Where have you gone, Sly Stone?

I had zero interest in tonight's Grammys show until I read this. There is obvious trainwreck potential here, but I'm more excited about possibly seeing one of the few dudes in rock history who deserves to be called a genius. Anybody who is anybody in R&B, from George Clinton to Stevie Wonder to Prince to Kanye West, owes a debt to Sly, and so do a lot of rockers. The fact that he flamed out like he did is still so damn sad. Sly is up there with Syd Barrett and Brian Wilson on the list of rock's greatest tragic cases. Talented people don't stick around long enough as it is. It's such a waste when they trash their own gifts.

This is one of the rare instances where I hope a celebrity doesn't embarrass himself in public.