# Amy Winehouse Grammy win



## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

So, reading the gossip rags this morning there is an interesting quote by Natalie Cole 

"I'm sorry. I think the girl is talented, gifted, but it's not right for her to be able to have her cake and eat it too. She needs to get herself together." 

Seems she doesn't think Winehouse should have won the Grammy cause she's a mess.

Is it a bad message? Should someone who's talented be punished for being a mess?


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## ne1roc (Mar 4, 2006)

I wouldn't dispute that she didn't deserve the Grammies based on her talent.
I do think her problems produced an incredible amount of publicity for her which as as the saying goes, "any publicity is good publicity."


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## violation (Aug 20, 2006)

Who is Amy Winehouse? What song did she write? 

Judging by the rock and metal winners listed on Wikipedia I have to ask... are the Grammy's an inside joke that only some understand?


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

violation said:


> Who is Amy Winehouse? What song did she write?


Here sheck this out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-_ZywDWRK8


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

Prior to the Grammys I had heard of her but wasn't familiar with any of her work. Due to the awards and controversy I checked out a couple of videos of her. They left me pretty flat. Kinda made me think of Biff Naked doing a lounge act or something.

The Grammys are all about celebrity so I'm not suprised that she won but I'd much rather listen to Corrine Baily Rae or Norah Jones or Amanda Marshall or Jann Arden or ...

As for drugs and celebrities, well there's nothing new there.


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## hoser (Feb 2, 2006)

Winehouse is a pretty terrible role model but really, does anyone really care what Natalie Cole thinks....I'm with allthumbs, Winehouse's music is very take it or leave it for me. I keep hearing people talk about how awesome she is but I just don't hear it.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

hoser said:


> Winehouse is a pretty terrible role model but really, does anyone really care what Natalie Cole thinks....I'm with allthumbs, Winehouse's music is very take it or leave it for me. I keep hearing people talk about how awesome she is but I just don't hear it.


I thought most of the music on the Grammys was take it or leave it (mostly leave it) but then the highlight for me was Brad Paisley so I guess that tells you where I'm coming from.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

violation said:


> Who is Amy Winehouse? What song did she write?
> Judging by the rock and metal winners listed on Wikipedia I have to ask... are the Grammy's an inside joke that only some understand?



...musicians get it. or, they should.

especially this year. thanks to the writer's strike, there was an abundance of absolutely amazing musical pefomances.

LIVE performances.

what's not to get?

oh, yes, i've heard the usual put downs from the usual naysayers.

:zzz:

me, i'm both a musician AND a fan. its all good.

-dh


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

hoser said:


> Winehouse is a pretty terrible role model but really, does anyone really care what Natalie Cole thinks....I'm with allthumbs, Winehouse's music is very take it or leave it for me. I keep hearing people talk about how awesome she is but I just don't hear it.


...watching her performance on the grammies, i became an instant fan.

as a person, she may be screwed up. 

as a musician, however, she is the real deal.

great band, too!

-dh


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## suttree (Aug 17, 2007)

it bothers me that people take the grammys so seriously. i mean, they've pretty much proven over the years that they look at music in an incredibly one-dimensional way (although they at least avoid the outright avarice of the billboard awards). whether or not amy winehouse wins one has pretty much zero impact on me (aside from this one post, lol). she's as talanted as any of them, and if they want to have their self-congratulating version of an outreach program for her, then more power to her. ray charles she sure as hell isn't.

addiction/intoxication is very central to a lot of our best music. you can argue that it's got nothing to do with the music, but seriously... sit down and compile a list of the music you love, and then ask yourself how many of them had serious drug problems. i'd be very surprised if it was any less than 80%.


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

guitarman2 said:


> I thought most of the music on the Grammys was take it or leave it (mostly leave it) but then the highlight for me was Brad Paisley so I guess that tells you where I'm coming from.


And he was singing about ticks ...


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## hoser (Feb 2, 2006)

david henman said:


> ...watching her performance on the grammies, i became an instant fan.
> 
> as a person, she may be screwed up.
> 
> ...


...then I guess you're late to the party. She's probably one of the most overplayed artists of 2007. I'd be happy if I never heard "Rehab" again.


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## hoser (Feb 2, 2006)

david henman said:


> ...musicians get it. or, they should.
> 
> especially this year. thanks to the writer's strike, there was an abundance of absolutely amazing musical pefomances.
> 
> -dh


I must have missed them....the best part of the performances was Kid Rock/Keely Smith duet. Tina Turner schooled Beyonce pretty good for a 69 year old woman, and the beatles tribute was kinda cool....other than those it was pretty lackluster. Even the Foo Fighters were a bit boring.


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## Jim Jones (Sep 18, 2006)

I think Amy Winehouse is great!

Hell, just about every one of my musical heroes was a drug-fuelled disaster at some point in their lives. It's just that TMZ wasn't around at the time to give you up to the minute updates. 

