The Fat Lady Sings

Time for Miracles

Time For Miracles

Adam Lambert | MySpace Video

 

Here we go my friends.  Hot off the presses.  So tell me.....how exactly do you spell superstar?  Why Adam Lambert, of course.  This boys gonna be huge.

Adam Lambert – A Whole Lotta Love!

Untitled from Alejandro Iturrieta on Vimeo.

Well - I got my wish.  Glambert came back last night with a vengeance!  Talk about tearing the roof off the sucker!  ‘Ring of Fire’ Adam strutted that stage in all his black leather, lip curling glory!  What I would have given to have been in that audience!!  Hotchacha!  I mean he just blew everyone else outta the water.  It was a massacre: vocals, performance – the works; sheer perfection, wall to wall.  Who’d a thunk American Idol would ever showcase someone with this kind of talent?  You’d assume the industry would have noticed already and snapped somebody like Adam up.  But it doesn’t always happen that way – no matter how good you are.  I know.  I toiled in a similar vineyard for years.  Oh – I made a living; which is more than many can say – but I never managed to crack that top tier.  You need juice behind you to make a go of it, you see – some person or institution who forces people to sit up and take notice.  Talent alone isn’t enough.  That’s the service Idol can provide – that much needed boost; a leg up into the industry.  People who believe in your talent.  Adam just signed on for the ‘E’ ticket ride, baby – all the way to rock god-dom!  Wowza! 

Obsessive, says you?  Well……maybe a little.  But only around the edges.  I appreciate talent wherever I find it, is all.  What Adam does may look easy – but it’s not.  Oh – god gave him the talent to be sure; but it was up to him to hone and develop it.  That’s sweat equity, my friends.  That’s what led up to last night’s flawless performance.  All in all – I’d call it fantabulous – all across the board.  Oh – and Adam has him some mad partnering skills!  Now that’s partially learned.  Years of Musical Theatre paid off for Adam in spades with the duets.  He kept his performance attuned specifically to his partner Allison (the cutest little 17 year-old phenom!) - not showing those crazy vocals off one bit.  Adam and Allison sang TOGETHER.  That's what made it such a treat.  Duets are supposed to be give and take – not vocal competition.  It’s like tossing a ball back and forth.  The idea is to make it sound seamless – to sing as one; certainly to convey one emotional point of view.  Adam and his partner did that beautifully.  You know - I had heard speculation that Adam might pull a Patti LaBelle and overshadow little Allison the way LaBelle did Diana Ross during one rather infamous duet.  Not possible with Adam.  He's far too skilled - too professional.  Besides - the man just isn’t selfish.  You could see how carefully he watched Allison - making sure HER vocals were equally showcased.  Perfection.  Perfection in every way.  Oh this guy’s going far.  Win or lose – he’s tha bomb.  I say the only way he loses, is if other factors come into play other than talent – which is still an unfortunate possibility.  As the song says – people are strange.

Adam Lambert owns American Idol

Adam Lambert Mad World from James Winter on Vimeo.

Adam really killed it again last night on Idol.  This guy's a true superstar in every sense of the word.  His emotional connection to the material just takes my breath away.  Did you hear that Bill O'Reilly 'outed' him on Fox the other night?  What a bastard.  You know O’Reilly did it to try and spike Adam's chances to win.  That's amazing on a whole host of fronts – not the least of which is O'Reilly's hubris in believing he has the power to affect such things, and his blatant homophobia in trying to do so in the first place.  What a sewer that asshole’s mind must be.  May the sands of a thousands deserts fill up his navel!  Here's the link (if you can stomach it):

 

Bill O'Reilly Outs Adam Lambert

 

On another note....Sorry to have been absent these last few days, folks.  It’s been a bad month (literally).  I spent last night (or most of it) in my local ER – a traumatizing experience I've no interest in repeating.  American health care has really gone for shit - but that's another story.  Enjoy the video.  Adam had to finesse that note at the end a bit - but it doesn't detract in the slightest from the impact.  I’ll be downloading it from iTunes as soon as it’s available.

'England' Dan Seals Dead at 61

 

This song played in the background as I made love to a man I knew I would never see again.  We just weren’t ‘right’, if you know what I mean.  He wanted a wife, I wanted freedom.  So I knocked on his door, fell into his arms, we kissed - and this song came on the radio. There really wasn’t any need for words after that.   

 

Oh Danny, Danny my boy……I truly hope that warm wind is blowing much more than just stars around on this cold rainy night.  Rest in peace, my friend.  You were part of my youth……and I have to say - both you and it are dearly missed.

Adam Lambert Redux

Adam Lambert - Ring Of Fire from norma molina on Vimeo.

