Category: Grammy’s

The 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards

The 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards

Getting to the annual Grammy Awards is always top priority for the team at LAX Magazine, and this year was no exception.  When we arrived at the Staples Center for the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards events this yesterday morning the place was already buzzing with activity.

We went to the Grammy Gifting Lounge by Distinctive Assets before going to pick up our credentials, which had all sorts of cool companies exhibiting including Gibson, Diet Pepsi, Cold Stone Creamery (new frozen yogurt that was perfect for the warm day), Moroccanoil (love their hair stuff), Votre Vu (their delicious SnapDragon Beauty Beverages and Ten Gauge Health & Energy Slam are amazing), Smirnoff, Delta Private Jets, Moba Cruiser and Bench (cool clothing company that it coming to the US).  It is always fun to go in the gifting lounge since inevitably musicians and actors will make their way through to get all the cool gifts (for example we had Mya in front of us and Kings of Leon and Matthew Morrison of Glee behind us).

After finishing up there, we headed over to Rock N Fish to grab some lunch and a glass of wine, which was absolutely the perfect way to get a well needed second wind.

We then headed back to the Staples Center to catch some of the dress rehearsal. After seeing Mario Lopez in the credential room having to stand in line with everyone else (celebrities are just like us!), we went downstairs under the stage area where we got to watch Mick Jagger practice his performance for tomorrow night. He is seriously amazing, and we definitely can’t wait to see the performance tonight.

After he finished performing, Mick and his entourage made his way through the hall and it was great to see how much respect he was shown by everyone there.  A rock legend he is!  We can now officially say that we were in the presence of a Rolling Stone.  Love it!

Overall, this year will have tons of amazing singers, and we definitely can’t wait to watch the show.  For example Cee Lo is performing with Gwyneth Paltrow (who will be dancing on the piano), Katy Perry’s set will have lots of pink cotton candy and there will be tons of other great performances including Justin Bieber, Usher, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Miranda Lambert, Arcade Fire, B.O.B and Jaden Smith. There is no doubt that this year’s Grammy Awards will continue the tradition of honoring music and musicians and will be a show that is sure not to disappoint!  We can’t wait!

GRAMMY53 Recap

For this year’s Grammy Awards, we were once again backstage where we were able to interview various Grammy winners after they accepted their awards onstage. The show opening with Christina Aguilera, Martina McBride, Florence Welch, Jennifer Hudson and Yolanda Adams singing together… talk about some powerful voices! They sounded amazing as they paid a well-deserved tribute to Aretha Franklin.

This year’s awards felt a little different than past years, with several surprising winners including Epseranza Spalding as best new artist (a very surprise upset for Justin Bieber lovers) and the Canadian indie rock group Arcade Fire for album of the year. The LAX team was able to talk to both Esperanza and Arcade Fire, and have to say that both seemed not only incredibly talented but equally as humble. Esperanza’s publicist told us that she is the first Jazz musician to win that award ever! What a feat… They were not only completely shocked, but were also absolutely thrilled beyond belief.

Esperanza, a Portland native, is absolutely gorgeous in a natural kind-of way, with flawless skin and a huge smile. Right after having the chance to chat with her, we ran into Arcade Fire who had also just won their award. As we passed by I said, “Congrats guys, great to see the hipsters getting some love!” They all bust out laughing, and it was so clear that this band was over the moon about winning this great Grammy honor.

Earlier backstage some other highlights from our day included interviewing Train, who won a Grammy for “Hey Soul Sister.” They said that this is, “a magical moment for us!” They were also very humble, and said that the humility has come from being in the business for 15 years now and realizing that it is such a gift. They thanked Crush Management for saving their careers and Pat said that the performance he is looking forward to most is the one he is going to have to give his wife when he explains why he forgot to thank her during his Grammy acceptance speech… Poor guy! Rule number one for winning a Grammy: never forget to give props to your significant other!! Pat also said that they really didn’t expect to win since they were up against Glee this year but are grateful for their win. The band seems super chill and has a great energy about them.

