Taylor Hicks tells the Birmingham News that he plans to cross-promote his next album with the upcoming Grease tour. Taylor begins a stint as the Teen Angel with the national tour company beginning in December:
The national tour of “Grease” will offer a unique hybrid for Hicks, he says.
“We’re going to cross-promote this record with the `Grease’ tour,” he says. “I’ll be allowed to perform my single in the show on tour.”
Most importantly, it offers fans a chance to experience Hicks live, which he says is crucial to his success.
Taylor calls the deal he cut with Artist to Market to distribute his album, now in pre-production with producer Simon Climie (Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Faith Hill) at the helm, “very cutting edge” and says that after Arista dropped him earlier this year, there were no shortage of offers on the table.
“I was offered a plethora of record deals, some traditional record deals and some non-traditional record deals,” Hicks says. “It’s been very hard not to just hop on the first one that was offered, but during that time when there was a lot more speculation that I might never sign one again, it couldn’t have been further from the truth.”
“In today’s marketplace, having the control as the artist is key,” Hicks says. “I’m in control of where I spend my marketing dollars, who I want to record with, and in control of the companies I hire out. It allows me a really focused release. Basically, I am my own record label.”
About the yet-to-be named album, due to drop February 10th, Taylor says:
“I’ve always been a singer-songwriter, and that’s going to be able to surface a lot more than it did on the last record,” he says. “On the last one, things had to move at such a quick pace that the actual art of songwriting couldn’t really be seen on the last record.”
That’s quite a deal Taylor cut with the Grease people. Peeps who’ve heard his interview with FOX news this morning say he’ll be performing the single during the show’s encore. Still, I’m wondering how weird it will be for Taylor to break out of character to play Taylor the singer songwriter during the encore?
Still, sounds like Taylor is moving in the right direction, and at this point, it’s going to take some out-of-the-box ideas to promote his album, considering he’s doing it all without the benefit of the promotion signing with a traditional label would have offered.
It’ll be interesting to watch this scenario unfold over the coming months.
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Its going to be a tough road for sure, but he is completely in control now and I’m beyond excited for him.
From what I’ve read and people told me, Taylor was never quite as in character in the role as others who have played Teen Angel. His predecessors and the one who has followed have been dressed in white and follow a certain characterized demeanor. Taylor got the snazzy suit and harmonica. He even admitted to “Taylorizing” the role. So I doubt if it will be a far step out of character for him to do his own stuff. It will be interesting to see how many people stick around to see it.
Taylor Hicks Hangs Out on Good Day
An interview with FOX about his Grease tour and the new album:
http://tinyurl.com/4ycntw
or
http://mjsbigblog.com/taylor-hicks-upcoming-album-were-going-to-cross-promote-this-record-with-the-grease-tour.htm#comments
OK. “Cutting edge.” Uhhmmmm…. If you say so, Taylor.
I am excited to hear new music from him, as I stated before in other threads. Sounds like, musically, he is going to have far more control.
I SO want things to work out for him and bless his heart over his optimism about it all.
I’m trying to imagine Taylor on a stool with his guitar, pouring his soul into his singing…in makeup, hairspray and a sparkly jumpsuit. It just seems so wrong. (I’m hoping for mostly acoustic stuff from him - if he starts doing the hand jive to his new single, I’m off the train for good)
But, I do finally believe that he will actually release the new album more or less when he says he will. It’s a start.
Good for Taylor! I really admire him and all the other past idols that have struggled and yet remain optimistic and persevere. That shows true character. Some of them have been through so much. Struggling artists -> instant stardom -> major labels -> getting dropped by labels -> falling flat -> rising up -> signing to new labels etc. Add onto that all the crap that is thrown in for being on AI and the constant scrutiny. I really can’t see how any of them do it personally. I am happy to support all of them (except maybe Constantine LOL) and think that they should all do whatever it takes to try to forge ahead. Some of these artists really do need to think outside the box, because there are only a handful of them that radio will support. And if you don’t fit that tiny little Top 40 mold, you don’t have a chance with the current way that things are run. Think different! (as Apple would say)
Well, I give him a lot of credit for doing something like this. But, I just don’t know if this is going to work. Your typical Grease audience is families with children. This is not the main record-buying demographic. Still, they might buy if they like what they hear. But, the people you’re reaching is such a tiny percentage compared to having your music played on the radio. That’s not to say his single won’t get played on the radio, but still will be very, very difficult with the Indie deal he made. I hope the music is worthy enough for radio play. Still wish him the best of luck. Hope it all works out for him.
