November 23, 2009 
This year’s production of the American Music Awards show glorified vulgarity, self-indulgent behavior at its absolute best – or worst – depending on your point of view, I guess.
It also made me realize that there is dim hope that stellar and pure vocalists such as David Archuleta, Jason Castro, Michal Buble, Katharine McPhee, Josh Groban -need I go on – will have the opportunity to grace the stage with their eloquent brand of musicianship.
And you can forget about ever seeing a classical performer on the AMA stage! Heaven forbid if that ever happens!
This show is a Pop/Rock/Country/R&B/Rap/Hip Hop show and anyone straying from those genres is toast in the music industry.
They call it the American “Music” Awards, but, for the most part, where was the music? It was lost amid the psychotic stage spectacles, fortified by costly technology that would feed thousands of starving children in the USA.
So, who did I like? Well, let’s see now——let me think. (fifteen minutes go by and still thinking). Oh yes, Kelly Clarkson comes to mind. She was my absolute favorite of the night and reminded us just why she was the first winner of American Idol. She can actually sing!
Also, I generally liked the Alicia Keyes/Jay-Z duet, even though Alicia was a little “pitch-challenged “during the New York, New York segment. Nonetheless, it was a passionate and memorable performance.
Daughtry was impressive if you can close your eyes to his faulty technical skills. The boy still loves to raise his head and tighten those throat muscles on the upswing toward his higher range.
However, there is no denying his natural vocal skill but, for my money, I will take American Idol Season 7 winner, David Cook’s brand of artistic rock over Daughtry’s more impersonal form.
Whitney proved that she is still Whitney, minus the impressive vocal range that made her a star. But, the gal still can perform, even though she did so by purging her entire life story before an audience of millions. Whatever turns your crank, sweetheart, and keeps you on the straight and narrow!
The lighting effect at the end of her number was very celestial and emphasized the fact the she has indeed seen the light. I truly hope so because she has a beautiful and loving daughter who needs her mother to be healthy, grounded and centered in every aspect of her life.
Other than that, I am sorry to say that the rest of the show left me cold. It was a smooth production, but the super-charged visuals became tedious after a while and I was longing for some pure, unadulterated vocals.
So, needless to say, I was not a fan Of Adam Lambert’s maniacal performance. Adam twittered his fans calling his AMA showcase artistic integrity.
Artistic integrity? I don’t think so, Adam – it was a vulgar mess and sad all at the same time given the fact that you possess an exceptional voice that deserves to be heard – not buried under a pile of choreographic garbage.
Masterclass Lady On MySpace.Com
Vocalist.Org
MasterClassLady.Com 
Thank You MCL I so agree with everything you said!!!!
LikeLike
Too bad the show and the network seems to be out for ratings at the expense of common sense.
LikeLike
An eloquent and correct analysis–thank you!
LikeLike
Thanks for offering your thoughts on the AMAs. I think of the AMAs as the stray mutt of award shows. It was just ABC’s response to the Grammy Awards. Also, a fan an elected award by its very nature will not be about the music but about popularity and entertaining the masses…and by masses I mean the younger demographics so they can charge more for commercial time.
Kelly’s performance was second to Alecia and Jay-Z for me. But only because I’ve seen Kelly sing that song too many times to really enjoy it anymore.
I felt happy that Whitney’d managed to pull herself together. But it was really sad to hear her sing right after they’d played all the clips of her past performances.
And a note about Adam’s performance. It really was about artistic integrity for him. What he idolizes in his musical heroes isn’t just vocals, it’s showmanship and shock. That’s part of who he is as an artist. Not necessarily what we want for him. And it has caused me to mourn a time or two for what could be. Be we much each be true to ourselves. That said, I suspect he wasn’t very happy with the performance because he was pitchy, as was the backup singer, and the sound mix was a complete mess. What bothered me more than anything was that they censored the lyrics for no apparent reason.
LikeLike
I’ve never posted here before, but I could not agree more with your assessment. What happened to music? Most of those performances were anything but.
LikeLike
Dearest Masterclasslady,
How I dreaded reading your take on the AMAs. For some reason you actually came into my thoughts as I watched Adam stumble, fumble, and mumble through his performance. I remember your praise of him so clearly and it was so apparent you wanted im to succeed.
His performance did shock me, but not for the reasons reported in the media. So Adam wants to be different…well guess what? His performance last night wasn’t different. He joined a long list of performers who must use tricks or spectacle to entertain and to grab attention plus he didn’t have the luxury of falling back on his voice. Adam’s usually immaculate vocals failed him last night.
I watched an interview of Adam prior to the AMAs where he stated the performance would be “sexy” but not gratuitous. Sexy I can take… but not sure I want to see his idea of “gratuitous” if that wasn’t it.
Remember when Adam stated he wanted it to be about the music while he was on Idol…wish he would go back to that way of thinking. For last night, the music was lost.
LikeLike
Praise to you, MCL. You get it.
I was a huge Adam fan during Idol. I went to a show on tour just for him. I love that he’s unique, and his voice is unlike anything I’ve ever heard. It appeals to me greatly. (Not nearly as much as David’s does…but still I love to hear him.)
I was eagerly awaiting his performance last night, but what he “performed” was nothing I wanted to see. I wasn’t shocked by most of the theatrics. I could kind of care less that he kissed a guy. I mean, I’ve accepted his sexuality and moved on. But overall, it was just so, so vulgar.
What hurt me the most though, was that his voice was just bad. I have never heard him fail at singing, but last night it was just terrible. He was too focused on all of the insane theatrics to remember that in the end it’s about the music.
I wish the music industry could remember that it’s called the “MUSIC” industry for a reason. It’s about music, not out-of-this-world performances…
LikeLike
With sadness I agree with your review.
If I wanted to see a circus I would have bought a ticket to Ringling Brothers.
LikeLike
I didn’t watch the AMAs…but with everything I heard about Adam’s “Lovely” performance, I ventured over to YouTube and watched it. How disgusting! I cannot believe what he did – not AI worthy at all..not even worth making it through judging.
In reading your review, I realize that I really didn’t miss much if anything!
Kelly Clarkson – what song did she perform? I’m in love with her song “Already Gone”. She is and will always be (to me) the American Idol!
LikeLike
What gets me is he didn’t even have an album out but got to perform on the AMAs and on the pimp spot(which by the way turned out to be appropriate for what he did), and there are artists like David Archuleta that has worked his butt off touring here and overseas…put out 2 cds and went double platinum with his first single. He wasn’t ask to perform this year or last year and this guy gets up there and ruins this opportunity that most artists would love to have. Just burns me up that he hasn’t done anything to deserve performing on this show except having RCA dish out the money to get him on there. Just like they have dished out the money for all his hype and media glory….One thing about it when he starts paying back all this money he will remember that trainwreck and what it cost him.
LikeLike
What a complete let-down!!! 😦
I so agree with every thing you said MCL.
LikeLike
Thank you all for adding your insightful comments. I thought there would be more Adam fans on this site, defending his performance. Maybe deep down they were as disgusted as I.
And his voice – that was screaming all the way and out-of tune screaming at that. I don’t know what he – and his team – were thinking. Honestly! What a mess!
LikeLike
I must say…why are posters on here shocked? What were you expecting from Adam…yes we can all agree that when he wants to he can show us amazing vocals and knows how to work a stage….but I hate to say I told ya so ….but I think I posted on here during his run on AI last year…that you needed to check out his pre-idol videos press ect. What you saw on the AMAs was his pre-idol act. As I feared he had an agenda to bring this type of entertainment to the masses…his whole persona while on AI was an act to gain exposure…like any act he wants to further his career but it just seemed deceitful on a show where most of the kids are so genuine and are an open book. My only hope last season was that I WAS WRONG and that his cabaret act was just goof but as the season progressed more and more he seemed headed in that direction and the seams in his act/agenda started to show and as the saying goes …a leopard doesnt change his spots. Then the press right after AI pretty much confirmed my worst fears…he came off as ….well…all my worst fears….a self-indulgent narcistic …egotistical …I am so fabulous that you I should be able to do and say anything no matter how shocking and you haved no right to judge me. I have been around the artistic and gay commuinity for years and I have seen this tiresome boring behaviour way too many times. It seems like way too many on here were blinded by his glamour. This is the type of showbiz is what he is passionate about you can keep indulging him or move on. I think it is clear from his AMA appearance he has little concern for his square fans. I feel sorry for him he seems like a confused misguided young man who needs to find his compass before he becomes another pop tragedy.
As for the AMAs …another hot mess…I thought awards show awarded the best few of those acts I could hardly watch or listen to. Too much stage craft and little actual talent. I can appreciate that Talyor Swift is very successful and that maybe her album is a marvel of songwriting and studio production magic but for the CMAs to give her female vocalist and entertainer of the year … to this girl who can’t sing live at all and whose stage presence is amateurish and awkward …was just mind numbing.
LikeLike
RickyLee – great commentary. Also, I thought Taylor Swift’s awards were excessive. And, I had no idea that she couldn’t sing live. She would have fit in very well with the rest of the lyp-synching perfformers at the AMA show. And why couldn’t she attend the AMA? Certainly a performer’s schedule could be altered for such a major event.
LikeLike
MCL, I am so glad you addressed this issue. I could not agree more.
And, RickyLee, I also agree with your comments as well. I, too, am not as surprised as some others about the kind of performance Adam gave. I was sort of expecting this kind of thing from him which is why I wasn’t so eager to support him during Idol. Yes, his voice can be wonderful at times, but his persona is much more than a good voice. And that’s what I don’t like about him. And it has nothing at all to do with being gay–it’s just that he’s too over the top for my tastes.
LikeLike
Just a quick question, MCL, what did you think of Carrie’s performance? I thought overall, it was okay, though the high notes were a bit pitchy.
LikeLike
Hi Masterclass Lady, how have you been?
I attended the AMA’s so I got to see the unedited version of some of the egregious performances first hand and yes, Adam Lambert was more vulgar than what the viewing television audience was subjected to…thank goodness the network has some sliver of a standard remaining.
I will admit that I was pleasantly surprised with the overall performances of Green Day, Keith Urban, and a few others. I agree with much of what you have said, and unfortunately you are probably right. David Archuleta might come across as boring in contrast to many of the other indulged performances….but then again, maybe he could incorporate the smashing of guitars and pianos while he sang “Crush”…get it??? Oh, and he could light them all on fire as he belts out the ending note just for that dramatic effect.
Then again, maybe not. I think that David, and his fans, shouldn’t worry about that kind of fame, but the kind that really matters. Music is meant to move our souls, and David Archuleta is certainly a soul mover. That is his gift, and so I think it’s best to leave the glass smashing, laser wielding, and over-sexed antics to other performers. After Adam’s performance, the lady sitting next to me was just about in a convulsing frenzy. For her it was sheer bliss, and for me a torment from the bowels of Hell.
No matter how hard you try to mix oil and water, their intrinsic nature prevents it. My vote is for David to continue doing what he does best and to continue touching the souls of those who have ears to hear; albeit a smaller and less crazed audience. David may not ever make it on the prime time AMA’s, not because he’s not musically worthy, but because he understands and respects the value of his gift. It is one thing to have a gift, and another to use it wisely. David’s voice is like a precious diamond and his character the setting that displays it to the world.
Thanks for your voice of reason!
Take Care,
Gallie
LikeLike
Hi MCL…The first thing I did yesterday morning ( Monday ) was to come here to see if there were any posts regarding Adam Lambert’s AMA performance, I left a post on the Adam Lambert Newsletter thread saying that I thought he should be embarassed. At one point during his performance my husband just looked at me and said ” Did she just grab his n*ts ? ”
Holy Cow…vulgar doesn’t even begin to describe it. I wasn’t particularly shocked at the performance just shocked that he would perform in that fashion, just stupid. I’m really disappointed.
Happy Thanksgiving..
LikeLike
This, slightly edited, is what I posted here yesterday morning in a different Adam topic. It sums it up for me in a nutshell…..
For those of us who were able to sift through all the hype, we long ago saw the Adam many of you witnessed at the AMA. We knew well the Adam that likes to glorify himself in the performance and cares little about much else. His AMA performance was exhibitionism at its finest, and nothing more. All the vocal prowess, talent, and skill in the world mean nothing if one has no control over how self indulgent they allow themselves to become and then try to pass that off as “entertainment.” I’m insulted that Adam considers me so stupid that he thinks I can’t see the difference. His performance had nothing to do with him wanting to entertain us, and everything to do with him wanting to “amuse” himself. I’m a firm believer that actions speak louder than words. So he can say whatever he wants. Clearly what he says and how he shows it are two diametrically opposed things.
Additionally, I would respectfully disagree with Jean that this really was about “artistic integrity.” Honestly, I was not at all surprised by what he did at the AMA because that, I believe, is Adam’s nature. It’s not at all about artistic integrity, but rather about shocking people just for the sake of shocking them. If there was anything that could make me believe that his intent was to run the risk to shock for arts’ sake; then I might be able to agree with you. But his final gesture to his (live/viewing) audience told me this was undoubtedly done for personal reasons, and had very little, if anything, to do with artistry.
He said himself that he was going to “shock” people, so that tells me shocking, and not entertaining, is what is foremost in his mind. If that’s what artistic integrity is, I now know I had to have been absent the day they covered that in music class. 😉
LikeLike
MCL, After watching that debacle, Called The American Music Awards…to which I think they need to change the name. I’m sure someone on here with much more imagination than I could come up with a more suitable name!!!
Anyways! I was on my way home this morning from the dreaded grocery store, and am so mad at the music industry, that I changed my radio station from the top 40, to Classic Rock. Let me tell ya, you can’t beat the 80’s music!
I listened to George Michael, Cory Hart and a long list of others (I’m 30 minutes from the grocery store). It left me thinking of the dramatic change in music…I know the 80’s opened alot of doors for some of the artists today, but, wasn’t their focus more on the music for the most part?
As well as there were some openly gay artists, who didn’t come across a vulgar!!! Boy George, Queen, am I just being naive?
Skid…I can only speak for myself when I say, I was taken in by Adam. I didn’t see this coming! It’s like that boy you’ve been warned about, but can’t see the very destruction before you, until it’s to late!
LikeLike
Just read that Good Morning America has cancelled their 11-25 concert with Adam!!!
LikeLike
Vonnie my friend,
It’s not that you were taken in at all! There’s no question as to Adam’s vocal ability—none whatsoever. So it is very easy to see why people are/were so drawn to him. But in all honesty, the one thing that is hard for me to understand is how people missed his grandiosity. It seemed so obvious to me from the beginning, and more so with each performance he gave on Idol. But I know too that there are times when people only see what they want to see, and this I know from having made that error in judgment a time or two (or more, lol) myself. It’s the very reason why some of us veer from making decisions based more on emotion than reason. Most often, you just don’t look at things as clearly and end up asking yourself, “What was I thinking?’ Well, it’s just that, that you weren’t thinking. Know what I mean?
As for the boy next door, I know that guy too! Maybe not the best choice, but he sure was fun while he lasted, wasn’t he? 🙂
LikeLike
Loved Kelly Clarkson’s performance. ♥ Thanks for the wonderful shout-out to her. She truly sings because she loves music, and her combination of passion, artistry, and technical skill is one of a kind. Not to mention that she’s a lovely, warm-hearted human being. Thank you, Kelly Clarkson—for the music and for your heart.
Link: Kelly Clarkson: The Woman Behind the Artist
LikeLike
Skid,
I guess for myself, I didn’t get caught up in the pre-idol Adam. I didn’t watch the videos of him, nor did I really care at the time. I kept thinking that the Bad Boy persona was just that. That underneath it all, he was another striving artist trying to make it in a crazy business. Had I any inclining that this was the kind of artist he desired to be, I would have turned off my TV, never to watch Idol again!
I wonder how much insight AI had into Adams perverse desires. Makes one wonder if they didn’t tip the scale in Kris’ favor! I know, I know…AI is a legitimate voting machine!!! Yeah right!!!
But now! I wish that he had not used AI as his platform. How many young people are going to think that this kind of behavior is acceptable?
Oh! And skid…yes! hehehe 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks to all who commented on this thread. It looks like Adam offended more people than I originally thought possible. Not a word from the true blue Adam fans, although many of us, before this performance, were very supportive of his vocal gift. I still am. Just not a fan of the obscenities. However, if he changes his artistic vision some point in time, I will be back in the Adam camp, but, for now, I am taking a leave of absence.
LikeLike
MCL…I have read a couple of comments from Adam today! One; he refers to the female singers who seem to get away with this behavior all the time, he’s calling it discrimination. Second; he says that he is not a babysitter, he is a performer. Last person I heard make a comment like that was Brittney Spears, now look at her.
So my question: Is it a double standard? Are we more willing to accept this behavior from the likes of Brittney, Janet Jackson, Madonna, Rhianna, Lady Gaga, just to name a few. I am not defending Adam, I think that he took a once in a life time opportunity and made a mess out of it. Had he came out on that stage like Kelly Clarkson and gave a stellar vocal performance…he could have wrote his own ticket to stardom. Now the networks and “normal” media are going to be afraid of him!!!
But, I do agree with you MCL, I still think that Adam stands alone on vocals…there is none as far as I am concered who can compare. That said, I also am not a fan of the obscenities! Should he choose a different path, I’m there!!!
LikeLike
I do not subscribe to this notion that I was somehow hoodwinked, fooled, deceived, conned or anything else by Adam Lambert. I know what I saw on Idol. I saw a young man blessed with a God given vocal instrument. I saw a young man who managed to walk a fine line between outrageous and brilliant. I saw a young man who was savvy, thoughtful, original and unique. He brought real excitement to Idol.
I have become more skeptical and cynical with age and am not easily impressed. But I know what I saw and it was incomparable talent. I don’t think the issue is Adam having some kind of hidden agenda. I think this is a case of a young man who has been caught up in all the hype, who has become too egotistical, self-indulgent, and removed from the real world. Adam has been living in a bubble for a while now. He has forgotten that you have to earn your stripes and prove your mettle in the music world. He should not have been performing on the AMA’s, much less be the closing act. The rest of the performers have proven themselves, sold millions of records and concert tickets. Whether you like them or not, at least they have established themselves. Adam has not done that.
I agree with masterclasslady’s overall assessment of the performances on the AMA’s. I found myself wondering what on earth has happened to the music industry. Has the concept of the human voice been totally lost in all this overprocessed, synthesized garbage that passes for singing these days? I would have dearly loved to hear someone like David Archuleta sing his heart out so beautifully. I would have loved to celebrate the wonder of the human voice in all its splendor and glory. Except for a very few exceptions, we were not privileged to enjoy real human voices. What a shame.
I did see a lot of Adam’s vidoes on youtube. A few of them were somewhat tasteless and vulgar, but most of them showed a young man sitting on a stool with very little accompaniment, just singing as only he could. So I had no reason to think Adam was anything other than a young man exploring, taking chances, testing himself as an unknown in small venues. I had no reason to doubt that he would take full advantage of this great opportunity that was afforded to him by Idol. I had no reason to think that some of those videos were just immature experiments by a young man trying to find himself. Adam isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. What he did on the AMA’s has been done before by Lady Gaga and Madonna and others. But the AMA’s was not the place for it. If you are on tour, then you can pull out the stops if you wish. But if you are on commercial primetime TV in front a nationwide audience, you have to play it smart. This was a golden opportunity and Adam blew it, big time. I don’t know what this will do to his career. I just know that it was incredibly ill-conceived and just plain dumb.
Adam has said that the record company is very supportive of him and his vision. Maybe that’s the problem. Adam needs a reality check. He needs someone who will tell him the truth. He needs someone who can reign him in and keep him focused. He has really lost his way. His cries of discrimination because female singers have done the same thing, show that he just doesn’t get it even now. I didn’t pre-order his cd, but I have listened to all the songs. There is a lot to like, but now I don’t know if I will even bother to download it.
If all Adam wanted to do was be shocking for the sake of it, then that’s not for me. I don’t know if I just didn’t see the real Adam or he lost his way somewhere. He is full of himself without having done anything yet.
It doesn’t help to have some come here to say I told you so after the fact.
LikeLike
Well, I’ll admit I wasn’t Adam’s biggest fan during AI. That being said, I tuned into his AMA performance without knowing beforehand about any controversies. I wanted to see if Adam would prove me wrong.
No, it is not a “double standard” when it comes to finding Adam’s AMA performance distasteful as I also do not care for the antics of Madonna, Britney, Janet J, etc. However, I do like some of their recordings, but not any vulgar displays, which is one reason I have never watched them in concert.
LikeLike
I forgot to add that I thought Kelly Clarkson was awesome! I thought her voice had a lovely quality that I hadn’t heard from her before. I’m off to buy her CD.
LikeLike
katherinesmom – Your second comment made me smile! =) At the risk of going slightly off-topic, I wanted to share this video with you because I think Kelly’s voice exhibits a similar quality in this performance. I hope you enjoy it!
