Majors and Minors

Thoughts on Music

2008-03-21T15:35:00.000-07:00

Words are an expression of the mind.

Melody is an expression of the soul.

Rhythm is an expression of the heart.

Does this mean that music is the ultimate expression?

Belle and Sebastian

2007-10-21T20:51:00.000-07:00

Why are they the only band I've felt like listening to for the past several months? Specifically, the second CD on the album Push Barman to Open Old Wounds.

I love their soothing and calming style. The music flows; you feel like you're drifting down a stream when you listen to it. Though the music itself is primarily major, upbeat and positive in a natural, quiet way, it's not necessarily happy.

Often, the text doesn't fit the music, which is something else I love about them. The melodies and harmonies can be quick-paced and major, but they somehow weave darker themes into the text. They'll often sing about death as if it's a completely normal and natural part of every day life (which it is, though we in our safe, clean, youth-idolizing western culture tend to repress it).

They're also perfect in their imperfection. Sometimes one of the instruments isn't completely on beat and sometimes you have the feeling that someone is singing slightly off key. But you never have the feeling that they're being show-offy or striving for the perfect recording; they simply seem to love making their music.

Is it normal to listen to one CD for months at a time? Or one band? Who knows... but if you choose to do so, then I'd recommend Belle and Sebastian.

Supernatural

2007-08-16T20:39:00.000-07:00

This world's a tortured place to be,
So many things to torment me
And as I stumble down this road
it takes a toll.

These days and nights I turn to you,
No human hand can pull me through,
No cosmic force or magic brew
will ever do.

Beyond this physical terrain
There's an invisible domain
Where angels battle over souls
in vast array.

But down on earth is where I am
No wings to fly, no place to stand
Here on my knees, I am a stranger
in this land.

I need an intervention,
A touch of providence.
It goes beyond religion,
To my very circumstance.

"Supernatural", by dcTalk

Dance Tonight

2007-06-26T07:59:00.000-07:00

Is he not one of the most adorable people ever? Gotta love the walk and the Converse.

Yes, it looks like Paul McCartney has a new song... the style reminds me of the early Beatles stuff - it's upbeat, positive and innocent. But why he's using itunes as a medium is beyond me. You can do better than that, Sir Paul. There's some weird stuff going on.

I don't know where he is, but I'd like to be there singing and skipping. It looks all bright and colourful and happy.

Rest in Peace

2006-12-08T01:20:00.000-08:00

Today is a sad day in Music History.

Rest in Peace, John Lennon.

"Pools of sorrow, waves of joy are drifting through my open mind, possessing and caressing me... limitless undying love which shines around me like a million suns, it calls me on and on across the Universe. Jai Guru Deva Om... nothing's gonna chance my world."

Oh, Love that wilt not let me go

2006-09-20T01:43:00.000-07:00

Oh, Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in Thee;
I give Thee back the life I owe,
That in Thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

Oh, Light that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to Thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in Thy sunshine's blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.

Oh, Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to Thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.

Oh, Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from Thee;
I lay in dust life's glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.

Thanks to a Hymn-Writer Unknown

The Music Genome Project of Sheer Brilliance

2006-08-13T00:33:00.000-07:00

I normally don't promote websites here, but thanks to myspace and various people from my past hunting me down, I've been made aware of a fabulous internet radio site:

http://www.pandora.com

It began as a project, the Music Genome Project, and here's the description:

"Together we set out to capture the essence of music at the most fundamental level. We ended up assembling literally hundreds of musical attributes or "genes" into a very large Music Genome. Taken together these genes capture the unique and magical musical identity of a song - everything from melody, harmony and rhythm, to instrumentation, orchestration, arrangement, lyrics, and of course the rich world of singing and vocal harmony. It's not about what a band looks like, or what genre they supposedly belong to, or about who buys their records - it's about what each individual song sounds like."*

So... what you, as the listener, can do is enter in a favourite song or artist, and the radio will automatically generate similar-sounding songs. It's freaking brilliant.

The "catch" is that you have to register... all they want is a name, an e-mail address and a US zipcode. If any of my German friends want to register, feel free to use my Texas zipcode: 78681. :)

I've recently gotten into some new music genres I've never listened to before, which means I'm unfamiliar with artists in that particular genre. Pandora's helped me discover other similar musicians, and it's really been great fun.

*Source: Music Genome Project

Constantine goes solo!

2006-03-30T22:27:00.000-08:00

It's official: Constantine Maroulis left his band, Pray for the Soul of Betty, "due to both creative and business reasons." Finally! They've been riding his coat-tails and trying to damper his solo pursuits for way too long now.

Craig Taylor, the bass guitarist and primary band spokesman, is nothing more than a greedy, manipulative Narcissus, who can't handle the fact that "his lead singer" actually has more potential, power and raw talent than the Almighty Taylor himself. The band and their fans (also known as "Betties") blindly recite their unconditional-non-hierarchical-peace-and-love mantras... which have an ironic way of completely dissapating within seconds.

Of course there was mass hysteria in Betty-land, but that's to be expected. Though the reactions of the band and the fans to Constantine's resignation were (unsurprisingly) disgusting and juvenile, they were positive in the sense that they reinforced that his decision is the right one. True friends encourage one another in dreams and goals... they don't run rabid with irate jealousy and manipulation.

I knew that a break-up was inevitable after exchanging several e-mails with Taylor (yes, back in the day before the band was "big", we wrote back and forth a few times) over artistic developtment and integrity. Sure, art is expression, whether it be lyrical, instrumental, on canvas, through words, through movement... but expression is only a small part of Art as a whole. Art is about expressing, learning, developing and refining. This absolutely doesn't mean that an artist is to base his art on what the times demand, or cater to the audience, or be a record-label puppet. I'm referring more to personal developement.

The Beatles wouldn't have lasted as long had they produced nothing but cheesy love songs, as they did during the beginning stage. Sure, their cheesy love songs are one-of-a-kind-classics, but things change. With the unwinding of time and with new experiences come new ways of thinking and expression.

Another important part of being an artist that Taylor unfortunately was unable to deal with is constructive criticism. Most artists use their art to express something, to convey a message to the masses through some aesthetic means. Criticism is natural. Taylor and the band lost many fans, especially intelligent and musically experienced fans who saw some minor weak points and offered suggestions hoping to help the band. Unfortunately, our volatile Narcissus couldn't accept any sort of criticism, and is now without a lead singer.

I've always admired that fact that Constantine can take criticism and seeks to improve himself as a singer and performer. Does this make him impressionable? Maybe, to a certain extent. But this is where the artist must find balance: on the one hand, he must remain true to his personal convictions and the message he wants to impart. On the other hand, outside, unbiased constructive criticism is necessary. Heeding these outside suggestions will only help the artist better relate his message in the long run.

For example, if a writer continuously spells simple words incorrectly, his writing won't be taken seriously. If a singer sings out of key or mispronounces words, he'll be seen as a joke.

All that to say... I think that Constantine understands what Art is. Studying at Boston Conservatory has given him a solid background and (hopefully!) the ability to find a balanced and effective way of communicating through his music and theatrical roles.

He's versatile, talented and intelligent... and it's about time he cut the cord with anyone wanting to hold him back.

Vater, unser Vater

2006-02-28T23:36:00.000-08:00

"Bist zu uns vie ein Vater, der sein Kind nie vergisst.
Der trotz all seiner Größe immer ansprechbar ist.

Deine Herrschaft soll kommen. Das, was Du willst, geschehen.
Auf der Erde, im Himmel sollen alle es sehen.

