Drawing the line

Who or what is a fan? The dictionary defines it as “an enthusiastic admirer.” Sounds harmless enough but did you know that the word ‘fan’ is a shorter variant of the original “fanatic?” In this case the definition is a lot less innocuous as a fanatic is described as someone whose enthusiasm borders on the extreme and goes beyond normal limits.

We are all fans of some kind at some stage of our lives. Many of these fixations come and go, ebb and wane as time passes. On the whole our admiration of the person doesn’t go beyond the surface. We listen to their music, buy the books, wear the clothes, go for the concerts and that’s it. For all intents and purposes they are a complete stranger to us, far removed from our everyday existence and really does not configure significantly in our lives or consciousness. By the same token the recipient of our admiration really doesn’t know us from Adam and in most cases wouldn’t give a fig.

It is when we go beyond all normal boundaries that the drama unfolds. The danger lies in the mistaken belief that we are more than fans and that somehow, someway we play a far more significant part than is warranted. Granted any celebrity’s relevance and career advancement depends on the degree to which he/she can garner support in the form of fans. After all even the best critical reviews do not put food on the table, one still needs the mullah that the buying public can bring. These are the real critics as far as the artist is concerned.

But to what extend do we feel we have the right to denigrate and critique all that goes on in an artist’s life? Is it within our the right to demand, command and dictate the what, whys and hows? Can we preach with self-righteousness and criticize the people and circumstances that the artist have chosen to  surround himself with? Who are we to say that so and so is causing damage to the artist’s career and therefore should be sent back to the farm so to speak? When were we the appointed managers and minders? So much so that we insist and persist in our unrealistic expectations of the artist’s decisions and choices of who, what, why, where and how?

Some public figures are notoriously reclusive. They guard their privacy with pit bull tenacity and threaten all manner of legal ramifications and in some cases even physical abuse towards all who trespass. I could never understand the mentality of such celebrities because I feel that the fact that they have chosen a profession that is so publicly visible they have to accept a certain amount of intrusion into their private lives. It goes with the territory. But at the other end of the spectrum there are those who are almost an open book. They allow fans such a high degree of access, especially in these times of the internet and social media where your every thought can be instantly communicated to the online community, that people begin to feel entitled. Rightly or wrongly fans develop an intimacy with their idol to an unhealthy level in  my opinion.

In many cases they stalk their idol and poses a real danger. We have heard and read of so many cases of fans having to be legally restrained from any contact with the artist and in some situations their fixations manifests in tragic and violent forms. A famous example would be actress Jodie Foster where a fan became so obsessed with her that he attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagen in order to “impress her”. Hopefully there are none of us like that at AAM!

I feel that our role as fans should never go beyond acceptable limits. We must be respectful of the unspoken boundaries and never think that we have the right to call the shots for there is a line that we must not and should not cross. Who or what the artist chooses to associate himself/herself with is strictly none of our concern and we must not think that it is acceptable to disparage and condemn simply because we are fans.

I just want to sleep

This was the last plaintive cry of  desperation from superstar entertainer Michael Jackson. Icon of icons he was preparing and rehearsing for a gruelling series of concerts when tragedy struck. The expectations and pressure from all stakeholders including himself must have been enormously crushing on his frail shoulders.

The opening testimonies of his just commenced criminal trial tells the harrowing tale of a frail, frightened and sleep deprived man.  Being in the public eye for so long and under immense, often negative, scrutiny his was a last ditch and ultimately futile effort to seek redemption in his career and personal life. Instead of going out with a bang, his life and career will now be subjected to the most minute analysis as the trial takes place in the weeks to come. Knowing him to be such a private individual, it would surely seem like a second demise, if only in spirit, for him as well as for his family.

We can never begin to understand nor appreciate the extraordinary pressures that celebrities with the stature of Michael Jackson have to endure during their time as public figures. Demands and hangers-on coming at you from everywhere, wanting a piece of you 24/7, it couldn’t have been an easy life to live even with all the glitz and glamor of wealth and fame.

I know I’ve been railing against David’s apparent inability to get his career going but set against the backdrop of Michael’s pitiful last days, it’s a sobering moment for me. It would be truly horrible and heartbreaking to imagine – however remote – David’s life spiraling so out of control and reduced to such a wretched state. In retrospect his decision – whether deliberate or not – to build his career one step at a time would seem to be the smarter move.