What kind of promotion is he going to get after Grease though? I think this way is so much harder. I sure hope he suceeds. He put many smiles on my face in his season.
The Tean Angel part in Grease is in the middle of the show. theres plenty of time for him to get ot of that characher, imo
milajoy, it is customary for performenrs to stay in costume and make-up until the curtain call - or bows - which will immediately preceed TH’s individual promotion.
I hope so, milajoy! LOL, I agree with Cheese. I think it will be hard to watch him do “his” music while he’s in character. I’m glad Taylor’s moving forward, even if it does seem like he’s maybe taking the hard road.
ETA: just because it’s “customary” doesn’t mean Taylor will do it that way. Nothing about this deal is “customary”. I realize he did stay in costume for Broadway however I hope he doesn’t once he begins to perform his own song.
Hmmmm…
Now I am REALLY tempted to see if I can get tickets to see Taylor in Providence, RI…
Gol-darn-it!!!!
There will probably be an intermission between the end of the show, including the curtain call and his performing the song. That will give him plenty of time to get out of costume and into normal clothes.
Curtain calls for theatre performances are big things. There is a lot of protocol involved. If he doesn’t stay in costume then I suspect there will be trouble behind the scenes. If there is an intermission between bows and his ’set” then I really would be interested to see how many folks stick around to see it. And, its going to be interesting given the fact that the stage hands might have to wait to tear the set down which they will have to do at the end of the night. Hopefully the curtains will be pulled and everyone will get to go ahead with their business. But there are plenty of venues where there is no curtain. If TPTB are letting him sing more than one or two songs and delay the set crew or the company - not to mention the venue staff - from getting on with business and going down the road, they REALLY will be giving him the special treatment. (And setting a new precedent for the industry!)
For Taylor to be allowed to sing one of his songs at a Broadway show, there’s no question about it, they are giving him special treatment. I’m sure the logitics are being worked out, but I honestly believe there will an intermission of some sort while they set up the stage and Taylor gets out of costume. I don’t think it will be a big deal at all.
Also, why would you say people will get up and leave after the show? I just can’t imagine people will do that. I think they will stay till the very end.
I saw Taylor in Grease on Broadway. He’s very good in the role. People will not get up and leave after the show. I guarantee you they will stay to watch him sing.
I would be hugely surprised to see a Broadway touring show adding a special intermission for Taylor to change his clothes. It’s already weird to add another number that isn’t from the show to the curtain call/finale (I think Grease uses a medley of Hand Jive, Grease Is the Word and The One That I Want for a very long curtain call already), but if that’s what they did for Taylor, then I would imagine he will just step in front of the cast and do some up-tempo number that isn’t too out of character for the rest of the show. Harmonica, white suit, about a minute and a half is what I would expect. In some places (East Lansing, Costa Mesa) I can see half the audience heading for the exits before he even gets to his song, however. It’s what they do when they’re all anxious to get to the parking lot first. I think it’s so rude for the audience to behave like that. The cast just worked its collective butt off to entertain them, and it just isn’t right that all they get for their efforts is a long line of departing butts during their finale. But it happens so often with touring companies of Broadway shows when they’re not in big cities.
(The whole Taylor-performs-his-own-song-during-the-finale thing sounds extra weird to me, though, no matter what the audience is doing.)
Having just finished a run of a very popular musical, I can tell you this. No matter how great the show is, no matter how much they like it, a certain percentage of the audience is always ready to go by the end. This is even true on Broadway or in the West End or the like where you have an unusually high number of audience members who enjoy the experience of just going to the theatre. The further you get away from those venues the more you have audience members who actually act on their desire to leave. Some do go before the show (or the ballgame) is over to beat the rush. Others go during curtain call. Other folks will, given a moment to decide whether to stay a little longer or leave for home, a meal, a party or whatever, decide to go on the spur of the moment. I am not saying that Taylor won’t be popular or that some folks won’t want to hear him, I am merely curious as to how many folks will stay after 2 hours plus at the theatre - especially folks in cities who are not used to staying at the theatre for long periods of time. I imagine that at least 75 percent of the audience will stay - unless they are given a substantial period of time where they could leave without drawing attention to themselves.