I love that Kelly is a musical chameleon. She really knows how to explore a wide color palette with her voice.
—
To stay somewhat on topic, to answer Beth‘s earlier question about Carrie Underwood’s performance: For some reason or another (the choreography, maybe?), Carrie was having some breath control and support issues in this performance that she usually doesn’t have. She was audibly out of breath at a few parts. She is very capable of hitting those high notes in tune, though; I think her upper range has become a lot more consistent in recent years. Her other performances of “Cowboy Casanova”—the ones I’ve seen anyway—are much better.
LikeLike
I don’t usually write on blogs but had to on yours. You have a very distinctive writing style. A lot of people don’t have that touch, they just ramble on and on in the most boring way. But not you – thanks! I don’t have time to read it all right now, I found this site when looking for something else on about.com, but I’ve bookmarked your homepage and will visit again soon to see the latest. I think Beyonce and Taylor Swift are two of the most talented women in music today. What did you think of Taylor’s appearance on SNL? I liked it. And I thought she was awesome on the AMA’s! Please check out my website at http://www.Beyonceitis.com! Thanks again!
LikeLike
Mindy – yours was an exceptional commentary on all that is so very wrong with Adam and his team.
I, personally, love Madonna’s voice, but would not go to see her in person. Whether it be male or female, vulgar, sexually explicit performances are not even close to being on my radar. I love artistry – up to a point. It has to be encompassed by a strong moral fibre or, as a human being, I feel insulted and degraded.
If this is the direction that the music industry is embracing, then it is a sad and sorry state for the arts in general. Really sad!
LikeLike
Mindy,
I will confess that I was pulled in by Adam…and still am pulled in, by a young man who had to live with discrimination his entire life, and probably a whole lot more of it on AI. I was convinced that that, is why he didn’t win. Not an excuse!!!
I can’t always say what I feel in an eloquent way like mindy, skid and kariann 1…but what I do feel is hurt and betrayal, and I’m not sure why! I’m not completely sure what I expected from him! I want him to succeed; I want him to be around the music industry for a long time! I still believe that he is the greatest talent to come our way in a very long time. Maybe what I want from Adam is what I want, not considering what he wants! Maybe this is his way of saying; I have been treated badly or looked upon in a discimitaive way my entire life. Maybe he will never apoolgize for his behavior; I don’t know. Maybe he feels vindicated in some way; I don’t know. Maybe he is lost and needs someone to point him in the right direction; again I don’t know. Maybe we will never know. What I do know, I bet he has to answer to his mom for this!
I apologize katherinesmom, but I do disagree with you. I have been thinking alot about the double standard this evening, and I think that we do have a double standard in this situation. If a woman says she has been harrassed in any way, we tend to feel for her and look down at her accuser…if a man says the same thing, we say, yeah, right!!! We tend to not believe that men can be placed in the same situation as women. Even if you don’t go to one of these young ladies concerts, if you download any of their songs, you are supporting their behavior.
I did pre-order Adams CD, I have not decided yet if I will download it or not. I still think Adam is the best, does not mean I will be a groupie any time soon! But I believe in second chances and forgiveness, and Adam has mine, till he either proves me wrong or right!!! End of topic for me!
LikeLike
masterclasslady,
Thank you for your wonderful words. Praise from you is something I value enormously. I didn’t know how my post would be received. I took a while before I wrote it, just to sort out all my thoughts. I think that now my anger is giving way to sadness. I have loved Adam and championed him like no other. He inspired me, thrilled me, his voice took me to new heights of joy and rapture. I just cannot fathom how someone who has been given the opportunity of a lifetime can trash it in this manner. Like you, I have chosen to take a leave of absence, but will remain open should Adam choose to do what he does best – sing his heart out like no one else.
Vonnie,
Believe me, I know how you feel. I found myself thinking about how Adam has toiled in obscurity for years, even battling depression when his career seemed stalled. That is one of many reasons why I was so incredibly happy for him when he was the runnerup on Idol. I knew this meant he would finally have his chance for success, to fulfull all his dreams.
You are eloquent in your own special way. This is not a competition. I love reading your thoughts. I think you made some great points about why Adam is who he is. I still want him to have a career. I still believe in that magnificent voice. I just wish Adam believed in it as much as all of us here do. Why isn’t that enough for him? Why on earth does he feel this need for shock and awe? Does he have to push our buttons all the time? Is there no respite? What about the quiet power and majesty of a performance like “Mad World”? I would take a thousand of those over what he gave us at the AMA’s.
I don’t want to see Adam self-destruct, but I fear that this is what will happen. He still doesn’t really get it. That’s scary. The cancellation of his appearance on GMA should have been a warning to him that he just went too far. If ABC felt the need to censor parts of his performance for the west coast broadcast, which is what I saw out here in L.A., then that means they knew it was a problem. You don’t mess around with a big network.
I don’t see a reason for this type of performance. There’s no concept, no idea or thought process behind it. It’s like Adam is saying – here I am, take it or leave it, I don’t care. He is trying to portray himself as the victim here, but I don’t think many will buy it. It was the wrong time and place for that performance, period. No excuses. However, I also believe in forgiveness. I would love to see Adam learn from the experience and come back wiser and stronger. I will always love his voice.
I hope this discussion isn’t considered off topic. Since Adam was a performer at the AMA’s, I think it’s fair to analyze what happened. But I do agree with J’s comments about Carrie Underwood’s performance. With my perfect pitch ear, I could sense her vocals weren’t quite right and I did catch the breathiness, but it helps to have someone who can articulate it much better than myself. It was also kind of hard to hear Whitney Houston’s voice. She has indeed lost so much of that great vocal range. It was nice to see her singing again and embracing her comeback, but it’s just not the same. I did like Alicia Keys and Jay-Z, loved the tribute to my native New York. Alicia did seem off key in some places, but she still managed to pull off a very enjoyable performance.
LikeLike
Hey there Gallie:
Thank you so much for commenting here, as well as on Facebook. And you are so correct about David. He will always have a very strong and loyal following and continued success in his musical career.
His CDs have sold exceptionally well and, the last time I looked was in the Top 25 Amazon Bestsellers, along with Michael Buble and Susan Boyle.
Award shows – or any competition – are never fair and never objective for that matter.
My site will always be primarily devoted to musicians such as David who value, respect and appreciate their musical gifts and transmit these values to their fans.
Thanks so much again, Gallie! Hope you are well and I am glad you were able to attend the AMA show. I am sure that it was still an exciting experience nonetheless.
LikeLike
Mindy,
Thank You!!!
Much like you I am not defending nor excusing Adam’s behavior on the AMA’s. Bad behavior is just that…bad behavior!
We all have pasts, some are better than others! When we reach adult-hood, it’s time to let go of the negatives that may have surrounded us, and try to find new positives! Adam has been given a wonderful opportunity and I would hate to see him throw it away for the sake of not being able to let go of his past, and/or, maybe this is Adam!!! Maybe beneath all of that boy next door attitude on AI, this Adam was lurking, waiting for his chance. Adam knows he has the chops to pull off whatever, and maybe he thinks that he will have enough of a following to satisfy his desire to be this kind of performer. Maybe he doesn’t care about the conservative fans, maybe we were just a means to an end.
Either way, he has to make the choice! He is standing on the threshold, from here on, his moves will be calculated and direct. He will show us what his path will be, we may not like it. Hopefully, this was just bad judgement on his part, but I don’t think so. Adam plays a smart game, he did on idol, and he is now. He is taking a gamble, that the fans who “get” his crazy theatrics will follow now, the rest of us…??? If this is the route he is wanting to take, I’m sure he has his sights on the new fans that he hopes to gain from his performance the other night, and will gain new fans, there are enough people who like that kind of artist…but, that’s not for me!
So for now it’s a waiting game…what will he do next? I’m holding out hope that this was bad judgement and that from here on we will see the AI Adam, but I’m not holding my breath. I think this is the Adam we are stuck with!!! 😦
LikeLike
If you haven’t seen any of the videos for David’s first SLC holiday concert last night, MCL, you need to see! He sang with his mother on the duet. And he was just so brilliant on O Holy Night, What Child Is This, Silent Night. I’ve got tickets to a show in early December and I can’t wait. Link to someone’s channel who has a ton of vidoes:
http://www.youtube.com/user/YouCanCallMeTina
LikeLike
Well, Vonnie, you were wondering what Adam would do next…here’s his performance of “Whataya Want From Me” from the Early Show that aired this morning:
I enjoyed this performance and this side of Adam. I’ll probably remain a casual fan who’ll tune into these kind of performances but will stay away from the raunchier side.
LikeLike
Here’s a link about Adam’s interview on the Early Show this morning:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34146513/ns/entertainment-television/
He didn’t think he should apologize.
LikeLike
There is so much written here that I want to respond to. Oh to be able to remember how to use block quote, as it would make responding so much easier. No matter. As any of you that read my posts know, I’m always willing to add my two cents either way….
rickylee: First let me say, I did not watch any of Adam’s Pre-Idol performances, so whatever conclusions that I came to while Adam was on Idol were based solely on his Idol appearances. I can’t say with any certainty what was in Adam’s mind when he auditioned for Idol, and to be honest, neither can you. Can we surmise? Sure. But supposition is never a substitute for concrete fact. The only one who will ever really know why Adam auditioned for Idol is Adam. Personally, I would not and do not find the least bit of fault with Adam if he did audition in the hopes of advancing far enough in the competition just to gain some meaningful exposure. I don’t consider that a deceitful act at all, but rather a smart move in a rather brutish industry. And if he had an agenda, so be it. I tend to think we all have our own agenda to some degree. And certainly I think anyone who auditions for Idol has one. This is all I know, were it me with Adam’s vocal talent, if I did something like Idol, gaining meaningful exposure would be my primary reason for doing the show in the first place. Winning would be nice, but it would be secondary to any and all the exposure that I might garner from it, that’s for sure. I just can’t agree with your assertion that Adam was being deceitful and wanted to say so.
Vonnie: Certainly, there are double standards for women and men…..but I for one do not buy into the “how come it’s ok when so and so does it” defense. I don’t buy it when it comes from Adam Lambert or from anyone else, no matter who that someone else may be. To me, that’s a rather weak response, and indicative of one who really ISN’T sure (or confident in) why they did what they did. If you did something that others question, and are asked to explain why you did it, if you truly believe in what you did, you don’t have to shift the focus on anyone else and cite feeble excuses such as, “double standard.” You explain why you did it and let the chips fall where they may. And neither do I buy into this “it happened in the moment” defense of Adams’ either. That’s what happened in the moment when you were performing at the AMA, Adam? In the moment, while you were there to entertain us, glorified sexual expression was what popped into your head? This man must think we are a bunch of fools if he thinks we are going to believe that. Just come right out and tell us the truth, Adam. We will respect you MUCH more if you do that. But the thing that sticks most in my mind is that when he speaks of what he does, he considers himself a “performer.” Not an artist, not a musician, but a performer. And that is what I meant when I wrote that I wasn’t surprised by what Adam did because what he did coincides with his nature. His nature is to perform and to shock when he does it. We think of his voice as a gift from God, but it might just be that Adam considers his voice to be byproduct of what he does, and not the “main attraction.” Wouldn’t that be tragic?
Mindy: You saw what you saw when Adam was on Idol, and I saw what I saw. And since our opinions of what we saw are for the most part on opposite ends of the scale, some might ponder which of us is correct and which one of us is incorrect. And my response to that would be that we both are. I too heard the stellar voice that you did, that could amaze and quiet the harshest of critics into having to admit the true beauty of his gift; but in that voice I often heard screams and wails and exaggerations that to me were nothing more than mere indulgence. Unlike you, I never saw the innocent man exploring, testing, and trying to find himself that you did. What I saw was someone far more calculating than that. There were times, when posting here, that I wrote that I felt Adam was hiding something, that what he was saying and how he was responding was not supported by what his body language was telling me. I posted that I felt that he was not being “upfront” with his feelings, and that I felt he was almost “afraid” of his own feelings…..After his AMA performance, I remain more convinced then ever that I was right; that he was in fact working very hard to hide something, and the something that I could not accurately pinpoint then, was what I now believe more likely than not, to have been his anger. I could not agree with you more that there is a very high probability that Adam considers himself a victim, but what he fails to recognize is that the only thing he is victim of is his own anger and his insolent way of expressing it. What a terrible shame to be full of so much talent and to use it in such a scornful way.
And lastly to my friend Vonnie; whether or not you have made your point, or how you have expressed it, is not at all what matters to me, and probably isn’t at all important to anyone else here either. Believe it or not, I think that it is those who feel they aren’t expressing themselves very well who are actually the most effective in communicating what they feel. I believe that the greatest eloquence is rooted in simplicity, into not overstating your position, but stating it and leaving it at that. You, I believe, do that extremely well, and certainly much better than I. Please, do not ever sell yourself short, not to me, or anyone else, ok?
LikeLike
Note to Mindy: Sorry about the possible confusion of the “which of us is correct….incorrect” thought. I meant to end it that my response would be that neither of us is incorrect, but that we are both correct.
LikeLike
Skid…if I was standing beside you right now I would give you a great big hug, so here goes~~~HUG!!! Thank you!
I do agree with both skid and mindy, I know that is like talking out of both sides of my mouth at the same time. Both of you make valid points! I’m so confused!!!!
I have read some great reviews on Adam’s apperarance on CBS this morning!
Thank you Beth for the link to Adam’ appearance, I haven’t gotten to watch it yet…dial-up! I will have to try and watch when I have close to a decade to wait on it to download! Just kidding, I will try and watch it this afternnon…Thank you!
I hope everyone has a safe and delicious Thanksgiving!!!
LikeLike
UUMMM! Hold on for a minute…I need to take both of my feet out of my mouth…get a drink of water…to wash down my Dr. Scholls!!!
What I meant by talking out of both side of my mouth (around my feet), is that both of you have taken a different position on Adam. I love reading both of your points, because both make so much sense to me…I feel like that person who is sitting on the fence. I agree so much with you both…is that possible???
LikeLike
Vonnie,
No thanks required. And yes, you can agree with both of us. Mindy and I agree in several ways, I believe. We just have different ways of stating things. And in whatever ways we differ in our opinions, it’s only because we are viewing things from a different perspective, and not because one of us in wrong and the other is right. Or at least that’s the way I see it.
Does that help you to swallow those Dr. Scholls? 😉
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!
LikeLike
MCL,
Check out these two videos from David’s winter concert last nite! He was incredible!
LikeLike
Here’s the other video:
LikeLike
First, to whoever wondered why the diehard Adam fans weren’t here defending him: here I am. I don’t know that I’m going to defend him, but what I say may nevertheless be unexpected. I don’t know that I am the kind of diehard that you are referring to, but I as many AI singers as I have liked over the years, I thought that Adam was the only one to make it to the end who had the “it” factor, aside from Fantasia, but that’s another story. Adam, because of his experience, is in a different league than the very young Fantasia was.
Second, let me say that television is a dangerous medium, and reality shows make it even more dangerous. Read the various AI blogs, including this one, and it becomes clear that everyone who watches has an opinion about who the various singers are and, more importantly, should be; that is, what they should sing, how they should present themselves, etc. What is dangerous is that none of that is real. What I think Adam should sing or how he should sing it or how he should handle press interviews, etc., has nothing to do with Adam and, in fact, has nothing to do with what he should sing, how he should sing it, etc. If I start to believe that it does, I’ve moved into my own fantasy. Fantasies are fine, as long as we don’t confuse them with reality and start to criticize the reality of who Adam (or any other singer) is with because we would really prefer him to be someone else.
So we have the right to not like what he does? Criticize his choice to lay his sexuality out front and center? Not buy his albums? A resounding yes to all of the above. But to lay into him for “not making the most of his extraordinary talent” or “blowing his chance to be a major superstar” or “losing a lot of fans and consequently losing a lot of money”? (These aren’t actual quotes, just the sort of things people are saying in reaction to the AMAs.) Not really for us to say. Are they true? Well, perhaps they are, if you are looking at it from a particular vantage point. But the only vantage point that matters is Adam’s and, to some extent, those who stand to earn or lose a buck because they have signed him to a record deal, etc. Except that the people financing him are gambling, just as they are with any artist. If they misjudged the risks, that’s their problem, not his.
So the question is really: what is Adam’s vantage point? Does he want to make the most of his extraordinary talent in a mainstream way? Does he want to be a major superstar? Does he want to earn as much money as an entertainer possibly can?
Maybe he does. Maybe his experience in the limelight has really whetted his appetite for that. Maybe he got caught in the cocoon of AI and assumed that everyone in middle America would go along for the ride.
Or maybe he didn’t. Think back to what he said during AI: he entered the competition to open doors, not because he thought he would win (he thought he wouldn’t.) He also said that he knew he wasn’t everybody’s cup of tea, and that he had toned things down for the show.
All of which were, to me, clear indications that (pre-AI videos aside, with all due respect to whomever was saying “I told you so” on this website – I haven’t gone back to check the names) the post-Idol Adam, if he had his way, was not going to give anyone who is fond of masterclasslady.com what they were hoping for. Including me.
Would I like Adam to consistently sing the sort of music that like so that I can wear out my CDs? Of course. I also knew it would probably never happen. I just hoped that, over the course of his career, he would produce enough stuff that I would enjoy listening to. The stuff on this album seems very electronic to me, and not what my preference is, but it’s just one album. I believe there will be more, and Adam will reinvent himself many times over the course of his career, as many artists do. I’ll like some of them, and others I won’t.
I’ve been underwhelmed by the writing and production of popular music for the last decade or so. I hardly expected Adam to save it in his first album.
So that’s the music side of things. As to the AMAs?
On the one hand, I understand the people who say that overt gay sexuality on stage is different than overt lesbian sexuality or heterosexuality, and that the backlash is apt to be stronger and Adam is naïve for thinking that the double standard wouldn’t exist. On the other hand, it IS a double standard.
My take: I’m tired of over-sexuality in entertainment in general and, in particular, in singers. It took me until a year or so ago to reach a point where I can credibly argue why I think it is a mistake, and I won’t bore you with that argument. But I will stand (sort of) on Adam’s side here and say the double standard is a problem: that is, I’m no more thrilled with the women pop/rock singers who “push” the envelope by behaving as trashily and seductively as they possibly can. I’m tired of the Mariah Carey/Britney Spears (not that she can sing)/Christina Aguileras of the world who start off as the girl next door and at some point in their careers decide that they need to wear as little clothing as possible onstage and offstage in order to be successful. I’m tired of the message their behavior sends to our young men and women. I’m tired of performers – and non-performers – who feel the need to be in-your-face with their sexuality, as if they’ve discovered sexuality and none of the rest of us know about it, and who do so in the name of “freedom of speech” and/or “artistry.” And, even more, as if in-your-face sexuality is synonymous with artistry.
Before criticizing Adam, go back to Madonna and Courtney Love and all the Manhattan performance artists who perform in the nude in the name of artistry and see how they have all led us to where we are now.
However, I will defend to the death Adam’s right to take this stance, for two reasons:
First, real artists DO need to be true to themselves, or what they produce is unoriginal. Doesn’t mean they are going to appeal to a very large crowd, but them’s the breaks and that is their choice. And it may be Adam’s. For now. Check in on him twenty years from now. He may have a different take on it.
Second, I know that ultimately, God will use it (forgive me for getting religious here) for good, just as he does every other mistake we make. Perhaps it leads society to a discussion and perhaps a reevaluation of sex in entertainment. Or perhaps Adam is just a link in that chain, and the reevaluation happens a generation or two from now. Perhaps Adam reevaluates himself, and the impact is very personal rather than sweeping. Or perhaps God has something else in mind, as he usually does. Whatever it is, I was never going to go to Adam’s concerts anyway, because I’m not a concertgoer, so there’s nothing in his AMA performance that will change that.
LikeLike
Hey skid…yes, it does help with that Dr. Scholls…that foot powder gets a little hard to swallow!!! 🙂
I really enjoy reading both; yours and Mindy’s posts, they are great!
Hope you have a great Thanksgiving!
LikeLike
Happy Thanksgiving mindy!
LikeLike
Here is an interesting article with quotes and video from Adam’s appearance on The Early Show.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2009/11/adam-lambert-asks-and-answers-whataya-want-from-me-on-early-show.html
And an article about how Adam is on target for strong sales:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2009/11/the-adam-lambert-brouhaha-resulting-in-a-sales-winner.html
LikeLike
Just read an article that stated Adam and Nicole Kidmen were the best dressed on the Red Carpet for the AMA”s…see he could be such a classy artist, he’s absolutly gorgeous and he can dress very fashinably…!
But jeanne is right…we can’t impose our thoughts of what we think Adam should be he has that descision all on himself.