Vater, unser Vater, alle Ehre Deinem Namen.
Vater, unser Vater, bis ans Ende der Zeiten. Amen.

Gib uns das, was wir brauchen, gib uns heute unser Brot.
Und vergib uns den Aufstand gegen Dich und Dein Gebot.

Lehre uns zu vergeben, so wie Du uns vergibst.
Lass uns treu zu Dir stehen, so wie Du immer liebst.

Vater, unser Vater, alle Ehre Deinem Namen.
Vater, unser Vater, bis ans Ende der Zeiten. Amen.

Nimm Gedanken des Zweifels und der Anfechtung fort.
Mach uns frei von dem Bösen durch Dein mächtiges Wort.

Deine Macht hat kein Ende, wir vertrauen darauf.
Bist ein herrlicher Herrscher, und Dein Reich hört nie auf."

Cristoph Zehendner

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing

2006-02-28T23:26:00.000-08:00

"Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.

Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the Mount; I'm fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

This my glad commemoration
That 'til now I've safely come;
And I hope, by They good pleasure
Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God.
He to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.

Oh, to grace, how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be.
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.

Prone to wander, Lord I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, oh take and seal it;
Seal it for Thy courts above."

John Wyeth

It Is Well with My Soul

2006-02-28T23:20:00.000-08:00

"When peace like a river attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea-billows roll
Whatever my lot, You have taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

It is well (it is well)
It is well (it is well)
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though the devil will ruin, though trials may come
Let this blessed assurance control
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate
And He shed His own blood for my soul.

... It is well, it is well with my soul.

My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought
My sin, not in part, but the whole
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, oh my soul!

... It is well, it is well with my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight
And the clouds be rolled back as a scroll
The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend
Even so, it is will with my soul.

... It is well, it is well with my soul."

Horation Spafford (traditional words)

Review (and commentary): 'In This Together' by Apoptygma Berzerk

2006-02-05T16:17:00.000-08:00

I saw a music video a few months ago that really hit me hard. It was so dramatic and disturbing... yet so perfect. Put it together with the lyrics, and the irony is brilliant.

The song is "In This Together", and is by Apoptygma Berzerk *, a band I've discovered while here in Germany and have grown rather fond of. The fact that they toured with Spahn Ranch * (think: Athan Maroulis *) at one point is an added bonus. The industrial rock/ electronica genre is one I've never explored, so this has been interesting.

Stephan Groth *, the lead singer, is the mastermind behind the band, and the prominent character on the video.

[Aside: in the video, he, um, wears eyeliner. What is it about guys in eyeliner that's so darn irresistable? And he holds the microphone like Constantine does... and stares into the camera.]

The situation in the video is a bank robbery... of course, everything is suspenseful to the extreme, especially when Groth begins trying to communicate with one of the women, but can only use his eyes. The focus quickly becomes their intense and dramatic non-verbal communication. They discover a button which will trigger the alarm... and when Groth gives the key, the woman gently taps it with her high-heeled shoe.

Ok, quick break to give the chorus lyrics. "Don't you see... we're in this together... you and me... one on one forever." The entire first scene is about them working together in an impossible situation and understanding one another without using words. As the chaos envelopes them, they're somehow able to maintain level-headedness and do something about the situation.

"And in your troubled eyes I see someone who carried me somehow... don't you see, it's you and me against the world."

Just as the woman sets off the alarm, a thug swings around, aims his semi-automatic at her, and pulls the trigger. Groth jumps up, throws himself between her and the bullet, and collapses onto the ground. Sacrifice. Finality. The music becomes softer. Is this the end?

Of course, the next scene is him in his bedroom, taking off his bullet-proof vest and opening the suitcase of money, which he somehow managed to get from the burglars (though I don't remember how).

"...like footprints in the sand, you've been behind me all along..."

The woman enters the room, and you now feel this overwhelming relief, that the two are together again. That the two are indeed one on one forever, against the world. But it's not over... the woman pulls out a gun, looks him in the eyes, aims it at his forehead, and pulls the trigger. There's a flash of light, and the scene changes.

The irony is disturbing... but it paints a vividly clear picture of how love often feels (is?). Just because you share with someone and even sacrifice for them doesn't mean they won't turn around and stab you in the back when it's least expected. Sure, this is a negative view, but sometimes a negative view is temporarily necessary to avoid pain and confusion.

Which brings us to the unsolveable question... is the pain worth it? Is the pain at the end worth the joy? Is the downpour worth a few sunny days? Should you choose the peaks and valleys of love, or simply stay grounded on a nice, stable, predictable flatland?

*shrugs her shoulders*

Anyway. It's a fabulous song. And the piano player is quite talented as well, though I couldn't tell if he wore eyeliner.

And, the links once more, in case you're interested...
Apoptygma Berzerk Homepage
Spahn Ranch Homepage
Athan Maroulis' Homepage
Stephan Groth on Wikipedia

Floating, Falling, Sweet Intoxication...

2005-10-28T21:17:00.000-07:00

(For those of you who don't know, the title of this blog is lyrics from Music of the Night... it has nothing to do with my mental state or alcohol intake).

Ah, the Phantom of the Opera. What is it about the music that's so alluring?

Yes, I saw the Phantom yesterday evening at the Colloseum Theater in Essen with a few of my co-workers, and it was absolutely wonderful. It was in German, but I was surprised at how similar it was to what I saw in Austin. The stage-setup, the effects, the positions and movements of the actors were are comparable, which was interesting. I thought there would be more of a creative difference between the American and German versions. Though the visuals and the general feel of the play were similar, the words, interestingly, were often not. Whoever translated the Phantom into German most definitely did not stick close to the original script. I've listened to the English music so often that I could sing along with the majority of the parts... so I noticed, of course, that the German translation differed. Interesting stuff.

There's nothing like hearing the music live... there really isn't. It was absolutely beautiful, and I love watching the conductor (though he has nothing on Peter Bay!). Especially beautiful was the introduction to "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again"... they played a slightly different rendition than anything I've heard before. It was solely violins at the beginning... much lighter and freer than other renditions.

The man who played the Phantom was wonderful as well (Borchert?)... his voice and character had much more emotion, darkness and desperation to it than what I recall in the Austin Phantom, as well as Michael Crawford's version in the original cast (I have this CD).

The lady who played Christine did a great job... though I kept thinking how awesome it would have been to see Sarah Brightman in the role. Ah, well.

The guy who played Raoul was rather *ahem* cute. I think Constantine could make a decent Raoul. Or Phantom, though the Phantom role seems a little too dark and heavy for him. We'll save the Phantom role for TayTay. Maybe I could re-write the Phantom... the Phantom of Broadway, NY. Constantine could play Raoul, the hero, of course. Taylor, the bass player in Constantine's band, would make an excellent Phantom (think: manipulation, jealousy, empty threats, omnipresence), and... hmm... Hamboussi, the drummer in Constantine's band, could play Christine. Afterall, he himself admitted that he likes wearing high heels and fur coats. A true drag queen. Perfect. That leaves us with Joao, the guitarist in Con's band. He could play Meg. She doesn't say much, either. Just hangs out in the background, looks cute, and dances around. I can feel it coming together already!

Ok, back to reality. Yesterday evening really was wonderful; I'm so glad to have found some people who have the same musical interests... as we would say in German, "Klasse!" Classic. Great. Swell. You get the idea.

Click here to e-mail me!

