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Nick Jonas On the Record

2010-02-08T19:52:51Z

On the Record is a video series where rock stars gush about their favorite records -- in exactly 45 seconds. In this special edition, we asked Nick Jonas to talk about the album he thinks everyone should be listening to this Valentine's Day.

ARTIST:
Nick Jonas & the Administration

RECORD:
It's Time

Nick Jonas vs. the Box

2010-02-05T21:48:00Z

Nick Jonas was nice enough to take a moment from his busy touring schedule with his new band Nick Jonas and the Administration to answer a few of your questions for Rhapsody's newest video series,"The Box." Does Nick believe in Aliens? Watch and find out, and be sure to check out our last episode of "The Box" featuring LADY GAGA.

Fumbles, Forward Passes and 6-Foot Subs: Superbowl XLIV

2010-02-03T05:16:38Z

The Blues Brothers, Shania Twain and every other band listed in this article are yours to rock out to whenever and however you want with your Rhapsody subscription. Click here to sign up for a free trial and see what we’re all about.

Superbowl Sunday is the most American of unofficial holidays -- almost nobody misses the game -- and as such, it's a day that's rife with traditions, from the requisite overeating of seven-layer dip to the explosion of violence that punctuates so many fourth quarters/Brett Favre game-ending picks.

The tradition of the halftime show, however, trumps them all. An orgy of corporate-sponsored "enchantment" whose historical high-water marks include both accidentally-on-purpose nudity and George Burns and Mickey Rooney (take that, Oscars), the halftime show is as American as a supersized apple pie ordered from behind the wheel of a gas-guzzling Hummer. And so, what follows is a list of the halftime show's "best" moments through the years.
]]>
Year: 1997
Venue: Superdome; New Orleans, La.
Show: Blues Brothers Bash
Dan Aykroyd, John Goodman and Jim Belushi join ZZ Top and James Brown to lay down some funk and promote the upcoming Blues Brothers 2000 movie. The movie was a critical and popular dud, establishing the standard of mediocrity for '70s/'80s remakes to which Hollywood continues to aspire (coming soon to a theater near you: The A-Team, starring Liam Neeson?).

Year: 1989
Venue: Joe Robbie Stadium; Miami, Fla.
Show: Diet Coke Be Bop Bamboozled in 3-D
Following in the footsteps of Jaws: 3-D and Captain Eo, Diet Coke throws down for both a TV commercial and halftime show broadcast in 3-D. Glued to his rear-projection screen and honked off 7-Eleven blue-raspberry Slurpees, a young James Cameron mistakes 3-D Bob Costas for an alien life form and the surrounding hoopla for an interstellar planet. He then begins his life's work.

Year: 1995
Venue: Joe Robbie Stadium; Miami, Fla.
Show: Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye
That's right: a halftime show based on a Disneyworld ride based on a movie based on '50s swashbuckler comics -- featuring Tony Bennett, Patti LaBelle, Arturo Sandoval and Miami Sound Machine performing "Conga." Immediately following the show, President Bill Clinton forbids all future time travel to these 20 minutes in 1995. No matter what.

Year: 2001
Venue: Raymond James Stadium; Tampa, Fla.
Show: E*TRADE Super Bowl XXXV Halftime Show, The Kings of Rock and Pop -- Aerosmith, 'NSYNC, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige, Nelly
While corporate sponsor overlords E*TRADE manage to embarrass Run-D.M.C., Michael Jackson and pretty much every band that ever considered themselves "rock" by including cloying boy band 'NSYNC, Steven Tyler does his best to outdo the youngsters by dressing like a dirty wizard or homeless Santa.

Year: 2002
Venue: Superdome; New Orleans, La.
Show: U2
U2 brings a rare poignance to the proceedings with a tribute to those who died in the attacks of September 11, 2001. A massive banner scrolls through almost 3,000 names while the band plays "Beautiful Day," "MLK" and "Where the Streets Have No Name." Thankfully Bono doesn't ask the Edge to "play the blues."

Year: 2003
Venue: Qualcomm Stadium; San Diego, Calif.
Show: Shania Twain, No Doubt, Sting
With Shania Twain on the crest of a megastardom wave thanks to the John Deere green ode to promiscuousness "Man! I Feel Like A Woman!" No Doubt offers a farewell of sorts, with the beginning of their long hiatus and the emergence of Gwen Stefani as a solo artist in the wings, and Sting shows up to prove once and for all he is as washed up in the new millennium as he was in the '90s, when he started writing songs about Shakespeare, songs in French and songs in French that are about Shakespeare. SNL provides a segment with Tina Fey and the unspeakably annoying Jimmy Fallon.

Year: 2004
Venue: Reliant Stadium; Houston, Tex.
Show: AOL Top-Speed Disaster with Jessica Simpson, Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake, Nelly, Kid Rock, P. Diddy
Simpson, Kid Rock, Nelly and P. Diddy emit varying levels of ecstatic Super Sunday entertainment. But Jackson and Timberlake provide the halftime show's most famous (or infamous) moment when at the end of their set -- which includes "All For You," "Rhythm Nation" and Timberlake's own "Rock Your Body" as a finale -- a much-disputed "wardrobe malfunction" results in millions upon millions of viewers getting an eyeful of Jackson's right breast. The incident is followed by a national uproar and the implementation of a mandatory 5-second delay on the airing of all live events that is in effect to this day.

Year: 2010
Venue: Sun Life Stadium; Miami Gardens, Fla.
Show: The Corporate Sponsor of Your Choice presents the Who
The elderly British men do their best to avoid any wardrobe malfunctions of their own as they perform songs written 40 years ago about how lame grown-ups are. Anyone under the age of 25 who is watching asks where the hell is Kanye when you need him.

