So we’ve all heard about Taylor Swift’s pitch problem at the Grammy’s, and about her big win for Album of the Year.  Despite the fact that the Grammy’s were aired almost  2 weeks ago, the level of vitriol being spewed between Camp Taylor and Camp Anti-Taylor is at an all time high. I got my first taste of the debate after seeing MTV writer  James Montgomery’s February 2nd  article “Why You Shouldn’t Hate on Taylor Swift” and the ensuing comments.  The debate is far from over folks.  I seem to get an e-mail, Twitter message or Facebook comment about it every day.

Less visible on the Internet are the equally passionate and highly charged private conversations and debates happening between the people I hang with … professional working musicians.  Thanks to Facebook, I got involved in some pretty heated discussions about the Grammy’s … what they represent, how they define “talent” and “marketability”, and most importantly, how the Grammy results affect those of us who depend on being hired by clubs, hotels, producers etc. who in turn follow marketing trends and take their lead from award shows.

I had friend of mine charge that annoyed musicians venting about the Grammy’s were basically just posting “thinly veiled rants of jealousy” because they were “annoyed with someone else’s success or fame.” Well yours truly begged to differ.  Before I knew it, I found myself typing this response:

“Gosh I guess I really am jealous. I wish I could sing way, way out of tune on a consistent basis. I really do. I would give it all up to have a Grammy. My pitch, my attempts to always get better, my awareness of my skill level. I would toss it all for the Grammy because I am so jealous. Not rightfully critical .. just plain jealous. NOT. Sometimes people are just genuinely disappointed with what is supposed to (and USED to) be an award that means something to aspiring and working musicians. Maybe when someone who hits a genuine clunker on the piano every other bar (literally) during the live performance at every award show wins for best instrumental jazz artist you will feel my pain. Is is not okay to have some kind of bar or standard? It’s especially hard now with musicians who are also out of work (they exist!) Those who sat home gigless while it was on. It is just a hard time and some (granted not all) of the venting to me is healthy and heartfelt. Maybe this is just one of those “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not gonna take it any more moments” in the arts community. I have never seen so many similar critical comments, many about the same performances. Something somewhere in there has to be somewhat valid … maybe a little? Just food for thought.”

So um …  I guess I was a bit annoyed.  Seems these days like anyone who criticizes someone’s skill level is labeled as petty or jealous.  Is art subjective?  Yes.  Is there ever a point where someone can actually fairly be called out for executing something poorly, time and time again? Hell yes! Maybe I feel this way because I am a singer.  The Grammy’s shape what people who employ me think is “marketable” or “trendy.” That is why I watch, and why I bum out when someone who in my opinion is so terribly inadequate in an area that used to matter just a little (pitch in this case) carries Album of the Year. It is just hard to swallow, regardless of what drives Grammy decisions.

Speaking of those decisions, I am no old fogy.  I get that  “Album of the Year” does not equal “Live Vocalist of the Year.”  I get that it is hard to hear with in ear monitors sometimes, and that people get nervous sometimes.  (I HAVE sung in front of thousands of people and been nervous … with NO monitor, and yes I was very young at the time. )  I also get that the award has to do with production, songwriting, and all the other stuff that goes into making an album.  I get that Bob Dylan never sang in tune … but he never marketed himself as a “vocalist.”   I get that over a generation ago Elvis and Beatles were considered talentless by trained musicians of that day.  I also know that most of the time those artists sang in tune or at least relatively in tune when they performed live in similar settings.  Especially on naked ballads for God’ sake.

There actually is a measure for pitch folks.  So where do we stop?  A quarter tone or a half note sharp every other measure?   How about a whole note?  Every time?  With just an acoustic guitar to start?  When do I get to speak up already?  Some of us are just having a moment. It doesn’t make us lazy about finding work or generally bitter about the business. Maybe someone sucked so bad people couldn’t help but vent. It is all over the net, not just Facebook. Something happened that Sunday night. Something visceral.  The backlash is real.

Needless to say, lip synching and production heavy – vocal lite performances have become common place, accepted, and even expected, especially for dance heavy acts like Madonna, Britney and yes even Beyonce at times.   (I know I couldn’t sing well with all that running around … not on every note.  Fergie tries to do it and it is tough.)  The exception to the lip-sync expectation has always been singer-songwriter performances, which were reserved for those who could actually pull off a live performance.  Those acoustic performances started to become the “legit” or credible moments at the Grammy’s in terms of showcasing actual musical skill, regardless of the genre.

Maybe some of us are lamenting that the last of vestiges of a genre that still required vocal control up until now, the “unplugged, acoustic singer songwriter” stuff … is gone.  That ballsy moment in the Grammy’s where someone had to be able to sing because they were sans a huge band, at least for the song’s intro … gone … defunct.

With Taylor Swift in particular, the situation is like that fable “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” No one wants to just call out that she cannot sing. She SHOULD be lip syncing but she is performing live … horribly … over and over again, and not improving … and getting pass after pass for a variety of reasons …. and then taking home the biggest awards. No matter how the awards are actually decided or what the Grammy’s are really about, it is just a disconnect to see that progression on a live show.  A disconnect for lots of people, not just trained musicians.

When my non-musician friends started sending me e-mails about that performance that started out “Is it just me or …” I knew it was time to speak up.  To defend my craft.  I even think people are saying “Hey where’s the scam? Lip sync already. It is less painful and less in my face. Give me back the scam or stop singing.” Again, I think the moment affected a lot of people that way and caused an uber cyber commentary party that involved all sorts of different people.

It’s funny … most of the negative comments in my world were from singers and about singers. I really believe if the musicians on Sunday’s show had executed their roles as badly as Ms. Swift, more musicians would be sympathetic to the outcry. You know, things like missing notes, playing in the wrong key and so on.

Not to say there was any exceptionally brilliant music being played (IMHO) … but it seemed that the musicians that were actually playing had some kind of basic skill requirement. Singers get away with murder … especially with that damn auto tune. I think the blatant badness is what even laymen were blogging about immediately after the show and since the show.  It seemed to hit an all time low. The Taylor Swift win just sent some people over last night, no matter what the award was for.   Even major media outlets are continuing to cover it.  There is jealousy, and then there is disgust and “audio disbelief.” I have to believe that for some it was the latter that led to the barrage of posts. Piling on or legitimate debate?  You decide.

So … is the simple, unplugged, in tune, live vocal moment dead?  Oh wait a minute .. what about Pink? Yeah, there’s still hope.  She rocked it that night … upside down …soaking wet … hanging from silks!!  No award though.  Bummer.