God speed David. I still wish you the sweetest possible success in your life but without all the trials and tribulations that MJ had to bear and who in the end had to pay the most terrible  price for that moment in the sun.

David Archuleta Christmas 2011 tour dates – UPDATES

Three more dates have been added to the schedule

Confirmed dates so far:

Dec 1 Westbury, NY; Theatre at Westbury
Dec 2 New York, NY; Irving Plaza
Dec 3 Verona, NY; Turning Stone Resort & Casino
Dec 4 Stroudsburg, PA; Sherman Theater

Thursday, December 8
The Knitting Factory
Boise, Idaho
8:00 pm

Friday, December 9
Blackfoot Performing Arts Center
Blackfoot, Idaho
8:00 pm

Saturday, December 10
Heritage Center Theater
Cedar City, Utah
TBA

Dec 13 Santa Rosa, CA; Wells Fargo Center For The Arts
Dec 14 Los Angeles, CA; Club Nokia
Dec 16 Ventura, CA; Majestic Ventura Theater
Dec 17 Anaheim, CA; Grove of Anaheim
Dec 19 Sale Lake City, UT; Abravanel Hall
Dec 21 Beaver Creek, CO; Vilar Performing Arts Center

Woot! 13 dates so far. Maybe more to come? Like….

[ Dec 23 Kuala Lumpur, MY; Stadium Negara - Christmas In The Tropics - special show .....wishful thinking I know ]

I suppose some of you will be busy booking your flights and accommodation for the US as of this moment! Good luck and have a great time when you get there Think of us poor Archiekins stuck in this muggy heat, living the grand moments vicariously via youtubes and Ustreams (if any).

Oh David wherefore art thou?

Ok folks gird your loins and hold on cause what I’m about to put down will in eyes of many seem to be less complimentary and rather harsh about David’s career and it’s direction (or lack of depending on how you choose to look at it).

But before I go further I would like to stress a point and that is: I’m not intentionally putting David down nor am I losing interest in him. On the contrary, David and his music will always have my support and there’s nothing more I would like to see than to have David’s name spoken when they tear open the envelope to announce the winner of the ‘Song Of The Year’ award at the Grammys. I feel strongly that David has the talent, passion and yes the intent (however much he may protest to the contrary) to win the darn thing. He just need the right prodding from the right sources.

I was recently directed to read an article written by a fan of Davids’. This writer is a huge fan and very committed in her admiration of David’s musical abilities but she is reminiscent of the infamous Rascal (for those who have ever read his writings on David you’ll remember who this man is) in that she’s a straight shooting American and does not hold her punches when it comes to David. She calls a spade a spade. Compared to these two I’m a pussycat

I won’t reproduce her whole article here but instead will highlight certain salient points for us all to mull over and hopefully some of you will feel compelled to respond either with a Yay or a Nay.

• David is ‘tainted’ due to his association with American Idol and thus his ‘success’ will forever be limited by the show.
• He needs to take charge of his own career and shake off the albatross of American Idol and the sooner the better.
• He hasn’t nor has attempted to build a fan base far and beyond that little bubble of his own Hispanic community or that of Utah.
• He doesn’t have the ‘right’ image nor knows what the right fit is.
• No creative vision in the present composition of Team David.
• He needs professional management outside of his own family.
• Songwriting is not David’s forte. Therefore he needs a music mentor other than his Dad.

That’s the gist of the article that I read and it’s not a very rosy picture of David’s career choices and situation at the moment. I agree with some of the points made especially the part about him needing a more discerning guiding hand in his career choices. That’s why I disagreed with him severing ties with Jive just when a new A&R manager had come onto the scene. A new guy with new perspective could have given David fresh inputs on his musical choices. As for songwriting I’m not in total agreement although I do wish that David would pursue collaborations with a wider cache of proffessional song writers rather than just those from Nashville which I feel so far ain’t such a hot venture. David does have something interesting and prophetic to say; he just needs that special Svengali to turn the taps and twist the knobs in order for the creative rush to flourish.

Then maybe, just maybe come some Grammy broadcast in the not too distant future, we shall hear the name David Archuleta announced when the envelope is torn open.

The David Archuleta guide to good manners and clean living.

