Stevie to perform on this Sunday's Grammy Awards - Page 33

Lee · #**481** 02-01-2010, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michelej1

I doubt Stevie was that mortified about Taylor being off key. She did get a chance to rehearse with the girl first, so it probably came as no surprise to her.

Michele

I cringe when I hear Taylor Swift sing live. If there is anyone that SHOULD lip-syched, it's Taylor Swift. This is the second time that I've heard her sing live & OFF KEY.

And I'm sure that she's a nice girl, but she's way over-rated. I'm glad Stevie sang with her though, but I wish Stevie could have sang louder to drown her out!

Lee

Livia · #**482** 02-01-2010, 03:18 PM

They may have sounded fantastic during rehearsals - but Taylor's inexperience and nervousness got the best of her during the live performance.

Jondalar · #**483** 02-01-2010, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Livia

They may have sounded fantastic during rehearsals - but Taylor's inexperience and nervousness got the best of her during the live performance.

They both sounded nervous and were both off-key. I think one reason why Taylor is getting ripped to shreds is because Rhiannon is a simple song to sing, and if she can't hit those notes, it really showcases the fact she can't sing.

missus · #**484** 02-01-2010, 03:24 PM

I produced a singer in Nashville a couple of years ago....He was pretty good. except......problem was, he literally could NOT hear that he was consistently about a quarter tone flat.We had to autotune him....and he sounded fine.

Taylor Swifts recorded output is ALL autotuned. Being able to hear that you are flat or sharp is sort of an ingrained ability....I don't think it CAN be taught....The guy that I produced honestly could NOT hear that he was flat....Taylor Swift probably can't either...She writes cute material...but her recorded stuff SOUNDS good because it's all autotuned. A shame... because she's so likeable otherwise..;-)

P.S. It's VERY hard to harmonize with another singer who's got a pitch problem.....Stevie was doing her best to straighten Taylor up. I personally guarantee that SN is always in tune. In our day, you HAD to be able to (at least) sing in tune. People like songwriters Carol King or Bob Dylan got away with being "charmingly shaky" pitch-wise.....it was part of their persona. The thing is, their records were "charmingly shaky" too....Taylor Swifts recordings, in contrast are autotuned pitch-perfect.....Way too big a difference between live and recorded with Taylor. This creates "cognitive dissonance".....ouch !

Bob Welch
www.bobwelch.com

RockALittle250 · #**485** 02-01-2010, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jondalar

They both sounded nervous and were both off-key. I think one reason why Taylor is getting ripped to shreds is because Rhiannon is a simple song to sing, and if she can't hit those notes, it really showcases the fact she can't sing.

Actually, Stevie was not off-key, she was trying to let Taylor lead, but she just couldn't. And Rhiannon is not a simple song to sing, in fact, Stevie herself has said that it is one of her more difficult songs and many other artists don't even go near it.

Jondalar · #**486** 02-01-2010, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RockALittle250

Actually, Stevie was not off-key, she was trying to let Taylor lead, but she just couldn't. And Rhiannon is not a simple song to sing, in fact, Stevie herself has said that it is one of her more difficult songs and many other artists don't even go near it.

She was off-tune and Rhiannon doesn't require that much range. Taylor is still getting pummeled for her performance. However, Stevie is getting some much needed press and everyone is talking about how much they love her.

HejiraNYC · #**487** 02-01-2010, 03:51 PM

New York Magazine Livebloggging:

9:46pm: If you love Taylor Swift so much, Grammys, why don't you marry her?

9:47pm: Taylor Swift should get slimed, Double Dare-style. Seriously. Bucket of slime on her head.

9:48pm. Oh, but don't slime Stevie Nicks. Take Taylor to school, Stevie. Take her to a school where she has to stop singing your song. Also, Grammy people: You got Stevie Nicks to perform, and you're wasting her by letting Taylor Swift drown her out with off-key wailing on her own song? Shameful.