Rality Stinks!!! 🙂
LikeLike
OOOPPPSSS! REALITY STINKS! 🙂
LikeLike
Jeanne – you invested a great deal of thought and intelligence in your enlightening commentary and nothing more needs to be added. Everything – and I do mean everything -that you said I echo and applaud! Brava!
You know, today, I watched Adam on CBS. He sang his heart out and, in his own way, was trying to make amends for the AMA mess. He knows he didn’t sing well and he did admit this very fact. He also mentioned that he over-stepped his boundaries by adding sexually explicit movements that had not been cleared by ABC.
So, I don’t think he can do more than this and, now, has to move forward. I think he felt very empowered by his instant fame and, in a lightening flash, through his performance on ABC, saw that it could vanish in an instant because of careless and reckless decision-making on his part.
Thank you so much, once again, Jeanne.
LikeLike
skid,
Thank you for an extremely insightful reply to my earlier post. I happen to agree with a great deal of what you said. We may have seen two different Adams, but we are in complete agreement as to the whole AMA debacle.
I have found Adam’s response to the controversy to be both defensive and hostile. In his heart of hearts, he knows that the performance was a total and complete failure in both conception, execution and vocals. He also knows that it was dishonest. The producers of the show and ABC did not have any idea that it would be nearly as explicit as it was. It was the wrong performance in the wrong time and place. Adam’s complaints about a double standard and being censored, do not ring true to me. Even Lady Gaga had the sense not to go for the risque sexually explicit things she does in concert. She broke the glass to get to her piano and had it on fire. That was dramatic, but not offensive. No one, not Madonna, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry or Britney Spears, gets away with explicit sexuality on commercial primetime tv. Networks have to answer to the FCC, their sponsors and their audience. You can’t do whatever you feel like doing and Adam knows it.
When Britney and Madonna had their now infamous tv kiss, there was a huge controversy and outcry. I believe that they did it on MTV, which is not quite as staid as the networks. Both of them were established artists. But there was outrage. It’s not like nobody got upset and it’s only Adam’s man on man sexuality was subject to protest. But Britney and Madonna took a calculated risk. Adam is just starting out. He has yet to prove himself. What is especially unfortunate is that all anyone is talking about is the whole AMA controversy. No one is talking about Adam’s album, the music, the voice. That’s what it should be all about. I have no idea why Adam thinks he has to court controversy and be outrageous to be successful. He doesn’t need it.
I happen to think Adam should apologize, but I am not surprised that he has refused to do so. That’s his ego talking. All I can say is that his management team and pr people need to give Adam some tough love and get a handle on him. He doesn’t understand how to market himself. I saw the clip from his performance on the Early show and that’s more like it! Adam on stage singing without all that other nonsense. They also had his Mom come up on stage with him. Someone is doing major damage control. He needs all the help he can get right now.
Jeanne,
I am not imposing my will on Adam. I am not telling him who he should be. I am just saying that his performance at the AMA’s did not work on any level. It’s not going to help him sell his album. I don’t think Adam wants to fail. But it could all go away in a moment. If his album doesn’t sell, then his recording company may not give him another chance. He has to show that he can sell records. That’s what it’s about. Giving a national TV audience the finger is not the way to do it. His reasons for doing it were even more ridiculous. He said that he decided to do it on the spur of the moment to get back at the haters, the people who didn’t support him, who attacked him and also to get back at the editor of Out magazine. Someone please tell me how giving the finger to the audience is going to send that message. It’s totally absurd and makes absolutely no sense. Adam is just getting in his own way at this point.
It’s not about artistic integrity. You have to earn the right to have creative control over your music. You have to show that you can sell and be commercially viable. That’s how you get the power to do what you want. You don’t just decide that you are going to do whatever you want and the hell with the consequences. Adam’s recording company has made a huge investment and they want a return on that investment. I don’t think that they will just stand by and let Adam self-destruct. This grandiose idea that you get to do whatever you want, whenever you want, is simply not the way it is in the real world. There are going to be constraints on Adam and if he can’t handle it, then he should get out of the music industry. He doesn’t know nearly as much as he thinks he does.
I will always love Adam’s voice. That will never change. But I can’t just follow Adam blindly, unquestioningly. That’s not who I am. I have a mind, I question, I think, I make up my own mind. If Adam really does just want to be an outrageous over the top entertainer, then that’s not for me. It’s not about what I want, it’s about what I want to see and hear. I don’t think it’s some kind of horrible compromise for Adam to stand in front of a mic and sing a song as only he can. That’s not compromising anything. That’s owning your talent and your gift. If Idol was just a means to an end for Adam and he is determined to be way over the top, to insult and offend, to embrace vulgarity, then I choose to say no thanks.
LikeLike
Vonnie,
I just came back to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving!
I think I have exhausted my thoughts on the whole Adam brouhaha. He has made a step in the right direction with his performance on the Early Show. Hopefully, he will move forward having learned a lesson and be all the wiser for it. We should be talking about the album, the songs and that voice. He has the talent to survive something like this, but I can only hope that he will come to realize that there is nothing wrong with just standing on stage with a mic and singing your heart out. It’s the music and the vocals that will stand the test of time, not the theatrics.
On another note, there is a great story unfolding with the release of Susan Boyle’s debut album. I listened to the previews on itunes and it’s beautiful. It looks like she is going to have some amazing first week sales for her album. Go Susan!
LikeLike
Mindy, you’re absolutely right in terms of how Adam’s behavior will play commercially. Our capitalist society works in a certain way, and if you break the rules too much, there will be a price to pay. I’m completely on board with that. It’s fair and reasonable.
Not everyone wants to make those compromises, though, and those who don’t are willing to accept the “punishment” that Corporate America will hand out in order to live as they want to. Adam may be one of those. Or he may just be too new to his situation to understand where he can push the envelope and where he can’t. He also brings his own personal baggage to his work, as we all do, and it may sometimes be difficult to separate the two. I can’t begin to imagine what it is like to be a homosexual in our society, and if anger from that treatment spills into his behavior in inappropriate and ill-timed ways, I may regret his choices, but I can also appreciate what drives them.
I think it has to be extremely difficult to jump into the waters the AI stars do and swim successfully. Like the people who win millions in the lottery and have their lives destroyed. There is no way to prepare for it. I am amazed that more people don’t fail at it. Those that don’t probably just turn themselves over to savvy business managers and just try to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
We all go on this life journey and make plenty of poor choices. That is part of the human condition. Those in the limelight get a magnifying glass put on their poor choices, and are sometimes in a position to make poor choices that you and I aren’t faced with. The media being what it is these days, some people pay very steep prices for relatively minor “offenses” — including people who have been in and around the media for years and, you’d think, would know better. But America is ultimately a very forgiving (and forgetful) country, and many “stars” have managed to resurrect their careers somewhere down the road. America loves to trash those who break the rules, but we also love a good resurrection story. Can anyone say, “Mickey Rourke?”
Is Adam’s ego working overtime right now? Absolutely. But our egos tend to drive everything we all do — and most especially when we think we’ve got our egos in check. Clever things, egos are.
I have to disagree with your statement that Adam’s AMA performance didn’t work on any level (and I didn’t see the AMAs), for this reason: some people liked it. They may be in the minority, but they liked it. So it worked on their level. Disagree with their taste, if you like, but it is their taste, and they are entitled to it, just as you are to yours.
I’m not trying to say that everything is relative. It isn’t. I am a staunch Catholic, and relativism doesn’t go with Christianity. Being Christian is difficult to do, however, because neither relativism nor being judgmental works. Love is a lot harder than it sounds.
I’m inclined to look at this as one incident in his life, to hope that he learns something from it — whatever that may be — and that he goes on to have a career that he finds fulfilling, whether it is one I enjoy or not. Does he have a special gift? Yes, he does. But he needs to figure out how he wants to use it. And figuring that out may include a wrong turn or two.
I remember seeing a Bonnie Raitt/John Raitt special on tv some years ago. They sang a song or two from musical theater, and Bonnie sang them straight, without the husky growl. Now I love Bonnie Raitt’s music — but I suddenly heard what a beautiful natural instrument she has, courtesy of her father, and I felt a pang for what was lost — that she had opted to use her gift in a different way, and that I wouldn’t have the chance to hear it in its purity again.
I think many people have talents that they do not take advantage of. Some people have too many talents to be able to use them all. And some people, like Bonnie Raitt and Adam Lambert, have a talent that can be used in a number of ways, and they can only choose one. What way they choose is bound up in who they are as individuals, and we can only trust that they choose the one that is best for them, not necessarily the best for the rest of us.
It has always seemed to me that “entertainment” and “showmanship” mean more to Adam than singing does. Maybe I’m wrong.
I also think it is way too early to say that Adam has ruined his career and risks being dropped by a record label. The bottom line in corporate America is: the bottom line. If he sells enough albums, tickets, etc., to make someone some money, there will be someone there to help him do it — whether it is distasteful to them or not.
LikeLike
Masterclasslady, I didn’t see The Early Show, either, but I would like to think that your take on what happened and his response to it is right. And yes, all he can do is move forward. Let’s hope that it will be a good learning experience for him!
Happy Thanksgiving, all!
LikeLike
Not everyone has the same taste Masterclasslady as I don’t share your love for classical music. I find it boring and old fashioned.
LikeLike
Also just because I don’t like the classical style of music that is not to say that I don’t agree with the classical ‘technique’. I believe that classical technique is the only technique that frees up the voice allowing it to have the full free, powerful permeating quality that it is capable of. Smiling while singing, pushing from the throat, and things of that nature restricts the voice preventing it from reaching it’s full potential freedom and emotional impact. Yes, I believe that emotion comes from the singer having a good technique.
LikeLike
I’m going to be brief because I’m not trying to change anyone’s opinions, and I don’t want to start a disagreement. But, it was pointed out that there are no supporters here of Adam’s AMA performance, and that’s simply not true. Bluntly, his vocals were bad, but it appears even he knows this. However, I found the performance amazing and refreshing. It was raunchy (which I have no problem with), fun, and tongue-in-cheek. I like when performers play up and own their sexuality; to me it’s liberating and empowering, but mostly it’s entertaining. I understand this form of entertainment isn’t for everyone, but there are plenty of us around who do enjoy it and not because it’s sensational or “shocking” or rebellious but because it expresses the paradox of thrusting something that’s taboo yet human nature into the public eye. I enjoy all types of performances from the sedate soloist with just a mic and an instrument to the full out spectacle, but I must say the spectacle is my favorite.
LikeLike
Jeanne,
You make a lot of great points in your latest post. I actually happen to agree with much of what you said. Maybe I am finally seeing the real Adam. I think this has been coming for some months now. It all started with that Rolling Stone article. I remember thinking – WAY too much information, Adam! Since then, he has continued to court controversy and give more signals as to the type of artist he wishes to be. I think you are right on when you say that entertainment and showmanship are the most important things to Adam. Maybe it’s not all about the voice for Adam. That would be a real shame, but it’s his career and his decision as to who he wants to be. Adam likes being outrageous and making people uncomfortable. The AMA performance was kind of the last straw for me. It’s been coming on for quite some time. But I am just now facing the fact that Adam is not someone that I can support. I have lost that special connection I had with him during Idol.
I did want to clarify a few things. First, I did not say that Adam WILL have it all taken away. I said that it COULD all go away in a moment, IF he is not successful commercially. I don’t see Adam as someone who wants to be martyr to his art. I see him as extremely ambitious and determined to succeed in the music business. I wish him well on his journey. While I may not be a part of it, I have no bad feelings towards him. But the last few days have made me realize that for me, the magic is gone.
I listened to Adam’s performances of Whataya Want From Me and Music Again on the Early show. Adam was in great voice and came across very well. It was the perfect way to move on from all of the controversy of his AMA performance. But the shocking thing for me is that I didn’t feel any connection to him at all. I read some comments on mjsbigblog and a few people said that they don’t feel Adam when he’s singing. I heard this a lot when he was on Idol and it infuriated me. But now, shockingly, I feel exactly the same way. I don’t feel it or believe it when he sings. I think this has been coming on for some months now. It’s true that Adam has told all of us what kind of artist he wants to be. Maybe now I am finally really hearing him.
I watched the five part interview with Slezak on ew.com. Adam was trying to have it both ways. On the one hand, he said he “owned” his performance on the AMA’s, took responsibility for it and the awful vocals. Then, in the next breath, he backed away from that, taking about other risque performances on the show and saying that there were sound issues that compromised his vocals. He had a message for those who were shocked at his album, saying that they should have gotten the message when they saw the cover and listened to his vision. Well Adam, I have gotten the message loud and clear. It’s true that there are some who liked his performance at the AMA’s. I can only speak for myself. FOR ME, it didn’t work on any level. I am not saying that’s true for everyone else. I think Adam is being disingenuous when he says that the sexually explicit parts weren’t planned. If he revealed it in the rehearsal, the producers would have shut it down then and there. He can’t come out now and say that it was planned publicly, because that would mean that he deliberately deceived the producers and ABC. So he falls back on this whole idea of him getting carried away in the moment. I have a really good bs detector and that just doesn’t cut it with me. But it is what it is.
Adam has been telling us who he is as an artist for some months now. That might be why I was so nervous about his album. Having listened to all of the songs, I can say that there is a lot of good material. There are a number of songs that I really like. But I have yet to download it. I don’t know that I ever will. I am not closing the door forever. But for now, I am just going to have to let Adam go. When I listen to him, I don’t even like him anymore. It’s not easy to say any of this. I wish it wasn’t so. I think his album is going to do well. I wish him good luck. But I can’t be a part of it. I can’t be dishonest with myself. There may well be a performance from Adam that will once again mesmerize and thrill me. He may well evolve as an artist. But a male version of Madonna, Lady Gaga, and Katy Perry is not my thing.
The success of Susan Boyle is a reminder that one doesn’t have to be shocking for the sake of it. To see a middle aged woman realize her dream of becoming a singer, has renewed my faith. Her debut album is set to blow everyone else away, Adam included. That means that there are a lot of people out there who realy do want to hear the human voice in all its majestic splendor. This simple, unassuming woman has captured the imagination of millions. In her quiet and dignified way, just standing in the spotlight with a mic singing her heart out as only she can, has reminded us of the power of a great voice. All the gimmicks, all the flourishes, all the vulgarity, seem to pale before the image of a woman who has triumphed against the odds and managed to succeed beyond her own wildest dreams.
Susan Boyle, thank you for making me remember just how special it can be.
LikeLike
MCL, I am sorry I didn’t come by much sooner. I am unable to read all the comments tonight, but I must tell you that I agree 100% with your article.
Right from the beginning, I didn’t like the tone being set with Janet Jackson grabbling her crotch and wearing those God-awful pants. Here is one of the most talented women in the music business and she has to resort to this?
This definitely wasn’t the show to enjoy watching with your children.
Adam’s performance was a major disappointment! It was a mesh mash of flaws too large to ignore. But then again, he didn’t want us to ignore him, did he? All the gestures, dance moves, and fall seem out of sync. Oh, but then there was his voice. Where was it?
I wanted Adam to do a terrific job. That night he didn’t. Now, I thought he did a wonderful job on the Early Show, but I was not pleased at what I was hearing in his interview.
It seems most agree that Kelly Clarkson gave a wonderful performance. We also know this girl can rock the house. Kelly has class!
It saddens me that music has gone in this direction. I hope it isn’t permanent.
(It is good to see some old friends returning “home” again.)
LikeLike
It seems this discussion is closed. That’s what I get for not being able to get here sooner! Adam’s AMA performance has been discussed on a variety of political Forums, and I found something interesting. I won’t express my feelings because I am just not sure.
The comment was in reference to Adam’s fans comparing him to Elvis Presley. For what it’s worth…
LikeLike
Kariann1,
I’m not quite sure what historical context has to do with it. First, it isn’t absent, that would be impossible. Second, it is simply different. You could maybe make an argument for comparing contemporaries, but even that doesn’t work, because they are each different people and thank goodness they aren’t the same, because otherwise, what would be the point? Third, take Elvis and Hitler out of their historical context — does it change how you feel about them? Does genocide become more acceptable 60 years later? I would certainly hope not. Do I turn Elvis off when I hear him on the radio, because he is from a different era? Of course not, and while I haven’t made a study of it, I am willing to guess that a 20 or 15 year old hearing Elvis for the first time won’t necessarily yawn. In both instances, they transcend their time and historical context.
We compare people to others we know because it is how the human brain works. We compare unknown things to known things in an effort to understand them. Ultimately, I think we realize that nothing is identical or even very close; but the comparison helps us to communicate to others how we feel. Comparing Adam to Elvis doesn’t mean anything other than that the people who are making the comparison are moved in a similar way to how they were moved by Elvis, or else how they imagine Elvis moved his fans during his lifetime. And while everyone may not agree with that statement, it says something valid.
To take the comparison more literally, as the person who wrote your quote apparently has done, isn’t really appropriate. It probably would have been better for the Adam fans to say something along the lines of, “Adam has the ingredients to potentially be Elvis-like.” Which is probably at least partly true, although it will take many years to determine how valid a comment it really is. But on the other hand, does anyone really expect anyone to ever come along who will seriously compete with Elvis in terms of how we feel about him? Or with Marilyn Monroe? Of course not. I don’t hear anyone comparing Michael Jackson with Elvis, although he is probably as close as you can get (superstars in their own eras, “kings”, tragic early deaths, devoted fans, peculiar private lives in their later years, etc.), but their differences are more striking than their similarities.
The quote is a provocative statement and worth considering; but ultimately, I don’t think it stands scrutiny particularly well.
LikeLike
Mindy,
I just wanted to say that even if we disagree on some things sometimes, I think we probably have more in common than separates us. I think alot of you and what you add to this forum. Yours is one of the names I look forward to seeing, because I want to know what you think.
The other thing is that your reaction to Adam — both during Idol and post-Idol — probably says less about him and more about you (and I’m not trying to throw anything back at you — I have discovered that my opinions are more about me than about others, which quite honestly can be both embarrassing and humbling, I am sorry to say!) What it says about you is something that only you can really know, but it’s a great opportunity, if you choose to take it, to learn something about yourself.
I feel for your disillusionment in this case and also, to some extent, with your current disconnect. In some ways, being an AI fan is druglike, and things can change dramatically once you get out of “the fold” and into reality. . . Anyway, I’m sorry for the loss you feel . . .
LikeLike
Jeanne,
Thanks for your wonderful response. I consider myself an introspective person and one who is unafraid to look inside myself when necessary. Maybe it is I who have changed. Maybe I wanted Adam to be the person I needed him to be. It’s easy to idealize someone you have never seen before. I may have ascribed certainly qualities to Adam that he never had. I am willing to explore my complete change in attitude towards Adam. It may well prove to be enlightening.
All I know for now is that when I hear Adam’s interviews, I cannot relate in any way. This has not come about suddenly. It’s been a process that has gone on for some months now. I am one who did compare Adam to Elvis and Freddie Mercury, but I am backing away from that now. Here I am criticizing Adam for not earning it, but if I put him in the same category as Elvis, then I am guilty of doing the exact same thing. Adam is Adam and Elvis is Elvis. There will never be another Elvis. The best I can do is listen to his timeless recordings and celebrate the time he was on this earth enthralling us with his performances. The same goes for Freddie Mercury. I have always had such an intense sense of loss about Freddie. I miss him even now. But Adam is Adam and Freddie is Freddie. They are not, and never have been, the same.
It is quite true that once you are no longer under that unreal AI spell, people you thought you loved can appear so different. I guess it’s not so much Adam who has changed, but now I am seeing him with eyes wide open. I loved his voice and maybe that made me think of him as someone other than who he really was. I can be blinded by a great voice. I can be blinded by passion and fervor. In the clear and cold light of day, Adam is not someone I admire. His artistic vision and goals are not something that I can embrace.
I don’t know that I am disillusioned, but more like being enlightened. I have made it a point to listen to a good many interviews Adam has given in recent months. I found myself becoming increasingly alienated, underwhelmed, confused and distant. I didn’t like the title of Adam’s album, hated the cover, disliked his single FYE and the whole concept seemed artificial and forced. His performance at the AMA’s only reinforced all those feelings. Adam told Slezak in his EW.com interview, that he was merely interpreting the suggestive lyrics of FYE. His performance is informed by the lyrics of each song. But if you check out a clip of his new video for FYE, on mjsbigblog, then you will see a very different performance than the one he gave at the AMA’s. In that video, there was a lot of titillation, suggestion, intimations of s&m, sexuality, but never explicit. The choreography was tighter, everything seemed to work as a concept. So there is another way to visually perform and interpret that song. That’s why I don’t buy Adam’s rationalization for his AMA performance.
Madonna never played the victim card when she was outrageous and controversial. She even took on the Catholic church. But she didn’t cry about it afterward, point at other people and say – look at them, they are doing the same thing, or back off in the slightest. I am not a fan of Madonna’s, but I respect the fact that she did what she did and made no apologies for it. The idea that there is somehow a double standard and women are getting away with things that a gay man like Adam can’t, also touched a raw nerve in me. Like women have been able to get away with things in society! Adam is not the only one to ever experience discrimination. African Americans and women have felt the sting of being treated by lesser beings.
