There is absolutely nothing wrong w/ that Ad. Taylor is having a hell of a good time in it, and i'm sure making a nice chunk of cash. Good for him. Supposedly the deal was cut w/ AI prior to the season, so it wasn't made JUST for Taylor. But he does good.

here is the ad:

http://www.gofish.com/userVideoPlayer.gfp?gfid=30-1038085

geekboy

I'm sorry, but in those interviews he comes across as an absolutely arrogant PoS. Talk about a man in need of getting over himself...

Sorry geekboy, love your views on this board but I'm afraid I'm going to have to be the voice of dissension on this topic. IMO Bo has a much more marketable look/voice than Taylor. AI could (and did) put their stamp all over Bo and he will still be ok. I was totally surprised by Bo's first albumn but in no way does it turn me off of him. I'm anxiously awaiting his next albumn with a more "Bo" feel to it. Now Taylor on the other hand does not have the leeway of doing bad on his first albumn. If it tanks then Taylor's done. AI knows this. I believe Taylor's fans are a fanatic lot and if they don't get a "Taylor" feel to his first albumn they are going to be seriously pissed. With that in mind AI is giving Taylor his head to produce an albumn that will please his listeners.

That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.

Summer siggy thanks to Syren!

Hey Mag -

I hear what you are saying, but I feel i have to dissent with your dissension.

Every AI winner went into the studio claiming to be making a true contribution to where their debut CDs would skew in terms of genre/style/etc.

Nobody as of yet has had a firm hand in putting together their debut CD. I use Bo as an example because he is recent in memory, and he definately had one of the most cut-and-dried styles of any winner or runner up. Also, if you purchased the DualDisc (as I did) of his debut CD it has a mini-documentary of his life after AI and includes footage of him and his band making some demos, taking it to the producer, and seeing him get beaten down and getting very upset about 'the machine' that is AI.

Bo's CD, although i do enjoy it, is definately manufactured and is not a good representation of who Bo is.

This is why i'm surprised by what Taylor is saying on record. Taylor is very much like Bo in that he has a true style, he is a musician, he is a songwriter, he knows the business, and he knows WHO HE IS. Bo couldn't do it. I will be shocked if Taylor does what he says he's going to do. Are the producers giving him a line of you-know-what, or are we seeing a change from the norm?

I'm excited.

geekboy

>Bo has a much more
>marketable look/voice than Taylor.
>AI could (and did) put
>their stamp all over Bo
>and he will still be
>ok.

I am in agreement with you that Bo is extremely talented. I was disappointed with his first CD release but will still buy his next one.
If AI is giving Taylor more control, I think it is because they realize their past mistakes and want the winner to represent themselves as they did on the show in hope of making record sales. Due respect to Taylor, I don't think the reason is that they think he's more talented than past winners.

LAST EDITED ON 07-02-06 AT 03:21 PM (EST)

I posted the following on the individual contestant board, but I believe it fits this thread:Taylor Hicks wows crowd at the Stadium of Fire. 30,000 people, essentially a sold out venue, gathered on July 1, 2006 for music, phone calls from families to troops, and fireworks. Lee Ann Womack ("I Hope You Dance") was the featured artist, but Taylor preceeded her and the response she got was tepid by comparison. The only real enthusiasm she summoned is when she commented on him.
Taylor surprised the audience by playing his harmonica from a stand on the sidelines during a segment of a patriotic medley played by a high school band. On stage, after a roaring welcome from the crowd, he sang (and danced) "Takin' It To the Streets". His footwork got a rousing response. He decked out in a guitar fitted with a harmonica holder for a piece he wrote himself. It was great to see him play the part of one man band, and he did all three instruments (including his voice) proud. He finished with the AI song "Do I Make You Proud", dedicated to the troops and to the audience. The entire evening's performance was chosen as an official Independance Day broadcast to the U. S. armed forces overseas. I liked seeing Hicks onstage. I was not disappointed, but I think Ms. Womack, who was looking a little dowdy and frazzled in a black tank top and cream pants, compared to Taylor in a gray blazer and jeans, seemed a bit put off by being upstaged by what could only be considered her 'opening act'. (This event includes Larry King and Donny and Marie Osmond on its board and Miss USA 2006 was one of the commentators so it has a fairly high profile)

Please do not post the same message in multiple forums - it is a violation of our community guidelines.