Read more: Liveblogging the Grammys Plus Video Highlights -- Vulture http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment...#ixzz0eJsIXEMT

RockALittle250 · #**488** 02-01-2010, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jondalar

She was off-tune and Rhiannon doesn't require that much range. Taylor is still getting pummeled for her performance. However, Stevie is getting some much needed press and everyone is talking about how much they love her.

It does actually; for example, the line "All Your Life" requires some range and someone with limited vocal ability cannot pull it off (like Taylor showed us last night). Over the years, Stevie had to lower the key to accommodate her changing voice.

missus · #**489** 02-01-2010, 03:53 PM

There was an interesting piece in the "New York Times" asking whether it was more important to win a Grammy or appear on the telecast. In other words, do you remember who won Album of the Year or do you remember Pink flying high in the sky? (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/ar...29grammys.html)

For those expressing displeasure with the Grammy telecast, I remind you that we no longer live in a monoculture. It was a very brief period, two decades at most, when mainstream and alternative merged, when MTV dictated the hits and radio fell in line behind. But now, you get to choose what you want to listen to from a plethora of choices. So if you tune in a telecast like this you're dumbfounded. Who are these people? Does anybody really care?

Beyonce prancing. Black Eyed Peas marching. Eminem and two guys you've never heard of ranting. Is this music? What kind of hole have we fallen down?

Relax. To say the Grammys are a reflection of music today is akin to saying what airs on NBC defines America. It doesn't. People have more passion for niche channels like Discovery than those trying to appeal to everybody networks.

But there's a limited channel universe. And the networks bought up the niche channels. What's going on in the music business?

Chaos.

What's ironic is that NARAS was the ultimate niche operation. What I mean by this was there was a category for every genre, it delved deep into music some were passionate about, but few cared about, which is exactly what's happening today. But the TV show is the opposite of this. With fewer awards given and only the most mainstream acts featured. Now is the time for NARAS to flourish. But beholden to the old major label structure that is crumbling, NARAS is teetering too. Overspending while membership is declining. Isn't this like trying to get people to buy albums on CD when you can cherry-pick the desirable singles on Napster?

But leading would require vision. And NARAS has none.

But who gives a **** about NARAS anyway.

I'll say that I was impressed with the Michael Jackson tribute. No, not his kids, who certainly aren't his biologically, and acquitted themselves quite well, but the performances... Everybody could sing! Could almost make you a Celine Dion fan. Especially after experiencing Taylor Swift.

How awful was she?

Dreadful.

"Fearless" deserved to win Album of the Year. I was glad it did. Scuttlebutt was it was DMB's year, but to say "GrooGrux" is good is to be a tie-dyed hippie hanging out in the parking lot before a show that features great playing but mediocre material. "GrooGrux" sold to a small coterie, most people don't care. But Taylor Swift is as mainstream as you can get. Triumphing in two formats. Speaking her truth to her audience. I love "Fearless". You can play it from start to finish, again and again, it's honest. But last night's performance...

Do you remember Billy Squier's pink video? Which killed his career overnight? Take a peek: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR0j7sModCI What was a hard rocker doing prancing around in a pink tank top? What was a neophyte artist doing sharing a stage with a legend who made it before auto-tune, before studio tricks could make anybody a singer?

I don't need to analyze the performance. (Hell, what I don't get is how Taylor rearranged her own hit song.) But what I am interested in is the impact. Because now, everybody knows that Taylor Swift can't sing. Is this what they'll remember?

Now unlike Billy Squier's pink video, there won't be endless repetition on MTV. And one can question how much of the target audience saw this performance. But the cognoscenti did, and to what degree do they now want to distance themselves from Ms. Swift?

In other words, did Taylor Swift kill her career overnight?

I'll argue she did. Oh, I'm not fully convinced of that, but let's start from this position.

She'll be even further hated in Nashville (and what kind of ****ed up world do we live in where the CMAs are better than the Grammys?) I'd love to say whored out Top Forty radio stations will ignore her, but this is doubtful, still...

