This is my very first post regarding the Grammy Awards and may very well be my last.

As is the custom ever since the Jethro Tull/Metallica fiasco of 1989 the Grammy’s got it wrong again.

Although I love and admire Iron Maiden and think that The Final Frontier was one of the Top 10 metal and hard rock albums of 2010, they were number 10 on my list of Must Have Albums of 2010. Four of my Top 10 would qualify as more deserving of Metal Performance of the year in my humble opinion. See my Album of the Year list here: https://heavymetalmessenger.wordpress.com/2010/12/31/happy-new-year-its-the-must-have-albums-of-2010/

In fact I would have four different nominees and a different song from Maiden in my five nominees. This has nothing to do with the artists either. Megadeth is probably my second favorite band of ALL-TIME but Sudden Death was not one of the best recordings of their career. The same goes for all of the bands nominated. Not one of those tunes could be called a metal masterpiece.

Shouldn’t the criteria for a Grammy be just that? Masterpiece or near masterpiece to even be nominated? I believe so.

So here are the Metal performances I believe should have been nominated. You can choose the winner in my Metalheads Grammy Poll.

OVERKILL – IRONBOUND

ACCEPT – NO SHELTER

GODSMACK – WHAT IF

ARMORED SAINT – LEFT HOOK FROM RIGHT FIELD

IRON MAIDEN – WHEN THE WIND BLOWS 

I don’t think the “enlightened” folks at the Grammy’s will ever get it right when it comes to Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. They just aren’t fans and quite frankly, I think they are intimidated by the music and maybe even more so my the musicians and musicianship of those who create such fantastic music.

So, we (metal fans and bands) remain on the fringes, probably rightly so. The fans, the musicians, the music that changes the world, inspires it’s fans, and just plain old KICKS YOU IN THE ASS doesn’t “fit in.”

That’s probably good for all involved. Especially when mainstream too often means mediocre. Who in their right mind would want to be mainstream? 

Enuff said.   

Just because I started this, I’ll finish. Half-heartedly, here are the winners from last night in the Rock, Hard Rock,  and Metal Categories:

ROCK ALBUM – MUSE: THE RESISTANCE

ROCK SONG – NEIL YOUNG: ANGRY WORLD

ROCK INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE – JEFF BECK: HAMMERHEAD

BEST HARD ROCK PERFORMANCE –  THEM CROOKED VULTURES: NEW FANG Really? No Black Country Communion, Scorpions, Krokus, or Ratt? Four FANTASTIC hard rock masterworks or near masterworks from 2010 that weren’t even nominated. Shameful.

BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCALS – THE BLACK KEYS: TIGHTEN UP

BEST SOLO ROCK VOCAL PERFORMANCE – PAUL MCCARTNEY: HELTER SKELTER

BEST METAL PERFORMANCE – IRON MAIDEN: EL DORADO      See above for opinion.

WRITE IN MY COMMENTS SECTION FOR YOUR GRAMMY WINNER FOR BEST METAL PERFORMANCE! you can choose from my list, The Grammy’s or make your own and tell me who YOU think deserved the Grammy.

Published by rbtaleman

Heavy metal (fiend/friend?) Writer, frustrat(or), frustrat(ee), decorated U.S. Navy veteran, Husband(twice), father(three times), grandfather(of seven), FM radio veteran, Concertgoer, music collector, muscle car aficianado. Grown up since five. Child since 45. View all posts by rbtaleman