Jim


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## faracaster (Mar 9, 2006)

That Herbie win for RIVER, was a complete surprise. I mean the album has only sold little more than 50,000 copies in the US. I love the CD. But I never thought it would be voted record of the year. Good on them. for once quality rose to the top.

As for the show.....man do they have a LOT of money to put on that show. Forget the set, video and lighting which would be in the millions of dollars (believe me I know all too painfully how much money I have to spend on that contingent on the Juno awards and my budget for the WHOLE show would not buy what one single performance on the Grammy's cost) but to do all those collaborations with the artists costs BIG time!!! Lets take a relatively small number like The Time with Rhianna (sp?). First the Time has not played in 15 years so there is rehearsal time for them, then they have to rearrange (music director) and rehearse Rhianna's tune (Umbrella) with her and blend it into their song. The logistics and cost of getting all these people in the same room somewhere (likely LA) is enough to sink the Juno ship right there. The rehearsal time in the venue is extremely costly. Imagine all the band, dancers, singers, full TV crew, Staples Centre crew and support for say, 5 hrs? Then there are the performance rights and royallties for broadcast. Paying the band, the dancers and and a choreographer....mmmmm lots o' dough. Quite conservatively I would hazard a guess that that one performance with all the above and the set, lighting, video that are specifically for that performance ( and don't be fooled, things cost a lot more in LA)....would be in the 350K to half a million dollar range. 
I don't even have half that for the Juno Awards complete 2 hr. show.


Pete


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

hoser said:


> ...then I guess you're late to the party. She's probably one of the most overplayed artists of 2007. I'd be happy if I never heard "Rehab" again.



...i am happily "out of the loop" - i tuned out mainstream media several years ago. i think it was around the time i was hitting the preset buttons on my car stereo and phil collins was on every &^*%$#* channel...

-dh


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## Jim Jones (Sep 18, 2006)

david henman said:


> ...i am happily "out of the loop" - i tuned out mainstream media several years ago. i think it was around the time i was hitting the preset buttons on my car stereo and phil collins was on every &^*%$#* channel...
> 
> -dh



Uh, David - I think that "several years" may be a conservative estimate if Phil is the one who drove you away. 

Jim


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## violation (Aug 20, 2006)

Starbuck50 said:


> Here sheck this out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-_ZywDWRK8


That's certainly... unique? Lol definetly music I wouldn't listen to but to each their own. Seems like something that would be on the radio a lot. Probably why I haven't heard it before, I usually just pop in a CD. 



> ...musicians get it. or, they should.
> 
> what's not to get?


Well I'd like to start with "Once Upon a Time in the West" by Bruce Springsteen winning over ANY of the other ones nominated in the "Best" Rock Instrumental Performance category. Seriously... Bruce Springsteen over any of the ones listed is ridiculous IMO.

"The Ecstasy of Gold" by Metallica
"Malignant Narcissism" by Rush
"Always with Me, Always with You" by Joe Satriani
"The Attitude Song" by Steve Vai

I now see why most musicians I listen to really don't care about awards or mentions in magazines "Top xxx" lists.


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## hoser (Feb 2, 2006)

david henman said:


> ...i am happily "out of the loop" - i tuned out mainstream media several years ago. i think it was around the time i was hitting the preset buttons on my car stereo and phil collins was on every &^*%$#* channel...
> 
> -dh


...I don't know about Toronto, but down here it's played everywhere...I don't even listen to the radio.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

allthumbs56 said:


> And he was singing about ticks ...



On his women no less.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Jim Jones said:


> Uh, David - I think that "several years" may be a conservative estimate if Phil is the one who drove you away.
> Jim


...ah, yes, well...the years do seem to slip by rather swiftly, of late.

oh, look, time for my nap...:smile:

-dh


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

allthumbs56 said:


> And he was singing about ticks ...


...okay, i think i finally get brad paisley. my brother explained it to me last night. he considers paisley a stand up comedian armed with a guitar and "i want to check you for ticks", like many of his songs, actually pokes fun at mainstream country lyrics.

up until now, that song just made me cringe but, in that context, it is truly hilarious!

i'll be taking a closer look at some of his other lyrics. we need more like brad paisley.

-dh


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

david henman said:


> ...i am happily "out of the loop" -
> -dh


Me Too! I don't know when I heard Rehab, but it was before she was Everywhere and a complete wreck. I was very surprised when I got a look at her. I guess I love it cause it's not the same old cookie cutter crap. She writes a good tune and the band sounds awesome. If you doubt how good she is, try to find some of the Live at Orange lounge performances.


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

david henman;94092i'll be taking a closer look at some of his other lyrics. we need more like brad paisley.
-dh[/QUOTE said:


> Check out Alcohol, it truly does make fun in a way people can really relate to.


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## peter benn (Mar 29, 2007)

I can see that if you've just heard "Rehab" or seen a clip or two, you might wonder what all the fuss is about, and I certainly grant you her immaturity. The album "Back To Black" in its entirety, however, works pretty well....