The Pretty and Nine Others: My Review of the Dallas AI Concert (08.13.2005)

2005-08-21T20:36:00.000-07:00

Never in my life did I dream I'd go to an American Idols concert and I'm still rather embarrassed to admit that I actually went to one. I'm an anti-pop-music-pop-culture kind of person, and country music isn't on my list of favourites, either. But, after weighing my options, I decided to sacrifice my philosophy to see the Pretty. Constantine Maroulis himself. It was worth every hard-earned penny.

Jessica opened the concert, which I found odd for some reason, as I expected there to be a group number at the beginning. She did just fine, and her interaction with Guitar Boy was pretty cute. I found myself watching Guitar Boy when Consty wasn't on stage.

Anwar was next, and the sound was pretty bad. I don't know if it was him (let's give him the benefit of the doubt and say it wasn't) or the sound system, but something was off, and I couldn't understand a word he said. When he introduced Con, the crowd went completely wild... it was all dark and Con just burst out, singing Hard to Handle. Are we having fun yet? The concert had officially begun.

[aside1: I'm seriously having a difficult time remembering Con's performances; I was in such state of shock and awe that I was actually there, listening to him sing live, that I don't remember that many specific notes, movements, etc. The entire experience was surreal to the extreme, and I remember more what I myself was thinking and feeling and how I was responding to his performance as opposed to the actual performance.]

[aside 2: I only have one major regret when it comes to the concert (other than not trying Ouzo! How'd we forget that??): I had to sit down during the Pretty's performances. Yup, that's right. My butt was glued to my seat during Bohemian Rhapsody, and let me tell you: damn, it hurt.* I was in the nose-bleed section during the first part of the show, surrounded by unenthusiastic older couples who loved Carrie. Sure, they were nice people, but can you get any more boring than that?? When Con exploded onto the stage during HTH, several people (myself being one of them, of course) stood up in their seats out of excitement. But then they freaking sat down. I stood for as long as I could, ignoring the screams from people behind me to sit down. I finally gave in and sat, though, but on the very edge of my seat. Did people not understand that it was the Pretty?? The Pretty was singing!! *shakes her head in frustration*]

The energy he exuded in HTH was incredible. Something good must have happened in LA, because he was definitely on, and the crowd was feeling the mojo. I've never seen him interact with the crowd on the level that he did that night. He'd throw in extra words, and even left out a few song phrases (though I can't remember which ones) and would let the audience scream them. It was an upbeat, energetic performance. And Zeus knows we all needed to be woken up after Anwar's performance. Yes, we did get a knee-slide during HTH... it wasn't a slide towards the audience it was across the stage but it was a knee-slide nonetheless.

Next was My Funny Valentine, which was absolutely perfect. Funny. Sweet. Comic. Smart. He made me smile in my heart. It was amazing to be there, listening to him sing in front of a live audience. In all seriousness, it was so much better than I'd anticipated, and so much more powerful. In a few parts, he changed the notes up a little, singing it differently than what I'd ever heard before. I don't remember which part but I remember being pleasantly surprised. The "Stay..." on MFV was incredible as well. There's nothing like hearing it live; there really isn't. He interacted with the audience more in this song than I'd ever seen as well. He even stepped down from the stage during one point, and walked by the fans in the front, singing to them, touching them, and just having a good time. I could even feel the electricity from the nose-bleed section, with my butt still glued to my seat. So you know the mojo was in the air.

Next came the *ahem* part where he slows down and quatsches with the audience for a while. After nearly every sentence, the audience went absolutely wild; the crowd loved him, and he really seemed to love us as well. Maybe it's cause none of us got enough love in our childhoods. I dunno. But whatever the reason, I was feeling the love. In the middle of him talking, someone threw a towel onto the stage. He was dangerously sweaty after the first two songs, and proceeded to wipe the sweat from his forehead. Sure, it began innocently enough, but when he realized the effect he was having on the audience he really started to play with us. He moved from his forehead to his face, to his neck, to his chest... yeah. We've all seen the clip; I'll leave it at that.

Then it was time for his final song... time... what a concept... is this the real life, or is it just fantasy? On the one hand, time seemed to stand still as I soaked in each note, each movement, it moment. But on the other hand, it seemed to fly into warp-speed. I was caught in a landslide of music, of the Pretty's voice... no escape from reality. My writing and description cannot do him justice. Each note was so deliberate, so perfect. Each movement on stage was so natural, so fluid. Sends shivers down my spine. This was the highlight of the show. He killed the song; he nailed it. Oh, Pretty, won't you come back again this time tomorrow? I could listen to you every day. I could say he did the song justice, which he did, but he's done so much more than that with the song... he's made it his own. If I didn't know better, I'd think he'd written it himself; there was passion and personality in each note, each phrase, each nuance, each movement.

But it was too late... his time had come... he thanked everyone and disappeared. Just as quickly as he'd entered. Now all I had was a little figmented silhouetto of a man and his performance in my imagination. It all happened so fast. But carry on, the show must.

Nikko was next, but Con didn't even introduce him. It was a choppy transition from Bo Rhap to a hip-hoppy pop song. It just didn't feel right. I still couldn't stop thinking about the Pretty. That's it?? Not only did the songs fly by, but I could barely even remember what happened! I got a fever, and the only prescription is more Pretty!! Please don't leave us so soon!! Stay, little Valentine, stay! Where the heck did the Pretty go?? Although Nikko was surprisingly good (especially when he danced), I do feel sorry for him because he had to follow Constantine. Now that's pressure. Sixth place my arse.

As I watched Nikko, I was trying to figure out how The Powers That Be decided in which order the contestants should perform. Constantine's performance was magnifico. Why wouldn't he close the set? Why did Nikko perform after him? I don't know the answer to the first question, but I do think I know why Nikko followed him. Nikko is the anti-Con. The two are incomparably different. Of course Bo and Carrie couldn't follow Constantine. TPTB don't want Constantine anywhere near their Chosen Ones. He'd make them look boring. Though the Chosen One manages to be boring anyway. Nadia and Con are both so edgy they have to keep these two apart to keep things interesting. Scott, Jessica, Anthony or Anwar could have followed Con, I guess, but they're all pretty amateur when it comes to being on stage, and I think this would have taken away from their performances. So, Nikko, the anti-Con was the obvious choice.

Scott was next. My first thought when he came on stage was that I am embarrassed to live in Texas. There was way too much screaming for him. Cheering? Fine. But screaming? Does he really have that much of a following in Texas? I guess there are quite a few women-hating chauvinists around these parts who can relate to him. His performance was good, though. Especially his duet with Jessica. That was surprisingly good. Though I kept wishing that the Pretty could sing a duet with someone, darn it. Where's the Pretty?? What's he doing backstage?? Talk about wasted talent.

Nadia closed the set, and was fabulous. I wish I were Nadia. I think I love her. She strutted out in some fab-shmab heels, carrying an electric guitar, which she managed to air-play quite well. The Pretty needs to play a guitar. Maybe when he goes solo. One thing I've always liked about Nadia and her performances is her intensity. She's very intense when she sings, even to the point of being a little (thunder bolts and lightening) frightening. She has an excellent voice, and I especially loved when she sang Try a Little Tenderness. Her stage presence was incredible; she's second to Consty in edginess and eccentricity. And holy schnikes, does she ever know how to work the mic stand. I think she's been hanging out with Con, just like Anthony has. At one point, she threw the stand onto the ground, and then later flipped it up with her heel and caught it without missing a beat. Now that's what I call coordination. Nadia was freaking awesome.

