Showing posts with label Muse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Muse. Show all posts
Thursday, January 9, 2020
Adam Lambert sings "Starlight" LIVE!
Adam Lambert sings Starlight by Muse on the opening night of the American Idol 8 Tour on July 5, 2009.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Adam Lambert: Cool, Calm and Eclectic (part 1)
The singer's genre-busting major label debut, 'For Your Entertainment,' drops Nov. 23, and it just might make him an American idol all over again.
Kicking off another typical seven-day work week in the offices of his management company 19 Entertainment, Adam Lambert fixed his gaze on his own pretty face. Scattered across his publicist's desk were proof sheets from a photo session with the singer, who will release his debut album on RCA Records, "For Your Entertainment," Nov. 23. The shots captured Lambert in typical glam-god poses: peacock, street tough, space oddity, freaky adventurer in the boudoir of the damned.
Lambert, who in person is none of those things but rather a startlingly grounded 27-year-old radiating Southern Californian optimism, took up a red pencil and circled a frame. "This one needs a little fix here," he said, momentarily playing art director. It's all part of one big performance for Lambert as he works to resurrect rock in the new pop age.
But hold on. When such hyperbole is thrust at him -- by, say, an overly admiring pop critic who followed him closely during last year's "American Idol" contest, when he broke ground as the most successful Idol to be rock-oriented, androgynous and gay -- he lifts a ring-laden hand to brush it away.
"I want to put it out there that I don't take myself all that seriously," he said. That's one of his mantras. "The dress-up supports that; the fantasy element supports it. People want to talk about whether I have rock cred, whether I'm selling out, the theatricality, the gay stuff. . . . Chill out! And just enjoy yourself. It's not that deep."
Then he corrected himself, slightly. "Sometimes it is deep. Some of the songs on the album are," he admitted, pointing to the song "Soaked," a sweeping epic about the loneliness of one-night stands that's actually a cover of an unreleased track from Muse, and a very serious one at that. He also singled out "Broken Open," a ballad he co-wrote, which he said is about encouraging a lover to become vulnerable enough to cry.
"But sometimes it's just, 'This is hot, I feel good, this song makes me want to go get a drink and flirt with somebody and have a good time.' Good energy is just as credible as the cathartic, dark, heavy" stuff, he said. "It's just as important!"
This might be the most exciting message Lambert carries forward into one of the most intensely observed major label debuts in recent pop history. He's reminding America that rock music can be joyful, light-spirited and sublimely silly, just as pop can explore serious subjects beyond the call to hit the dance floor. And that a rock star might also like to dance.
Kicking off another typical seven-day work week in the offices of his management company 19 Entertainment, Adam Lambert fixed his gaze on his own pretty face. Scattered across his publicist's desk were proof sheets from a photo session with the singer, who will release his debut album on RCA Records, "For Your Entertainment," Nov. 23. The shots captured Lambert in typical glam-god poses: peacock, street tough, space oddity, freaky adventurer in the boudoir of the damned.
Lambert, who in person is none of those things but rather a startlingly grounded 27-year-old radiating Southern Californian optimism, took up a red pencil and circled a frame. "This one needs a little fix here," he said, momentarily playing art director. It's all part of one big performance for Lambert as he works to resurrect rock in the new pop age.
But hold on. When such hyperbole is thrust at him -- by, say, an overly admiring pop critic who followed him closely during last year's "American Idol" contest, when he broke ground as the most successful Idol to be rock-oriented, androgynous and gay -- he lifts a ring-laden hand to brush it away.
"I want to put it out there that I don't take myself all that seriously," he said. That's one of his mantras. "The dress-up supports that; the fantasy element supports it. People want to talk about whether I have rock cred, whether I'm selling out, the theatricality, the gay stuff. . . . Chill out! And just enjoy yourself. It's not that deep."
Then he corrected himself, slightly. "Sometimes it is deep. Some of the songs on the album are," he admitted, pointing to the song "Soaked," a sweeping epic about the loneliness of one-night stands that's actually a cover of an unreleased track from Muse, and a very serious one at that. He also singled out "Broken Open," a ballad he co-wrote, which he said is about encouraging a lover to become vulnerable enough to cry.
"But sometimes it's just, 'This is hot, I feel good, this song makes me want to go get a drink and flirt with somebody and have a good time.' Good energy is just as credible as the cathartic, dark, heavy" stuff, he said. "It's just as important!"
This might be the most exciting message Lambert carries forward into one of the most intensely observed major label debuts in recent pop history. He's reminding America that rock music can be joyful, light-spirited and sublimely silly, just as pop can explore serious subjects beyond the call to hit the dance floor. And that a rock star might also like to dance.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Adam Lambert Reveals Single Details And Muse Collaboration, Defends Album Cover
Adam Lambert is once again taking to Twitter to reveal details about his Nov. 23 debut album, "For Your Entertainment."
On Wednesday afternoon (Oct. 28), the "American Idol" singer told fans that his debut single will be the album's title track, which was produced by Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald (Britney Spears, Katy Perry).
