Mailbag

I spoke to Sony HR twice about Mr Walk even though he states no one ever complained to HR. I was told if I wanted to pusue the complaint that Sony would tie me up in court for more than 3 years and freeze my paycheck. Fuck Ira Sallen the head of Sony HR at the time and fuck Charlie the pig. How about the time he asked a women if he could stare at her in his office while he masturbated into his garage pail!!
Harvey Leeds
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I also had the dis-pleasure of working with Charlie Walk. An absolute rancid and disgusting individual with ZERO morals.
He would threaten myself and fellow executives DAILY with firing. He thought that it was motivating to use the tactic of losing your job and not being able to support your family, but meanwhile, all he did was motivate you to find another job.
In an A&R meeting while listening to music, he climbed on the desk, ripped open his shirt and started rubbing his nipples while he licked himself and motioned his hips in a very sexual manner.
In a meeting in a studio, he just got up and started spinning on his back while listening to music. What record company President starts to break dance in the middle of listening to music in a meeting WITH the artist and their manager that they are looking to sign???
He also made-out with executives assistants at various company functions.
I find it puzzling that more is not being made of his executive staff(s) enabling his deviant behavior.
I was told when I went to report his behavior to executive staff members that it was "Charley being Charley". I find it amazing that his executive staff(s) kept quiet for as long as they have. Did they really not know what was going on? A la the Penn State scandal, and recently Michigan State, the predator was NOT the only 1 in the wrong. People knew and didn't do anything!! Sr. VP.s, EVP's and GM's that work(ed) with him should be ASHAMED of themselves!! YOU KNOW WHAT HE IS DOING!!
He is a PREDATOR and a DEVIANT. He preys on young executives that he knows are trying to come up and would probably stay quiet because they were trying to get ahead. He is a prime example of a "Dog & Pony Show". He reels you in, you drink the Kool-Aid, and then you are trapped having to deal with a monster. He is a circus..
Charlie is obsessed with power.. He needs that power to over compensate for his height. It's not meant to be funny, but really is an undiagnosed diagnosis. I'm sure a therapist would agree that he has deep rooted issues because of his lack of height, and his deviant behavior is a mechanism of lashing out and proving that he worthy or respect.
The issue is that he doesn't think that he did anything wrong. Like a recovering alcoholic, he should write his wrongs and start apologizing to his victims. I still can't believe that none of his victims brothers, fathers, husbands or boyfriends didn't knock his block off.
The only way he will truly understand what his behavior really has done is if his wife or children are subjected to that kind behavior in their workplaces..I can only wonder what he would do.... Then maybe he will finally get it.
The sad reality is that once this blows over, he will find a hedge fund to finance his company and will be back with a vengeance. If you have a great well-connected entertainment attorney, you always have a shot.
He is the quintessential example of VERY bad people can do VERY well in the music business.
Kudos for people speaking out. It's time to rid the music business of animals like Charlie Walk. Good Riddance....
-anonymous
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Hey Bob - I met Charlie Walk on a set in 2005 when I was a young, stressed-out Hollywood assistant. He was remarkably friendly to me when he didn't have to be (whether or not this matters, it was my impression). At some point he told us a story about how John Mayer's "Daughters" was on track to becoming an ignored/forgotten track on the album, had he not personally zeroed in on it's poignant message and fought tooth and nail for it to become a successful single (and we all know it endures).
If the letter is true, there's some sad irony in this story now.
Matt Robertson
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Hello
Music execs and producers alike.
When I was 20 years old I got invited to a studio after the club. I was nieve and viewed this as an innocent musical opportunity.
That night I met _____________, a major producer at the time.
In an effort to summerize this night, _____________ told me that if I wanted to succeed in the music industry, I would have to sleep with him. That it was a requirement. When I said no, he said that I was ruining my shot and that I would think back to this night and remember the moment I killed my dreams - for not doing what "all girls in the industry" have to do. There was another girl there who was saying that he was right and it was just what I had to do. He tried to get closer to me and I continued to say no. I tried defending myself and he started yelling. This continued. I was frozen. I wanted to cry but I didn't. I stayed still, looking forward and apologizing for my "no's". I had just moved to this new city, my friends and I had gotten separated but later night when one of them picked me up I broke down in the car. I googled "_____________" the next night and realized that the year before he had been accused of rape. I cried all night. I questioned my decision to be chasing the chance to be in this industry. Being worried about the safety of my family has kept me in fear. I wish it was safe to come forward. I wish it was safe to come forward. I wish the names of the ABUSERS along with the names of the MEN behind these sexual harassment stories were placed on a general universal list or on a website so girls would be able to go look up who they may be going in to work with.