OK folks – so what do you think of THIS performance?  I’ll give you a bit of a heads up: you REALLY need to listen to this more than once.  Seriously.  It’s THAT different.  Johnny Cash’s version of this song is so ingrained in the general zeitgeist – hearing anything else can be a bit of a shock.  You have to get past that to truly watch and listen.

Now I’ll be frank – I really like it.  Though not a reality show fan (I tend towards the arts shows – Idol, Project Runway, So You Think You Can Dance) – I’ve been following this particular performers appearances.  His name is Adam Lambert – and he’s the freshest breath of air I’ve seen/heard in a long time.  But he’s polarizing.  His MySpace (or is it Facebook?) page hints that he’s bisexual – but most simply assume he’s gay (some really interesting photo’s surfaced of him attending the Burning Man Festival in Arizona).

Now - I don’t care who he sleeps with (though the fantasy possibilities are truly intriguing).  It’s his voice and balls to the wall performance style that’s really hooked me.  Adam’s what you call a countertenor – rare under any circumstances – almost unheard of in popular music.  Both Freddie Mercury and Steve Perry were countertenors – though they seldom used that part of their upper register – whereas that seems to be Adam’s comfort zone.  It’s not a falsetto like Michael Jackson uses.  This is his ‘head’ or primary voice (from what I can tell) – and he has a range that rivals Mariah Carey. 

Anywho – have a listen and tell me what you think.  Would you pay to hear/see him?  Does the whole Ziggy Stardust, Velvet Goldmine thing attract you – or does it belong back in 1975? 

 

Oh - and one other thing.  I am sick unto death of the homophobic maunderings endemic to this show.  Seacrest?  Shut the fuck up, already.  I’d tell Simon to shut up – but he’s too transfixed on his own sexuality to notice much else (those recent A-Rod pics could easily have been Simon playing at home with his mirror).  So back off, already.  Most of us out here have absolutely had it.  And insinuating Randy Travis carries his own homophobic leanings was just you being an asshole.  Don’t tell me you didn’t know there have been rumors about Travis for years.  Your nasty-ass remarks only brought them all up again.  So shut it, boyo.  Trade nasties with Simon on your own time.

Adam Lambert (Update)

Adam Lambert - Black or White from Pwnoy on Vimeo.

Just a little reminder of the great Freddie Mercury and ‘Queen’.  Comparisons are invidious, I know - but you tell me why this was acceptable (and funny) in 1984, and it's not now.  Things were better back then, I’m thinking.  I met him once, you know (Freddie Mercury).  At Narita Airport in Japan.  I was crying.  He came up and asked if I was OK.  No one else even bothered.  Freddie was sweet, kind and thoughtful.  I understand Sacha Baron Cohen wants to make a Mercury bio-pic.  I think Adam Lambert would be a better choice, actually.  I doubt Cohen has the vocal range for it.  He’d have to lip-sync, and that removes some of the passion in the performance.  Mercury was what’s called a countertenor (as is Steve Perry of 'Journey').  Only one voice in a million has that kind of range.  Adam’s a countertenor (though they’ve not highlighted that fact on the show) – a rare bird of brilliant plumage.  I wish him all the luck in the world.  He’s gonna need it. 

I don’t know how many of you watch American Idol.  I’m usually rather ambivalent actually; but sometimes someone really stands out and captures my attention.  Adam Lambert belongs up there with the handful of super talents Idol has produced over the years: Carrie Underwood, Daughtry, Jennifer Hudson.  This guy could take over from Freddie Mercury in a heartbeat – sing the whole Queen discography without breaking a sweat - his range is just that fantabulous.  

Will he win?  Doubtful – and not because he sings old-fashioned, knock you on your ass, demon howl rock-n-roll (a no-no amongst the pop pap usually spun out in Simon Cowell's Idol universe).  Adam won’t win because the internet homophobes have decided to trash him.  Is he gay?  Don’t know.  And who gives a fuck in the first place?  The man sings like the very devil, he’s easy on the eyes – what more do you want?  A little reminder here: David Bowie made a career out of androgyny.  Come on – how many of you were hot as hell for Ziggy Stardust?  Never dated a guy who wore eyeliner?  Honey – you haven’t lived!  All that sneering sexuality – hotchacha!!  So what happened that changed all that?  When did diversity become a dirty word?  The same thing that allows the unfettered dissemination of all forms of nastiness these days – vociferous hate has become as American as baseball and apple pie.

Seriously.  Go look up Adam on YouTube sometime.  Fully ¾ of all commentary is negative referrals to his supposed homosexuality.  I mean – these guys don’t even care if it’s true.  They’re trashing him anyway.  Go read the blogs (or entertainment and gossip websites).  It’s all 'hate tha gay' – with some really over the top promises of violence.  Just when did that become OK?  Shit – it wasn’t this bad thirty years ago – in fact it was better.  You didn’t hear this kind of crap outside of a Klan meeting.  Have we really regressed that far? 