Anthony was next, and he was good as well. I don't remember much from his performance, other than thinking that he's cute, has a good voice, and a possible future. He looks like he could be in a boy band. And he even said "Lets do it", like Consty said on Nickelodian.

Bo came limping out next, with his cane, and really did an excellent job given the situation. Desperado sounded great, although it was a little awkward. He started out playing the piano, but then stopped half-way through it, and just sat on the bench. I don't think he knew what to do with his arms. He actually stood up and ran around the stage in his other songs, which were hard for me to really enjoy because I was so worried that he'd hurt himself. He was definitely the crowd-favourite, which made me happy. We were in Texas, after all.

Then came Carrie. The way she walks around stage cracks me up. She's still trying to figure out who she is on stage and how to handle herself. It's as if TPTB told her to loosen up and shake her hips a little, and even explore the stage space. She'll walk from one side to the other, almost as if shes following a pre-determined course. Heh. The one non-country song she sang was actually pretty good. She does have a good voice. Yay for the Chosen One.

Now to the part I'd been waiting for: the Encore! The Return of the Pretty! The Revenge of the Sixth! Luckily, I had managed to sneak to the ground-level where there were some empty seats by Sandy and Creative. This time, I was able to stand up and jump up and down for the Pretty, as well as scream to my heart's content. He was absolutely fabulous. I didn't (couldn't?) take my eyes off of him the entire time. Even when he was singing back-up, I could pick his voice out from the crowd of them; he has such a unique and distinctive voice. It was absolutely beautiful. He had on a blue t-shirt with cut-off sleeves and then a leather jacket, which he kept dropping below his shoulder. Heh. There was much head-banging and running around stage, and he even slapped Nadias derriere at one point. He really seemed to be enjoying himself and enjoying performing with his friends. What a great group of people; I was very impressed overall; I really was.

Constantine was even more electrical on stage and in person than I'd ever imagined he could be. There's something magical, something intangible about him. I will be both shocked and horrified if he doesn't continue performing. He seems to love it too much; he seems so ecstatic to be on stage, always interacting with the fans and the other contestants, and just having the time of his life. During the few fleeting moments he was on stage, he made everyone in that venue love him, with a love there is no cure for. This is still only the beginning for our dear Constantine James Maroulis.

*edited for those who might question my use of a particular curse word. This is (a) not normal for me and (b) an inside joke. In an interview, Constantine rock-star-kicked the camera and fell on his rear end on national televison. What did he say? "Damn, I hurt my butt." It's crude, but it's become sort of a catch phrase and constant joke.

On A Day in the Life and Bo Rhap, Part II

2005-07-10T21:52:00.000-07:00

And, Part II of the Beatles discussion. Again, my friend's comments are italicized and my responses follow.

*****

What I find interesting - and Bo Rhap does this as well... is that song itself - the music, the melody, the feel - is so calm and soothing (at the beginning of Bo Rhap, lol... I'm not talking about the choral parts or the rock part)... and the lyrics don't seem to fit. They're taling about death and violence in a rather serene way... it's interesting...

In fact, they [the lyrics] were so extreme when they first came out that people were freaking out about them. They kept looking for a hidden message. In fact, that might have been the time when the Paul is dead theory started.

Yes, I read about this... this was a little before my time, lol... but I've read a few books about the Beatles and the surrounding conspiracies. I love a good conspiracy, especially when it comes to music, subliminal messages, and going against the grain... there is a little of that in A Day in the Life... in the middle of the song, it goes through a mechanical sounding chaotic stage...

... here's a bit of music trivia... did you know that it was actually a German musician who influenced this music? Stockhausen was one of the first people to popularize the electronic sounding music... he influenced the Beatles as well as artists like Pink Floyd and Bjork... great music for the conspiracy theororist, lol. :)

And regarding the later blur and confusion of the music, that was so in tune with the times back then. The whole period was confusing. Whenever I hear that song, I get the eiriest feeling.

Yeah... the transition in the style of the Beatles music is interesting to watch... they began so innocently... all the songs were upbeat, pop-ish, and about love... but there's an obvious turn somewhere in the timeline... you can tell that they started smoking stuff, were influenced by eastern thought, and really wanted to break away from their original sound.

But yes... some of their sounds are too much for even me, as an avid Beatles fan, to take in... it's too creepy. I feel like there are evil spirits coming out of my CD player.

On A Day in the Life and Bo Rhap, Part I

2005-07-08T22:36:00.000-07:00

It's official: Constantine's favourite Beatles song is A Day in the Life. Interestingly, it's similar in many respects to Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, which has become his trademark song. Some friends and I were analyzing this phenomena, and I've decided to save my thoughts here because (1) posts have a way of disappearing on message boards, (2) these posts took some time to write, and (3) I love anything having to do with both the Beatles and Constantine... so put the two together, and the conversation will never go dry. :)

The italicized parts are questions/comments from a friend... my response follows.

**********

Yes, A Day in the Life is a great song... I was thinking about it, and there are actually some parallels between this song and Bo Rhap, with regards to the transitions and general flow...

Both begin rather mellow and calm, although the words are intense ("he blew his mind out in a car"... sounds strangely like "put a gun against his head... pulled the trigger, now he's dead").

It's also a little "schizophrenic", in a way (I hate to use that word, but it best describes the phenomena here)... there's the mellow beginning, then the blur and confusion of the music... the later works of by the Beatles are notorious for having strange sound mixtures that don't really make sense...

Here's another interesting comparison... both songs have a transition/bridge, and then break into the drumming piano parts (think: the piano part just before "I see a little silhouette of a man").

Regarding the general flow and path of the song... it seems that Con likes the songs that are a little "out there" in the sense that there's so much to them... many different types of music, all rolled into one. Bo Rhap is out of control here... it starts off sounding pretty tame, then moves to a choir-ish part, then rock... then back to the mellow ballad-sounding music. It's great... A Day in the Life is similar... starts of pretty controlled, with the occasional peak, then goes into an instrumental/mechanical chaos... breaks into a simple piano part and turns to pop
music, and then is back to the original sound... :)

Also, what other Beatle songs do you think he might do great justice to if he sang them?

Hmm... good question... a favorite of mine is I've Just Seen a Face... I'd love to hear him do that... it's an upbeat song, and the guitar parts are great - I think it's a guitar duo... whatever it is, I love it. I could see him handling this song like he did with ITILY (I Think I Love You by David Cassidy). Across the Universe is another favorite... so of course I'd love to see him cover that...

I love Day in the Life. The final chord is one of the legends in rock.

Absolutely... it's so forceful... and final... :)

Oh, and following his liking of violence references in songs (j/k, kind of!), maybe he should sing Happiness is a Warm Gun? :)

America Witnesses the Impossible, Part II

2005-06-06T19:47:00.000-07:00

Although the previous article, ‘America Witnesses the Impossible’ (Part I) focused primarily on the injustice of The Powers That Be (TPTB) and their manipulation of Constantine, this article will focus on AI in a broader sense, and their treatment of various contestants. It is obvious that TPTB not only work against certain contestants, but work and promote their “Chosen Contestants,” even when America disagrees. The AI finale and surrounding events have further proven not only that AI is rigged, but that TPTB select their Chosen One from the beginning.

SIMON COWELL: MUSIC GENIUS OR FULLER’S PUPPET?

