Angry (Or Old) (White) Dudes Believe Grammys Controlled By Other (Old) (White) Dudes
Following last week’s Grammy nominations, two rockers, Trent Reznor and Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy, have taken to their blogs to blast the nominating body for being run at the whim of “fifty-year-old white men” and “out of touch old men.” The hell you say! Still, while not exactly a new criticism of the crusty ol’ Grammys, Reznor and Wentz’s grievances shouldn’t be dismissed out of hand, and so we’ve presented them for you side by side (or one right under the other) to judge for yourself the validity of their beef.
Mr. Reznor:
While the music industry is doing everything they possibly can to go out of business, can we all make sure to rid ourselves of the Grammys, too? Out of touch old men jacking each other off. ENOUGH! Have a nice day.
Mr. Wentz:
the first reaction is jealousy mixed with a slight sense of entitlement. we just want to be a part of your club. we feel like the orphans in the movie the warriors, when we are just dying to be the baseball furies. the truth be told though when you explore it further than that you realize much more. other than the fact that we play the events for you and the right parties all the time (which is a bit embarrassing either for you or us, not sure which, possibly both. its kind of like being invited to a birthday party and then not allowed to eat the cake.)- it shouldnt mean much. (almost) noone in this industry has vision beyond the fear that this week is their last paycheck. we want our songs to be immortal and a statue doesnt do anything to help them live forever. it is the people that live and die with them in their ears and throats that give them life. we wont lie to you, accolades from our peers feel great. however, a fifty year old white man shouldnt decide whether we are relevant or not- and he doesn’t. we wanted to thank you for making us feel relevant- for sitting up all night to get into our shows and for buying our music. it means more in the wake of moments like this. we know who we are based on those who would walk through hell with us. this is not a disappointment, rather a revelation on what is truly important. thanks.
Well, with Reznor this anti-academy ire feels slightly more credible/less sour grapes-y, especially considering the dude’s been on a burn-down-the-industry tear for years now. Plus he’s succinct. (Though at 42 he should probably be careful throwing around the words “old men” as an epithet.) On the other hand, Wentz comes off like the expected whiny wanker, though in keeping with emo fashion he does admit to the jealousy angle up front, and to further cover his ass he did go on to tell MTV that he didn’t, like,really care. But whereas Reznor wants to ditch the awards entirely, you do get the impression Wentz would be more than happy to keep them if the nominees were being decided by 15-year-old white girls rather than 50-year-old white men.
Got Bitterness? [Fall Out Boy] A Suggestion [NIN Blog]
