From Stolen Album to Stolen Hearts ... This Idol's In Heaven

From the Philadelphia Daily News

By JONATHAN TAKIFF
Philadelphia Daily News
takiffj@phillynews.com 215-854-5960

WE WERE supposed to be talking about his spotlight role in "Grease" (opening tomorrow at the Academy of Music), or maybe his current album, "The Distance," or maybe his tell-some memoir, "Heart Full of Soul," which recounts the guy's rise from a humble Alabama childhood to the Season Five winner on "American Idol."
But the morning I caught up with Taylor Hicks was a sad one. Michael Jackson had died the night before, and the shock hadn't worn off. First, we had to grieve.

"Of course I was a big fan," Hicks said on the cell phone from Detroit, where "Grease" was in residence and, ironically, where M.J. first got props as a member of the Jackson Five, recording for Motown.

Younger than his prematurely gray eminence suggests, the now 32-year-old Hicks first tuned in to Jackson during the age of "Thriller" - "at the height of his success and popularity. I think I wore a white glove to kindergarten. Yeah, I was a big fan. My generation was right there in the popular demographic, but the thing with Michael is that he didn't just reach us kids, he touched three or four different generations. There's very few that have done that."

Another Idol heard from
Ironically, the "blue-eyed soul"-styled Hicks is another singer who has won an unusually diverse fan base (dubbed the "Soul Patrol"), thanks to the inordinate reach of that TV talent contest which crowned him an idol - with 36.4 million viewers watching.

When I asked Hicks to describe whom he sees cheering when he makes his floating-from-the-clouds entrance as the Teen Angel in "Grease," he described them as "all over the board, people from 8 to 80.

"That's the great thing about a show like 'Idol.' It brings generations together and teaches a younger generation about music that has had an impact, and is why music is what it is today. How many 10-year-old children get to listen and explore the sounds of Tony Bennett in their own home? That's the amazing part of that show. I like to say it's a substitute for the decline of liberal-arts programs across the country. It's a kind of music class. Some of the liberal-arts programs in elementary schools have taken quite a hit in the past 10 years, and 'Idol' luckily has been able to substitute for some of that."

Doing it his (their) way
Maybe the least likely "A.I." candidate to ever win the competition, Hicks' taste in music and performing style skew a lot more towards old Cocker (Joe) or McDonald (Mike), a lot less to Usher or Timberlake (Justin).

At that legendary "A.I." tryout in Las Vegas that he went to on a fluke "after getting a free ticket from an airline for being bounced from a flight out of hurricane-torn New Orleans," Simon Cowell told Taylor that he didn't have a chance. Still, the guy won over Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson with a down-home treatment of "Swanee River Rock" lifted whole from Ray Charles.

The first record Hicks ever owned - OK, stole - from a store, he tells in "Heart Full of Soul," was an Otis Redding album, "Shake."

And even in his high-school years, his heart belonged to vintage (and mostly southern-fried) rhythm-and-blues music. "When everyone else was listening to Blind Melon, I was listening to Solomon Burke." [Actually from Philly, but maybe the first talent to successfully merge soul and country.] "You know, Burke was also the first guy to use the cape and the red rose in his show, and James Brown kind of stole his act, so to speak. Then they'd say of Michael Jackson that the last guy who moved like him was James Brown. Funny how things go 'round like that."

Hicks believes he won on "A.I." by taking control of the situation, playing by his own rules and staying grounded. "I'd spent so many years trying to make it, that I like to think I had the focus, once the big movement started happening. My life experience" - which included years of roadhouse singing in Alabama, two indie albums and an erstwhile recording project in Nashville under the guidance of another soul legend, Percy Sledge - "gave me a boost up. I used the harmonica to my advantage on the show, even when told it might get me disqualified." (The next year, 'A.I.' candidates were officially allowed to play instruments on stage.)

And Hicks had "another pioneering thought" that he put into play. "I was the first to write the endings of my songs. They gave me two minutes to 'play that funky music,' and I made sure my endings were powerful and signature enough to move me along in the competition."

Grease is the word
This whole alliance with "Grease" is another offbeat move that has left some scratching their heads, but which Hicks sees as a smart career strategy.

