How would your faves do on "American Idol"?

[Tedster]

I can just picture Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, or others in that vein being ripped to shreds for one reason or another on "American (or "Canadian" in Young's case) Idol". I mean, quite actually, a large percentage of performers who are huge would get tossed off the stage. Which says what?

[Base]

It says that they are musician's and artists.

 

People completely unsuitable for being fed into a machine designed purely for packaging together lowest common denominator pop crap.

 

I've said it before, Pop (or American, or whatever) Idol is NOT a talent show, it is about finding people to look, sound, speak, act, think, etc in a very specific way that has fits a marketing model to sell merchandise and cd's to a specific demographic....

 

It has NOTHING to do with musical talent, they may well be able to sing, but that isn't the criteria they are primarily being judged on.

 

They're looking for idols, not musicians! At least one of the judges on the Brit version (Peter Waterman) freely admits that on air, and has used the argument to eliminate some damn good singers because they don't look the part...

[RABid]

Face it; Tom Petty, Bob Dylan and Neil Young are crap singers but brilliant writers. If they were unknowns who could not write would anyone here even hire them to sing in a cover band? American Idol is not looking for writers, musicians or bands. They are looking for marketable singers. Carole King would loose to Britenny Spears. Janice Joplin would have a chance, but they would criticize her clothing. Sadly, Marvin Gay would make it to the final four, then loose out to Diana Ross and Madonna. Bono would not make the final 12.

 

Too bad they do not get better writers for the winners. Did anyone else think the songs sung last night by Kelly Clarkson and Reuban totally sucked. Maybe they are just trying to kill off the past winners to make room for the new.

 

Robert

[Tedster]

Originally posted by Base:

It says that they are musician's and artists.

Correct. But, I believe it says a bit more. That the fact that these people are well-known, despite not being great-looking great-singing cookie cutter clones...it says that perhaps the general public does want some intangible quality (how can one put one's finger precisely on what constitutes "talent") that the mass-packaging idol industry isn't able to deliver with their "success formulae".

[Base]

I'd have to disagree with that too, Will Young (British winner, I try to avoid hearing them but it's rammed down our throats at every opportunity over here, no doubt you get the same with your winners) may have a technically good voice (able to to hit keys or whatever) but it's utterly soulless I'd far rather listen to Tom Petty or Neil Young any day!!!

 

There's a lot more to singing than just hitting the right note....

[Base]

Originally posted by Tedster:

Originally posted by Base:

It says that they are musician's and artists.

Correct. But, I believe it says a bit more. That the fact that these people are well-known, despite not being great-looking great-singing cookie cutter clones...it says that perhaps the general public does want some intangible quality (how can one put one's finger precisely on what constitutes "talent") that the mass-packaging idol industry isn't able to deliver with their "success formulae".

But is there anyone more recent that fits this?? Pop Idol is designed to sell to the most people that it can manage as quickly as possible before the fashion changes. These guys start out small and build up through being damn good, none of the idols could do that, but then again they don't seem tot want to, they want to be famous regardless of the medium that they use....

[henryrobinett]

I think it also says that were Dylan or Petty or Young just starting out today they might not have a chance. Face it. The record industry has become that shallow thing. The record companies ARE looking for that commercial bombshell. They wouldn't know what to do if Jimi Hendrix walked into their offices.

[henryrobinett]

Oh, and BTW NONE of my idols would have had an opportunity on AI either. John Coltrane?? Charles Mingus?? I think not.

[felix.]

Is the assumption that everyone likes and/or respects Dylan, Petty, and Neil Young's music? I don't particularly care for any of them. They're just not my cup of tea.

 

In American Idol's defense, Fantasia was not the most Barbie-esque contestant, nor was she anywhere near the most cookie-cutter.

 

Oh, and she can sing, too. She can sing her ass off. Better than Dylan, Petty, or Neil Young IMO.

 

I think other really great singers would do very well in American Idol.

[RABid]

Originally posted by henryrobinett:

... They wouldn't know what to do if Jimi Hendrix walked into their offices.

Sure they would. They would offer him a job as guitarist for the AI tour. And a few minutes later they would be calling the police after he smashed his guitar over someone's head.

 

Robert

[Tedster]

Originally posted by felix.:

Is the assumption that everyone likes and/or respects Dylan, Petty, and Neil Young's music? I don't particularly care for any of them. They're just not my cup of tea.

 

Not in the least. Those are just some examples that came to mind.

 

Okay...how do you think the following would do on American Idol?

