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The magic of Clive Davis’s annual pre-Grammy dinner is distilled in these two videos from his latest event on Saturday, February 4th, 2024.
Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick, and Stevie Wonder, and friends like Andra Day, represent the highest echelon pop music. These videos will send chills up your spine.
This is what you don’t see at the Grammys. And luckily, Clive is making a documentary now of all his galas, with performances no one has seen before except the lucky guests.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame just announced their nominee for induction for 2024.
Didn’t we just do this?
Anyway, the obvious choices here are Cher, Peter Frampton, Dave Matthews, Lenny Kravitz, and Foreigner.
The rest are nice people but no way. Most of them are modern R&B, and can wait a little longer. There is no one on this list from real rock except Cher. Plenty of R&B classics aren’t in, including Rufus and Carla Thomas, Mary Wells, and Chubby Checker.
Where are Tommy James and the Shondells?
Oasis is a joke. I love Kool & the Gang, but they’re a long shot. Mariah, Mary J, and Sade are not rock and roll.
As for Cher: she told Kelly Clarkson earlier this year, “You know what, I wouldn’t be in it now if they gave me a million dollars … I’m never going to change my mind. They can just go you-know-what themselves.”
But you know, she could be persuaded.
Here are the nominees:
Mary J. Blige
Mariah Carey Cher Dave Matthews Band
Eric B. & Rakim Foreigner Peter Frampton
Jane’s Addiction
Kool & the Gang Lenny Kravitz
Oasis
Sinead O’Connor
Ozzy Osbourne
Sade
A Tribe Called Quest
Kanye west has placed his single, “Vultures,” on all the streaming channels — and they approve of it, apparently.
The main offending couplet in “Vultures” reads: “How’m I antisemitic? I Just fucked a Jewish bitch/I just fucked Scooter’s bitch and we ran her like the Olympics”
Scooter is Scooter Braun, who briefly managed West, and is Jewish.
This is hateful and disgusting, but the streaming services are showing no editorial judgement — or integrity. You can download the single on iTunes, and play it everywhere else.
On YouTube there have already been more than 3 million views. On Spotify, “Vultures” has 35 million streams.
This means all those people are singing along to those lyrics. Imagine if the song referenced any other ethnic group, it would have been banned already. But these companies don’t care about bigotry or hate. They just care that Kanye has a hit.
West dropped another single, also. It’s called “Carnival” and the lyrics are too disgusting to reprint here.
All the lyrics can be found on Genius.com, which reprints all this garbage without question. It’s owned by a guy named Tom Lehman, from Brooklyn.
The most offending rap starts at the 2 minute mark.
Kanye West took a sample from Ozzy Osbourne for his new, unreleased album called “Vultures” without getting it cleared.
Osbourne is furious. He denied Kanye permission because “he is an antisemite.” Osbourne’s famous wife, Sharon, is Jewish and so are their children and grandchildren.
Good for Ozzy! No one should clear samples for that album.
I told you previously that West said he couldn’t get clearance from The Weeknd either.
Without clearances on samples, the “Vultures” will not see light of day. It is bootlegged around the internet, and anyone stupid enough to buy a ticket can hear it tonight, live at UBS Arena on Long Island.
. @kanyewest ASKED PERMISSION TO SAMPLE A SECTION OF A 1983 LIVE PERFORMANCE OF “WAR PIG” FROM THE US FESTIVAL WITHOUT VOCALS & WAS REFUSED PERMISSION BECAUSE HE IS AN ANTISEMITE AND HAS CAUSED UNTOLD HEARTACHE TO MANY. HE WENT AHEAD AND USED THE SAMPLE ANYWAY AT HIS ALBUM…
I told you last year that the total value of the Michael Jackson music publishing company would not be $1.8 billion. I was right. It’s come in closer to $1.2 billion.
Variety reported the sale of a 50% interest to Sony Music Publishing was coming. Now they say it’s been completed. Sony will pay $600 million for half of Mijac and MJJ Publishing, although even that number seems high.
As I said last year, Michael didn’t write a lot of his own songs. He did amass a catalog of other people’s songs, which make up a big piece of this deal.
Read my original story here. See in that story all the songs in the catalog. Michael got that idea from Paul McCartney back in 1984.
This deal has nothing to do with the Beatles catalog. For a long time, Warner Chappell Music was the administrator for MJJ. This is a nice coup for Jon Platt, who ran Warner Chappell and is now in charge of Sony Music. Platt was feted last Saturday as an Industry Icon at Clive Davis’s pre Grammy dinner. He spoke for a long time but never mentioned this deal!
PS On a non business note, I ran into Paris Jackson at the Warner Music party last week. She is absolutely lovely, and a knockout beauty. Paris is making music and considers herself a rocker, which is fine. But something tells me bigger things are coming for her. Just hold on. Michael did a good job with his kids!
Lots of news as the Oscars approach on March 10th on ABC.
For next year in 2025 — not this one — a Best Casting Director will be added. It’s about time! The casting directors are the beating heart of movies. Maybe next will come something for Stunts. But this is good news!
For this year’s show, Jimmy Kimmel’s writing staff has been announced including Kimmel himself and the great Carol Leifer.
