Somebody for me to root for

I really enjoyed tonight’s show a lot and while I am quite ready for Hollywood next week and the emergence of Ellen, I have liked this year’s audition season better than any. I think the guest judges have had a lot to do with that as well as their usual top notch and clever editing. Some random thoughts from the show in no particular order:

FINALLY an audition from somebody I really, really liked – Danelle Haley, single mom from Seattle who sang Melissa Etheridge. Dark, gravelly female voices e.g. Stevie Nicks, Pink, and last year, Allison, kill me. I am hoping she does well in Hollywood.

Nicci Nix, the cute young girl who flew in from Frankfurt by way of Florence, was adorable and has a nice, pop-oriented voice. Great name, too.

I still like the still waif-like Vicky Posh Beckham Spice as a judge and I liked the purple dress she wore. And when have we ever heard, “You have nice skin”, as commentary?

The DC guy badly misrepresenting us here in the nation's capitol. Diandra’s tweet: “Is this DC guy really murdering John Mayer???”

Not related to tonight's show – check out the free download of ex-Idolist Carly Smithson’s band We Are the Fallen. I still think she was the best singer of a strong, strong Season 7 group (in order David and David; Syesha Mercado; Jason Castro; Brooke White; and then inexplicably Carly).

Move quickly. Their last free download was only available for a short period of time. http://www.wearethefallen.com/freedownload /

Finally in Billboard Top 40 action, both Kris and Adam are enjoying success. Kris' Live Like We're Dying is #26 with a bullet. Adam's Whataya Want From Me jumped from 55 to #37 with a bullet.

Idol at the Grammy Awards

Last night was the Grammy’s which is one of my favorite nights of the year and the involvement of several Idolists is my excuse to write about it. The awards are often infuriating – I am STILL bitter about Mrs. Robinson beating out Lady Madonna for Song of the Year in 1969 (and last year "celebrated" the 40th anniversary of that nightmarish selection). And last night I was tweaked by U2 losing to Green Day for Rock Album of the Year and miffed that Taylor Swift – with no disrespect intended as I think she is great – beat out both Lady Gaga and Beyonce for the big one – Album of the Year.

But the Grammy's are a celebration of music and that's a party I always want to be part of. It is also a barometer - albeit faulty at times - of what and who is happening in the music biz. And for me it's fun following the industry trends and what they say about popular culture.

OK, enough philosophizing. Back to the Idolists with three thoughts. First, I love this picture (scarfed from Diandra) of two of my favorite people - Adam and Katy Perry. Adam was working the red carpet for Entertainment Tonight as their fashion correspondent.

Second, I find Ryan Seacrest (presented an award) amazing at the ease with which he talks to people in front of other people. He acts like he is walking into his living room and talking to a few close friends - except he is walking into and talking to millions of strangers. I think he is awesome - as we all can be when we are doing what we were given the gifts to be doing.

Finally, the very moving Michael Jackson tribute performance had former Idolists Carrie Underwoood and Jennifer Hudson. Carrie has, quite deservedly, fulfilled Simon’s promise that she would be the biggest selling Idol finalist of all time. But she may not want to be on the same stage as Jennifer Hudson any time soon. Carrie is the bigger star and quite the singer, but seriously, as a pure singer Jennifer is at another level.

Male judges and some talent

K.E. from Scottsbluff, NE writes, “So are there ever going to be some male guest judges?” (Translation: “Enough, already, with the Shania and Katy eye candy for Ray.”) I will leave it to K.E. to let me/us know if Neil Patrick Harris or Joe Jonas meet whatever criteria she has for determining their entertainment value. I will say that I liked NPH’s critical and take charge manner. And that I am enjoying the theme of professional criticism by all of guest judges in stark contrast to Paula’s gushiness, Kara’s semi-sweetness and Randy’s 150% dawg-ness.

We did get to see more talent this week than past weeks and I noted as noteworthy: big dockworker Lloyd (Stevie Wonder!); Kimberly and Todrick (sang originals), Meagan, and 16-year old Christian who sang Etta James (!) at the end.

