Judas Priest Debut New Guitarrist on American Idol

[Rev. Clayton]

I was waiting for someone to say that.. but it still sounds a bit harsh!

No, it's not because I didn't make it through the auditions. It's because I went to the auditions and saw what they were; an enormous cattle call. The way they set up the auditions isn't "1st come 1st serve" in the way you'd expect. If that were the case, people would line up WEEKS in advance. What they do is, they make everyone wait on one side of the street until a certain time (5AM in my case), at which point, a few thousand people race to get in line. During this race, people get hurt, trampled, and step on broken glass left in the street. Only the first 500 people in line get auditioned, that's why they do it. And of those left, judges walk through the crowd and hand pick who they feel deserves an audition based on looks.

So unfortunately, that particular experience soured me on their show. I saw girls with bleeding feet, and people with bruises and thought, "This doesn't feel right.."

Now granted, that was just my experience, and I'm not saying the show doesn't introduce some very talented people. It's just not something I enjoy watching.

Um...I don't know what you auditioned for, but it wasn't American Idol. I've gone through it twice and both were exactly the same.

1) get wristbands 2 to 3 days before round 1 - no hassel or trampling involved...just wasted time
2) Round 1 - 10 to 11 various "producers" that bring groups up 3 to 4 at a time to sing (mass cut)
2) Round 2 - next day auditions similar to what you see on TV, but judges are usually the execs of the show (lots of people in the room juding you)
3) Round 3 - the infamous judge experience (can't go into that one since I didn't make it there either time)

If you're talking about the first or second season...I can't say, so if that's the way things went at that time I'm sorry. However, they made things better since then. When did you go???

 

[nomisofsiman]

I agree with you. I'm happy to see metal get on prime-time, even if it's "family friendly"-Judas Priest. Right now, I'm betting a bunch of kids are googling Priest, and listening to Painkiller, and going.. "Wow. Yeah. $&%@ yeah."

And that's a beautiful thing.

Exactly.

 

[DuchessOfDork]

If you're talking about the first or second season...I can't say, so if that's the way things went at that time I'm sorry. However, they made things better since then. When did you go???

Second season, Washington DC auditions.

Loooong time ago. I'm glad things have changed since then! I remember giving one girl my bandana to tie off her bleeding foot. She took off her heels to run and crushed a glass bottle underfoot. x_x

 

[nomisofsiman]

I don't know dude....the way he relied on it during the Angel of Retribution tour (at least when I saw them) was pretty bad. He was pretty much singing to his shoes during any of the newer tunes. He just looked old and feeble...it was kinda depressing.

I'm not disputing that he doesn't stay stationary staring at the prompter. I just think he does it because he can. To me, the voice is what is most important and his voice still holds up live. I disagree he does that on every song though.

 

[Comic Book Dude]

I'm not disputing that he doesn't stay stationary staring at the prompter. I just think he does it because he can. To me, the voice is what is most important and his voice still holds up live. I disagree he does that on every song though.

I didn't say every tune....just the new stuff. It's questionable whether his voice holds up live, though....his high range is pretty shot nowadays. Anything in his low range sounds decent live, but when he pushes higher, it's a godawful screech.....Father Time was bound to catch up with him sooner or later!

 

[AMBR]

I disagree he does that on every song though.

Pretty much. Seen it up close. Only twice did he seem not to look at it. Still, I thought he sang very well and still managed to have stage presence.

 

[nomisofsiman]

I didn't say every tune....just the new stuff. It's questionable whether his voice holds up live, though....his high range is pretty shot nowadays. Anything in his low range sounds decent live, but when he pushes higher, it's a godawful screech.....Father Time was bound to catch up with him sooner or later!

The times I've seen him, his voice holds up well. Having said that though, I've heard him sing live recordings that I would have to say weren't all that great. The reason I say about the prompter more than anything else is after having seen him perform with Halford solo, where he didn't stare at a prompter the majority of the time (in fact, he was walking around more than I've ever seen him in recent years), which leads me to believe that he can do it without it.

 

[AMBR]

The times I've seen him, his voice holds up well. Having said that though, I've heard him sing live recordings that I would have to say weren't all that great. The reason I say about the prompter more than anything else is after having seen him perform with Halford solo, where he didn't stare at a prompter the majority of the time (in fact, he was walking around more than I've ever seen him in recent years), which leads me to believe that he can do it without it.

Actually, the time I was referring to in my post above was with Halford. He really looked at it most of the time during the show I saw. Maybe it was just that night.

 

[Dominick_7]

Thanks for the great comments. I watched American Idol when it first came out, here and there. Haven't watched it since, except for a few instances. Seeing metal and now Judas Priest on American Idol was partially weird, but cool because it's getting that kind of exposure. Would have wished they did more face melting metalish songs like Painkiller, but I'm thinking the people in the audience who came for country singers and stars may have had a look of horror or panic on their faces if the cameras panned over them for a bit lol. Have seen many more recent live shows of Judas Priest on Youtube and agree with how kinda disappointing and depressing some have remarked they can be to watch, but Mr Halford did a pretty ok/good job on the show, though they may not be very challenging songs. Glad American Idol competitions have gotten better, I think I'd have been jaded if I saw that. I guess from you guys who went to the American Idol try outs one of you had a good experience and a bad experience in the other case? Would you ever consider doing it again, say especially in the case they become much more open to metal?

