to

educate many about what they represent in the Music Community, but fail time and

time again to have realistic catagories for the Genre's (thats plural) of Metal and

Progressive Rock.  Yet look at how many "Sub-genre's" for Rap, Hip-hop and

R&B their are, again-with exception of R&B, Rap/Hip-Hop is a relatively a young form

of music (let me make clear-as a "Genre", not of its History, we can go back to Jazz

and Blues for its contribution to Rock and Roll as well), but it seems its more about

"Popularity" than an education
of any musics to be looked into, either by an educated

representation,
by a "scholar" or at-least taking the time to find educated Judges who

make the decisions of picking the "Best" representations of musics that are the Best

of the given Year.

Not just what is popular, but make a great musical statement of the Art, the

musicianship.

I expound on this in a Roadrunner Newsletter about their "Nominee's" from the

Grammy's (And... How ironic that "only" their label of Bands have been nominated,

can anyone say "Payola" or someone has some "Pull" inside the lobby).

My anger comes from many sources, the over popularity of "Simple Music" being

heard and force-fed through Super Markets, where you work, the TV Commercials

and the "Hits" that seem to be created with a mind/influence to become a "Theme"

to TV Commercials (hear the song, buy the product AND the 1 hit wonder, everyone

wins attitude).  I hate it, its like hearing constant jack-hammers outside your window

when you just want to sleep.

I'm not here to "convert" every kid, elderly person, afro american (please, don't be

offended by that, Blues music and Jazz-2 forms of music invented by Black

Americans are mostly enjoyed around the world by anglo/caucasions, go figure.

But I have yet to see "Kings X" nominated; or was "Thin Lizzy" ever nominated?)

or Mom washing the dishes - to listen-to Death Metal and Avant Garde Prog. I just

want a "Fair" representation of these 2 forms of music and their sub-genres to be

included in the psychi/conciousness of anyone who loves music, yet-can still be

surprised their is more to just the Radio, that their are people willing to spend their

time and efforts to create Art for art-sakes, with very little accolades, money and

virtually NO Radio-play, no Hits and no possibility of a Big Label to back them or

offer a long-term contract. . . . all the while they work a shitty 9 to 5 job.

They do it because its a challenge, their souls compell them to create without

bounderies or rules.  In anger, passion, love, musicianship, to tell a story and to

just write an idea and perform it.

So go here to see who Roadrunner gushes about:

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/news/Roadrunner-at-the-Grammys-And-the-Nominees-Are-22470.aspx

And I leave  the "only" comment unfortunately (back in 12/7/2010) below it, that

reads:

Whoopie Fuckin' Doo . . .

What the hell has the Grammy's meant to any Metal or Progressive

Rock Band . . . 0.

Metal and Prog was never about Hit Singles or being tailor made

for TV commercials and hear the same 10 performers 7 times a

day on some Top40 Radio and getting inundated by gossip about

who did what on the Red Carpet on Entertainment Tonight.

Some so-called "judge" got their Grandson whose into Emo Bands

to pick a few Metal names because he heard some of the "Metal

Kids" talking about them, or some Old man (I'm an old fart too)

who just opened a book and put his finger down and picked a name.

Can ANYONE tell me what the fuck is "Best Metal Performance"?

How about "Album"!!! Its Metal and Progressive Rock that gives a

damn about creating a Record, not the fucking Top40 crap that a

Best Album is based solely on a Top Charted Single.

Go checkout the "Lists" of nomination categories (Sub-genres)

for Country, R&B and Rap:

http://www.grammy.com/nominees

Yet again our music is not taken seriously by the Industry, yet

we have the most diverse and truly "International" of all musics.

But no-one is speaking out.

I am assuming that Best Metal Performance is their way of saying

Metal/Underground musics write a few good songs and the rest is

filler. If Best Metal Performance means that these musics are

for only a live performance, then why are "Debut release songs" 

(Top 40/Pop Artists) nominated and not a random B-side?

In-otherwords its a throw
away catagory because who cares about

Metal but young kids that
know nothing about music, no-one likes

this noisy shit anyway... (Metal and Prog don't make "Hits", so how

can we judge them as a Band or a viable Music?  Its must be not

that popular).

In-turn, that makes any Progressive Rock/Metal the bottom of the

barrel of music because what is "Progressive" anyway? Oh that

over the top, pompous pretentious stuff. Well these bands aren't

pretending to be anything but excellent musicians using all their

knowledge of music to the best of their abilities.

Does that mean that "Classical Music" is pompous and

pretentious too? But what we hear are things like "Lady Gaga

was classically trained...", well I dont hear it in her muzak.

I hear it (and Jazz) in Alicia Keys music, and she writes and

performs her music on Piano, same with Norah Jones, Tori Amos.

Lady Gag has gotten where she is for her "personna", her "facade"

not the music, its as if she invented Disco, well it still sucks.

