My usual news sources have failed me!

[lance_sibley]

How is it I'm only finding out now, three days after the announcement was made, that the Pet Shop Boys have been nominated for two - count'em, two - Grammy Awards this year?

(Edit to add: my bad. Seems this was actually announced five weeks ago or so - last week's announcement was the list of who would be performing. Oh, well. I'm still only finding out about the PSB nominations, at least so far as I can recall.)

Best Dance Recording
(For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances. Vocal or Instrumental. Singles or tracks only.)

• Suffer Well - Depeche Mode


• Ooh La La - Goldfrapp


• Get Together - Madonna


• I'm With Stupid - Pet Shop Boys


• Sexy Back - Justin Timberlake & Timbaland

Best Electronic/Dance Album
(For vocal or instrumental albums. Albums only.)

• Supernature - Goldfrapp


• Confessions On A Dance Floor - Madonna


• A Lively Mind - Oakenfold


• Fundamental - Pet Shop Boys


• The Garden - Zero 7

These would appear to be their sixth and seventh nominations - they were previously nominated for:

• 1994: Best Album Package (Very Relentless)


• 1994: Best Video ("Go West")


• 1995: Best Album Package (Alternative)


• 1997: Best Dance Recording ("To Step Aside")


• 2002: Best Recording Package (Release)

(Am I the only one who finds it weird that there's a Grammy for the album package?)

Edited to add: I'm surprised they didn't also get a nod for Best Music Video, for "I'm With Stupid":

Watch on YouTube

In other news, the Toronto Blue Jays signed Lyle Overbay to a four-year, $24 million dollar contract today. Yes, I know non-sports fans' minds are boggling at this, but that's probably a pretty good price for an everyday first baseman, considering that he hit .312 last year with 22 home runs and 92 RBIs, and has the most doubles over the past three seasons of any major league player.

Comments

[mencc1701.livejournal.com]

Given the way this off-season has been going, $6 million a year for a player of Overbay's calibre is peanuts. :)

[boywhocantsayno.livejournal.com]

A veritable bargain, you might say. :)

[mencc1701.livejournal.com]

Indeed. Always liked Overbay, since we picked him up, too.

[elizard100.livejournal.com]

That's Matt and David from Little Britain in that video!!!!

[boywhocantsayno.livejournal.com]

Ayup!

[elizard100.livejournal.com]

Squee! Hey, do you know if PSB will be touring again in the foreseeable future?

[boywhocantsayno.livejournal.com]

It seems that they are going to be announcing 2007 tour dates very shortly:

Details of concert plans for this the first half of this year will be announced on this site in the next week or so.

[...]

For the next few weeks, Neil and Chris will be in their studio working on new songs. In his capacity as consultant producer, Neil is also "nipping into the studio" to hear tracks from Rufus Wainwright's new album, "Release the Stars", which is being mixed in London by Marius de Vries and is due for release in May.

From www.petshopboys.co.uk (you have to disable any popup blocker you may have for their site to work properly).

[elizard100.livejournal.com]

Do you think they may come to Toronto in 2007? Weren't they just here?

[boywhocantsayno.livejournal.com]

Yes, they were just here in October (that's where I finally met hoskie - not to mention I bumped into about ten people I know from bowling *grin*). I imagine this tour will probably just be in Europe, though you never know. The two times I've seen them, they filled Massey Hall and the Hummingbird Centre - they have a strong fan following here.

[elizard100.livejournal.com]

Ooooooh

[hoskie.livejournal.com]

I feel like I heard about this longer than three days ago... but only about "I'm With Stupid" and not about "Fundamental."

Tragically, this means I'm going to have to watch The Grammys now. :P

[boywhocantsayno.livejournal.com]

Yeah, as was pointed out to me on TrekBBS and by troystar below, this isn't terribly new news. I was just a little out of the loop, though.

Tragically, this means I'm going to have to watch The Grammys now. :P

Well, troystar says that they rarely include these categories in the telecast. Still, it would be nice to see them perform, if they do. :)

[hoskie.livejournal.com]

... they rarely include these categories in the telecast.
Ah, that's a good point.

[evil-admiral.livejournal.com]

the Pet Shop Boys have been nominated for two - count'em, two - Grammy Awards this year?

I would say that really isn't big news. Wait until they win a real music award. =P

Ken and I saw a couple of the Pet Shop Boys in a David Bowie vieo. We were surprised.

[boywhocantsayno.livejournal.com]

I know you're razzing me, but you've got me curious - what would you consider a "real" music award? Remember, I'm an old fart. ;)

Ken and I saw a couple of the Pet Shop Boys in a David Bowie vieo. We were surprised.

Why would you be surprised? They've worked with a wide variety of big names in the music business, and they've influenced Axl Rose and Madonna. (Not to mention that the current Doctor, David Tennant, took his stage name from that of Neil Tennant, who is the PSB's singer.)

(Oh, and when you say "a couple of them"... there are only two. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe.)

[troystar.livejournal.com]

The nominations were announced weeks ago where were you? ;-)
I can't believe that Justin has so many nods.
Best Electronic/Dance Album I think is a new or recent catogory.

Did you know that Kylie has been nominated 4 times and one a grammy a few years ago in the Dance category. BTW they almost never televise the dance catogories. Unless they perform don't expect to see them.

[boywhocantsayno.livejournal.com]

The nominations were announced weeks ago where were you? ;-)

Well, as I said in the title of the post, my usual sources of information failed me. I don't recall seeing you mention the announcement. :P

I can't believe that Justin has so many nods.

I know. I admit, I'm not familiar with his music as I don't listen to the radio - pretty much my entire exposure to current music comes from whatever is being played when I go out - but I would assume it's pretty standard pop.

Best Electronic/Dance Album I think is a new or recent catogory.

Hm. I wonder why they split it out. (They do seem to have an awful lot of categories.)

Did you know that Kylie has been nominated 4 times and one a grammy a few years ago in the Dance category.

I didn't, but I'm not surprised.

BTW they almost never televise the dance catogories. Unless they perform don't expect to see them.

Shoot. :(