Even if the government is dropping the ball, even if companies are taking tooooo long to enforce safe workplace environment regulations; this would at least be a way to warn women about the men that are not as high profile and may not get as much coverage. Had I known this guy had been accused of rape,
I would have known to go the fuck home.
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Oddly, when this has happened to me in the context of employment (and believe me, it's happened. Multiple times), it's always crossed the back of my mind that "well, he tried that on me...I guess I've got one over on him if I ever need to use it." Of course, that will only work if said offender fears whatever repercussions might befall him were I to use the information against him...marital trouble or divorce, dismissal with cause from employment, a public court battle, the list goes on. Some don't fear any of it, and that's when you know you're in trouble (Donald Trump comes to mind...I genuinely pity his wife. I lived the hell she's trapped in for 16 years before I got out, which all but ruined me, I'll admit, financially, emotionally, psychologically, physically. While people who insist she could leave can't possibly have lived in such an oppressive environment where your entire reality is created for you and rue the day you step out of bounds. Christ, if he was bold enough to tell McCabe to go ask his wife what it's like to be with a loser, imagine what he says to his own behind closed doors?! But I digress...).
But some of your readers/commenters have it wrong, as do many people at large. This whole phenomenon has NOTHING to do with trying to get sex. Men who say so are in little danger of becoming offenders themselves because they can't even fathom that this behavior is 100% about POWER. Feeling powerful by making someone else feel powerless. I do agree with what some have said about our adoration of celebrity contributing to people abusing their power to exploit others. I suppose ultimately (for now anyway) we women need to ask ourselves if that dream or thing we're chasing (that job, that project, that promotion, that client) is really worth suffering such indignities and abuse. It's not the only __________________ (fill in the blank with any one of the above) in town. Do some due diligence and thoroughly evaluate your employer, the team and company culture, your supervisor, etc. it's as much an evaluation on your part as it is on theirs.
Thanks for helping to bring the stories into the light. Only when we understand what we're dealing with can we ever hope for to really see measurable change.
Gwen Gayhart
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Thank you so much for sharing the stories of women in the industry who have been silently enduring objectification, harassment, misconduct, and assault for far too long.
Like many of those women, I of course have my own stories. I once worked backstage at a concert at Madison Square Garden for a very legendary artist who I will not name. I was so excited for the opportunity to network and make a name for myself. I was a senior in college. I was even more excited to be introduced to the band's tour manager, who I idolized for his tenure in the industry. When I approached him to shake his hand, he pulled me onto his lap and kept his arm around my waist. I sat there frozen and didn't really have any other choice than to laugh it off, because up until that point, the opportunity to work at this show was one of the biggest opportunities I'd ever been given. This happened in front of a room full of people, which to me signals that this man thought that objectifying a 20-year-old woman was nothing to be ashamed of and perfectly normal.
Years later, I found myself at SXSW at an industry cocktail party following a performance by one of the most major Latin artists in modern music. I was attempting to get some facetime with this artist's manager, as I'd been communicating with him for weeks about a potential partnership and was hoping to make some headway in our discussion. Instead, this manager got extremely drunk, pulled his pants down and put his ass in my face, and made jokes about how it would be "hot as shit" if I took my glasses off in slow motion like they do in the movies. Again, I laughed it off. I was maybe 23 or 24? I didn't know what else to do. Was I supposed to slap one of the most powerful music managers in the world across the face in front of a room full of people who respected him more than me? And again, this happened in front of an entire party full of people, leading me to believe that this man sees this behavior as normal and nothing to be ashamed of.