In addition, Lambert shared news about collaborating with two well-known U.K. rock acts. "There is also a song called 'Soaked' written by Muse!" Lambert Tweeted. "Also a tune called "Music Again" written by Justin Hawkins of the Darkness!"
The singer also revealed that he wrote four songs on "For Your Entertainment: "Strut," "Aftermath," "Broken Open" and an exclusive iTunes track entitled "Down the Rabbit Hole."
Just yesterday (Oct. 27), Lambert unveiled the album cover for "For Your Entertainment," which boasts a decidedly glam, '80s-inspired aesthetic and represents a big departure from "Idol" covers past. In the Warwick Saint-photographed close-up, Lambert sports dramatic eyeliner and cobalt-blue hair and poses in front of a celestial backdrop, with one fingerless-gloved hand pressed to his cheek.
The cover immediately drew mixed reactions from fans, but Lambert spoke up in defense of the heavily airbrushed image.
"Thank you to those who appreciate and understand that the album cover is deliberately campy," Lambert wrote. "It's an homage to the past. It IS ridiculous.
"For those that don't get it: oh well...Glad to have gotten your attention," added Lambert. "androgyny. Rock n Roll."
On Wednesday afternoon (Oct. 28), the "American Idol" singer told fans that his debut single will be the album's title track, which was produced by Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald (Britney Spears, Katy Perry).
In addition, Lambert shared news about collaborating with two well-known U.K. rock acts. "There is also a song called 'Soaked' written by Muse!" Lambert Tweeted. "Also a tune called "Music Again" written by Justin Hawkins of the Darkness!"
The singer also revealed that he wrote four songs on "For Your Entertainment: "Strut," "Aftermath," "Broken Open" and an exclusive iTunes track entitled "Down the Rabbit Hole."
Just yesterday (Oct. 27), Lambert unveiled the album cover for "For Your Entertainment," which boasts a decidedly glam, '80s-inspired aesthetic and represents a big departure from "Idol" covers past. In the Warwick Saint-photographed close-up, Lambert sports dramatic eyeliner and cobalt-blue hair and poses in front of a celestial backdrop, with one fingerless-gloved hand pressed to his cheek.
The cover immediately drew mixed reactions from fans, but Lambert spoke up in defense of the heavily airbrushed image.
"Thank you to those who appreciate and understand that the album cover is deliberately campy," Lambert wrote. "It's an homage to the past. It IS ridiculous.
"For those that don't get it: oh well...Glad to have gotten your attention," added Lambert. "androgyny. Rock n Roll."
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Hang out In the Studio with Adam Lambert
Recording vocals at L.A.'s Capitol Studios, Adam Lambert has just uttered words that could strike terror into the heart of anyone who loved his over-the-top style on American Idol. ''In the verses I'm being really theatrical,'' he tells producer Rob Cavallo (Green Day's American Idiot), who's supervising tonight's session. ''Should I scale it back?''
Scale it back?
Fear not, Lambert fans. ''I think the ballsy way's better,'' Cavallo replies, and soon enough, Lambert's letting it rip on ''Music Again,'' a stomping electro-metal ditty penned by former Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins. He works his trademark wail so hard that he's eventually forced to request a notorious rock-star pick-me-up: Throat Coat tea. Lambert calls the stuff ''voice lube.''
Before he needed to soothe those vocal cords, though, he needed a sense of direction. ''When I got off the Idol tour, I had a little identity crisis,'' Lambert says during a break, backstage-casual in acid-washed skinny jeans, a Dickens-orphan scarf, and black leather cowboy boots. ''I was like, 'What do I wanna do?'''
The singer's management had solicited 28 songs from some of music's A-list writers and producers, and he had to decide exactly what kind of record he wanted to make. Inspired by the performances that seemed most successful on TV and on tour, Lambert settled on the idea of updating a guitar-heavy classic-rock sound with dance grooves and futuristic synths; he cites Muse and the Killers as influences. ''It's as if a '70s time capsule blasted off into space and you're watching it through a holographic filter,'' he says with a laugh. ''That's my big vision.''
In addition to Cavallo, Lambert's written and recorded with big names like Greg Wells (Katy Perry), Linda Perry (Christina Aguilera), and RedOne (Lady Gaga). This week he and his team are choosing which cuts will make the album, still untitled and due out Nov. 24. Cramming a year's worth of work into a couple of months has been ''stressful,'' he says, but back in the studio with Cavallo, where the singer's just nailed an especially Bowie-esque vocal riff, he's confident of one thing: ''Glam is back, motherf--ers!
Scale it back?
Fear not, Lambert fans. ''I think the ballsy way's better,'' Cavallo replies, and soon enough, Lambert's letting it rip on ''Music Again,'' a stomping electro-metal ditty penned by former Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins. He works his trademark wail so hard that he's eventually forced to request a notorious rock-star pick-me-up: Throat Coat tea. Lambert calls the stuff ''voice lube.''
Before he needed to soothe those vocal cords, though, he needed a sense of direction. ''When I got off the Idol tour, I had a little identity crisis,'' Lambert says during a break, backstage-casual in acid-washed skinny jeans, a Dickens-orphan scarf, and black leather cowboy boots. ''I was like, 'What do I wanna do?'''