Sorry, won't happen again unless my dimentia kicks in again.

Geekboy, yes! (Just say "yes" ;) )

I think Taylor will exhibit more control over his album than others.

Kelly was completely molded; I do not think Ruben was assertive about his material; Fantasia appears to have been directed as well.

I do not know what influence Carrie may have had on her album....certainly the country niche has worked out great for her and AI.

Taylor, however, showed what he was about to AI throughout the contest and earned the respect of the music director and AI musicians. He has also shown more "off the AI path" moves by appearing with several acts over the past three weeks and in some cases just wowing the audiences with the harp, not singing. I think AI is well informed of all of these moves and may also be helping orchestrate them...don't know. If seems like a concerted strategy to help Taylor show his breadth in a way that the AI contest did not allow.

I am amused at the disdain some posters still have for him--he is on a great marketing trajectory with two Tonight Show appearances and multiple Leno monologue mentions, SNL skits, People magazine cover (!!!) and the multi-page article, making the Billboard Hot 100 #1 slot with his DIMYP CD, the Ford ad, many other talk show appearances, etc. He is getting more exposure than any idol since Kelly (who got a Hollywood movie to boot but we know that did not go anywhere).

Taylor may pop up in places on the off days of the AI summer concert schedule. Any chance you are going to Workplay, Geekboy?

I am guessing that you have listened to Taylor's pre-Idol CD's and live sets and you know what he is capable of beyond AI. I appreciate GC's board for helping bring all of them to us.

I have Bo's album. I was disappointed that it had Bo singing but it did not represent Bo as I had appreciated him on AI. Too much 'pop' influence. I like the Bo material I find posted on youtube and gofish much better. Why couldn't they have included the acapella version of "In a Dream"? Looking at Bo's sales numbers, it seems many people agreed with the disappointing assessment as compared to other idols. At least more people appear to be waiting for something that reflects more "Bo" in his next album. From remarks I have read it seems that he will do that away from 19E while Taylor will do his album with 19E but in his own way. The remarks from Taylor I have read say he will not do it unless it reflects him and that he also has some "secret stuff". Woo Hoo!

Whether Taylor has more control or not, I think it's a really bad move for him to have his first official post Idol publicity be in a commercial, before he even has an album out. I think it cheapens everything he's worked towards, quite frankly. To have a commercial "single" before you even get on the airwaves makes him look like a two-bit salesman, not a record artist.

I don't care what commercial crap they did ON Idol -- it's totally different once they've got the title. They're supposed to be an artist and put out music first.

Actually, i've heard that the Ford commercial was basically signed off on before the season started. This is something the winner would do no matter what, so its not really a 'career move' for Taylor since it was part of the deal from the get-go.

geekboy

I don't think any american Idol has any control of their cd's at this point. Maybe now Kelly Clarkson, she is finally starting to write songs. I heard Aiken wrote a great song that the RCA didn't even put on his new CD. I think RCA will put money behind
Kelly & Chris becuz they are what gets played on the radio.
Hopefully Taylor gets great songs and he will have some hits.

Good luck Taylor

If you haven't already, you can listen to Taylor's CD at http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/hicks__taylor/1382445/album.jhtml
I am really impressed! While not perfect, I think it is a terrific album, particularly considering he did it all in six weeks.

I am extremely impressed. I think its pretty close to a perfect Taylor CD. A very very impressive debut AI album. Even the cover songs are perfect. And he got two of his own songs on the CD. Impressive.

Taylor did do what Bo couldn't. He made a true "Taylor CD".

Definately going to pick this up Tuesday.

geekboy