It would be nice if Adam could get outside of himself and see further than his own needs and wants. But I am not sure that will happen. For now, what I have learned about myself is that I have to realize that what I see on AI is not necessarily reality. I don’t know any of the contestants personally and might well exercise a little caution before I jump on board with someone I barely know. I also learned that I should temper my enthusiasm and not think that someone is the next iconic musical figure just because I like their voice.
In some ways this revelation gives me a sense of freedom. I have been trying to explain away all the things Adam has said and done since Idol and it was wearing me out. Now I don’t have to do that. Sometimes the illusion of Idol is real. I still love and adore David Archuleta. He really was exactly what we saw on that show – a young man just beginning to find the true beauty and power of his voice. He has matured so much in the last two years and become a much more confident performer. His vocals have only gotten better. He has stayed true to who he is. David wasn’t an illusion. He was the real thing. I could not be more proud of him. He may not ever be as commercially successful as others, but he will still have the hearts of his fans.
LikeLike
As a non-American I find it amazing the outcry that Adam’s performance has elicited in the US media and on sites like this. My personal feeling is that, yes, he was trying too hard to push the envelope, and it was way over-choreogrpahed which I would suggest largely contributed to his poor vocal. But was I surprised? Not at all. This was an extension of who we saw on AI, but one that no longer felt he had to play safe for mid-western frauen. Good on him for challenging and pushing. Did he get it exactly right? No, but may he continue to challenge and push.
LikeLike
kariann 1…HI!!!
LikeLike
Mindy said: “You can’t do whatever you feel like doing and Adam knows it.”
I love this statement, Mindy and do so for a couple of reasons. Number One, it’s true. And not only did he know it at the time, he has known it, for some time now. Someone with his previous experience knows what is acceptable in one “venue” may not be as acceptable in another venue, and certainly Adam Lambert, who in the past has taken part in some rather “risky” performances, knows which “venue” is which. And for him to have somehow have gone from “I don’t think I need to apologize” on Monday to “I sang poorly and overstepped my bounds” on Wednesday seems very disingenuous to me.
This is truly the way I feel. The only person who has to get over Adam Lambert being gay is Adam Lambert. He’s the one who seems the most bothered by it and certainly the he most angry because of it, not the rest of us. To me, it seems like the rest of us simply don’t care. All most of us want is just want to hear that beautiful voice in all its heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual glory, just like we did with someone else you have mentioned, the late, great, Freddie Mercury. Who didn’t know, or at the very leasrt suspect, that Freddie was bisexual or gay? And who cared? We just wanted to hear him sing. And sing he did. Who can forget, despite being ill with Aids, his appearance at the Barcelona Olympics and his stunning duet with Montserrat Cabelle’? Was Freddy angry? Did Freddy feel sorry for himself at the one time when it would have been VERY easy, and even UNDERSTANDABLE, for him to do so? Did he let his personal life; the life which he chose, interfere with his professional life? No, he did not. He blessed us with that beautiful voice of his for as long as he could. And it is what Freddie did do, in spite of what he could have allowed himself to do, that makes you realize what a class act the man, Freddie Mercury, really was. Thanks for mentioning him Mindy, and also for mentioning Elvis. I won’t go into what Elvis has contributed to music, only to say that I have never, and most probably will never, feel that whatever Adam Lambert may contribute to music, it will possibly even begin to scratch the surface or come close to what Elvis contributed.
I say to anyone, not just Adam Lambert, leave the sexual exploitation where it belongs, in the privacy of your own home and your own life. If doing that, sexual exploitation, means someone is being true to themselves as an artist, Jeanne, then you need to explain the difference to me between artistry and exhibitionism, because I am confused to say the least. Truthfully though, I don’t believe that I am. If Adam really does want to help whatever discrimination there is toward gays or lesbians, if he really does want others to “understand” and “accept,” then maybe he should learn how to do so in a productive way and not an offensive one. His AMA “act” to me was just that, an act. Where was the artistry? To me, it was an act of an angry man who took drastic measures, and not a confident man who took artistic ones. It doesn’t take much intestinal fortitude to do what Adam did. Not much at all. What it does take is integrity NOT to do it when that is the one thing you most want to do.
Sorry, but I neither believe him nor give him the benefit of the doubt when he now wants to allude that his antics may not have been, perhaps, the best thing to do. He’s been performing far too long to not have known before he did it that what he was about to was wrong, and on many levels. But use this scam he will, and buy it, people will. And that’s exactly what Adam is counting on.
“The creation of art is not the fulfillment of a need but the creation of a need. The world never needed Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony until he created it. Now we could not live without it” Louis I Kahn
LikeLike
skid,
“The creation of art is not the fulfillment of a need but the creation of a need. The world never needed Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony until he created it. Now we could not live without it” Louis I Kahn
Love that!!!
LikeLike
Mindy –
This. Quoted for truth.
I had a very similar experience with another past contestant. During the show, I really was a genuine fan of her; she was the first contestant I felt compelled to repeatedly vote for.
My “enlightenment” was of a different kind, though, in the sense that once the dust cleared, I realized that her vocals were not all I had envisioned them to be. I hear her voice very differently now. Back then, I had been so blinded by this belief that she was a great vocalist and the passion of those around me that I didn’t hear her vocal deficiencies. Now, I notice a lot of the flaws that I had brushed aside, and I find some of her mannerisms grating. And I’m sad to say that I don’t enjoy her voice in the same way (although she’s still a lovely girl, and I wish her well).
Her voice didn’t change, but how I heard it did. Learning more vocal knowledge has been interesting—seeing which acts hold up under the light of scrutiny. And one of the amazing things is just realizing how the singers I came to like on my own—without the influence of others— the acts I liked as child, for example, I still like now.
When the first season of American Idol aired, I was 12, and I liked Kelly Clarkson because she was pretty and down-to-earth, and her life story was the classic rags-to-riches Cinderella fairytale, but most of all, because she had this big glorious voice. And I knew nothing about vocal technique or any of that back then, but I knew her voice was stunning and resonated emotionally with me in a way that no other voice had. Her voice really cast this spell over me (and inspired me to learn how to sing myself!). And now, seven years later, she’s still my favorite singer, and my knowledge of vocal technique validates what my twelve-year-old self already knew and was drawn to. Kelly is a fantastic singer and a wonderful human being. How I feel about her mirrors how you feel about David Archuleta, it seems. Kelly really is exactly what we saw on the show, and she has stayed true to herself. In her words, “I’m still the same dork that says DUCKA DUCKA DUCKA and SCORE, and I pray to God he doesn’t change that.”
I’m really thankful for artists like Kelly and David for inspiring their fans.
LikeLike
I have exhausted myself worrying and fretting over Adam’s AMA…thing! I have come to a conclusion! I will not worry and fret anymore…!!!
Adam made what I think and others have expressed; a conscience choice. As I said previously, Adam is smart, he plays a smart game. His apologies now seem a little…MMmmmm! Off, to me!
Sometimes we say and do things that others do not approve of; if we are being true to ourselves then we need not always worry what others may think. If Adam was in fact being true to his-self, then he shouldn’t feel the need to apologize. If he was just feeling a little more than full of himself and is a little embarrassed in the morning, then yes, by all means, apologize away. Just don’t insult me with the I said it, I did it, but I didn’t mean to garbage. If you said it or you did it, take ownership of it. Either be proud of your work or humbled.
Adam is saying that we will see another side of him from now on; he is making Whatya want form me his new single….did he get scared of the fall-out? Has his PR jumped in? OR is he trying to wiggle out of the beginnings of a bad reputation? Say what you will about his performance not causing a back-lash on his reputation, if he is already back-peddling this quickly, he has already felt the tidal waves.
MCL, I also would like to comment on an earlier post from you:
“Not a word from the true blue Adam fans, although many of us, before this performance, were very supportive of his vocal gift.”
I consider myself a true blue Adam fan, have since auditions. Now? I will wait and see, maybe he will turns this around and make it work! For me to continue to be a fan and support his work, he’s going to have to change from that AMA… thing!
LikeLike
Jeanne, I found your response to the quote quite interesting, but I looked at it in a different way.
The historical context is in reference to what is going on in society. The 1950’s era was not sexually open and most of the music (other than Jazz and the Blues) was rather pleasant. When Elvis came onto the scene, he was recognized as a first. Some may argue that Little Richard was first, but in many ways his music was forbidden to U.S. teens. Elvis broke open barriers in rock and roll music.
Adam Lambert is not a first in this era of music. We have seen versions of him, perhaps in an even better form. I think the writer looked at the context of the man and the degree of shock value. Elvis changed society and its views of subtle (and not so subtle) sexuality in musical performance.
I did ask the poster for further explanation.
For myself, I can not place Adam in the shadows of Elvis. However, I would like to see if his career achieves the same success as David Bowie and Elton John.
In the later 60’s there was a singer who some felt would inherit the crown as the new, “King of Rock and Roll.” He had a terrific voice and was good looking. As it turned out, his career took a different turn. This is what was written about Neil Diamond!
Mindy, it is easy for me to back away from Adam because I was neither an Adam or a Kris supporter. Strange, I was embarassed for Adam and for ‘American idol’. Because I am such an avid fan of the show, I want its Idols to succeed. I believe I have been under that unreal AI spell you speak of. What else can explain my pride in Kelly Clarkson’s performance? ;o)
I feel as you do about many of Adam’s interviews. The comment that angered me was, “I am not a babysitter. I am a performer.” It irks me when an athlete, movie star, or performer states, “I am not your kid’s role model.” Perhaps they believe this is true, but many teens look at these guys and gals as just that. They want to emulate them. Adam’s response was so preplanned.
Skid, what a fine analysis of Freddie Mercury. Also, I love your last quote! Perfect.
Vonnie, so good to “see” you again! I have always felt we have similar views towards music and artists. I do believe Adam is talented; however, I don’t want my Grandson to see him perform on TV or in video. I have no intention of buying his CD, so my outrage is limited to what I have seen. I did not see any pre-Idol performances, so put me in the group that was shocked.
MCL, there is always terrific discussions going on here. I hope all is well with you and your family! My daughters are taking me to see JERSEY BOYS later this month. I grew up with their music.
LikeLike
I just find it repelling that you guys are judging his character based on a one-off on stage performance. Just because he’s a little eccentric and doesn’t fit into your goodie-two-shoes standards you can spew so much hatred and moral high handedness. If you’ve watched his interviews across the months you’ll see what a sweet person he actually is. He’s helped to raise $270K in donations for kids around America, he champions for people’s individualities and artistic freedom. Sorry about your sheltered lives.
LikeLike
T,
My opinion of Adam has nothing to do with feeling like a goodie-two-shoes or having lived a sheltered life…my argument with Adam is, when I allow my child to stay up to watch the debut of OUR favorite idol and then sit with my child and watch what he called a performance. Try looking your child in the face and explaining that one!
That’s my argument with Adam…Adam does seem like a wonderful person, but how do I know, I don’t know him personally, only what he chooses for me to see in his interviews and on AI. Please admit, the Adam that was on AI and on tour was not the same Adam that I watched on the AMA’s!!!
LikeLike
kariann 1…Glad to “see” you too! I didn’t see any of Adams pre-idol stuff either! Wish I would have though, maybe I too wouldn’t feel so shocked!
LikeLike
Vonnie. Next time Tivo it. ABC was touting the performance as something controversial and shocking in their advertisements prior. As a parent you should take the time to check out the content of the show before you allow your child to watch it when it’s at 11PM. There were tons of sexual and violent elements in the performances before his. You should have paid attention. I’m sorry but there’s no excuse for your ignorance and lack of parental responsibility. Don’t blame the artist.
LikeLike
kariann 1, mindy, skid, MCL; it’s been fun…farewell!
LikeLike
T,
My child is 17 years old not exzctly the toddler age!
LikeLike
T wrote: I just find it repelling that you guys are judging his character based on a one-off on stage performance. Just because he’s a little eccentric and doesn’t fit into your goodie-two-shoes standards you can spew so much hatred and moral high handedness. If you’ve watched his interviews across the months you’ll see what a sweet person he actually is. He’s helped to raise $270K in donations for kids around America, he champions for people’s individualities and artistic freedom. Sorry about your sheltered lives.
T: How is it that you can you possibly determine who or what it is that anyone here hates? Do you have so much insight into our personal thoughts and feelings that you are able to ascertain whether or not we hate something? This is a joke, right?
Adam’s desire to be part of the entertainment industry, and his desire to be in the limelight expose him to whatever may follow, whether what follows turns out to be praise for what he does or criticism for what he does. That’s the way it is, period. Disagree with what people feel all you want, and in your discontent, respond vehemently or in whatever way you choose. But don’t think for one minute think that your feeling of “repulsion” is so superior to anything that anyone else might feel that it entitles you to accuse them of hatred of any kind.
I don’t have any problem letting anyone know what I feel or why, so don’t assume I need you to tell anyone for me. I don’t. If the time ever comes that I do need your help, I’ll let you know.
LikeLike
In T’s defense, we all have limited information about Adam, and I certainly hope that people don’t make judgments about me based on one stupid thing I’ve done, although unfortunately, they sometimes do. And I probably do the same, which doesn’t say much for either me or them. And so we may do the same with Adam, who is clearly more than just his performance on the AMAs. On the other hand, skid does have a point, T; we ought to be able to discuss specific incidents without assuming that they capture our feelings about the artists as a whole.
If you go back and read my earlier comment, skid, I think you’ll see that I wasn’t trying to justify Adam’s use of sex in his performance; on the contrary, I said I find it distasteful and inappropriate and mostly besides the point no matter the sex or sexual orientation of the performer in question. What I DID say is that I will nevertheless defend his right to do whatever HE feels is part of his artistry, whether I feel he makes appropriate choices or not.
When I was in my twenties, I thought my sexual appeal was a lot more important than I realized, years later, it actually was. (Thank goodness I realized it — I know people in their 60s and 70s who still haven’t!) So while I disagree with Adam’s choice, I also understand that it is a function of who he is and where he is in his development as a person. I’ve been awfully slow to learn some things about life, which makes me feel like I have to be tolerant of where other people are in terms of their walk through life. Some people learn things faster than others, and those of us who have learned some of life lessons have to cut some slack to those who haven’t yet, whether they are our age and behind the curve, or, as is the case with Adam and me, when one is considerably younger than the other. I can’t expect a 20-something to have learned all the things I have at the age of 50. But I trust that he will, in the time frame that he is supposed to. And because I trust that he will, I can let him make whatever mistakes he needs to to get there. God will find a way to use his mistakes; heaven 🙂 knows I won’t!
LikeLike
skid,
Thanks for your reply. As you can see, I have no problem acknowledging my change of heart regarding Adam. It has been a process and an enlightening one at that. It is NOT just about the AMA’s. I said it before, but it bears repeating. It has been coming on for a while, maybe I was fighting it, maybe I didn’t want to accept it, but now I have.
When I realize that I have been wrong or have changed my mind, I have no problem admitting it. That’s how I have become the person I am now. I also loved your beautiful words about Freddie. I was actually going to come back here and speak in greater detail about him, but you have done it so very well. I will never get over his loss. That performance you spoke about in Barcelona with Monserrat Caballe, moved me more than words can ever say. To see Freddie transition to his real love, opera, was a joy. I have downloaded a number of his duets with Caballe and they are treasures. Freddie was the consummate singer and artist, so intelligent and savvy about what he did on stage! Always in command, charismatic beyond measure and absolutely mesermizing. You could not take your eyes off him for a second.
I saw a documentary about Freddie and there were some revealing interviews. He was gay, but never came out publicly. That was the way he wanted it. I am sure that many did believe he was gay, but he kept his privacy. That was his decision. The day before he died, he finally gave an interview revealing that he did have AIDS, as many suspected and said he was gay. He has been criticized for some for not coming out sooner. It really doesn’t matter in the end. The real Freddie was so much different from the performer Freddie. I was amazed at how thoughtful, sensitive, witty, charming and brilliant he was in those rare interviews. The man was a genius, never to be equalled or replaced.
skid, I know that I was wrong to put Adam in the category of Elvis. That is another lesson learned. I was too young to know the Elvis of the 1950’s, but I discovered him when I was older. It was quite a revelation. I know about his comeback concert in 1968. Elvis was such a smart artist. There he was, in that black leather outfit, with some girls around him and just a place to sit and sing. He knew that he didn’t need artifice, frills, gimmicks or sexually explicit acts. Elvis WAS sex when he performed. I don’t know if Adam will ever learn that. There will never be another like him again. I never meant to disrespect him at all. I just got carried away, as I am wont to do at times.
I think Adam’s post AMA interviews have angered me even more than the performance. He should have been open and honest with everyone. Instead he relied on manipulation, playing the victim card, even using the discrimination against gays card. He played them all. All he had to do is stand up and say, I made a mistake. Period. End of story. It appears from his latest comments that he finally got the message. I think his pr and management people may be stepping in to give him some much needed advice and direction. It didn’t take a genius to know that FYE was a crappy song. Whataya Want From Me should have been his first single. Now they are marketing the song as such. Adam is now promising his fans that they will see the “real Adam”. But does he know who that is?
Jeanne,
I agree that Adam is young and entitled to make mistakes. I remember my 20’s and nobody could tell me what to do. I had to learn the hard way. In Adam’s case he is doing it in public. I am sure he will develop as an artist and learn more about who he wants to be. I wish him well on that journey.
T,
I was truly offended by the tone and tenor of your comments. You are not in a position to accuse people who you do not know, of spewing hatred. I am far from a goody two-shoes. But I do not feel the need to defend my feelings and opinions about Adam’s AMA performance to someone like yourself. You are judging people that you do not know. You are characterizing us in a manner that does not reflect who we really are. One thing we try NOT to do here is personally insult those who post on this site. Maybe you should take the time to get to know us before you condemn us.
Kariann,
I agree with your comment about being most offended by Adam’s remark that he is a performer and not a babysitter. It’s that kind of callous arrogance that has gotten him into this mess. He was insulting every parent who let their child watch him. Instead of taking responsiblity for an inappropriate performance for this venue, Adam conveniently shifted the burden to the parents. In other words, parents should have taped the performance to screen it in advance. You do not expect to see graphic, sexually explicit acts on primetime commercial network tv. But the producers and ABC had no idea that Adam was going to take advantage of the generous opportunity that was afforded him.
I do truly hope that Adam is able to learn from this particular mistake. It can only help him as he moves forward in his career.
LikeLike
T,
There are about 3-4 of us who have been with MasterClass Lady from the beginning. Her blog allows much freedom of expression. For this reason, we feel ‘safe’ posting our feelings here. We also know that direct attacks on a participant is frowned upon. I hope you will please keep this in mind for future posts.
Vonnie, I don’t have TIVO, nor can I view YouTube. It limits me to the knowledge I can obtain. Please don’t stay away too long!
Jeanne, I love how you write and your analysis of Adam. His interview with Ellen does seem to reflect some regret. I tend to believe management has been directing him towards a more presentable approach. I am not sure if he is sincere.
Now, I am trying to come to terms with my feelings about Adam. I could watch and hear him perform all day. He is so talented and doesn’t need to be OTT to sell albums. He is such nice looking man, has a beautiful voice, and I love how he dresses. I just haven’t warmed up to his recent interviews.
I think you are right about lessons needed to be learned. Barry Manilow had it right tonight when he said he wanted to see Adam get up there with a mic and some nice lighting and just sing. Barry feels Adam has a beautiful voice and didn’t need all that was presented.
LikeLike
JOY BEHAR SHOW on HLN Cable Television (Transcript)
MANILOW: I don’t think so. What is that about?
BEHAR: It’s about politics, think. Anyway let’s talk about the world of music. Adam Lambert, you know this kid right? You worked on — you mentored some of them over there. Was he one of your students?
MANILOW: No, that was another year. I didn’t work with him that year.
BEHAR: Well he got into a hot water jam recently because he you know. You saw the video?
MANILOW: I did.
BEHAR: You saw his performance on the American Music Awards and he actually acted very crazy in that is n a certain way. He had a guy’s head in his crotch; had someone on a leash, which could be amusing, I guess. He kissed a guy. He had another thing with a girl. I mean they would not put this particular music on “Good Morning America” the next day. He says it was homophobia. What do you think about all that? Should they have put on it “Good Morning America “?
MANILOW: Sure.
BEHAR: They should?
MANILOW: What the hell. Why not? I’ll tell you what I was hoping. I was watching it and I think he’s got a fantastic voice.
BEHAR: Yes, he’s a talented kid.
MANILOW: I was hoping he would stand there and sing some fantastic song and blow the roof off the place. I think running around and doing all that, I think he missed a great opportunity.