John Legend’s interview was also interesting. He won a Grammy this year for Best R&B Album where he collaborated with The Roots to make Wake Up! His stunning girlfriend of 4 years was on hand to support him, and as usual he came across as smart, thoughtful and brilliantly talented. He had some interesting thoughts on what’s goimg on in Egypt and across the Middle East.

Some of our favorite performances of the evening included Justin Bieber and Usher. Bieber also performed with Jaden Smith, and the tweens were absolutely adorable together. It was so cute to see Will and Jada Smith in the audience, literally beaming with pride. Must be so fulfilling and exciting to sit back and watch your child follow their dreams and be recognized for their talent.

Another creative performance that was a joy to see was Cee Lo with Gwyneth Paltrow & Jim Henson Co. Puppets. Cee Lo wore and outrageous outfit, he basically looked like a Carnival Muppet, incredibly bright and colorful, like a bird. Gwyneth looked great, but seemed really nervous. We don’t blame her for being nervous as she was dancing on top of Liberaces’ piano in five inch heels in front of a huge audience. It didn’t quite seem like she really went for it.

Lady Gaga’s performance was good and her vocals sounded great… She won a Grammy for best pop vocal, and her voice in this performance reminded us why she won. It was nice that her voice wasn’t completely overshadowed by an outrageous outfit, although she did get carried into the Grammy Awards in a pod and some people were turned it off after seeing that. While everybody loves Lady Gaga and appreciates her talent, we think that sometimes less is more and music needs to be able to stand alone without having to rely on crazy outfits or stage performances to make it great.

This year’s show definitely saved the best for last since Mick Jagger’s performance with Raphael Saadiq was absolutely unbelievable. It goes to show you that true rock talent has major staying power. Mick really has it going on, and is one of the most iconic rock stars of all time! Overall the show was a definitely another great Grammy however it wasn’t as rocking as it has been in past years. It was certainly a more mellow year which was fine by us!

Feb 13, 2011 | 11 comments | View Post
RedOne

RedOne

Things are going great right now for super producer RedOne who has recently celebrated the launch of his music label 2101 Records.  RedOne is originally from Morocco but moved to Sweden when he was 19 when he left to chase his dream of producing music.  While he found moderate success in Europe, RedOne struggled and was about to throw in the towel when he suddenly skyrocketed to success with the popularity of Lady Gaga.  RedOne produced and wrote several songs on the chart topping album, The Fame.  He’s incredibly thankful for Gaga and feels like she is a “living legend” and a musical genius.  They began working together, clicked and created some very interesting music.

Since Gaga, RedOne has finished producing Nicole Scherzinger’s new album and he says it’s going to be better than her DWTS performances!  RedOne’s first artist on his new 2101 label is Mohombi who is young, up-and-coming and thoroughly gorgeous!  Imagine a tall, fit, beautiful in the face, young man with a basketball player’s body who can sing and dance like Justin Timberlake.  This sexy songster is more than model hot as he sings his infectious melodies.  He’s had a turbulent start to life as he and his family had to flee war torn Congo in search of safer surroundings in Sweden.  He then chased his dream to Los Angeles where he met up with fellow pseudo-Swede, RedOne.  His first single “Bumpy Ride” pays homage to his turbulent assent and has a Caribbean sound and beat.  The video was shot in Miami and could easily be mistaken for Cayman or Jamaica.  RedOne says that Mohombi is getting an incredible reaction from his music, his style of dance, and his performances and says, “he’s a superstar in the making, very charming, smart and an incredible entertainer”.

Outside of work, RedOne is focused on his family who is currently in Morocco.  He splits his time between Los Angeles, Morocco and Holland and considers himself a global citizen. He loves L.A. for the creativity and the weather but everything about him is global.  His favorite foods are sushi and traditional Moroccan food.  He goes to Nobu a lot but has yet to find a Moroccan restaurant  in Los Angeles that compares to his wife’s cooking at home.  However, when he’s in New York, he likes Le Souk.

