Stars Shine On The 2010 Grammys Red Carpet
Drake, Taylor Swift, Black Eyed Peas and more dish on upcoming music, tours and all things Grammys.
Photo: Winter/Getty
The 52nd Annual Grammys are about to begin, and Lady Gaga is already the talk of the night with her white geometric hoop dress (and a few early wins). Will Beyoncé convert more of her 10 nominations into trophies? Will MusiCares honoree Neil Young nab his second-ever Grammy (he scored his first earlier tonight)? Will Britney Spears steal the spotlight by simply attending the show? Follow along as we track the action all night long.
Look back at the best of Rolling Stone’s Grammy coverage.
7:58 p.m.: The show is about to begin and RS already has something to celebrate — victories for Jeff Beck, Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Bruce Springsteen and Kings of Leon. Keep up with the winners here.
8:00 p.m.: Lady Gaga opens the show on a stage dubbed “The Fame Factory.” Adam Lambert is likely jealous of her mint-green-sparkled Kiss-style outfit, with its giant shoulder wings and platform shoes. She cuts off “Poker Face” after the first chorus, gets dropped into a fiery pit like a Batman villain to be turned into a monster — actually, she lands at a piano facing Elton John! They’re both covered in soot and duetting on her track “Speechless,” performing a sort of glitter-off as they seemingly blend in John’s “Your Song.” “Thank you, love you, Sir Elton John,” Gaga ad libs.
8:07 p.m.: Stephen Colbert proclaims the night important because it reinforces “the right of celebrities to congratulate each other” and jokes he’d like to see a special collabo tonight: Adam Lambert and “any sense of personal restraint.” Even better, he whips out an iPad to read the nominees for Song of the Year (”Jay-Z, did you not get one of these in your gift bag?”). Winner: the writers of Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).”
8:13 p.m.: Jennifer Lopez intros Green Day? Who plotted that?! Billie Joe Armstrong and Co. team up with the cast of their soon-to-be-Broadway-musical American Idiot for “21 Guns.” Somewhere the cast of Glee is weeping with joy.
8:24 p.m.: Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel remind us there’s still time to vote on which song Bon Jovi will play tonight on CBS’ Website. And since they’re multitasking, they also give out the award for Best Country Album. Winner: Taylor Swift’s Fearless. “I feel like I’m standing here accepting an impossible dream right now,” she says, ending a sincere acceptance speech.
8:27 p.m.: Beyoncé time! After marching through the crowd with a SWAT team, B … grabs her crotch! During the first verse of “If I Were a Boy.” Didn’t see that one coming. Few performers sing this well live. Beyoncé is beyond a force to be reckoned with. With her all-lady band kicking it up a notch, she swings into her cover of Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know,” and segues back into “Boy,” all while hair-flipping and jetting around the stage.
8:39 p.m.: Seal acknowledges that Leonard Cohen has received one of the Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Awards, and introduces Pink.
Check out the 2010 Grammys’ big moments in photos.
8:40 p.m.: We’re surprised Pink isn’t hanging from the ceiling yet, but her “Glitter in the Air” promises to get interesting (she said it would be “wet” on the red carpet).
8:43 p.m.: Pink sheds her Princess Leia cloak for a bodysuit seemingly made of masking tape and gets her aerial tricks going, spinning on a silk suspended from the top of Staples Center. The people in $15,000 gowns getting splashed by the water coming off of Pink cannot be thrilled right now. Remind y’all of this?:
8:45 p.m.: Miranda Lambert and Keith Urban shout out Loretta Lynn’s Lifetime Achievement Award and present Best New Artist. Winner: Zac Brown Band.
8:54 p.m.: Miley Cyrus tells us we all wanted to be a part of the next performance: it’s the Black Eyed Peas with “Imma Be,” bringing us our first NSFW moment of the night! Fergie said something that had the censor leaning on the mute button. The fashion trend tonight is definitely futuristic military chic. Enjoying the dancers dressed up like parts of turntables. “I Gotta Feeling” this is one of their most embarrassing gigs.
9:04 p.m.: The Jonas Brothers have returned to finish off Stevie Wonder … oh wait, they’re actually introducing Lady Antebellum.
9:08 p.m.: It was always Juanes’ dream to take the stage with an actress from The Big Bang Theory. How appropriate that they’re presenting Best Comedy Album. Winner: Stephen Colbert. “This is a Christmas album, so obviously I should thank Jesus Christ for having such a great birthday.”
9:13 p.m.: A commercial break is an ideal time to peruse our gallery of red carpet photos from earlier tonight. If you wanted to hate your life for a moment, consider the fact that Snookie and the Situation are rubbing elbows with the biggest stars in music tonight while you are rubbing nacho cheese off your fingers.
9:18 p.m.: Norah Jones and Ringo Starr note Bobby Darin’s Lifetime Achievement Award and pass out the trophy for Record of the Year. Winner: Kings of Leon’s “Use Somebody.” “I’m not going to lie, we’re all a little drunk, but we’re happy drunk,” says Caleb Followill.
9:20 p.m.: The biggest cheers on music’s big night go to the star of Iron Man 2, Robert Downey Jr. Bonus points to the man he introduces, Jamie Foxx, for his funniest performance since In Living Color. He jokingly compares his Auto-Tune team-up with T-Pain, “Blame It,” to opera before launching into the track.