I am also wondering how different my daughters' childhood development would have been if Barney had appeared with a Dominatrix.

I want to close with a shout out to my new friend Sheri who is joining the fray posting under Sweetest In the Gale. Diandra and I met her and her daughter at a David Cook concert and we found that we were not the only family with a serious and incurable music addiction. She is also an awesome poet. Check out her work at http://fledglingpoet.blogspot.com/. Welcome, Sheri and I look forward to your always taking my side in the debates this year . . . .

Curt, Catty, Cute, Katy

Yes, that’s me and my cool self hangin’ with my bud Jason Castro. Diandra and I saw him Monday night at Jammin’ Java, a nice, small local club. He did eight songs and was still his unaffectedly, goofy self. His last song, of course, was Hallelujah, and it was fabulous.

I really wasn’t prepared to say much about tonight but this was my favorite audition week. I never cease to be amazed at how they manage to go from 10,000 people to putting together an hour of entertaining television. And while I am REALLY looking forward to Ellen, I am also really enjoying the guest judges, ESPECIALLY Katy Perry:
“Do they frisk these people before they come in here?”
“This isn’t a Lifetime movie, honey.” (A cold dis of Kara)
“I’m going to throw my glass of soda in your face.” (another shot at Kara)

Diandra also kept her infamous notes, noting Andrew Garcia whose parents were in a gang; Tasha Layton, the personal assistant/pastor who sang Joss Stone very well; and Chris Golightly, the foster kid whose “Lifetime movie” back story didn’t move Katy Perry at all. I liked Andrew and Tasha and the mom who sang Pat Benatar very well (finally!) but needs to lose the faux rocker chick thing.

The Adam-Kris Conundrum

I'm almost famous!!!!! Hopefully this link still works which cited my "I'm Down off the Ledge" blog entry! http://idolblips.showhype.com/story/kris_allen_s_wedding_details_revealed/

Shania Twain. Still getting’ it done! A couple of good singers tonite. Now, moving on to a more interesting conundrum.

After Adam’s (totally awesome) appearance on Oprah today, there is really no more question of who is the bigger star as opposed to the biggest gatherer of votes from teenage girls and a cadre (cult?) of women in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Not to mention who was #3 in MTV’s Man of the Year (after Lil Wayne and Jay Z). And how many artists are featured in both the Wall Street Journal and Psychology Today? Oh, did I mention that Adam’s album has sold twice as many as Kris’?

OK, enough of that. My interest here is to point out the rather interesting hurdles that each faces regarding their futures. Kris first. With Live Like We’re Dying on the charts for weeks and now cracking the Top Ten, Kris has a legitimate hit record. Now the bad news. The hit single isn’t getting anybody to buy the album, which is the weakest selling album by an Idol winner. Worse yet, he’s singer-songwriter whose hit song is a cover. So basically, nobody is buying HIS songs. What happens when the current hit song fades?

Adam, ironically, has the opposite problem. His album – really, really good by the way - is on its way to gold status without a true hit single. For Your Entertainment was a lousy first choice of a single (in my humble yet quite smart opinion) even without the AMA performance which made it toxic. Whaddya Want From Me is fabulous (in my humble yet quite smart opinion) but (mysteriously) not a big, i.e. Top Ten hit. So for Adam, the question looking ahead is whether he can continue to sell albums – when albums no longer drive the music business – without a major hit single when it’s the hit single that is driving the business.

Indeed, these are the kinds of strange things I ponder. Probably need to turn off iTunes and get out more.

The Post-Adam Era Has Begun

FINALLY!!! Winter's dark days again have light. Warmth invades its cold chill. The bleak empty void is becoming filled with purpose. IDOL IS BACK.

At the sound of the first train wreck I knew I had, at last, come back home again. Is there anything that makes me happier than hearing Cassandra say, "I want to stab myself with my nail file", upon hearing a deliciously horrifying rendition of Janis Joplin?

