The After Party…

So, apparently, when you sign into the Grammy party, they give you cards for complimentary drinks for the after party.  In this case, the party is at the hotel’s bar called the DRINKSHOP on the second floor of the W.  A young singer/songwriter from Ireland named Colin Devlin is performing in a dark corner with a very appreciative audience.  We stroll over to the bar for a drink.  It turns out you can have anything with Vodka in it. Perfect for me. But I order a Virgin Mary because I have to work the next day. The guy says fine, but I have to go get the mixer from another floor.  He is gone before I can make it easier for him by changing my drink to cranberry juice.

So we sit across from the bar to wait, when Mala who used to work with the Chickasaw Mudd Puppies, and later Brendan O’Brien, and now the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, strolls up with her friends.  One of them is famous Producer Nick Didia. I have no idea of who he is.  My personal list of super producers that I know is limited to Scott Litt, David Barbe, and well, John Keane.   He introduces himself to John and is ready to identify his body of work, when John says, “Of course, I know your work. “ And then he says, “I am John Keane,” and the other guy says, “Of course, and I am familiar with your work as well,” or, some similar conversation.  The mutual admiration society is called to order, which has been a standard in my limited music biz experience.  I say that in jest, as the whole conversation really did seem sincere. Super Producer Nick Didia is a really nice guy.

Super Producer Nick Didia, who has worked with Bruce Springsteen (yes, I had to be TOLD this), is “sort of nominated for a Grammy” in his words. He explains that The Pearl Jam record is up for record of the year. If it wins, then he gets a Grammy, sort of a retroactive nomination. Kind of odd, I thought. I learn that the single, The Fixer, was released in 2009 prior to the release of the record to be considered for the 2010 Grammy’s, and the record that contains the Fixer, Backspacer, was released in 2010 to be considered for the 2011 Grammy’s.  WOW. What a revelation for me. There is a way to play the game.