The closest thing we get is "Best Rock Instrumental

Performance", but only Dweezil Zappa is note-worthy this time

around and Jeff Beck gets nominated every year as if he was the

only Solo Guitarist on the Planet (Everyone knows his name and

history, thats why).

Its awesome that Maiden is nominated, but I really think they

were picked by someone who knows nothing about their music

so lets nominate them on a Single and their new album that just

came out. I seriously doubt Maiden will show-up unless they

were asked to play . . . yeah that'll happen.

Their were so-many other Metal "Albums" that were exceptional

to be on a list with them. But they're just too Underground.

But its quite a miracle to see Porcupine Tree nominated, but

look at the category, "Best Surround Sound".

I want to see Porky Tree "perform" on the Show and scare all the

audience in what well-crafted music really sounds like.

Then later after everyone is waving their hands back and forth

with the latest Pop Rap idiot, completely make them shit in their

pants when Meshuggah comes out and plays "Obzen" (No applause,

and Cameras show various celebs with their mouths agape).

I figure if you are a Celeb or a Performer and you show up at the

Ceremony, you must have a musical knowledge that could fill a

matchbox.

The Judges of these awards have never known the genre of Metal

and Prog, and the Organization is more to blame because they

never thought of filling this gap in Music, finding people

that care about these Genres and their sub-genres.

Wheres "Best Thrash Album", "Best Death Metal", "Best Prog

Rock", "Best Prog Metal", "Best Heavy Metal", "Best Hard

Rock", "Best Rock/Metal Guitar Album"? . . . Metal and Prog

make entire albums, thats what matters.

How about Best Recorded Metal and Prog Album, Best Sound

Engineering for Metal/Prog?

We could go on about sub-categories and other sub-genres but

the above would be a start.

And I would not want to see these categories "Were judged

earlier today...", they should be a part of the regular show and

serve as a way to Educate anyone who is looking for new,

challenging music, or bored with what Radio has to offer and

try something out of the norm.

There are Hundreds, maybe Thousands of Bands in Metal and

Prog worthy of Best Album and Record of the Year (uh, whats

the difference?) and no-one seems to be speaking out for our

music which astounds me every year, I'm guessing Labels

cant speakout because that would be "selling/coaxing" their

music to the Grammy's and they need an un-biased panel.

And as I understand, if "we" wanted to be added as a Judge,

we
have to had been in the Recording Industry in somesort of

capacity.

I've done 4 published Album Covers/Layouts so I hope to get

some time to look into this, but I'm not the only one I'm sure, we

need strength in numbers and more people need to speakout

instead of being the cliched moody stupid [%&*@]s everyone

thinks we are. Or maybe its just that we don't need to be

part of any publicity, we know its good and we spread the news

by word of mouth. But I think its a damn shame that most Metal

and Prog Bands can't make a living doing what they love to do.

I just had to speakout, even though no-one will see this, but

I'm sick and tired of Rap, R&B and Pop dominating anything

that has to do with music. And lets not forget the so-called

"Rock Bands" we're supposed to like.

Keep Bangin' and Prog on! Keep Defending the Faith!

Epilogue.

We can all be cynical and say "Well who the fuck cares, no-one needs to tell us what

to like, we all know our music is the most musical and innovative musics out there",

or "Who gives a Rats ass" or "Like the Rock and Roll Hall of Shame, they dont get it,

will NEVER get it, so fuck'em and keep the Faith going, after all, thats what Metal

and Prog is all about, not sticking to the Rules".

. . . I guess I care, I want accolades for their contribution to the fabric of musical

history and our musics dont have to be popular, just recognized as a viable music

thats not only loved Internationally (think about it- WE all dont care or put bounderies

what Country these musics come from, as long as its good, can the average Rap

listener or Top40 Pop fan say the same?), but is a music that is played with the

up-most musicianship of the highest order, that can rival a Jazz composition or be as

complex as a Contemporary Classical piece, or as Melodic as a Pop song, yet can

challenge the listener to think outside the box (By Lyrics as-well as its Music).

I look forward to your comments, hopefully we can be civil about it to, but I think its

time we really care (but not take ourselves too seriously) and tried to do "something"

about it, though I dont really know what, it could be these Grammy-types could be

really smug characters and think, "Oh my . . . THEY think their so-called 'Music'

deserves recognition, all noisy, simple, bombastic and self-indulgeant! 'Artistic'

indeed!".

Well . . .

Then "Fuck'em" .

Like a Fragmentation Explosive:

"Point Speakers toward enemy".

Thanks for your time all .     

Edited by MAVIIIVAM - 08 Jan 2012 at 8:13pm

Update: Grammys-what does it mean to Metal/Prog?

There will be a Chuck Schuldiner & DEATH display as part of the 'Golden Gods:

The History of Heavy Metal' exhibit at the GRAMMY Museum in Los

Angeles, starting April 11, 2012! It is co-sponsored by Revolver Magazine.

Looking for Gene Hoglan's boat propeller that was stored in Jane's garage...

:) ERIC"

http://www.facebook.com/DeathOfficial