This is Why He’s Hot
•RedOne’s credits include producing and co-writing 7 songs and 5 back to back hit singles on Lady Gaga’s The Fame album, which to date has sold over 10 million copies worldwide.
•RedOne earned five #1 songs in 12 months for “Just Dance,” “Poker Face,” “Love Game,” “Bad Romance” and “We Are the World 25 for Haiti.”
•RedOne earned two 2010 Grammy Awards for Best Dance Recording (“Poker Face”), Best Electronic/Dance Album (The Fame, Lady Gaga)
•RedOne was personally requested by Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie to produce a contemporary version of the iconic philanthropic anthem, “We Are The World,”  with more than 80 of the world’s biggest stars.
•RedOne receives more accolades for more than 10 million album sales and 25 million singles downloaded with Lady Gaga.

RedOne

Click the link above to view video of RedOne talking about his dreams as a youth.

Oct 03, 2010 | 1 comment | View Post
THE GIFTING LOUNGE

THE GIFTING LOUNGE

Lionel Richie at the 2010 GRAMMY Gifting Lounge

The stars love their loot and many enjoy visiting the gifting lounge. Clockwise from below: Lionel Richie signs the cat poster for Fancy Feast that was auctioned off with proceeds benefiting MusiCares, Justin Beiber picks his Palm, Apl.de.Ap from BEP represents L.A. with his kicks from L.A. Tech, Hillary Scott from Lady Antebellum grabs some cat treats from Fancy Feast, as does Taboo from BEP, ya mon — Rhianna bonds with a fellow Caribbeanite from Marley Coffee.

The GRAMMY Gift Lounge presented by Moroccanoil allowed presenters and performers to have the opportunity to scoop up tens of thousands of dollars worth of amazing gifts including an exclusive Moroccanoil signature sports bag filled with argan oil-infused Moroccanoil Treatment. The Lounge featured iPod docking stations from Harman International, and talent visiting the Lounge was treated to designer eyewear from Solstice Sunglass Boutique’s spring collections, Reverse Flying V guitar from Gibson USA, LA Gear LA Lights sneakers, Misis sterling silver jewelry, Soy Delicious Moisturizing Candles, spa services and deluxe spa robes courtesy of Dr. Lancer, Twinklist ultimate foot care packages from MTG Co., the gorgeous new Palm Pixi/ Palm Pixi Plus, Orgasense exclusive skincare and Agapara handbags from J. Holly International, cashmere sweaters from Hardcore Elegance, Fancy Feast ultimate pet packages, leather goods from Cape Cod Leather, Vivitar cameras, VIP club cases from Rock-n-Roll Gourmet, the Icing 30 Carat Revolutionary At-Home Teeth Whitening System and cosmetic dentistry package courtesy of Bling Dental and rocker chic clothing from Royal Underground. For the second year, Waste Management will sponsor a “green corner” within the Lounge where they will highlight their new “Recycling Rocks” campaign by giving a messenger bag made of recycled materials filled with eco-friendly goodies.

This years gifting lounge was done by distinctive assets (http://www.distinctiveassets.com/).

Jun 16, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post
What’s so Special About Being A GRAMMY Award Winning Artist Anyway?

What’s so Special About Being A GRAMMY Award Winning Artist Anyway?

The Dave Matthews Band released an incredible album last year called Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King. The album was nominated for two 2010 Grammy Awards: Best Rock Album and Album of the Year

The musical gala of the year is undoubtedly The GRAMMY Awards. A week of celebrations put on by The Recording Academy to honor the year’s best work. The tradition has been around for 52 years and it’s a huge deal. The GRAMMY Awards are more than just glitz, glamour and today’s number one hit, it’s also about education, technology, community and history. While we love film and television there’s really nothing better than music.

The week is full of events including the P&E (Producers & Engineers) Wing Event where they honored the music of Island Records. It was a big celebration in honor of music producer, Chris Blackwell. Chris is the founder of Island Records, which is an incredibly successful record label that has spanned the decades. Chris has been responsible for working with such artist as Bob Marley, U2 and Melissa Etheridge. Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow told us that Chris is the type of music producer who’s in it for the art and does it from the heart.

