It is also reprinted below.

Let the Music Move You

As a musician, I have always avoided participating in music competitions.  To me, that’s not what music is about.  So I didn’t initially jump on the American Idol bandwagon.  But there have been a few seasons that I paid at least some attention:

• I watched the last part of the inaugural season and rooted for Kelly Clarkson
• I watched several elimination episodes until Sanjaya was voted off (yes, he annoyed me that much)
• I happened to watch Adam Lambert’s audition episode, and I watched the last half of this season

Unlike the rest of the judges, Simon was very critical of Adam at his audition, calling him too Broadway.  While I would normally have agreed, I thought Adam was THAT good of a vocalist that he could tone it down and sing basically anything he wanted to.   I was blown away.  I didn’t watch any episodes after that – for a while, at least.

But the Bert Show on Q100 gave recaps of the performance episodes each Wednesday and played song samples of the top contestants.  One song stood out to me, and it was Adam’s reading of Johnny Cash’s “Ring Of Fire.”  I am not overly familiar with  Johnny Cash’s catalog, but I thought Adam’s version was incredibly self indulgent and contrived.  It so turned me off, I wanted him voted off.  (If you want to talk about an amazing remake, watch Johnny Cash’s video to his cover of Nine Inch Nail’s “Hurt,” which is easily one of the most moving and haunting videos ever made.)

At the same time, another performer began to gain notice due to his deft song selection and interpretive skills – Kris Allen.  So I began to watch the show to actively cheer for Kris.  The fact that Kris plays acoustic guitar appealed to me – not to mention that he’s cute as hell.  I loved his versions of songs such as Donna Summer’s “She Works Hard For The Money” and Kanye West’s “Heartless”  because he made them his own while still honoring them.

Each week I wondered what song Kris would choose and how he would arrange it, and I always knew that no matter what style of song Adam chose, no matter how soft a ballad, he would find a way to stick his tongue out and yell. I was thrilled when Kris won (and yes, I bought his CD last week).  But I will also sadly acknowledge that there were probably a lot of people who voted for Kris simply to vote AGAINST Adam because he was the GAY American Idol contestant.

So the fact that I’m a gay man – and an out gay artist – leaves me feeling a bit conflicted as to why I have such strong negative feelings about Adam Lambert.  Part of me wants to cheer him for being out there and pushing boundaries.  But his performance last night, and his recent handling of the media, typifies exactly why I don’t.

Let me just say that I am not a prude.  I am not opposed to two men kissing – quite the opposite.  I am all for pushing boundaries, for creating dialogue, for promoting change and acceptance.  There are ways to do that, while still promoting art.  Adam Lambert’s AMA performance was none of that – it was simply a hot mess.  It lacked any redeeming value, the song was mediocre, his vocals were atrocious, and most predictably, he screeched through half of the song.

For weeks leading up to the release of his CD For Your Entertainment, Adam has posed for provocative photoshoots (kissing girls – oh my!), done provocative interviews (”girls are hot.”), talked about his chubby, bad skinned past, and revealed one of the worst CD covers in recent history.  He has basically done everything possible to generate column inches that will hopefully translate to CD sales. And he’s done it very well.

Entertainment Weekly has given Adam a lot of press coverage lately, first for his supposedly unfair treatment by OUT Magazine’s editor, who wrote an open letter to Adam about his publicist’s request to present him “not too gay.”  Adam said OUT had gone too far, that every gay man is different – that we’re not all the same.  EW seemed to side with Adam.  Regarding Adam’s AMA performance, EW’s resident Idol expert Michael Slezak didn’t like it, while Ken Tucker (who I often agree with) said, “As a TV event, he was splendid.”  Ken even went as far to say that the music was beside the point, that it was Adam’s chance to break free from American Idol.  Hello, Ken?  It was the American MUSIC Awards, not the American TV Awards.

