Regarding the recent Grammys award show, while the late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins and others were honored during the award ceremony’s televised ‘In Memoriam’ segment, the late Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison was excluded.
Among several artists who took to Twitter to share their feelings, a point of frustration during the ‘In Memoriam’ portion of the Grammys was the exclusion of several individuals, including Megaforce Records co-founder Jon Zazula, The Moody Blues co-founder Graeme Edge, as well as the late Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison. Specifically, they were excluded from the televised version of the ‘In Memoriam’ segment; those individuals, including the late Slipknot drummer, can be found on this site here.
While Jordison is mentioned on that other site, it is – to say the least – a brutal bummer that he was not mentioned or honored during the televised ‘In Memoriam’ segment of the Grammys. Providing some insight regarding the exclusion of the late Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison – among other individuals who were also excluded – Grammys producer Ben Winston spoke to Rolling Stone recently about those left out of the ‘In Memoriam.’
Per Winston:
“Firstly, I think anybody who feels left out, or feels snubbed by an ‘In Memoriam,’ from the bottom of our hearts, there can only be apologies. Because we go into this show only ever wanting to bring joy and love to people with music, and then with an ‘In Memoriam’ just remember people in the best way possible. So no excuses, no anything other but sympathy to anybody that feels that.”
Winston goes on to add:
“I think the practicalities of running a live show…usually, the ‘In Memoriam’ contains between 45 and 60 people a year. There were 60 people in that ‘In Memoriam’ montage. And the Recording Academy have a committee of people — and I don’t know the ins and outs of it, Brian, I have to be honest with you, it doesn’t necessarily fall under us in any way — the Recording Academy have a variety of members, and they go through the hundreds of members who pass away every year, and they decide who should be honored in the ‘In Memoriam.’ I don’t know the ins and outs process, I don’t think it would be right for me to speak on it, but all I’ll add, at a point, maybe I should’ve done something. It’s tough, making a show like this, and you’ll always be open to criticism and stuff, and you hear that criticism, and you take it.”
What do you think about what Winston had to say regarding the ‘In Memoriam’ process and those left out?
Watch: Back In 2011, Slipknot Paid A Beautiful Tribute To The Late Paul Gray
***
Words by: Michael Pementel
