Taylor Hicks is an enigma. Whenever I feel I've got him figured out, he does something new that makes me go, "heh?"
I always found it interesting that "On Broadway" was included on Taylor Hicks' first CD, "In Your Time". The words fit his early struggles, until you get to the last line: "I won't quit till I'm a star!"
I never thought that being a STAR was important to him. I always believed he traded stardom for musical integrity. It's one of the reasons I'm an ardent fan. I admire and respect his perseverance.
So, we have Taylor #1: Serious, brooding, stubborn musician.
Taylor #2 is that "give-em-what-they-want," smiling, goofy American Idol:
When I learned about Taylor's background, I found it hard to believe that Taylor1 would have anything to do with Taylor2. Taylor1 is cool and aloof. Taylor2 is Gomer Pyle. Taylor2 would do something like this:
And Taylor1 would kick his ass.
Perhaps the 2 Taylors duke it out within the man every time some project or gig is offered. Teen Angel is clearly being played by Taylor2, but I'm afraid when the first show is over, he'll think, "I've done Broadway!!" and Taylor2 will rear up and say, "Yeah, and we only have to do it exactly the same way 103 more times, dumbass!"
But, back to the song, "On Broadway". I believe it was Taylor2 who related to the lyrics, but Taylor1 provided the soulful sound (and screwed up the words as well):
"They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway.
They say I'll catch a Greyhound bus for home, they all say.
Heaven, no, I know they're wrong
cuz I can play this here guitar
and I won't quit til I'm a star on Broadway.
They say that I won't last too long on Broadway.
What they're saying just gives me the blues.
Well, how you gonna make some time
when all you've got is one thin dime?
One thin dime won't even shine your shoes.
They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway.
They say there's always magic in the air.
But when you're walking down the street
and you ain't had enough to eat
that's the kind of people I'd like to meet on Broadway.
And I won't quit til I'm a star!"
(Heh?)
52 comments:
Great blog! Yeah, Taylor has many sides to him. To quote Jenni Jac from the Boogie, "Just goes to show...Taylor Hicks is fearless. He wants it ALL. He defies categorization, even by his fans who think they know him better than they actually do. It's pretty safe to say we never saw this coming. I think this will be great for him, something to get him back on the radar."
He was never ON the radar... IDK... Im in a upset mood... bleh.. :p
John Denver & The Muppets - A Christmas Together is one of my favorite Christmas albums EVAH.
just sayin'.
So..nobody thought that was funny? :)
I did!!!
I'm more than disappointed with this dumbass move he's made. He's completely lost Taylor 1...I think Taylor 2 swallowed him up.
It's not smart, it's not clever, it's not fearless, it's just desparate. He's doing cruise ships now, too. I don't find that terribly brave.
Sawry...I'm with Kenzer on this one. He totally let me down. I'm done.
Wait a sec. Julie, you're done? Wow, that's huge.
Well I can't help it, I love Taylor 1 and 2. I DID think it was funny tho, Caryl, and very imaginative. :)
Please tell me this isn't true!
"He will be starring as the "Teen Angel", a flashy role that makes a grand entrance during Act II. Word from those who have seen the play is that he will fly in on a giant Ice Cream Cone!"
From: http://soulthing.blogspot.com/2008/05/taylor-hicks-broadway-star.html
OMG... A giant ice crea, cone!?!?
LIke Julie said... Taylor 1 doesn't exist anymore.
He broke my heart. And it's not that I'm in love with him... I looked up too him. But do I seriously want to follow someone who plays on cruise ships?
Taylor 1 exists, and you'll see him again. But the fact is, somebody has to pay the bills to get a new CD recorded, and if Taylor 2 can do it, I say bring on the giant ice cream cone! Since when did Broadway become an embarassing thing to do?! Lots of very SERIOUS singers struggle their whole career to make it onto a Broadway stage...Taylor is thrilled and honored to have the opportunity and he should be!
And the cruise is a private corporate gig. Lots of very well known entertainers do them because the pay well for very little work. He's not doing the Love Boat gig, he is playing one show for some corporate big shots AND getting a free vacation (for him and the guys in the band).
Of course, those of you would rather see him playing only in bars to the "serious" music crowd can look down your nose at the idea of actually making money, but why the heck do you think he went on AI in the first place? Wasn't it to expand his career so he could actually make a living? And be able to bring his vision of good music to a wider audience?