9:24 p.m.: Chaos! Doug E. Fresh is beat-boxing, Slash is playing the solo from “November Rain” T-Pain is swinging his braids and somewhere Axl Rose is fuming.
9:26 p.m.: Justin Bieber (officially half the size of Ke$ha) and the “TiK ToK” star remind us to vote for which song Bon Jovi will play tonight. If “Bad Medicine” isn’t on the ballot, we will abstain.
9:31 p.m.: Katy Perry and Alice Cooper: finally, an inspired pairing. Cooper didn’t seem to love the banter where Perry said he taught her how to dress like a lady. Hmm. They recognize Florence Greenberg’s Trustees Award and announce Best Rock Album. Winner: Green Day’s 21st Century Breakdown. A shout out to Butch Vig for producing “this bastard” before Billie Joe goes to have shots with Kings of Leon.
9:35 p.m.: Leon Russell sits in with the Zac Brown Band, fresh off their win for Best New Artist, for “America the Beautiful,” “Dixie Lullaby” and their most deliciously titled song, “Chicken Fried.” Put your hands in the air if you love patriotism!
9:45 p.m.: Ryan Seacrest gives an effusive intro for Taylor Swift, who’s wearing her version of peasant chic and strumming along to Valentine’s Day soundtrack tune “Today Was a Fairytale.” But wait, there’s more! Stevie Nicks! There are some harmonic issues in their “Rhiannon,” but it’s still a cool moment. Butch Walker and Nicks join for a sweet little version of “You Belong With Me.”
9:52 p.m.: Lionel Richie arrives to introduce the special 3-D Michael Jackson tribute. Note to readers: blogging in 3-D glasses is nausea-inducing and not recommended.
9:53 p.m.: Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson, Carrie Underwood and Usher take the stage as footage from “Earth Song” (some of it seen in This Is It) rolls. The leaves are popping behind the singers — it’s a pretty cool effect. The singers fall back as MJ’s voice gets turned up, and the Grammys cut to an awesome shot of Beyoncé rocking out in her 3-D glasses. The performers turn to stare up at a classic photo of Jackson and the crowd leaps up for a standing ovation.
10:00 p.m.: Prince and Paris Jackson, Michael’s two eldest children, accept their father’s posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award. “Our father was always concerned about the planet and humanity,” Prince says. “Through all his songs, his message was simple: love. We will continue to spread his message and help the world.” “Daddy was going to perform this year,” Paris adds. “Thank you, we love you, daddy.”
10:08 p.m.: Sheryl Crow announces that Doug Morris has received the President’s Merit award to Industry Icons, then passes the stage to Bon Jovi, who are set to play “We Weren’t Born to Follow,” “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” and a song to be named by fans who are still voting. Jennifer Nettles trots out for “Home,” providing some solid harmony. And to the surprise of nobody, fans want to hear “Livin’ on a Prayer.”
10:16 p.m.: Placido Domingo and Mos Def joke about either dating or working with each other. Either way, we’re confused. Appropriately, they’re passing out Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. Winner: Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West’s “Run This Town.” Jay and Rihanna (and Solange Knowles’ son) accept sans Kanye, but Jigga calls him a “genius.”
10:24 p.m.: Wyclef Jean offers salutations from Haiti and a brief lesson in Creole. “The music industry is still alive, even though there ain’t no more record companies,” he adds, apropos of nothing. The following performance of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by David Foster, Mary J. Blige and Andrea Bocelli will be up for sale on iTunes, with all proceeds going to benefit Haiti.
10:31 p.m.: Only 42 minutes until Eminem, Lil Wayne and Drake perform.
10:36 p.m.: Let’s pause to thank Chase for reminding us all how excellent the Michelle Branch song “Everywhere” is.
10:37 p.m.: President and CEO of the Recording Academy Neil Portnow speaks about how the music community rallies in a time of crisis — and how they raised $4 million honoring Neil Young at the MusiCares gala. He goes on to encourage fans to buy records: “Let’s all truly value music by supporting and compensating these gifted creators of the music we treasure.”
10:40 p.m.: Adam Sandler lightens the mood a tad and introduces the Dave Matthews Band, who kick into “You & Me” with Tim Reynolds, a string section and a horn section, which generates one of the most effective and beautiful live performances of the night.
10:46 p.m.: Ricky Martin and Glee’s Lea Michele name the nominees for Female Pop Performance. Winner: Beyoncé’s “Halo.” “I’m sorry, I’m nervous,” she says, in a moment of genuine awe. “I’d like to thank my family for all their support, including my husband.” That’s you, Jay-Z!
10:53 p.m.: LL Cool J is conveniently a musician and a CBS TV star. That makes him extra qualified to note Honeyboy Edwards’ Lifetime Achievement Award.
10:56 p.m.: Maxwell arrives to sing his Grammy-winning song “Pretty Wings.” If only Robin Thicke was here to have a smooth-off. His special guest: Roberta Flack. We can never get too much “Where Is the Love.”
11:00 p.m.: Always a poignant moment: the memorial reel reminds us we’ve lost Mary Travers, Teddy Pendergrass, DJ AM, Vic Chesnutt, Ellie Greenwich and many more this year.