Neil Portnow is an important man, as he is the one responsible for bringing us Britney — that alone makes him a noted character in musical history. Originally from the east coast, Neil moved west to head up the west coast division of Jive Records during the start of the Britney era. His pet project or favorite part of his job is not deciding what songs to put on the annual GRAMMY Album, nor is it dressing up and hanging out with Béyonce — Neil’s great love is giving back. He’s the head of MusiCares, which is the charitable arm of the Recording Academy who offers assistance and support to musicians who are down on their luck.

One of the biggest events of the week was celebrating Neil Young’s 2010 MusiCares Person of the Year award. We met the band Everest at the event. Everest is a bit of a protégé to Neil Young and they have toured with Neil and Wilco and they have an album out under Vapor Records, which is Neil Young’s record label. The band is made up of four established Los Angeles based musicians who have been in a slew of different bands. They have come together and have a sound that is very Neil Youngish.

The reason winning a GRAMMY is so important is because it comes from the music community. Each member of the Recording Academy votes on the best musicians. It’s the ultimate validation that your music is good. After all, every musician aspires to be the next Neil Young.

Everest

Ke$ha

Roberta Flack at the 2010 GRAMMY Gifting Lounge

Gossip — from our eyes to your ears..GRAMMY week was full of stars and we’ve got the scoop. LMFAO were super sweet, Rhianna is tiny and crazy beautiful, Ke$ha really does hang out in glitter, the guys from The Frey are too cool for school, Nicole Kidman looks like a robot doll, in true intellectual fashion when asked to do an interview with LAX Magazine, Matthew McConaughey responded with “nah, I’m just going to pose for photos”. Jason Swarzman was lost in the parking garage but gave us a hug when we told him that we watched his show. The guys from Black Eyed Peas have great spirits and Taboo is super sexy.

Jason Mraz

We had the chance to chat with Jason Mraz, who we have to say is incredibly down-to-earth and charming considering the recent acclaim his music career has had. When we asked him what his after-Grammy plans included, he told us that he was looking forward to writing music and working on his farm (yes, he has a farm!). He and Colbie Caillat earned a Grammy this year for their collaboration on their duet “Lucky”, which is a very sweet love song where their voices blend beautifully! When we asked him how they decided to work together, he told us a pretty funny story. Apparently, he emailed Caillat telling her that he had a song written that he would like for her to record with him. When she said that she’d love to collaborate, he said he then had to scramble to start writing the song. Thankfully it all worked out in his favor. When we asked her what she thought about that story, she laughed and said that she was actually just learning that fact now.

Jun 16, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post
DJ Hapa

Spin Cycle

America’s Corporate Embrace of Hip Hop

DJ Hapa

Well, it’s not like we didn’t see this one coming….Best Buy has stared selling DJ equipment. So now that square-looking business man sitting next to you with the Bluetooth in his ear can impress the ladies and fellas with a dj set-up in his living room. It’s actually pretty cool and exciting. Spinning music is an art and making it available to the masses can only breed new talent. Plus it makes business sense for Best Buy to ride the wave of hip-hop popularity. Spinning, or being able to spin, is cool and will definitely impress. Everybody loves the DJ — more so if the music is amazing, well selected, and well mixed.

Best Buy has a long history with music — selling instruments and actual CD’s. Obviously the CD market has tumbled with more people opting for the instant gratification of downloading music from the internet. But the music education market is holding steady or growing with more and more people wanting to learn how to play like their musical idols. Best Buy will sell you a guitar and sell you lessons and now they’ll sell you everything you need to get the party started with your incredible spinning skills — oh, but you’ll need to spend some time getting to know how to manipulate the music.

Best Buy partnered up with DJ Hapa to help teach people how to spin. DJ Hapa is a world renowned DJ, and heck of a nice guy. He says that he loves the experience of watching people react to music and creating a vibe. He founded the Scratch DJ Academy — L.A. in 2004 and serves as both the Executive Director and Head Instructor of the L.A. location. Scratch DJ Academy is THE place to learn how to spin music or to continue your scratching and mixing education. Everybody who’s anybody in the DJ world is affiliated with the organization, which operates in New York, Los Angeles and Miami. The institute offers affordable ($50 – $300) lessons in spinning — everything from Introduction to DJing (Mixing & Scratching) for the beginners to Club & Performance Mixing for those more advanced.