I've had plenty of other experiences in between. I was once told in a business meeting in front of my coworkers, "From the back, you look like J-Lo." I once was pressured to slow dance with a member of a band in a green room by their (again very powerful) manager, also with all of my coworkers in the room. I've been preyed upon by artists who I was supposed to be hosting and guiding through a content shoot. And I just had to grin and bear it and make sure THEY were happy. It wasn't worth complaining to HR, because the people who harassed me within my office walls didn't actually work for my media company, they worked for the labels and artists and management groups who were visiting for business.
Pretty much everything that's happened to me in the industry has happened in front of other people, and no one has ever stood up for me or batted an eye in the moment. And when you're young, you simply can't stand up for yourself. You can't risk pissing off the wrong person if you care about building your reputation and brand towards a long, bright future.
I hope more women will come forward with their stories. The music industry desperately needs its #TimesUp moment. Having you as an ally is truly invaluable, and I can't thank you enough.
Sincerely,
Anonymous
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With all respect to Stu Cohen, there was a huge amount of this behavior at WBR in the 70's and 80's.
It was common knowledge the WBR wouldn't promote from within; if a female wished to progress out of a 'secretarial' position she'd have to leave the company, work elsewhere, and apply for a new job in a higher category. I could list at least 5 women who experienced this.
As for sexism and sexual abuse - it was rampant. My 'boss' would run up and down the halls yelling about what a stupid bitch I was because I didn't do *something* as instructed (even though I might have double- and triple- checked it with him previously) and still, many times when we'd be alone - after work or at an industry function - he'd come on to me with promises of how I could really progress in my career if ........
Oh, the stories I could tell......
OMIT MY NAME!!
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*Please keep name & email address anonymous if you choose to publish:
The bottomline is that while other women have now come forth, anonymously, with Charlie Walk's harassing behavior, the fact that women feel they can only do so anonymously, shows cleaerly how the industry is dysfunctional and abusive.
There is no system in place for women to bring these complaints. And, after the Time's Up movement came to light, not ONE label came forth with a position, or stating what processes they would put in place to make sure women are protected, and that things are fair, and/or a protocol to deal with such issues.
Why not? They can't. They're too broken in this area.
How powerful would it have been had one label, ONE, come forward to support the movement. It's pathetic that not one did.
Charlie Walk will get a slap on the wrist and life will go along. Because it's an industry run by men, who have no understanding of the real damage of this behavior, nor do they care. Nor do they want to understand. And that's a sad state of affairs. It's like Donald Trump getting elected President, even though.
Lastly, Neil Portnow has to go. He and his comments egregiously represent an old guard, and Everything that is wrong.
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I have for years donated money to a charity that helps sexually abused girls/women and boys/men, I find it abhorrent. I've sadly known many... an ex girlfriend being one, who is lucky to even be alive, and after hearing her childhood ordeal I needed counselling, because it was so incomprehensible to me.
But I have also had experience (working my whole life in the entertainment industry) of males that have had their careers shattered by females accusations, both true AND false, in "trial by media".
So while many many females have every right to speak out about horrible treatment from men, the Charlie Walk open letter from Tristan Coopersmith makes me feel very uneasy. How can you work with someone for a whole year while being treated that way!? Is she so weak minded?... Its clearly because she wanted fame and career over integrity. And as she is "speaking out", it implies solidarity with other females. Please don't paint females as weak and defenceless little lambs, who'll put up with anything to advance their own goals - yuk!... most of the ones I have the privilege of knowing are strong, more than most males I know, and have integrity.
AND she took hush money and STILL spoke out. So i'm sorry, i just dont want to hear it. You absolutely lessen the cause of women and girls who were truly abused or harrassed, against their will, and that they had no part in enabling.
I fear that this "gang up" on men could sadly go pear shaped if some common sense is not employed. As a feeling man, who cannot stand sexual abuse, i'm starting to feel ganged up on, therefore I know others are too.
This could go badly. Careful everyone.
Name withheld please, Melbourne Australia.
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Bob, I hope you turn your searchlight on the cause of female instrumentalists, who are held back from learning the ropes and the riffs by the sad fact that if a cute guitar-playing girl asks a guy - any guy, pretty much - how to play a cool chord or riff, they'd try to fuck you. It was regular as clockwork. Guys in general, need to watch more Jane Austen movies.
