Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Sunday Morning
Interview With Tom O'Neil
Aired February 24, 2002 - 10:23 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: All right, the Grammys will be handed out Wednesday in Los Angeles. The award honors the cream of the crop in the recording industry. We both know that. You're the U2...
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes. No, I've been nominated...
PHILLIPS: OK.
O'BRIEN: ... I've been nominated, yes.
PHILLIPS: Yes, you've been nominated for your singing and joining us with a preview and some picks is Tom O'Neil. He's the author of "The Grammys." Hi Tom.
TOM O'NEIL, AUTHOR, "THE GRAMMYS": Hi Kyra, how are you?
PHILLIPS: Very good. Did you hear about Miles and his singing career he's trying to launch?
(CROSSTALK)
O'NEIL: Oh my God.
O'BRIEN: In the shower.
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: Yes that's what I said...
O'BRIEN: Yes, singing in the shower.
PHILLIPS: Live from the shower. Hey, no, but...
O'NEIL: I'm not going to put any money on him winning Grammys yet, then OK?
O'BRIEN: Good move.
PHILLIPS: Yes, he's a smart man.
O'BRIEN: He is a smart guy.
PHILLIPS: All right, so Tom, I have to ask you right off the bat, I've got to -- we got to talk about this Cinderella story -- Miles and I have been chit-chatting -- let me tell you about India Arie. She's from this area. She's from Stone Mountain. Talk to us about her and sort of how she started writing poetry and the next thing you know she was putting it to music and she's amazing.
O'NEIL: And then all of a sudden on Grammy nomination morning, she was turned into a superstar when she scored seven nominations, which was one more than Alicia Keys, her rival R&B diva who we thought was going to sweep that morning. But the Grammys have a different system for choosing nominees than they do for picking winners.
They have a secret committee of 25 music experts who pick the nominees. They really loved India Arie, but I think on Grammy night Alicia Keys will probably rebound and take some of those top categories.
O'BRIEN: All right, let's talk from -- go from surprises to the juggernaut U2. They continue to rack up the nominations. How do -- how do you explain that, their enduring success?
O'NEIL: The enduring success dates back, by the way, to 1988 when they won Album of the Year for the "Joshua Tree." Last year at the Grammys they won Record and Song of the Year for "Beautiful Day". Now you mentioned earlier on this show that there is some unfinished business at the Grammys and it's that "Beautiful Day" comes from the CD "All That You Can't Leave Behind" -- I'm screwing up the title -- I'm sorry, but it's back for Best Album.
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: Yes. It's a good album, it is.
O'NEIL: It's terrific and it's up for Album of the Year this year and it's very likely going to win.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
O'NEIL: I have a -- Miles, speaking of Web sites, my own site called Goldderby.com where I get together all the experts from "The Associated Press", "USA Today", "US Weekly," et cetera, and we all agree that Alicia Keys is likely going to take Best Record and U2 will sweep Best Album.
The only suspense on Grammy night in terms of the top category, I think comes in the category for Song of the Year,, which is -- goes to the songwriter or Best Record goes to the recording artist. There we might see an upset by U2, but most pundits are calling for that to go to Alicia Keys.
PHILLIPS: Now since September 11, it seems -- is there -- do you think there's been more focus, more nominations with serious music versus you're not seeing The Backstreet Boys and these sort of you know...
O'BRIEN: My favorite, Cake -- I love Cake. But you know they're just...
PHILLIPS: Oh, yes.
O'BRIEN: ... yes...
PHILLIPS: I didn't know you liked Cake.
O'BRIEN: Yes, I do like Cake. But you know they're not in there.
PHILLIPS: I mean is that true? Does that hold any credence?
O'NEIL: Yes normally we see lots of bubblegum in the top categories. We've seen major nominations for The Backstreet Boys and U2 -- I mean excuse me, The Backstreet Boys and 'NSync.
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: Ouch.
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: ... coffee there brother.
O'NEIL: But there's no bubblegum...
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: ... on the line.
O'NEIL: But there's no bubblegum in the top category...
O'BRIEN: Yes.
O'NEIL: ... this year and that's amazing and of course we have two songs that U2 has in the top races that were both kind of resident of September 11. "Walk On" is up for Record of the Year and "Stuck in the Moment You Can't Get Out Of " is up for Song of the Year.
PHILLIPS: You mentioned Alicia -- well you know what, before -- I want to talk more about Alicia Keys, but we were talking -- remember last year Eminem? Oh boy...
O'BRIEN: Oh yes.
PHILLIPS: ... that was just all over the...
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: I'm glad we're not talking about that...
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: How many times did they talk about Eminem?
O'BRIEN: I can't believe you brought that up.
PHILLIPS: I know. I'm sorry. I... O'BRIEN: And here you bring it up again.
PHILLIPS: Well because there's another sort of rebellious, no punt intended, outcast that's going to be a name...
O'BRIEN: Yes.
PHILLIPS: ... we're going to hear about, right Tom?
O'NEIL: Oh yes. They're going to be big on Grammy night.
(CROSSTALK)
O'NEIL: They're certainly...
(CROSSTALK)
O'NEIL: ... they're certainly going to do well in the rap categories. They'll probably win Best Rap Album and one of the performance slots as well. But they're nominated for Record and Album of the Year. And normally the Grammys do put a nominee that's very edgy and a critic's favorite up there and that's the group this year.
O'BRIEN: All right, so where is Eminem anyway?
O'NEIL: Where is he?
PHILLIPS: Who cares?
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: ... what's he doing?
O'NEIL: I don't know what...
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: He's working at a Starbucks.
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: Dunkin' Donuts downstairs.
O'NEIL: But he's still putting out really good music. I think he took a beating last year unfairly...
O'BRIEN: Yes.
O'NEIL: ... to a large extent, and he redeemed himself on Grammy night, and when Elton John teamed up with him for the performance at last year's show, I think it turned out to be one of those great goose-bump moments that we see on these award shows.
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: Yes. Yes. (CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: Tom O'Neil, we'll be looking for those...
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: Tongue was in cheek there.
PHILLIPS: Oh.
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: I'm not sure about that. But anyway Tom, good to see you.
O'NEIL: Thanks.
PHILLIPS: Thanks so much. We'll be watching.
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: ... speak for yourself.
PHILLIPS: Oh Miles...
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: Past my bedtime.
PHILLIPS: Oh Miles -- yes you're right.
O'BRIEN: Yes, yes.
PHILLIPS: We will be asleep.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