I suspect Taylor is a pretty complicated guy, and Taylor 1 and Taylor 2 probably do conflict at times. The fact is however, that you will never have a chance to hear Taylor 1 again if he can't pay the bills for studio time, etc.
Taylor is happy, having fun, and looking forward to an opportunity he probably thought he would never get. He is LIVING his life. When Taylor is old, he isn't going to be staring at a "bucket list" moaning about all the things he coulda, woulda, should have done but didn't. He is taking full advantage of ALL the opportunities that winning AI opened up for him. And that is absolutely fearless!
Lighten up! No one, not Taylor, nor anyone else should live their life for the benefit and approval of others. And if its all about the music, if the music is good (which it is), why do you care whether its played in a bar, a theater, or on a ship!?
Beauty School Dropout isn't good. It's silly. He looks like a dumbass. Had he already proved himself as a singer and was playing the part of Teen Angel it might be different. But the only serious music he's made are those first two albums.
It's true Caryl. I'm done.
I like hearing all sides of this and people seem to be passionate either way.
I can see why Taylor would want to experience Broadway, but I doubt it will do anything to advance his career. At least, as CarleneG said, it'll help pay some bills, so he can get back to work on the CD we've been waiting for. (she said, diplomatically!)
Julie,
Its truly sad that you feel this way. Have you tried looking at it this way, maybe Taylor is tired of feeling alone and living in his head. Maybe, just maybe, his Idol experience taught him he should "dive into life with both feet and to hell with the consequences"?
Grease is supposed to be fun, and silly. Being silly doesn't make it bad...and we've known for a long time that Taylor has a goofy,silly side to him. Its part of what makes him so endearing to a lot of us.
And not for nothing, but sometimes we cause a lot of unhappiness and disappointment for ourselves by expecting others to act the way WE want them to act, instead of accepting them as the complicated and unique individuals that they are.
Taylor seems happy with his life, thats really all that matters.
I hope you reconsider.
Of course being sillly doesn't make it bad. But from my point of view, and the fact that I can't really understand what's going on... makes it hard for me to agree with him. I'm not saying that he needs to play in the bars to be a "serious" musician. Money-wise it makes sense. But if he wants to get on a record deal, Broadway doesn't exactly seem the way to go.
I love him, and I look up to him, but I can't sit around and watch him ruin himself and any chance he might have at actually being a known musician.
I think AI was a bad choice for him too. I've never liked that show, and never will. It uses people too much. The contestants are people with dreams, and when AI owns them and gives them limitations to what they can and can not do, it's a bit rediculous.
"And if its all about the music, if the music is good (which it is), why do you care whether its played in a bar, a theater, or on a ship!?"
I care because I don't want him to be has-been that never-was.
Well I don't want to hijack Caryl's blog to argue this point, so I'll close by saying that either you're serious about your work or you aren't. Sure, Grease is fun, but you can't rest on your laurels if you don't have any laurels yet. He's bypassed the good serious album he should have been working on since the end of his Idol year, played golf tournaments and in silly basketball games, now he's on a cruise ship and in a bit part in Grease where he comes out in an ice cream cone. I don't like it.
He's human, just like the rest of us, but an 'artist' puts himself in a unique position. He is responsible to conduct himself as the artist he's shown himself to be, not someone just out to make a buck. He said he wanted to win Idol to have his voice heard, but so far I've heard nothing. I feel betrayed. People who set themselves up as one thing and then who prove themselves to be another disappoint me, and that's what this is all about.
The end.
Julie said it to a "T"
Julie, you're not hijacking my blog. I'm actually enjoying this conversation because I feel confused about how I'm feeling.
When the Broadway thing was announced, my heart sank. I felt sick. I have this picture in my head of Taylor fighting with Clive Davis -or whoever- to make serious music, not some peppy little tunes that are easy to sing along with.
Taylor showing up incognito (he thought!) and sitting in with some great bands reinforced that picture. Can you imagine Bruce Springsteen riding in on a giant ice cream cone to sing one schlocky song and do a couple of cute steps..geez, I can't even finish that sentence.
But I'm trying so hard to give him to benefit of the doubt. Who knows what he dreamed of all those years before Idol? Maybe this is something he's just got to say he DID.