BEHAR: It was like watching Cirque du Soleil.
MANILOW: I mean listen, you know he could do whatever he wants to do. I was hoping that they would give him some great lighting and let him sing something just fantastic – music he’s got a great instrument. Let him sing something great. Let him blow the roofs off – I would have been very happy.
BEHAR: Well his complaint was, you know, Britney and Madonna they had a lip lock. Everybody seems to like that. Then the country loves a lesbian moment. They love a lesbian moment.
MANILOW: Ain’t that the truth.
And that’s fantasy of males to see two women in bed together.
MANILOW: I don’t really give a — I don’t really care. I just was hoping that he would sing a great song.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0912/01/joy.01.html
LikeLike
Vonnie – please do NOT leave this blog because of this controversial topic. You are a valuable, productive member and I hope you heed KariAnn’s advice and come back soon.
T – name-calling and judgemental attacks on commenters are strictly prohibited here on MasterclassLady.Com. This situation reminds me to publish rules to guide members when commenting on this site.
Oh, and by the way, I am with Vonnie. Adam’s AMA performance was ridiculous, crude and repulsive and, to top it all off, his singing was a trainwreck.
However, since then, he has tried to remedy his precarious situation and, to some extent, I can accept this. He seems like a sweet, caring guy and I just wish we can see more of this when he performs.
LikeLike
Vonnie, may I second Masterclasslady? I was disturbed when I read your signoff. I have this vague recollection that you may have talked about doing so at the end of AI this year, unless I am confusing you with someone else. I hope you’ll decide to stick around, because I so look forward to your comments. Like Mindy, skid, Galen, Louise, and Kariann1, you add a great deal to the site and I would really miss you if you left. You are all class acts, and really make me think
Thanks for the Manilow transcript, Kariann1! I agree with him wholeheartedly. Who wouldn’t want to just hear a voice be a voice? I think that is one of the reasons why David Archuleta’s fans are so devoted — he showcases his voice, period.
LikeLike
Jeanne, yes David Archuleta has a beautiful voice. He’s just an adorable young man with a sense of really caring about his fans!
There may be a video of the interview with Barry Manilow, or it may be rebroadcast this weekend. I liked the way Barry expressed his feelings without any malice. He really did compliment Adam.
Thank you again for your comments, and to MCL for hers.
LikeLike
Vonnie,
Please tell me that you are not leaving! Just when you and I realized that we are soulmates! I love reading your honest, heartfelt, thoughtful posts. You speak from the heart and that’s a very special gift. You are in that select category of people whose poses I look forward to so much. Along with people like Kariann, skid, Jeanne and J, you are a valued contributor to the wonderful discussions on this site.
J,
Forgive me for not commenting on your post sooner, but I have had so much to say and so many people to address. I loved reading your comments about Kelly Clarkson. I didn’t start watching Idol until the second season, so I missed seeing Kelly. But I did get a chance to hear her when she came back on season two and sang her debut song from her first album. I can understand why you were drawn to her. It is a wondrous experience when we can find a singer whose voice just takes hold and grabs us from the very first note. That is the way it was for me with David Archuleta. His honesty and purity just radiated from inside him and his incredible voice was the icing on the cake. I admire him for staying true to who he is and not compromising for the sake of commercial success.
I feel like a weight has been lifted from me now that I have come to terms with Adam. I do believe that he has a sweet and sensitive side to him, but he also has another side that is brash, cocky and arrogant. I don’t have to like him to appreciate his voice. He may very well give a performance that will move and thrill me once more. If he does, I will have the wisdom and knowledge to realize that I can appreciate the vocals without having to love the person.
I am not sure why Adam wants to bring back 70’s and 80’s glam rock. I was never a fan of Bowie and others who exemplified this type of music. The cover on Adam’s album looks so much like something Bowie would have done. I wish he would just be himself. His approach so far does not seem to be particularly original or unique. I don’t see the wisdom of recycling music from the past. I hope that he comes to realize where his true strength lies – in that voice! I would love to see his next album show some real risk taking, some adventurous exploration, some genuine artistic vision. I think his first album is too calculated, too processed, too careful and cute by half. There are some great songs in the mix, but overall I was hoping for something more. On paper it may sound good to embrace all genres of music, to be a cabaret artist in the best sense, but when it comes to the reality, it can come off as a jumbled mess without any artistic identity.
It appears that Adam’s pr and management team have stepped in to guide him through this controversy. I also think that they are trying to get the focus back on his album, the music and the voice. Only time will tell if Adam’s promise to his fans is sincere. I will wait and see what happens. Maybe Adam should read what Barry Manilow said about him. This is a man who has been around for decades. He is a true professional, a great showman and a man who knows who he is and what his fans want. I wish Adam had the confidence and belief in his voice that so many others do.
LikeLike
Wow! I haven’t checked into this site in days and was pleased to read such interesting comments from all of you. I can empathize with how Mindy is feeling because I got very wrapped up in Taylor Hicks a few years ago during AI and thought he was going to be a HUGE star when Idol was over. But as you all know, I was wrong about that. I regularly went to a blog where everyone loved Taylor too. In doing that, I think there is a risk in thinking that EVERYONE agrees with you when, in reality, that isn’t the case.
When you are completely devoted to an Idol contestant, it makes the season very exciting, but after the season when I was so wrapped up in Taylor, I really try to be more objective about the contestants.
Adam is an amazing talent, however, I think his problem seems to be that he has a bit of a chip on his shoulder–I’m assuming because he thinks he has to prove something to everyone because he’s gay. That is a real shame. It’s too bad that he didn’t use the AMA performance to really prove how talented he is, instead of trying to prove that he’s a great GAY performer. Too bad he doesn’t see himself as a talented human being instead of just a talented gay man! It’s actually rather sad.
LikeLike
Mindy…Thank you for your kind words! My husband tells me all the time that I am entirely to sensitive, go figure!!!
Kariann 1 and Jeanne…Thank you also for your kind words of support too! Oh, and Jeanne; great memory! However, I wasnt leaving, only not watching AI next year…that hasn’t changed!
MCL…Thank you,I think! I wasn’t sure if you were asking me to go or stay???
I enjoy coming here and posting, however when it gets personal??? I think all of you are class acts and wonderful people to “blog” with! 🙂
LikeLike
Louise,
“It’s too bad that he didn’t use the AMA performance to really prove how talented he is, instead of trying to prove that he’s a great GAY performer. Too bad he doesn’t see himself as a talented human being instead of just a talented gay man! It’s actually rather sad.”
Well said!!!
LikeLike
Louise,
Thanks for your kind words. At this stage of my life, you would think I’d know better, but I guess I am still learning. But it’s okay, because I have some perspective and that’s a good thing. I agree with you completely regarding the AMA’s performance. I am also in agreement about Adam having a HUGE chip on his shoulder. He seems to have a reservoir of resentment over how he has been treated. But there is a better way of dealing with it. The way to combat that kind of prejudice and bias is to go out and show everyone just how good you really are!
Vonnie,
You stay the sensitive, sweet soul that you are. Husbands don’t seem to appreciate that quality in women. I am sure that MCL meant to say DON’T leave this site! It was a typo! Your comments are valued and appreciated. I love your honesty.
I have decided not to watch the next season of AI. Now it remains to be seen if I can keep that promise. I have done this before and, in the end, I relented and ended up watching. But I would not want to miss MCL’s wonderful critiques of the weekly performances.
LikeLike
T,
I apologize if I said anything in my post that was out of line!
LikeLike
Mindy,
Thank You!!! 🙂
Yeah, I too have vowed to not watch AI this year as well; we’ll see how that goes! Ha
LikeLike
Bubba wrote;
“Not everyone has the same taste Masterclasslady as I don’t share your love for classical music. I find it boring and old fashioned.”
Bubba…Welcome! I wanted to respond to your post a while back, but didn’t, so now I would like to! If I may I would like to tell you what I think is kind of a funny story:
I’m not much into classical music either, I can listen to it but I have to be in the mood, and I don’t usually listen for long. Anyhoo; I have horses and I had someone tell me that they played classical music in their barn and it seemed to calmed their horses down. So I found classical music on my radio and began playing it when my horses were in; my horses have stalls with run-outs into paddocks…I went back up to my barn later that day and all of my horses were in the barn instead of out eating, with their heads all drooped down, sound asleep!
So I now say that I have horses with classical music taste, still to this day if the radio is on they are all standing listening!
Sorry to bore you with my story
LikeLike
I don’t understand why so many of you seem to be boxing him and assuming that all his music from now onwards is going to be about shock and awe just because of his AMA performance?
Whataya Want From Me was always intended to be his second single and it’s to show his sensitive side. It was already being sold as his second single before the AMAs. It’s not like he was backpedaling or anything.
Have you actually heard his album? I’d think that even if you weren’t intending to buy it because of the AMA performance you’d at least go to a CD store to preview or listen online. The album is very diverse and there are some very meaningful songs in there. The song “For Your Entertainment” is the only really in-your-face sexy song on the album.
Check this song out “Broken Open”:
The song was co-written by him and he wrote the lyrics as well
Broken pieces, break into me
So imperfectly what you should be
I don’t want you to go
Don’t wanna see you back out in the cold
Air you’re breathing out fades you to grey
Don’t run away, find me
I know the battles of chasing the shadows of who you wanna be
It doesn’t matter, go on and shatter
I’m all you need
Broken pieces, break into me
So imperfectly what you should be
Lay here, it’s safe here, I’ll let you be broken open
http://lyricsmusicvideo.blogspot.com
Hide here, confide here so we can be broken open
Let’s enlighten the night
We can fall away, slip out of sight
When you drop your guard
Melt into time, so intertwined, quiet
I know the battles of chasing the shadows of who you wanna be
It doesn’t matter, go on and shatter
I’m all you need
Broken pieces, break into me
So imperfectly what you should be
Lay here, it’s safe here, I’ll let you be broken open
Hide here, confide here so we can be broken open
Broken pieces, break into me
So imperfectly what you should be
Lay here, it’s safe here, I’ll let you be broken open
Hide here, confide here so we can be broken open
Lay here, it’s safe here, I’ll let you be broken open
Hide here, confide here so we can be broken open
The thing is, Adam is not a one-dimensional singer. He likes multiple genres and his album is a real reflection of that. There’s dance, rock anthems, soul music in there, tied together by 2 things, his love for music and beautiful voice.
And for those of you who say that he’s playing the gay card to get sympathy. You’re so wrong. Over the last 2 months he’s been getting a lot of heat even from factions of the gay communities who are trying to use him for their political agendas. “Too gay?” “Not gay enough?” He’s just reacting to issues because he’s not the type of person who sits down there while people take advantage of him — his courage is what I among, many others, admire about him.
There’s a very good reason why despite all the heat he’s taking, he’s still got many allies in the media who are strongly defending him — he’s genuinely a good and sweet person. If you’ve ever seen him in interactions with his fans you will immediately be able to tell that.
LikeLike
Ok, ya lets all go listen to classical music and be entertained, just stand in the middle of the stage and don’t entertain at all….:( I’m sorry if you don’t want to hear this, but music is evolving from the 60’s, and for the better….P.S. yes Adam’s performance was kind of…ya well…yah…… (I agree with “T”)!
LikeLike
Vonnie – I corrected the “typo”. haha! Sorry about that but glad to see that you are back! Yea!
LikeLike
Thank You MCL..!!! I wasn’t sure!
I must tell you that I really enjoy this site…Thank you for all that you do for us!
LikeLike
Vonnie: It’s about time……:-)
Mindy: Trying to find the time to reply to one of your most recent posts, but am so darn busy right now…..at least it’s started…hoping to get it done and post soon.
Commander Gage—Actually, I MISS the kind of entertainment you seem to not be so fond of. Frankly, I’m sick and tired of performances……I miss seeing someone come out on stage, plant their feet, and just plain out, flat out, SING. And I have to disagree that music is getting better….but that could be a generational thing, and I could be VERY biased. To me, you can’t top Motown, the 60’s and the 70’s. That’s about as good as music is ever going to get in my opinion. But I’m old…..
Oh, and CGage, please tell your brother Galen hello and that we miss seeing him here!
LikeLike
Skid,
I couldn’t agree more with you–and I’m old too! PBS aired a special on Saturday of clips from the old Ed Sullivan Show featuring groups from the 60’s and 70’s. Of course, my grown daughter was in stitches, but I loved every minute of it. There was a female British singer who just stood and sang and who was dressed rather modestly. How refreshing it was compared to the female pop stars of today.
LikeLike
Adam’s album FYE, has some beautiful songs sung as only Adam can sing them. The album also has several, fun dance tunes. It is a shame that so many here are willing to write him off because of one performance.
Ah well, your loss. But really, his album is streaming (I think it is still streaming) on his “Adam Official” website. Ya’all might want to take a listen 🙂
LikeLike
skid,
Amen! I happen to agree with you completely about missing the good old days when people could actually sing – on pitch, yet! The days when you had to be able to carry a tune, because the technology wasn’t developed yet to fix the mistakes on the recordings. There was no autotune, no digital wizardry. I will always love the music of the 60’s – Motown, the Beach Boys, the Beatles, all of it. I am so glad that I grew up in that era.
Louise,
My mom called me up to tell me about that PBS special showing the Ed Sullivan show musical groups from the 60’s! I had a nice trip down memory lane. It was very nostalgic. I think the British female singer to whom you are referring was Petula Clark. She was one of my favorites. Imagine just standing on stage and singing a great song! What a concept!
That special was followed up with a Frank Sinatra at Carnegie Hall special. I recorded both of them. I have gotten to a place in life where I can also appreciate the singers and music from my Mom’s generation. All I could do was sit back and marvel at Frank Sinatra’s incomparable voice! Someone once said that he had the ability to tell the story of a song like no one else. Listening to his interpretation of Judy Garland’s “The Man That Got Away”, one of my all time favorites, was truly a privilege. There will never be another like him. Just Frank, a spotlight, a mic, his trademark cigarette, a drink and his peerless band, now THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT!
T and listen,
If you read my comments about Adam, you will see that in no way am I writing him off or trashing his album. It is true that there are a lot of great songs. I listed some of my favorites on an earlier article about Adam on this site. I also did not say that all he wants to be is a shock and awe artist. At this point, I am really not sure what kind of artist he wants to be and it just may well be that he isn’t sure either. I did say that I would wait and see. I am open to anything. If Adam can come on stage and thrill me with an amazing vocal performance, then I will be the first one to acknowledge it! I also said that I didn’t want him to fail.
No one here has questioned Adam’s vocal ability. The talent is there. The question I have is how he will use it. That remains to be seen. I am NOT writing him off! Period. As far as it being my loss, well, with all due respect, I get to decide what is a loss and what is not.
LikeLike
I have heard this from many people. I WILL watch this season. I have watched since Season 1 and feel compelled to continue. I have decided NOT to vote after finding out how flawed the voting system is. My 300+ votes cannot compete with 10,000 auto-dialed votes.
Louise, I know that feeling of being completely devoted to an Idol contestant. Yes, it does make the season very exciting! I felt this way about Anthony Fedorov and Jason Castro. I wish Anthony had that break through CD. His voice is so beautiful. Jason really seems to be on his way to success. I am quite excited about his CD and the prospect of his return to AI.
MCL, I am so happy we can view your previous articles. I reread Season 4 – Top 4, and felt very nostalgic. I remember reading your comments about Anthony’s top performances of the night. I am thankful I can go back and watch previous seasons.
Vonnie, I love your horse story and literally laughed out loud!
LikeLike
Skid your comments, “To me, you can’t top Motown, the 60’s and the 70’s. That’s about as good as music is ever going to get in my opinion. But I’m old…..” ITA. This is one reason the Oldies station still exist. Newer generations are appreciating the lyrics and in many cases the melody of the times. I know there is good music out there, it is just harder to find.
Louise, yes that female British singer was Petula Clark, and I thought the exact same thing you did! The voice…the voice. (Picture me saying it like, “Da plane. Da plane.”) I marvel at any artist that can go out there, sing a cappella, and sound like an angel. Certainly Adam is able to do that. I hope we’ll see the gentler (sensitive) side of Adam every once in awhile.
T, I loved Adam’s ‘Early Show’ performance. I want to add that ‘Satisfaction’ was my favorite tune of his.
Mindy, you mentioned there was no auto tune, no digital wizardry in the music of that era. I don’t know much about the recording industry, but have heard an engineer can now remove a bad sounding note from a recording and add in a good note.
This was an easy post for me as I agreed with so many comments.. I just quoted a little bit of what some of you have written. 🙂
LikeLike
Kariann, just wanted to follow up on the question of whether or not to watch Idol this coming year. I’m interested in why the people who are saying they won’t feel that way.
I missed the first year, except for the finale, but have watched ever since, and followed masterclasslady.com through most of it, although I didn’t post until last year. I remember one year considering not watching again, although I forget why. Was it the year that the cruelness of the audition shows got to me? Was it because Paula seemed so useless (but I will miss her, as she seemed sober and intelligent this past year, and was often the voice of reason)? Or was it because good singers got voted off and mediocre performers were left on the show? I have no idea at this point, and it is at least three years ago, if not longer. But here’s my argument for watching:
First, you sometimes get to hear some amazing voices, or see some amazing performers. I didn’t expect Clay Aiken to make it as far as he did, but I sure enjoyed listening to that heavenly voice. Mandisa — what a powerhouse of a voice! Melinda Doolittle — I’ve never heard a better rendition of “My Funny Valentine”, and I always looked forward to hearing her. Seems to me that I wasn’t that interested that year, but I taped the shows and watched just her part.
One of the cool parts of AI is that you get to hear voices that you would otherwise never hear at all. If they don’t make it far enough — Alexis Grace being voted off so early last year was a crime, as was that lovely young woman who didn’t make it into the top 13, but did “Bette Davis Eyes” — well, at least I get to hear them a few times, which I wouldn’t if it weren’t for American Idol.
As for performers, Nadia Turner was exceptional and different, and I was really sorry she left the show so early. Fantasia was phenomenal in how she laid everything out there. And Constantine — well, the voice wasn’t always consistent, but the eyes were compelling to watch. It was really interesting to me to see how some people, like Constantine, just grab your attention, while others, like Michael Johns, seem to have all the right pieces, and yet the sum is less than its parts.
I continue to watch because I LOVE to see these performers grow. I HATED Kimberly Locke’s version of “Heat Wave” in the first show of Season 2. Thought she was a shoe-in to be voted off, and was SOO disappointed when she wasn’t. But by the end of the season, I had become a real fan. She not only developed as a performer, she seemed to gain a real sense of who she was as an artist. Watching her growth, and the growth in singers like Elliot Yamin and Kris Allen, was very rewarding to me (even though I had absolutely nothing to do with it!)
And there have also been single performances that, to me, have been worth the whole season: Melinda Doolittle’s “My Funny Valentine”; Adam Lambert’s “Tracks of My Tears”; Bo Bice’s a cappella version of “In a Dream”. I would sit through dreck to get to hear those performances.
Will my favorites win? Probably not, but I’m used to that. Sometimes they do, sometimes not. I never vote, so I don’t feel the same kind of loss voters probably do. But it isn’t, for me, about the winners, or even about the winners being successful. For me, it’s all about the ride.
LikeLike
Jeanne, there were so many flaws in Season 8. The contestants were NOT part of that mess. There were some terrific contestants who could really sing. Here’s what I have heard:
1. There was too much manipulation and editing.
2. They had 36 instead of a TOP 24 format.
3. There was an added version of the Wild Card round which actually left out a few contestants worthy of TOP 12 status.
4. There was a TOP 13 because the line-up was stacked with too many guys. They had to add Jasmine to the line-up.
5. In the quest to make sure they had the people they wanted in the TOP 10, AI came up with the ‘Judges Save’. The contestant many feel should have been saved was Alexis Grace.
6. The judges seemed to be the focus, not the contestants.
7. The voting system is flawed.
8. Paula has left the show.
I believe many will return once it gets down to the TOP 12.
9. Ellen DeGeneres has no musical background and has been added as a judge.
It was Jesse Langseth who sang, “Bette Davis Eyes.” She was a terrific singer. Thank you for some good memories!
LikeLike
Adam Lambert can’t say whether he will ever cause controversy again on national TV, but he has no regrets about his sexually explicit performance on last month’s American Music Awards.
Barbara Walters recently questioned the burgeoning pop star for her annual ABC special on the year’s 10 most fascinating people, and when she asked if he regretted the X-rated antics that got him in trouble, Lambert said, “No, no regrets.”
He adds, ” “And I got … I got really excited. You can’t plan everything — if I did a performance exactly how I rehearsed it, it would be so boring.”
http://www.fancast.com/blogs/tv-news/adam-lambert-doesnt-regret-raunch-booked-on-fox/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+fancast_blog+%28Fancast+News%29&utm_content=Google+Reader
This bothers me! No regrets, Adam? He wasn’t worried about his singing but rather the enteretainment factor. If this is presented on Barbara’s special, it will ignite some bad feelings which have cooled down the controversy.