Writers for this year’s show include Jamie Abrahams, Rory Albanese, Amberia Allen, Tony Barbieri, Jonathan Bines, Joelle Boucai, Bryan Cook, Blaire Erskine, Devin Field, Gary Greenberg, Josh Halloway, Eric Immerman, Jesse Joyce, Jon Macks, Mitch Marchand, Greg Martin, Jesse McLaren, MollyMcNearney, Keaton Patti, Danny Ricker, Louis Virtel and Troy Walker.
The amazing Rickey Minor returns as Musical Director after doing such a terrific job at Clive Davis’s Grammy gala.
Rob Paine returns as co-executive producer, and Taryn Hurd returns as talent producer. Producers Sarah Levine Hall, Erin Irwin and Jennifer Sharron, plus lighting designers Bob Dickinson and Noah Mitz also rejoin the team.
Executive producer and showrunner Raj Kapoor and executive producers are Molly McNearney and Katy Mullan. As previously announced, the show’s production team also includes director Hamish Hamilton and production designers Misty Buckley and Alana Billingsley.
Kanye West did not drop his new album, “Vultures,” last night. It’s not a surprise, frankly, and just as well.
The avowed antisemite and Hitler admirer should be shunned, away. I’m amazed anyone wants to hear what he has to say beyond what he’s already said. All his sponsors and business partners have dropped him because of it.
In Chicago last night, West filled up an arena for a listening party for “Vultures.” It didn’t start until 10pm. According to some reports, the live stream — which could be purchased for $19.99 — was cut off when West chanted “I’m still crazy, bipolar, antisemite, and I’m still the King.”
A post from West on X, taken from a deleted text he shared, claimed he couldn’t release the album because “Abel’s label” — meaning Universal, which distributes The Weeknd — wouldn’t approve their artist’s participation.
Tonight, West moves the circus to the UBS Arena near Belmont Park here in New York. According to Ticketmaster, there thousands of seats available.
PS Kudos to Kim Kardashian for letting her daughter, North, participate in this chaos.
I don’t understand why this happens every time.. somebody verse always can’t get cleared lol. Like, it’s Kanye.. why wouldn’t they clear the verse for him? https://t.co/W4vSVfh3JI
On Usher’s new album, “Coming Home,” the R&B star covers Billy Joel’s “Uptown Girl.” He calls it “A-Town Girl” — meaning Atlanta — and then adds 9 other writers to the credits besides Joel.
Again, why? Because it’s one of maybe two songs on the new album that has a discernible chorus or melody. The rest of the collection is the usual mish mash of material that’s instantly forgettable.
You’d think after all this time, Usher would get the idea and record actual songs by songwriters. Eight seems to be the magic number, although some of these non tunes have just six or seven writers. There are two tracks previously available in other places including the excellent “Risk it All,” written by HER (Gabi Wilson) for the movie “The Color Purple.”
The only other track that stands out is called “Keep on Dancin'” with five songwriters. But it least it has a normal structure and it sticks in your head.
This isn’t to say that Usher won’t have a successful Super Bowl show on Sunday. He’s got enough older hits to get through, and he can throw in these two as well. But if he’s going to have everyone in the Las Vegas arena singing “Uptown Girl,” he might as well include Billy Joel as his special guest. There’s a reason Billy is back this week with a hot new record and Grammy appearance. The good songs and songwriters never go away.
“Coming Home” is self-released by Usher and LA Reid, and not on a regular label. The distributor is the new Apple backed company, Gamma. Apple is also underwriting the half time show on Sunday. But the computer giant probably won’t be able to use these lyrics in its commercials, like: “Won’t just open your legs (Ooh-ooh) / And then leave you for dead (Oh)”
this one is classic, too: I seen a million girls, but ain’t seen none like you I got options, baby, but you still the one I choose
The two best charities for AIDS research are going to busy this winter and spring.
The Elton John AIDS Foundation will have it annual Oscar party in West Hollywood on March 10th. The very hot new R&B rock group The Gabriels are going to perform. You know every year the musical guest is on the edge of taking off big time.
Sir Elton, David Furnish, Neil Patrick Harris, and David Burtka are the co-hosts along with Tiffany Haddish. Iris and Michael Smith for serving as the evening’s Co-Sponsors. Presenting sponsors are A+E Networks, Chopard, Gilead Sciences, Health Care Advocates International, Robert and Dana Kraft, Bob and Tamar Manoukian,and Cheryl and Haim Saban.
“As a father and an AIDS advocate for over three decades, I want to see my sons grow up in a world where AIDS, and the stigma and inequality that drives it, are history,” says Elton John, Founder, Elton John AIDS Foundation. “Everyone deserves to live a healthy life, free from violence and discrimination. I’m so grateful to my big-hearted friends Neil Patrick Harris, David Burtka and Tiffany Haddish, and one of my favourite fresh acts, Gabriels, for stepping up to help us raise funds at this year’s Oscar Party to further my Foundation’s mission.”
Then, on May 8th at the Rainbow Room, the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation will honor Live Nation concert guru Arthur Fogel. Arthur’s official title is President, Global Touring and Chairman, but to everyone who knows him Arthur is a magician who keeps all the A list stars from Lady Gaga to Madonna to U2 selling out arenas and stadiums in complex, brilliantly conceived shows. Presumably he’s got a few of his stars taking the legendary Rainbow Room stage.