In one fell swoop, Taylor Swift consigned herself to the dustbin of teen phenoms. Who we expect to burn brightly and then fade away. From New Kids On The Block to Backstreet Boys to Miley Cyrus. A wall is created, stating you can't come any further. Debbie Gibson can appear in shows on Broadway, but she can't have a hit record, the powers-that-be won't let it happen.

Taylor's too young and dumb to understand the mistake she made. And those surrounding her are addicted to cash and are afraid to tell her no. But last night Taylor Swift SHOULD have auto-tuned. To save her career.

They say it's easy to fake it in the twenty first century.

But one thing we know is the truth will always come out.

It's hard to be a singer if you can't sing.

Ultimately, we want our stars to be genuine. Without this credibility, your time atop the charts is brief.

Taylor Swift shortened her career last night. And since she says she calls all her own shots, she has to shoulder the blame. Yes, her dream came true, she made it, she's a star, but the real test is longevity. Elton John can play with GaGa decades later. Will Taylor Swift be duetting with the stars of the 2030s? Doubtful.

--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists?p=unsubscri...1dcc254c8dfa05

--

Jondalar · #**490** 02-01-2010, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by missus

There was an interesting piece in the "New York Times" asking whether it was more important to win a Grammy or appear on the telecast. In other words, do you remember who won Album of the Year or do you remember Pink flying high in the sky? (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/ar...29grammys.html)

For those expressing displeasure with the Grammy telecast, I remind you that we no longer live in a monoculture. It was a very brief period, two decades at most, when mainstream and alternative merged, when MTV dictated the hits and radio fell in line behind. But now, you get to choose what you want to listen to from a plethora of choices. So if you tune in a telecast like this you're dumbfounded. Who are these people? Does anybody really care?

Beyonce prancing. Black Eyed Peas marching. Eminem and two guys you've never heard of ranting. Is this music? What kind of hole have we fallen down?

Relax. To say the Grammys are a reflection of music today is akin to saying what airs on NBC defines America. It doesn't. People have more passion for niche channels like Discovery than those trying to appeal to everybody networks.

But there's a limited channel universe. And the networks bought up the niche channels. What's going on in the music business?

Chaos.

What's ironic is that NARAS was the ultimate niche operation. What I mean by this was there was a category for every genre, it delved deep into music some were passionate about, but few cared about, which is exactly what's happening today. But the TV show is the opposite of this. With fewer awards given and only the most mainstream acts featured. Now is the time for NARAS to flourish. But beholden to the old major label structure that is crumbling, NARAS is teetering too. Overspending while membership is declining. Isn't this like trying to get people to buy albums on CD when you can cherry-pick the desirable singles on Napster?

But leading would require vision. And NARAS has none.

But who gives a **** about NARAS anyway.

I'll say that I was impressed with the Michael Jackson tribute. No, not his kids, who certainly aren't his biologically, and acquitted themselves quite well, but the performances... Everybody could sing! Could almost make you a Celine Dion fan. Especially after experiencing Taylor Swift.

How awful was she?

Dreadful.

"Fearless" deserved to win Album of the Year. I was glad it did. Scuttlebutt was it was DMB's year, but to say "GrooGrux" is good is to be a tie-dyed hippie hanging out in the parking lot before a show that features great playing but mediocre material. "GrooGrux" sold to a small coterie, most people don't care. But Taylor Swift is as mainstream as you can get. Triumphing in two formats. Speaking her truth to her audience. I love "Fearless". You can play it from start to finish, again and again, it's honest. But last night's performance...

Do you remember Billy Squier's pink video? Which killed his career overnight? Take a peek: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR0j7sModCI What was a hard rocker doing prancing around in a pink tank top? What was a neophyte artist doing sharing a stage with a legend who made it before auto-tune, before studio tricks could make anybody a singer?

I don't need to analyze the performance. (Hell, what I don't get is how Taylor rearranged her own hit song.) But what I am interested in is the impact. Because now, everybody knows that Taylor Swift can't sing. Is this what they'll remember?

