The Knicks and Nets were losing by a combined 42 pts at 9:00 pm, so I decided to watch the Grammy Nominations Special.  I also decided to do a live-blog, taking advantage of Twitter, Tivo and my cell phone.  It’s a definite improvement over 2003, when all I had was a pencil, a notebook and my memory.

22:06:59: LL Cool J freestyling over a mash-up of soon to be nominated songs and “Going Back To Cali” was actually kind of fun. Cut Creator!!
22:10:35: This is the first time I’ve listened to ‘I Gotta Feeling’ all the way through. That was #1 for half the year?
22:15:16: Song of the Year nominees: Poker Face, Pretty Wings, Single Ladies, Use Somebody, You Belong With Me.
22:19:49: By no stretch are those the best five songs of the year, but 5 least we’re guaranteed five strong performances next months.
22:25:04: Sugarland is out with a track from their Christmas album. It’s a tough decision, but Jennifer Nettles narrowly beats out Fergie vocally.
22:29:09: Pop Duo or Group: BEP, Bon Jovi, The Fray, Hall and Oates and MGMT. Nominating MGMT does not make up for the fossils and suck in that pool.
22:31:57: Nick Jonas & the Microphone Feedback Experience warble and strain through an awful song. If this is popular then I am old.
22:35:43: Bon Jovi AND Hall & Oates get nominations? More like the Granny Awards, amirite?
22:43:48: If Maxwell’s goal was to make me appreciate Michael Jackson’s rendition of this song, he has succeeded.
22:46:07: He’s totally butchering ‘The Lady In My Life’. The lady in my life says she’s really missing D’Angelo right now.
22:50:00: Katy Perry’s bangs are out for the Best Rock Album nominees. Which undeserving classic rockers will get a sticker on their cd this year?
22:53:48: Best Rock Album: AC/DC (there you go), Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood (seriously), Green Day, Dave Matthews & U2 (that makes three).
22:55:58: They didn’t even bother with a token modern rock album. Not even Kings of Leon, who had a legit hit song, can penetrate the old growth.
22:58:29: CapTain Auto-Tune himself, T-Pain is out for Best Rap Album. He ain’t goin’ nowhere!!
23:02:26: Best Rap Solo: Drake, Eminem, Jay-Z (for D.O.A. Hold that, Blizzard Man!), Kid Cudi and Mos Def.
23:04:23: Drake is very happy to be nominated. I’m sure they’re celebrating on the clean streets of Toronto, as well.
23:08:38: Country Duo or Group w/Vocals: Brooks & Dunn, Zac Brown Band, Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts and Sugarland.
23:12:53: Smokey Robinson & Ringo Starr are up to announce the Record of the Year nominees. Not as big a response from the teens as you would expect.
23:15:03: Scratch that last comment. Extended, Jonasesque standing O for the two legends.
23:18:13: Smokey thanks Maxwell for his tribute to Michael, while secretly wishing he’d performed ‘Who’s Loving You?’.
23:23:10: Record of the Year: Halo, I Gotta Feeling, Use Somebody, Poker Face, You Belong With Me.
23:27:56: Album of the Year: Sasha Fierce, The E.N.D, Big Whiskey, The Fame & Fearless. The airing of the grievances will start momentarily.
23:33:14: Big night for BEP, Beyonce & Gaga. Head to Grammy.com (or music-slam.com, if you want) for the full list of nominees. See you in January.