It’s right around the corner, people…

Okay. I’m putting a toe in the water to see how it feels. That’s it. Just a toe. I’m not going back there…not back to the world of the crazies, am I? That’s why I have this blog, so that I can talk about Taylor in a realistic way. We don’t talk about him in the “OMGIWANTTOHAVEHISBABIES” and “IKNOWIFHESEESMEINTHEFRONTROWHEWILLFALLINLOVEWITHME” way. We talk about Taylor in the musical sense, sometimes even the business sense. We discuss what he should do, shouldn’t do, is doing, isn’t doing, what we think he’s doing, what we think he’s not doing. Not of it really means anything…it’s just conversation.

So, that being said, on Tuesday, I’m putting my toe back in the water…with the Soul Patrol. This concert should be pretty interesting for me. I haven’t been to see him since 2007, and I think I’ll be able to see the whole picture from a clearer perspective. At least I hope so. Unless I get sucked back in…and I really don’t want to do that. Just the thought of it makes me shiver a little bit.

I’m pretty happy from my little corner of the Taylor Hicks fandom. The drama isn’t too deep, and the arguments are rare. And I like it that way.

When I recap…I’m going to do it honestly. No bullshit, no lies.

I don’t pretend that Taylor reads here. I would assume he would have more pressing matters than reading a blog about himself, but I’m gonna say this just in case:

Dear Taylor,

On Tuesday, I’m going to be in the front row. I’ll be the sort of excited one sitting next to my friend that I drug there, who is secretly hoping that she doesn’t see anybody she knows there. And, just in case you want to make a long time fan’s night…just in case you’re feeling generous, please play Bulletproof.

Or I could go with:

Dear Taylor,

Don’t play Bulletproof. Your guitar playing sucks and you sound bad when you sing it. (Reverse psychology…get it?) Well, except for the guitar playing part…you are getting better at that.

****

And because enough people haven’t asked me if I’m going to this concert, the newspaper had to put an article in. Ugh. I know alot of you have seen it, because it’s already been discussed in the last post. I thought it was a pretty fair article, although I did get drunk when I read it. I’m telling you, we definitely need to market the Soul Patrol drinking game.

“But it fits the bill for me, because I’m such a visual and a musical performer.”

SHOT!!

“I never take it for granted, because I know what it’s like to struggle,” Hicks said. “You have to stay out there and work it.”

DRINK!!

Here’s another article for good measure. We’ll see how it goes.

T is for Top Ten…

Here are some really cool music videos that I have come across…some performance, some not, in no particular order.

There is something about Ray LaMontagne’s voice that draws me in. I don’t know what it is, but it’s just comfortable to me. There are only a few other artists that demand that same reaction from me…

When I first heard that Taylor Hicks was covering this song, I was elated. He did a hell of a good job on it. Too bad the lady’s head in the front row keeps moving. But hey..whatcha gonna do?

I’m sure everybody probably has seen this next video, but it’s still very cool. I don’t know the specifics on how long it took to get everybody on the same page…I can imagine it took a while for everybody to catch on.

Will Hoge…awesome.

This is the unofficial video for this Train song, but it’s done really well. Clever.

This, hanging out in the lobby with his fans after the show. More Will Hoge. I can’t help it.

This is one of my favorite performances from Taylor Hicks. I was there in the second row to witness it in all it’s glory. Out of all the concerts that I went to, that had to be the best one.

Love Foy Vance and love how this video is made. It has a pretty deep message, too. I’m a sucker for lyrics.

This is cool.

And this one, as much as I don’t like Miley Cyrus’ singing voice, if that’s what we’re going to call it, watching this video makes it somewhat bearable. Total hilarity.

Happy Birthday Hawt Stuff!!

Here’s a few of your favorite things…well, a few of the things you have professed to like. I won’t pretend that I know you.

Oh wait…that might not be the right kind. Try this:

Please, please have one for me. Hey, I live vicariously. What can I say?