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

jroberts said:


> Uhh, what was the question again?



...what is the effect of gamma rays on man-in-the-moon marigolds?

you're welcome.

-dh


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## skydigger (Oct 20, 2007)

Amy Winehouse is a heavy drug addict, but that woman has talent.

She deserved the grammy wins despite the fact that the media follows her every move and her songs are over-played on the radio.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

"Rehab" is pretty cool, and ballsy compared to all the diva pretenders, but it's no less derivative than anything else that finds its roots in rhythm and blues. That doesn't make it bad, or devalue it in any way, but someone has simply learned their r&b lessons well. 

So what if she's a screw-up, so was Hendrix, Joplin, Morrison, SRV, Gatton, Buchanan, when it came to intoxicants (not that she's necessarily in the same league, mind you). Let's hope she comes to her senses before her grave.

Promise is such a fleeting thing.

Peace, Mooh.


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## dobsont (Jan 7, 2008)

The drums sometimes have a sample-y feel that bugs me. Particularly obvious on 'rehab'. Once the sax starts and she gets past the 'no no no' part I really dig the sound of the song, drums definitely included -- the best stuff happens after the hook...

I do enjoy some of her stuff. Old news, maybe. I am generally late to the party. 
I like her voice, I like the 60s r&b vibe I get from the horns, etc. 
Couldn't say whether she deserves a grammy or not since I am entirely out of touch with current music and have absolutely no idea who she'd have been up against...


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## dobsont (Jan 7, 2008)

Paul said:


> It is a very slick, well thought out production.


That's my impression too. And while it's slick and well thought out it doesn't sound over-produced. There are a ton of great sounds on the album. I can't remember the last time I said that about something contemporary, but I also rarely listen to the radio...

While I don't particularly like the nod to hip-hop (in a purely subjective sense), I understand it as an essential element for producing crossover hits. Thankfully it doesn't sound tacked on or forced, so it's clearly 'right'.

There's a warmth - a tooby, I don't know, analogue-y saturated type vibe(?) - that attracted me to Back to Black right away. That's in addition to the voice and instrumentation. There are odd quirks (the echo on the vocal track right at the end of 'I'm No Good' comes to mind), but I'm picky. 

I quite like the album.


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## Guest (Feb 15, 2008)

skydigger said:


> She deserved the grammy wins despite the fact that the media follows her every move and her songs are over-played on the radio.


What I don't get is why she won Best New Artist -- how do they define a "new" artist? Her major label debut, _Frank_, came out in 2003. It just wan't a platinum selling release like _Back to Black_ was. So...she's not "new" by any means. She's just "more successful in 2007 than she was ever before".


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## I_cant_play (Jun 26, 2006)

well thanks to this thread I checked her out on youtube. I must say, it's completely different from what I expected. I really liked back to black and you know I'm no good. Either way, she's definitely one of the best artists I've discovered lately and probably the only popular artist I currently like.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

If Cole meant that Winehouse is a flash in the pan who hasnt paid her dues, then I'm on board witht hat (although hearing it from someone who in spite of having some talent, has pretty much based her entire career on that of her father's, loses some credibility). Besides, the Grammys have always been about what currently hot not an assessment of talent.

I personally think her acid lounge kind of sound is just this years fad...reminds me of the Swing boom in the 90's a' la Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Setzer Orchestra, Colin James, etc....Great music, but the fickle public wont stand for it 2 years in a row (or 2 cd's in a row). 
Have another drink on the house, Amy. Your 15mins are about up.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Diablo said:


> If Cole meant that Winehouse is a flash in the pan who hasnt paid her dues, then I'm on board witht hat (although hearing it from someone who in spite of having some talent, has pretty much based her entire career on that of her father's, loses some credibility). Besides, the Grammys have always been about what currently hot not an assessment of talent.
> 
> I personally think her acid lounge kind of sound is just this years fad...reminds me of the Swing boom in the 90's a' la Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Setzer Orchestra, Colin James, etc....Great music, but the fickle public wont stand for it 2 years in a row (or 2 cd's in a row).
> Have another drink on the house, Amy. Your 15mins are about up.



...your assessment would be dead on were it not for the fact that, both musically and artisitically, she appears to be very, very real.

i predict that she is going to be around for a while, regardless of whether she is front page tabloid news.

-dh


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## J S Moore (Feb 18, 2006)

I will be surprised if she actually lives to the end of the decade. She doesn't seem to be very interested in cleaning up and there's generally only one destination on that road. How many times has she overdosed now? 2? 3?


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

david henman said:


> ...your assessment would be dead on were it not for the fact that, both musically and artisitically, she appears to be very, very real.
> 
> i predict that she is going to be around for a while, regardless of whether she is front page tabloid news.
> 
> -dh


I guess I just dont see/hear it. Admittedly I only know of her stuff that makes it to the radio, and it seems pretty contrived....as if she wrote it with the hopes it would be used for an Ipod/Old Navy commercial.


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