The singer's management had solicited 28 songs from some of music's A-list writers and producers, and he had to decide exactly what kind of record he wanted to make. Inspired by the performances that seemed most successful on TV and on tour, Lambert settled on the idea of updating a guitar-heavy classic-rock sound with dance grooves and futuristic synths; he cites Muse and the Killers as influences. ''It's as if a '70s time capsule blasted off into space and you're watching it through a holographic filter,'' he says with a laugh. ''That's my big vision.''
In addition to Cavallo, Lambert's written and recorded with big names like Greg Wells (Katy Perry), Linda Perry (Christina Aguilera), and RedOne (Lady Gaga). This week he and his team are choosing which cuts will make the album, still untitled and due out Nov. 24. Cramming a year's worth of work into a couple of months has been ''stressful,'' he says, but back in the studio with Cavallo, where the singer's just nailed an especially Bowie-esque vocal riff, he's confident of one thing: ''Glam is back, motherf--ers!
Monday, September 21, 2009
Adam Lambert sings an acoustic version of "Starlight" LIVE!
Adam Lambert, American Idol Season 8 runner-up, performs a stripped down acoustic version of Muse's "Starlight" on September 19, 2009.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Adam Lambert sings "Starlight" LIVE!
Adam Lambert sings Starlight by Muse on the opening night of the American Idol 8 Tour on July 5, 2009.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
American Idols Live set list: Adam Lambert
Adam Lambert finished second? You couldn't tell it from this crowd, which greets the explosive sounds and strobing lights with shrieks. Adam kicks off his set with Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love, and the stage fills with smoke. He's wearing a blue-and-black metallic-looking studded jacket that comes down to his knees, along with a sleeveless black T-shirt and black pants. The crowd may have been dancing for Allison and Danny -- for Adam, they're screaming. Suddenly we've gone from the world of AC pop into a real rock show.
Second song is Muse's Starlight, and the six disco balls hanging above the stage turns the Rose Garden into a planetarium. It's Adam's typically impressive song choice -- for the arrangement, imagine Erasure's Andy Bell fronting the Sisters of Mercy -- and he sings it flawlessly, beautifully, slipping in and out of falsetto. (I wonder if this begins to approach what his album will sound like -- you wouldn't hear me complaining if it did.) Matt's version of Hard to Handle was pretty cool, but this is the first of the new numbers I'd lay down cash money to hear again.
Low-level fog creeps in, as Adam takes a seat on a stool to sing the Tears for Fears/Gary Jules song Mad World. The crowd is still on its feet, and they've brought out their cameras -- you could practically read in here, the flashes are so steady. Some people are singing along; most of them just look entranced.
The guitarist cranks out the opening chords to Slow Ride start, and the audience knows what's coming -- or, rather, who. Allison Iraheta walks on stage, and the place goes ballistic.
Now, he's doing the David Bowie medley he promised, which starts with Life on Mars (and the big red planet is behind him on the video screen). As he slides into Fame, the crowd shrieks again, but it's not for the song: Adam has shed his jacket, revealing the sleeveless T underneath. He's obviously been working with JaQuel Knight on choreography, too; he's moving lithely across the stage in a way Idol viewers never saw. The third number, Let's Dance, assumes a pulsing, throbbing club rhythm under his command, barely resembling the pseudo-horn-band arrangement of Bowie's original.
He finishes, then descends on the center-stage lift.
(From USA Today Blog)
Second song is Muse's Starlight, and the six disco balls hanging above the stage turns the Rose Garden into a planetarium. It's Adam's typically impressive song choice -- for the arrangement, imagine Erasure's Andy Bell fronting the Sisters of Mercy -- and he sings it flawlessly, beautifully, slipping in and out of falsetto. (I wonder if this begins to approach what his album will sound like -- you wouldn't hear me complaining if it did.) Matt's version of Hard to Handle was pretty cool, but this is the first of the new numbers I'd lay down cash money to hear again.
Low-level fog creeps in, as Adam takes a seat on a stool to sing the Tears for Fears/Gary Jules song Mad World. The crowd is still on its feet, and they've brought out their cameras -- you could practically read in here, the flashes are so steady. Some people are singing along; most of them just look entranced.
The guitarist cranks out the opening chords to Slow Ride start, and the audience knows what's coming -- or, rather, who. Allison Iraheta walks on stage, and the place goes ballistic.
Now, he's doing the David Bowie medley he promised, which starts with Life on Mars (and the big red planet is behind him on the video screen). As he slides into Fame, the crowd shrieks again, but it's not for the song: Adam has shed his jacket, revealing the sleeveless T underneath. He's obviously been working with JaQuel Knight on choreography, too; he's moving lithely across the stage in a way Idol viewers never saw. The third number, Let's Dance, assumes a pulsing, throbbing club rhythm under his command, barely resembling the pseudo-horn-band arrangement of Bowie's original.
He finishes, then descends on the center-stage lift.
(From USA Today Blog)
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