American Idol 7

[annabear]

Ok, who went home? I was watching Ghost Hunters & forgot to flip back to AI...

[djs111]

David H. went home. I thought he should have, I didn't care for his singing Tuesday. Yeah, the other two at the bottom will be going home, too. At this stage of the game, for me, it is worst of the worst - later, it will be worst of the best.

Kat sure is pretty. Her singing seems to have become mostly become lightly forgettable.

It was weird, I don't know why, to see David Foster there, but then I guess AI is a giant shill show, it is a wonder Jim Carrey didn't dance on stage in his elephant costume.

I like Brooke a lot; she looks so much like Nancy Travis it is a bit unsettling.

nancy travis

Heeeee.....I was watching Ghost Hunters, too; the new Top Chef seems promising, also. I just knew Miss Too Much Salt was going home. Beautiful girl; when they gave her so much screen time I knew she was a goner.

I didn't wait to hear Ruben, I read that he doesn't get much time, I hope he appears in person sometime, tho.

Amanda sounded quite horrible in the group sing, she actually startled me.

[muskifest]

Interesting....when the group did their individual songs Tuesday I thought that overall they sounded pretty danged good. But last night that group medley was soooooo shitty. Gawd. Nobody sounded good alone and then together they were inexcusably horrific.

The right one went home. I imagine Christy "I-don't-know-what-I'm-doing-here-and-don't-know-how-to-move-my-bodacious-bod-when-I'm-onstage" Cook will be next. (What a freakin' wasted of a hot body! Dayum...give ME her body and I'll show you how to move it!)

And even though I like Jim Carrey, I thought the Fox self promotion was vomit-inducing. In fact, that movie has been hyped to such a degree all over the place that I'll probably not go see it just BECAUSE of that...

[djs111]

At least we didn't get treated to another Jerry Seinfeld BEEEEEEE MOVIEEEEEEE mention! Seriously, I wouldn't BEEEEEE surprised if that movie ad was somehow projected onto the Idol screen of bizarro light projections or the actual moon or if planes started buzzzzzzing around with that damn thing displayed on those banners like you see at the beach.

I really like all the extra crap they push, really, because then I can keep up with other shows and not miss the meaningful three minutes or so.

Ryan and Simon should get a room, they are getting ridiculous.

I wonder if there is much disparity between how well someone sings and how much of a fan base they get to vote for them.....here, we judge people on how well they sing, but for all we know those people have shaky voices but have entire countries or organisations or tweenie groups or whatever who will vote if they just stand there and belch the alphabet.

[muskifest]

At least we didn't get treated to another Jerry Seinfeld BEEEEEEE MOVIEEEEEEE mention! Seriously, I wouldn't BEEEEEE surprised if that movie ad was somehow projected onto the Idol screen of bizarro light projections or the actual moon or if planes started buzzzzzzing around with that damn thing displayed on those banners like you see at the beach.

I really like all the extra crap they push, really, because then I can keep up with other shows and not miss the meaningful three minutes or so.

Ryan and Simon should get a room, they are getting ridiculous.

I wonder if there is much disparity between how well someone sings and how much of a fan base they get to vote for them.....here, we judge people on how well they sing, but for all we know those people have shaky voices but have entire countries or organisations or tweenie groups or whatever who will vote if they just stand there and belch the alphabet.

This is interesting, djs...'coss I'm imagining that many out there think of Clay's fans this way--Lord knows we've said often enough that the man could sing the phone book and we'd buy 7 copies!

But I hear ya'. Last night's show could've easily been 30 mins...or 3.

[annabear]

Thanks, djs! Ooooh! Another Ghost Hunters fan?

But I hear ya'. Last night's show could've easily been 30 mins...or 3.

I guess I'd have to agree with this, seeing as how I forgot to tune back in!

[playbiller]

AI has always b een ab out product placement - money is money - the coke room and couch, the maked guys show sitting in the audience, nothing has changed ......EXCEPT _ NO pimpermercial? Did I miss the pimpermercial? I read somewhere the contestents were filming it. Maybe I walked outr in boredom when they showed that.

[treenuts]

djs, BWAH to your entire post.

So is someone gonna say somethin' about Ruben's song. I didn't watch so I kinda sorta maybe wanna know.

Anybody? Bueller?