Paula Franceschi
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I'm so disheartened and depressed about my career that I absolutely used to love. I've been working in the music industry for over 18 years and it might be finally the time to get out. Bob, I can't speak up. I need my job and I'm afraid to be black-balled. I've had plenty of #metoo moments, that if pressed, I couldn't count. Including being kissed on the mouth by an EVP who was 30 years older and groped dozens of times.
Sexual harassment and gender equality sometimes fight side by side especially in this industry. We need more women in supervisor roles without it, we can't ever be equal or move forward. At my job, every department head is a man. Even though, I'm in my 40s, I'm still called "my girl" or "girl" every day. When I got mad about some issue here, and by mad I mean I used the word FUCK about 10 times in one sentence, I was told I'm too emotional. I can count at least 5 executives (all male) who have had affairs on their wives with subordinates. Just last week, when discussing hiring a new assistant, I overheard the guys say "hire her, she's hot". And all this is just the tip of my memory, what I'm willing to recall because the rest is just too painful. I work hard and all I want is to be treated the same as my male counterpart, not get harassed and get paid the same. I fear, no strike that, I know that will never happen in my lifetime and FUCK its depressing.
-feel free to print but please don't use my name. thank you.
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Nat Weiss used to stare at me as he gave his cigar fellatio. Ugh!
Paul M Martin
Vipers NYC, LLC
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still a lot of 'crickets' out there... so many (women) afraid to speak for fear being 'black balled'... and RADIO (programmers, etc) have a closet full of misogyny
I'm just a lowly record rep, have been for 20+ years now (still employed)...none of this is surprising, except that it's remained a hushed secret for this long and I really don't expect to hear much more about it.
I hope I'm wrong... another note, the fact that he didn't hit on female artists isn't that surprising, his power is over his minions, not his product per se
(do not use my name either please)
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Fascinating, necessary and received with thanks Bob. Did I say necessary? Absolutely, and I'm glad to see these experiences surfacing. And I'm listening and I'm hearing. Then again, like every record, there's a flip side.
The wife of a good friend is a respected professional, top of her field, and just received a career-capping promotion. We were all on the phone together and she was thrilled with the appointment but already anticipating friction with her boss. Why? "He has a penis."
Hmmm… Now of course I'll never walk in a woman's shoes but I'm just not ready to apologize for my penis. (Other than the fact that its too small. but still.) So was I offended by that comment? Not really, it's a reflection of the moment and I understand that it has to come out. That doesn't make it right though.
Pardon the stream of consciousness, I'm just taking it all in. Anyhow I'll leave you with this:
www.cnn.com/videos/us/2018/01/16/open-letter-to-aziz-ansari-sexual-assault-accuser-banfield.hln
Don Rose
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Hi Bob,
A co-worker of mine sent me your Charlie Walk letter from the 29th, and while I have never read your letter before (I subscribed today), it sounded very much in line with the reactions I hear form almost everyone. "How could people know this is going on and not do anything?"; "Why are so many men doing this and thinking it's okay?" A lot of people say that the women didn't feel comfortable speaking out in fear that they would lose their job. That even if they did speak out, THEY would be the ones to be let go and have to find a new job and keep their mouths shut.
This kind of enabling not only tells other perpetrators that this kind of behavior will go unpunished, but will also be swept under the rug. The more this happens more people will do it and when more victims see this kind of behavior being ignored, it enforces the vulnerability they feel in not speaking out.
While I believe those who choose to act in this degrading, harassing, and alarming way should be fired, that does little to solve the overall problem. Even if HR does listen, take it seriously, and rightfully fire the aggressor, someone else will most likely fill that spot in short time. It will also cause the aggressors to be more secretive or place more threats on the victims to keep them quiet. For example, my company made us all sign a form that says we cannot speak to any journalists regarding this subject, even if we know something has happened. I personally know of a situation where one girl spoke up about one of the office heads and his harassment toward her and another employee helped her write a letter to HR. The victim of the situation was given the option to take a demotion or leave and the employee who helped the victim write the letter was fired and forced to sign a NDA (I think this goes without saying, but please keep me anonymous).