During the Top 11 performance, it became clear who the “Chosen One” was: Simon Cowell commented that Carrie Underwood would not only become the next American Idol, but would sell more than any previous Idol. This is a tremendous statement to make, especially when there are ten other contestants still on the show. Interestingly, the first part of Cowell’s statement turned out to be true: Carrie did win the title of American Idol. Only time will tell if the second part of his statement is true. Is it possible to predict the winner this far in advance? Is Cowell really that sharp? Is the forged relationship between Cowell and America as close as he claims? Although the answer could be ‘yes’, the most likely answer is a very definite ‘NO.’ This is an unpredictable reality television show, and it is highly impossible that Cowell would choose the right contestant during this phase of the competition.

Although Simon didn’t express directly to Carrie that he thought she’d win until the Top 11 show, he did push for her from the beginning. During the audition stages, he said in several interviews that a “blond country singer” was very good and would win the competition. When she sang ‘Could’ve Been’ during the Top 12 Girls show, Simon told her that she was “without question… one of the favorites to win.” Simon also stated that he was surprised no one had “discovered” Carrie yet, which is false; Carrie has been discovered to a certain extent, and there is no way that he did not know this.

A Reality TV Magazine article dated February 22, 2005 (http://www.realitytvmagazine.com/blog/2005/02/carrie_underwoo_1.html) describes Carrie’s professional music background which includes performing with The Starrise Band throughout the south, opening for “Diamond Rio”, “The Wilkinsons”, “Exile”, Gene Watson, Billy Hoffman and Earl Thomas Conley. She’s also recorded with Chuck Howard and John Guess in Nashville. Why was none of this mentioned on AI? Why were Constantine’s and Bo’s bands and professional background mentioned numerous times while Carrie’s was not? Carrie may not have “made it big”, but she was anything but undiscovered, as Simon claimed. At one point prior to being on AI, she even had a fan website devoted to her, which no longer exists. For some reason, TPTB wanted to portray her as an innocent, all-American farm girl with an undiscovered talent for singing. This portrayal is far from the truth.

THE UNEXISTENT ‘INDEPENDENT’ ARTICLE

An article released on May 22nd in the ‘Online Edition of The Independent’ by Jason Nisse named Carrie Underwood as the new American Idol, three days before she was actually announced as the winner (May 25th). Interestingly, ‘The Independent’ is owned by the same conglomerate that owns FOX TV. In listing the British business people who had been named among the “25 Stars of Europe” by BusinessWeek, Nisse wrote, “Among the more predictable names in the list are Sir Terry Leahy, chief executive of Tesco; BT boss Ben Verwaayen; and Nigel Newton, who signed JK Rowling for Bloomsbury Publishing. More surprising are Andrew Black and Ed Wray, the co-founders of Betfair.com; and Simon Fuller, the pop impresario whose American Idol TV competition was won this year by Carrie Underwood.”

The beauty of this mistake is that it finally gave fans a tangible piece of evidence for something they’ve known all along but couldn’t prove: AI is rigged. Yes, it could have been a journalistic error, but if that were the case, why was there no piece about Bo? And why was there no retraction of the article? After much uproar among AI fans, this article simply vanished; no explanation was given despite numerous phone calls and e-mails to ‘The Independent’.

THE OUTSHINING

Assuming that TPTB had selected their "Chosen One," they naturally did not want her threatened by anyone. And if ever there was a threat, it was Constantine. Bohemian Rhapsody was a major turning point for the producers, for AI as a show, and for Constantine personally. Bohemian Rhapsody was a threat to the producers, because it awoken them, in a way, to his true talent and potential. It was through this performance that they realized he would outshine their Chosen Ones. It was a turning point for AI as a show, because it raised the stakes for the other contestants. As arguably the best AI performance of all seasons, the question is: could Constantine himself even top it? Thus, it affected him on a personal level as well.

It was a personal turning point for Constantine in the sense that it was a nearly perfect performance: he was beautiful vocally and stylistically; it was the perfect mixture of true rock and sensuality, and arguably contained even some "crooning." This performance brought in many fans, and gave Constantine credibility in many people's eyes; there was nothing wrong with it. It showed his fans (and Constantine as well; he doesn’t seem to realize how talented he is) who he really is, and the endless possibilities he brings.

On a recent 'Loveline' interview, Constantine said everyone thought he was "crazy" to even attempt this song. But attempt it he did; he took on the challenge despite oppositition, and created a new, beautiful and sublime rendition of this classic song. With this performance he presented TPTB with a dilemma that could only be solved by dismissal.

WHY RIG THE SHOW?

Many have asked why the show is rigged and what the advantages of this kind of grand-scale public manipulation are. First, it must be remembered that the prized title and contract are given out by AI/Simon Fuller/19E. The contract and the American Idol belong to them, and they are not going to reward it to just anybody. The very nature of the show is to create a pop-music “Idol”; the producers need someone young and malleable, someone they can control. As this season proved, America disagreed with the Chosen One selected by TPTB. Thus, in order for their Chosen One to win, there must be some degree of rigging.

Other frequently asked questions deal with the voting system: Do votes really count? Is the voting process messed up because of a system flaw or because of manipulation? Why would a voting system be in place if votes don’t count? Assuming votes don’t count, is it right for Cingular to charge voters for text-messaging?

As TPTB won’t release the voting statistics, the public can only speculate. It is crucial to realize, however, that voting can, and does, serve important purposes other than determining the next American Idol. Other than actually deciding the winner, voting serves two primary purposes: causing people to invest personally in the show, which ultimately increases ratings and giving TPTB a general idea of who America likes. When people vote, they are investing themselves in the show on a personal level. Voting is proactive and thus causes people to feel more connected not only to the contestant they voted for, but to the show. Ultimately, this devotion will increase the show’s ratings and popularity. People like to feel as if they have a say in something and play an important role in something; this is the illusion that AI voting provides. Secondly, although TPTB ultimately determine the winner, tallying the votes gives them a decent idea of America’s favorite contestants. This data can be used to better manipulate the show and the public.

NIELSEN RATINGS

The following ratings were taken from TV Week’s website and represent the total number of viewers each week (http://www.tvweek.com/page.cms?pageId=10). Notice that every single Tuesday night, from March 28th to May 1st, had more viewers than on Wednesday night. On three of the five weeks, Tuesday nights had over one million more viewers than Wednesday nights. In simple terms, this means that more people watched the performances and less people watched the elimination show. Interestingly, this trend reversed the week after Constantine was dismissed.

In the weeks following Black Wednesday (aka ‘BW’, the standard name for the Wednesday that Constantine was dismissed), there were more viewers on Wednesday nights, as opposed to Tuesday nights. This simply means that more people watched the elimination show than the performance show. Although this could be attributed to mere coincidence, it is important to note that many people lost interest in AI and even boycotted the show after Constantine left. His dismissal brought out many “closet fans”; once he was gone, people realized the important role he played in the show and how dry the show was without him.

As AI4 neared the finale, another interesting trend emerged: with each week leading up to the finale, there was a greater difference in viewers on Tuesday night verses Wednesday night. It seems that as the competition progressed, and as America’s favorites had more air time, more people would be interested in the Tuesday performances. This is not the case, however. During the week of May 2-8, there were .9 million more viewers on Wednesday night than Tuesday. The following week, May 9-15, had a 1.9 million difference. During May 16-22, which was the week before the finale, there were 3 million more viewers on Wednesday than on Tuesday. During the finale week, there was a 1.8 million difference between Tuesday and Wednesday, with more people watching on Wednesday. This indicates that there was an overall increasing loss of interest in the performance-aspect of the show until the finale.