Wish you had time to relax and visit here today…

or here:

or especially here:

And I hope this one can come visit you…

At your next shadow stop, sing this song for me:

Here’s a little present for me, since it’s your birthday and all…

Reverse mojo

Tomorrow, the Taylor fandom will be in front of their computers, salivating for a chance to chat LIVE!! with their American Idol. The problem is, this is Taylor and it’s live. The chances of something going wrong are numerous, especially since, as my friendly neighborhood astrologist tells me, mercury is in retrograde. I really don’t know what that means, but I don’t think it’s good. So, in order to avert the evil eye, bad mojo or the Brady Bunch Tiki doll of doom, I’m throwing some ideas out there.

1. This is live and this is Taylor. Wait, I already said that. Taylor and technology don’t exactly go together. Do I even need to remind you what happened when he wanted to have a “chat” and it got postponed 843576 times before actually working?

2. Taylor will sweat profusely, necessitating a shirt change in the middle of the video chat. Some people might like that though.

3. Taylor will rely on the interview standby’s for answers, such as “I’m running a marathon, not a sprint.” and “Grease is a great opportunity for somebody breaking into the acting field.”

4. Once again, he’ll mention how many roles he was offered before accepting “Grease” or worse yet, how he was in the middle of eating a barbecue sandwich while accepting “Grease”.

5. Taylor will proclaim himself Mr. Twitter and is taking over the universe.

6. Taylor will refer to all his fans as “twats” because they twitter with him.

7. He’ll talk about how Bill found the perfect cheeseburger and that’s why he’s no longer working with him.

8. Let’s just hope Taylor doesn’t pan the webcam down and show a glimpse of Clay rubbing his feet.

9. Taylor’s allergies will act up, causing there to be technical difficulties with the webcam. Perhaps a particularly potent sneeze will topple it from the stand.

10. He’ll refer to himself in the third person, but only as “Cone Ranger”.

My Taylor Hicks journey…

Thanks to NolaMar for these great pics!! Seeing them reminded me of my TH journey.

This is like the beginning of my journey, so full of optimism and hope for the future, waiting to see Taylor on American Idol every week. Reading all the blogs, listening to all the pre-AI music that Taylor had done.

Then I partook in the excitement and the music, loving every minute of it. The American Idol tour, the shadow gigs, traveling around the country going to concerts, making great friends.

Then came the bitterness of the Soul Patrol, the fan site wars, the competition of who was the better fan fueled by speculation of who Taylor was really dating. The excitement and the music were still there, but the drama of the fandom took it’s toll.

But yet, with a smile on my face, I keep coming back for more. Drawn by the music, perhaps drawn by the potential that I see. Maybe I’m still waiting for that “something”…

And then this:

Thanks to Candy for getting this!! Gotta love Spoonful James. These guys rock!!

Spoonful James/Taylor Hicks

(thanks to 4tay for the pictures)

Thanks to Seven Days for showing me this from the Boogies.

Oh yes. You can have it on your iPod now.

It’s a beautiful thing…

Looking for Love…

In keeping up with the alphabet theme, I present you with

L is for Love

I think I have figured out Taylor’s PR problem. He needs more visibility, specifically in the eyes of the younger generation. He needs to be the young dude in a power couple, kind of like Demi Moore and Ashton Kuchter. So, in an effort to fix this problem, I’m going to ask Taylor a question:

Taylor, when you were growing up, did you have a crush on anybody beside Ray Charles? C’mon, dig deep…we need a female, older than you (because you need to be the young, hip dude), and she needs to be powerful. Yes.

…

…

Ok, Taylor’s not answering. The cone must be soundproof, so I’m coming up with my own possibilities.

1. Ellen DeGeneres

She’s hip. She’s blond, tall, and loaded. She’s also hysterically funny and she’s powerful in Hollywood.

Wait. She’s married…to a woman. Fuck. Ok, moving on…

2. Meryl Streep

She’s got hit movies coming out the wazoo, she’s tall, she’s blond, she’s loaded. She’s musical. Mama Mia anyone? Oh hell, musical…never mind, cancel that.

Wait. She’s married, too.

3. Diane Sawyer

She’s smart, she’s on the television every morning. She’s tall, she’s blond, she’s loaded.

Wait. She’s married too. I’m sensing a pattern here.

Oh..I’ve got it. This is the one.