Cut loose under "mutual agreement" from 19/Arista Records after his cheesily produced debut album, "Taylor Hicks," sold only a million copies - the lowest sales figure to date for a winning Idol - Hicks went off and made a clearly superior album for his own Modern Whomp Records label. "The Distance" takes a more organic, gritty approach (no generic backing singers, no syrupy strings) with thoughtful, soul-pop and country-style songs (9 authored/co-authored by Hicks) and excellent backing by the same guys who tour and record with Eric Clapton (among other notables.)

But without the big-bucks tour support that he might have gotten from a major label, going out and promoting this project across the nation seemed daunting.

Enter "Grease" - that much-loved, cartoon-ish musical homage to the early days of rock and roll, hot rods, teen hoodlums and high school romance which was back on Broadway last year in a new production featuring winners of a TV talent contest (!!!) called "Grease: You're the Won That I Want."

Hicks joined the show in New York last spring for what was supposed to be a three-month special guest appearance, cast as the "Teen Angel" (played in the movie by aging Philly pop idol Frankie Avalon). You know the part - the handsome charmer who urges the "Beauty School Dropout" to go back to high school. Hicks got to do the number his way, adding some wailing, bluesy harmonica work. The creative team also popped him into the "Megamix" at the show's end, wherein he reprises the title song - one of four hits from the 1978 movie version added to this stage production.

Clearly, Hicks' self proclaimed "babysteps . . . walk before you run" participation in the Broadway musical constituted just a "cameo." But his name recognition and presence spelled "star power" for the production - translating into an extra $150,000 a week in ticket sales, reported the New York Post.

Then, at year's end, Hicks got an offer he couldn't refuse to join the national touring production. Therein, he'd also get to plug/perform a single from his soon-coming-out album as another encore treat. The deal sounded so good, he signed up to travel with the show until June, 2010.

"This is a wonderful way to be able to let fans new and old see me in a part and also see me as an artist," Hicks explained. "Nowadays, you have to be creative in the way you get your music and voice heard. The way the road tour is structured, it's a really cool way to exercise that concept. It's very rare that an artist, an entertainer, gets to go into a city to perform and stay in that particular market for multiple days or weeks, to work a Broadway show and work a record."

In some cities - though not this one - Hicks flies in his touring band and does a late night showcase at a club. Here, he'll surely be popping up on local TV and radio shows to plug stuff. And Soul Patrolers will find him out in the lobby after every performance "to sign merchandise and CDs and shoot the breeze" just like the down-to-earth "idol" he is. *

"Grease" plays at the Academy of Music, Broad and Locust streets, tomorrow through July 19. Performances Tuesday-Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 6:30 p.m., matinees Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sundays at 1 p.m., $25-$100, 215-731-3333, www.kimmelcenter.org/broadway.

Taylor Hicks Brings the American Idol House Down Once Again!

Taylor Hicks seized the moment and conquered the American Idol stage yet again - 3 years after he was crowned Season 5 Winner. He performed flawlessly - blowing some harp and earning a standing ovation from all 4 judges - yes, included Simon Cowell - I know, I was floored too! And as far as I can remember, the judges have NEVER given a returning Idol a standing ovation before tonight. Kudos, Taylor for getting them on their feet for you! He looked so stunning in a black sleeveless vest, form fitting jeans, and boots. Simon cames in his underwear. Nice, Simon. Taylor outshined all the other guests with his charisma, his stunning voice and his mere presence. Yes, he IS a STAR in every possible sense of the word. Enjoy the performance, fellow fans, and check out the pictures!

The SoulMan, Taylor Hicks, Hits The American Idol Stage Tonight!

Taylor Hicks comes home tonight to the stage that he completely dominated 3 years ago. Yes, the American Idol Season 5 winner takes the stage to sing his brand new single, the brilliant Seven Mile Breakdown, which will be released to country radio on May 5. It's one of the best songs on Taylor's newly released CD, The Distance. If you haven't picked up a copy yet, run and do so!