It surprises and saddens me that more people aren't focusing on the bigger picture of how to solve the problem as a whole and, instead, focus on the immediate single person. Almost every story I have heard has a component of someone else knowing the person in question has an issue and is capable of this sort of abuse, yet they do nothing. Enablers are the driving force behind problems and without accountability, no one would stay the course. This is why we have HR, but apparently in the entertainment industry, they are more focused on the company and tradition than the employees they should be protecting.
This is why I believe all HR departments throughout the entertainment industry should be held accountable and instead of having in-house HR departments, the entire industry should move toward third party HR companies. This would ensure that whistle blowing isn't silenced, that there are no personal connections between the alleged and HR, the established power structure of companies will not apply, and the people at the top would save money, both in harassment suits and in the salaries and wages of in-house employees (and we all know how important money is in this industry and people who run it).
This industry as it stands reminds me of the Mangrove's sacrificial leaf. The water is too salty, and subsequently, toxic to the trees, so instead of infecting all of the leaves with the toxic salt water, the tree directs the salt to one leaf. This leaf falls off and then another sacrificial leaf grows. This is a solution, but another leaf always gross back and the life of the tree is shortened because of this process and it's habitat. If the Mangroves had a new environment, they would be able to maintain all of their leaves and have a longer life. While moving an entire species is difficult and takes a lot of time, it would, overall, be more successful and it would no longer be a necessity to sacrifice any leaves.
Changing an entire industry's model is time consuming, taxing, and costly, but the longevity and health of the industry and the people who work in it are more important than maintaining tradition.
Thank you for reading this and for all that you do,
Leigh Andrzejewski
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Funny thing, on Twitter looking at responses to the NYT article about the Grammies falling off in viewership a lot of people are carrying on about 'too much rap'. I asked my 14 year old daughter what she and her mostly white friends listen to and she unhesitatingly said "hip hop" The 20-30 demographic is out of touch.
Also a lot of MAGA idiots raving about 'too much politics'
I didn't watch, I never watch this stuff, never have.
The Grammies are suffering from lack of authenticity, they, like much of the pop music world have become rooted in Vegas style show biz shtick
Chris Stein
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Bruno Mars over Kendrick Lamar - CRIMINAL!
Val Garay
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I am Childish's engineer and I love BOTH Donald Glover AKA Childish Gambino's music and Bruno's music. Bruno's music was about good times. Donald's music was good and about what's going on in the world ,in relationships and people's mind's on top of funky ass grooves. As is a large part of the nation, perhaps is the Academy as well, a large portion of voting members who didn't want to and couldn't get behind lyrics like "With a gun in YOUR HAND I'm the Boogieman. If you point a gun at MY rising son, know we're not the one, but in the BOWELS OF YOUR MIND WE HAVE DONE THE CRIME". While grooving to Childish there are thought provoking lyrics and subject matter. Bruno gave 'em happy snappy, Childish gave 'em a face full of funky truth. Both have their place in my opinion and music collection, but I was ready for the funky truth and think a lot of people will look back at "AWAKEN, MY LOVE" as a sign of Donald's genius, a pivotal moment in music and the beginning of evolution of Donald Glover/Childish Gambino into a major superstar.
Kenneth H. Williams
Production Manager/ Audio Engineer
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it is way past time for a complete changeup at the music "academy" , the tv broadcast, and the surrounding grammy connected gang (Clive Davis et al). Its been the same for decades, and not a woman in charge (or in sight) anywhere.u
Gail Roberts
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Thank you for the shout-out. It is sad to see the number of people who still - ignorantly or worse, in a racist way, still think "hip hop isn't music". Give me a break. Those folks need to get back to their nursing homes or their KKK meetings. One or the other.
Keep doing what you do. Spreading the light!
Baris Bozyetis
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This -
"I've never heard of Kendrick Lamar. But I'm pretty sure he can't sing play an instrument well, write music or do much of anything that qualifies for music. A collage of samples and "beats" as a bed underneath street poetry does not qualify as music. Oh you may be a fan of it and it maybe cool but it certainly does not classically qualify as music thereby should not win a Grammy. Create something else for that form of art but It cannot stand next to Dylan, Joni Mitchell or the Beatles. It's just not the same thing.