Classic Rock Crate Digger: Rediscovering East-West and Super Session

2010-02-02T06:48:35Z

The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Mike Bloomfield and nearly every other band listed in this article are yours to rock out to whenever and however you want with your Rhapsody subscription. Click here to sign up for a free trial and see what we’re all about.

There are those who actually believe young’ns no longer appreciate the rock. Well, the Classic Rock Crate Digger is here to tell you that's all hogwash. My generation -- as well as those following us -- know more about the history of bell-bottomed boogie, first-wave classic rock, heady prog and vintage psych-jams than the original dirties who created the sweaty stuff. Over the last 10 years just about every obscure stoner-nug recorded between 1968 and '73 has been reissued -- multiple times in many instances. What's more, my generation’s desire to rediscover these lost jammers extends well beyond the Occidental world. What we’ve come to learn through our tireless excavation is that longhairs with guitars thrived in just about every country dotting great Gaia herself.

]]> Tibet's Suzettes, released by the Peruvian group Traffic Sound. Cross Santana III (his best, I think) and the Beatles’ Revolver, and you get a rough idea of just how awesome this masterpiece from 1971 really is. Then there’s George Brigman’s Jungle Rot, which takes Fleetwood Mac-approved blues-rock and filters it through some truly visionary psychedelia. And let’s not overlook Live, Masonic Temple, Detroit 01/14/1978 from Sonic's Rendezvous Band, one of hard rock’s all-time great live acts (though no one outside the Motor City knew it at the time).

But while all this great unknown stuff has been unearthed, the opposite has also happened: certain records that were once considered hard-rock landmarks have gradually fallen by the wayside. I’m thinking of two in particular: the Paul Butterfield Blues Band’s East-West and Super Session, featuring the one-off trio of Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper and Stephen Stills. Both mid-'60s releases were pivotal in constructing the modern hard-rock template. Ask any old-school head about these albums, and chances are good they’ll rank them right alongside canonic fodder like Fresh Cream, Led Zeppelin II, The Doors and Electric Ladyland. But for reasons touched on below, a lot of younger hard-rock fans aren't at all aware of their importance -- or their heavy awesomeness for that matter.

Let's tackle East-West first; it’s the big daddy of the two. To begin with, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band -- sans their leader, interestingly enough -- backed Bob Dylan when he went electric at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. That’s a big deal in and of itself. But far more important is this: Butterfield’s band circa 1966 invented the free-form rock jam (though credit also needs to be given to the 13th Floor Elevators). On the album’s 13-minute title track, which could expand to a full half-hour in the live setting, the Chicago sextet laid the groundwork for San Francisco’s acid-rock movement, jazz fusion of the 1970s, jam-band shenanigans and the integration of psychedelia and world music. This last innovation served as a huge inspiration for prospective rock musicians around the world. Then there's the ace guitar work. Wrapping each other into sonic pretzels, Elvin Bishop and Mike Bloomfield helped create the concept of the twin lead (see the Classic Rock Crate Digger’s “Roots of the Twin Lead” column).

To say the Paul Butterfield Blues Band were every bit as revolutionary as the Beatles and James Brown is no overstatement. Yet if that’s the case, then why doesn’t East-West receive more hipster kisses from young folk? There are a few possible explanations for this. The Butterfield band weren’t a rock act; they were bluesmen from Chicago who, for an all-too-brief moment, intersected with the rock 'n' roll scene. Though subsequent versions of Butterfield’s group continued to play before pop audiences (most notably at Woodstock and the Band’s Last Waltz), they for the most part retreated to the confines of the blues scene. That was their home, ultimately. Then there’s the sad case of guitarist Mike Bloomfield (whom we'll talk about some more when digging into Super Session). “East-West” was his composition, making him one of the most influential six-stringers in rock history. The guy became one of the first guitar gods, right up there with Hendrix and Clapton. Unfortunately, he simply couldn’t keep it together. While the hard-rock sound he helped create went mainstream in the 1970s, Bloomfield toiled away in San Francisco clubs, where he nursed a serious heroin addiction. In 1981 he was found dead in his car, the victim of a drug overdose.

Bloomfield left Butterfield’s group in 1967 and formed the Electric Flag. But he soon left them as well (drugs and egos, according to rock legend). In 1968 Bloomfield hooked up with Al Kooper, the dude who played organ on “Like a Rolling Stone,” and recorded Super Session. Though the power trio Cream had already introduced the idea of the supergroup, on this album the idea was fully realized. Super Session, which went gold, is the first rock album consciously modeled after a jazz recording: go into the studio, record a few jam sessions and then release them in LP format, with the big guns advertised on the cover (BLOOMFIELD / KOOPER / STILLS). We’re talking the birth of the superstar rock musician, an archetype that would go on to dominate the music for the next decade.

Now, Stills actually doesn’t play with Bloomfield on Super Session. After his pal inexplicably disappeared for a few days (uh, drugs?), Kooper was forced to recruit the Buffalo Springfield badass. Thus, on the original album Bloomfield appears on Side 1 and Stills, Side 2. The lack of cohesion in terms of personnel doesn’t at all detract from the album. Super Session is a big, loud, brazen rock album exploding with thick grooves, screaming solos, brassy horns and psychedelic soul. On the spacey “His Holy Modal Majesty” Bloomfield continues his exploration of free jazz and world music. Stills, meanwhile, ups the ante on the 11-minute version of Donovan’s “Season of the Witch.” Very much inspired by Hendrix, this is a killer slab of groovy rock 'n' roll, with lots of trippy wah-wah and gut-rupturing organ. Kooper and Stills sound even more inspired by Mr. Hendrix on the next track, a cover of the blues standard "You Don't Love Me." A minute into the thing and you just have to wonder why this song is not worshipped as a classic of fuzzy psych-pop coolness.