11:03 p.m.: Jeff Bridges announces the Les Paul tribute as the Grammys cut to an insane shot of Lady Gaga wearing a lightning bolt. But back to Les Paul, who gave us the solid-body electric guitar. Jeff Beck and Imelda May kick off the tribute, with Beck eschewing his yellow Fender for a sunburst Les Paul on “How High the Moon.”
11:11 p.m.: Quentin Tarantino gives a moment to Clark Terry, another Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. And now for something completely different. Some big ups for Drake, who is about to perform with “not one, but two of the most inglorious bastards in all of rap history”: Eminem, Lil Wayne (and Travis Barker on drums).
11:13 p.m.: Cherish this, folks — this may be the last we see of Weezy for a while (his sentencing is scheduled for February 9th). And the censor forgets to take his/her finger off the mute button! Between bleeps, Wayne is rapping “Drop the World,” his Rebirth collabo with Eminem. Drake arrives for “Forever,” and the censor sighs with relief. Jamie Foxx is capturing this on his video camera, Taylor Swift is rocking out at her seat.
11:24 p.m.: John Legend and Carlos Santana pat each other on the back. But there’s serious business here: Album of the Year. (We kind of want to see Lady Gaga win so she has to accept in that outfit.) Winner: Taylor Swift. She’s the youngest to ever take home this prize.
11:30 p.m.: And we made it! The final tally: six wins for Beyoncé, four for Taylor Swift, three for Kings of Leon, three for the Black Eyed Peas, and two for Lady Gaga.
Check back tomorrow when we’ll have a full report from the ground — what you didn’t see on TV during tonight’s broadcast of the Grammys.
Photo: Winter/Getty
Beyoncé picked up six out of the 10 Grammys she was nominated for, while Taylor Swift nabbed four and Lady Gaga scored two. See who else — from Bruce Springsteen to the Black Eyed Peas — won on music’s biggest night:
Follow all of Rolling Stone’s Grammy coverage.
Album of the Year: Fearless — Taylor Swift
Song of the Year: “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)” — Thaddis Harrell, Beyoncé Knowles, Terius Nash & Christopher Stewart, songwriters (Beyoncé)
Best Solo Rock Performance: “Working on a Dream” — Bruce Springsteen
Record of the Year: “Use Somebody” — Kings of Leon
Best Country Album: Fearless — Taylor Swift
Best Rock Album: 21st Century Breakdown — Green Day
Best Hard Rock Performance: “War Machine” — AC/DC
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: “Run This Town” — Jay-Z, Rihanna & Kanye West
Best Dance Recording: “Poker Face” — Lady Gaga
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance: “Halo” — Beyoncé
Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals: “Use Somebody” — Kings of Leon
Best New Artist: Zac Brown Band
Best Electronic/Dance Album: The Fame — Lady Gaga
Best Alternative Music Album: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix — Phoenix
Best Contemporary R&B Album: I Am… Sasha Fierce — Beyoncé
Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)” — Beyoncé
Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals: “I Gotta Feeling” — The Black Eyed Peas
Best Rock Song: “Use Somebody” — Caleb Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill & Nathan Followill, songwriters (Kings Of Leon)
Best Pop Vocal Album: The E.N.D. — The Black Eyed Peas
Best Male R&B Vocal Performance: “Pretty Wings” — Maxwell
Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals: “Blame It” — Jamie Foxx & T-Pain
Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance: “At Last” — Beyoncé
Best Rock Instrumental Performance: “A Day in the Life” — Jeff Beck
Best Urban/Alternative Performance: “Pearls” — India.Arie & Dobet Gnahore
Best R&B Song: “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)” — Thaddis Harrell, Beyoncé Knowles, Terius Nash & Christopher Stewart, songwriters (Beyoncé)
Best Rap Solo Performance: “D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune)” — Jay-Z
Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group: “Crack a Bottle” — Eminem, Dr. Dre & 50 Cent
Best Rap Song: “Run This Town” — Jeff Bhasker, Shawn Carter, Robyn Fenty, Kanye West & Ernest Wilson, songwriters (Athanasios Alatas, songwriter) (Jay-Z, Rihanna & Kanye West)
Best Rap Album: Relapse — Eminem
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: “Make It Mine” — Jason Mraz
Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals: “Lucky” — Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat
Best Female Country Vocal Performance: “White Horse” — Taylor Swift
Best Male Country Vocal Performance: “Sweet Thing” — Keith Urban
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album — Michael Bublé Meets Madison Square Garden — Michael Bublé
Best Metal Performance: “Dissident Aggressor” — Judas Priest
Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals: “I Run to You” — Lady Antebellum
Best Country Collaboration With Vocals: “I Told You So” — Carrie Underwood & Randy Travis
Best Country Song: “White Horse” — Liz Rose & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)
Best Americana Album: Electric Dirt — Levon Helm
Best Contemporary Blues Album: Already Free — The Derek Trucks Band
Best Compilation Soundtrack Album For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media: Slumdog Millionaire — Various Artists, A.R. Rahman, producer
Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media: “Jai Ho” (From Slumdog Millionaire) — Gulzar, A.R. Rahman & Tanvi Shah, songwriters (A.R. Rahman, Sukhvinder Singh, Tanvi Shah, Mahalaxmi Iyer & Vijay Prakash)
Best Recording Package: Everything That Happens Will Happen Today — Stefan Sagmeister, art director (David Byrne & Brian Eno)
Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package: Neil Young Archives Vol. I (1963-1972) — Gary Burden, Jenice Heo & Neil Young, art directors (Neil Young)
Best Short Form Music Video: “Boom Boom Pow” — The Black Eyed Peas
Best Long Form Music Video: “The Beatles Love – All Together Now” — (Various Artists)
Best Comedy Album: A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift Of All! — Stephen Colbert
Britney Spears has been nominated for nine Grammys and so far converted one into a win — a 2004 trophy for “Toxic” in Best Dance Recording. Since the pop star is reportedly attending tonight’s ceremony in Los Angeles (”Womanizer” was up for the same award against the Black Eyed Peas, David Guetta & Kelly Rowland, Lady Gaga and Madonna — and Lady Gaga took the prize), let’s look back at her one and only appearance on the Grammy stage, a 2000 medley of ballad “From the Bottom of My Broken Heart” and her signature hit “…Baby One More Time.”