Things to watch out for tonight:

1. Taylor reminding America why they loved him and why he won in May of '06.
2. Taylor rumbling the studio, setting off a minor earthquake in Los Angeles.
3. Seeing Kara and Paula melting in their seats from his model-esque good looks.
4. Making sure that people realize Danny Gokey is no match and there is no comparison to Taylor. There is one and only one Taylor Hicks.

and last, but not least:

5. Simon looking pained and irritated as he watches Taylor show him what a real *star" looks like - not the pseudo stars that he manufactured, i.e., Leona Lewis, Daughtry and El Divo (who are they, anyway?)

It's payback time to all the naysayers, haters, chrolls and trolls that have infested the landscape these past 3 years. Blow it out your ass! Yes, it's time. Tear that 'ol place down, Mr. Hicks, and show those amateurs how a pro does it!

Seven Mile Breakdown at the Roxy Theater in Los Angeles

Taylor Hicks and Other Idols Winners and Contestants Celebrate Opening of AI Exhibit in Orlando

Taylor Hicks joined 6 other American Idol winners Thursday, February 12 to help celebrate the grand opening of the new "American Idol Experience" exhibit at Disney World in Orlando, Fl. This was the first time all 7 winners graced a stage together, and didn't Taylor look so dapper? So handsome? So classy? So... so... uh, well you get the picture! Oh yea, can you believe he and Simon Fuller had their picture taken together? Ah, to be a fly on the wall... And you'll notice one bald ugly guy (Daughtry, cough, belch) had the good sense to stay away - why ruin a perfectly good day, right? Anyway, below are some pictures from the event (click to enlarge)!

Taylor Hicks "Saddened" by Death of Paula Abdul Fan

A great piece of publicity from TV Guide concerning Taylor Hick's reaction to the recent death of Paula Abdul's fan outside her home in Los Angeles. He mentioned his upcoming 'Grease' tour and his new album coming out on Feb. 10, 2009. (It's a shame the writers of this piece didn't do their homework and find out that Taylor was Season 5, not 6. Poor Jordin Sparks. Forgotten again.)

Nov 25, 2008 02:11 PM ET by Joyce Eng

Former American Idol champ Taylor Hicks was "very saddened" to hear about the recent death of ex-Idol hopeful and Paula Abdul fan, Paula Goodspeed, outside of Abdul's home.

"My thoughts and prayers go to her and her family," Hicks told TVGuide.com.

Goodspeed, 30, was found dead in a parked car in front of the Idol judge's L.A. house on Nov. 11. Hicks said he hasn't spoken to Abdul since the death and hasn't, "thankfully," experienced any extreme incidents with his own die-hard fan-base, the Soul Patrol.

"You just try to be as nice and as courteous as possible to all your fans," he said. "But as far as that goes, that kind of stuff is completely out of your control."

Since his crowning moment on Season 6 of the Fox juggernaut, Hicks has starred on Broadway in Grease, started his own label, and recorded his sophomore LP, slated for a Feb. 10, 2009 release. On Dec. 2, he starts a nationwide tour of Grease.

But Hicks hasn't forgotten his roots. The silver-haired crooner will make time on the road to catch Season 8 of Idol and its new judge, Kara DioGuardi, with whom he penned "Give Me Tonight" on his first album.

"I think she's gonna bring a very positive and a good message," he said. "She's gonna be a good judge. She's a really great songwriter. She knows the business and I think that she definitely will be a good voice of reasoning."

American Idol is Rigged - Thank You Paula!

What a strange night for American Idol, huh?? I had a BIG smile on my face watching Paula destroy the show single handedly! Bwawwaawawawa! Either she was shit face and stoned out of her mind or she's an oracle who can see the future before it happens. What was the deal on her commenting (er, reading note cards) on Jason Castro's second song before the fuck he ever sang it? At least let him sing before you castrate the poor boy. Yes, he sucked huge balls tonight, but man, I couldn't help but LOVE the way the show is crumbling before my own eyes. The wheels on the karma bus go round and round :) First Clive get's kicked in the groin, now Paula has Nigel pissing in his morning coffee! Again, I suspect Taylor Hicks is celebrating somewhere! Life is goooood!