Kenzie,
You think AI was a bad choice for him, but without it would most of us EVER have heard of Taylor Hicks?
Maybe creative control of the next CD is MORE important to him than a record deal. Maybe he needs the money from Grease to finance recording the CD on his own terms, so that he'll only need a label for a distribution deal.
Maybe Taylor has a plan for himself that we don't understand because we don't know all of it,we just get to see a piece at a time.
Do you really think he worked so hard for so long to suddenly decide he doesn't give a crap about his music? He keeps telling us its a marathon for him not a sprint, and HE is in the best position to know what he is up against. I suspect there is a lot of stuff that has gone on behind the scenes that we don't know anything about.
Sometimes you gotta just hang in and have faith that the other person knows what they are doing, even when their plan doesn't seem to be the most logical to you.
Julie,
Taylor worked his ass off for the past two years, don't you think he NEEDED some down time to process all that had happened to him and figure out where he was going next, and HOW he was going to get there?
And he TOLD us he was going to disappear for awhile in order to think and write. In other words, to work on a serious album.(Since you have to write it before you can sing it, and before you can write it, you have to know what you want to say!) If he wanted to participate in some charity events during that time, whats the problem? Geez, Springsteen has, in his career, disappeared for a couple of YEARS at a time (and more than once)! Do you think all his fans were thrilled when he reappeared as Bruce the folk singer? I think not. But it was where his writing took him in that moment. We don't know yet where Taylor's creative process is taking him. Maybe we'll like it, maybe we won't, but the most important thing is that Taylor is proud of it. To say that he isn't serious about his work is unfair and unjustified since we DON'T KNOW what he is working on! And never will if he can't finance recording it. I know he seems pretty excited about what he has written, and unlike us, he has actually heard the new stuff!(Brian Less said we like it, and he has heard at least some of it.)
I just don't think you can leap to the kind of judgements you guys are making. Because you don't understand every move the man is making doesn't make them wrong. It just means you have to watch and wait and see what happens. Taylor has a lot more obstacles in his path than we know, maybe he just has to be a little bit creative in finding his way around them.
There is a reason patience is cosidered a virtue.
Caryl,
I'm a big Springsteen fan, but face it the world of music was different when Bruce was starting out. His first two albums were cosidered to be failures by his label, but they still continued to back him, because in that time artists were given a chance to grow into their full talents and abilities. Not today.
Arista wasn't interested in giving Taylor time to produce a serious creative album after AI, all they wanted was to make a quick buck on his AI popularity. He did the best he could to produce a good CD, and I like the CD. It isn't great, but its very good and way more musical that most of the AI stuff.
Now Taylor is on his own. If he wants to do it totally his way, which seems to be what he wants, he is going to have to pay the bills himself. If he has found a way to do that, and one that he finds exciting and is happy about, I say good for him! Maybe if Springsteen had to fund the recording of his second album himself, he might have had to get a little creative too!
And, truthfully, I'd bet big money that the chance to sing on a Broadway stage was too big an opportunity for a guy who struggled so hard to get noticed at all to pass up. I really can't begrudge him that, I totally understand it.
Caryl, of course I thought it was funny. I was appreciating the Muppet reference, wasn't I?
I think as big fans who have watched Taylor's every move, we are too close to it. Too invested in every outcome. It is what it is. I think carleneg makes a good case for us all to lighten up and sit back and watch.
In the meantime, David Cook has become quite a little hottie and I am going to pine for him in my silly, married way for now. I'd like to think that maybe Taylor changed everything for AI and everyone who comes after him. Season 6 was a big mess - the aftermath of Taylor. Season 7 was a little dull, but may have produced someone who can do that dance with the devil and come out okay at the end.
CarleneG:I really like the way you express yourself. You don't attack, you present your side in a rational, intelligent manner. You've given me alot to think about.
You know what's bugging me at the moment? Why didn't this blog entry come up in a google alert? (lol) I'd love to get more people involved in this discussion, as long as they could keep it cool the way we have. Can anyone tell me what I could have done differently?
All I can say is I love both sides of Taylor and I agree with carlene. Don't give up on him yet Kenzie. Take a break if you need to, but give his next CD a listen. I'n thinking it's going to be what we the fans and Taylor have all been waiting for. I am taking a vacation to NYC to see silly Taylor in Grease because I love silly Tay as much as I love serious Tay.