My thinking is that they’ll have some type of announcement prepared to let the audience know about Taylor’s solo “encore”. No doubt, they won’t all stay, but, I agree it will be interesting to watch this plan transpire.
I wish Taylor all the luck in the world. The show isn’t coming anywhere near me, so, I’ll be waiting for recaps, the new CD, and the real tour.
It will have to be announced before Grease begins, that Taylor will be singing his own music after the show. If theater goers want to leave, they’ll have the opportunity to leave after the curtain call. Maybe they’ll have a five or ten minute break for those who want to leave.
The people who run these tours are professionals, and surely all of the logistics will be worked out ahead of time.
I saw Taylor in Grease. He was terrific and brought the house down! I doubt that many people will pass up the opportunity to hear him sing his own music. But some will.
Taylor also sings and plays harp in the last number. IMO, two scenarios are probable. One, after he is finished with the Teen Angel scene, there is about 20 minutes until the last number. He could very well, at that point, change out of the TA costume, comb out his hair, put on a pair of jeans - and perform the last number dressed in jeans - which is what the rest of the cast is wearing at that time also. He does not need to be in the TA costume for this. (Actually, it would work better, if he weren’t - because he sings Grease is the Word, plays a mad harp and dances around doing the hand jive with the rest of the cast - and the angel suit sticks out like a sore thumb. He’d look much more like a part of the group, if he had on jeans.)
The second scenario would be for him to take the five or ten minutes after the curtain call - which would have been announced to the audience before the show - and quickly change before he comes out to sing. All he has to do is get out of the sparkly suit and comb out the hair. It’s really no big deal.
There is no way IMO, that he is going to stay in character and in costume, to sing his own music. His song(s) will have nothing to do with Grease. He is not promoting Grease-related music. He will simply be using the stage where Grease was just performed, to sing and try out some of his new music.
I doubt very much that it will be an inconvenience to anyone in the cast or crew, for Taylor to grab a stool and guitar and do an acoustic number or two.
Obviously, the producers or whoever made the decision, think he’s a big enough draw, that they were willing to give him what he wanted (or needed) in order for him to tour as Teen Angel. After seeing the crowd reaction to him on Broadway, it wouldn’t surprise me if they expect that even more people will come to see Grease, now that this new little twist has been added. First and foremost, this is a business, for both TPTB of Grease, and for Taylor. We must assume that this was worked on and thought out and studied in great detail, by the “experts” before it was ultimately agreed upon.
Also, it was announced, when the news broke that Taylor would be touring with Grease, that there would be some cities and many dates, when because of commitments, he would not be performing. So, it seems like they’ve worked out all the details.
This is a “cutting edge” type of cross promotion. Whoever heard of it before? Judging from reaction today, it’s a totally new concept. Maybe it won’t prove to be a successful attempt at promotion of a record - but it’s something new and different - and dare I say, exciting!
Anybody that gets up and leaves wouldn’t know what they are missing.
Taylor Hicks is twice the live entertainer than any other Idol in the history of that show. There honestly isn’t a close 2nd.
I wish him the best. He’s never going to sell all that well. But if he can do well enough to create music the rest of his life, I’ll be a happy camper. And I’m sure he would be too.
Who has a guess on the album title? Please tell me it’s not going to include the word “Soul” in it.
Hmm - this makes me a little more interested in going to see Grease - I will have to check out the cities again as I know I would have to travel.
I don’t know if this whole crazy thing will work for Taylor but I am crossing my fingers for him.
Gee whiz, I’m sure they’ll work out the Broadway thing. Rooting for Taylor. I still think he’d made a great host for a musical variety tv show…hmmm…pair him up with, let’s see…Brooke White! The Tay & Brooke Show!
I’m thinking of seeing Grease on this road tour. I went to NYC to see him on Broadway. Now I want to see the road version and his extra performance.
Innovative approach to a quickly changing industry! Good for him!
I will have to talk with my Dad to see if this can be my Christmas present, as this is REALLY starting to intrigue me, should Taylor do a song or two after “GREASE” is done for the matinee/evening performance…
Well, Dante, email me if you want to see it in Chi-town! :-)
Taylor is known for expertly tagging other tunes into his songs. Wondering if his new single might be tagged in during the finale?