So Adam, last night you asked, “Do you like what you see?”  Well, no I don’t.  And to quote you, all gay men aren’t the same.  Sometimes I prefer someone who doesn’t hide behind a contrived image, who still has depth and “realness” even when the image takes center stage, who can pick up an acoustic guitar and reveal the true song by stripping it down, who doesn’t scream just because he can, who respects the music enough to let a song simply breathe.  Kelly Clarkson’s AMA performance of “Already Gone” is a perfect example of that.  What is most sad to me is that you will probably sell more CD’s than Kris Allen BECAUSE of the things that bug me the most, while never showing the boy behind the makeup and screaming voice. While Kris Allen may not have the pipes you do, he has an honesty and quiet confidence that you don’t.  Maybe you are being honest and I’m simply out of touch.  Perhaps you are what music – and pop culture – has become.  So while you may be here for my entertainment, I will say, “Thanks, but no thanks.”

So what do you think?  Did you love his performance?  Hate it?  Think I’m crazy?  Post your comments and let’s discuss.

 I recently did an indepth interview with Len Rogers, founder of Stonewall Society. That interview, and all the songs from SWEAT, will be available at Rainbow World Radio on November 6th and will remain on line for about two weeks.  This is a great opportunity to hear the songs, some stories behind them, as well as the writing and recording processes.  And best of all, it’s FREE!

There were a few people I forgot to thank from the stage and I want to make sure to recognize them now.

First, the photographer who took the amazing images used in the SWEAT artwork, Jay Rickard, came down from Indianapolis for the show. As background, I found Jay online a few years ago.  He’s from the general area where all my dad’s family is from – plus he looks a LOT like my grandfather, so I wrote him a few years ago to ask him if we were related. We haven’t done the family search yet, but we are certain we’re distant cousins. We’ve become friends over the years and he told me he wanted to do the photoshoot for the new CD. Anyway, Jay stayed with us during the weekend and it was great catching up with him. Words can not express how grateful I am to him for his love and support, and it was a horrible oversight not to publicly recognize him from the stage. When I saw him at home after the show, my jaw dropped when I realized my mistake and I immedialely apologized. So Jay, I am deeply sorry.  I’ll share more about Jay, as well as outtakes from the Sweat photoshoot, very soon.

I also had several other folks from out of town – my cousin Karen came from Augusta, Dave came up from Ft. Lauderdale, and Ricky came all the way from Minnesota. Thank you for making the trip, for spending time with us at the house, and for making my CD Release extra special.

Danita’s mom also made the SWEAT pins that we gave away that night. That was an unexpected surprise, so I just want to send out a big shout out to them.

Finally, I have two friends who I shared my lyrics with during the writing phase and offered a lot of encouragement - and both of them were there that night. Janice and I have been friends for 13 years and she has been a constant supporter and encourager. Cathy, used to work in the office next to me before she became a mommy. I miss seeing her every day a lot, but am so happy for her.  They were both sounding boards as I was in the writing process.

To wrap up this post, I thought I’d recap the setlist and list the amazing musicians who supported me that night.  Oh, and be sure to check out the Pics page.  There are a LOT of pictures from the CD Release party, with more on the way.

Set List
Wild Blue Beautiful
Anything Of Nothing
Just Like New
When The Hot Cools Down
Only Love
Stupid Stuff Like That
Crawling
This Time Last Year
Forgot To Forget
Big Man On Campus
As If To Say
Natural
Who I Am
Lucky
Goodnight
Sweat (Encore)

Finally, here are the talented musicans I shared the stage with:

Dean Quinter – Drums
Michael Steele – Bass Guitar
Lee Davis – Keyboards
Peter Vogl – Electric Guitar
Dionne Osborne – Vocals
Carmen Ford – Vocals (It was Carmen’s first time EVER singing backup and she did a great job. Happy belated, Carmen!)

Mike Rickard is gonna make you ‘Sweat’

Atlanta singer-songwriter Mike Rickard celebrates his new CD “Sweat” with an early release party at Red Light Café on Saturday.