 

Anyway.....go treat yourself.  Catch American Idol over the next few weeks.  There’s no telling how long this guy will be on.  Maybe America will get over its incipient hate and embrace Adam’s god-given talent; but then you know what they say about wishes and horses. 

Fractured Fairy Tale

Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova - Falling Slowly

 

They don’t love each other any more – Glen and Markéta.  It’s heartbreaking really – as heartbreaking as the song itself.  I noticed (who could help but) – the way they carefully avoided each other’s space.  Before it was all shy glances and the occasional tender touch.  Look at the video.  It’s the classic ‘before’.  Now....... 

They were playing tonight (Austin City Limits).  I watched especially for this song – for the hope it engendered.  That two such disparate people could have found love across the miles of age and temperament.....well the romance of the thing was irresistible – especially for the starry-eyed amongst us (like me).  But (and there always seems to be a ‘but’ doesn’t there?) - as with all love, it was naught but illusion.  She looked sad (but distant and resolute) – while he sang a song that begged a reconciliation remaining unfulfilled (a bit like the film, actually).

Neither looked at one another - not even ‘once’. 

The end of the affair was writ large for all the world to see.  Even their Wiki pages had been oh so carefully updated – replacing the poignant love story with meaningless platitudes; ‘we’re just happy friends’.  Riiight.  So I guess that ship just sails right on into eternity – either that or it sinks like a stone in Bantry Bay.  I’m sorry for it all.  Somewhere, somehow there has to be a love that isn’t broken.  If any of you find it – please let me know.  Like Charlotte from ‘Sex and the City’ - I’d really like to believe. 

Bye, Bye Baby

Eartha Kitt singing C’est Si Bon

Sad, sad times.  The fantabulous Eartha Kitt has shuffled off this mortal coil.  She was 81.  I had the privilege of meeting her once, a long, long time ago.  In San Francisco.  Miss Kitt was on tour with the musical Timbuktu!.  Some friends and I had taken the train up to catch a performance. Unbeknownst to us, the show had been cancelled (as I remember they cancelled the entire run due to poor ticket sales).  We were just about to head on home when we ran into the divine Miss K coming out of the theatre.  She was surrounded by her entourage of dancers (all male and all fabulous, darling!).  She actually invited us to do the town with her.  Talk about wow!  It was like meeting Catwoman in person.  Miss K actually purred when she spoke.  Seriously - she'd make this kind of growling noise deep in her throat.  I'd never heard anything like it.  Talk about cool.  And she was tiny! Tiny, beautiful and fierce (my dears, Beyonce could take lessons from our Miss K!). I am truly sorry she's gone.  The world just lost one of its most exotic flowers.

The Wall

Richard Wright of Pink Floyd finally lost his battle with cancer today. He was only 65.  Perhaps the greatest conceptual rock band of our modern age, Pink Floyd mirrored the nihilism that plagued my generation. Like that of the roaring 20’s, 70’s youth blossomed after a debilitating war – one that challenged humanities moral fiber.  It affected how my generation viewed their world.  Simply put – we didn’t give a flying fuck. Neither did the members of Pink Floyd (or so it seemed). They’d been through the mill and come out the other side broken. All of us were like that – some more than others…..me, for instance. Wright’s music chronicled my inner life – every jagged piece. So seeing The Wall, Pink Floyds defining visual composition, was quite the epiphanal experience – you could almost say it flattened me. The only other film I can compare it to is Fantastic Planet. Both hit buttons, reviving buried memories, triggering intense emotions.  With each film I walked away altered; but The Wall…..that experience was shattering. I’ve actually only been able to manage watching it a few times (too many nightmares, too many bad memories). Wright left Pink Floyd during The Wall’s creation – but his richly textured keyboards are threaded throughout every song. Gone, perhaps; but not forgotten – never forgotten. 

God this makes me sad.  My age is passing way too fast.  I had expected life to last longer – to be fuller than it has.  One by one all my hero’s are laid to dust. I cannot help but wonder who will be next.

Jerry Reed

We lost one hell of a guitar picker today. The great Jerry Reed has died - too damn young, in my opinion. I grew up hearing Jerry Reed - he was everywhere. Smokey and the Bandit step back! Reed was the star as far as I was concerned. His down home, laid back sexy style turned me way the hell on: Wabash Cannonball, Amos Moses, When You're Hot, You're Hot - and Jerry Reed was hot! My all time favorite Reed tune has to be East Bound and Down from Smokey and the Bandit. Damn, I'm gonna miss him.

Rest in Peace you Georgia wild man.