R.I.P. Amy Winehouse

When I got that fateful text this morning from my friend James — he’s the Grim Reaper of dead celebrities and is, usually, the first to tell me when someone famous has died — I knew it must be someone kinda big by the way Christine reacted when she saw it. But, wow, how totally sad to hear that it was the very talented Miss Amy Winehouse.

We don’t have any of her full-length albums, but, I remember like it was yesterday the first time I heard Amy Winehouse’s now-iconic single “Rehab” on the radio. I was driving somewhere by myself and got so excited by the crazy-retro sound (not to mention the fact that they were playing this strangely hypnotic song on Top 40 radio!) that I called Christine at home and told her to turn on the radio RIGHT AWAY!

I know it sounds crazy now that the song has become so popular, but, wow, the first time I heard it, that shit was crazy. The music, her voice, that look, wow, where the hell did this chick come from? Insanity!

I know she had all kinds of substance abuse issues and was probably a bit genuinely bonkers to boot, but, love her or hate her, Winehouse was the real deal, baby. And that’s what makes the news of her death so damn tragic. I mean, just think of what she mighta done, musically, down the road…so sad.

I’ve been reading a lot of online tributes and XMRadio is playing all kinds of musical and call-in tributes on The Spectrum (XM28) but the coolest article I’ve found yet is this one by Chris Wilman at Reuters. Great, insightful stuff from someone who actually interviewed her. Check it out.

R.I.P. Amy Winehouse, you will be missed…

Radiohead and the USC Marching Band make Grammy magic!

Just as Nostradamus predicted, this year’s Grammy Awards were as boring and fast-forwardable as usual, but there was one live performance that truly rocked our world. You guessed it…our boys from Radiohead did it again.

Not only did Thom Yorke and company take home two awards (one for Best Alternative Album and one for Best Box or Limited Edition Package) for their rocking “In Rainbows” album last night, but they also performed for the first time on the Grammy stage with the very able backing of the USC Trojan Marching Band. I know it sounds crazy, but, holy crap…it was awesome!

While several of the other performers last night sounded kinda shaky in that big old Staples Center, Radiohead and that badass marching band sounded freaking amazing. And you just know those USC dudes — who wore matching “In Rainbows” tour t-shirts like the super soft one I bought earlier this year at the Hollywood Bowl –were loving being up there with the premiere act of the night. Seriously, it was kind of magical.

I could have done without presenter Gwyneth Paltrow’s strange, 80’s street whore ensemble, but hey, she introduced our favorite act of the night, so, I can live with it. I do wonder though if she had a hand in those fugly-ass military jackets her husband, Coldplay front man Chris Martin, and his band have been wearing this year. Love their music, and glad to see them get some Grammy love last night, but, wow…those jackets gotta go.

Oh yeah, also very excited to see Adele pick up the Best New Artist Grammy. Yay! Finally someone good and musically relevant wins in a category that usually celebrates the greatness of such luminaries as Paula Cole, Hootie and the Blowfish and the Starland Vocal Band. And best of all, the Jonas Brothers went home empty handed. Ha ha, suck it Jo Bros!

Anyway, dying to hear what the rest of you thought of the show, so, comment away, amigos. And in the meantime, kudos again to Radiohead for making our night! You know, they were so good, I think I’m gonna go undelete that shit and watch it again…