Between the teams at Best Buy and Scratch DJ Academy and all this affordable and accessible equipment and lessons, soon everyone will be showing off their spinning skills. We hope they get the beat right!

Jun 16, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post
2010 Music Issue — Who’s doing what now

2010 Music Issue — Who’s doing what now

We had a great time celebrating the GRAMMY Awards this year and met some brilliant musicians and cool people. The GRAMMY Awards set the stage for our Music Issue where we explore where we are with music right now, which, of course is influenced by where we have been in the past. The GRAMMY Awards are an interesting juxtaposition between old school and new, with it being such a long-standing and influential organization and event. One thing is for sure and that’s every artist aspires for that little statuette and all the prestige that comes with it.

Mick Fleetwood
We chatted with Mick Fleetwood of legendary band Fleetwood Mac. He’s now working with a blues band called The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band. It’s not common knowledge but before Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, Fleetwood Mac was a blues band and Mick is going back to his roots with his latest creative venture. The new stuff is similar to the old stuff they played back in the 60’s as Fleetwood Mac.

Mick is a very sweet, older man who has a fatherly presence, he’s super mellow and seems wise. He lives in Hawaii, Maui to be exact, and he’s been happily touring in the last year with his blues band and musical legends such as Michael McDonald of the Doobie Brothers and the great Boz Scaggs. The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band was nominated for Best Traditional Blues Album for Blue Again. We had to ask about the old gang from the glory days of Fleetwood Mac and he said that they all still keep in touch and that everybody is happy and healthy.

Jason Derulo
Have to admit that when we got a chance to sit down with Jason Derulo we had no idea who he was, of course, since meeting him we are far more aware of his music, plus he has exploded onto the music scene with loads of radio play, top ten hits and an American Idol performance. Jason is handsome, young, eager and polite. He’s anticipated his success for years as he’s been in performing arts schools since age 5. The son of Haitian immigrants, he grew up in Miami and was quick to point out that he didn’t “grow up poor”. He did grow up with a large family as his grandmother had 15 kids. He must have gotten those delightful manners and joy of life from his big, happy family. His star keeps rising in part due to his ability to write his own music — a common theme among successful artists — gone are the days of having a lengthy career without being able to pen your own hits. Jason says that his newfound stardom is “awesome” and that he’s totally in love with his fans, whom he loves more than anything!

LMFAO
Contrary to Mr. Derulo we were very aware of LMFAO and didn’t anticipate them to be so likable based on their trashy party boy lyrics. We expected to encounter trashy party boy attitudes and we were truly impressed by their down to earth, likable personalities. Yes, they look odd, or at least they look like hipsters who want to be noticed. There is nothing subtle about their appearance or their delivery but if you are lucky enough to get them one on one then you will find them to be quite agreeable.

While not quite as irritating as their on stage personalities, in real life interaction they do maintain a sense of swagger as they say that their newfound success is all part of their “master plan”. They’re excited and say that stardom feels natural to them however they are quick to point out that two and half years ago they couldn’t get into clubs in Los Angeles and that the late DJ AM was very cool to them as he encouraged and inspired them to keep at it. They credit DJ AM as a major inspiration, not only for his encouragement but for the way he would merge hip hop and rock while spinning. While the boys are quick to point out that they were “nobodies” several years ago, they are both related, one a direct descendent, to Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records. Not sure how they can ever be considered outsiders but perhaps that’s why they are laughing so hard.

Pat Monahan of Train
After a several year hiatus, Train is back and we’re sure you’ve caught yourself humming along to their hit song “Hey, Soul Sister” which has had huge success with radio play and high scores on the billboard charts. We caught up with Pat who was funny and full of self-depreciation. He told us that he doesn’t bet on anything except golf and then he bets on Tiger Woods having a new girlfriend — yes, humorous indeed. He says that Train’s latest album, Save Me, San Francisco, feels a bit like their first album, Drops of Jupiter, which really put them on the map and allowed them to tour the world. The new album has put them on the road again and gets back to their roots before becoming a “big pop band”.