Keep up with all of Rolling Stone’s Grammy coverage.
Of course, Britney’s real home has always been the MTV Video Music Awards stage. How does her decade-old medley compare to some of her most outrageous VMAs appearances? Check out Rob Sheffield’s countdown of Seven Super Spears Moments and leave your take in the comments.
Stick with Rolling Stone for complete coverage of tonight’s Grammy Awards.
Photo: Cohen/WireImage
For more than 30 years, legendary record man Clive Davis has thrown his celebrity-studded pre-Grammy bash, an annual convergence of old Hollywood, music legends and rising stars. This year’s guest list was no different. In the ballroom at the Beverly Hilton last night, youngsters like Taylor Swift, Katy Perry and Kings of Leon (half of them, at least) rubbed elbows with Joan Collins, Jane Fonda and the gala’s guest of honor, Barbra Streisand. The downside was that none of these stars ended up onstage — aside from some inspirational R&B turns by Maxwell and Mary J. Blige, the evening’s other performances fell flat. By the time Jennifer Hudson serenaded Streisand with “People” and “The Way We Were” — five hours into the night — nearly all the stars had left the building.
Check out all of Rolling Stone’s Grammy coverage.
After guests scarfed salads and overcooked chicken breasts, the Black Eyed Peas opened the show with “Boom Boom Pow” and “I Gotta Feeling,” but the constant pogo-ing from Peas hype men Taboo and Apl.de.ap couldn’t energize the ballroom. Fergie announced, “Do you mind if I mess up the neighborhood?” as Slash launched into the opening licks of “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” Fergie slapped on a leather jacket to sing Axl’s part and grinded up on the guitarist (she lost points for botching the lyrics, singing “Where do you go now” rather than “we”). Will.i.am took offense to the crowd sitting on their hands, and berated them. “Usually Fergie and Slash onstage would have brought down the house,’ he said. “These are some elite motherfuckers, and y’all are acting like motherfuckers.”
After some words from Grammy honcho Neil Portnow, who announced that Clive’s gala is now officially sanctioned by the Grammys, and a few lame attempts at humor by Ryan Seacrest, Davis spent a good 10 minutes introducing Streisand, who wore a look of horror when Ke$ha emerged in the middle of the ballroom, slugged a belt of red wine, and launched into her Number One jam, “TiK ToK.” (Crickets could be heard chirping after that number.) In between performances, Clive name dropped those in attendance: Jay-Z, Berry Gordy, Smokey Robinson, Robbie Robertson, Jamie Foxx, Wyclef Jean, Ne-Yo, Adam Lambert, Ricky Martin, Mos Def and astronaut Buzz Aldrin. When Stephen Colbert’s name was announced, he leapt to his feet and fist-bumped tablemates Jon Bon Jovi (who brought his 16-year-old daughter) and Sheryl Crow. Elsewhere in the ballroom, the Kings’ bros Nathan and Jared Followill (up for four Grammys tonight) mingled with the two Jonas Brothers who aren’t named Nick. But the real WTF friendship was between Slash and Kelsey Grammar, who hung out hard on the smoking balcony.
In past years Clive’s gala has hosted headline-grabbing performances by Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and last-year’s much-buzzed comeback by Whitney Houston. This year’s team-ups — Harry Connick, Jr. duetted with Carrie Underwood, Santana re-teamed with Rob Thomas to cover Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love” — were nearly overshadowed by the return of Rihanna, whose appearance at the Davis bash last year was followed by her infamous altercation with Chris Brown.
The night may have run long, but Davis was unamused by the room’s lack of stamina. As he introduced Hudson to a half-empty house, even he took a shot at some of his guests. “It’s less than three hours of music,” he said from the stage. “If you can’t take it, you’re in the wrong business.”
More Grammys 2010:
• Neil Young Honored by Wilco, Chili Peppers, Dave Matthews and More at MusiCares Gala
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Photo:Shearer/WireImage
In what was a staggering display of star power and rock & roll might, dozens of music luminaries gathered on Friday night to celebrate Neil Young as MusiCares Person of the Year. The pre-Grammy dinner and tribute concert, which starts at $1,250 per plate with proceeds going to musicians in need, boasted the best attendance yet since the annual fete had its first seating in 1989 (honoring Young’s longtime friend and bandmate, David Crosby, appropriately enough), and featured 20 performances by heavyweights such as Wilco, John Mellencamp, Jackson Browne, Dave Matthews, Elvis Costello, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, James Taylor, Sheryl Crow and several supergroup combos, most notably, an all-star jam of Crosby Stills Nash and Young’s “Helpless” comprised of Sir Elton John, Leon Russell, T Bone Burnett, Neko Case and Sheryl Crow that was, in a word, inspiring.