[keepingfaith]

Ruben's CMH was boring at best. I expected a great version from Ruben to sort of revive his career. That's not gonna do it. I just recently found Clay's CMH and watched a lot of clack of it. There is no comparison. Ruben sang that song like it really was the phonebook.

[treenuts]

Ruben sang that song like it really was the phonebook.

Meh. Glad I didn't miss anything then. Thanks.

I just wonder....do you think they have asked Clay to do things or appear before and he has declined for one reason or another? I only ask because I know he can be pretty stubborn at times. Just my "idle" mind at work. No need to hi-jack this thread with that old debate. Thanks for responding kf.

sorry....carry on

[keepingfaith]

You know, back in September 2006 on LKL he said that he owed the show and loved being on it and that he'd be there any time he was invited. But after he hijacked the 2006 finale they may be more careful about the inviting!

I have had a feeling for a long time that he's going to be on the finale this year, as will Ruben, for the 5th anniversary of The Anomaly. And wouldn't that just be the perfect time to sing the new single, whatever it is. And Ruben can sing Celebrate Me Home.

Back to this year, I was perplexed at the song choices for this week. With the whole Lennon-McCartney songbook to choose from they chose songs that were not the best for their style and voices, with a few exceptions. But since they are doing Lennon-McCartney next week, I suggest they dip into the barrel of great songs like:

Oh! Darling

She Came In Through The Bathroom Window

Helter Skelter

I'm So Tired

All You Need Is Love

Blackbird

Drive My Car

Get Back

I'll Be Back

Good Day Sunshine

You've Got To Hide Your Love Away

I Should Have Known Better

No Reply

Please, Please Me

Fool on the Hill

Things We Said Today

You're Going to Lose That Girl

I Want You (She's So Heavy)

Heck, somebody should do She Loves You!

And one of my favorite dark horse candidates: Your Mother Should Know! They should stay AWAY from the signature songs like Day in the Life, Yesterday, Strawberry Fields, and Penny Lane IMO.

Even the Rocker Chick could pull off "Why Don't We Do It In The Road" Or the obvious ... it was 20 years ago today .... or Birthday ... or USSR ... or even You Know My Name (Look Up The Number). Ha!

But seriously somebody should be able to KILL on Oh! Darling.

[muskifest]

But seriously somebody should be able to KILL on Oh! Darling.

oh, keepingfaith? I have a somebody in mind for killing on that song....

Can you guess who it is?

Huh?

Oh...it has to be a contestant on THIS year's show?

Rats.

Never mind.

[djs111]

Well, David A was pitchy, whoever was before him sounded like Goat Girl, and Amanda sadly was thin or something, at least at first.

Yikes.

OK, do they want Michael to go? I really like him, but the judges did everything but insult his mom. Plus Simon sorta was saying Vote For David.

...

Grinch here - Brooke over-cuted. For some reason, watching the "sun" backdrop, I thought that if Clay was singing, they would have arranged for bats to be flying or something.

[muskifest]

BWAH, djs! to your 'bats for Clay'!

I thought that the contestants were pretty disappointing last night.

Brooke---in some ways I think she's like Jason in that their charm (perceived or real) and personalities to compensate for basically weak voices. If either of them actually gets to the end, we'll KNOW it's a personality over talent contest fo' sho'.

Amanda---one trick pony, plus I thought she sounded awful last night.

Michael---I'm one of the ones that just doesn't get the 'all that' about this guy---yeah, he's cute and looks good in a pair of jeans and has a cute accent---but his voice and perfomance skills? Nah.

David A--pitchy or not, he sounded the best to me last night. He really does have a lovely quality to his voice, IMO.

Sayesha---I like this girl and think her voice is very, very pretty. We'll see.

Kristy Cook---too unsure, looks SO uncomfortable on stage (sorta reminds me of earlyJulia DeMato in that regard) and the bottom line here is that she really doesn't have a voice that's especially good.

Ramielle---Honey, pick a song that shows off your pipes! The last two songs and their delivery have really done her talent a disservice.

Chikese--I really like this guy AND his voice---but wish he hadn't gone all harmonica-y and country on that song. I loved the soft quality he used in the beginning and wish he'd just continued with that for the whole song.

David Cook---I KNEW what he'd sound like...I definitely agreed with Simon. David has a great classic rock voice and persona---great performer...But I'd like to hear and see him treat a song in a different way from that predictable style.

And that unsolicited review helped me procrastinate a bit more, so thanks for listening....heh.