Super Session's fall from nobility is more mysterious than that of East-West. But it probably has a lot to do with two-thirds of the ensemble, Bloomfield and Kooper, becoming minor characters in rock's development by the time the 1970s rolled around. In fact, like Butterfield, both were more comfortable working from within niche markets like blues and folk.

What isn't mysterious is this: despite these records' current status as mere historical footnotes, fans of hard rock -- both young and old -- owe them some thanks, for they surely played profound roles in the music's evolution.

To hear a fat stack of the artists and tunes the Classic Rock Crate Digger just mentioned simply press the PLAY button below. And if you want to explore Mike Bloomfield's work in greater depth, then check out our playlist Mike Bloomfield: Blues Master, Session Whiz.

Frank's World: Lady Daze -- Sinatra Digs Billie Holiday

2010-02-02T06:13:27Z

Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday and every other musician listed in this article are yours to rock out to whenever and however you want with your Rhapsody subscription. Click here to sign up for a free trial and see what we’re all about.

Welcome back to Frank's World, where I get to bore complete strangers by waxing rhapsodic about the vast Sinatra universe.

Frank Sinatra never hid his admiration for Lady Day. He once even went so far to say, "It is Billie Holiday, whom I first heard in 52nd Street clubs in the1930s , who was, and still remains, the greatest single musical influence.”

On the surface, Holiday sounds much closer to Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith then Sinatra does to her. But, its not at the surface where her influence lies. After all, Frank studied many artists, came up with his own sound and then kept developing and refining his style over the next few decades.

Much like Louis Armstrong, Holiday intertwined music, melody and language in a such a natural way that they become indistinguishable from each other. It's easy to see why Armstrong is the father of not just jazz, but of popular music in general.

Armstrong made sure to put on a great, entertaining show and dazzle listeners with his amazing musical abilities. With Holiday, people forgot they were at a performance -- they thought they were hearing her emotions, directly from her heart. Listeners still think they are hearing her life distilled into song.

]]> feel as though what she sang was the Truth.

Frank Sinatra was really the first male singing star to go for that deep level of intimacy and to shake off the positive, American "nothing gets me down" vibe that Louis Armstrong and Bing Crosby excelled at. Sinatra became a star by being vulnerable onstage, even if he was tough off it. He also started recording many torch songs that were originally written for women -- we all feel the same way, good and bad.

Follow both Sinatra and Holiday closely as they sing, and you'll see how beautifully they handle each phrase of a lyric. They often go even further and polish and highlight every single word of a song without destroying the beauty of a melody.

This was true on rhythm tunes as well as ballads. To prove it doesn't have to be all heartbreak, here's Lady Day singing "On the Sunny Side of the Street," and here's Sinatra doing the same tune for an old radio broadcast (which explains the flat, creaky sound quality). The singing doesn't sound the same but their approaches are similar -- turning lyrics into emotion.

The way Lady Day responded to the musicians was also special. She didn't sing over backing music, she sang -- and responded to -- the band. Check out the way she follows Lester Young's lovely extended solo on Irving Berlin's "This Year's Kisses." (For more of the Pres, check out this earlier post).

Sinatra recorded live in the studio with his band even after over-dubbing became the norm because he loved to react in real time to the music being created around him. With Nelson Riddle he eases back into the Depression-era tune "Pennies from Heaven" as if it were a ballad, while with Count Basie he forcefully propels himself along with the music. The tempo is similar in both versions, but the feeling (and effect) of each is miles apart.

Critics may go off on what jazz singing is and what it isn't, but generations of actual jazz musicians have chosen Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra as their all-time favorite vocalists. These are artists who make you feel so much you don't often think about the considerable technique. They both lay back behind the beat, improvise harmonies and make a lyric spring to life.

There are other musical artists as great as Billie Holiday, but I don't think there will ever be anyone better. There are so many Lady Day collections out there that it can get overwhelming, but I'd recommend these for starters.

The Quintessential Billie Holiday, Vol. 1, 2 & 3

Finally remastered, this box set captures Holiday emerging as the greatest female jazz/pop vocalist of the 1930s. The set also shows that Lady Day helped define the small-group swing/jazz sound of the era. On these sessions, she is spotlighted as the equal of such titans as pianist Teddy Wilson and Joe Bushkin, saxophonists Lester Young, Ben Webster and Johnny Hodges and the drummer Gene Krupa. The first disc has the most novelty tunes, and the second two sets offer up standards such as "Summertime" and "These Foolish Things." Lester Young appears on the third CD -- he's Holiday's perfect musical partner. By the way, the cover shot of this carelessly sports a photo of Holiday that was taken two decades after this music was recorded.

The Complete Commodore/Decca Masters

This box set offers an introduction to Lady Day at the height of her powers. When Holiday wasn't allowed to record "Strange Fruit" by her old label, she turned to a friend, Commodore's Milt Gabler, who had her cut the hauntingly powerful number, plus other classics. Gabler later got Holiday on Decca, the biggest label of the 1940s, where she was given the full pop-star treatment: first-class arrangers, string sections and a mix of top-shelf material, blues oldies and novelty numbers. Much of the Commodore material is unsurpassable; the Decca masters spotlight the most beautiful singing of Holiday's career. On a side note, Gabler was Billy Crystal's uncle; the future comedian and movie star has fond memories of being babysat by Lady Day. Her life, like her often joyous music, wasn't all tragedy.

Songs for Distingue Lovers

Though Sinatra actively avoided recording much of what is thought of as the Billie Holiday songbook (and he could've done a beautiful "Don't Explain"), when Lady Day started recording for Verve, she revisited much of her older material, which Sinatra made famous. These sessions are often undervalued because of Holiday's diminishing vocal powers, but there are acres of brilliance. Songs for Distingue Lovers is probably my favorite of these Verve platters.