Check this out:



Also let me take this opportunity to put up a video of my all time favorite group - Da Monkees (where is Micky Dolenz when you need him?) showing us how exactly how to sing their #1 hit of 1967 (and their biggest song evah - I'm A Believer) - and Brooke I'm talking to YOU! I can't help but think how a certain Season 5 Idol Winner would have knocked this song out of the stratosphere if he was on the stage tonight (where is Taylor Hicks when you need him?).



This is Brooke destroying this classic:

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE AMERICAN IDOL PRODUCERS

Here's a letter by Jenni Jac, who voice clearly echos many viewers feelings about American Idol (what's left of them) who's votes apparently mean nothing - that's according to the show's producers, judges, and associates. Be careful, big shots, karma works in mysterious ways and soon, very soon, the show, and all those associated with it, will go the way of 'My Mother The Car', filed under 'Irrelevant TV Shows'....

"Dear producers of American Idol, Idol Judges, and Idol Associates,

Lately our heart has grown heavy and filled with remorse. We realize now that we have carelessly thrust a mountain of angst upon you. We, the American voting public have caused a wound that seems to have festered even more over the passage of time, and for that we are deeply sorry. As valiantly as you may try to tuck it away, the inner torment seems to be eating away at you. It seems you can no longer hold it in, as you repeatedly cry out: "The Idol voters made a mistake!! Why did they ever vote Taylor Hicks the American idol, why? why?!!!" Oh my God, what have we done?

After hearing your repeated and united cries of injustice, it is finally beginning to sink in. What were we thinking? We allowed a man with a unique voice, charisma, and stage presence to steal the crown away from other contestants with more marketable genres. I mean, Ray Charles, Otis Redding and Sam Cooke are so-o-o 1960s. That crap will never make it onto top 40 radio in the 21st century. To make things even worse, that ungrateful bastard Hicks decides to shun your generous management offer, cutting you out of a big chunk of revenue. I mean really, what is so wrong with a 40% management fee, or even more? You made him, right? We totally understand why you can barely bring yourself to show his picture or mention his name on the show anymore, what with all the financial and emotional damage he has caused.

So yes, we are deeply sorry and ready to atone. With our experience and hindsight, we can tell you how to avoid a travesty such as this in the future:

1. Screen your prospects carefully. Avoid throwback styles altogether. Their musical knowledge should be limited. If they know more about music than Simon Cowell, it will reflect badly on the show. "Empty Vessel" is the operative term here.

2. Avoid picking contestants that use terms such as "vision", "dues", or especially "songwriting". Believe me, they will cause you nothing but heartache in the future.

3. Once you have your contestants chosen, outfit them all with burkas, so they will be completely covered from head to toe. Next, strap them to a chair. This will eliminate any possibility of voters being swayed by attractiveness/unattractiveness, fashion sense, dance moves, smiles, smirks, facial tics or gestures that could either endear or alienate them to the voters. Just to be safe, put them in their burkas behind a screen and show them in silhouette. You really can't be too careful.

4. Pick one song each week and make every contestant sing it. Ignore their pleas for different arrangements. There is good reason for this. If their own song choice or arrangement goes over well, it will only embolden them to demand more artistic creativity when it comes time to cut that record. That can be such a pain.

5. After each performance, instruct Ryan to ask questions that can be easily answered with either "yes", "no", or "maybe". Place these words in a board and give the contestant a laser pointer to pick the appropriate response. This will bypass the personality factor altogether which is not required for a top 40 hit, so don't be tempted. The "No Speak" tactic will also thwart attempts to mobilize or define any fanbase. That just gets messy.

6. Do not allow them to hold up fingers reminding the voters what number they need to vote for. No reason for this other than it continues to annoy us. You could consider allowing them to stomp their number out on the floor like one of those math horses, but that option is strictly up to you.

7. IMPORTANT: You will need to put a crawler at the bottom of the screen to continuously remind voters that they are voting for contestants who will sell the most records, instead of the ones you actually want to see perform again next week.

Well, I hope we have been helpful. Sorry again about the Taylor thing, I'm sure it won't happen again."

Randy Jackson's CD Compilation a FLOP! Don't laugh now....

