Taylor Hicks, Jason Castro and the Instrument Issue: Will it, Does it, Would it Make a Difference?

Taylor Hicks, if he'd been allowed to play his harmonica or guitar during Season 5 would have conclusively made the other contestants the definition of "moot points". It is also very possible that his caliber of post-Idol Cd would have been much improved as well with the altered mass public perception of his talents. The "woulda, shoulda coulda" game - I could go on. Certainly there would exist a different view of Taylor Hicks, but then we would have had less entertaining and colorful commentary by Simon Cowell, such as, "Drunk Dad at a wedding".

Taylor Hicks video,"Here Comes the Sun" by Sunnydey1


Spoilers out today indicate Jason Castro will be performing an Eagle's tune. It is reported he will be playing his guitar again this week and the judges criticize his playing it twice in a row. Again, this is just spoilers and not confirmed truth since family and close associates are bound by the diabolical 19E to stay mum and are abiding by the rules, so far...

Since the rules have changed and now, instruments allowed, the contestants who can play and feel comfortable playing, shouldn't consider 'changing it up'to mean play one week and not the other. Too much of this thought process makes them seem more Organ Grinder Monkey than artist. If the contestant plans in the future, in their career, to play that guitar or keyboard, or whatever instrument they gravitate toward, now is the time to feature that side of them. It provides further identity development in the mass public eye.

The criticism regarding, changing it up, simply manipulative jargon to fool the mass public. Let's look at the flipside. Contestants that every week stand up and just sing, how about they work to change it up? My words, "So you stood there and sang again, you need to change it up". Really, so what if they can't play any instruments, so what if they just want to sing, no interest in strumming the guitar or learning piano? In the spirit of 19E, and this bloody reality show, I'd add, "Grab a tamborine or for heaven's sake beat a cowbell, something, just change it up".

Let's tell Ben Harper, Eddie Veddar to change it up shall we?

I think not.

Taylor Hicks "Naked in the Jungle"

Taylor Hicks, "Naked in the Jungle".
skeeter226 comes through again with a great video


Catching up:
Article in a local Palm Springs' paper Hicks' was seen hanging out, writes, "American Idol" winner Taylor Hicks kicked back in the outdoor cigar lounge and puffed on a stogie. The gal writing the piece adds, "Superficial assessment: Looks trimmer than usual. Hair also seems less gray. Taylor Hicks getting cute."

From the description, "Freshly rolled cigars. Tiny bottles of gin. An ice luge for shots of vodka. Strangely hypnotic go-go girls in white bikinis."
Sounds like a recipe for a good time to me.

Yet another review from Manila gives Hicks' praise and appreciation for his performances during his stay. In Neil Ray Ramos' article titled, "Hicks gets Slick", "Just like when he slowly but surely won over many to his cause during the fifth season of the popular TV singing contest, American Idol, Taylor Hicks broke stereotypes and exceeded expectations when he flew in recently for a short visit and to perform in several gigs."

Mr. Hicks has a new DVD "Whomp at the Warfield" due out this year and promises of a new self-produced Cd.

There - we're caught up. Almost....

One more thing, my personal inverted fan club dubbed erroneously the Caroline Lyders Fan Club; sorry CL, I have no idea why they've abandoned you like they have, continue with The Sunny coverage. This lovely little group(ies) - of mine are still hanging on my every post. Considering their obviously erroneous claim that the only folks who care about me or what I write are those at MFOYA, I think they might need that "intervention", and a 12-step plan to get over following me around and posting everything I write. Tag yourselves, chill, et all in the ones "who care" category. You all obviously do. Still, they continue to try and suppress my freedom to speak.

Check ya chicas later.
Chill and her "Obsession" c/o gkkaul7

Taylor Hicks, Magic and Mind

I have always been fascinated with magic. Taylor Hicks, definitely a person that qualifies as possessing a certain magic, after all, he managed to convince an entire nation of viewers to telephone into the Fox reality show, American Idol and cast more votes than we as a country cast to elect our President. (I have thoughts on that topic, and politics in general, but we'll tab that for another blog.)
Taylor Hicks performing "Wherever I Lay My Hat" video (itily224)


There are so many forms magic can take, be thought of and looked at be it within fictional content, real-world connotations, as well as the type of magic your children might read about in fairy tales. Magic is often used, too, as an euphemism to describe qualities that certain artists deliver to their fans.

Magic can be evidenced in a type of spark that certain really gifted salesmen possess, you know the type, they can sell anyone anything. Smooth and slick and ever convincing. I know there are folks out there that possess a very real knack, a type of Magic in their ability to communicate and transform thoughts into prose, to send messages through media in such a manner as to make projected mental visions into reality. It's a gift.

I took up a story once investigating a man in my area that works at one of those hypnosis centers. I visited a few centers to check out technique to formulate comparisons, to educate myself on how such places operate and what a potential customer would encounter. I met with several professed hypnotists and walked out unimpressed. My last encounter changed my perceptions on this art form and the possibility that some folks actually can work that form of magic.

I filled out paperwork, then was ushered into the guy's office. The office was lined with book shelves about hypnosis, about herbal cures and remedies, some books bordering on occult practices. The 'doctor' came in and introduced himself to me, and we sat with me across the dark wood desk from him, like you'd experience in any situation meeting with a medical doctor.

He was dressed much like myself, black head to toe. I wear black almost constantly, it's one of my idiosyncrasies. I could tell, as he began his spiel, he was checking me out, rather like a salesman might. Dr. 'Hypnosis' was gaging my reactions to his most likely perfunctory speech routinely provided prospects. I respectfully nodded at the appropriate times, but as he was wrapping up the speech, I think he noticed I was not really captured into the moment. Dr.'Hypnosis' paused, placed his hands on his desk, leaned forward ever so slightly and made eye contact with me. That's when I felt something different than I had experienced at any of the other hypnosis places I had previously visited. I felt it. The strangest sensation.

I have this 'thing' I do when I meet someone, I like to make eye contact. You can tell a great deal about an individual with just that, the moment you watch their pupils, check out their irises and the movement within that happens when they look into your eyes. It's revealing. Looking into Dr. H's dark eyes, I had the sensation of velvet, a spherical image, a mental image of a cool, hard, shiny surface, colored in blacks, blues and purples. An incredible sensation bordering on euphoria hit me, touched with excitement, with an entire wellness vibe like I had just been out for a long run on a cool and crisp day.

It happened only over a matter of seconds, and then we broke eye contact; the sensation persisted. The feeling remained strong with me for about three days - even now when I think of that moment I remember the sensation. I came away from this experience with a different conception and view of hypnotists in general, an innate feeling that there is magic in that format, it can be real and palpable.

Musicians are in a way like salespeople, and I've read comparisons to fans saying they felt "hypnotized" by an artist. Musicians have to work at selling themselves, their craft and their chosen form of communication to be heard, to achieve success. Taylor Hicks was a brilliant contestant on American Idol due to his ability to tap that gift, give up himself through his music and enter the audiences' minds, bestowing that glowing general feeling of contentment, excitement, goodwill. I have read countless reports from Taylor Hicks concert attendees that say the same things, effuse how wonderful they feel after seeing Taylor live. Taylor Hicks even admits his style of communication musically is not on pressed plastic, he loves to perform live.

Working the Voodoo: GODSMACK "Voodoo" (video by Moss8484)


An entertaining form of magic:
Mirror Magic: (video by kuhris)