 

[AeonicSlumber]

I wanna hear what the "true metal warriors" who love Priest and hate American Idol have to say.... I smell either a huge disappointment or a big change of heart...

Honestly I think most haters are pissed not so much because of this, but just because the band is even carrying on without KK. I'm ambivalent personally because I hated Nostradamus as it is, so they could do whatever they want at this point, hah.


That said, I do HATE American Idol. I think it's nothing more than a wank off (on both the audience's part and the performer's) and completely misses the point (in my opinion) of what makes contemporary music great: the songs. Not one American Idol alum if you ask me put out a good CD. And yes, even though they don't actually write the music, their approach is key in making the song special. There's a reason why Pink songs are given to Pink and Avril songs are given to Avril, etc. This is compounded by the fact that most people don't even really buy the CDs that American Idol alums put out. Nobody cares about their actual product, they just care about the show itself and the thrill of the reality aspect of it. It's masturbation to me, nothing more.

 

[nailz]

I dunno, Carrie Underwood is doing pretty good for herself.

 

[AeonicSlumber]

Out of how many other winners and finalists?

 

[nomisofsiman]

Actually, the time I was referring to in my post above was with Halford. He really looked at it most of the time during the show I saw. Maybe it was just that night.

I'm guessing you're talking about the Ozzfest appearance? He did then absolutely. When I saw him headline HOB Chicago it was a completely different story. Like I said, I think he uses it because he can, not because he has to. I was actually shocked when he didn't need to do it that much.

 

[nomisofsiman]

Honestly I think most haters are pissed not so much because of this, but just because the band is even carrying on without KK. I'm ambivalent personally because I hated Nostradamus as it is, so they could do whatever they want at this point, hah.

So because you didn't like one album of theirs, you don't care? An album that (while I enjoyed it personally) was totally different than anything else they have done? Not to mention that they said they didn't want to end on an album like that and that's why they're doing another album in the Priest vein? Umm...okay?

 

[nailz]

Out of how many other winners and finalists?

Also Jordan Sparks. And didn't Taylor Hicks come out of that show too?

 

[jem777az]

Out of how many other winners and finalists?

Kelly Clarkson - According to Nielsen SoundScan, Clarkson is the highest-selling Idol winner worldwide, with around 36 million singles and 23 million albums sold around the world.

Chris Daughtry - His first album was number one for two weeks and has sold more than 4 million copies. His second also hit number one and has sold over a million also.

Obviously this kind of success isn't happening to all the Idol contestants, but there's no denying it can have a huge effect if certain things fall into place.

 

[Cheiron]

Jennifer Hudson faired pretty well too Kelly Clarkson has sold a fair number of albums (according to wikipedia over 23 million)

A lot of the artists that were in the top 2 have sold a fairly large number of albums, though few have gone onto mega-superstar status. Blake Lewis and the first guy are exceptions.

 

[AeonicSlumber]

I'm sorry that I guess I derailed this thread but..

Kelly Clarkson - According to Nielsen SoundScan, Clarkson is the highest-selling Idol winner worldwide, with around 36 million singles and 23 million albums sold around the world.

She won Idol like 10 years ago. 23 million albums sold WORLDWIDE for a pop artist in 10 years is pretty terrible. Lady Gaga has 15 million sold and her debut came out in 2008. If this is the highest selling American Idol artist, it proves my point. Hell, MUSE pretty much outsold every Idol Act and they don't even play pop.

Chris Daughtry - His first album was number one for two weeks and has sold more than 4 million copies. His second also hit number one and has sold over a million also.

Again, these numbers are pretty awful. This is especially the case considering how many millions of people watch Idol versus the sales. Ke$ha has sold about the same amount of albums and she's a younger artist AND didn't have the same amount of exposure as Idol viewers. Yeah they're big in the metal world, where an album going platinum is in it of itself a rarity, but this is different. Sales expectations are infinitely higher. Just because you see the word "million" doesn't mean that it's a success. Scott Pilgrim Vs The World was one of my favorite movies of last year. It grossed 11 million first week. Guess what? That's a flop. It doesn't even scratch the surface in terms of recouping the millions spent on making and promoting the movie. Likewise, millions go into making and putting out pop records.

 

[Clark Griswold]

So......anyone have an ID on the new Priest guitarist?

 

[jem777az]

I'm sorry that I guess I derailed this thread but..

She won Idol like 10 years ago. 23 million albums sold WORLDWIDE for a pop artist in 10 years is pretty terrible. Lady Gaga has 15 million sold and her debut came out in 2008.

Again, these numbers are pretty awful. This is especially the case considering how many millions of people watch Idol versus the sales. Yeah they're big in the metal world, where an album going platinum is in it of itself a rarity, but this is different. Sales expectations are infinitely higher.

Does it really matter when she won? Your question when Nailz said Carrie Underwood was "out of how many other winners and finalists". I just gave you two more examples. I don't give a flying fuck if you don't like the music or the show or think that those numbers are horrible. It's simply data. And to your point that no one buys music from the shows contestants I think you're setting the expectation level too high. Those numbers are quite impressive by any standard. Of course they aren't Lady Gaga numbers, she at the absolute top of her genre at the moment. No one is producing those numbers these days so it's not really a fair comparison.