A note to all the American Idol watchers

[Beaverhausen]

Every night in your town, in coffeehouses and clubs, there are talented and hardworking singer/songwriter/musicians who are performing their songs live, on stage, many times to tiny or non-existent audiences.

Independent local musicians deserve your support. We are working our butts off writing songs, studying our craft, recording and promoting our music, schelpping to clubs to perform, paying our dues.

Last night I performed at a showcase about a mile down the road from where American Idol is taped. There were 6 great singer/songwriters performing to a crowd of about 10 people. What a waste of great talent missed by the people who sat home watching that glorified karaoke crap that is American Idol.

Please consider going out tonight, or one night soon, and checking out some of the local talent in your area.

Just because someone's music isn't played in the radio doesn't mean they aren't worth hearing.

[progmom]

1. well said!!

:applause:

[commander bunnypants]

4. I second the opinion!!!

and I have yet to watch my first episode ever and never will

CB

but I know there are hard working scientists but don't tread on my trek

x(

CB

[LostinVA]

2. I do support local talent, and I'm also glad that talent like

Kelly Clarkson and Chris Daughtry (and my Bearded Growly Bear Bo Bice) have gotten exposure on AI. They needed the break.

[Beaverhausen]

3. Here are some places to find great indie music

http://www.indiegrrl.com

http://www.songsalive.org

http://www.cdbaby.com

http://www.gogirls.com

http://www.itsaboutmusic.com
(finally got this one right!)

who has more links?

[mvd]

8. www.discoveringartists.com

That's another good site.

[Beaverhausen]

10. Thanks- I hadn't seen that. I have done shows with the featured artist

:hi:

edit- have you seen/heard Lauren Hart? you are in philly, right?

[mvd]

12. Gene Hart's daughter - cool

I've heard the name, but haven't checked out her CD. Thanks! :hi:

[Texasgal]

5. I completely agree with you!

I am very lucky to live in the "live music Capital of the world"! I get to check out new local acts all of the time!!

Good luck to you and your endeavors, I know it's a tough business. I have alot of respect for folks like yourself!

[ronnykmarshall]

6. Word!

[mvd]

7. Good post

Idol has produced some definite talent, but there are many out there who can't get to the auditions or don't think Idol is for them. The AI format is pretty limiting.

[henslee]

9. Come to my coffee bar but only if you bring ear plugs & you like berets.

[Beaverhausen]

11. Your coffee bar? Do you own it or just go to it?

Where is it?

I hope I'm not sorry that I'm asking this...

[henslee]

13. Just go to it.

[Beaverhausen]

22. OK

:crazy:

[Maraya1969]

29. That is the exact problem I have with live venues. Everything is too

loud. But it probably is me because I don't even like to go to the movies because of how loud it is. The last time I went I wore ear plugs.

[grace0418]

14. If I lived in a city where I could enjoy live music without having a cloud

of cigarette smoke choking me, I would be going out all the time. I hope to one day move to one of those cities.

[Beaverhausen]

19. Imagine how the singers feel in those smoky clubs! Thank god I'm here...

...in Los Angeles where I don't have to deal with that anymore!

[Initech]

15. I love going to small clubs like the Whisky, Roxy, Troubadour, etc...

And I'd much rather spend my weekends at places like those than watching horse shit like American Idol.

[Shakespeare]

16. And I would add....

Chances are that what you see in your local club/coffeehouse will be of exponentially better quality, and will be lacking in that whiff of manufactured-ism, commercialism that spits out all these phony Idol contestants. Go see REAL music.

Excellent post, Beaverhausen.

[kid a]

17. Kick and Nominate !!!

A'fuckin'MEN

[LSdemocrat]

18. Different people like different kinds of music

I would guess that people who genuinely like the American Idol style of music probably wouldn't particularly care for most indie music, and vice versa, people who genuinely like indie music probably don't care for American Idol type music. Some people are just casual music listeners who like the commercial, manufactured sound put together by commercial producers and songwriters.

[Beaverhausen]

20. What style of music would you call American Idol?

From what I read in the 27 threads about last night's show they did Queen songs. and did they do country last week?

Why not go out and hear real rock bands or real country artists instead?

[LSdemocrat]

23. For lack of a better term, I'd call it packaged music

True AI's music does span various genres, but on the whole the music nearly always has sort of a packaged/commercial feel to it, and some people genuinely like that type of "refined" sound. Some people, including myself, enjoy that type of sound. (I'd describe my favorite genre of music as 1980's pop)
However, I've been to a few concerts featuring up and coming artists (mostly free concerts at my university), and certainly many of the concerts were enjoyable, but it's not something I'd pay money for on a regular basis.

[mvd]

21. I might be the exception

But I like quite a few indie artists AND find stuff to like in the mainstream. After all, many of my favorite early Beatles songs were radio friendly. There's also stuff to dislike in both the indie and mainstream camps.

[Beaverhausen]

24. kicking my own thread

cause I want to!

[begin_within]

25. There are better singers at my Mom's church, frankly.

[Beaverhausen]

26. No doubt there are

[Hissyspit]

27. Here's my American Idol thread. The Queen medley...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=5020181&mesg_id=5020181

[bridgit]

28. i'll go you one further, just cause it ain't on AI, doesn't mean it...

isn't good by a long shot; our youngest daughter has a stone cold righteous singing voice, waited in line at the cow palace for 6 hours and was dismissed with little more than a hand gesture = AI sucks!

we are artist', and performers, you'll stand a far better chance imo of understanding what performance is by checking out local talent than you ever will sitting, or watching AI x(

watch it for whatever reasons you may choose...but AI does not represent american talent imho

[Maraya1969]

30. I'm sorry they didn't pick her. Did they give a reason why?

[bridgit]

31. something about quota...

it was truly lame to say the least

[merh]

32. Of course it doesn't.

It represents the best of taking advantage of mass marketing.

My prediction is that Kelly wins, not because of her talent, but because she is the most naive of the lot and they can take advantage of her simplicity and make a mint at her expense.

The recording industry is very corrupt and greedy, it puts the old Hollywood studio ways to shame.

If your daughter records something that you can share, please do share it with us. :hi:

[bridgit]

34. oh you bet, merh honey, i've seen some 'stuff' in the industry while...

working that side of the street so as to say. hubby's trying to get her into the studio with some arraignments, we're just glad she's a normal girl with a level head, and a balanced view of life :hi:

[merh]

35. That is something to be very proud of.

Sounds like she has great parents. ;)

:pals:

[Ron Green]

33. Also, don't forget there's live JAZZ in many cities and towns across the

country and around the world. And the nice thing about jazz is that it's not a "cover band," as is the case in lots of rock/pop groups who do others' tunes. A rendition of a classic is new every time it's played, and the material stands up to endless arrangements, variations and improvisations.

B-)

[RoyGBiv]

36. Well said ...

I truly loathe American Idol to the extent I've stopped listening to what once was my favorite morning radio talk show for the drive to work because the idiots insist on giving a freakin' AI update every half hour.

I do not know who the hell is on it, wish I could extract the name of that person who apparently won it a few years ago and is blaring out of radios everywhere, and have made a solemn vow never to let it darken my TV screen again. I watched the first two episodes of the first season, realizes these people were genuine assholes, and happily turned it off.

I go see local talent as often as I can. I love some of the local Blues and Jazz bands.

[leftofthedial]

37. and just because someone's music is played on the radio

doesn't mean they ARE worth hearing . . .

songwriter shows are great, if I do say so myself