Thank God I didn't watch the Grammys....(MURDER OF HOTEL CALIFORNIA)

Even though I was told the Police reunion was solid, I read something in the news today that made me so happy I didn't watch the Grammys.

Rascal Flatts covered Hotel California.

Let that sink in for a second. Hotel California- one of the greatest epic rock songs ever written, for both lyrics and music- was covered by Rascal Flatts- a midtempo pop-country band shallowly adored for their clean cut good looks by pretty much any attractive girl. (Nine times out of ten, if you ask an attractive girl whether they like Rascal Flatts, they will answer "I LOVE Rascal Flatts!". Disclaimer: quote is not statisticaly significant and is instead utter bollocks.)

What blasphemy! This is like having a live TV special with Hinder covering "Stairway to Heaven", or Lil Jon covering Tupac's "Changes", or Nickelback covering "Hey Jude" **.

You can't fuck with the classics, especially if you are nowhere near the level of the original artist. If a band with "classic" status covered a song with "classic" status, it'd be a bit more forgivable- for instance, if someone like U2 or Pearl Jam did such a cover, it wouldn't be bad, because these artists have earned credibility. But Rascal Flatts, daring to touch one of the greatest songs of all time?

No respect.

CLARIFICATION- If a small, local band is covering a song like "Hotel California" to get people grooving at a bar, it is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. You're playing for the joy of playing, and possibly to get drinks and/or a hookup. The problem with Rascal Flatts is that not only are they very successful with their own material (unlike a small local band) and not in need of flashy covers, but they did this cover on TV in front of millions. If they did it at one of their concerts, where people paid to see them (and their own style when they play both their own music and others' music), this could even be acceptable. But for a very new popular band to cover "Hotel California", on TV, to an audience of millions, endorsed by the Grammys, is unacceptable.

Peace and God bless,
Nick Fed

**I'd make a snide comment about Shinedown covering "Simple Kind of Man", but I will admit to the guilty pleasure of loving their singer's voice on that cover.