Patay
Taylor #2 will break a leg on Broadway, get some much needed exposure and respect and then that funknasty Taylor #1 will reappear without the fear of losing too large a portion of his fanbase because they never knew Taylor #1 even existed. At least that's what I hope.
caryl,
And since I got so wound up I forgot to tell you...I thought it was very funny! I bet Taylor 1 sometimes wants to smack Taylor 2 in the head!
I also noticed that I am spelling challenged!
About the Google thing...can't help you I'm a computer idiot.
txavier, I hope so too.
caryl,
And since I got so wound up I forgot to tell you...I thought it was very funny! I bet Taylor 1 sometimes wants to smack Taylor 2 in the head!
I also noticed that I am spelling challenged!
About the Google thing...can't help you I'm a computer idiot.
txavier, I hope so too.
Sorry about the double post..I really am a computer idiot.
Going to bed now, clearly I need sleep.
Taylor's doing what he needs to do to keep the cash flow coming in. I'm sure that kick-ass band he had with him on tour last year was very expensive. Now that he's funding everything on his own he needs the dough. And he will be having fun with this Broadway gig you can be sure.
Whatever it takes for him to put out new music and be able to tour with that awesome, kick-ass band he had last year, I'm all for it.
BTW - I'm surprised you are even still here Julie - I thought you gave up on Taylor right after Gray closed shop.
"Anonymous," I'm surprised to see you, too!
Last time I checked, this was Caryl's blog about life, liberty, and only sometimes the pursuit of Taylor.
I have always maintained that there is "The American Idol winner Taylor Hicks" and "the musician/songwriter who just happened to win American Idol and is named Taylor Hicks." There is very definitively a difference, and know what? Gotta love that he keeps us on our toes.
I'm sure this is an excellant way to get the word back out there - that he's here and takes no prisiones in his siege. He has enormous courage to step up to that plate - home run in the ofing or not.
~tyg
Read what the maven has to say. She's far more eloquent than I:
http://musicmaven.wordpress.com/2008/05/16/grease-is-the-word/#comment-6750
Wow caryl.....intense discussion.
When I first heard about the broadway gig my mouth fell open and I was totally surprised. But he seemed to be happy and excited about it and that it made me happy for him.
I've been a 30+ year fan of Donny Osmond. Loyal and supportive always. However, that does not mean I have agreed with everything he's done in his career. Not by a long shot! When Donny did the game show Pyramid a few years ago...most of his fans completely hated the idea. Yes it ended up being fun to see him on tv everyday but it made him become "game show host Donny Osmond". HATED that! He did a talk show with sister Marie. Another "WHAT?" moment. But it ended up being fun. But again, he became 'talk show host Donny Osmond'. Donny also did broadway (and off-broadway) which surprised alot of people. He ended up being successful with his off Broadway show 'Jospeh and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'. He had a 6 year run in it with rave reviews! Then he did about 6 months on broadway in 'Beauty And The Beast' as Gaston. More great reviews! But when you get right down to it...since way back to the begining of his roots in music....he is a musician. A singer. First and foremost. And Donny even says that. But there is nothing wrong with branching out.
No, I do not think Taylor is planning to do broadway often. My point is, when you are a fan of a celeb, you will get some surprises and shocks along the way. It's eneviable. And you WILL NOT agree with everything they do. Far from it!! But if you believe in their talent and have faith in them....you wait it out and support them and pray that they seriously know what they are doing. If they end up failing at it, you love them and support them anyway. They WILL need it. Let them know you are there for the long haul. It gets very frustrating being a fan. As a matter-of-fact, these days alot of Osmond fans are upset with them for not including the US in a supposed 'world tour'. Myself included. But have we (I) stopped loving them and being fans because of it? NO WAY!
If a fan is willing to just stop being a performers 'fan' because they don't agree with what he is doing in his career at this point in time, or doing what they think he should be doing, then they were a fair-weather fan to begin with. JMHO. Their perogative to move on, though I find it a sad shame.
