| Subject: Eminem Delivers Rousing 'Lose Yourself,' Clash Get A-List Tribute At Grammys |
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Magda
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Date Posted: 18:07:28 02/24/03 Mon
(Info from mtv.com)
Eminem Delivers Rousing 'Lose Yourself,' Clash Get A-List Tribute At Grammys
02.24.2003 1:34 AM EST
Eminem performs at the 45th annual Grammy Awards
Photo: WireImage
In a year fraught with political turmoil, turbulence and insecurity, music fans turned to their favorite songs to take them away from many of their problems and help them come to terms with others that were impossible to escape. Whether it was Eminem rapping, "Lose yourself in the music," or Bruce Springsteen singing, "Come on up for the rising/ Come on up, lay your hands in mine," the messages of unity were universal. (Click here to see highlights from the show.)
At the 45th annual Grammy Awards, held Sunday (February 23) at New York's Madison Square Garden, apolitical hedonists and social activists alike rallied together to celebrate the emotional power of the crooned, rapped and shouted passage. Many of the 18 main attractions expressed solidarity through collaborations with other musicians. (Click here for the list of winners.)
Two tribute performances stood amongst the evening's highlights. At the end of the night images of a succession of musicians who died in the past year flashed across a giant screen, followed by an all-star tribute to Clash member Joe Strummer, who died in December from a sudden heart attack (see "Joe Strummer Of The Clash Dead At 50"). An ad-hoc supergroup composed of Elvis Costello, his drummer Pete Thomas, Foo Fighters' frontman Dave Grohl, Bruce Springsteen, E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt and No Doubt bassist Tony Kanal ripped through "London Calling" with enough force to shake the gates of Buckingham Palace. Each of the singers was armed with a guitar and traded off vocal lines with acerbic grace, contorting their faces as they sang. Van Zandt clawed through a bristling solo full of emotional bends, and the band exited to a choir of squealing feedback.
The members of 'NSYNC, who haven't performed together since last April, reconvened to honor the Bee Gees, the legendary pop/disco group that called it quits after member Maurice Gibb passed away in January (see "Maurice Gibb Of The Bee Gees Dead At 53"). The pop stars performed an a cappella, harmony-saturated medley of "Lonely Days," "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart," and "How Deep Is Your Love." For the segment closer, "Stayin' Alive," Justin Timberlake performed human beat box. Some critics perceived a deep divide in the group after Timberlake went solo, Lance Bass trained to blast into space and Joey Fatone focused on acting. There was no evidence of any such rift as the guys paid respect to their childhood heroes.
Eminem's performance of "Lose Yourself" with the Roots wasn't nearly as controversial as his 2001 version of "Stan" with Elton John," but it was easily as captivating. The pugilism of Em matched with the organic hip-hop of the Roots made for a striking combination. Eminem came onstage in a black ski cap and gray T-shirt emblazoned with "Free Yayo" (a reference to Tony Yayo of 50 Cent's G-Unit, who's in jail for gun possession) and traded off lines with D12 rapper Proof while the Roots held down the rhythm. Guitarist Hub played the main riff on a double-neck guitar and as the song built in tension, the band became more intense, climaxing the number by subbing in the main riff from Run-DMC's "Rock Box."
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