Check out all of Rolling Stone’s Grammy coverage.
Host Jack Black kicked things off with a fawning introduction of the man who, not only inspired his own musical endeavor, Tenacious D, but “the best rockers out there for over 40 years.” Black riffed: “You guys ever heard of the Nineties? Neil Young influenced that entire decade — even Ace of Bass.”
See photos from the 2010 MusiCares Gala
Indeed, when it came to a sludgy onslaught of guitars, the evening boasted some of the best that modern day artistry can offer. Mellencamp, backed by a stellar house band consisting of Burnett, musical director Don Was, and longtime drummer Kenny Aronoff, kicked things off with a gritty version of “Down By the River,” Silver Lake indie rockers Everest, who are signed to Young’s Vapor Records, delivered “Revolution Blues” by request, while Wilco’s gloriously brash rendition of “Broken Arrow” prompted Elton John to give a standing ovation, which he proudly pointed out to the band backstage following the performance. Earlier in the night, Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy told RS,”We rehearsed this song for two days. The guys in our crew said it was the first time they’d ever seen us rehearse in three years.” He added that they’d chosen “Broken Arrow” because it’s “really episodic and strange and when you hear it, it’s pretty obvious that Wilco has taken a lot from this one song.”
Contemporaries and disciples alike, that sentiment was echoed throughout the evening. Crow, who joined Stephen Stills on accordion to perform “Long May You Run” then returned for the “Helpless” super-jam towards the show’s end, noted that watching Young perform early in her career was a life-changing experience. “The first time I saw him sitting in a circle with his guitars and his harmonium behind him was a solidifying moment for me,” said Crow. “There’s something so soulful about that man. It’s when I knew, ‘That’s what I want to do some day — sit with my guitars and play songs.’”
Others, like Dave Matthews, Ben Harper and Elvis Costello, opted for a stripped-down approach, showcasing the simplicity and beauty of a Young song in its most basic form. Matthews played “The Needle & the Damage Done” on acoustic guitar, Costello preceded with “The Losing End (When You’re On)” and Harper presented a stirring version of the CSN classic “Ohio” on slide guitar joined by three female background vocalists. Likewise, Norah Jones’ breathy “Tell Me Why” offered a softer sojourn while the threesome of Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams and Patty Griffin was the perfect counter balance to all the male energy.
And the talent only grew exponentially as the program went along. Harper was followed by a true power trio, Keith Urban, John Fogerty and Booker T., for a rousing rendition of “Rockin’ in the Free World,” while a little later, James Taylor offered a true-to-the-original “Heart of Gold” and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, in their first gig with new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, impressed with “A Man Needs a Maid.” Frontman Anthony Kiedis, sporting a Dennis Hopper circa Easy Rider look, complete with full ’stache, sunglasses and hat, delivered a gentle and nuanced performance that was the perfect preamble to Jimmy Fallon’s now infamous Young-inspired spoof of “Pants on the Ground,” which was shown on video and welcomed with cackles of laughter.
And while the jokes kept coming (”Rust never sleeps,” said Black, “and neither does Neil, unless it’s nighttime… or nap time… but all other times he’s wide awake and making the free world a better place to rock in!”), there were also moments of emotional reflection: a mention of Young’s near-fatal brain aneurysm, his annual Bridge School Benefit concert which has raised millions for children with disabilities, and his sons who both suffer from cerebral palsy.
To that end, Crosby, Stills and Nash’s serenade of “Human Highway” couldn’t have been a more fitting closer. “We’ve done that song with Neil probably 200 to 300 times so it has special significance that he’ll know and we know,” said Crosby, who called his friend of five decades “the real deal.” “There’s been too much focus in recent years on surface rather than substance,” he said. “But Neil can really write a song that you’ll remember 20 years from now. I’ve played some of the best music of my whole life on stage with that man, there were many moments that were pure magic, and I love him.”
Crosby was not alone. Backstage, throngs of awestruck celebrities mingled while singing Young’s praises. Crow and Costello kibitzed in the middle of all the action, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban held hands while catching up with Burnett, Matthew McConaughey and wife Camila Alves chatted with Beck and Tweedy while John, Burnett and a wheel-chaired Leon Russell, who are all currently in the studio together, posed for a photo nearby, and Rick Rubin and Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith discussed the band’s recent rehearsals (vibe: good!).
And as the man of the hour came up for his final bow, his bandmates watched on from side-stage and took in every word. “I forgot how many songs I’ve written,” Young cracked. “But I want you to know I’m working on a new album and I’ve already written four or five songs and I hope I’ll be able to continue for a long time.” Young noted the awkwardness in seeing his life played out in song and video. “You know how uncomfortable it is to see pictures of yourself 30 or 40 years ago,” he said, “It’s a funny feeling. I listen to some of those songs and go how, ‘How can I ever? What am I gonna do now? Who was that guy?’ Bob Dylan once said of ‘Blowin’ in the Wind:’ ‘I don’t even know who that person is.’ It’s true, it’s hard to go back.”
