American Idol 2006--Live Thread (Part III)

Fox ^ | 5-8-06

[over3Owithabrain]

My only regret is we never got to hear Taylor sing his awesome bluesy version of GEORGIA ON MY MIND in the show ( here's hoping he includes it in his next album

Taylor hinted on an interview with a local Atlanta radio station that he may sing it on tour, especially the Atlanta stop. Hope so, because I have tickets for that show! He also said he wanted to sing it during the competition, but it never really fit the themes.

[Wolfstar]

I have read where Taylor actually copyrighted and trademarked his name prior to doing AI.

I think enough has been written about how one-sided the AI contract is in favor of the AI powers that someone like Taylor probably entered the contest more prepared than contestants in the first and second seasons.

Clay Aiken and Kelly Clarkson have fought hard to be able to enjoy the income from their own talents instead of having the AI group take it all away from them.

I wonder sometimes if the reason Clay hasn't put out a 2nd mainstream CD (non-Christmas) is because he's waiting until the AI contract fully expires. Don't know if this really is the case, but it's been three years since his first CD under the AI contract.

[Wolfstar]

It's looking to me like winning SURVIVOR and even being Joe Millionaire gives you the better deal...

As mentioned, the AI contract is considered to be one of the worst in the industry from the singer's point of view.

[Sue Perkick]

That would be great. He does a mean version of that song. I love it! What surprised me most was his cover of "Southbound". I thought it had to be a song with the same name & not "the " "Southbound". LOL. Fantastic!

[over3Owithabrain]

It's looking to me like winning SURVIVOR and even being Joe Millionaire gives you the better deal...

Maybe as a one time hit-it-big windfall. But AI gives you a real shot at a long and lucrative career.

[SirLinksalot]

FOLKS, YOU HAVE TO HEAR THIS AUDIO INTERVIEW TAYLOR HICKS GAVE WITH THE FOLKS AT ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE ....

THIS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST AND BEST INTERVIEWS TAYLOR EVER GAVE AND GIVES A VERY PERSONAL INSIGHT INTO HIS MUSIC, HIS BACKGROUND AND HIS MOTIVATION FOR JOINING AMERICAN IDOL. THIS INTERVIEW ALSO SHOWS HIS KNOWLEDGE OF A WIDE RANGE OF MUSIC AND SHOWS HIS PLANS FOR HIS NEXT ALBUM....

THIS INTERVIEW IS DIFFERENT FROM THE ONES HE HAS DONE ON TV ( which usually asks the same silly questions such as "How did you feel when you won ?") BECAUSE THIS INTERVIEW SHOWS THE PASSION HE HAS FOR HIS MUSIC. SOMETIMES, IT TAKES A SKILLED INTERVIEWER TO BRING OUT THE BEST IN YOU.

YOU MUST HAVE REAL PLAYER INSTALLED TO BE ABLE TO LISTEN TO THIS :

CLICK HERE

http://play.rbn.com/?url=rstone/rstone/demand/podcast/taylorhickspodcast.mp3&proto=rtsp

Taylor seems to know what he's getting into and is using this as a stepping stone to greater things ( here's hoping ...).

Here's something interesting in that interview --- HE CALLS HIS AGREEMENT WITH AMERICAN IDOL --- DANCING WITH THE DEVIL (a play on the Bruce Springsteen song he sang in the finals).

---

This is from Rolling Stone Mag :


Interview With Rolling Stone

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/10464788/audio_interview_taylor_hicks_mixed_feelings_about_american_idol

His crazy dance movies, big laugh and antic American Idol performances may have earned Taylor Hicks millions of Soul Patrol fans. But just a few days after winning season five, Hicks stepped out of his goofy oddball mode during a visit to Rolling Stone's office. Calmer and clearly exhausted from weeks of competition, the gray-haired twenty-nine-year-old shared some mixed feelings about the show that boosted him to national fame. His Idol stint, he now says, was like "dancing with the devil."