LikeLike
Okay…I am bracing myself for the backlash to come after I make my…comments!!!
I have decided, that I am a fan of “Adam the Voice, NOT “Adam the theatrical”. This has nothing to do with my age, although from the sound of a couple of you guys, I’m ancient!!!
This has everything to do with, “Adam has a remarkable gift, and I think he is going to be like all other theatrical singers, here today, gone tomorrow.
Some of you may or may not agree with some of the other posters who have expressed the joy of a singer who just plain and simple…stands and sings! Don’t dissregard this so quickly. The Standards have been around since before I was born…and are still being played today. How many of the 80’s theatrical groups are still being played today? Only if you listen to the classic stations!!!
I’ve not been able for a long while to put my finger on who Adam reminded me of…Here come’s more of that backlash I was talking about!
Adam reminds me of Boy George…some in appearance, but more in, trying to be something he shouldn’t be. Think what you will of Boy George, take away the make-up and costume’s, the weird persona…the guy could just flat sing! My opinion only!!!
Boy George was much like Adam is now, a gay man trying to figure out how to fit it all in…it doesn’t need to all fit in, not when you have a voice that melts away all reality, that moves you to the very depths of your soul..Adam has that! And if you think Boy George didn’t then you need to go back and listen to “Victims”.
LikeLike
Jeanne…you make a compelling argument!
I have so many reasons not to watch next year! I asked this at the end of last season…did the best person win Idol? Was Kris Allen the best? I don’t think so!
Last year seemed to be more about Simon and Paula’s flirting, than about the singers. Fox and the producers want this to be a reality show…I want this to be a singing competiton!
Why bring on a comedian as a judge? Isn’t there other people more worthy of that position than Ellen?
The judging is flawed…stop with the open lines, allow only a few votes per phone line or text.
Why does AI continue to fill slots with people who have no business on that stage, while good singers are let go. Example…the year before last, miss hotpants…!!!
I think that if they only want ten people on the tour, then only have a top ten.
Instead of voting someone off each week, let them perform till the end. Have a system in place kind of like Dancing with the Stars. Where they have public vote totals and judge totals each week. At the end of the ten weeks, the person with the highest total wins.
Just my thoughts!!!
LikeLike
I have been trying to catch up on all the comments since I was last here. There is so much to discuss.
Jeanne,
You do make some compelling arguments for continuing to watch Idol, but I can only speak for myself. Kariann has already given a wonderful list of the problems with season 8. That is part of my reason for not wanting to watch again. But it is a bit more complex for me.
I have gone through this whole “to watch or not to watch”, before. I am not one who tunes in for the early auditions. I dislike watching people who clearly cannot sing, but are brought out just so that we can laugh and make fun of them. It’s pointless and cruel and I will not participate by watching this absurd farce. The earliest I ever tuned in was the semifinals. That was when I first saw David Archuleta. I was just kind of checking it out and didn’t intend to continue watching, but when I heard his incomparable version of “Imagine”, I knew I was hooked.
I am a sucker for a great voice. It is true that the real appeal and thrill of this show is finding an unknown talent who can just come out on stage and wow you with a memorable performance. Jeanne reeled off a number of great ones. I agree that it can be worth watching a whole season of mediocrity just to see one of these timeless performances. Melinda Doolittle was my personal favorite and her rendition of the great pop standard, “My Funny Valentine”, will always be at the top of my list of once in a lifetime performances. I well remember Bo Bice’s acappela version of “In a Dream”. I loved Elliott Yamin, Latoya London, Jennifer Hudson, and Mandisa. It would have been a real loss if I had never accidentally tuned in to hear David Archuleta. He has been a real source of inspiration and enjoyment to me.
Yes, there are very good reasons for tuning in to the next season of Idol. But I am quite disillusioned with the voting process, the changes in the show and format and the blatant manipulation that I have to endure. The judges seem to have forgotten the purpose for which they are there. I found myself rushing to read MCL’s critiques, so that I could get an intelligent, knowledgeable, objective view of the vocal performances every week. I realize it is about entertainment, but it would be so nice to hear the judges actually have something of merit to say. I dearly wish they would have decided to go back to the three judge format. Their comments should not take away from the time that should be devoted to the singing.
I have vowed never to watch Idol again, only to relent and tune in out of curiosity, always looking for the next great voice. My favorites almost never win. I have pretty much accepted that. Popularity and mainstream appeal end up being much more important than the actual voices. I never say never, so I will have to wait and see.
Vonnie,
I was quite interested in your comparison of Boy George to Adam. I would never have thought of it. I am not sure Adam would think it a compliment. But you do make some very good points. Let me say that I am speaking as a fan of Boy George. I loved his voice. I always felt that his appearance, with all the crazy makeup and outfits, kind of overshadowed what was a truly outstanding voice. I certainly would not be the one to give you any backlash over your comparison. This is what makes this site so amazing. I read the comments and it gives me food for thought, something to think about, new ideas and viewpoints. I think Adam would feel that his voice was far superior to Boy George’s, but there is something to be said about losing the voice in all of the makeup, theatrics and garishness. Adam doesn’t need all of the adornments. I like seeing him without all that heavy eye make-up, his hair combed back away from his face and wearing a beautifully tailored suit. But that’s me.
The greatest singers always knew what was important. Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Barbra Streisand, Sammy Davis Jr., to name a few, would always have a “moment” in their concerts – the spotlight, a stool, a mic and an unbelievable voice. That’s all they needed. There is nothing that can possibly come close to that kind of true showmanship.
LikeLike
Hi Vonnie!
Regarding this comment, “I think that if they only want ten people on the tour, then only have a top ten.” I thought the TOP 12 provided 2 alternates for the tour. However, that didn’t happen when Bo and Katherine got ill on the tour. That was a disappointment, although Matt Rodgers was a MC on one of the tour shows.
Did AI ever explain why they use the TOP 12 concept?
Mindy, may I add my selection to your wonderful list of singers? I thought about Elvis Presley’s ’68 Comeback Special where he is singing, “If I Can Dream.” He is wearing a white tux and sang one of the most touching, passionate songs of his career. Remembeer this performance was used with Celine Dion as a duet (using special effects) on American Idol?
I loved this performance, and I do consider Elvis one of the greatest singers with an unbelievable voice.
LikeLike
Mindy,
I love Boy George…what a beautiful voice! You are so right, the outfits and make-up did overshadow an incredibly great voice.
Most people snicker and laugh when you talk about Boy George…had he not had all the gimmicks, maybe he would have been taken more serious.
I’m sure Adam would not like to be compared to Boy George…however, after the picture I seen of him the other day, dressed in black, black eye-shadow, hair standing straight up ~ who can take him serious. He will be tagged as a bad boy, theatrical performer…instead of a voice to be reckoned with!!!
I thought that I was the only person on here who loves Boy George’s voice!!! Once Again!!! 🙂
LikeLike
Hi kariann 1,
I’m not sure why AI has the top 12 set-up!!! Seems to me they should all go on the tour if the make it to the top 12…confusing!
I grew up dancing a singing to my moms albums…Elvis was my sister and my absolute favorite! Still to this day I can sing all the lyrics when he comes on the radio…my husband always shakes his head and laughs, mostly because I am a horrible singer, but belt it out anyway! He always asks how do you know all the words…years of practice, my friend!
Our equal favorites were, Patsy Cline and Hank Williams…Wow, does that take me back to a simpler time in my life! I love Patsy Cline, what a beautiful voice! I watched a movie on Hallmark last night and they were playing “Crazy” in that movie!!!
Did anyone watch the Barbara Walters Special last night??? I didn’t…
LikeLike
Hi again!
It’s funny, my Grandchildren know who Elvis Presley is, both by looks and voice. One day, my Grandson (age 6) said, “Grandma, did you know that Elvis is in Heaven. He died.” Awwww… I just never told him that part.
Sometimes, I wish we were back to simpler times!
The Barbara Walter Special was pretty good. Nothing outstanding about Adam that we didn’t already know. However, the choice of Lady Gaga was a good one. She definitely is a fascinating woman! Michael Jackson’s children were selected as #1, thus indirectly choosing Michael. They only feature living people on the list.
Enjoy your day!
LikeLike
Kariann,
You raise many good reasons to be frustrated with AI — if those are your expectations, and you need those expectations to be met, then yes, not watching may be the right choice for you. For me, I’ve tried to accept that it isn’t my show to produce and to take it on its own terms. And quite honestly, I rarely watch it live anymore. It’s preferable for me to fast forward through the filler I have no interest in.
However, I DO have to comment about Paula and Ellen. I have always wondered how Paula got this gig. I mean, can anyone seriously say that she knows anything about singing? She was Brittany before there was Brittany: showmanship, dancing, and let’s get some backup voices in there as often as possible so we don’t have to actually hear her sing.
When she was making records, I had no idea how Paula had gotten that deal, either. I assumed that she got the AI job because they needed a woman who had some peripheral contact with the music industry and was willing to take a reality tv job that might tank. As far as I’m concerned, she got very lucky. Timing is everything.
Since she spent most of those years overly medicated, most of what she contributed — until last year — was cheerleading. Surely Ellen can cheerlead with the best of them. I’m not sure that having an Everyman opinion on the panel is a bad thing.
On the other hand, the fourth judge was an atrocious idea, I was SOOO disappointed to hear that Kara is back for another season AND they added Ellen. Too much time for judges, especially if Kara talks as much as she did last year — but again, that’s why I tape the shows and fast forward . . .
LikeLike
kariann,
Thank you for adding that memorable performance by Elvis Presley! I can’t believe I left him out. He had a truly great baritone voice that could leave you breathless. Elvis understood performing in a way that many do not. He knew it was all about his sheer charisma and stage presence and that voice, that unbelievable voice!
I was too young for early Elvis, but seeing him later on made me curious. I went back and looked at all the documentaries about his rise to fame. I remember the first time I watched Elvis sing Jailhouse Rock in the movie. They said he choreographed that number! Elvis didn’t need gimmicks – all he had to do was go on stage, sing and that was all the sexiness he needed! He was a true original. I think I appreciate him more as I get older. A legend never dies.
LikeLike
Just a quick note. Jeanne, I have taped every single show of American Idol since Season 1. 🙂 It’s my favorite show, but Season 8 ranks in the middle of my favorite seasons. Here are my feelings about Season 9.
I WILL NOT BE VOTING BECAUSE OF THE FLAWED VOTING SYSTEM!
Mindy, I love what you wrote about Elvis! I totally agree with you.
Did anyone see Adam on The View?
LikeLike
Didn’t get to see the View…Work!
When I watched Adam on AI, he had those Elvis qualitites for me…I thought this kid could take the world by storm! I’m not sure that will happen now, what potential Adam has.
These younger guys who are expressing their joy in Adam’s AMA thing…don’t realize how hungry they are for a true performer, someone bigger than life. Elvis has and always will be bigger than life.
Oh! Adam, if only!!! Take notes from the ones who have been/gone before you, look at Michael Jackson??? A fall from grace is a hard thing to recover from!
I am mourning the AI Adam! Where did he go? And why did he take his voice with him…say what you will about his new approach with his single Whataya want from me! When I see him he still looks like a male version of lady GaGa…he is a beautiful man, why not flaunt it! He could be sooooo GQ, and with that voice…….Swoon!!!!!!!!!
LikeLike
kariann 1,
Here’s a quote from “Mj’s Big Blog”…
“In his interview segment on The View, which aired today, Adam repeated some of the stuff he told the Early Show: His racy performance moves were done in the heat of the moment, It’s not his job to babysit people’s kids, etc. Also, he stressed that he’s not obligated to cater to the family-friendly Idol crowd now that the contest is over.”
LikeLike
Vonnie, then it looks like I didn’t miss much by not wyaching the View. This may be wrong of me, but I just don’t like that attitude. That doesn’t mean I won’t follow his career. I will tune in if I know he’ll be making an appearance on some show. I even look forward to him coming back on American Idol!
However, I won’t be buying his CD or going to his concert. Not to be silly, but I join you in mourning the AI Adam. This is not to say he won’t be an outstanding performer. He may even win music awards for performance and a terrific voice. Let’s just say I need time to accept what Adam really has to offer.
This may not be a popular opinion, but I think Kara may do a good job this season. It is Randy whom I feel does not a good judge. His critiques do almost nothing to help a contestant improve their performances.
Maybe MCL will start a thread about our expectations for Season 9?
LikeLike
Kariann1,
I can’t believe you base your opinions on other people’s interpretations of what he said on The View. Here watch it yourself. He had the ladies on the View completely won over by the end of the interview.
LikeLike
Vonnie,
I almost forgot to reply to your wonderful comments about Patsy Cline. I discovered her much later in life. Unfortunately, I have never been a fan of country music, so I didn’t hear her until long after her untimely death in 1963. Needless to say, I was astounded and blown away by a woman with an effortlessly magical voice. I saw a documentary about her and from the first note, I was immediately hooked. After that I managed to watch many of her performances and started listening to her albums. She had a true gift, a natural ability to just let her voice soar to heights I have never heard. I was staggered when I finally realized the tragedy of losing this immensely gifted woman far too soon.
I have downloaded so many of her songs. I wouldn’t have the space to list all of my favorites. Searching on itunes, I discovered even more songs to love. It seems that she was moving more toward ballads and pop songs before she died. I think she was more than capable of singing anything. She was much more than a country singer, but we never got to see her mature and develop as an artist. God only knows what she might have accomplished.
As I get older, it’s the ones who left us too soon that haunt me. Buddy Holly, Sam Cooke, Elvis, Patsy Cline, Freddie Mercury. As I celebrate their truly incandescent voices and the great performances they left us, I find myself asking, what if?
LikeLike
Vonnie and Mindy, it was Patsy Cline’s Crazy that was the Number One song played in juke boxes in the 20th Century. I do have a CD of her Greatest Hits and her voice was so unique and almost haunting.
You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling by the Righteous Brothers was the #1 most played song on the radio in the 20th Century.
T, I cannot view YouTube presentations, but I did see and hear more than 6 interviews Adam gave. Maybe because I am older, I find Adam has an attitude and a set response to the AMA performance questions. I don’t doubt for a minute that Adam charmed the ladies from The View!
LikeLike
Kariann1, oh well your loss. Goodbye.
LikeLike
Mindy,
I love your list..Buddy Holly, an absolute favorite of mine! I would like to add one to the list if I may; Marvin Gaye!!! I love his voice!
LeAnn Rimmes reminded me so much of Patsy Cline with her song “Blue”…but then with age her voice drastically changed! Now not so much so!!!
Patsy Cline has one of, if not the most beautiful voices that I have ever heard…and just imagine, she sang in a time where there was no such thing as “note adjusters”, she sang live, with the purest notes ever! Does that make sense? She just stood there and sang!
Kariann 1,
I wonder how many no. 1’s Patsy Cline would have had??? It almost staggers the imagination!!! Also have the Righteous Brothers in my collection…Beautiful!!!
LikeLike
Vonnie,
It’s wonderful to read all the great suggestions to add to our amazing list. Of course, the great Marvin Gaye belongs there. He was an enormously gifted singer, with a voice that was unmistakable the moment you heard it. Yes, he is another who left us tragically and long before his time. At least we have the wonderful memories and the performances that will live on forever.
kariann,
You didn’t miss much by not seeing Adam on the View. He didn’t say anything new or enlightening. My issue with him is that he has given at least a half dozen rationalizations for his AMA performance. They all sound like pathetic excuses. Adam could have chosen to stand up and own what he did and take full responsibility. He could have admitted that his performance was inappropriate for a primetime commercial network show. Instead, he chose to try to shift the focus to the issue of his being gay, being censored, being discriminated against, anything to distract from his wretched performance.
Adam was dishonest and that was the end for me. I realize that he couldn’t come out publicly and admit that he deceived the producers of the show by not including the sexually explicit content in his rehearsal. But that was the real truth. ABC’s subsequent actions reflect the fact that they felt betrayed and blindsided. They immediately cancelled his appearance on GMA, stating that they couldn’t be confident that he would give an appropriate performance for a morning talk show. When they relented and allowed Adam to appear on the View, they felt compelled to pre-tape his appearance. That tells us all we really need to know. It’s an issue of trust. They weren’t totally comfortable with Adam appearing live. It was his live performance on the AMA’s that started this whole controversy.
Some diehard Adam fans who wish to continue to support him on blind faith, are certainly free to do so. But for myself, I have certain values, belief systems and standards that are too important to throw away, just so that I can stand behind someone who has shown that he no longer deserves my support. I am not angry and am not hating on Adam. I just simply refuse to go along with someone who continues to be blatantly dishonest about what he did. If you stand up and admit that you made a mistake, people are more likely to forgive. Who among us has not been guilty of bad judgement, poor taste or inappropriate behavior? But it is Adam’s continued attempt to dodge responsibility for what he alone did, that bothers me.
I have no interest in seeing Adam as a male version of Lady Gaga. That’s not original, unique or different. It’s a waste of his considerable vocal talent. But it’s his choice, his career and his life. I don’t expect Adam to just stand on stage all the time with only a spotlight, a mic and a chair and sing acappella. He can change it up, but the use of artificial stage theatrics, cheap sexual exploitation, gimmicks or any other inane nonsense, just takes away from what has been so special about him. Maybe someday he will get it, I don’t know. Again, it’s not OUR loss, it’s HIS loss.
LikeLike
Mindy – very well said. Personally, I am getting really tired of performers wishing to carry out their sexual fantasies on stage in the name of artistic freedom. Sorry Adam fans – it’s trash pure and simple and it has no place in my life. I am sure that many would agree and I am sure many would disagree.
But, like Adam, I have right to my opinion.
I think Adam is extremely gifted and could travel so many roads with his extraordinary vocal gift. That he chose this particular road really saddens me – his talent and even his genuine demeanor is above all this nonsense.
Just sing already, Adam! I love the theatrics but you need to set appropriate boundaries and guidelines for your actions or you will continue to lose a substantial proportion of your audience.
But, it is your life and your career, so it truly is your call.
LikeLike
And he will continue to gain new ones.
LikeLike
BTW, this is vintage Adam. Pre-Idol. And that’s what many Adam fans fell in love with.
LikeLike
Mindy, I have been listening to some beautiful Christmas music and asking myself why I haven’t mentioned my all-time FAVORITE FEMALE SINGER!! That would be KAREN CARPENTER!! Please add her to your list.
I believe it was last year when I asked MCL to describe her voice. She mentioned Karen’s octave range and other memorable qualities.
To me, her voice was angelic, pure, and the most beautiful tone qualities of any female singer I have heard.
If anyone feels there is another female singer with a more beautiful voice, I’d be interested in who she is (or was).
LikeLike
Vonnie, I just read your post and my quoted comments would definitely fit Patsy Cline as well! You answered my question before I asked it! 😀
T, none of us may convince you of the damage done by Adam’s AMA performance. However, not one person has said Adam doesn’t have a terrific voice. I’d like to stir the conversation in a difference direction. What do you think of Elton John? I was thinking about some of his outrageous performances, especially the Duck outfit.
I was also thinking of how he incorporated his sexuality into his musical lyrics. Even when he came out of the closet (I hate that phrase), it did not affect his sales or concert attendance. His total recording sales are outstanding. In fact, Elton John’s total record sales now rank third in history, behind only the Beatles and Elvis Presley.
T, has Adam ever talked about Elton?
LikeLike
Mindy and Kariann 1…this is fun! May I add a couple more names to the list???
Also must say that Karen Carpenter is a great choice!
Skeeter Davis “The end of the world”
Helen Reddy “I don’t know how to love him” My favorites of theirs…
Nat “King” Cole ~ Anything in the world he wants to sing.
If you were to add current artists to the list, who would you add???
I would like to say one final thing on Adam and then I am going to leave the topic alone…I feel like I have been scammed and snubbed by Adam! I voted for him, wanted him to win, whined and bawled, had many temper tantrums because he didn’t win and then for him to say that he’s not obligated to cater to the family-friendly Idol crowd now that the contest is over. Well excuse me!!!
LikeLike
Vonnie, I feel sorry for the parent’s of tweens and young teens who voted and voted until bedtime. The young ones went to the Idol Concert in droves. So, now the parents need to explain to their 10 year-old why they don’t want to buy Adam’s music? Hmmmm…
Is Helen Reddy dead?
It is harder to come up with current singers. I will mention just one. Celine Dion.
LikeLike
Kariann1 – My favorite singer is Eva Cassidy, she has become a part of me.
Please read:
http://blog.seattlepi.com/theconstantvalentine/archives/179380.asp?from=blog
You may also visit her website and I urge you to read the Guestbook:
http://www.evacassidy.org
LikeLike
Kariann 1,
I don’t think Helen Reddy passed away…I know she is getting up there in years…!