Early in the night, Young declared to reporters that he was going to sit this one out. “I’m watching… so I don’t have to remember the words,” he joked on the red carpet. On the opposite tip was Jack Black, who had to keep things moving even if the show went nearly an hour past its allotted time. How did he rate his own performance? “I was pretty nervous and started off shaky, but I eased into it,” Black told RS. “It was just a remarkable night of musicianship. You don’t see a bill like that very often. Everyone was so incredible, and it’s a testament to Neil’s influence and awesomeness that so many people wanted to be part of this show.”
Photo: Micelotta/Getty
Sunday night Beyoncé and Taylor Swift will face off against Lady Gaga, Kings of Leon, Dave Matthews Band and the Black Eyed Peas at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards. Rolling Stone will be on the ground in Los Angeles and keeping you updated on everything from the 3-D tribute to Michael Jackson to the big performances by Green Day via our live blog, so be sure to check back in for full coverage of music’s biggest night.
We’ve asked the experts (stars including Pink and ?uestlove) to predict the winners, now let’s look back at some of the most memorable moments from Grammys’ past:
• Grammys’ Wildest Fashion
(Justin Timberlake in velvet; Destiny’s Child in nearly nothing)
• Grammys’ Most Memorable Moments
(Cyndi Lauper and her date Hulk Hogan; the Soy Bomb)
• The 2009 Grammys in Photos
(Dave Grohl drumming for Paul McCartney; Jay-Z rhyming with Coldplay)
T-Pain, Lil Wayne, Big Boi, Snoop Dogg, SNL’s Andy Samberg and Bill Hader will all provide voices for Adult Swim’s upcoming one-hour animated special Freaknik: The Musical, premiering on Cartoon Network on March 7th. T-Pain headlines the all-star cast of voices, which also includes Lil Jon, Cee-Lo, Bootsy Collins, Kid of Kid & Play, Rick Ross, DJ Drama and more. The special revolves around a bunch of teens attempting to resurrect Atlanta’s spring break party Freaknik a decade after it was shut down in the Dirty, ultimately competing in the Freaknik: Battle of the Trillest contest.
“Back in the ’90s, Freaknik was Atlanta’s version of the ultimate block party,” T-Pain said in a statement. “It was Mardi Gras meets spring break at your crazy cousin’s bachelor party and anything could happen. A decade later, I’m bringing it back for people like me, who didn’t get to experience it the first time around. We’ve recreated Freaknik’s vibe and energy with amazing animation, new music and an all-star cast of characters.”
Photo: Sullivan/Getty
Steve Jobs and Apple might have had a stranglehold on the tech beat this week with the announcement of the new iPad, but our weekend Rock List will focus on a classic gadget: the radio. Tell us your favorite, and following the post-Grammy blitz, we’ll reveal the readers’ favorites. And check out some of our best picks:
• R.E.M. – “Radio Free Europe”
• Elvis Costello – “Radio Radio”
• The Clash – “This Is Radio Clash”
• Nirvana – “Radio Friendly Unit Shifter”
• Wall of Voodoo – “Mexican Radio”
Ah, the Grammys. A time for choreographers of overblown production numbers to ply their trade, for Neil Portnow to put all those "public speaking" courses to good use and for various talking heads to pontificate endlessly about "the music biz."
See, if there's one thing that's never in short supply at the Grammys, it's people willing to talk about the Grammys. Producers, writers, hilarious gap-toothed indie comedians — they're all available, ready to ramble on about just how great "Single Ladies" was. This is how the entertainment business runs, after all.
The only problem is, we waited too long and couldn't actually book any of them. We run a tight ship 'round these parts.
Needless to say, we were scrambling to find anyone to talk about the Grammys … when, suddenly, a thought dawned on us: "Why don’t we just use some of the many talented, telegenic and intelligent people who work in the MTV Newsroom! That way, we wouldn't have to pay them!"
It was a brilliant plan. So we assembled a crack team of Grammy experts: Pop writer Jocelyn Vena, producer Andrew Ross Rowe, production assistant Rya Backer, production manager (and resident Guido) Adam Stewart, with myself serving as the humble moderator. We got together, we debated just who would take home the Golden Gramophones, and this was the end result. They edited out a lot of the cursing. Anyway, here's what our Expert Grammy Panel had to say about Sunday night's show … for better, or much (much) worse.
Who will win the big prizes at Sunday night's Grammy Awards? Leave your votes in the comments!
Michael Jackson isn’t the only artist who will receive a Lifetime Achievement award at this Sunday’s 52nd Annual Grammy Awards: Canadian poet Leonard Cohen will also be honored for his contributions to music at the January 31st awards show. Just last week, Cohen’s “Hallelujah” once again topped the singles chart after it was covered by Justin Timberlake and Matt Morris at the “Hope for Haiti Now” special. To celebrate the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and his work, let’s look back at a pair of vintage Cohen performances: Up top, watch Cohen perform his classic “Suzanne” at the 1970 Isle of Wight festival, and down below, Cohen sings “The Stranger Song” on the Julie Felix Show in 1967.
Bonus Flashback: Lou Reed inducts Cohen into the Rock Hall in 2008:
"I talked to a couple of girls who worked in a strip club that we actually used for the set. One of them was really dynamic, really interesting and charismatic. The other girl was less willing to talk about stuff, which means she's probably more in touch with it than the girl that was willing to talk about it. She's in the middle."
