Taylor Hicks – Opens in the Broadway Musical “Grease” December 2
Taylor Hicks brings his role as the Teen Angel in Grease on Broadway to the touring company, beginning December 2 in Providence, RI. He’s also got a record set to be released on 2/10, and his DVD Whomp at the Warfield on 2/17.
In this interview with Blogcritics.org, Taylor talks about acting, his new record, and his unusual plan to promote the new record during the Grease tour.
On that unusual album cross-promotion:
Yes. Once the album is finished, I will be doing a single off of the record. And then I will be doing a very intimate national club tour alongside the Grease tour, hopefully in each market we perform in. I’m pretty excited that the new music will start to grow legs from a live perspective. I’m actually going into really cool, intimate clubs across the country, performing new material before I go out on tour myself.
I skipped the giant paragraph of Taylor-blather on what the album is supposedly going to sound like. Modern Whomp anyone? Guess we’ll have to wait until the album is released to know for sure.
Who is he collaborating with on the record?
There were some writers in Nashville that I wrote with. And there were a lot of different styles of writers – one of the writers is Gary Nicholson in Nashville. Also a couple writers that are friends of mine, Wynne Christian and Alan Little. There are a lot of different people that have come together. I’ve been able to have the time to be able to really focus on what I feel a great song is.
There will be a few surprises on it. What’s been great about this record is I’ve had total creative artistic freedom. That’s really a great thing for me, because I allow myself to focus on what’s best for creativity’s sake and what’s best for the audience’s sake. It allowed me the opportunity to pick songs, like I was allowed the opportunity to pick songs on Idol. For me, you get around the music easier. It’s been a great creative experience for me.
Taylor has hired studio musicians to play on the record, including Doyle Bramhall on guitar, Nathan East on bass, and Abe Laborial Jr. (he’s played for Paul McCartney) on drums.
I’m still really skeptical of this whole cross-promotion deal, and how he’s going to pull it off. Is he going to perform his single dressed in that crazy Teen Angel outfit after his stage bow? Or will there be a little after-concert staged after the show is over? The after-show club-concerts are what I’m looking forward to. There’s nothing going on in Providence this week, unfortunately, but he’s got something lined up in Rams Head, MD in February…
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17 Responses to “Taylor Hicks – Opens in the Broadway Musical “Grease” December 2”
Wow, how is he ever going to pull this off? Yes, I’m kind of skeptical about this. I guess I’m more concerned about his CD. I hope it’s not a mix of every musical style, which is what it sounds like to me.
I’m with you mj. Not interested in seeing Grease but am very interested in seeing him in concert at small venues. Ram’s Head is going to be fun.
Personally, I am really looking forward to two things:
1) Taylor’s new CD
2) This Grease crap to be over
I’m going to see Grease on the 13th – glad I didn’t spend the bucks to bother with NY, but this is local, a matinee, so it should be fun. Going with a girlfriend so it’s an afternoon out. I am looking forward to him doing his solo song after the Grease show. I’m not sure if it will be the single or not. As far as the clothes, I’m sure he’ll go offstage after the stage bow, there will probably be an announcement of sorts, and he will come back without the angel wing jacket, maybe a fresh shirt on, and probably keeping just the pants from his costume. And maybe muss out the weird angel hair. Other than that, it’s just a fun treat. I doubt there will be a club tour here around the show, but I’ll wait for the CD. I’m confident it will be a bit better than the last.
calimari: You’re going on the 13th of December? I’m going on the 14th, haha. I actually go to Michigan State. As you’re obviously from the Lansing(ish?) area, I’m doubting we’ll ever get one of his club shows near us, but here’s hoping! I’m also hoping his CD will surprise some people.
No shadow club or Grease shows in my territory, so, I’ll look forward to the CD tour.
The producers, engineers and musicians for the CD are impressive, IMO. Most of them have recorded and/or toured with some of my favorites – B.B. King, Eric Clapton, Susan Tedeschi, Michael McDonald, Paul McCartney, George Benson, to name a few. I don’t believe the fact that he intends to have various genres on the CD makes it another modern whomp effort. Taylor has the type of voice that can move from genre to genre; he did it pre-idol, on idol, and on his tours last year.
Can’t wait to see what he comes up with. Would love to see him live. Grease, eh, not so much.
If anyone can float between the silliness of Grease and serious music, it’s Taylor Hicks. After all, he played the goofy dork on Idol and then turned around and proceeded to bring the house down every night with his performances.
Im still floored that he has landed the very best musicians from both Eric Clapton’s and Paul McCartney’s bands for this new album – with no major label help. How the hell did he do that?
Taylor’s CD is going to be released on February 10… :clap_tb:
It is Taylor’s concert DVD, “Whomp at the Warfield” in SF that is going to be released on February 17th… :clap_tb:
Thanks for reading! :bye_tb:
As much as I enjoyed AI this season and as fond as I am of David Cook, it pales next to my anticipation of Taylor’s next album, dvd and tour. I’ve really,really missed him. Hope to see him live this year sometime. I already have his dvd pre-ordered and will add the cd when Amazon post it. I’m excited.
I’m looking forward to Taylor’s new cd too. Been waiting a long time for it. I’m eager to see what he does with creative control. (Is he still dating that nice blonde news anchor woman?)
I love Grease, consider it good fun music. And Taylor’s having a ball doing the show. To me, it’s all good.
Songs like “Beauty School Dropout” … “There Are Worse Things I Could Do” … “Summer Nights” … “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee.” John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, and Stockard Channing excelled in the movie.
With lyrics like these, how could anyone not like Grease? :mrgreen_wp:
There are worse things I could do,
Than go with a boy or two.
Even though the neighborhood thinks I’m trashy,
And no good,
I suppose it could be true,
But there are worse things I could do.
I could flirt with all the guys,
Smile at them and bat my eyes.
Press against them when we dance,
Make them think they stand a chance,
Then refuse to see it through.
That’s a thing I’d never do.
I could stay home every night,
Wait around for Mr. Right.
Take cold showers every day,
And throw my life away,
On a dream that won’t come true.
I could hurt someone like me,
Out of spite or jealousy.
I dont steal and I dont lie,
But I can feel and I can cry.
A fact I’ll bet you never knew.
But to cry in front of you,
That’s the worse thing I could do.
Stockard Channing was a great Rizzo. :drunk_tb:
In an interview with Rick DiLoreto of A2M, he said that Taylor’s single will be available on iTunes on January 6th!
http://thetaylorhickscommunity.com/
Use the hyperlink on the right to read the interview.
Taylor’s win was when AI pretty much jumped the shark. It wasn’t until DC’s win this year that I felt the show had gotten back some credibility.
Nah – Taylor’s win was the epitome of the show. The following season was awful. Last season w/ the 2 Davids and the 2 folkies was quite good and offered up a lot of talent like season 5 did. Holeighannie -I’m in the Pontiac area, about an hour SE of Lansing.
Count me as a huge Taylor fan who will not be seeing “Grease” in January. 10 minutes of stage time in that hideous hairdo is not worth the ticket price to me. However, the potential of an intimate appearance has me saving my pennies. The timing seems about right. As for the sophomore CD? My hope is basic – music which supports a kick ass tour and a kick ass tour which supports CD sales. Simplistic thinking at its best!
Taylor is a workhorse. What a challenging schedule he is setting for himself. I’m crossing my fingers for him.
His versatile voice can sing anything, from polished Broadway to dynamic live performance. One of the best that American Idol has produced.
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