Well, since it's too early to become emotionally invested in anybody, yet (translation: nobody as cute as Alexis, or Syesha, or Brooke, or Sabrina appeared this week), I am left with some random observations.

I didn't miss Paula. I honestly didn't even notice she wasn't there. To be fair, this stage of Idol is more about the train wrecks and clever editing than about the judges, so my jury is still out on the No Paula Effect.

Along the line of judges, I was prepared to not like the rather anorexic Victoria Posh Beckham Spice but she made me like her with her, well, spiciness - quiet self-assurance, sappy sweet like Paula, yet quite willing to tell it like it is when people suck and to get in Simon's face.

Gee, I know all of Britney Spears' songs (guilty pleasure revealed here publicly for the first time). If I sing one really badly as in the guy (no less) that sang "Womanizer", can I hug Kara, too?

People who were good: Ashley (has "it" according to Mr. Cowell), Katie (16!) and dude with broken arms.
Hot Sensitive Guy with Touching Story the Girls Will Love: Justin.

Ah, yes, Idol is back. Sure, the grey storm clouds of Simon's imminent departure hang over us. But for now, Idol is back. Can I get an Amen?

P.S. Atlanta Auditions
Wow - Mary J. Blige (one of favorite artists) hardly said anything but was an AMAZING judge. Her horrified facial expressions were priceless! And she had good reason to be horrified: the girl who butchered Pat Benatar - mess with my girl Pat and you should be punished to the full extent of the law; and the loud, angry guy that I didn't know was singing "Kissed by a Rose" until Diandra told me. Knowing that is one of favorite songs, she was waiting for my reaction but my musical faculties were already beaten into submission.
Altogether now - "Skiboski, baby." He could actually sing a bit.
Young Jermaine was very good.

The Winner By Knockout?

Yes, I am going to gloat but I will try to be nice about it. I do recall stating quite forcefully that although Kris won the popular vote – by popular I mean ATT-texting teenagers and a few women in Nebraska – the real voting would take place in the fall when his and Adam’s albums were released. Because, ultimately, this is the music business not a beauty contest (although Adam was selected as Sexiest Rocker in People magazine’s 110 Hottest Guys on the Planet) and in the business – and by the business I mean the industry – it’s how people vote with their dollars that counts.

So if the early returns are any indication, this vote has the potential for a landslide. Kris’ CD sold 80,000 copies in the first week, the lowest first week total for any Idol winner. That’s less than Taylor Hicks (who I voted for) dreadful CD (that I bought) which sold so bad, he lost his label deal.

Adam’s CD (quite excellent by the way), on the other hand, sold 198,000 and opened at #3 ahead of Lady Gaga and Rihanna! This is even after the brouhaha at the AMAs and despite the lack of a strong single – For Your Entertainment (the single) had fallen off the charts prior to the album’s release. Having said that, For Your Entertainment moved back to the charts [#61] this week, presumably on the strength of the album sales.

To be fair to Kris, his album isn’t dreadful and his single Live Like We’re Dying is selling well - #38 as I write this. Still, the single didn’t bring the album with it, which doesn’t bode well. And next week’s sales for Adam will be as interesting as this week’s because this year so many artists have seen a big drop-off from the first week. But still hard to argue against the impact that Adam has already had in the REAL voting.

There. That wasn't too big a gloat, was it?

p.s. Need I also mention the following: Adam on GMA; Adam on Letterman; Adam on Ellen; Adam on the View! Adam on Conan; Adam on Leno; Adam on the finale of So You Think You Can Dance! Adam is one of Barbara Walters' Ten Most Fascinating People! Uh, so what exactly did Kris win, again? (sorry, couldn't help myself . . . .)

p.p.s Kris is on So You Think You Can Dance in their next-to-finale show. Adam gets the finale. Gee, who do you think Fox considers the real Idol winner?

OK, yes, now I am gloating!