While on his break from the group, Pat moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. He did get some work on “CSI: NY” but found making his way as an actor extremely hard and has the utmost respect for working actors. He’s now back up in Seattle with his family who are enjoying their own creative pursuits with success. His son is a photographer who’s been shooting the band on a few shows. He must be good because he’s been published in Rolling Stone.

Pat is a huge Lady Gaga fan (who isn’t?) and was really looking forward to seeing Roberta Flack.

Jackson Browne
Super sweetheart, Jackson Browne, came around to chat with us and he was such a doll! He let us gush on for a bit about what an amazing musician he is and how our dads and brothers had introduced us to his music, we were gushing so much that his PR guy, Michael, had to interject with “Ladies, do you have any questions?”. Sorry, Mike, we were just a little bit overwhelmed with meeting the guy who did “Running on Empty”, for goodness sakes, could there be a better song…“people need some reason to believe”! Yes we do, Jackson Browne.

Mr. Browne is up to some new stuff these days including a new album and tour. He’s releasing an album called Love Is Strange, which is a 2-CD live set that was recorded in Spain while he was touring with his good buddy and music partner, David Lindley. You may be familiar with David’s guitar riffs in “Running on Empty”. He’s also a bit of a recluse but Jackson has found that playing in countries where David doesn’t speak the language is the key to getting him to hang out with the gang. “Why had I not thought of this before? Take him where he doesn’t speak the language and he will HAVE TO leave the gig and come with you to the restaurant, or to the club,” says Browne. “This was an unexpected strategy breakthrough in a pursuit that for a legion of friends, disciples and admirers has become known as ‘stalking the wild Lindley.’”

You can catch Jackson and David performing together this summer, check out the Jackson Browne website for tour dates and information.

Jun 16, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post
Grammy’s 2009

Grammy’s 2009

Grammy Gifts: Inside the gifting lounges

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…No, we’re not talking about Christmas.
Los Angeles doesn’t take December 25th off, remember? We’re talking about Award Season, and if there’s one thing that Award Season has going for it’s the tradition of gifting suites. Gifting suite connaisseur and author of the book, Fabulous, Lash Fary (www.distinctiveassets.com), combines top designers and manufacturers to showcase their latest and greatest products to the bright and beautiful people at the awards ceremonies. The hope is that someone on the A-List will fall in love with said products. Now, LAX was cordially invited to a couple gifting suites, and that whole experience was nothing short of jolly. From getting hair and make-up done professionally to gorging ourselves on Chipotles tacos to finding new favorite shoes and jeans — it’s honestly a great way to spend a day. Here we present some of our latest favorites, BEFORE the superstars tell you they’re cool…

Däv rainwear

It never rains in California……except during the recent 51st Annual Grammy Awards festivities.Complete downpours sent the stars scrambling for dry digs and straight into StyleWest’s däv rainwear at the Grammy Talent Gift Lounge.
Www.davrain.com DL1961

Kate Somerville HydraKate Line Release™ Face Serum
Your answer to ageless beauty! A blend of peptides and collagen builders help to improve skin texture and tone.
Www.katesomerville.com

GUNNAR optiks Digital
Performance Eyewear: optics specifically designed to increase visual performance, prevent Digital Eye Fatique and protect against Computer Vision Syndrome.
Www.gunnars.com

Make Up Forever HD Microperfecting Primer
Flawless skin starts at the base. The light, oilfree formula of the HD Microperfecting Primer acts as a preparation product that creates a protective film on the skin’s surface and operates as a shield, preventing the foundation from penetrating the skin.
Www.makeupforever.com

DL1961
Introducing DL1961 the first collection of premium denim exclusively featuring XFIT LYCRA®. DL1961 combines revolutionary fit, a proprietary soft hand finish and many exclusive washes from very light to super dark.
Www.dl1961.com

Mar 27, 2009 | 0 comments | View Post