-Actress Kristen Stewart, talking about the research for her role as a stripper and prostitute in the new film "Welcome to the Rileys," which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this week. The film also stars James Gandolfini and Melissa Leo as a couple who recently lost their teenage daughter who take in the wayward Stewart. It'll be one of three high-profile films that the young actress appears in this year, as she'll not only open "Welcome to the Rileys" but also "The Runaways" (a biopic in which she stars as legendary rocker Joan Jett) and, of course, "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" (which involves monsters of some sort).
Speaking of "The Runaways," Stewart impressed at least one person in her portrayal of Jett: Original Runaways Jett and Cherie Currie. "It was too much for me to handle, to be honest with you," Currie told MTV News. "For the first time, I got to see what it was like to be in an audience and look at the Runaways. It was that right-on. This all is so surreal! I went to sleep, woke up in this amazing dream, and I can't wake up. I don't want to wake up. And guess what? I don't have to!"
"The Runaways" opens in theaters on March 19, while "Welcome to the Rileys" should hit some time later this year.
Photo: Forrest/WireImage
Paramore surround their headlining slot at the Bamboozle with a new leg of Brand New Eyes dates, Sia embarks on her “The We Meaning of You” tour and Breaking act Cage the Elephant prove there really is no rest for the wicked with another month long stretch of shows. Full details for all three acts, below:
Paramore
Apr. 26 – Knoxville, TN @ Knoxville Civic Coliseum
Apr. 28 – Charlottesville, VA @ John Paul Jones Arena
Apr. 30 – Atlantic City, NJ @ Trump Taj Mahal
May 1 – East Rutherford, NJ @ The Bamboozle
May 3 – Columbus, OH @ The LC Amphitheatre
May 4 – Grand Rapids, MI @ DeltaPlex
May 6 – Rockford, IL @ Rockford MetroCentre
May 7 – Moline, IL @ iWireless Center
May 8 – Council Bluffs, IA @ WestFair Amphitheatre
May 10 – Salt Lake City, UT @ E Center
May 12 – Seattle, WA @ WaMu Theater
May 15 – Bakersfield, CA @ Rabobank Arena
May 16 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Joint
Sia
Apr. 10 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore
Apr. 12 – Seattle, WA @ Market
Apr. 13 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
Apr. 14 – San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom
Apr. 17 – Indio, CA @ Coachella
Apr. 19 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
Apr. 20 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Marquee
Apr. 22 – Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre
Apr. 24 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line
Apr. 25 – Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre
Apr. 26 – Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews
Apr. 28 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix
Apr. 30 – Montreal, QC @ Club Soda
May 1 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues
May 2 – Philadelphia, PA @ TLA
May 4 – Washington, DC @ 9 -30 Club
May 5 – Annapolis, MD @ Rams Head
May 6 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5
Cage the Elephant
Feb. 15 – Augusta, GA @ Sky City
Feb. 16 – Athens, GA @ 40 Watt Club
Feb. 18 – Knoxville, TN @ Valarium
Feb. 19 – Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel
Feb. 21 – Charlotte, NC @ Amos’ Southend
Feb. 22 – Charleston, SC @ Music Farm
Feb. 23 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
Feb. 25 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
Feb. 26 – Towson, MD @ Recher Theatre
Feb. 27 – Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts
Mar. 2 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
Mar. 4 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Mar. 5 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
Mar. 6 – Portland, ME @ Port City Music Hall
Mar. 8 – South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
Mar. 12 – Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom
Mar. 13 – Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
Mar. 14 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
Photo: Schwartz/Getty
My Morning Jacket has recruited New Orleans’ Preservation Hall Jazz Band for a short trek that begins April 20th in Birmingham, Alabama. MMJ frontman Jim James was inspired to bring the PHJB on the road after collaborating with the group on a pair of tracks for Preservation: An Album to Benefit Preservation Hall & the Preservation Hall Music Outreach Program, a compilation that teams the PHJB with vocalists like James, Tom Waits, Merle Haggard, Pete Seeger and many more. The comp is due out February 16th and proceeds benefit the Hall, whose mission is to preserve New Orleans jazz.
“When I got the invitation to go to the legendary Preservation Hall — where so much of the music we now know and love on this earth found its early roots — I did not waste a minute,” James said. “Getting to sing while the guys played with such glorious bursts of sound — all live in that holy room with the ghosts and garbage trucks crankin’ along — was an experience I’ll never forget.”