Lady Day is joined by Ben Webster, Jimmy Rowles, Barney Kessel and Harry "Sweets" Edison on a peerless small-group session that pulls from the Sinatra songbook (the title is a play on her No. 1 fan's own Songs for Swingin' Lovers!). "Moonlight in Vermont" and the rest of the Class A material is handled exquisitely. Forget about jazz myths and stereotypes -- the expressive joy on these sides shows off another rich aspect of Holiday's art.

For more Holiday and Sinatra, you can listen to my superlative Frank's World Rhapsody Radio Station, which has "just-click" links for your Facebook and Twitter pages.

Rhapsody Discount: Spoon - Transference

2010-02-02T05:15:59Z

Spoon had a pretty incredible '00s (seriously, four great albums). So for their first release in a new decade -- also their first self-produced effort -- Transference is just what the title promises: a transferring of all that the band has learned and defined into a sound that is as familiar as it is fresh. Slight piano bumps, soft hi-hat hits, lo-fi guitar, the occasional echo, and the rare fuzz effect ebb and flow with the same patience and ease as Britt Daniel's coos. This is Spoon as you know and love them: minimalist, smart, catchy, always playing it cool.

Since we've been digging Transference, we've decided to put it on sale in our MP3 store for just $5.99 this week. That's like the cost of a, um, serving spoon?

BUY IT HERE FOR $5.99.

Christian Music in the Mainstream

2010-02-02T04:41:56Z

Bob Dylan, U2 and every other band listed in this article are yours to rock out to whenever and however you want with your Rhapsody subscription. Click here to sign up for a free trial and see what we’re all about.

In the early ‘70s, rebellious Christian rocker Larry Norman posed the question “Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?” The track caused a bit of a stir in what was then a fledgling Christian music industry as Norman professed a love for rock music and Jesus.

Today, the debate is less about the sound and more about what a song says. What makes a song or an artist “Christian”? If you’re on a Christian label, are you limited to only singing about God, and if you’re on a mainstream label are you allowed to venture into hallowed territory?

While there are currently a number of Christian music labels releasing a steady stream of rock, punk, pop, country and more, plenty of spiritually charged songs originate from mainstream sources, too. What follows are just a few of those favorites created outside the confines of the Christian labels.

]]> A-List Acts Who Found God
Who knew back in the days of Boy and October that U2 would become the elder statesmen of rock ‘n’ roll while Bono would hobnob with world leaders? Along the way they’ve become more explicit in exploring issues of faith with tracks like “I Will Follow,” “Gloria” and “40.” Even U2 songs that don’t have an explicit spiritual bent still seem permeated by a simple yet firm faith.

Bob Dylan’s conversion was big news in the ‘70s with the release of Slow Train Coming. Tracks like “Gotta Serve Somebody” and the album Saved that followed showed the troubadour’s commitment to exploring the gospel message thoroughly.

Kansas founding member Kerry Livgren may have foreshadowed his future spiritual leanings on the band’s first hit, “Carry On Wayward Son.” But it was 1982’s Vinyl Confessions that was overt, following a conversion to Christianity after a series of tour-bus debates about the validity of the Bible. His newfound faith reportedly caused tension among band members, and Livgren eventually departed. Solo projects like Seeds of Change continued to make his beliefs clear.

Talent-Show Theologians
She was the unlikely phenom from Britain’s Got Talent, but frumpy, aging singleton Susan Boyle won hearts on both sides of the Atlantic. Her 2009 debut included the song that made her a star, Les Miserables’ “I Dreamed a Dream,” but also featured covers of “How Great Thou Art” and “Amazing Grace.”

Many other reality-show competitors have put their faith on display. American Idol competitors Mandisa, Chris Sligh, Ruben Studdard, Phil Stacey, Jordin Sparks and Season 8 winner Kris Allen are just some of the talented singers to speak -- or sing -- about their faith.

Modern Rock Religion
Part of super-serious rock group Creed’s lore was a story about frontman Scott Stapp getting kicked out of Bible college and being left to fend for himself by his devoutly strict parents. Tunes like “Higher” and “My Sacrifice” were the result, proving angst makes for good music on both sides of the aisle.

Other hard rockers who have found fame with faith-filled tracks include Lifehouse (“Hanging by a Moment”) and the Fray. The latter’s self-titled disc shows the band wrestling with a host of spiritual issues as they come to grips with fame and all it brings.

Soulful Singer-Songwriters
Patty Griffin’s just-released Downtown Church may be her first official gospel album, but fans of the pint-sized, Austin-based powerhouse know that threads of spirituality run through all of her albums. Even the song titles -- tracks like “Mary,” “Moses” and “Heavenly Day” -- would be at home in any hymnal.

Like those of many of her Southern counterparts, Emmylou Harris’ songs are steeped in gospel themes. Lesser-known artist Thad Cockrell may be labeled as a country act, but the music made by this preacher’s son defies classification. The same goes for the soulful Iris Dement. Then there’s David Wilcox, whose Turning Point album delineates a spiritual change in direction for the singer-songwriter. Even the album closer, a track titled “Waffle House,” has a longing, searching quality to it.

Even as debates rage and genres evolve, music will continue to explore every aspect of life -- including the spiritual realm. I for one am thankful and can’t wait to see what comes out next, no matter the source.

Rhapsody at the Grammys, Weird Al Yankovic Interview

2010-01-31T20:00:00Z

The 52nd annual Grammy Awards took place on Sunday, Jan. 31, in Los Angeles, and Rhapsody was there to mix it up with a few of the nominees, including Weird Al, David Guetta, Sean Paul, Mick Fleetwood and more. Check out Weird Al Yankovic talking about his Grammy experience.