This is Taylor's career....his life....his job now.... he has to do what he needs or wants to do with it along the way. We don't have to agree with everything he does with his career but we should support him. God knows in just these two short years (and he IS still a newbie at all this) I have wanted to smack him a few times! LOL! But I can't just stop being a fan. I love the mans voice too much and he has gotten under my skin in a big way. So all I can do is stand by his decisions even if I roll my eyes and don't agree with them. We should all just feel privledged to be able to even be a small part of his dream.
And to those who think he is not taking his music seriously...bullcrap! We know that music is his first love. Without a doubt. That doesn't mean he can't try his hand at other things as well. And keep in mind people...Taylor has stated many many times that he wants to try acting. So be preparred! Again, does not mean his music is no longer first in his life. His music is in his blood. It courses through his veins! It is always going to be a part of him. A PART. Because as caryl said...there is more then one side to Taylor. He is multi-faceted. And I believe he has talents we have yet to see. Again...be ready.
Oh, and to expect 'bar Taylor' to stay that way forever is so off base. He obviously loves playing those places. He came from them. However, he obviously has always wanted more than 'bar Taylor' or he never would have gone on AI.
I think people have put him on some pedestool and are going to be disappointed. If that is all you want from Taylor Hicks....small bar acustic gigs....you'll be in for disappointment. I think he will always do those gigs and sit-ins and jams...he does love them. However, he WILL expand his horizons. And probally in BIG WAYS. I think that those that only want 'bar Taylor' and feel that any music or album he does that isn't that, are music snobs. Sorry. I loved the TH CD. Was it more pop than expected? YES. But he still did damn good with what he had to work with. He had to compromise with that CD. We all know that. But for the doubters out there....he WILL work on the new CD this summer and it is going to be KILLER! He's doing everything HIS way now. And isn't that one of the things we all fell in love with? Taylor does most everything HIS way. God bless him.
caryl,
Before I forget. Yes your Tale was funny and also, I think, spot on. Noticed the link to Maven's discussion and since I already said my piece there I'll try not to repeat myself here.
My problem is how to reconcile this particular cameo role with the self described serious musician image. And concern that the indie music community that has so far shown Taylor respect and acceptance may decide that riding in an ice cream cone in a play cast from a reality show isn't something they can laugh off. That could make it harder for him as an indie artist to access audiences that would be ripe for his music.
Someone asked me if I thought Taylor had to make music to live - I did once - now I'm not so sure.
Just to be clear, I'm not going anywhere before the album comes out. But I don't have the same confidence about what it will be like as I once did.
And please no lectures about standing by the artist through thick and thin. I am more than willing to do that - and feel I've already proven it. I do admire who Taylor seems to be as a person but I am only on this ride because of a unique voice and the music we were led to believe was Taylor's true love. If that focus has changed it is certainly his perogative and I will evaluate what takes its place. But if I decide to wish him much success and happiness and move on in search of the music I love then that is simply being honest not an act of treason.
And can't let the derogatory use of "bar" go without comment yet again. I don't think too many of us care where Taylor makes his music - just that he does it.
But given the many talented musicians playing in bars and clubs all over the country to me those who have no respect for what they do are the real music snobs.
I always try to respect all opinions and evaluate everyone's input fairly. Do not really intend to single out any one person for using bar Taylor as a put down - it just hit the "one too many times" moment for me. Sorry caryl.
I have to agree with everything Carlene so eloquently said.
ah: no need to apologize. I agree with you. What I don't want is anyone making personal attacks on someone who leaves a comment. (We came alittle close there from anonymous, but it wasn't too bad. I'll let it slide. Julie handled it.)
I was so happy to read what Music Maven had to say because I've had a hard time putting it into words. I love that she said this Broadway thing doesn't add up and there may be more to the story than we know.
Then again, Taylor including "On Broadway" on his first CD didn't add up in my mnd, either. Maybe Taylor is just as confused about who he is.
Have to admit that I have some problems with the topic. Its hard for me to understand how you can listen to Taylors pre AI music, listen to him in his book, talking about playing in a bar to almost no one but being near tears because the music was so good and think that he is not serious about his music. But he also wanted very much to be heard. And that took a cheezy show like AI.