I really don’t know who I would add as a current artist who vocally stands out…not many of them can hold a note live!!! Would have to say Adam, vocally!!!
LikeLike
Okay! I know who I would list as a current artist that I think is pretty stellar…Nora Jones! I will still keep Adam on my list because I think vocally he stands apart from any one current!!!
Also, I love the 40’s and 50’s Jazz…like Big Maybelle and Stacey Kent!
LikeLike
About Elton John,
Adam was once asked in an interview who was the most famous person he had in his phone contact list, he said Elton John.
LikeLike
And Vonnie, sorry about you feeling scammed. Maybe you should have researched a little more about him? There’s YouTube performances of him with sexually charged performances everywhere and they’ve been there for months. Even for WLL on American Idol they had to shoot him from the waist up because he was doing microphone gyrations live. When you voted for him, you voted for a good singer, not the artist you expect him to be. Idol isn’t about showcasing what an artist aims to be because they don’t have much choices in terms of theme.
See Black Dog from the Zodiac Show.
And Crazy
Both imbue sexy.
LikeLike
Mindy and MCL–I am extremely supportive of the comments both of you made on 12/14/09. I agree completely. And the male version of Lady Gaga comment was perfect!!!
For all of you who really admired Adam on Idol but have now changed your opinion since the AMA performance, I very much respect you for having such high standards.
LikeLike
kariann,
What would I do without wonderful people like you who keep reminding us once more about such great singers? I have loved Karen Carpenter from the first time I heard her lovely, mellifluous, gorgeous voice! It always bothered me that she never seemed to get the credit she deserved as a great vocalist. The music she and her brother sang was not given the respect it deserved. It broke my heart when she died ao very young of complications from anorexia. I think it must have hurt her not to be recognized as the one of the great female voices of her era. She will never be replaced, ever. I still love to listen to her songs and never get tired of hearing them. She could really touch you in the most private and deepest of places. Maybe it was her own pain that came out in her singing and reached out to touch so many.
I am grateful for all of the reminders from so many of you. We should never forget the gift these artists gave us.
Vonnie,
To my dear musical soulmate, you are not going to believe this, but it’s true. I just downloaded Skeeter Davis’s “End of the World” the other night. I was putting together a new cd and downloading songs from itunes. I also downloaded another cute song of hers, “I Can’t Stay Mad at You”. Is this an amazing coincidence or what? You are reading my mind! I watched the Mad Men episode in which President Kennedy was assassinated. They played “End of the World”, to close out the episode. How could I have forgotten what was one of my all time favorite songs!
Helen Reddy was also a personal favorite of mine. She sang so many memorable songs that really spoke to me. Nat King Cole is another worthy addition. The minute you hear his silky smooth, distinctive vocals, you know immediately who it is. So many wonderful additions to our little catelogue of great singers.
auntieaudie,
When I discovered the late, great Eva Cassidy, I was hooked forever. Her talent was astounding and unmatched. I dearly wished that she could have remained with us, so that we could be thrilled and awed by her vocals. Her loss is another that has continued to haunt me through the years.
T,
You and I can agree to disagree. I did see those videos on youtube of Adam while he was on Idol. I was aware that there was another side to him. But that didn’t necessarily mean that this was who he was as an artist and who he wanted to be. I despised the “Crazy” video. It exemplifies the very worst of this type of gratuitous, self-indulgent, mindless type of performance. But there was enough video showing me a completely different Adam. I have already admitted that maybe I didn’t pay enough attention to some of these videos. I was so enthralled by Adam’s performances of “Mad World”, “Tracks of My Tears” and “If I Can’t Have You”, that I may have come to the conclusion that this is who he wanted to be. I well remember WWL and the fact that he was gyrating suggestively and had to be shot from the waist up. That was still a far cry from what he did on the AMA’s.
I don’t think there is much more that I can add about Adam. I have to be true to myself. I have to be honest with myself. I also notice that you did not address the deception Adam perpetrated on the producers of the AMA’s, people who generously gave him a rare opportunity to give the closing performance on a show with established stars who had already made their mark on the music world. He took that opportunity and dishonestly trashed it and nothing you or anyone else can say will ever change that simple fact.
Some people like the wild and crazy, over the top Adam. Many of us like the Adam who came out on stage and wowed us with that voice. He may get new fans, but he will also lose a lot of his original fans. I can’t say if I was duped or allowed myself to see only what I wanted to see. At this point, I don’t even think it matters. Adam has made it clear what kind of artist he wishes to be, at this point in time. I have no interest in seeing him that way, so I have opted out.
Louise,
I think you remember just how passionate I was about Adam. But I try to be honest and call it as I see it. I cannot throw out a lifetime’s worth of values that were given to me by my parents. It’s who I am. I appreciate your kind words. It’s not easy to admit that one is wrong, but in the end it can be very freeing. I am at peace and comfortable with my decision. It’s right for me. I have not once told anyone else what to feel or whether to support Adam or not. That is a decision that each of us has to make in the privacy of our own minds and hearts.
LikeLike
Mindy…I too love “End of the World” that has been a favorite of mine since my early teens! I also love Stacey Kent’s “I’ve got a crush on you” and Big Maybelle’s “Candy” after hearing it on the Cosby show…imagine that! I am enjoying so much reminiscing Through the older music!
T…Wrote;
“When you voted for him, you voted for a good singer, not the artist you expect him to be. Idol isn’t about showcasing what an artist aims to be because they don’t have much choices in terms of theme.”
…and you are so right, Idol does not give these young people a platform to show who they are or who they want to be as an artist! I wish they did! Would I have still voted for Adam? Mmmm, that depends, if his performances were equal to the AMA’s, then probably not. For me T, it goes alot deeper than a beautiful voice! I wish our world didn’t make people who were different feel like they had to try harder and always have a shock element to their performances to make us want to pay attention to them, and I’m afraid that is what Adam is doing. I think he is a genuinely wonderful person, his image is just not what I want to participate in.
Also, I don’t have the capability to watch You-Tube video’s on my computer…I live in an area where Wireless has not yet been piped in to us…so I still have Dial-up!!! Do you know how long it would take me to down load a video??? I probably wouldn’t have watched them anyway even if I could have…I’m fine with who Adam wants to be, it does leave me wishing that he wanted to be a more toned down performer…Adam has to be true to himself and that’s okay, I just don’t have to go along for the ride!
Adam is lucky to have fans like you, who will stand behind him and support him!
LikeLike
Mindy…Thanks for your kind words about Eva Cassidy, it always warms my heart to hear others speak of her like you have.
National Public Radio, http://www.npr.com, recently had a contest to select ” 50 Great Voices “, there was a nomination process and the top 100 artists were then voted on to narrow it down to 50. The contest is now closed and the top 50 will be announced soon and will be featured on NPR’s ” All Things Considered Show ” throughout 2010. You can still see the top 100 if you visit the website. Patsy Cline, Karen Carpenter and Eva Cassidy are among the top 100. You can also sign up for an email reminder of when and whom will be featured on the program. The NPR site is wonderful.
LikeLike
auntieaudie, I remember you mentioning Eva Cassidy in the past. If I get to my daughter’s house, I will try to use your links. I just cannot picture who see is.
T, I did see Adam on the Conan O’Brien show. I really like, ‘Whataya Want From Me” and he did another good job with it! I love his black leather jacket and pants. Now, I have a question about THIS performance. Did Adam have on fake eyelashes? I thought maybe he looked a bit tired and his eye make-up was smeared. That’s cool that Elton John is on his contact list. Oh, I will try to see, “The View” when possible.
MCL, what did you think of Rod Stewart’s style and lyrical content? Not his voice, but his sexual persona in the early years. Sometimes he ‘shocked’ me. LOL! I have his Greatest Hits album and find it enjoyable. Now, maybe I could accept this type of sexuality from Adam?
When Adam, did Satisfaction I loved it and thought at that moment, “Oh, he’s going to have that Mick Jagger type of swagger, prancing around, and such.
Mindy, I do believe Karen Carpenter was revered more after she died, but The Carpenters sold a whole lot of records in the 70s. I believe they were in the Top 3- 4 in sales behind the Beatles and the Beach Boys.
Vonnie, I cannot even begin to download anything. Nothing shows up on my screen.
This has been a GREAT discussion about talent, persona, and wonderful singers. You all are so awesome!
LikeLike
Today, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation announced ABBA, Genesis, Jimmy Cliff, The Hollies and The Stooges as its 2010 artist inductees. Also being inducted this year as individual recipients of the Ahmet Ertegun Award will be David Geffen and songwriters Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Elle Greenwich, Jeff Barry, Jesse Stone, Mort Shuman and Otis Blackwell. The ceremony will take place on March 15, 2010 at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City and will air live on Fuse, Madison Square Garden’s national music television network.. The Ceremony will be simulcast at the Museum in Cleveland.
I am a Charter Member of the RRHOF.
auntieaudie, I went to the NPR website and searched for that list, but couldn’t find it. I did find the link to the Rolling Stone Magazine’s list:
The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time
1 | Aretha Franklin
2 | Ray Charles
3 | Elvis Presley
4 | Sam Cooke
5 | John Lennon
6 | Marvin Gaye
7 | Bob Dylan
8 | Otis Redding
9 | Stevie Wonder
10 | James Brown [skip]
46 | Patsy Cline
94 | Karen Carpenter
LikeLike
hey guys! just popping into to leave you a little Holiday wish from David Archuleta. Here’s his latest HYAMLC from Baltimore last night. enjoy!
LikeLike
Kariann,
After you click on the link the home page comes up, at the top are categories, click on music, then in the search box type in ” 50 Great Voices ” and that should bring it up for you. It’s very interesting, some of the artists I had forgotten, others I never knew about, it will be interesting when the top 50 are announced. Please do try to look Eva up, you won’t be sorry.
Hi Janey,
Thanks for posting David’s video, he sounds glorious. The duet with Charice Pempengco on his Christmas CD is my favorite. Charice needs to be mentioned as a very promising female singer, I wish she’d come out with something soon.
LikeLike
Here’s Adam performing on SYTYCD, live, last night. Link may not work for long.
Anyone who thinks Adam will ALWAYS be over the top with sexual displays ala AMA’s isn’t paying attention. Also, anyone who thinks he’ll never be over the top with sexual displays isn’t paying attention.
One thing to understand about the context of his AMA performance was the experience he’s been through with fans through the Idol tour. Night after night he mimicked masturbation with a mic stand to the squealing cheers of tens of thousands of Idol tour goers (not exactly the wildest crowd). People threw bras and S&M gear and sex toys at him on stage. Fans essentially said to him: “We love your sensuality; we’re having fun with your displays of sexuality. Go for it! More!”
So in that context, I’m sure he felt encouraged and supported to go all out for a song warranted it. I personally love it, am not offended by it. My only beef with his AMA performance was that it didn’t sound good, and he’s admitted that. And he’s sounded fabulous in every performance since. I think THAT is one mistake he won’t make again, though you should expect that in the right venue (concerts, maybe late-night TV) he’ll put his sexuality on display for our entertainment!
LikeLike
A bit of background about Broken Open (lyrics quoted above by T). Adam described that he wrote this song about several experiences he had with people who seemed put-together but who, with him, broke into pieces. It surprised him and he wondered what he was putting out that made people feel safe with him, but that he was happy to allow these several people a place to break into pieces emotionally, while he held their pieces together. It’s a LOVELY, nurturing sentiment. For anyone who wants to define Adam, you need to include this part of him too.
Also, Soaked (which really shows off his vocal skill/technique) is about one-night stands, but it is not a celebration of them; it is, instead, a mournful reflection on them. That’s a great message for young people.
LikeLike
auntieaudie,
Thank you so much for the link! I am definitely going to check it out. It’s a special experience to talk about the artists who have touched us, even though they left us far too soon. Thank God their voices will live on forever.
kariann,
I appreciate you reminding me of just how commercially successful the Carpenters were. I was referring to the music critics of that era, who tended to dismiss their music as irrelevant and somewhat cliche, not groundbreaking. However, some were still able to give Karen Carpenter credit for a truly magnificent, breathtaking voice. It’s hard to think of what might have been. It can be painful. But I do find myself wondering how Karen Carpenter would have matured as a singer. What wonders would we have heard from her if she had been allowed to live out her years? The same goes for Patsy Cline and Eva Cassidy.
When I feel these regrets, I just start listening to their glorious voices and am once more transported, as if my magic, back in time.
Gumbo Girl,
I can well appreciate some of the great songs on Adam’s new album. You happened to mention my two favorites, “Broken Open” and “Soaked”. They are quite beautiful. That is the Adam I love to hear.
You do make a valid point about Adam’s concerts, but we must keep in mind that this is an entirely different venue than commercial primetime network TV. Adam knows the difference. I can understand that he might well be encouraged by the response of his fans to the sexuality of his performances in concert. I have read all about the underwear being thrown on stage. It’s hardly the first time it’s happened to an artist.
What always surprises me about any discussion involving risque performances, is that today’s artists are hardly the first to do this sort of thing. kariann mentioned Rod Stewart’s performances when he was in his prime. It’s kind of amusing that today’s artists think this is at all original or unique. I remember Jim Morrison of the Doors and his explicit sexual acts on stage. But in those days, you got arrested for it. That was the difference. His concerts were closed down and he got into a lot of legal trouble with his outrageous antics on stage. There was a lot of craziness back in the late 60’s. Just think of the whole Woodstock experience. In those days there were consequences if you stepped over the carefully drawn boundaries. Today someone like Adam can get away with that kind of performance on the AMA’s. It’s not like he was blackballed or arrested or anything like that. But young people should never think this is the first time that any of this has been done.
I have said so much about Adam, that I fear becoming somewhat repetitive. But I just want to restate a few points. I have wished Adam well in his career and hope he is successful. I do believe that he has a sensitive, sweet side to him, along with the more brash, cocky side. I expect him to evolve as an artist. It may well be interesting to see where he goes. I fully respect the fact that this is Adam’s career and life to do with as he wishes. I will always love his voice, no matter what. I will never deny his talent. You have spoken with feeling and honesty. I respect your support for Adam.
LikeLike
Sorry T but I just don’t feel I should have to research an artist that competes on AI. Most contestants that come to AI are pretty upfront and indeed passionate about thier music…thier influences and the direction they want to take with thier music. Now early in the season I did indeed find out about Adams Zodiac videos and checked them out and thats when I too felt I was being scammed. Most viewers are not going to take the time to research the artists on AI.
Yes there are performance boundries ( ones Adamm seemed to understand and adhere to while on the show) on AI but there are plenty of opportunities during interview and pretaped profile pieces ect. to clue us in on the type of artist he wanted to be. The producers I too feel were part of the scam…they new all about Adam and they too had plenty of opportunites to question him about it but both Adam and AI were looking at thier bottom line. Adam played the game knowing nowhere would he get the opportunity to further his career like the exposure he would get on AI and the PTB thought that they had a potential superstar on thier hands …as the judges told us so many times..and saw so many $$$$$$ signs they let the obfuscation go on and then for some reason believed in Adam so much let him put out a cd that didn’t really reward his loyal viewers and let the wild Adam run out of control in just about every pr opportunity he had.
As one glambert said on a post about Kat McPhee…It seems she has no clue to what people liked about her on AI or she doesn’t want to be that artist..ironic that she doesn’t see how this pretty much sums up Adam…then goes on to slam her for going blond…maybe forgetting Adam is a redhead. Now if Adam is happy persuing his muse at the expense of a more mainstream success good for him but I can’t understand that the backers of AI wouldn’t, at least till he had proven himself sales wise, want him to put out a cd that would be as limited in its appeal as FYE has turned out to be. Personaly I find his Zodiac and AMA performances to be all the things I don’t like about him vocally and image wise and it would seem from a pr and sales point of view I am not alone.
Should we feel scammed depends on your tolerance for deception…do you feel decieved and scammed by the public image Tiger Woods fronted to further his career. Why didn’t he just stay single and be a playboy I am sure if he was upfront and honest he could have crafted a pr career as successful as his family image and Adam too could have crafted a sucessful career as he has had so far without the backlash he has recieved but probably not more success as I think his OTT side has limited appeal.
LikeLike
I have been an interested lurker following this thread. Not having been an Adam fan from the beginning of AI8 (I think he has an amazing vocal ability, but the way he chooses to use it is just not my cuppa tea), I felt I had nothing to contribute to the ‘conversation’.
However,
rickylee at 10:58 – I think you bring up an interesting point:
I really think your second to last paragraph sums up the loss of perspective that some AI fans develop once the show is over. Thier thought is ‘I loved this artist during AI, so therefore I must love what he does post AI’. They loose sight of the fact that the two are not always the same and, therefore, also loose all objectivity.
I am curious as to what kind of album you feel the backers of AI should have had Adam release?
LikeLike
HELP ME!! I was wrapping presents and started singing, “Whataya Want From Me”? I have seen six of Adam’s TV performances and the tune kind of stayed with me. This song has been good for his image. The AMA performance will forever portray the dark side of Adam. I don’t mind the swagger and prance of a Mick Jagger, but Adam seems to be going for something more aggressive.
rickeylee wrote, “Now if Adam is happy persuing his muse at the expense of a more mainstream success good for him…” I have never heard that said before >>>> MUSE. That is quite an interesting perspective. You know, if they ever make a movie of his life, what an angle that would be.
Vonnie, I forgot to mention my DH really likes Nora Jones; he thinks she is classy!
Mindy, I agree Eva Cassidy does have a special voice. Thank you for sharing!
auntieaudie, I was impressed with Charice the first time I heard her on Oprah, and then later with David Foster. She has such power/strength in her voice! If I could sing (hahaha), David would be one producer I’d want to work with!
Welcome, awestruck!
LikeLike
awestruck…Hi, Welcome!
rickylee ~ you are right, one should not have to research an AI competitor. You would think that the producers would have done that for us…I totally agree with your theory of why they didn’t come forth with this side of Adam!
kariann 1 ~ Yeah, I can see where your DH gets that Nora Jones is classy…love her voice!
LikeLike
Awestruck ….What kind of album would I have had Adam put out? It is really tricky releasing a first post AI you really have to stike a balance of giving the viewers the type of music they heard that artist perform on the show with more freedom than they had due to the format of the show. Adams strongest qualities were his voice and theatrical stage image. While it is harder to capture the image on cd I think they could have showcased his pure vocals much more than they did on FYE. Yes one or two dance tracks with vocals just part of the mix would be ok but to bury so much of his vocals in the mix and use auto tune and production tricks just seems beside the point. Find him some good songs to sing and find a producer who could keep his excesses in check. The hodge podge of hot producers and songwriters just made the cd sound like a hodge podge. Adam wasn’t really known a songwriter and I don’t think that is his strong point not at least yet. Craft a handful of radio freindly singles to keep him on the charts, a few artistic ones and I see nothing wrong with doing a few covers of some great songs it doesn’t seem to hurt Susan Boyles sales, sometime people just want to hear a song sung well. I think that was the problem with FYE and his sales ..people just wanted to hear him sing. As said before …he just didn’t understand that , didn’t want that or just didn’t care.
LikeLike
“people just wanted to hear him sing”
rickylee…Amen!
LikeLike
In my opinion, Adam’s album does showcase his voice. His voice is everywhere; there are layers and layers of his voice. He sings nearly all the backing vocals (and there are a LOT of harmonies). There is very very little use of autotune or other manipulation through most of the album. The single FYE is the most processed sounding, but there is no manip of his voice through most of the rest of the album. It’s true that he does not always opt to make the most beautiful sound his voice can make, but instead, at times, works to avoid sounding trained or to get a more creative sound. Those of you who only like to listen to trained voices sounding as trained as possible will be disappointed by that. Still, you’ll find plenty of beautiful vocal moments. My favorite notes of the album are the end of the bridge and into the chorus of Pick U Up: “…need someone to be my loveeeerrrrr [no breath] ALL MY LIFE…”. It’s completely glorious if you love good vocal technique.
Also, Adam has writing credits on the two songs he recorded that I believe are the most creative: Broken Open and Down the Rabbit Hole (an iTunes bonus track). So I am looking forward to more writing from him on the next album.
Another strong point about the album is that every song seems to have fans. There is no song that is universally recognized as a dog. That’s quite a feat, given that the album was put together in so short a time.
LikeLike
Just found this blog, and I’d like to make a comment regarding classical music comments above.
“Not everyone has the same taste Masterclasslady as I don’t share your love for classical music. I find it boring and old fashioned.”
Regardless of if one likes or dislikes classical music, but we are all individuals with our own tastes, the ceremony is called “American music awards”, not “American pop music awards”. Since classical music is music, I’d say that American classical musicians should be as deserving to be represented as any other – unless of course selling records is all that important and artistic achievement no longer means anything. Some people may like one style or the other, but it doesn’t mean that great performers in other genres should be ignored. Famous American tenors, for example, Lawrence Brownlee or Stephen Costello are both Americans and musicians, whether you like classical music, you cannot deny that.