[keepingfaith]

The problem this week was ... I think I don't really like this group all that much. Best ever, my happy ass! I don't think anyone even had the stomach to repeat that blatant marketing propaganda last night. Besides, it's obvious to me now that nobody can sing Beatles songs in the ballpark with the Beatles. Their great songs are iconic, and I'm even more impressed with their vocal talents the more I hear these lame attempts from the Idol wannabes. There haven't been any successful covers that I recall in 40+ years. Everything else pales by comparison. Give it up kids and buy a copy of Abbey Road and Revolver. If they knew more about the Beatles they would have picked from their GREAT songs -- and they did not.

The very idea of singing Here Comes the Sun. It is a GREAT song, but NOT a singer's song! Hello? Too cute by half, Brooke.

Ramiele sang a worse-than-karaoke version with the worst instrumentation in the history of American Idol. I'm still trying to forget it. She should have known better.

Chikezie singing a Beatles song with a country beat? Didn't we establish last week that "country Beatles" is a big mistake. Just shoot me.

David A. did a fine job with Long and Winding Road. He has a pleasant voice and demeanor, but, I wouldn't buy his music.

Amanda took my advice and sang USSR ... but I still don't care for her voice. Never did. She irritates me somehow, and her timing was way off on this song. She's a run of the mill biker bar singer.

Michael Johns eschewed my advice and sang Day in the Life ... BIG MISTAKE! A 90-second version of Day in the Life is JUST WRONG! But I like this guy .. he still has residue glory from Across The Universe, which I thought was spectacular last week.

Blackbird was good for Carly. No great shakes, but it didn't make me cringe. Just ... alright fine.

Michelle was one of the Beatles songs that I never liked because it was languid and boring for me. Jason Castro is cute. That is all.

Kristy Cook is going. Maybe not today or next week, but soon and for the rest of our lives.

Yesterday did NOTHING for me. It's Paul's song and nobody else can ever "make it their own." Just back away, Syesha.

Who else? Oh yeah, David Cook. I liked him best of all, and started out not liking him very much because I thought he looked weird. However, I notice they are working on him and he's getting cuter by the week ... and he's got some performing skills and real, actual personality. He's my pick for now.

Now Muski, I know that Clay would never cover the Beatles (except for HT&E on AI, and CBML on Jukebox) ... but if he did a full-blown Beatles cover ... and maybe it could happen one of these years ... then the absolute ringer song for him would be OH! DARLING! Yes I can hear it. Being that the Beatles were a band, most of their songs were not singers' songs ... and then there's Oh! Darling! Yes, THAT voice fits THAT song perfectly.

[Couch Tomato]

Ruben's CMH was boring at best. I expected a great version from Ruben to sort of revive his career. That's not gonna do it. I just recently found Clay's CMH and watched a lot of clack of it. There is no comparison. Ruben sang that song like it really was the phonebook.

Ruben's full version is pretty good. I'm not quite sure how they are using it in the show but I heard the whole thing.

[jmh123]

Besides, it's obvious to me now that nobody can sing Beatles songs in the ballpark with the Beatles. Their great songs are iconic, and I'm even more impressed with their vocal talents the more I hear these lame attempts from the Idol wannabes. There haven't been any successful covers that I recall in 40+ years. Everything else pales by comparison. Give it up kids and buy a copy of Abbey Road and Revolver. If they knew more about the Beatles they would have picked from their GREAT songs -- and they did not.

Exactly my thought. I remember hearing Eric Clapton say once that the longer he made music, the more he appreciated simplicity. The seemingly simple Beatles songs are amazingly difficult to sing well, and the difficult, esoteric ones like "A Day in the Life" and "Back in the USSR" are impossible.

If they knew more about the Beatles they would have picked from their GREAT songs -- and they did not.

How AI managed to fill a whole night with the worst possible choices I don't know, when there are so many good ones to choose from. Wonder if AI was playing with the list, or only had permission for some of the songs.

[playbiller]

The show is almost over - So far Carly and Krist are in the bottom 3. The Kellie pickler song looks to be filmed before hand, the intro piece is abolutely filmed. Can't people sing live anymore?

Add Amanda oto bottom 3 - whooo hooo - a girl leaves and the tour is balanced to 5 girls and 5 boys - the tour has been saved - glory be.

Spoiler here = so you can skip over this

the big rumor about a wild card for AI top 10 is that they will take someone who has been eliminated on the tour, the fans can vote for one of 5 from the top 24 to add. he big rumor, probably unfounded is to replace Carly who looks to be pregnant.

