UPDATE - 2/8@8:09PM: Sorry, I've been out all evening. To nobody's surprise, Rush lost again. Peaches En Regalia from Zappa Plays Zappa won.
The 51st Grammy Awards will take place tomorrow at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Rush's Hope: Live for the Art of Peace off of Songs For Tibet: The Art of Peace has been nominated in the Best Rock Instrumental Performance category. Geddy Lee recently spoke with the London Free Press about the song and the Grammy nomination:
... "I think this is our sixth nomination -- we're, like, the Susan Luccis of rock 'n' roll," Lee quipped during a recent chat. "Usually, we get beat by the most unlikely person -- last year, Bruce Springsteen beat us."
Rush was on tour for their 2006 studio disc Snakes & Arrows when they were approached by Rupert Hine, who had produced the band's 1989 album Presto, about contributing a track to the Tibet compilation.
"We remembered this acoustic track Alex plays live and is different every night, he sort of improvises on it, so we thought that would be an easy and beautiful solution to the problem," Lee said. "We just recorded it live and sent it to them." ...
... none of Rush's three members is expected to attend the Grammys tonight. The band is enjoying an extended break and aren't likely to be back in studio until next year.
That doesn't mean Lee won't be watching or at least recording the ceremony.
"We try not to put too much emphasis on that kind of stuff, but at the same time it's always a huge compliment, so you do get excited when something like that happens," he said. "It's certainly better than being ignored."
The awards ceremony will take place tomorrow and be broadcast live at 8PM EST on CBS, although the Rock Instrumental category winner will be announced during the afternoon at the Pre-Telecast ceremony. The Pre-Telecast will be streamed live at Grammy.com beginning at 4PM EST. Here's the complete list of nominees:
Category 19: Best Rock Instrumental Performance
(For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances, without vocals. Includes Rock, Hard Rock and Metal. Singles or Tracks only.)Castellorizon
David Gilmour
Track from: Live In Gdansk
[Columbia]Suicide & Redemption
Metallica
Track from: Death Magnetic
[Warner Bros.]34 Ghosts I-IV
Nine Inch Nails
Track from: Ghosts I-IV
[The Null Corporation]Hope (Live For The Art Of Peace)
Rush
Track from: Songs For Tibet: The Art Of Peace
[Art of Peace Foundation]Peaches En Regalia
Zappa Plays Zappa
[Strobosonic/Razor & Tie Entertainment]
Rush's past nominations in the Best Rock Instrumental Performance category were for YYZ in 1981, Where's My Thing? in 1992, Leave That Thing Alone in 1995, O Baterista in 2004, and Malignant Narcissism in 2007. Thanks to State of Grace for the heads up.
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