The CD, which Rickard says is full of songs that “have an immediate, in the moment feel to them in both the music and the lyrics,” officially becomes available Oct. 20 through CDBaby.com. Digital distribution on sites like iTunes is expected soon after the release.

In a departure from the mellow groove Rickard laid down to critical acclaim on “Stirred Not Shaken” in 2004, “Sweat” is chock full of musical hooks and catchy lyrics.

“So I’ll tell you how it is in case you haven’t heard / Life is just a now but living is a verb,” he croons on the song “Anything of Nothing.”

The title track from “Sweat” will also see an album version and dance remix single released. Keep an eye out for a concert tour to support “Sweat” in 2010.

The CD is produced by Mike Ofca, who has worked with a diverse clientele, from gay musician Eric Himan to Righteous B and Tom Goss, among many others.

If the grassroots success of “Stirred Not Shaken” is any indication (That CD stayed on the Outvoice Top 40 for more than a year, and Rickard was nominated for Outstanding Male Debut by Outmusic), gay Atlanta needs to give one of our own the props he deserves. Come meet Rickard at the release party, and be sure and treat yourself to this local boy’s new CD.

For more from Rickard about the CD, see what he has to say in his interview with David Atlanta.

Photo by Jay Rickard.

COOLER TEMPERATURES MAY HAVE descended on Atlanta, but local gay musician Mike Rickard is still ready to make you sweat. The East Atlanta cutie celebrates the release of his second CD, “Sweat,” at the Red Light Café Oct. 10, and chatted with David about exploring outside his comfort zone on the new album:

David: What were some of the issues that were going on in your life while recording the CD that motivated some of the songs?

Mike Rickard: Kind of where my mind was, was making sure that I am living life to the fullest — taking advantage of every moment, every opportunity, and not being afraid to take chances. Also, my partner and I have been together for a while, and so some of the songs on the CD kind of reflect the work that it takes in a relationship after you’ve been together for a while, like the song ‘When the Hot Cools Down.’

How much of the CD would you say is autobiographical?

Every bit of it, I would say. The one song that I would say is not reflective of my life now is the song ‘Crawling,’ which is really about being in a place of total discomfort and not being comfortable with where you are with your life right now.

I would say that was kind of my life before I came out.

What was your coming out experience like?

When I came out, that was probably the first time in my life that I didn’t feel this constant striving, of not feeling good enough, of feeling like I was kind of missing the mark or failing. Actually, when I came out that was the first time I felt real peace or joy.

Can you talk a little about the title track, ‘Sweat’ — it’s got a great funkiness to it and sounds like you were able to let your hair down with it.

You know, it’s funny because I really wanted it to be a song that people would groove to, but I pictured it probably being a little more acoustic-sounding. When the producer was playing the electric guitar part, at one point we were in between takes and I said, ‘You know, I was picturing the song being this way, but after listening to your guitar parts, I feel like I need to go take a shower — they’re just dirty!’ He said, ‘The song is totally sexual and you just need to commit to it.’ And I said, ‘You know what, you’re right,’ and we just went with it.

The collaboration that I had with the producer, Mike Ofca, was phenomenal. He took everything I wanted to do and he honored it, and there were a few instances where he pushed me to maybe go a little bit beyond what I was wanting to do sound-wise, and I just couldn’t be happier with the result.

Who are some of your artistic inspirations?

I would say the people that really do it for me, particularly from a male perspective, Jason Mraz is one of my absolute favorites. I think he is a killer singer, I think he’s a great musician and songwriter, plus he puts on one hell of a live show. Musically, I’ve always liked John Mayer, and what I didn’t realize until my vocal instructor pointed it out is that there’s a lot of Rob Thomas influence on the CD as well.

I also gravitate a lot toward female singers as well, and I would say a huge influence on this CD was Natasha Bedingfield and her CD “Unwritten.” I thought it was such a fun CD, but it really had something to say, and it had an energy level that just really influenced a lot of my writing style.