CONTINUE WATCHING Rhapsody's GRAMMY coverage PT. 2

The Grammy's Greatest Misses

2010-01-27T06:16:27Z

Nirvana, the Beach Boys and every other band listed in this article are yours to rock out to whenever and however you want with your Rhapsody subscription. Click here to sign up for a free trial and see what we’re all about.

The Grammys sometimes present some weird nominations, ranging from the dinosaurish (someone on the nominating committee has a serious Steely Dan fixation) to the simply flabbergasting (James Taylor, Paul McCartney, and Ben Harper all got pop nominations. Last year). And though the awards usually manage to come through and pick a winner most people can agree on, there are those winners that make some fans -- or, you know, the whole country -- collectively go, "Whaaaa?" In honor of the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards coming up this Sunday, we're cataloging some of the biggest misses by the awards show whose job it is to pick the hits.
]]> The Year: 1966
The Category: Best Rock & Roll Recording
The Nominees: The Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby," the Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations," the Monkees' "Last Train to Clarksville," the Mamas & the Papas' "Monday, Monday," the Association's "Cherish"
The Winner: The New Vaudeville Band's "Winchester Cathedral"
Out of a group of nominees that make up the stuff of rock history, if not rock legend -- almost any one of which would have made sense as a winner -- the Grammys somehow selected a band that had one quirky, cartoonish hit (featuring whistling) and then was basically never heard from again. Colossal "oops!" (though the rest of the nominess obviously did all right for themselves anyway).

The Year: 1977
The Category: Best New Artist
The Nominees: Boston, Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band, the Brothers Johnson, Wild Cherry
The Winner: Starland Vocal Band
Honestly, this one isn't such a shocker. "Afternoon Delight" is a sweetly seductive little pop tune, but the band behind it claims to have been the first casualty of the Best New Artist curse -- a long and storied (though largely unproven) myth that winning this category is actually detrimental to an artist's career.

The Year: 1979
The Category: Best New Artist
The Nominees: The Cars, Elvis Costello, Chris Rea, Toto
The Winner: A Taste of Honey
The group responsible for something as fluffy as "Boogie Oogie Oogie" beats out Elvis Costello and the Cars?! Boy, this one really got the rock purists' panties in a bunch. But hey, it could have been worse. Anyone know who Chris Rea is?

The Year: 1988
The Category: Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance (later just Best Metal Performance)
The Nominees: Metallica for ... And Justice for All. Yes, there were other nominees, but this is the only one that mattered.
The Winners: Jethro Tull for Crest of a Knave
Yes, you read that right. Jethro Tull -- they of such acoustic-guitar-and-flute-driven hits like "Thick as a Brick" -- beat out Metallica for the inaugural Best Metal award, prompting most of the music industry to suspect the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences didn't actually know jack about recorded music (and prompting the NARAS to attempt to compensate for their gaff by awarding the category to Metallica six times in subsequent years).

The Year: 1990
The Category: Best New Artist
The Nominees: Neneh Cherry, Indigo Girls, Soul II Soul, Tone Loc
The Winners: Milli Vanilli
Girl, you know it's true. These boys never sang a note. This is the doozie of all Grammys doozies, folks, though it's not really the NARAS' fault so much as just all of us being duped by those long-locked, dreamy-eyed, musical grifters. Once their lip-syncing came to light, Milli Vanilli were stripped of their Grammy and instead awarded the honor of becoming a long-running pop culture joke (albeit one with a very sad punchline after Rob Pilatus committed suicide in 1998).

The Year: 1992
The Category: Best Rock Song
The Nominees: Oh, just a little song called "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by a little-known band called Nirvana.
The Winner: Eric Clapton for the new version of "Layla" off his Unplugged
This one of those instances that makes you suspect the NARAS is in fact run entirely by dad rockers who haven't really listened to music since, say, 1975. Not that Mr. Clapton isn't a total rock god or whatever, but come on: an acoustic remake of an almost 20-year-old song versus the massive hit that spawned an entire new generation of rock? If we know Clapton (and we think we do), we bet even he feels a bit sheepish about this one.

The Year: 1998
The Category: Best New Artist
The Nominees: Fiona Apple, Erykah Badu, the artist formerly known as Puff Daddy, Hanson
The Winner: Paula Cole
OK, it's not exactly a miss of Milli Vanillian proportions, but choosing the relatively bland, easily forgotten Paula Cole over that collection of rather exceptionally talented movers and shakers and trend-makers is like choosing vanilla ice cream over, say, Chubby Hubby, toast over supreme nachos, broccoli over, I don't know, cookies or something. It's not classic, people. It's just boring.

The Year: 2001
The Category: Album of the Year
The Nominees: Beck's Midnite Vultures, Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP, Radiohead's Kid A, Paul Simon's You're the One
The Winner: Steely Dan for Two Against Nature
Remember that whole Steely Dan fixation thingy? Yyyeeaaaaah. In fact, they won four awards for that album, including two pop categories, prompting even your dad to go, "Huh?!"

Almost Christian Artists

2010-01-27T05:41:08Z

Jessica, Nick and every other Christian or former Christian artist listed in this article are yours to rock out to whenever and however you want with your Rhapsody subscription. Click here to take a free trial and see what we’re all about.

Everyone has to start somewhere. Britney and Justin were Mouseketeers, LeAnn Rimes battled it out on Star Search and Paula Abdul first practiced her moves courtside as a Laker Girl. Meanwhile, other young artists took a detour of another sort on their way to superstardom: through the world of contemporary Christian music.

]]> Joy to the World (A Christmas Prayer),” first got some traction when the budding Broadway star (he had roles in Les Miserables and Beauty and the Beast, among others) performed it at a Broadway AIDS benefit show in 2002. INO saw a star in the making and released the track as a single.