 

Oh, BTW...as if each were in their prime...

 

Robert Plant

Brian Johnson

David Ruffin

Alanis Morrissette

Scott Stapp

Eddie Vedder

Jim Morrison

Ann Wilson

B.B. King

Aretha Franklin

The Beatles

Mick Jagger

 

And that's not the end of the list. I'm just tossing names out more or less at random. Insert anyone who's had any impact at all on music as you know it, either as a writer, musician, or singer.

 

I'm betting that most of the above entries wouldn't stand a chance...even Aretha and Ann Wilson (too heavy, although I think Ann's lost weight), and yet I'd bet that a good bit of folks have records by at least a couple of these artists in their collection. If not, just ask yourself (as Henry did) how your heroes would fare...

 

And, also, ask yourself how your heroes of yesterday (if "American Idol" had previewed in, say, 1968) would fare against the "idols" of the day...how would say, Jack Bruce have fared in an "American Idol" contest with, say, Tom Jones?

[Base]

I thought about the Beatles when you first posted the topic, but the Beatles at their prime WERE the standard by which everyone else was judged. If they were on todays pop idol they'd be torn down like everyone else, but if the show was running in the context of the time then they'd kind of HAVE to do well....

 

Wonder what the judges really listen to, probably go home and rock out to some serious thrash

[Tedster]

It would have been interesting to see an "all things equal" contest between the Beatles (before they were widely known) and, say, Bobby Darin. Bobby Darin would have probably kicked their ass...if you only use the criteria put forth on shows like "American Idol"...but, of course, in the long run, a lot of folks nowadays would say (and quite seriously) "Who's Bobby Darin?". Which is exactly my point about the qualities measured on shows like "American Idol". It's like two meals...they both taste good, one has more frills, but leaves you hungry again an hour after eating it...and the other you don't have to eat again for the rest of the day.

[henryrobinett]

I think Aretha would have won. Rememer Rueben last year. Big as a house. But the voice. The Beatles?? Maybe if they opened it up for songwriting. Hands down would have won. As performers? Doubt it.

[I I mjrn]

Predicting the commentary of the on-air hosts might be tricky but the viewer voting results would be directly comparable to "our faves' commercial success, I'd think.

[Steve LeBlanc]

It's just a silly TV talent show, I think you guys are giving it too much credit/impact.

 

If anything it's making young people pay more attention to the ability/lack of ability of singers in general. That's not necessarily a bad thing. None of the American Idol contestants are going to take or even influence the art/music world by storm...they are owned by Coke, etc. If people in general would start to look at the show for what it really is (I actually think as it continues people are, it's getting stale), then true artists will benefit.

 

whatever, mostly it's distraction for the masses

 

I don't watch the show, I'm normally wrapped up in an NBA game while it's on but my wife watches it.

[Tedster]

Originally posted by Stephen LeBlanc:

It's just a silly TV talent show, I think you guys are giving it too much credit/impact.

 

That's precisely my point.

 

On another tangent...let's say that a "Celine Dion" clone won. Would you want to hear Celine Dion singing, say, some Aerosmith song? I doubt it...

[Dylan]

I thought the show had some real talent this year. In fact, I was surprised that so many of the contestants had an interest in old Motown songs, jazz standards, etc. It gave me hope that not all young singers and musicians buy into the Britney Spears world of product.

[KHAN]

Originally posted by Rabid:

Bono would not make the final 12.

I knew that there had to be a silver lining in there somewhere.

 

Thanks

[Archer]

The judges constantly talk about picking the right song for your voice and are just as interested in personality. With that in mind I think Mick Jagger would have done well, no one else can sing his songs like he can, not a great voice but the voters shure would have remembered him come voting time.

[Anderton]

It's not called American Songwriter, or American Guitarist, but American Idol and it's on Fox...so anything good that comes out of it is an unexpected surprise!

 

Seriously, I do think the reason it got people's attention was because of Fantasia clearly being extremely emotional about the whole thing, but never out of control. There has been so little emotion in pop music today -- it's all demographics and looks -- that in a way, she was kind of revolutionary for what is indeed a silly little talent show. She wasn't the best looking or the crassest, but she had soul and desire.

 

I guess what I'm saying is that somehow, probably by accident, something that DID connect with people on an emotional level slipped through.

[meccajay]

Meccajay's AI dream world -

 

Band category final 4 -

 

Beatles vs. The Who

 

Cameo vs. Earth Wind & Fire

 

- Early fave Led Zeppelin gets booted off early because of controversial bandmember indiscretions..