At an US Weekly lunch earlier in the day, Hicks looked back on the endless days of rehearsals and filming B-roll interviews and revealed some behind-the-scenes details: The contestants barely got to meet the celebrity guests (Prince came and went, though Hicks made an effort to track down Stevie Wonder and spend some extra time with him) -- and the judges were distant too. "I would see Simon in the hallway and he'd say, 'Good luck' and give me his Cowell scowl." Taking Cowell's sometimes harsh on-air criticisms could be a challenge: "I just kind of bit my tongue through the whole process. I decided to let viewers decide what they felt about Simon, as opposed to me."

Hicks occasionally rips his own performances, especially his rendition of John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads." "I saw that clip and thought to myself, 'Man you are flat all the way through that song." Though he admits that he sometimes spent Tuesday night after the show at Burger King voting for himself, he also cast a few for his competitors. "I'd vote on the performance as opposed to who I liked as an artist," he says. "I voted for Elliot, for Chris a couple of times, for Katherine. It was funny because we'd be in the apartment or somewhere and I'm like, 'I'm voting for you, you know.' And they're like, 'What?'"

Next, Hicks will join the Idol finalists for a July U.S. tour, and he'll start recording his first major release -- which he hopes will include some of his original songs. (Hicks has already recorded two self-released albums, In Your Time in 1997 and Under the Radar in 2005.) Listen to his interview with contributing editor Jenny Eliscu for more details about his pre-Idol career, his next steps and his favorite Who song.

[Wolfstar]

But AI gives you a real shot at a long and lucrative career.

True, the exposure on AI gives the winner and, to a lesser degree, the others in the top 10, a chance at a career. But the opposite is also true. There would be no AI without the contestants. For the AI powers to take such enormous advantage of the contestants, most of whom have little or no experience with recording contracts (and probably few resources to hire a good entertainment lawyer), is -- how to put it gracefully -- far less than admirable.

On the other hand, the news about the AI contract is out there now, unlike in the first two seasons. So contestants at least have a chance to get prepared before trying out. Seems Taylor did that, at least to some degree, and he was smart for doing so.

[over3Owithabrain]

To look at it differently, at least the draconian deal AI offers keeps the contest pure. How so? Only more "desperate" performers (ie wedding singers, club hounds,) will get to the point where they feel the need to give AI a shot, a la Taylor. More polished and successful people will stay away, figuring they can make it without "selling out". So we get to see those who truly NEED a break get one. And yes, they pay the piper,but in the end, if they play their cards right, they are better off for the AI experience. Kelly is, Carrie is, Fantasia is, even Ruben is. Taylor most definitely is also.

[SirLinksalot]

FROM THE OFFICIAL AMERICAN IDOL BOARDS...

---

From Mediabase Radio Airplay charts today [Wednesday May 31, 2006]

[AC = Adult Contemporary; Mainstream Hit = Pop]

Mainstream AC Hit Taking Off - #1 (same as May 30,29, 28, 27)
Mainstream AC Hit Jump - #1 (same as May 30,29, 28, 27)

Hot AC Taking Off - #1 (#2 May 30, #1 May 29, #1 May 28)
Hot AC Jump - #1 (#1 May 30, #3 May 29, #5 May 28, #10 May 27)

Mainstream Hit 7 Day Taking Off - #1 ( #1 May 29)
Mainstream Hit 7 Day Jump - #6 (#9 May 30, #12 May 28, #13 May 27)

Rhythmic Hit [Dance] 7 Day Taking Off - #10 (#11 May 30)

Country Taking Off - #2 (#3 May 30, #3 May 29, #2 May 28, #3 May 27)



Mainstream AC Chart - #20 (debut)

Pop Airplay Chart - #53 (UP from #54 May 30, #56 May 29, #61 May 28, #66 May 27, #71 in debut May 26)
53 TAYLOR HICKS Do I Make You Proud 438 2 436 3.680

Country Airplay Chart – rank unknown


Billboard Charts

DIMYP is the Greatest gainer in the following Billboard charts*:
Dance Top 40
Mainstream (Pop) Top 40
Adult Contemporary
* according to Radio Advisor headlines today


Interesting comments from the Pulse music boards from observers who watch music charts:

“Do I Make You Proud will probably debut before it gets released if the airplay continues to climb.”


What I think this means:

DIMYP is STILL gaining strength in airplay on Pop, Adult Contemporary and Dance music oriented radio stations. Both Mediabase and Billboard charts show it gaining strength.
The new Billboard weekly charts come out tomorrow and DIMYP should be showing up on the airplay charts there.