After that, no one was quite sure what to do with the pint-sized preteen with such potential. As he worked on a solo project, the self-titled Nicholas Jonas, Columbia Records joined the party, co-signing the younger Jonas. When they later heard the music he was making with his brothers on the side, Columbia decided to sign the trio instead, a decision that would impact the lives of millions of tween girls around the globe.

The Jonas Brothers eventually made the switch to Hollywood Records and broke bigger than anyone could have ever imagined, but these home-schooled boys continued to put their faith first, taking a lot of teasing for their “purity” rings and conservative values. Only now, after a few years of stratospheric success, is Nick getting back to his original plan to record solo, with Who I Am by Nick Jonas and the Administration scheduled for release in February.

Katy Perry was a clean-scrubbed preacher’s kid with mousy hair and an earnest acoustic sound when she arrived in Nashville. Too young to even get a driver’s license, the Santa Barbara teen went to work writing and recorded a self-titled debut for under-the-radar indie Red Hill Records. Katy Hudson (Perry’s birth name) released to critical acclaim when she was just 16, but her sultry voice already had that two-pack-a-day quality that made her sound years older (think a devout Fiona Apple).

While this early debut was decidedly different from her current material, there was always a theatrical quality to Katy’s music. Early tracks like “Faith Won’t Fail,” “Growing Pains” and “Search Me” gave Christian music fans no clue that they’d lead to songs like “I Kissed a Girl” or “UR So Gay.” Then again, when Perry performs in those crazy costumes, covering every inch of the stage with the fervor of a TV preacher, the faithful can’t help but think her Pentecostal roots are showing!

Jessica Simpson almost went the Christian music route, too. While still in high school, she signed with Proclaim Records. The teeny-tiny label went bankrupt before her album, Jessica, could be released, but she managed to book a few dates with gospel acts like Kirk Franklin, God's Property and CeCe Winans.

In the mid-‘90s, Simpson headed to Nashville to meet with the bigger Christian labels in hopes of finding a recording home. They loved her voice but didn’t know what to do about the Texas teen’s devilish curves. It may sound silly, but can you blame them? Even Jess’ dad has famously commented on his daughters “assets.” In the end, she found a more fitting label and gained fame by playing up those curves that cost her a Christian music contract.

For some the Christian music industry is a jumping-off point. For others it’s a detour. For still others, it’s home. Switchfoot, Jars of Clay and Sixpence None the Richer have all found mainstream fame with songs that explore issues of faith and albums that originated from within Christian music labels. Joy Williams signed to Christian label Reunion Records as a teen, and her career continues to thrive. At 28, she may not be a household name, but her music has been covered by American Idol contestants and featured on shows like Grey’s Anatomy and in Oscar Mayer ads during the 2010 Golden Globes. Her new act, a duo with John Paul White named the Civil Wars, gained instant critical acclaim, proving that talent, no matter where it’s found, will continue to shine.

Coup De Stereo: Corinne Bailey Rae's Triumphant Return

2010-01-25T23:37:03Z

Corinne Bailey Rae's new single, "I'd Do It All Again," has been up on Rhapsody for a few weeks now, and it's a real keeper.

The song starts out quiet and acoustic but slowly builds in intensity, with flashes of swirling psychedelic soul. The lyrics seem to address her confusion and mixed emotions surrounding her late husband's very avoidable demise.

Rae's 2006 debut was a critical and commercial success, and shifted a couple million units in America (which is rare for an artist who sings with a noticeable English accent). Such elders as Al Green -- whose laid-back, slowly building style is an obvious influence -- and Herbie Hancock were impressed and immediately recorded with her.

Her new CD, The Sea, is more sonically varied than her debut was, but it still shines with her patented mix of neo-soul and traditional singer-songwriter pop (which can position her closer to acoustic-guitar-toting males like Bill Withers, Amos Lee and Ben Harper than to flashier talents such as Alicia Keys or Leona Lewis). It was Led Zep that originally inspired CBR to pick up the guitar, and she's covered them, John Lennon, Joni Mitchell and Marvin Gaye.

Before digging into The Sea, take this Rhapsody tour of Rae's earlier recordings. She's done a number of interesting collaborations, cover versions and guest appearances in a very short period of time.

Let's Get Serious: From the Monkees to a Jonas Bro.

2010-01-23T22:06:10Z

Justin, Nick and every other band listed in this article are yours to rock out to whenever and however you want with your Rhapsody subscription. Click here to take a free trial and see what we’re all about.

Though it's hard (well, hard for grown-ups, anyway) to think of them as separate entities, the Jonas Brothers were once just the siblings of Nick Jonas, whose burgeoning solo career turned into the family trio we all know and love. Thus, the "talented one" taking off on his own with new side project Nick Jonas and the Administration seems inevitable, if somewhat heartbreaking to tweens the world over. His rock-band move on the new Who I Am is also part of a longstanding tradition of seemingly frivolous pop stars suddenly presenting themselves in a more serious light. Herewith, a history of some who've trod this oft-dangerous path before -- both successfully, and not so much.

The Monkees, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. (1967) and Head (1968): The Prefab Four take control of their destiny and explore your psychedelic mind. Hey hey they're the Monkees, and people say they're Moogin' around.

The Osmonds, "Crazy Horses" and "Hold Her Tight" (1972): Donny and his brothers invent Mormon metal, inspiring bands from Aerosmith to KMFDM for years to come. You want Big Love? Well, this is as big as it got.

Bob Geldof, "This Is the World Calling" (1986): From singing about Hitler's girlfriend in partially pajama-clad New Wave goof-punk band the Boomtown Rats to a Nobel Peace Prize nomination in three easy steps. You think it's easy? Try it sometime.

