Woman's Gotta Have It
Filmed at The Workplay Theater in Birmingham, AL 9-26-09 with Ona Watson.
Song available on Taylor's new album, The Distance.
On sale now! Pick your copy today!

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Taylor Hicks's Run on Broadway Winding Down

Heya folks!! Yes, I'm still here.... just been really lazy about the blog since Taylor's new CD "Early Works" was released exclusively to Target Stores. Quite frankly I am still getting over the sting of the relatively low sales numbers for the album. I wasn't fooling myself that it was going to sell like the Clive Davis album, but first week sales were definitely lower than I had anticipated. Looking back, I really should have been surprised since nobody really knows that it's for sale other than his hard-core internet fanbase. Why hasn't there been more promo? I mean, he went to all the effort to get the CD made and get an exclusive with Target, right? Was the motivation to do the CD to get new fans exposed to his pre-Idol material? Good idea, but if they don't know it exists, where's the smartness there? It didn't and still doesn't make one iota of sense to me, but I'm sure he has his reasons that will hopefully become clearer down the road. The effort put forth by his fans to help promote him seem like a waste of time to me, sometimes. It’s like if they (Taylor's people) aren’t even going to try to support the release, why should the fans?

But! I'm over it and am really looking forward to his next adventure - hopefully releasing and touring the NEW album! I'm also looking forward to finding out who that mega-star is who has one of his new songs 'on hold' - and who the new record label is (he's alluded to that a few times already). And last but not least, to finally seeing "Whomp at the Warfield" released to the public. That DVD is too great to be kept under wraps. It's long overdue.

Ace Young, fellow American Idol Season 5 contestant, is scheduled to join the cast of Grease on Sept 9, two days after Taylor's last performance. I wish him luck, but in my opinion, he won't bring the excitment or the fanbase that Taylor did to the show. Not his fault, really - no one has the stage charisma Taylor does, right?.

Taylor's decision to join the cast his summer was the second greatest decision (after trying out for American Idol) he ever made in my opinion. Although I never did get to see a performance, by ALL accounts I've read, he was a rousing success and brought a remarkable presence to the show that probably won't be duplicated again. Nobody will be able to fill out that star-studded suit the way Taylor did.

Anyway, we should have some always awesome new stage door videos from Skeeter/Candy coming up later today so stay tuned for that!

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amazing what happens when you're surrounded by people who concentrate on what you can do rather than what you can't. Surprise! Financial windfall all around! Hopefully, that will be the template TH uses to hook up with a label who can get him the radio time he deserves.

Jovany Barreto News said...

Griz, great blog. I'm still waiting for the "press release" how bout you? All that came to pass; was those who say they know this, or that, really haven't a clue, and never did.


=) <~~ The official blow off, smilie should be put to rest, indeed.

soulthing said...

G4R - yea right the "press release". Ho-Hum.....

Why do I have a aching feeling that it's going to be a long wait until this next album is in my hands? Will have to find a new hobby in the meantime! Heh!

Anonymous said...

maybe taylor doesnt want to over expose EW, because he doesnt want to use up the limited press
opportunities for the next record which is the biggest of his career to date. this is a marathon not a sprint.. these oppprtunities..regis,leno,nypost, will not cover two albums by the same artist in one year..these are aspects of the buisness that many fans are not aware of..

wtgm3 said...

I take issue with you concerning your statement about Ace and charisma. With all due respect, I don't think you are the one to judge whether Ace has less stage charisma than Taylor. I like Taylor and voted for him; but for one thing, they are artists with each their own style. For another, I understand that Ace was the one who received the most fanmail when on AI. After the tour, someone had posted at AI that they thought that Ace was the one to really work the stage the best during the tour. He has done covers and is now also performing his own songs off his own cd, and wowing his fans and gaining new ones continually. Let's leave it to his fans, the Highrollers, who know him better than you or any other non-Ace fan, and others who will see him, to decide how charismatic he is. I would encourage you, too, to tune in to the MDA telethon this Labor Day weekend to see him cohost and also perform alongside Michael Lington, on whose album he does the vocals for "Baker Street." You will see that charisma in action, I assure you.:-)

Sunny said...

Griz, here's the thing, why the lengthy delay on that DVD and not any word out about what's happening with it? I'm thinking it may never appear.

Second album better be better represented than this last release. I'm pulling for the guy, always, but seriously, it just doesn't compute.

soulthing said...

CFPhilfan - I agree with you that most entertainers come with their own stage presence, also know as charisma, and in my opinion, Taylor has that little 'extra' that takes over the theater whenever he takes the stage, whether it was on American Idol or on Broadway or on the stage at the Beacon Theater in NYC or the Warfield Theater in San Fransisco.

Granted I have never seen Ace Young in a live concert setting, so I can't judge, but I have seen him on Idol and he just didn't do much for me in the 'charisma' dept, but it's a matter of personal taste and if you dig him, more power to ya! ;)

Anonymous said...

Sunny - I agree with you 100%!! The WATW DVD needs to see the light of day. I've had it recorded on my DVR since last Oct. 7th (Tay's BD) I watched it again last night with a friend who likes Taylor but never saw him live. He enjoyed it VERY much! I've seen this concert more times than I can count and look forward to the next viewing. I don't how well any dvd sells but this is one that should not be missed. I hope there is word soon on a release date. Ditto for that next studio album. Help us out Taylor...

Anonymous said...

Concerning the Warfield DVD, which I was privileged to attend LIVE in San Francisco, I have wondered if it is caught up in this HD/DVD and Blue Ray change over. I was afraid he would produce it on HD/DVD, and then all the players would change over to blue-ray, and it would becaome like "beta" instead of VHS - obsolete. Hope they caught it in time. There were alot of his original songs in that concert, which match up with his Early Works CD, so maybe he will package them together in the future for the tour sales?
Can't wait to see what is next! I believe he's got big things ahead!

Anonymous said...

As far as Broadway bringing in stars to boost the sales... I hear that Katie Holmes isn't living up to what they expected her to bring in.

I think Taylor really took them by surprise. Although us hardcore fans knew he would all along.

As far as Ace packing the house... I guess only time will tell. I don't think he will be able to do what Taylor did though.

juliegr said...

Hey Griz! Glad to see you and your "pithy" comments back on the net!

I'm with you and the OPers -- waiting semi-patiently for the release of Whomp at the Warfield.

Cheers to all Ace fans and good luck to Ace in his run on Broadway.

Anonymous said...

I assure you that there is NO competition between Taylor Hicks (with his ONE song) and Ace Young. Ace will blow him out of the water as far as his broadway run goes.