DIMYP is behaving differently than all the other idol winner songs except Kelly’s ‘A Moment Like This’. Idol winner songs normally don’t get much airplay but rack up sales to get them to the #1 position on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Kelly’s AMLT landed on the Hot 100 chart before the song was officially released and on the basis of airplay alone. DIMYP is behaving in a similar way, according to some chart-watchers on the Pulse music (see quote above). It still has 13 days left to release but it keeps strengthening on airplay. Hopefully we will see it jump to the Hot 100 chart before release as well.


Digital Music update

Four idol singles from the AI S5 Compilation CD debut on the Billboard Hot Digital Songs chart which tracks downloads such as ITunes.

#17 – Chris – Dead or Alive
#42 - Taylor – Takin It To The Streets
#76 – Elliott – Moody’s Mood For Love

#102 – Kat – Think

Observers think these songs will end up in the Billboard Hot 100 chart eventually.
Chris may get a bonafide hit with his song.

The AI S5 Compilation CD debuts at #3 on the Billboard CD Chart.


My Comments:

- Keep requesting DIMYP and driving that airplay up!! It’s really helping…

-The pre-sales orders are going to be counted in on June 13 and this will give a boost to DIMYP if it is already on the Hot 100 chart by then.

-More ITunes downloads of TI2TS will help it rise from the #42 position on the digital download chart.

[Netizen]

Not wanting to meet with or work with the Idols, many of whom look up to him and think he's exceptionally talented is disappointing.

I think Paris said that she got to speak with Prince backstage.

[Wolfstar]

Kelly Clarkson wasn't desperate when she entered AI. In fact, she didn't enter it. Her best friend entered her name and encouraged her to go to the auditions. Kelly had been in Los Angeles a short time before, and had started to get some breaks. Some of the songwriters in the business were hiring her as a demo singer for their new songs.

She was only 19 or 20 when she entered the contest and almost certainly would have made it on her own without AI, although perhaps not as fast. But her apartment building in L.A. burned down and she went back home to Texas shortly before AI came up. (I actually remember seeing that fire on our local news here in L.A. It was a pretty big apartment fire.)

I think Ruben, Clay and Fantasia are more along the model you're thinking of, but not Carrie. She was singing with a band and, like Taylor, had some experience before entering AI. With her looks and voice, she might have hade it without the show. Older contestants like Taylor and Bo, of course, needed a break like AI.

I think AI raised the age limit to 29 last year. Until then, the kind of "desperate" type you're thinking of couldn't enter the contest. So the "purity" you're thinking of didn't exist. If anything, with the success of Kelly and Carrie, and continued growth of the show itself, we saw more pros and semi-pros this year than ever before. Young women like Paris and Lisa have top connections and experience.

And again, without the contestants there would be no AI, so it goes both ways.

[Netizen]

Aw, no bluegrass? ;)

Saving it for the second album, along with Somewhere Over The Rainbow - Regae

[Apple Blossom]

Was that one word exchanged or two? /sarcasm

[silent_jonny]

While grocery shopping tonight, I saw "American Idol" toothpaste.

LOL--this would make a good 10,000th post prize ...

"Now you can have that Clay Aiken smile!"

[sirchtruth]

Yeah, I got ya, we've just about beat it to death...

Onward to watch a real musician's career take off. "Make it do what it do," Taylor!

[silent_jonny]

Found this on Google--think it applies to us :)

[silent_jonny]

ROLFLMAO! That was great.

Somewhere Over The Rainbow (reggae version)

Ha!

[Netizen]

Was that one word exchanged or two? /sarcasm

Not sure. Here's what she mentioned as one of the highlights of her AI experience, from an article I posted a few days ago.

3. She met funk master Prince, who performed on the show’s finale, and he approved of her cover of “Kiss.” “He thanked me for doing his song.”

[Netizen]

Young women like Paris and Lisa have top connections and experience.

And Katharine's experience in musical theater.

[StrictTime]

"Do I Make You Proud" on the DANCE charts? LOL! What a riot! Bet that's the only time a craptastic single will do that!