Talon, you made your post, while I was preparing mine and was pulled away from the computer since, so only read it now. And I have decided to take your 'wiping' comment as your personal need for some counteraction to Nica's post from yesterday, which I also have a tough time understanding. I get that maybe Freddie does not move Nica like Adam, but not seeing the brilliance in his singing, is about as tough for me to understand as that wiping comment that Talon made. So, as somebody who is used to dealing with statistics, lol, I have just decided to ignore the outlayers.
But, I do love what you posted otherwise, as always, it was interesting to read it and I agree with a lot of what you say anyways.
Two points, I want to comment on:
a) Adam being drowned out by the band. First of all, I only notice that when he is singing in his lower range, never in the upper one. And the reason is, of course, because the songs are written for Freddie's voice, and Adam's voice sits higher. I don't know, how this all works, but I have not really understood, why Queen does not transpose certain songs up for Adam, i.e. the whole opening sequence, is very much in the bottom range for Adam, and he needs to muscle his way through it, because most songs also command a certain amount of strength. Yes, I am not surprised that they had to adjust the mic volume for most of that. The issue is, that they need to pull it back for songs that start low and then move up, like 'dont stop me now'. In the upper ranges, Adam does not need any help and can easily project across the room and then some, and he can be heard above the band just fine.
So, if some songs could be lifted up (transposed 1-2 full keys) for Adam, I think that whole problem would go away. I am not sure, why they don't do that. Is it so difficult to have a bass and a guitar sitting around that are tuned two keys higher? That cannot be it, can it?
If you compare resonance or projection, it is only fair to compare two singers both singing in their sweet spot, not one singer in his comfort zone, and the other when he has to push outside of it. The reality is, that Freddie as a baritone sings quite comfortably in a lower range than Adam does. Not really surprising, is it?
I think, Adam has lots of projection and I dream would be to hear him one day in the Royal Albert Hall and have him remove his microphone. Sing and just fill the Hall, just like an opera singer could. He would be able to do it, and to be honest, I do not know of any other male pop star today, who could do that. Females, there are a few, but not males.
b) Idol: I thought your comments are spot on, in stating what the reality of opinions is out there.
It always boggles my mind, though, that this is the prevalent thinking, it contradicts everything I am observing.
First of all: The argument, that those singing shows dominating the charts. In 12 years, idol has produced 2 stars who have contributed and majorly influenced their genres for a multitude of years (Kellie and Carrie), and then about a handful of singers in pop and another handful in all other genres together that have done that there, who each had a couple of hits and that was it. Adam is presently in that group, and whether he can emerge is what the future will hold, but right now, it still is what it is. Given that we have 52 weeks and 12 years, that leaves a hell of a lot of room for other artists to make their mark, it is not like the singing shows have run away with the music biz, as some seem to think.
There is in the US a tendency to think, that anyone coming from an American singing show is just a made up artist, but that for some reason, casting contestants from other countries are readily invited in, just fine. Radio seems to act this way. There is in my mind absolutely no rational basis for such thinking. If anything, the quality of the US shows is far superior to the others, given the size of the country and therefore the superior pool of available contestants. If Europe would have one singing show, instead of every country separate, it probably would be better too, musically. It is just the language barrier that hinders that.
If 100K applicants try out for idol, that is 1.2 million people so far. If that results in two major stars, then I think this is pretty much in line with the likelihood of anyone becoming a star by starting a garage band.
In my recollection, prior to idol, the music in the US was terrible, nobody could sing, careers of such nightmares as Ashley Simpson and her sister, whatever her name is, were pushed, people were listening to Brittney and trying to find the next one like her. And then there was hip hop. Nuff said. Almost nobody on the pop charts, actually SANG for most of the nineties, give or take one or two exceptions, like Whitney in her few years of glory and cross-over to pop success. Along came idol and Kellie, and singing capabilities slowly became at least a possible criterion for making it onto charts. Is that all that terrible that this happened? Really?
I think there is still plenty of room left on the charts for autotuned puppets, if that is what you are into. Thankfully, shows like idol, provided some focus on singing, rather than just making dance moves to lip-synched tracks.
The fact that idol has gone down hill, does not mean, that it did not have an influential run in its hey days, whatever the future may or may not bring. I think that both the revival of discussions about singing, of shows about singing (like Glee) and even of musical theater as a whole has to some degree something to do with the fact that singing shows were brought back.
The only thing that is true is that singing shows have done nothing for the world of rock. None of the attempts have ever really translated here. But then nothing else has worked in rock either. That genre is just dying the death of '...you are not as good as the 70s classic rock, therefore you may not exist...' death, slowly but surely.
I am baffled that so many people go hating on these shows and claim they have destroyed the music biz. In my mind, this opinion just does not hold up to any scrutiny.
Which does not mean, that Talon is not right in stating that it is a very prevalent opinion, especially in rock leaning circles.
Top that off with the fact that singing shows make for wholesome TV (and the demand is still there, see Sound of Music) and produce for the most part idols that enter society as sane members and solid role models without major drama and scandals and all the other stuff that most other stars seem to be plagued with, and I don't understand the whining from that end of the spectrum either. You don't like Gaga's and Miley's nudity, well guess what, neither Kelly nor Carrie have ever given you any trouble there.
Of all former idols, Adam is probably the most likely to be considered 'scandal-worthy' by the general public, even though probably most on this board will laugh at that, but then, Adam is also the closest to rock star that they ever had (of the more successful finalists).
There is a lot of garbage on TV every night, why idol and co needs to be hated so much is beyond me.
But, I do love what you posted otherwise, as always, it was interesting to read it and I agree with a lot of what you say anyways.
which makes it fun to be here!!!!