4. Whitney Houston

She’s on the verge of a comeback. She’s got her own musical career. Taylor could protect her from her crazy ex husband. She’s tall, she’s not blonde (but she could be if she wanted to), and she’s loaded. She needs a man, not a baby daddy. Yes. Taylor, are you listening to me? Are you?? Call Whitney!!

Go, Taylor, Go!!

K is for Krispy Kreme….wait, what?

How is that, you ask? Simple. I’m referring to Taylor’s yo-yo’ing of weight. Remember him on Idol? All pudgy and cute?

After AI, he started slimming down…

Then we had the “dating” Caroline Lyders stage, where he got too thin:

Then we had the post-Caroline phase, where he started eating again… obviously attempting to sate his sorrow in food.  It’s okay, Taylor.  We’ve all been there.  *sigh*

And then, Work arrived.  Yes, Work will Save Us All!!  In this case, “work” equals “Grease”.  I mean, how many calories do you think he burns during the hand-jive?!? Problem is, no matter how many calories he burns, that wig still makes him look twenty pounds heavier….and the glitter adds another ten.

Go Taylor!!  Shake it, Bones!!

Not to mention, I bet there aren’t Krispy Kremes on every corner of Manhatten.  So, Taylor was down again, and getting jiggy with it for his video.

With the stability of “Grease” and the healthful influence of his entourage (oh come on, you know Bill Will and Clay Connor are practically the Vegans of Greenpeace…  ), Taylor has maintained a healthy weight for the past year now.

Just remember Taylor, “moderation” is the word.  Not “Grease”.

Dear Taylor, I’m back….

and I see all it took was for me to go away for a week. Oh sure, then you start listening. Watching these videos made me all warm and gushy. What did I see? I saw you sit down on a stool and pour emotion into a song, a song that I think I incorrectly said you never would sing in front of an audience. Oh yes.

I’ll overlook the part where you kind of screwed up the lyrics. We’ll call it “artistic license”. I don’t think I’ll ever understand why people feel the need to scream out their love for you during a song. At least this one was at the end of it.

Maybe You Should…tell the audience to shut up when you’re talking. Anyway, I love how when you’re really into a song, you sing out of the corner of your mouth. Nice little quirk.

While this isn’t one of my favorite songs off the album, I love it in this setting. I love the harp, I love the emotion, I love the tagging. Well done. Your voice is amazing in this one. Here’s where that tag came from…

Nice.

This has always been one of my favorites that you cover. You and Brian Less really complement each other vocally. The whole “audience singing thing”?? Good. Very good. Nice job of interacting with the audience.

Ok, let’s review.

1. You did an acoustic gig.
2. You sang openly and with much emotion.
3. You sang Indiscriminate Act of Kindness and Maybe You Should.
4. You were awesome.

This is what you should be doing every night, Taylor.

Yours in conditional love,

Straw

Ok, sit down…

…get a drink, and clean off the computer screen. I want you to watch these videos of the Triple Door, BUT I want you to watch them in HD, then hit full screen. I have never seen clearer videos on YouTube. Big shoutout to Lh1100, whoever you may be..these are very much appreciated.

Have I mentioned my love of tags?

Harp. Yes.

Are you doing what I said? HD and full screen.

Um. Taylor speaks. And this: “This is the most words I’ve said since I’ve been here in Seattle. Something about the weather.” Oh, he’s trying to be funny..and actually does a pretty good job of it. Then, he explains why he’s not playing the guitar. Ok, he needs to act like this in concerts all the time. And for all you Bill Will fans out there, there is a glimpse of the fair haired wonder boy. More tagging, too. GAH!

Turning the dinner theater into a roadhouse…and I’m liking the way he’s handling that guitar. There. I said it.

I Live on a Battlefield…Great solo by Josh Smith. What’s up with him wearing ties now?

Woman’s Gotta Have It. Taylor wanted to turn the lights down low, but the lighting guy didn’t want to, I guess.

My Sweet Lord…playful Taylor on stage, actually encouraging the audience to participate. Very nice.

All in all, those videos have to be the best concert footage that I’ve seen of Taylor. Thanks again for putting them out there.

Finally, finally the man speaks on stage. Yes.