Okay, just kidding... g'head and laugh it up! Bwawawawawawa! The Randy Jackson's Music Club Vol. 1 CD debuts at a disappointing #50 on Billboard and sells an embarrassingly low 13,000 copies (Mr. Hick's debut sold 298,000 in the US just for comparison - heh!). All in unison now - can we all say FLOP? Serves him and Paula right for being so smug about sneaking that hideous video they made back on Idol a few weeks ago. It also serves him right for making "excuses" for people like Taylor for "just" selling 701,000 copies. I betcha that looks m-i-g-h-t-y fine to Randy right about now, eh? I think it's safe to assume there won't be a Volume 2 (snicker). Splort! (that's kool-aid coming out of my nose from laughter).

What goes around comes around. He should know that by now - being an important tool 'in the biz'. Next time you make up reasons why CDs don't sell as expected, Randy, let me remind you of your own failure with this one. This is what you get for using "C" idol rejects like Katharine Mcphee and Elliott Yamin to record a horribly bland and generic piece of pop crap to sell your poorly produced CD - and then use your push to get her on Idol last week as a not so subtle way of bringing her back in America's consciousness. DUDE! It didn't work. She still only sold 500 copies of her Bumble Bee cover CD last week.

Paula Abdul on Taylor Hicks and AI Marketing

An article in the LA Times recently quoted Paula Abdul:

Is there something we can learn from Taylor Hicks' huge popularity on American Idol and subsequent lack of sales successes?

"Well you know, it doesn't, I would say this. Nothing takes away from the talent that these kids have. The talent doesn't go away. It's sometimes mishandled and sometimes misguided. And there are very specific reasons why people like Kelly Clarkson sell a lot of albums, and Carrie Underwood and you have the unbelievable talent of Fantasia Barrino and Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks, that don't get to have the same amount of sales…. However I do believe that maybe the album was not… filled with the right materials that suited them. I think that you have to take the right time and the right producer and the right rollout and the right support. It's not just based on they're not talented--there's a lot of factors that go into it that people fail to realize. The right team, the right marketing strategy. That is 90% of it. You have the talent: the talent is now a given. It's the other factors that go into it that predicate the success. Not predicate: but really, that's the success. If you don't have the right strategy, the right production, the right song material. It's all of that that goes into it. It's not to say their albums were bad at all, quote honestly I found good tracks on every single Idols' albums. It's who picks what and who allows them to shine true. A lot of times they don't have a lot of faith in the artistic direction. The second go around you can impart your vision. That's why the call it the sophomore slump. For these kids it's already the sophomore slump when they put their first album out, because they're being compared with being the winner! "

Okay, I'll give Paula a few brownie points for actually being honest for a change about the failed marketing and distribution for Taylor and his album - something both Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell cowardly didn't do. Randy was quoted in the NY Post as saying: "Once you graduate high school you can't blame the high school," Jackson tells AOL Television. "The truth really is [that] it's up to them to make amazing records. If they don't make amazing records... you know, the business kinda catches up with them."

Randy is just a mouthpiece for the PTB - selling his soul - covering his ass - refusing to speak the truth about the failed promotion for Taylor. He knows that Clive fucked up Taylor's album - forcing him to record music that clearly wasn't his style or strength - for sticking him with a producer who had no clue how to produce it (Matt Serletic) and most importantly, insufficiently promoting and pushing singles to radio, failing to support the music with videos, failing in every fucking way to do what was needed for this album to do even better than it did. And even without any support, Taylor STILL managed to push over 832,000 CDs off the shelves worldwide. In other words, they failed, not Taylor. There is NO lack of talent here, just a failed attempt by BMG/JRecords/Clive Davis.

Could it be that Taylor will ultimately win in the long run? Now that he is an independent agent, he can now take the next album in the direction he wants and hire a producer that is in tune with his natural vocal & instrumental talent. Most of all, Taylor will be in CONTROL of his own destiny. With the experience of producing 2 albums prior to American Idol coupled with more resources, musical freedom and access to a pool of talented collaborators, the possibilities for Taylor are endless - and that is exciting to me.

Paula, as ditsy as she is, makes a whole lot more sense in this article than the rest of the fatcats. And Simon, well, don't even get me started on that crass corporate pig.