In terms of classical musicians just standing there in the middle of the stage, does this look like “just standing”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_kaOYC_Fww
What about this – does this look boring:
Now, neither of these performers are Americans, but Renee Fleming surely is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUF9xL9UJH0
Does she look like she just ‘stands there’?
Again, it’s fine to like or dislike one genre or the other – life would’ve been boring if we all liked the same thing. However, as the title of the event is “American music awards”, it’d be nice if it didn’t ignore some excellent American musicians.
LikeLike
kitty…Hi, Welcome!
Great point!
Mindy & kariann 1…I would like to add another to our list if I may, this is a current artist who I think gets overlooked; Alot! Michael Buble`!!!
LikeLike
Thanks for the welcome
rickylee thanks for the explanation. First albums post AI are sometimes tough to judge by – because of the limited time frame. I would agree that radio friendly songs are needed to continue on with any kind of successful career. As for a producer who can “keep him in check”, it seems to me, from what I have seen so far, that Adam will end up doing exactly what Adam wants to do.
As kitty just commented – and probably others above – life would be very boring if we all liked the same thing.
LikeLike
GumboGirl,
Someone asked Adam where he catches his breath in the phrase that you mention in Pick U Up. That is particularly beautiful.
I thinks its amazing that he has such a marvelous album. My fav tune changes from day to day. I love Soaked, BrokenOpen and SleepWalker. I didn’t like the album cover at all at first and I thought oh no!!!. When I first heard FYE I thought, oh no. Then FYE the song grew on me. Then I saw the Singapore dance group choreagraphy. I now love FYE as a dance song and I love that it makes an old girl like me feel frisky and sexy. I was one of his diehard fans screaming hooray, during the AMAs, even though I thought uh oh! Was that a guy he just kissed or was it a gal? The kiss didn’t bother me at all, but I knew the head grab prolly offended a few and was age inappropriate. I love the FYE video which is so much better. The sexy vibe worked so well in the video, unfortunately it translated so badly for the live AMA performance. I’m still infatuated with Adam the singer, the performer and the young man the person. I’ve never met Adam at a concert either, but the fantasy I have for Adam as a singer and a person still works for me. Thank you everyone for this wonderful intelligent forum.
LikeLike
Welcome Kitty!
Heard the latest news from MJ’s Big Blog?
Just received a press release from Fox announcing the start of American Idol Season 9. And, with the future of Idol up in the air, there’s a tiny bit of good news. Ellen Degeneres and Mike Darnell kinda spilled the beans in September, but it’s official now…
Will there be a new thread?
LikeLike
MCL and Everyone….
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
LikeLike
May the love of Christmas be in your hearts through this joyous season…Merry Christmas and may God bless each one of you!!!
LikeLike
Wishing everyone a wonderful and Merry Christmas!
LikeLike
magpie,
I just had to respond to your comment about Adam’s FYE video being so much better than his AMA performance. Now that’s how it should have been done! The choreography was much tighter, the sexual aspects were suggested and hinted at in the background. Instead of being so blatant and tasteless about it, this video shows how to make the song work without offending people.
rickylee,
I LOVE your comments about Adam! I couldn’t have said it any better! When I see someone I love on Idol, I do try to get as much info as possible on them. That’s how I came across some of Adam’s more risque performances. It did give me pause. But at the time, I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. I am not willing to say that I was scammed. Performances like “Mad World”, “Tracks of My Tears” and “If I Can’t Have You”, were not illusions. That was real. It’s just that Adam doesn’t seem to be inclined to do these kinds of performances.
I watched Adam on Jay Leno the other night. My sister and I had a lively discussion about him via e-mail. She hated all the eye makeup and the hair. I agreed. It’s such a shame that a handsome young man like Adam feels the need to hide behind tons of makeup. I wished that he would have sung another song from his album. I have heard “Whataya Want From Me”, quite a bit. It would be nice to hear something else.
My sister made the point that Adam doesn’t seem to know who he is as an artist. She said he’s not really a rock singer, he’s kind of in-between and that’s not a good thing. I think she hit the nail on the head. Adam doesn’t have an artistic point of view. His album is indeed a hodgepodge of different genres of music thrown together in an attempt to please as many people as possible. I think it was crafted for maximum commercial appeal, but Adam got lost amongst all the different songs. I am in complete agreement with your overall assessment of Adam’s album.
I would have loved to see more songs showcasing Adam’s great vocals. I think they could have limited the dance friendly, synthesized songs. I also think that FYE was a really weak first single. It isn’t vocally challenging at all. Adam himself said as much in his interview with Slezak. That’s why he felt that there needed to be a lot of theatrics and shock value in the performance. It was just a really crappy song. In theory, Adam’s attempt to be a cabaret artist, embracing all genres of music, sounded great. But in execution, it didn’t work. He is all over the place in this album. Everything was kind of too careful, starting with the cover. It looked phony and artificial and not at all like the real Adam. So who is Adam? We still don’t really know. It would appear that he wants to be shocking for the sake of it, with no real reason behind it.
I have been thinking about Barbara Walters’ interview with Lady Gaga on her ten most fascinating people special. I think Lady Gaga has a great voice, but her theatrics have not thrilled me. As I listened to her, it became obvious that this young woman has a real artistic point of view. She spoke about her fans feeling like they don’t fit in, are weird and not popular. She said that’s how she felt and her songs were her way of letting them know that they are okay. She seemed to have a keen sense of the alienation that so many of her fans feel. Her music is informed by this vision of embracing the strange, the weird, the ones who aren’t popular or cool. I loved hearing her talk about why she makes the music she does. Now that is a young lady who gets it. I may not love what she does, but there is no denying her passion and feeling. When I watched her on the AMA’s, I was initially startled when she smashed the glass to get to her piano, which was on fire. But as I listened to the ballad she sang, I was really impressed. There was emotion and commitment. This is what I feel is lacking with Adam. It’s almost like he just wants to be commercially successful. His voice is his true strength. Whether he stands on stage or moves around and dances, it’s the voice that matters. But I don’t get the sense that Adam feels that way.
I also agree that it would have been wonderful to hear Adam sing some great classic songs, the way Susan Boyle did on her debut album. It is so true that people want to hear great songs, sometimes even with a new interpretation. They want to hear a timeless song and feel a new sense of appreciation and joy. Someone like Adam is more than capable of taking a great song and breathing new life into it with the power and beauty of his voice. It’s such a shame that he doesn’t seem inclined to do it. Susan Boyle’s incredible success is proof that people still crave the sound of a glorious voice.
I must thank everyone hear for such a spirited, lively and respectful discussion. I hope that everyone is having a happy holiday and looking forward to the new year.
LikeLike
Okay…Is this going to be Idol’s last year??? Simon says, this is his last year…! He is then going to work on his new show. Isn’t his new show the exact thing as idol? Are they just going to replace idol with Simon’s show…Or are they going to do both? I think this would be a great opportunity for the producers to change the format of the show and replace all remaining judges, come in next year with a fresh new panel. Then, they could make this into a real singing contest!!! I think they should have judges from a couple of different Genres of music represented! Classical, rock, R&b & Pop, and country!
My judge choices would be:
Classical – Andrea Bocelli
Rock – Santana (ugghhh, what’s his name, Carl somebody…help me out here)
R&B and Pop – Whitney Houston
Country – Reba
Who would you trade our remaining judges for???
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!
LikeLike
” I think they should have judges from a couple of different Genres of music represented! Classical, rock, R&b & Pop, and country!”
It’s a good idea on principal and someting that would make a lot of sense also in a show like AGT. SYTYCD uses judges from different genres.
I am not sure about classical though. Does it really belong on idol? To really sing classical music well, you need trained voices, and it’s questionable if any of the idol contestants could do it properly. Certainly not at the world level and not even at the level of any voice performance major at a good music department. But having somebody’s singing classical music badly is really painful. A couple of idol contestants may do it Bocelli&Brightman POPera level but nowhere near real classical/opera singers like Fleming or Gheorghiu or Zajick or Netrebko or Alagna or Florez or Costello or Brownlee or any of the singers who are actually performing in opera.
Do we really need to here yet another mediocre amateur performance of someone’s butchering opera arias and art songs when there are so many great performances by world’s best singers?
By the way, if anybody is interested in what a real opera competition is like, PBS will broadcast Met documentary “The Audition” in January. In my area, it’ll be on Thirteen on January 20th at 9PM and probably on the following Sunday at noon. Local times may vary, so check your local listings. This is about the most prestigious opera compdetition in North America – Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions. This is the trailer, by the way: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odqrkmePyPQ
LikeLike
Hi kitty,
I know that the show has used him before as a mentor…I think that he could bring alot of common sense per say, to the table!
He also likes to work with non-classical types of voices too! He sings duets with alot of different types of singers.
Also, agree with your concern about the idols singing classical; some may be able to pull it off while others would be painful to the ear! So, I would suggest that they not add a Classical Theme! However, it would be nice to have someone with a well trained ear to be able to REALLY tell when someone is singing correctly, like our own MCL…!!! 🙂
LikeLike
Hi Vonnie,
I don’t have much problems with Bocelli on the show. I think the show in which he was used was called “romantic” or love songs or something similar. I thought it was a pretty good show, I enjoyed it. Katharine McPhee was there, and I liked her. I would agree with Bocelli’s judging this type of light romantic music and mentoring in this genre. As long as nobody calls it “opera”.
Frankly, I don’t care about Bocelli’s singing opera arias, though I do enjoy his singing romantic pop ballads and popular Italian songs. But I do not consider him an “opera singer”, at least not a particularly good one: his voice sounds too thin to me, his singing too expressionless, too boring, and his ability to project without amplification – a basic requirement for an opera singer – is questionable. In a real opera competition, he wouldn’t have gone too far. He has never been nor would he ever be invited by any of the major opera houses, and his attempts at unamplified opera singing in smaller regional opera houses got pretty bad reviews. Like this one:
BTW – remember a real opera student on AI – Rachel Zevita. I found her opera recordings on YouTube. She uses different last name when she sings operatic selections: Rachel Smyth-Godinger. She is a coloratura.
LikeLike
I’ve been too busy to log on here for the past couple of weeks, but now that the holidays are almost over, I’m looking forward to Idol beginning again. For me, it’s something to look forward to during the dreary months of winter.
And since I scanned some of the posts above, did anyone mention Annie Lenox when referring to wonderful female singers? I love her distinctive voice.
LikeLike
Just a quick post to let you know I have been reading AND learning a lot about classical and POPopera singing! I don’t believe it is a genre that belongs on American Idol, although I did enjoy the segment featuring Bocelli.
I have requested a FOLK MUSIC theme which has not been used. Some songs are considered “Camp Fire Songs” but they have the same vibe. Peter, Paul & Mary would probably be in this genre. Sadly, Mary Travers died this year. Many of Bob Dylan’s songs could be used. Pete Seger and others would be part of this theme.
Songs have been used but there hasn’t been a mentor in this field. I have also wanted James Taylor or Carole King as mentors!
May everyone have a happy and safe New Years Eve celebration! Wishing you all the best in the coming year!
LikeLike
I so totally agree that the idols should not have Opera as a theme…but, I do wish that the producers would change the format of the theme’s!
I would like to see either the top 24 or the top twelve, have an open artist theme. Let each of the competitors sing what type of music they would sing as an artist. They should have this on the first night of comepetition! It’s so hard to know what kind of an artist most of these kids would be outside of Idol. Adam being a prime example…if he were to openly portray who he wanted to be as an artist up-front, it may have changed some people’s minds about him, but it may have brought alot more people on board for him.
Happy New Year everyone!!!
LikeLike
I wanted to add Freddie Mercury’s “Someone to Love” to our list of great performances. I never get tired of hearing it. I was thinking about Freddie and Elvis. Freddie made sure to pay tribute to the music of the 50’s. You could tell that he loved it and understood how it provided the foundation for both his music and so many others that followed. If you watch the video for “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”, you can’t help but realize that it was an homage to Elvis. There was Freddie in a black leather jacket on a motorcycle, totally embracing the 50’s. It was Marlon Brando, James Dean and Elvis all put together. Freddie also sang an amazing version of the Platters iconic “The Great Pretender”. In an interview he spoke about the song being about broken-hearted love. But he decided to put his own interpretation on this great classic. He always thought of his stage persona as someone completely apart from who he was in real life. It was his disguise. It was not him. When he did his version of “The Great Pretender”, it was all about himself as a performer, his transformation from a quiet, sensitive, thoughtful, intelligent man into the force of nature on stage that was Freddie Mercury. I adore his reinvention of this great song. He was so incredibly savvy and smart about songs, showmanship, performing and music.
I think Elvis and Freddie had a real sense of who they were and what it was all about. They existed in two different eras and were quite different in their vocals and performance style. But what they had in common was a true belief in their music, a strong sense of who they were as artists, and a stage presence that was positively awe inspiring. That is why they are still revered today. Elvis was the true king of rock and roll. No one can ever take that away from him. No one will ever come close to him. Freddie was one of the greatest singers, songwriters, musicians, performers ever to come along. He managed to incorporate opera into his music. He was a true genius. Freddie could do dramatic, over the top outrageous. But when it came right down to it, as in the Live Aid concert in 1985, Freddie was a commanding presence holding an audience in the palm of his hand. He didn’t miss a beat. Elvis also knew what was important when he performed in his many concerts. He came out in those sequined jumpsuits and took control of the audience from the first note. He knew that it was all about his unmatched vocals, his charismatic presence. He was the show. There was no need to have fake gimmicks, artifice. It was all about him.
These two men made history. They were true to themselves. It’s the songs and the voice that survives. The rest is unimportant. What has struck me as I watch Adam Lambert, is that he doesn’t really know who he is as an artist. He has no musical identity. While his attempt to embrace all genres of music on his album, was admirable in concept, in execution it came out as a mish-mash of a bunch of different songs thrown together. There was no vision. I still am waiting for him to articulate a real artistic vision. Now he has the fame that he has sought for so many years. But what will he do with it? Will he write a new page in musical history as legends like Elvis and Freddie did? Maybe that’s an unfair comparison. Adam is not Elvis or Freddie. I know that now. But he needs to find out who he is and what kind of music he wants to sing. That’s what it’s all about, not sexually explicit garbage, giving the audience the finger, doing shocking things just for the sake of it. There has to be a real creative force behind the music.
I may not be a fan of Lady Gaga’s, but I can appreciate the fact that this young woman has an artistic point of view. She knows who she is and what she wants to sing. She understands her fans. She articulated this in an interview with Barbara Walters on her ten most fascinating people special. I dearly wish I could have heard more from this talented young woman. I feel that her stage dramatics detract from great vocals. When she performed on the AMA’s, she smashed glass so that she could get to her piano, which was on fire. Then she sang a gut wrenching ballad so beautifully that it almost brought me to tears. This girl has a great voice and real passion. She writes her own songs. She spoke about her fans feeling like outcasts, weird, not being popular. She said that her songs were for them. She wanted to let them know that they are okay just as they are. Many of her songs have that dreadful synthesized sound that I despise. But she has a great voice. I may not be a fan, but I can respect her for having a unique artistic vision. At least there is a thought process at work in her songs. I can’t say the same for Adam.
Louise,
Thanks so much for the reminder about the incomparable Annie Lennox! She has always been one of my favorites. Now that’s a woman with a voice that is unmistakably hers, instantly recognizable the moment you hear it. She is truly one of the great female singers. I am so grateful that people here keep reminding us of the many great singers. I enjoy celebrating them.
Regarding the discussion about including opera and classical music on Idol, I have to say that I don’t think it will work. Although I respect and admire this music so much, I just can’t see it working. I don’t think most of the contestants would even be able to sing it. These are young people who don’t have the training required to do this music justice.
kariann,
I happen to dearly love folk music. I grew up listening to it as a young girl. I have downloaded many of Peter, Paul and Mary’s amazing songs. They are part of my childhood. I cherish them. It was sad to hear of Mary’s passing. A few singers tried to introduce some contemporary folk music, with mixed results. It would be great to have it as a theme with mentors like James Taylor and Carole King.
Vonnie,
Carlos Santana! I love him! He has been around forever and somehow manages to keep going. I would love to see judges from different genres of music. But I don’t know that they are going to change things up that much on Idol. As it is we will have a new judge in Ellen Degeneres. She sees herself as kind of a people’s judge. She will approach it as someone who isn’t in the music business and is not a singer. We will have to wait and see if this experiment works or not.
LikeLike
mindy…yes, Thank You; Carlos Santana~~(Old brain)!!! I love him too! I really like the song that he did with Rob Thomas, please don’t ask me the name of it, Ha…my brain does not cooperate any more!
LikeLike
Vonnie,
SMOOTH! Don’t worry, I’m here to help out. Hopefully, you can do the same for me when my middle-aged brain forgets to work! Anyway, it’s the thought that counts!
LikeLike
mindy…LOL!!! Thank You! I got your back when your middle-aged brain forgets to work…hopefully I’ll “remember” to help, HA!
Yes, it was Smooth, I really like that song, I really like Rob Thomas!
Also thought of another name to add to our list! Laura Branigan, What a voice in the 80’s!
LikeLike
Last week my husband played our Peter, Paul, and Mary Christmas CD and I was saddened to be reminded of Mary’s passing. And in thinking about Peter, Paul, and Mary, it reminds me that last week on Larry King Live, Sting did a wonderful version of Soul Cake which is a song that I always associated with PP&M. Did anyone happen to see Sting in this performance?
LikeLike
Adams NYE Gridlock performance of soaked. I really love this. Enjoy
LikeLike
Hello! Hello! Is everyone ready for SEASON 9? Are you excited?
MCL, is there a thread for the new season? Only 9 days left!
Take care everyone!
LikeLike
Hey! Where did everybody go???
Okay kariann 1, I will admit that I am getting a little excited about season 9, I may watch, but only out of curiosity, HA!!!
LikeLike
Vonnie, I am also excited, but we need to rememeber that Ellen will not be judging until the Hollywood rounds which begin February 9. I am quite apprehensive about that!
AOL had an interview with Ellen and Simon, and Ellen said she would be honest with the contestants. She made it clear she will not be warm and fuzzy the way Paula is; nor will she be mean like Simon. My concern is that so much focus will be centered on HER and not the contestants. Four judges did not work well last season.
Also, Randy says there will be more edgy acts like Adam and Allison. What I would love to see is 24 contestants who are truly talented – no comedy acts like last year!
This week, I have been hearing so much about Elvis and appreciating the beautiful voice he had. There will never be anyone quite like him again. This is my personal opinion, I am happy I have been around to hear it all.
Take care everyone and I look forward to some lively conversation from this *cool* group of people posting here!
MCL, are you ready? :o)
LikeLike
Adam appears on Oprah today. In studio, he performed two songs (WWFM and If I Had You). Only WWFM will air and IIHY is only on Oprah’s web site here:
http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Adam-Lambert-Performs-If-I-Had-You-Video
Sorry I can’t embed.
Mindy, I agree with your extensive (well-written) thoughts about Adam not having an artistic point of view or at least not presenting it in this album. I would have been delighted if Crawl Thru Fire was representative of his pt/view and he’d done an album in that vein. But, alas, he is a man who admits he LOVES pop and dance music. It’s what he listens to. He’s described being torn between what he wanted to do (electronic/pop/dance music) and what he built his following on (classic rock sounds) and so tried to blend the two on this album. Hence, the hodgepodge sound.
I’m willing to bet his career will take some twists and turns and only some of the music he’ll produce will delight me. And I’ll enjoy (most of) the rest of it since it’s his voice and he’ll execute it well, whatever it is.
LikeLike
Hi everyone!
Thanks for the tip Gumbo Girl! I am recording Oprah right now. Sometimes Adam makes me laugh, although I don’t think he is trying to be funny. The man sure can sing! I bet he would be fun to go shopping with too!
LikeLike
I am curious if anybody watched “The Audition” on PBS on the 20th – I mentioned it above.
If you didn’t and are curious what you missed, you might read what people – even those who don’t normally like opera – thought about this documentary:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/episodes/gp-at-the-met-the-audition/preview-this-behind-the-scenes-documentary/913/
LikeLike
Congrats to Adam on his first top 40 hit: WWFM went from #55 to #37 on the hot 100! (airplay and sales). Also his album has gone gold in Canada and will be gold, if not already, in the US.
LikeLike
BTW, if you want a pure and stellar vocalist, look no further than one you’re familiar with by the name of Theo Tams…
If you want to be blown away even more, look up his live performances of Regina Spektor’s “Samson”, Five for Fighting’s “Superman”, or Coldplay’s “Fix You”. STUNNING!
LikeLike
Here’s Adam doing an AMAZING acoustic, bluesy, jazzy version of Whole Lotta Love (from Feb. 27 concert at Fantasy Springs): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz6kA8mRatM&feature=player_embedded
LikeLike