I also watched him on AI and I always thought that he very much enjoyed doing that show. It seemed to me that he enjoyed "Trouble" and rolling around on the floor in a paisley shirt almost equally. Hes a serious, gritty, sexy, musician, hes also a performer and a showman. I don't think there are 2 Taylors, theres probably more like 15. Possibly I don't have as much trouble accepting that because my favorite musician was always Ray Charles, but also one of my very favorite things was old Broadway musicals. I really don't understand why you can't love and do both. I've seen Ray Charles and the very serious Johnny Cash act stupid and silly. I just don't see the big deal. Now I haven't read Music Maven yet and she thinks maybe he has other reasons. She could be right. Many things have went on that we know nothing about. And I think the screws have been put to Taylor more than once. but I also think Taylor will do this well and have fun doing it. I always thought he enjoys strutting the stage and owning it. Hes good at it. And I think he will have a very fun summer in New York. I think he wants to have a fun and exciting life. But not necessarily a drama filled life. I like the sound of the people he has been writing with and I have high hopes for his next album. I liked many things about his last one.
Sometimes I get the feeling that some treat him like he was their addled-brained boy friend or husband who couldn't possibly make an intelligent move without them. They want to smack him and then rush in and save him from his stupid self. I have great faith in his abilities and judgment about what would be good for the career. Things got a little messed up and he had to do something big and wild, just like he did when he tried out for AI, to get himself back in the public eye before the next cd. Already his old one has been selling better. And his corporate gig at the festivals and on the ship was a very wise move. Corporate gigs introduce you to a new crowd and are fantastic for the pocketbook and that is extremely important whether you want it to be or not. At least he didn't run around in a Borat suit on his cruise. Taylor IMO is totally fearless on a stage, hes going to have fun with this, and he will have a lot of time to screw around New York for the summer. He will have a blast. We all should be so lucky.
I have my doubts he will use the ice cream cone, because every teen angel usually does it differently. But it really makes no difference. This role is supposed to be very cheezy and over the top and very likely he will take it totally over the top. No holds barred. And I will bet he doesn't do it exactly the same every time. I love his crazy, fearless, attitude.
He will lose no serious entertainers respect for doing this as long as he does a good job. They respect Broadway, all aspects of it. And they understand that sometimes you do what you got to do. And they also understand the concept of over involved fans.
He will lose no serious entertainers respect for doing this as long as he does a good job. They respect Broadway, all aspects of it. And they understand that sometimes you do what you got to do. And they also understand the concept of over involved fans.
I'm not sure how anyone can say who respects Broadway and who doesn't. I'm sure a lot of serious musicians hate it. The point is, this is not a wise move, no one will take him any more seriously as a musician, and many will take him less seriously.
Taylor has never given the serious entertainers who he may have gained exposure to since Idol any reason to have respect for him.
There are three of us right here who have held our breath since Idol, waiting for that "HERE'S who I really am!!!" moment, and it never came. I've been waiting two years for him to kick loose and show what he's made of, and this seems to be all there is, and I'm okay with admitting it. I'd call that being a realistic, uninvolved fan, yearning for something real, yet sensible enough to realize it ain't gonna happen.
quick question...
Is it Taylor 1 or Taylor 2 working with Todd Rundgren this summer? And which Todd is he working with, "Bang on the Drum" Todd or weird genius composer/ musician/ producer Todd? And does it matter?
Those are very serious , committed and sucessful writers that he has been working with in Nashville and they have had many good things to say as others have also.
And If you know what other artists think of Taylor then I could very well know what they think of Broadway.
I'm not giving up on him. I will buy his new CD when/if it comes out. I will go to his shows and support him. But as of now, I no longer look up too him. I might someday look up to him again, but right now it doesn't feel right.
He needs to remember that when he was younger, he dreamed of playing in those lousy-tough show rooms and bars, not just the big time. It seems to me he's forgotten that. And that's all that's worrying me.
He can do broadway I really don't give a shit. But when he seems to go off and not pay attention to certain things, like the record, it worries me. And YES... I understand that he might be doing it for money. But in that case... why doesn't he wait to start the new club??? Or build a big ass house on a lake??? I feel like his priorities are way off.
wow. I'm the first to overanalyze things but y'all are overanayzing this wayyyyyyy too much. Taylor 1 has been way at hard for months on this album, I think this will be good for him as someone said to pay the bills, and I think he will enjoy this as well. He got himself this far, and I'm not worried, nor would something this trivial *ever* make me say I'm done. I mean I've been a sting fan since like 1981 and he has made some odd choices along the line outside of music, and it never made me say "ok thats it for me." That would have been foolish, I would have missed out on some of the best stuff. I'm in it for t he whole ride, good bad ugly, whatever, Taylor is stuck with me, even if I have to be the last fan standing. lol
Maybe I am under-analyzing this. But I think this broadway gig is something that Taylor was offered, thought, hey that might be fun and give me time to work, stay in one place, record my cd and get some good exposure! Cause Broadway IS A GOOD THING! But, what do I know--nothing. I'll let you know what I think when I get back from seeing him in Grease in August.