Now unlike Billy Squier's pink video, there won't be endless repetition on MTV. And one can question how much of the target audience saw this performance. But the cognoscenti did, and to what degree do they now want to distance themselves from Ms. Swift?

In other words, did Taylor Swift kill her career overnight?

I'll argue she did. Oh, I'm not fully convinced of that, but let's start from this position.

She'll be even further hated in Nashville (and what kind of ****ed up world do we live in where the CMAs are better than the Grammys?) I'd love to say whored out Top Forty radio stations will ignore her, but this is doubtful, still...

In one fell swoop, Taylor Swift consigned herself to the dustbin of teen phenoms. Who we expect to burn brightly and then fade away. From New Kids On The Block to Backstreet Boys to Miley Cyrus. A wall is created, stating you can't come any further. Debbie Gibson can appear in shows on Broadway, but she can't have a hit record, the powers-that-be won't let it happen.

Taylor's too young and dumb to understand the mistake she made. And those surrounding her are addicted to cash and are afraid to tell her no. But last night Taylor Swift SHOULD have auto-tuned. To save her career.

They say it's easy to fake it in the twenty first century.

But one thing we know is the truth will always come out.

It's hard to be a singer if you can't sing.

Ultimately, we want our stars to be genuine. Without this credibility, your time atop the charts is brief.

Taylor Swift shortened her career last night. And since she says she calls all her own shots, she has to shoulder the blame. Yes, her dream came true, she made it, she's a star, but the real test is longevity. Elton John can play with GaGa decades later. Will Taylor Swift be duetting with the stars of the 2030s? Doubtful.

--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists?p=unsubscri...1dcc254c8dfa05

--

That is a great article but very mean. What about the fact that Taylor writes her own songs. Tim Mgraw doesn't, neither does Reba. I mean these are Taylor's song.

HejiraNYC · #**491** 02-01-2010, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jondalar

That is a great article but very mean. What about the fact that Taylor writes her own songs. Tim Mgraw doesn't, neither does Reba. I mean these are Taylor's song.

...then Taylor should be letting others sing her songs. Just because she wrote them doesn't mean they are particularly pleasant to listen to. But then again, I happen to prefer it when other artists cover Bob Dylan's songs...

Jondalar · #**492** 02-01-2010, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

...then Taylor should be letting others sing her songs. Just because she wrote them doesn't mean they are particularly pleasant to listen to. But then again, I happen to prefer it when other artists cover Bob Dylan's songs...

She is fine at the studio version level. Who cares about live? I'm not going fork over money to see her. She's a talented songwriter. Who would want to hear a song written by Tim Mcgraw or Reba? They are manufactured in some way too.

tlssln · #**493** 02-01-2010, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sodascouts

I was so embarrassed for Taylor. She was really struggling with the harmonies. Poor Stevie too - it must be really frustrating to sing with someone so off key. The way she was looking at Taylor during Rhiannon, it was like she was trying to will her not to suck. But sadly, that was impossible.

LOL. Taylor's voice was not a good match for Rhiannon to say the least. Good to see most people agree Stevie was the one who came out of that looking good. Swift is from my hometown too. Yikes.

jedw · #**494** 02-01-2010, 04:20 PM

Ok just saw this on Youtube.

Much has been said about Taylor Swifts "out of tune-ness", but certainly this didn't do Stevie any favors, grumbling a few deep harmony parts.

It's nice that she's prepared to show up just to lend younger artists her support, but for herself, she doesn't to do this.

stating the obvious aren't I.

missus · #**495** 02-01-2010, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jondalar

That is a great article but very mean. What about the fact that Taylor writes her own songs. Tim Mgraw doesn't, neither does Reba. I mean these are Taylor's song.

Notice Lefsetz AGREES that TS's "Fearless" SHOULD have won "album of the year" Lefsetz agrees TS is a good songwriter....but NOT a good singer.And.....not even close to having the staying power (35 YEARS) of SN.

That's not "mean"...that's facts.

("The "Lefsetz Letter" is read by most music biz "pros" and "insiders")

Missus