Week of BW and before:

March 28-April 3:
Tuesday: 26.3 million
Wednesday: 24.9 million (1.4 million difference)

April 4-10:
Tuesday: 24.4 million
Wednesday: 24.1 million (.3 million difference)

April 11-17:
Tuesday: 25.6 million
Wednesday: 24.9 million (.7 million difference)

April 18-24:
Tuesday: 24.1 million
Wednesday: 22.6 million (1.4 million difference)

April 25-May 1:
Tuesday: 25.5 million
Wednesday: 24.4 million (1.1 million difference)

Post BW:

May 2-8:
Tuesday: 24.4 million
Wednesday: 25.3 million (-.9 million difference)

May 9-15:
Tuesday: 24.7 million
Wednesday: 26.6 million (-1.9 million difference)

May 16-22:
Tuesday: 24.9 million
Wednesday: 27.9 million (-3 million difference)

May 23-29
Tuesday: 28 million
Wednesday: 30.2 million (-2.2 million difference)

COMPILATION CDs

There’s an interesting trend in the American Idol Contestant Compilation CDs as well. In the CDs from all four seasons, the first two songs correspond with the crowned American Idol and the first runner-up.

The CD from AI1 was the only one produced after the show, and thus after the results were known. It was released approximately one month after the AI1 finale, which suggests it was mastered right after the finale. No blatantly obvious rigging occurred. The order of the songs on this CD is based on the contestant’s order of elimination. It begins with two songs by Kelly Clarkson, followed by two by Justin Guarini and one by Nikki McKibbin. The last single performance on the CD is by Jim Verraros, who was the first of the Top 10 to be eliminated.

The CDs from AI Seasons 2, 3 and 4 are a different story, however. The first two or three songs are also in the order of the contestant’s elimination, but the key is that the CDs were produced before the conclusion of the show. Is this a coincidence? Is this brilliant guesswork?

The first single on the AI 2 CD is by Ruben Studdard, and the second is by Clay Aiken. This is interesting because the CD was released at the end of April, which means it was probably mastered in late March or early April. Ruben wasn’t actually announced as the winner until May 21st. Is this coincidental, or were the top two already known in April?

On the AI 3 CD, Fantasia’s song is first on the list. Like the AI 2 CD, this CD was released in late April, which means it was mastered in late March or early April. Fantasia wasn’t declared the winner until May 26th. Again, is this nothing more than coincidence? Or is there something going on behind the scenes?

The AI 4 CD is interesting in that the first three songs belong to the top three contestants, in elimination order. Carrie Underwood’s cut is first, followed by Bo Bice’s and then Vonzell Solomon’s. The release date for this CD was May 17th, which means it was put together in mid-April, probably while the show still had six or seven contestants left. Again, either excellent guesswork has taken place, or something is going on behind the scenes.

It is highly unlikely that the TPTB could correctly “guess” the winner four times in a row, let alone who will come in second place, and even third place. Attributing this to mere coincidence is also absurd. The natural and obvious conclusion is rigging.

THE REVENGE OF THE SIXTH

Constantine’s recent post-AI performances have also been telling of his talent and popularity. During the Charlotte performance as well as during the Idol’s appearance on Nascar, Constantine is obviously out-shining everyone on the stage, and has had the largest group of fans. According to the show's outcome and "America's votes", he should be the sixth most popular contestant. He's clearly already moved up to at least the third position, however, because he has outshone contestants 3, 4 and 5 (Vonzell, Anthony and Scott). Will he continue to rise, passing even the two finalists? Only time will tell.

The upcoming tours will speak volumes, and this is where the public will have an even clearer picture of what really happened on the show, and the legitimacy (or lack thereof) of it all. Fox can control and manipulate America's votes, but they can't control the audience and which contestant's fans actually come to the concerts. This summer will be the ultimate test of who the true "American Idol" is.

STEPHANO POPODOPOLOUS: THE FINALE AND BEYOND

The fact that Constantine seemed to be show-cased during the finale also suggests that he was not voted off. It only makes sense to give the most airtime to the favorite contestants and the ones who were on the show longer. In the case of AI, this means that the top five contestants should have more camera time and larger parts in the finale than Constantine. This was not the case, however.

Constantine was definitely show-cased in the finale, which surprised many fans. Based on past actions of TPTB and the fact that they dismissed him, many assumed that he would be taken from the spotlight. But the exact opposite happened: not only did he have plenty of airtime, he even played a part in the skit (which no other contestants did). Why? If he was really the sixth favorite, then why didn’t Vonzell, Anthony or Scott play a part in the skit instead? Why didn’t they receive such prominent and center spots in the group songs? Wouldn’t America rather see and hear them?

No, Constantine did not win the title of ‘American Idol’ or a contract from TPTB, but he has clearly emerged as the top contestant and the winner this season. He doesn’t need to be tied down and put into a box that has been carefully crafted by Fuller to produce a perfect pop singer. Instead, he’s sparked the interest of true musicians, record labels and even television producers. He has the respect of Steven Tyler and Brian May; he recently recorded Bohemian Rhapsody for the new Queen tribute CD; he has been offered television and movie scripts; he has been on a variety of talk shows and radio programs. His future is bright, and this is still only the beginning for Constantine James Maroulis.

Article by Mary Elizabeth in Austin, Texas (aka Medea); send all e-mails to onyxmedea@yahoo.de; updated 6/10/2005.

4.27.2005: America Witnesses the Impossible... why Constantine Maroulis was NOT voted off of AI

2005-05-06T14:29:00.000-07:00

4/27/2005: America witnesses the impossible

On Wednesday, April 27th, 2005, the American public witnessed the impossible on national television. They witnessed something so impossible, in fact, that the only logical conclusion is that something is amiss; something was rigged.

With his unfailing brilliant performances, growing popularity and devoted fan base, there is no way that Constantine Maroulis could truly be voted off of American Idol at this point in the game. There has obviously been foul play, and Fox chose the wrong contestant and wrong fan base to attack.

Three primary topics will be discussed, all of which indicate foul play against Constantine and his fans by Fox: polls, AI forums, and theory.

The weekly polls given by idolmedia indicate two things:

1. Constantine should still be on AI, and was not voted off.

2. Constantine had a high chance of actually winning AI.

Idolmedia.tv, the #1 resource to AI media, is a highly trafficked site containing not only the contestant’s performances, but also weekly polls. Assuming these polls are at least somewhat accurate, Constantine should have been one of the most confident contestants. Here are the poll results, from the Top 24 to the Top 6. It doesn’t take much research or intelligence to detect a trend in Constantine’s performances and their popularity.*

Top ten Male:
Bo: 36.92%
Constantine: 23.23 % (Hard to Handle)
Anwar: 8.52%

Top 8 Male:
Anwar: 34.5%
Constantine: 23.10% (Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic)
Bo: 13.56

Top 12: Constantine: 36.32% (You Make Me So Very Happy)
Bo: 19.58%

Top 11:
Carrie: 33.67%
Constantine: 26.07% (I Think I Love You)
Bo: 10.84%

Top 10:
Constantine: 36.25% (I Can’t Make You Love Me)
Carrie: 18.63%

Top 9:
Constantine: 52.01% (My Funny Valentine)
Carrie: 11.53%
Scott: 1.19%

Top 8:
Constantine: 59.98% (Bohemian Rhapsody)
Bo: 28.10%
Scott: 1.99%

Top 7:
Constantine: 33.73% (Nights on Broadway)
Bo: 28.10%
Scott: 2.32%

Top 6:
Bo: 30.14%
Constantine: 22.27% (How You Remind Me)
Scott: 2.13%

Constantine’s performances were rated number one during the Top 10, Top 9, Top 8 and Top 7 performances. After the Top 6 performance, which ended up being his final performance on AI, he was in second place. Over the past month, he has had such an incredibly strong lead on AI, and has repeatedly been voted the best performer. Although ‘How You Remind Me’ was a weak performance for him vocally, he was still a favorite, and in second place in the polls! Once again, there is no way that he was voted off.