The Preservation Hall Jazz Band will open for MMJ on all dates. Check out the bands’ schedule — including sets at the Big Easy’s Jazzfest on April 24th — here:
My Morning Jacket with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Apr. 20 – Birmingham, AL @ Alabama Theater
Apr. 21 – Nashville, TN @ Municipal Auditorium
Apr. 23 – Atlanta, GA @ Chastain Park
Apr. 24 – New Orleans, LA @ Jazzfest
Apr. 27 – St. Augustine, FL @ St. Augustine Amphitheater
Apr. 28 – Charleston, SC @ Family Circle
Apr. 30 – Raleigh, NC @ Koka Booth
May 1 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
May 2 – Columbus, OH @ LC Outdoor Pavilion
Related Stories:
• My Morning Jacket’s Eclectic Covers: From Danzig to Dylan
• Oberst, Jim James and M. Ward Form Monsters Of Folk Supergroup
• My Morning Jacket’s James Plots EP of George Harrison Covers
Photo: Redfern/Redferns
One of Rolling Stone’s Immortal rockers is being immortalized again today — Roy Orbison is being honored with a posthumous star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame at a ceremony featuring Jeff Beck, Jason Mraz, Dan Aykroyd, Michelle Branch, Chris Isaak, Jeff Lynne, Joe Walsh and Dwight Yoakam. Orbison’s wife Barbara will be accepting on his behalf. Orbison’s spot on the most well known sidewalk in the U.S. is located on Vine Street in front of the Capitol Records building — next to John Lennon’s recently relocated star and George Harrison’s star (Ringo Starr’s is scheduled to join them on February 8th).
Thanks to SyncLive.com and Roy Orbison’s Website, RS is bringing you live coverage of Orbison’s ceremony as it happens (the event begins at 2:30 p.m. ET). The video is after the jump!
For more on Orbison, check out kd lang’s essay, all of our Orbison album reviews, and the RS cover he graced in 1989 in honor of his death on December 6, 1988. Orbison was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 by Bruce Springsteen.
Just one year ago, the country was introduced to Adam Lambert on the Season 8 San Francisco auditions episode. Since stepping onto the scene, Adam has become a household name.
With his Top 36 performance of Satisfaction, Adam sailed into the Top 13. His bold song choices and impeccable vocals contributed to his safety week after week, eventually making him the Season 8 runner-up. Soon after Season 8 wrapped, Adam was signed to 19 Recordings and licensed to RCA Records. While touring around the country with the Top 10 on the American Idols LIVE! 2010 tour, Adam was simultaneously writing and recording tracks for his debut album. On November 23, 2009, Adam released For Your Entertainment, which debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200. As of now, the album has sold approximately 478,000 units in the U.S.
Earlier this week, the birthday boy visited birthday girl Ellen DeGeneres on the set of her talk show to perform Strut in honor of her 52nd birthday.
Happy 28th Birthday, Adam!
A few months ago, Adam answered our community members questions about his album and life after Idol on camera. Watch the videos.
Photo: Winter/WireImage
In an effort to continue to raise funds for earthquake-ravaged Haiti, the Dave Matthews Band will release The Haiti Relief Project EP, featuring five unreleased live songs. The digital EP will go on sale tomorrow for $5 on DMBlive.com. Additionally, all sales from merchandise made at the DMB store between today and tomorrow will benefit the Bama Works Haiti Relief Fund, which was established by the Dave Matthews Band with the hopes of continuing to raise money for Haiti.
DMB on the road: check out shots of the band at Fenway Park with Willie Nelson.
The Haiti Relief Project EP will boast Matthews’ solo performance of “Butterfly” from 2007, a rendition of “Cry Freedom” from 2004 with a “powerful performance” by LeRoi Moore and three live cuts from the band’s 2009 tour: “Out of My Hands,” “Lying in the Hands of God” and “Dive In.” Limited edition T-shirts of the EP’s cover art will also go on sale tomorrow, with proceeds once again going to Haiti.
As Rolling Stone previously reported, Matthews also took part in last week’s “Hope For Haiti Now” telethon, performing with Neil Young on Hank Williams’ “Alone and Forsaken.” He also contributed a track to the Download to Donate compilation.
DMB will next be seen by millions performing this Sunday at the Grammy Awards, where they’re up for Album of the Year for Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King. The group have also revealed the road map for a massive summer tour in 2010, which may include a headlining set at the Bonnaroo festival.
Related Stories:
• Dave Matthews Band Announce Huge Summer Tour
• Hope for Haiti Now: Rolling Stone Live Blogs the All-Star Telethon
• Dave Matthews Band, Lady Gaga and More Stars Rock to Aid Haiti
Photo: Cohen/WireImage
Sly Stone is suing the Family Stone’s former manager for $50 million, claiming that manager Jerry Goldstein bilked 20 years worth of royalties from the band in order to fund his own lavish lifestyle, the Wrap reports. According to Stone’s lawyer Robert Allen, in 1989 Stone signed a deal that he believed was a management contract with Goldstein; instead, Allen claims, Stone was tricked into signing over the rights of all his music to Goldstein, as well as the trademark for the Sly and the Family Stone name. Since being made aware of the allegations, BMI stopped any further royalty payments to Goldstein.
“[Goldstein] just hoped Sly would die broke in the back of a van before he found out,” Allan told the Wrap. In the suit, Allen writes that Goldstein’s actions represent “a dark side of the music business where some of these artists are being robbed of their intellectual property and the fruits of their genius by unscrupulous people who prey on their trusting nature and lack of business and legal knowledge.”
As Rolling Stone previously reported, Sly and the Family Stone will make a rare live appearance on the final day of the Coachella Festival, taking place April 16th through 18th in Indio, California.
Related Stories:
• Sly Stone and the $8,500 Puppy: How Sebastian Bach Nearly Reunited Guns N’ Roses
• Sly Stone and George Clinton Start Impromptu Funk Fest in Los Angeles
• 500 Greatest Albums: There’s a Riot Goin’ On