And cut the shit with racist crap. It's all the left has and it's so tired that even you guys are tuning it out."
Sean Mormelo
Sean is so right Bob. He could be way more blunt though, such as "Please shut the fuck up Bob, you're so full of crap".
Art Masciocchi
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Sean Mormelo wins the Grammy for most insane, out-of-touch-with-reality, ignorant, off-base comment about Kendrick Lamar and rap music. And I grant him this award being a HUGE fan of The Beatles and Bob Dylan. And who even judges the talents of someone you've never heard of?
Here are some other probable quotes by Sean Mornelo:
"I've never heard of Ray Charles, but I'm pretty sure he can't play piano..."
"I've never eaten Italian food, but I'm pretty sure it never uses olive oil."
"I've never watched Seinfeld, by I'm pretty sure it's a sci-fi horror series."
Gabe Lehner (9 Theory)
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Sean Mormelo must live under a fucking rock.
Denise Mello
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Did you ever stop to think it has nothing to do with race? I happen to hate everything about rap music, but it has NOTHING to do with race. Nothing. I just think it sucks ass. And the culture that it breeds is about on par with 80s metal culture. Both are pretty deplorable.
For a guy who always encourages people to be open-minded, you've drawn some pretty closed conclusions on this topic.
Anyway, I look forward to your next post!
Tim
in Calgary
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From that John Barone guy:
"You have really lost you're mind if you think Fox is Biased. You should listen to Hannity every night and Rush from 9-12 on 1150 am to really know what going on . Sorry but its true"
From someone who can't even use apostrophes correctly, advice on where "un-biased" news can be found.
Gary Stockdale
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Thank you for what you do. I am a producer, engineer and the Director of Education at Cr?o8 Music Academy in Los Angeles. I am a loyal subscriber and refer all of my students to your blog.
I am also a GRAMMY nominee from back in 2013 -- I was nominated for my work on Channel ORANGE. After we lost to Mumford & Sons, and a bit of research, I found out that contemporary urban records don't win Album of the Year...with two exceptions: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill and Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. What happened this year is par for the course. If anyone's mind drifts to believing that 24k Magic is a proper urban record, give it a spin against the two aforementioned albums and then re-evaluate your stance.
I am a Caucasian male. In speaking with my African-American partners, peers and counterparts, I learned their sentiment about this year's urban-dominated Album of the Year category.
They didn't like it.
Why? They shared with me that they want to be nominated and compete alongside all other genres of music. And then WIN. Anything short of that, including a field full or urban records in which none of them win, is seen as pandering.
I hope their sentiment is as revealing to you as it was to me.
Best,
Doug Fenske
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AMEN, BROTHER! And how in the hell does Despacito NOT win Record of the Year??? The Grammy voters are tone deaf.
David Lackey
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Probably my favorite letter from you in awhile- couldn't agree more.
The thing that bothers me the most is Bruno, and the fact he isn't capable of doing anything original.
Keep fighting the good fight bob!
Everett Entertainment
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I it not derision or praise but just an observation of fact that "rapping" is talking, not singing" and as such it SHOULD be in it's own category and not competing head to head with music/songs. Now that is political correctness at it's worst. To those of us who worked to learn to play an instrument it is offensive to see the very definition of music dumbed down regardless of popularity.
Larry Brown
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The only thing that would've made U2 a relevant moment ( ala Spinal Tap Stonehenge) is if the barge lost its mooring and started floating back across the Atlantic!
They were hermetically sealed, by themselves.....vacuum packed like a pouch of frozen peas! Rich guys preaching to no one.
Steve Chrismar
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"As a old white woman with a masters degree in English literature who supports Trump wholeheartedly, I cannot for the life of me figure out why anyone would listen to "obscene nursery rhymes" or what you would call hip-hop. Every aspect of this genre is infantile, from the laughable rhyming schemes to the disgusting demands for sex, money and drugs right now. This is not art; this is a cry for therapy.
Art demands artifice - a certain disinterested distance from the facts that allows universal truths to be portrayed. True artists cannot be trusted for the facts. Entertainers cannot be trusted for the facts or the truth.