Another important poll on idolmedia is the ‘Who is your American Idol?’ poll. As of 4/27/2005 (before Anthony fans figured out how to vote multiple times, and before Constantine left AI) Constantine was in first place in this poll, with 39.77%. Bo followed in second place with 20.29%. Again, assuming these polls were somewhat accurate, there is no way Constantine could have been voted off of AI.

In addition to proving that Constantine was the strongest overall AI contestant, these polls also prove that there is no way Scott should still be on the show. When posting these polls, I decided to include only the most important scores: those of the highest performer, the lowest performer and Constantine. This is not intended to bash Scott, but to show an important pattern that emerged: Scott has been last place for the past month. I encourage you, the reader, to come to your own conclusions…

The AI discussion boards are another indicator that there is no way Constantine was truly voted off last week. With each performance, Constantine gained fans and quieted bashers. Although there have always been bashers, the overall number of Constantine-bashers has definitely diminished in the past couple of weeks. The overall attitude towards him has been positive.

Another important aspect of the AI forums is the number of posts devoted to Constantine. Each of the Top 12 contestants has a personal folder in the AI forum, with their total number of posts displayed. Not only does Constantine’s entire folder have the most threads, but one of his threads actually contained more posts than other contestant’s entire folders. As of April 30, 2005, 14:09, Constantine’s folder contained 395,257 messages. To put this in perspective, Bo has the second largest folder, with 165,145 messages. Scott has 77,104 messages; Carrie has 71,828; Anthony has 62,657; and Vonzell has 33,893. Constantine’s folder literally has over 200,000 more posts than any other contestant; he is not only in the lead, but he has left everyone else in the dust. There is no way a contestant with as much popularity as Constantine could have been voted off.

The former GGG thread in Constantine’s folder is yet another testimony to his success and popularity. Although the first GGG thread, which contained 60,000 posts, was deleted by the moderators, the second thread alone had 140,000 posts. This puts the total number of posts for the GGG thread at 200,000. That is more than all other contestant have in their entire folder! Again, this proves that there is no way he could legitimately have been voted off; his fan base is simply too large, and too devoted.

The GGG thread was not the only permanent fan thread in Constantine’s folder. It was the first and most obsessive fan thread, but others also emerged over time. The Boston Conservatory (aka BoCo) thread is one such place, and is a home to the more intellectual and musically trained Constantine fans. Begun by a skeptic who wanted to compare Constantine’s pre-AI voice and performances with his current voice and performances, the BoCo thread has served as a haven to analyze and discuss Constantine’s vocals and performance on a theoretical level. Many BoCo members have seen Constantine’s pre-AI performances, specifically Rent. Begun on 3/11/2005, this thread had 16,545 posts as of 4/30/2005.

One more important and much-referenced thread is ‘The undoing of SC and SF’ (aka SC/SF). This is an artistic and rather eccentric group of fans, who write of his spiritual, mystical and sensual powers. Begun by an eloquent artist and clairvoyant, this thread seeks to discuss how Constantine has “undone” Simon Cowell, Simon Fuller, and AI in general. His artistic and musical abilities are discussed, as is his intangible energy and charisma. This thread was begun 3/26/2005, and had 560 posts as of 4/30/2005.

The fact that these threads have been opened for months indicates that Constantine’s fans are a loyal and devoted group of people, who have even developed friendships over the course of the show. These numbers, along with the polls, obviously point towards AI rigging the show and deciding to force Constantine to leave, without “America’s consent.”

There are also several conspiracy theories circulating, regarding Constantine’s shocking dismissal.

First, fans must ask themselves if it was mere coincidence that Constantine left the very week after Pray for the Soul of Betty signed with Koch records. Constantine was smart enough to sign his rights over to his fellow-band members before going on AI, ensuring that Simon Fuller, the AI producer, would not get a cut if the band sold any records. Being the mass-producing pop-music entity that AI is, it is no surprise that Betty’s success would frustrate Fuller. Making money, not music, is his goal, and Constantine threw a wrench in it.

Another interesting thought is that Constantine is too hard for Fuller and AI to handle. The AI machine needs someone they will be able to mold and manipulate into a clean and tidy little pop singer. Constantine is indeed “hard to handle.” He is an extremely versatile and eccentric musician, and would be impossible to box up and mass-produce. He is a threat to Fuller, and is a challenge that AI will not, and arguably can not, handle. Why can’t AI handle Constantine?

1. Constantine has a mind of his own, a true knowledge of music, and a love for music. Fuller needs a puppet that will do and sing whatever the Machine tells it to do.

2. Constantine is a singer/songwriter. Fuller wants someone that he himself can control; he does not want someone with originality or creativity, because that would mean he has less control of the situation.

3. Constantine crosses musical genres with an incredible beauty and grace. Fuller needs someone who will be easily mass-marketed into only one genre: the pop industry. If AI were truly about music, then finding Constantine would be like striking gold. He can do absolutely anything, musically.

4. Constantine already has a top-selling record with Betty, and Fuller isn’t getting a cut. Fuller wants a “virgin”, if you will; he wants someone who has no experience, who will be easily malleable, and who will owe all their musical prosperity to Fuller himself.

5. Fuller is terrified because he can not make or break Constantine. Again, Fuller wants someone he can control; he wants to be in charge, and he wants to reap the profit. Constantine is already selling records; Betty is taking over the airwaves; and the Betty/Constantine fan base is growing like a psychotic wildfire.

Last Wednesday, Ryan Seacrest did not say the usual, “America voted…” or “…you have the lowest number of votes.” In the past, he has made a huge deal of reiterating that America has voted, and the contestant who is about to leave has the lowest number of votes. He did not do this with Constantine, however.

Other rumors that are circulating involve the phone lines and actual voting system. At this point, I don’t have the time or energy to actually develop an opinion, so instead I will simply list some theories that I have heard.

1. There was a physical problem with the phone lines. Many who voted for Constantine reported not hearing the recording (“Thank you for voting for contestant number 5, yada yada yada…”), constant busy signals, and reaching a recording that said “this line cannot be reached.”

2. Scott and Constantine’s phone lines were crossed.

3. The website votefortheworst.com, which calls everyone to vote for Scott, is having a hugely negative impact on the more talented and appealing contestants.

America witnessed the impossible last Wednesday evening. There is no way that Constantine was voted off of AI by “America.” He has been a consistently brilliant, talented and versatile performer, with a vast fan base. He has arguably had some of the best performances not only on AI4, but on the entire show’s history.

America loves him; even Ryan admitted on his radio show this week that there has never been such an uproar over a contestant being “voted” off. Why? Because Constantine was not voted off. Fuller and his AI machine decided that it was time for him to go, so they maliciously gave the most talented and beautiful contestant the axe. There is no excuse for this vindictive behaviour. Fox, AI and Simon Fuller chose the wrong contestant and the wrong group of fans to attack and insult. This is only the beginning for Constantine Maroulis.

*Poll results, unless otherwise indicated, were taken from idolmedia.tv on 4/27/2005

The Snark Chose Him...

2005-03-25T23:07:00.000-08:00

Evidently Paula, the most seemingly dense of the three judges, "got it."