[muskifest]

I swear Kristy Cook looked to me like she WANTED to be voted out! She doesn't seem to really have the desire, you know? She KNOWS she's one of the weakest ones and it really seemed that she was not only surprised but a bit disappointed when Ryan told Amanda SHE was going home.

Amanda doesn't seem to be someone who got close to the others; in fact, she seemed to be returning hugs and whatnot rather perfunctorally and even reluctantly. I'm not a fan, but I imagine she would've spiced up the tour. But I don't care since I've never gone to an AI tour---not even Clay's! By the time I got caught up in all that tour stuff and tried to get a ticket to the San Jose one for me and my girls, they were sold out.

And to prove my then naivete---I actually accepted Ticketmaster's word that it really WAS sold out and didn't pursue things further!

BWAH! What an amateur I was...

Play...I didn't even know there was going to be a wildcard. Has there been a wildcard every year since Clay's? Yeah, as you can see, I'm really invested in this show.

[playbiller]

The wildcard is just for a tour position which means big bucks (100k +) in the pockets of idols on it, not to mention exposure.

[claytonic]

The wildcard is just for a tour position which means big bucks (100k +) in the pockets of idols on it, not to mention exposure.

The Idols get paid $100K to be on the tour? Are you serious? Is that what the AI2 Idols were paid, and is that what Vanessa and Josh missed out on?

Geesh, I ask a lot of questions....

[playbiller]

Well, this wasthe first step in getting Clay rich. The Ai1 Idols were paid peanuts, but in AI2 - the rumor was that Ruben was paid 5K pershow and everuyone one else was paid 1K (see how Clay missed out there!). The realmoney came frm the merchandise. The tour book royalty was split 12 ways, since they shared, but the individual merchandise went to one idol. Clay really cleaned up here.

A lot of idols bankrolled their demos and shopping around to labels from that money, or moved or did something else to help them get a foothold. A couple put the money up thier nioses, but that is the very rare exception. When you hear of idols working on demos, that can easily eat up all the money, this is why they are able to do it and why it has become easier for the newer idols to get out there. And, this is another reason why Corey felt screwed. They also make money from the compilation album/downloads

[playbiller]

See if you notice anything about the picture of the top 10!

[keepingfaith]

I remember hearing Eric Clapton say once that the longer he made music, the more he appreciated simplicity. The seemingly simple Beatles songs are amazingly difficult to sing well, and the difficult, esoteric ones like "A Day in the Life" and "Back in the USSR" are impossible.

I remember way back in the 60's when my future brother-in-law (guitar player who adored the Beatles) was playing lots of Donovan stuff like Season of the Witch, and Cream riffs and the like ... I asked him to play Beatles one day, and he said that the Beatles had such inventive and difficult to learn chord changes that it was at that point beyond his capability. And those songs sounded so simple.

Playbiller, you'll have to draw me a picture of the picture. I'm dense like that.

[claytonic]

Well, this wasthe first step in getting Clay rich. The Ai1 Idols were paid peanuts, but in AI2 - the rumor was that Ruben was paid 5K pershow and everuyone one else was paid 1K (see how Clay missed out there!). The realmoney came frm the merchandise. The tour book royalty was split 12 ways, since they shared, but the individual merchandise went to one idol. Clay really cleaned up here.

A lot of idols bankrolled their demos and shopping around to labels from that money, or moved or did something else to help them get a foothold. A couple put the money up thier nioses, but that is the very rare exception. When you hear of idols working on demos, that can easily eat up all the money, this is why they are able to do it and why it has become easier for the newer idols to get out there. And, this is another reason why Corey felt screwed. They also make money from the compilation album/downloads

The tour book royalty was split 12 ways, since they shared,

12ways? So Vanessa, Joshua and Corey also got their share of it even though they were not on the tour?

but the individual merchandise went to one idol. Clay really cleaned up here.

You mean Clay's merchandise was the most in demand, so he earned the most? Hm, that would make sense of course! I hope Ruben is still making a good living, even if it is no where what he should have been making.

While I think about it... when they were recording "God Bless USA" in the studio, I noticed that Kim Locke was missing. What happened there? Was her name included on the CD? Maybe her vocals were added later? I love watching that video - there are several versions of it I noticed but I like the one where they are all really emotional.