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Posted on 03/24/2006 9:00:43 PM PST by silent_jonny
While I totally respect your preference for hard rock, in truth Chris' performance last night was not even good hard rock. It was garage band stuff, at best. I keep forgetting the name of the AI-style rock show from a few months ago, but even the losers on there were better than what Chris did last night.
Frankly, I preferred the talent on that show to most I've seen in my 5 years of watching AI. They got to arrange all their own songs. Had to write new songs. Played instruments and were challenged by the band (example: Marty Casey, an angry alt.rock singer was given a Britney Spears song to do and he completely rearranged it and did a tremendous version). 99% of AI is simply redoing the original with slight vocal changes. The Rockstar INXS contestants were challenged far more than AI contestants are.
As for Chris, I think he would have fit right in on that show and they would've loved it (Dave Navarro of RHCP especially). If AI doesn't work out, Chris should try out for the new Rockstar Supernova.
Perhaps, but absolutely nothing Chris has shown me throughout this AI season leads me to believe he could credibly do all of the things you described the INXS contestants being challenged to do. Perhaps you know more about Chris from before he got on AI, but since I don't, all I can go by is what he does from week to week on AI.
I voted for Bucky for 2 hours. I don't think he should win the whole shebang, but I want him to stick around for a while.
What would prevent AI from manipulating the results of DialIdol by having more lines available for certain contestants? Is it written in the "rules" anywhere that all contestants have to have the same number of phone lines available and open? Just curious...
I have no idea about the written rules of AI.
But no matter what there is always going to be someone who will think AI is playing unfair in some form.
He certainly is easy on the eyes,isn't he??? yum!
And such a raw,powerful voice! I think he's already a star regardless of what happens on Idol.He's definitely going places.
Shades of Elvis in this pic.
Let me rant about 21st century music for a moment if I may. and no, I am not that old. I was born in the 1970's and do appreciate everything from Gregorian chants to Big Band to Swing to hard rock.
But look, let’s be honest. Music of today is just plain horrible. Grunge music started the downturn into the abyss of horribleness and guys like Eminem took it another level culminating in the OSCAR honored "IT's HARD TO BE A PIMP".
Granted, there is a good song now and then, but in general most everything is bad. Weird chord changes, poor song structure, the incessant “runs” that are unecessary and annoying, songs that go on for 5 minutes that don’t ever have a chorus or any type of phrasing and have 100 different chord changes, and on and on.
How about what is called “Rock” music of today, its all about minor keys and screaming as loud as you can. Just great. Anyway. Had to get that off my back.
Here’s another example, talking rock music now….Has there been a song as good as “Whole Lotta Love” or “Ramble On” by Zeppelin, or “Back in Black” by AC/DC done in the last 15 years. Not even close.
Pop music? Virtually any Beatles song they ever put out is better than the crap that passes for hit songs nowadays.
Sorry, and just one more rant. When I heard beforehand that Taylor was doing “Takin’ it to the Streets” by the Doobie Brothers, I thought why?… That song wasn’t a huge hit for them when it came out, and I always thought that frankly it was just o.k. That song done by The Doobies, was a hundred times better than any song last night and Taylors performance of it was a Hundred times better.
Last night Taylor sang a song that had STRUCTURE and MELODY and CHORUS and was written like a normal song. He sang it perfectly of course. He had virtually nothing to choose from if he’s going to sing a song from the last 6 years.
He should have been able to sing one of his own songs from his self-produced CDs. They are much better.
IMHO Taylor is a real talent. Chris can sing with any rock band of today, but then there are just too many of them already.
Tonight Taylor made a uniquely brilliant choice in material. Selfishly I want to hear him belt out a gravely voiced blues number and knock everyone’s socks off but I know now is not the time for that approach. Choosing something relatively UNFAMILIAR to most people gave Taylor a chance to showcase his vocal range without the song getting in the way.
Tonight he introduced the uninformed to yet another side of his amazing musical spectrum. I believe this performance was closer to the material on Under the Radar, than any he has done on American Idol so far. It also gave America a chance to see where he “fits” into today’s music scene.
Personally I don’t care about “fitting in” with today’s music as I’m sure many other people don’t, but this is American Idol and that’s the name of the game. In the last few years there has been more attention paid to a young crop of singer/songwriters who are not cookie cutter commercial music video stars but real working musicians. People like Ray LaMontagne, Amos Lee, Marc Broussard and now Taylor Hicks.
Thanks for allowing me to rant.
THAT is a great question that I have never seen an answer....
agreed
There are more Chris fans here that are not speaking up.
Most don't post, because they have to read over and over again how the same people don't like him. These people feel it is their duty to repeat their thoughts over and over, again and again several times a day.
Personally I don’t care about “fitting in” with today’s music as I’m sure many other people don’t, but this is American Idol and that’s the name of the game. In the last few years there has been more attention paid to a young crop of singer/songwriters who are not cookie cutter commercial music video stars but real working musicians. People like Ray LaMontagne, Amos Lee, Marc Broussard and now Taylor Hicks.
I just have to thank Taylor for bringing to light the real music that is out there today. I am ashamed to say that I had not heard Marc Broussard and he's a local boy. I don't listen to the local radio stations here because they suck.
I have bought more music this past week after checking out the suggested song selections for Taylor to sing this week than I have in years. He's definitely needed in the music scene. For once Paula got it right in that he is teaching the younger generation about great musicians.
Yes he should have, except now he has missed two opportunities to sing a different genre of music and show that he can actually sing, not scream the lyrics of a song! I think Simon did him a dis-service giving him the idea that it was OK not to compromise. He should have seized the chance to show off what he CAN do!
I would say the songs were short because they cut the show from 2 hours to 1 hr. even the comments were cut short. Simon sounded as if he was being rushed at the end for Elliot, just "one-liners".
If there was a problem with the sound system, I'm not sure the public will ever find out about it.
What did I learn tonight? 21st Century music doesn't give these very different artists much to choose from.
That may have made things better, but could we have endured more of bad singing?
Top 4! No way! She isn't better than Katharine by a long shot.
Top 4:
Chirs
Mandisa
Katharine
Great song, I like it too.
I liked your "rant," SirLinks, and agree with what all of what you said except one thing. I don't think the music of this decade is quite a total wasteland. There are some really good songs out there, but perhaps AI couldn't get permission to use some of the best ones.
Regarding Taylor, as I mentioned to Jonny, he's starting to edge ahead in my search for my personal favorite contestant this year. I really, really didn't like Taylor in the beginning of the season. But he's gradually impressed me more and more as the weeks have gone on.
Just for fantasy fun, here are some excellent contemporary songs I would have suggested:
If Mandisa wanted to do a song with religious/gospel overtones, she could have done 'Believe' by Alan Jackson.Kellie badly needs to do something of substance instead of the fluff she usually chooses. She might have tried 'Arlington' by Trace Adkins.
Chris needs a really good pop-rock performance to show some flexibility and depth. Green Day's 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams' would have been good for him.
Katharine needs to stop trying so hard to be ethereal. She is not Sara Brightman and never will be. I would have liked her to try Kelly Clarkson's 'Since U Been Gone.'
Lisa really needed a breakout performance. I think Kelly Clarkson's current hit, 'Walk Away' might have worked for Lisa. It's a young, fun, sassy pop-rock tune, perfect for a girl Lisa's age.
The songs Bucky, Elliott, Taylor and Paris chose last night were good for them, so no suggestions there.
Which brings me to Ace. Now Ace probably could do Sara Brightman.
Absolutely...on both points.
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