As the majority know, Constantine Maroulis performed "I think I love You" by David Cassidy last week. This song was a surprising choice for him for several reasons:

1. It's a cheesy, shallow pop song.
2. It's a David Cassidy song, for crying out loud!
3. It contradicts his "rocker" image, and is far from a typical "rock song" the audience has grown to expect from him.
4. Constantine's critics and bashers had actually compared him to David Cassidy in the past several weeks, and it hasn't been in a positive light.

So... the question remains... why would he choose such a song? Is he as dense as the judges? Did he simply pull this song out of thin air, randomly? Or, is there more to his decision than what first meets the eye?

Regarding the first two questions... no, he is not dense. His resume is chalked full of experience in everything from garage bands to rock opera to Shakespearian theater. At 29, he is one of the older contestants on AI. His extensive experience and age suggest that this was more than a coincidence or a silly mistake. No, I don't think he chose the song randomly or accidentaly. All the comparisons of him and David Cassidy suggest that this was not a mere coincidence.

"Snarky" is the perfect word to describe this song choice. Last week's performance is indeed drenched in snarkiness, symbolism and humor, for those who are able to "get it." In the past several weeks, critics have mockingly suggested that Maroulis is the new David Cassidy, primarily because of his extensive and obsessive female fan base. Like Cassidy in his day, Maroulis exudes charisma and energy, and his "smoldering" sex appeal hasn't hurt him, either. Just as Baby Boomers posted pictures of Cassidy on their bedroom walls, Maroulis' fans have traded pictures of him online; downloaded, listened to and analyzed each performance; wall-papered their desktop backgrounds with his lovely face; and written extensively about him (yes, I'm referring to the GGG!).

Last week's performance must be taken tongue-in-cheek. It's as if Maroulis is saying to his critics, "You want to compare me to David Cassidy? Ok. Not only will I sing one of his songs, but I will rock to one of his songs, and nail it. I'll show you what I have, and what I can do." And, indeed, he did rock last week, once again showing his versatility to mold into practically any music genre. He somehow managed to turn one of the cheesiest pop songs not only into something decent, but something that will sell.

David Cassidy is arguably the first "American Idol", or teen idol, if you will. Maroulis' decision to sing one of his songs is symbollic and humorous in this sense. Whether he wins the title of American Idol or not is irrelevant at this point. Maroulis has received the publicity he needs, and has enough talent and versatility to carry his career on his own. He doesn't need contracts from Simon Fuller. The Cassidy song proves just that.

Maroulis has also received much criticism for wearing a Justin Guarani t-shirt during one of the elimination shows. This is another classic example of Maroulis wit; the irony is tangible. Guarini, one of the top contestants in a previous AI season, was also known for his charisma, eccentricity and deep gazes into the camera. Although he didn't win AI, he produced a CD nonetheless.

When Maroulis was later interviewed about the shirt, he simply looked down at it, and said something along the lines of having dressed in the dark. In another interview, he said he wore it because I thought he was going to be eliminated. Either way, it's clever; Maroulis definitely has a sense of humour. It would be like me wearing an Ashlee Simpson shirt; or Hillary Clinton wearing a George W. shirt.

The bottom line is this: For some people, Constantine's ironic humor is "hard to handle." But for many of his fans, it's yet another attraction to the mysteriously fascinating force known as Constantine Maroulis.

Review: 'V' from Live

2005-02-19T15:32:00.000-08:00

I love the intensity of their lyrics, especially their view of love and life. Yes, it can be rather negative, but it's realistic. Love is a battle, to be fought for by soldiers; it is something powerful, outside of time and space; it is something that overcomes and drowns.

'Overcome' is an all-time favorite song, showing the versatility and flexibility of this band. This song, unlike the typical Live song, is beautifully serene and calming, written in a minor key, with the piano as the primary instrument. The mood created by the music is the perfect backdrop for the lyrics, "I am overcome... holy water in my lungs... this beautiful drowning..."

Many songs on this record are what I would so eloquently refer to as "angry music." But, in my mind, Live can get away with chaotic hard rock and screaming. Even in the midst of their shouting, they maintain an artistic hue and a depth that other "angry music" fails miserably to achieve.

Click here to e-mail me!

Review: 'The Distance to Here' by Live

2005-02-19T14:46:00.000-08:00

Live puts a new twist on love songs; the majority of their music has to do with love and its peaks and valleys. They stand out, however, in their focus on the intensity, and even dangerousness, of love. Live's description of love is rarely something warm and hopeful; instead, it is described as something dangerous, something that can cut extremely deep, and something overwhelming. Love is sublime; it is an overpowering, uncontrollable force.

My favorite song on this CD is 'Run to the Water', in which love is described as something that burns to the core, and consumes you. It is "... light and rainbows, smashed to smithereens..."

I love how Live weaves the elements into their songs, creating powerful visual images in the listener's mind. They are able to visualize and paint pictures of emotions and the intensity of feelings better than any artist I've seen.

Their religious references are also interesting; I don't know where exactly they are on their spiritual journey, but their music is filled with allusions to everything from Christianity to Eastern religions to Atheism.

Click here to e-mail me!

Review: 'Time to Say Goodbye' by Sarah Brightman

2005-02-16T19:24:00.000-08:00

This is the perfect CD if you need a dose of mellow, beautiful classical music. The first song with Andrea Bocelli (if you or someone like you knows why he never shows his eyes, please let me know!), like many others, is in Italian. I've always loved songs in other languages... you can learn a little and get the feel of the language, but it's also nice music for reading and relaxing, because although you can listen to it, and there are words, you can't fully understand it and sing along. It's perfect!

'In Trutina' by Carl Orff (think: 'Carmina Burana') is also nice... most of Orff's work I've heard has been sung primarily by choirs and tenors, so hearing Sarah sing something of his was a refreshing change.

'Alleluja', by Mozart, is definitely a favorite on this CD. It's typical Mozart, very upbeat compared to the rest of the songs, and makes for a lovely ending to a dreamy and sleepy (in a good way) CD.

Review: 'Fly' by Sarah Brightman

2005-02-13T20:41:00.000-08:00

In a purely musical and emotional sense, this CD is brilliant. This perfect mixture of classical, pop and techno music has a way of overpowering you and drawing you in. In 'A Question of Honor', she begins by singing fragments of Catalani's 'La Wally', a classical piece. A touch of techno, along with Sarah's notorious back-up singing guys, creates a lovely transition to her singing of the main chorus, which is rockish-pop music. The song builds, and as it climaxes, I expected a more rocky finish, but she surprised me by transitioning back into 'La Wally', ending with a classical feel.

'You Take My Breath Away' has an eastern spiritual aura about it... this seems to be a pattern with certain musicians who have spent time in the Orient... you can definitely see eastern influence in the later Beatles songs; Live (the band) did a song about levitation and such in the east; Alanis couldn't stop singing about and thanking India after her trip there... her song Utopia definitely has meditative elements and references in it. It's interesting.

Of all her CDs, she seems to have the most fun (for lack of a better word) with this one. It's random, with an unusual mix of sounds and styles. Lyric-wise, Sarah will never match Alanis' depth, but she has a beautiful and powerful voice, and it's interesting to see her use her voice in a more popish manner.

This CD was difficult to find because it's an import... I finally purchased it new from germanmusicexpress.com, which seemed to have the best deal, even when compared with ebay and half.com. Yes, it took a little over a week to arrive from the Netherlands, but it was definitely worth it.