This was complied by a nice lady on the AI board. I'm copying it with her permission. Thanks J.
TAYLOR’S AUDITION
Chuck: I did like Taylor Hicks, the gentleman at the end though that Simon gave thumbs down. But I thought his renditions of both the Sam Cooke song, a change is coming and the Swanee River actually was pretty interesting.
Nigel: Yeah, I loved his version of uh Swanee I must say. And he’s, really has got a sort of Ray Charles slant to his voice you know, and certainly in that movement too, he’s obviously, there’s a slight affectation to him but I think as a character, he is certainly unique.
Chuck: Right, definitely
LIVING FOR THE CITY – Interview March 15, 2006
Chuck: And next comes Taylor Hicks who obviously brings so much of that own personality to anything he sings, and he did it again last night in Living for the City and uh. . .
Nigel: And I think my favorite performance last night. Uhmm the music suited him, the genre of music suited him. Uhmm, his soul patrol was on the show.
Chuck: Right, right
Nigel: I thought he was great last night.
Chuck: Right, no doubt about it.
50s NIGHT – Interview March 22, 2006
Chuck: . . .Simon got big boos by saying it was a complete mess, but it's such a thin song.
Nigel: Yeah, I don't think it was a complete mess though, I think he deserved his boos. But I think it was style over substance. Taylor for me at least gave a grreat performance. . .
Chuck: Absolutely
Nigel:. . and used the guy on the saxaphone. . .and it was Taylor who wanted to feature the saxaphone.
Chuck: Really?
Nigel: . . .and so Taylor always knew he was going to use the saxaphone, it wasn't as though we put it there and Taylor used it.
Chuck: Wow, interesting
Nigel: . . .you know Taylor asked for it. Uhmmm. . .Taylor and Bucky, to be frank with you, both knew their songs were thin when we went out to meet with Barry Manilow.
Chuck: Right. .well very good, well uh, kudos to Taylor for knowing that it needed a little extra. Very smart.
SONGS FROM THE 21ST CENTURY
Chuck: Next I have to say, as I’ve mentioned time and time again. . .one of the people that I am partial to in this competition this year is Taylor Hicks. And again, a song I’m not familiar with but I was actually. . I would second what Paula had to say last night that it was nice to see him stand behind a mic and just sing a song, and I liked the song as I think Simon did too.
Nigel: Yeah, no I didn’t really like the song. . .
Chuck: You didn’t. .
Nigel: It’s amazing that Barry Manilow spoke about 1950s last week, with the beautiful lyrics and the songsmiths that put these beautiful lyrics together.
Chuck: Right.
Nigel: And Taylor’s song I think was, trouble, trouble trouble trouble trouble, trouble, sadness, sadness sadness sadness sadness sadness sadness. And I thought, oh please, I’m desperate to hear him stand behind the microphone and listen to him sing a beautiful song and that as not it for me last night.
Chuck: Excellent.
COUNTRY NIGHT – Interview April 5, 2006
Chuck: Taylor Hicks comes along. .. I see him more of a blues guy than a country guy, but I think country is right up his alley. . and he started with, I think it was probably to the bigger part of your audience, I would guess, even though, a little older, probably the most familiar song and correct if I’m wrong, I think that was sung last night which was Take Me Home Country Roads.
Nigel: Yeah, for me, you know Simon often says it’s a karaoke performance. That for me is a karaoke song. It’s not a great song for Taylor. I would have loved Taylor to have sung something like, “It’s Crying Time Again” by Ray Charles. And to have that sort of bluesy/country feel to it.
Chuck: Yeah, you know that was my sense, to be honest with you if almost everyone last night . . .I really thought that the song selection could have been better last night.
Nigel: Yep, well you know this is their choice. Thousands of country songs and what do you want to go with? Uhhhh Take Me Home Country Roads.
QUEEN NIGHT – Interview April 12, 2006
Chuck: Now we come to. . I have to tell you an real interesting one. . .which was Taylor’s choice of a Crazy Little Thing Called Love. Again, he switched songs. . and I have to tell you uh. . though particularly Simon clearly didn’t like it, but my family just loved it. I have to tell you.
Nigel: Well, you know I love his energy. I love him jumping around, even though he did miss the microphone when he tried to kick it over. .
Chuck: Yeah, which was pretty funny
Nigel: Uhm, Simon unfortunately didn’t miss him, you know, kick a man when he’s down. Oooooh! Simon went for him last night.
Chuck: He sure did. He sure did.
ABOUT THE JUDGES ON QUEEN NIGHT
Nigel: I thought the judges were a little flat last night to be honest. . . . there wasn’t anything outstanding from the judges and I thought they were the ones that were flat last night.
04-15-2006 06:23 PM