This is not a definitive list of course. Our resident Mr Good Manners seems to have a bottomless pit of exemplary behavioral traits that will warm the hearts of many a mother but the following list is a good guide for those who find it challenging to be respectful and decent. Let the Archuleta be a good moral compass with which we can all follow:

1)   When faced with praises and good wishes – for the umpteenth time – always smile, blush and humbly utter “Aww…thanks so much!”

2)   Always thank the cleaning lady for keeping the public washrooms clean.

3)   Remember to assist your own mother in getting on stage.

4)   Never use harsher words than “Dang it!” when expressing extreme frustration.

5)   Use a sharpie and edit out any overly exposed thighs in a picture.

6)   Worry about how people are going to park their cars when they attend your homecoming.

7)   Write an Encyclopedia Britannica’s worth of “Thank yous” in the liner sleeve of your debut album.

8)   An Archuleta truism: “I always keep my underwear to myself and girls should do the same!”

9)   Be the living example of the adage “Modest is Hottest!”

10) Always be humble. To the point that you hate your own looks, voice, hair etc.

11) Be so gosh darn adorable even while asleep on a plane. Bet he drools adorably too!

11) Wear dorky glasses and still look ridiculously cute!

12) Do not be averse to climbing over others on the way to the top

13) And on a hot day drink ‘Perfect’ water!

14) Do not, I repeat do not hold hands, hug or touch any person(s) outside of your own family.

15) Always make sure your underpants are securely hidden from sight by incessantly tugging your shirt down.

*p/s: the last two ‘must-do’ is from Trace

The problem with David Archuleta.

“The problem with David is that he has this soaring, painful (almost like a cry) type of voice…like it’s so smooth and beautiful…but then he wants to write happy songs about stuff that is either completely unrelatable or stuff that really doesn’t matter much. His voice doesn’t fit the type of songs that he wants to sing. He needs deeper/sadder and more meaningful songs so that his voice can soar”

The above is a comment from a fan while discussing the merits and demerits of David’s songwriting pedigree. There has been much discussion in the various fan sites and forums about the direction and content of David’s song writing; does he have enough life experiences?, should he write about ‘heavy’ stuff?, should he attempt to write completely on his own?, try different genres? etc. David himself  has often said that he doesn’t have the talent for words and clever lyrics and so he needs to write with others to learn the craft of good song writing.

I have often wondered how much input does he actually provide in the songs that he has been given song writing credits. Many of them  certainly have smart lyrics although they may not be considered Grammy material. Songs like “Works For Me”, “Stomping The Roses”, “Somebody Out There” , “Complain” have mature lyrics and touches on themes that can’t be described as sappy or candy floss. But how much of those words actually came from the pen of David?

The only song I know of that he has written all on his own is “Falling”, a rather dark tale about depression and giving up on life – perhaps a good example of the ‘heavy’ subject matter that we wish he would write more about. But this particular song is a real surprise to me as David has always looked at the glass as half full rather than half empty and on the surface he seems to be the cheerful and happy-go-lucky type. So for him to write a song that hints very broadly about suicide is truly amazing. This is from someone who won’t  sing the word even if it’s part of a song!

In many ways he’s a contradiction and a puzzle. A Rubik’s cube in human form. He has certain religious and moral tenets that he won’t compromise with and coupled with his Polyanna demeanor it would seem rather too much to expect any ‘real’ music from him other than the cheerful, sun- always- shines kind of songs.

It is often said that one has to suffer for one’s art and that you have to wear your heart on your sleeve. Walk a few miles in anothers’ shoe and you’ll begin to appreciate that it’s not always going to get better, the elevator sometimes go down more often than up and there’s no other side but down.  Some of the greatest songs in history has seen their genesis in heartbreak and tragedy.  David has no problems in covering other people’s songs and making them completely his own giving them his own unique spin. Surely he was, to a large extent, able to embody the truth behind those songs and make it sound as if he experienced them as well?

But is David willing to allow himself the same liberties when it comes to writing about it? Does he have the capacity to see life for what it really is – warts and all and put his impressions down with pen and paper? Or is he going to prance happily through life always thinking that a beautiful face is just round the corner? Focusing on the positives may be rejuvenating and spiritually inspiring but it doesn’t make for great song writing. A person who is always upbeat about everything is just unrealistic and in self-denial. It leaves a lot of stones unturned which leads to the possibility that life itself – with all it’s  complexities – is left largely unappreciated.