AN ANTI-GRAMMY AWARDS RANT

I'm with you. There's a lot of independent musicians out there, that have great music and remain unknown.

You couldn't be more right, the Brit awards are the same, chosen by "the public" who obviously for the most part will be teenagers who vote purely on who is the biggest "dreamboat" and so you get the "top bands of the year" being talentless rubbish like E17, Take that, Boyzone, and all these other "boy bands" none of whom have an iota of originality.

You can't have it both ways. People love independent groups and get all bent out of shape when they become popular, but on the same note are mad when they are not noticed for awards. Either you want them to become popular or you want them to stay independent. And if they stay that way there is no way they will be noticed for awards. What's it going to be?

I'm right there with you guys.. I wasn't even sure if they took record sales and public opinion into consideration anymore...

I thought just picked by which one was wearing less, and who had caused the most scandal.

Hmm.

It is who ever is on the voting board. Like the oscars.

Well it is up to what people like in the mainstream. The grammies are for mainstream artist. If you didn't make it and you won "best album" I don't think people will be thrilled about it. I mean the whole point of the grammies is to get those who made it huge not independent artist. That is what other awards shows are for. I personally don't care because it is none of my concern. I like what I like therefore I should not complain to much because people are probably complaining about my music.

Did you see this year's Brit awards? Duran Duran did themselves no favours by singing the most nasally-endowed versions of their songs ever; Busted, who perfectly illustrate your point, massacred 'Teenage Kicks;' the only decent part for me was the drunken Darkness' rendition of their songs.

I almost started a new low-key award show last year, which was determined to award people who write their own songs and play their own instruments well.

I didn't think they existed anymore.

It exist--in the American underground.