George Michael, Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 (1990): Okay, so he'd already put waking-you-up-before-you-go-go Wham!dom long behind him, and 1987's Faith earned him some well-deserved respect. But here's where he started to get really pretentious.

Poison and Cinderella and Warrant, various vaguely grungey albums (early '90s): Those mascara days were different times, and now hair-metal bands were ready to dress like real men, play the blues and move far fewer units than back when they actually used to have fun. Then they lost their hair. And went country.

Alanis Morrissette, Jagged Little Pill (1995): Ha ha, you keep forgetting she made those two teenage Canadian dance-pop albums before she started wailing about performing questionable acts in theaters, right? Well, we remember. Even though we're still pretty sure Canadians can't dance.

Vanilla Ice, Hard to Swallow (1998): Yup yup -- stupid people never appreciated the awesome artistry of "Ice Ice Baby," so what do you do, Robbie Van Winkle? Turn into the next Fred Durst, that's what! People will take you seriously for sure now!

Justin Timberlake, Justified (2002): 'NSYNC had Justin like the Jackson 5 had Michael, so it only made sense when the curly-headed cutie went solo. More than just a means of capitalizing on his boy-band fame, J.T. used his solo career (and Timbaland's help) to take off in bolder, more mature directions, and inch ever closer to M.J.'s brand of pop royalty.

Gwen Stefani, Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (2004): To many, Gwen's breakaway from No Doubt simply completed the picture of the band sketched in "Don't Speak": hot female lead singer hogs spotlight. But her solo career has also served to justify that attention, which she gets because she's captivating performing anything from mall-punk ska to show-tune hip-hop.

Jonas, Timberlake and Stefani writeups by Rachel Devitt.

Get Active! Donate to Relief Efforts for Haiti

2010-01-21T07:54:15Z

Since a catastrophic earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, people around the world have mobilized, searching for ways to help this tiny nation in its time of need.

The good news is, you can help. Right now, the biggest need is money -- money to get supplies to people, fly in doctors, set up clinics, clear the rubble, re-establish some basic services. In time, as Haiti rebuilds, there will be a need for goods and services. But right now, money will grease the wheels to keep this massive relief effort going.

The following organizations will evenly split the proceeds from Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief, which will air Friday, January 22 at 8 p.m. on major television networks and websites, including this one. You can donate during the event, or reach out this minute and give directly to the organizations, using the links below.

Hope for Haiti Now Charities
The Clinton Bush Haiti Fund
Oxfam America
Partners In Health
American Red Cross
UNICEF
United Nations World Food Programme
Yele Haiti Foundation

Classic Rock Crate Digger: David Bowie ... Post-Modern Chameleon or Rip-Off Artist?

2010-01-21T06:12:14Z

David Bowie and every other artist listed here are yours to rock out to whenever and however you want with your Rhapsody subscription. Take a free trial and see what we’re all about.

For a long time, the Classic Rock Crate Digger totally loathed David Bowie, particularly his golden period, 1970 to ’77. On so many of his so-called classic albums (Ziggy, Diamond Dogs, Heroes, et al.), he sounds like a glam-rock/New Wave charlatan constantly nicking tricks from far superior artists, including a few personal heroes: Scott Walker, Brian Eno and the perennially overlooked Peter Hammill. If that wasn’t enough, too many of his fans seem to possess a blind devotion that is more than a little annoying. I swear, at least 75% of the fanatics that I’ve met regard the guy as some kind of post-modern genius, the be-all and end-all of everything that's avant garde. Meanwhile, so few of these same people have ever even heard, say, Hammill’s Chameleon in the Shadow of Night or Walker’s Scott 4.

Then something happened. I watched the incredible documentary Scott Walker: 30 Century Man, and it changed my mind. Sort of.

Bowie, in addition to serving as executive producer, is one of the primary interviewees, and the guy really shines. First off, he doesn’t take himself seriously at all (no post-modern baloney dripping from his trap). What we've learned from Velvet Goldmine notwithstanding, he’s a rock 'n' roll fan boy, just like you and me and the little snot down the street snorting crushed Ritalin and cranking the White Stripes. That’s cool. More importantly, Bowie acknowledges the debt he owes the artists who have inspired him through the years. He wants his fans to track down all the cool underground stuff he digs.

Now, I still find his music dull as river rock, and I’ll explain why: in order to sell his art-rock vision to the mainstream, he had to cleanse his influences of their most volatile, and interesting, idiosyncrasies -- not pop enough for the masses, apparently. Yet those are the things I’m most into -- the weird stuff. Oh well. The important thing is that I no longer hate David Bowie. In fact, having a cocktail with him and talking jams sounds like it would be a total blast. Maybe Geraldo can come, too.

A lot of the artists Bowie has championed over the years (Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, T. Rex) are very nearly as famous as he is, nowadays. Nevertheless, I thought it would be cool to give a brief rundown of some of the musicians and records that inspired the, uh, Thin White Duke (always hated that phrase).

]]> Scott Walker
Scott, Scott 2, Scott 3 and Scott 4
At the dawn of his career Bowie made some oddball symphonic pop (check out The Deram Anthology 1966-1968), but it was Scott Walker who defined the avant-pop crooner in the late 1960s. His first four studio albums are stone-cold brilliant and audacious. Bowie obviously worshiped all four.

The Stooges
Fun House
The Stooges are now in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, so they’re no longer outsiders. But if you want to understand why young Bowie ditched whimsical acoustica for heavy jammers, then simply crank this beast 100 times in a row (if you haven’t already). It will sound like violent slop at first, but eventually the snarling, rhythmic genius of the guitar, bass and drums will reveal itself. Bowie dug it so much he decided to become Iggy's babysitter for a few years.

