I used to sing and play keyboards for several rock, R&B, and punk bands. I was a music snob. That was 20 years ago. Then, I became busy, got a nerdy day job, and quit playing music. At the same time, I somehow quit listening to music. (The last album I bought was Kate Bush's Hounds of Love 20 years ago.) I did not need music anymore.
Then, in late March, a friend of mine told me that there was this cute little 17 yr old on the American Idol show that she was totally rooting for. She told me I should watch it and find out how cute he is myself. Well, sorry friend, I discovered something 1,000x better that night.
When I was watching David Cook sing Billie Jean, something just clicked. "I must obtain more of his music!" After the show, I started googling and YouTubing to find his past performances and got totally knocked out by Hello. I also found out that I could download an entire indie album Analog Heart by him. I proceeded. This was my first album purchase in 22 years. (As long as you don't count Hannah Montana ones I bought for my 10 yr old.)
I have music in my life again after all these years. My iPod is now used for a continuous loop of Analog Heart* instead of "wait-wait don't tell me" podcast episodes. I am really loving living my days to the beat of rock music again. I am rather overwhelmed by this sudden change and still in the middle of analyzing the situation. However, one thing is for sure: David catalyzed something in me and I am a believer in music again, after a long, dry break.
*I wrote this on April 25, 2008. Since this “first album purchase in 20 years” I talked about, I have bought several more albums (including four MWK and one THH), and revisited my 80’s favorites on YouTube (e.g., Talking Heads/David Byrne, Janis Joplin, Eurhythmics).
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I <3 this musical genius
Well said, HSC!
David is going to build his career by surprising us constantly while entertaining us thoroughly. ***Insert DONT SHOOT ME ICON here*** I am a grown-up. I personally get a little bit uneasy listening to Axium stuff because it is a bit too youthful and too angry. Ya know? (But Analog Heart, I whole-heartedly <333. His anger is more subdued and expressed in a better sophistication.) *** So I am totally OK that his first single (which is only the first one out of hundreds more to come) just happens to be an adult-contemporary-rock-ballad-type song.