Yeah, can you imagine how hard it’s been for Taylor to keep his mouth shut as many fans have expressed so much doubt lately about the likelihood of a new album? (myself included).
Unprecedented, yeah! Innovative to say the least and will benefit both TH and TPTB. I just had a feeling the Nat’l Grease tour would work for the good somehow. Had no idea it would be something like this though! Especially love that he has so much leeway in production, artist picks & subcontractors. Cannot.wait to hear the band. It will be interesting to see who if anyone collabs with him. Maybe this time around ‘ol RR will lend him a hand. Or someone else good. The possibilities are endless. He might could even hook up with an old AI friend. (E, that is:) Ok, that’s wishful thinking but I’d love to hear them together again.
I would love to hear a funky, jazzed up number with backup singers, but I’ll be cool with acoustic too. And I would think if he does not/cannot perform the single in character that he’ll have no choice but to do a quickie wash ‘n dry hair session;)
ETA: Easy said: Who has a guess on the album title? Please tell me it’s not going to include the word “Soul” in it.
No clue, but ITA on the title not including “Soul”. Or “whomp”.
>>“I’ll be allowed to perform my single in the show on tour.”>>
OK, now I’m just scared.
I hate Grease and every musical note associated with it. Whats he gonna do sing Soul Thing with a twist of Look At Me Im Sandra Dee? Well you get my drift.
Oh gawd help me through this coming disaster. I’ll buy the damn CD because Im a hopeless optimist but crap.
Dingo, chin up. Taylor says the music he’s written for this CD is the best he’s ever written. He’s doing it AFTER the show. It’s not going to be a grease-related single.
I would imagine that even if he comes out in costume for the curtain call, all he has to do is muss up his hair with his hands, take off the jacket with the sparkly wings, and just leave on the shirt underneath. That will be good enough.
I think it’s an interesting idea - at least fun for him - and while some people always leave during the curtain call, many will stay for the song. As far as Grease being a show that draws families, who do you think American Idol draws? Who do you think voted for him to begin with? At least a few people who will see him perform will not be diehard soulpatrollers who would be the CD anyway.
Oh alrightttt. I hope he knows what the hell he’s doing and I wish the best for him (cause my reputation as someone who “knows” music is shot because of my fangirliness over him) and want him to succeed so that I dont have to be the butt of every musical joke from people who claim to love me.
hey Dingo!!!!….did you see the “Can’t You See” video of Taylor from Sept 19, 2008 from the War Eagle Supper Club with Rollin In The Hay… there is a second video there “Night Moves”…(click the bottom corner to make it full screen vid)…enjoy!
http://vimeo.com/1820264?pg=embed&sec=1820264
And he was at Marty’s in Birmingham with Gypsy Sun this past Sunday…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXEA2-tuSpQ
Yeah the bar Taylor, good stuff, though I haven’t been able to see the rapping part of the vid from Marty’s (dialup blows). I prefer the laid back and not spazzed out Taylor. It’s hard to equate this Taylor with a Broadway Taylor, for sure. Maybe he’s penned more “Ain’t No Sunshine” type songs. I don’t think he’ll let us down this time…:)
Speaking of being the butt of jokes, certain of my family members will forever chide me for liking Taylor. But they’ll just have to deal, LOL. It’s good to see you Dingo.
Clearly the producers of this sanitized family laughfest are hucksters who’ll do anything for promotion. The second-rate leads were cast on a reality show. Then Taylor and Ace Young provided an extra bump with a fanbase built from their own reality show runs. Now Taylor gets to showcase his brand new single in a free mini-concert after the show in the Touring Company. The producers really know how to create buzz and draw in the family audience with a tiny investment. You can be sure that none of these ideas are costing them much. Smart.
Slaps my own face and thanks cochem for reminding me why I love Taylor. That vid of CYS was the reason I got all oogly googly over music again and in particular over Taylor in the Idol days. He stopped me in my bunny slippers then and though I dont wear them anymore he has stopped me in my tracks again this morning. The sound was crappy, the vid grainy but whatever the hell he has was oozing through my computer screen. Its the sound within his voice and apparently not everyone gets what we get.
So, a very large bunch of carrots coming at you cochem and hello to all my friends here.
Thanks to whoever it was that gave me the place to get the Rehearsals version of HN back in chat many months ago. If you knew how many times I just put my headphones on and watch that video. If you only knew. “tanks”.