Peter Hammill
Chameleon in the Shadow of Night
Though Bowie has acknowledged Peter Hammill’s influence, it hasn’t translated into widespread recognition for the founder of Van Der Graaf Generator. Hammill’s music is just too difficult and sci-fi driven, I think. Apparently, Chameleon in the Shadow of Night is the record that inspired Bowie to make his own difficult and sci-fi influenced album, 1974’s Diamond Dogs. It definitely sounds like it. If there’s just one record on this list the Classic Rock Crate Digger really wants you to dig into, it’s this tangled and dense masterwork. (While you're at it, you can also check out my playlist overview of Peter Hammill's killer solo career: Chameleon in the Shadow of Night: The Art of Peter Hammill.)

The Velvet Underground
Loaded
Lou Reed = the David Bowie of the 1960s, right?

Klaus Nomi
Bowie wasn’t necessarily influenced by Klaus Nomi’s music. He simply thought the sci-fi opera weirdo, who was the toast of New York’s New Wave/disco underground in the late 1970s, would make an awesome backup singer for his appearance on Saturday Night Live. It's a move that further reinforced the view that throughout the ’70s Bowie incessantly watched the underground for trends. He was always looking for some obscure fruit to pick and feed to mainstream pop audiences.

T. Rex
A Beard of Stars / T. Rex
Both Marc Bolan and David Bowie started off as mod dandies who then went into psych-folk and then on to riff-heavy glam. The only difference is that Bolan was always the first to shape-shift. Bowie then followed his lead.

Roxy Music
Country Life
Some time after Bowie grew tired of that silly red wig he turned chic. During his Young Americans phase (1975) he was all about Italian couture and funky blue-eyed soul-infused art pop. That was him playing the Bryan Ferry/Roxy Music card.

Alice Cooper
Easy Action
In 2006 I had the honor of interviewing Dennis Dunaway, bassist and composer for the original Alice Cooper band. He told me an interesting story. Dunaway once ran into a member of David Bowie’s camp, who revealed to him that Alice Cooper’s look from the late 1960s (gargantuan platforms and skin-tight space suits) was a big influence on Ziggy’s band, the Spiders From Mars. I’ll go a step further and say Alice, as exemplified on 1970’s Easy Action, invented the Ziggy concept, that of the androgynous rocker in makeup calling out society through satirical freak-rock, performance art and media-savvy shenanigans. Interesting note: Easy Action contains a song titled “Return of the Spiders,” and the Coop’s first garage-rock group was actually called the Spiders. Coincidences?

The Walker Brothers
Nite Flights
Actually, I have no idea if Bowie lifted any ideas from Nite Flights; I just think it’s one of the best proto-New Wave records ever made. Lots of pop critics cite Low and Heroes (also mid-’70s Roxy Music) as ground zero for the new romantics (Ultravox, O.M.D., Soft Cell, Human League, etc). But the movement’s coolest precursors are the first four tunes on this gem. Listen to “The Electrician” RIGHT NOW.

Brian Eno
Another Green World
Speaking of Low and Heroes, listen to Eno’s Another Green World, and you’ll understand why Bowie asked him to produce those two records.

Pink Floyd
First Three Singles
Nearly every Brit who has ever played the psychedelic-joker role stole his/her shtick from Syd Barrett, Bowie included. But here’s the thing: The Piper at the Gates of Dawn and Barrett’s original two solo efforts, The Madcap Laughs and Barrett, are the albums usually hauled out when proving the man’s genius. While all three are great, it’s the songs comprising Floyd’s first three singles that, to me, truly nail his singular talents. Those are “Arnold Layne,” “Candy and a Currant Bun,” “See Emily Play,” “The Scarecrow,” “Apples and Oranges,” and the Richard Write composition “Paintbox.”

Jobriath
Jobriath / Creatures of the Street
Sadly, Rhapsody doesn’t offer Jobriath’s two magnificent albums: his self-titled debut from 1973 and Creatures of the Street, released in ’74. Hopefully, these will be made available to us someday, because the openly gay glam rocker from Philadelphia was like Ziggy's long-lost twin. Jobriath was doing everything Bowie was doing, only nobody knew he even existed. Sad.

Honorable Mention: The Cockettes!

If you want to check out some of the artists mentioned above, simply crank the accompanying playlist David Bowie: Post-Modern Chameleon or Rip-Off Artist? You can also listen to the abridged version below.

Hope for Haiti Now

2010-01-20T23:13:20Z

Rhapsody is proud to join major television networks and websites in broadcasting Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief. The telethon will feature performances by a superstar lineup that includes Bruce Springsteen, Mary J. Blige, Taylor Swift, Shakira, Sting, Justin Timberlake, Stevie Wonder and many more. It will be hosted by Wyclef Jean, George Clooney and CNN's Anderson Cooper, and all proceeds from the event will benefit Haitian earthquake relief efforts. See video streaming of excerpts from the concert, and click here to purchase MP3s of the performances for $.99 per song, with proceeds benefiting Haiti relief funds managed by Hope for Haiti Now charities. Enjoy the spectacle, but more importantly, open your wallet and give generously -- lives are at stake.

The Haitian story is more than just about this tragic event. From rara to kompa, the country has a rich musical heritage that has been been influential in the development of Caribbean music and has been largely overlooked by American audiences. We've scoured our extensive musical catalog to provide you an overview of the country's rich artistic legacy. We invite you to look below and dig deeper to explore its people's vibrant music and culture,

	Love Song: A Brief History of Haitian Music		Donate: Find out how you can help Haiti
	Discover: Classic Haitian Music		Listen: Haiti Newest Music and Biggest Hits
	World Picks: The Biggest Hits from Haiti and Beyond		Explore: The Music of the Caribbean