Shame of the Grammys: A bizarre silence about the Rhode Island nightclub fire

Slate.com ^ | 02/24/2003 | Timothy Noah

[GeneD]

Three days before this year's Grammy Awards ceremony, 97 people died, and 187 people were injured (43 critically), in the deadliest nightclub fire this country has seen in a quarter-century. One of those presumed dead is Ty Longley, a guitarist with Great White, which was playing when the place ("The Station") caught fire. Great White is a heavy-metal band that was fairly popular a dozen years ago. Its cover of "Once Bitten, Twice Shy," from the double-platinum album, …Twice Shy, was nominated for a Grammy in 1990. Although the fire was at a small club (capacity: 300) in little West Warwick, R.I. (population: 29,268), it's a huge national story.

Chatterbox recites these familiar facts in order to drive home how astonishing it is that during the entire three-hour Grammy Awards show, not one representative of the music industry requested a moment of silence for, offered remembrance of, or even mentioned the victims of the Rhode Island fire. This appalling fact was noted in the Feb. 24 Toronto Sun by Joe Warmington and, independently, by Walt Mossberg, author of the Wall Street Journal's "Personal Technology" column. Devoted readers of this column will remember that Mossberg is an aficionado of popular music. He shared his exasperation with Chatterbox (who didn't watch the Grammys) in an e-mail, and Chatterbox verified his complaint with others who watched the whole show. The fire victims, Mossberg pointed out, "are the industry's hardest-core music fans, and the band that was performing had been nominated for a Grammy. … How could all those artists and industry execs be so callous and self-absorbed?" Good question. "And people wonder why the music industry is out of touch with music fans."

Incidentally, the Grammy Web site makes no mention of the Rhode Island disaster, either, even in the section of its news page dedicated to "Industry News." Apparently neither Great White, nor The Station, nor its 97 dead customers, has anything to do with the music industry.

[clintonh8r]

Gee...something from Slate that I actually agree with!

[ShadowDancer]

It seems people are harder and harder to please. Most here want entertainers to stick to entertaining and God forbid they delve into anything that strays from that. Yet, they didn't talk about this and they are held in contempt. Can you say, 'hypocrite'?

[Revolting cat!]

Oh, you gotta unnestan', the entertainment industry's purpose is to dictate the foreign and national policies and not concern itself with some minor local incidents! They've got the upcoming war with Iraq to worry about, the North Korean crisis, starvation in Africa, abortion rights, gay rights, affirmative action rights. (Did I miss anything?)

[Rocko]

I'm sure a number of the dead were Springsteen fans, considering it was in his territory (the east coast).

[Bob Mc]

I agree. Enertainers should stick to enertainment and stay out of the news and politics. Keep all their other liberal and greenie agendas to themselves.

[billorites]

The beautiful people at the Grammys aren't about to get all worked up or teary about a bunch of dead working-class metal heads.

[beaversmom]

If President Bush had been involved in some way, the lives of these rock fans and musicians would have been worth remembering then. Other than that, they wouldn't give it two seconds of consideration.

[beaversmom]

Rembering music fans and fellow musicians who died tragically only a few days before wouldn't be straying too far from home. Now, Sean Penn going to Bagdad on a fact finding mission--well, let's just say that animal control should have picked him up a long time ago.

[Revolting cat!]

"Good news Sheryl! With Great White gone there's more disposable income in the pockets of our demographic group to spend on your CD's!"

[lavrenti]

It's a race and class thing, obviously. Most of the music industry attendees and participants think of the victims of both the West Warwick and Chicago tragedies as trash.

However, if either disaster happened in one of the more benighted bourgoise consumer havens such as Austin, Texas or even Columbia, Missouri, the tributes would have been laid on thick and the dirges long.

Take it from one who knows. I spent fifteen years in alternative music promotions and journalism. I sadly learned long ago who counts, and who doesn't in the minds of these beautiful people.

Knowing some of the personalities who attend these awards shows, it is quite likely the mordant, bigoted dark humor regarding these disasters were in full force.

Y'all be amazed at what these people really think of us.

[beaversmom]

Medved today was saying how the music industry's sales are going down the toilet. With the crap that's put out, I can't say I'm surprised.

[cake_crumb]

I just heard he's been confirmed dead.

[cake_crumb]

"(Did I miss anything?)"

HIV and the homeless. Otherwise, good list. :- )

[strela]

Something from Slate worth reading. Next, porcines aviate ...

I especially loved the roaring, leaping "flames" behind Nelli during his production number.

Nice use of imagery there, Grammys.

[The FRugitive]

As I understand it a few "artists" found time to interject their political opinions into the presentation.

[Snowy]

Ew. I agree with Slate too. I was thinking the same thing. I was wondering why they didn't say something or have a moment of silence at the beginning. I guess they were all too busy stifling their anit-Bush rhetoric.

[The FRugitive]

See my post above.

[DoughtyOne]

It's one thing to bash a political opponent, and an entirely different thing to express sorrow at an industry related incident. I share the view of Slate on this one. It was inexcusable.

[Hawkeye's Girl]

It's a race and class thing, obviously. Most of the music industry attendees and participants think of the victims of both the West Warwick and Chicago tragedies as trash.

Yup. Heaven forbid this happen at a Bob Dylan concert, but it's okay for 80s hair band fans to be incinerated.

Y'all be amazed at what these people really think of us.

I think they'd be more surprised of how little we think of them.