Patat
julie,
I suspect that you aren't really looking for the moment when Taylor says "look, this is who I really am." I suspect you are waiting for the moment when he agrees to be who YOU want him to be. So, how are you different than Simon and Nigel or Clive? They wanted Taylor to be who they wanted and to do things their way, and it seems you want Taylor to do things YOUR way.
Taylor, however, seems quite determined to do it HIS way, even if it means he has to deal with a lot of crap along the way. I think that is a quality worthy of admiration.
Try looking at it this way, Taylor was kind enough to invite us along on his musical journey. We, however, are only passengers. He hasn't asked us to plan the itinerary and he certainly hasn't asked any of us to drive the bus. If you can't enjoy the ride under those conditions, maybe you should get off the bus...but I suspect that if you do you'll be missing a really cool experience.
I was going to leave one more comment but carleneg pretty much said it as well as it can be said.
Thanks.
Taylor is not a bus, he is a musician. He didn't invite me to ride along, I followed him because of what he said he was trying to do, to change the music world in some way. But nothing about the role he's playing on Broadway is brave, or smart, or worthy of admiration. He let me down and I'm not supporting him anymore. These things happen. When other bands and musicians I've liked in the past have started to fade, or make cruddy music, I stopped following them too, stopped buying their albums, stopped going to their shows. If the music's no longer good, why would I?
Being positive about every move Taylor makes is dangerous, for him and for you. Blind allegiance is just that...blind. I think he's lost the chance he had to make a difference, and now he's reduced to cruises and tiny parts in Grease. No doubt he'll always have the few fans he's retained talking about how clever and brave he is, no matter what he does. But this music snob is not gonna be one of them.
Like my pal Anonymous, I've said all I can say on this topic. Thanks.
Its not blind allegiance, its the patience to wait and see how things play out. Its giving him a chance to move in his own direction, not AI's or Arista's. That's what I don't think you have done. You're giving up on him before you even hear what kind of music he is going to produce on his own. That is sad, but I suspect the fault lies in your expectations, not in the choices Taylor is making.
Um, sorry, blind allegience to anyone or anything is not my forte. I've never quite understood this "difference" Taylor was going to make. I know he wanted to make a difference in the music world and maybe he will yet. But IMO everyones, maybe including Taylors, expectations were way too impatient and way too unrealistic. I think hes a very talented man but talent alone can't do it. Despite all that talent, he was a bar band singer out of Alabama with no money and no power. You aren't going to change TPTB who have all the power and money unless they decide they want you too.
At least not right away. I don't need him to change the music world in order to enjoy his voice and his talent.
I'll never see anything about Broadway as something to be ashamed of. And he doesn't need me to approve or disapprove of every little move he makes. I don't take things quite so seriously I guess, I think hes fun, I will continue to enjoy him.
It's 3 months out of what I believe will be a long career. Good grief....he's not giving up his music. It's what he loves most in his life. It's in his blood. This play is a little side-job that he'll have fun with. He'll work on that CD. The CD will be killer! He will make his mark in music someday. It's only been 2 years. He's only just begun.
Yeah, be nice to the ex fan who spreads hate.. Right.
Carleneg, Some are just upset now that they come to understand that their fantasy With Taylor will never come to pass. Bitter women.
This discussion has gotten off track. I don't enjoy controversy and don't go to any sites that promote it. And, btw, I won't attack anyone who comes here to comment, no matter who they are.
But I can put an end to a thread that's gotten out of hand, so that's what I'm going to do.
Call me a Pollyanna, I don't really care, but life is too short to wallow in negativity. People have told me they come to my blog because they know it will be upbeat and fun. Sometimes your brain needs a vacation! So, let's walk away from this tired debate, stretch out in a lounge chair and enjoy the shade.
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