Paula Van Dellen Eastman
P.S. Hip hop is not the thing right now. Never has been and never will be. "
Ms. van Dellen Eastman = Clueless, Racist Dolt. Alway was and always will be. ;-)
Hugo Burnham
(An old white man with a Masters Degree in Education!)
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Thanks for sharing the note from Paula Van Dellen Eastman.
Best laugh I'll have all year.
Cheers!
Steve Gorman
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I was really impressed with Bruno Mars' Superbowl appearance a couple years back. But when I heard the singles from his album, I yawned. After reading your post, I finally decided to see what actually won. Ho hum.
I guess it's good. But it's a 70's flashback with R&B vocals and the briefest hint of hip hop. Highly disappointing. But considering the Grammy voting audience, it makes sense. Much like the U.S. election, it's all about who votes.
I also listened to Kendrick Lamar's album. Not my thing. His voice grates on me. But a helluva lot more creative than Bruno Mars. Lamar he has some pretty amazing rhymes. I agree with you. It's a much better album. He strikes me as a modern Bob Marley. Kinda awesome. I will keep listening in the future.
Thanks for all your insights and thoughts.
Slainte!
Marc Gunn
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To the guy who replied and said rap doesn't qualify as music, and can't compare to Joni/Dylan/Beatles, needs to leave his zip code.
They don't give you a guitar when you grow up in Compton. You moron.
Leland Grant
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There's a strange dichotomy here though. On one hand they snub talented hip hop artists. But on the other hand, there are ALWAYS artists (including rappers) that are nominated that no one has ever heard of. So how does that work? Is it just p.r? In other words, how could the committee snub Jay-Z but nominate Rapsody, who no one has ever heard of (but is coincidentally signed to Jay-Z's label)? That's the part I don't get. I think there has to be a p.r. aspect to the nominations.
Josh Lefkowitz
It could have been, and it has been ten times worse at GRAMMY Headquarters. I distinctly remember wanting to scream loudly into the phone during a portion of an evening early on, in my what was to become a close to five-decade career as both a Promotion Man and A&R Man as the highly coveted Best New Artist award for 1978 went to A TASTE OF HONEY for their social commentary hit "Boogie Oogie Oogie!!! Who did this brilliant duo beat out that had perhaps a more reasonable resumé? The Cars and Elvis Costello for certain!
Everything old is new again!
Marc Nathan
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Thank you for including people that somehow can still say with a straight face that rap isn't "real music" or they've never heard of Kendrick Lamar.
It's like when folks used to say "Creed went Diamond!? I don't know anyone who bought a Creed CD!" These people exist and they think they are making america great again.
Impressive that they know how to subscribe to your mailing list I guess.
Rick Savage
Decades ago, Grammy members could purchase vinyl, and then CDs, at bargain-basement prices to stay current with the music being made (of course there were many fewer releases because having to make physical product was a huge filter). I was a voting member back then, and gave myself a $100-$200 a month budget that was split between music I wanted, and music about which I was curious. A lot of my votes went to music where my curiosity was rewarded...and I would not have found out about it any other way.
Remember too that the Grammys are supposed to be about honoring artistic and technical achievements. I voted more than once for music I didn't like, but which was technically outstanding.
Bob Marley never won a Grammy. Then again, there wasn't a reggae category when he was alive. Kassav will probably never win a Grammy because they don't really fit in a category either. And that's why awards shows are inherently flawed: As soon as you try to categorize music and apply arbitrary objective standards to say something is "best," the magic starts to dissipate.
Craig Anderton
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It is time for women (and men) to no-show the Grammy's until the diversity of voters matches the diversity of performers. It would be a weird show if there were simply zero women there.
I was on the board of Habitat for Humanity in the early 1990s, and the bylaws were strict about the board diversity mirroring the community. It works.
Matt Roche
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Music's biggest night...
Is always followed by
Music's biggest fight...
And both are basically insignificant.
Marty Bender
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NHL ratings big for there format.
Grammys down.
Go where your celebrated, not tolerated.
liberal media is exactly that. lebairal…lol
check the gate and show my hard tickets for rappers are selling. its like a gucci bag, lots of rip offs.
Robert Ritchie / Kid Rock
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