 

-Early fave Parliament/Funkadelic gets booted, as they don't make it past the network sensors..

 

Vocalist final 4 -

 

Aretha vs. Janis Joplin(semi final category-Blues)

 

Marvin Gaye vs. Barbara Streisand(semi final category-love ballads)

 

Tom Jones, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Gladys Knight, Joe Crocker, Aaron Neville, Celine Dion, Sam Cooke, Etta James, Michael Bolton, Chaka Khan, Mary J Blige, Steve Perry, Mariah Carey, Patti Labelle, Michael Franks, Otis Redding, and Al Green are all eliminated by the final 4...

 

Just for fun--

 

In earlier rounds, The Marvin Gaye vs. James Brown 4-songs-each showdown goes down as one of the greatest moments in TV history.

 

The Patti Labelle vs. Chaka Khan duel goes down as not only the most powerful, but also one of the loudest moments in TV history. 13 members of the audience are hospitalized due to heat exhaustion and blackouts. Both contestants are subsequently disqualified.

 

Aretha Franklin makes quick work of Mariah Carey in similar fashion as she did on VH1's 'Divas Live', Judge Simon Cowell shuns Carey, calling her performance "The worst performance of this entire competition" "Mariah, I think you failed to raise the bar, absolutely dreadful". In the voting, America agrees with Simon.

 

Celine Dion makes short work of Michael Franks, but faced Etta James in the next round, Al Green defeats Etta but succumbs to fan fave Joe Crocker.

 

After defeating Crocker, a young Striesand easily defeats Neville, and later Mary J Blige in an emotional performance for both that brings judge Paula Abdul to uncontrolable sobbing..

 

In a shocking upset, Stevie Wonder is eliminated by Janis Joplin... Dozens of protests are mounted, and thousands scream racism citing the popular view that Stevie Wonder is a genius and Joplin is just a drunk. In a show of sympathy, many AI fans run to defense of Joplin by voting heavily for her in later rounds. Weeks later Janis, who was the clear favorite to win it all, falls to the floor unconscious after mumbling the 1st verse of Down By The River...she barely wins in the voting that night over an equally disappointing performance by Michael Bolton.

 

The eagerly anticipated Sam Cooke meets Otis Redding showdown never materialized as both singers damaged there voices during the 1st 2 weeks while destroying early contenders and could not go on.

 

....and America has voted, the winners of the final 4 rounds are.....pregnant pause.........

[Tedster]

Good grief, Mecca, you gave that some serious thought!

 

I'll have to read it through a couple more times. I'll say though, the winner is...

 

Simon Cowell, who (unbeknownst to everyone) has hired the people who sang Milli Vanilli's hits to record a song that he can lip sync to. Everyone believes it's really him, and he proclaims himself Emperor of the World. At that moment, a lighting truss falls and poor Simon buys the farm, and no one ever learns the truth.

[Alndln]

Originally posted by Base:

They're looking for idols

Captain Beefhart and Tom Waites are my idols,and their American too.

[Alndln]

Damm,almost forgot my biggest "American Idol" http://www.allposters.com/IMAGES/MMPH/170709.jpg

[meccajay]

Originally posted by Tedster:

Good grief, Mecca, you gave that some serious thought!

Believe it or not, it all just kinda came to me.

 

...had a hell of a time typing it all though.

[Alndln]

Originally posted by Anderton:

It's not called American Songwriter, or American Guitarist.

Nor will there ever be such shows the way things are going.We'll be lucky if those words are even in our vocabulary in a few years if shows like this prevail.This is the typical way the industry dictates taste and control.Nothing new.If I only knew this before,I wouldn't have bothered to perfect an instrument and ignored the compositions in my head,remain oblivious to non-mainstream artists and simply enter a "singing contest".If I'm lucky enough to win, then I'll call myself an artist,if I lose,I'll go back to my day job.That's the way it works,right?

[Mats Olsson.]

The business model of commercial television is to capitalize on the viewers attention. That is all there is to it.

 

American Idol and similar shows are perfect marketing vehicles, there are so many products and services that fit the demographic profiles. And because it is "for real", a lot of people feel that they can relate to what they see/hear. "Reality" TV is also very cheap to produce, no expensive stars, no primadonna's that can disturbe the production schedule, lot's of media attention and plenty of spin-off profit opportunities.

[Blue Strat]

Kurt Cobain wouldn't have even made it passed the first round of eliminations.