Thursday
Apr142011
James Durbin Sings 'Heavy Metal' on 'American Idol,' Zakk Wylde Helps
Thursday, April 14, 2011 at 12:02AM Get ready American Idol haters and bitchers (is that a word?!) one in the same! James Durbin sang Sammy Hagar's "Heavy Metal" last night as part of "Songs from the Movies" week. The song "Heavy Metal" is from the movie of the same name.
I called James' song choice on Sunday on an American Idol forum. I was very pleased with myself that I was right! I didn't expect to see guitarist Zakk Wylde with James, but that was just added cool. I was instantly amused by all the haters on Facebook...and random message boards. James has Tourettes and Asperger's syndrome. The kid can sing. He wants to bring metal back ("Give metal a chance, America!" was the plea) -- so let's support him. Watch.
Reader Comments (20)
Zakk is amazing and the American Idol dude. I've taught children with the issue that James Durbin has. I wish him all the success.
The kid sounds like he can sing to me!
James Durbin may not make the final rounds but he will go on to front a successful Metal band, no doubt. In fact, it will get packaged up by Iovine and Interscope and get some guidance from Tyler, hopefully.
Speaking of Tyler, I'm glad he's being re-educated about Heavy Metal, since he forgot all about what it is and what it means after "Done With Mirrors".
Who figured it would take a kid with Tourette's and Asperger's to do it.
Also, go figure that it took an American Idol contestant, with the support of American Idol (since, let's remember, this is all staged and predetermined, in terms of who they select and how they package 'em up) to let the kid roll with Heavy Metal as his genre, much like the hicks stickin' to Country.
The only difference is Country has become one of the mainstream genres (at least it is today) defining the Lowest Common Denominator (LCD) dominating American Music today. It's safe. It's boring. It's Easy Listening. And it generally sucks!
Whereas Country is almost unconditionally embraced, at least way more than Metal, by Middle America (as a state of mind not actual geographic location), Metal has always been maligned, scoffed at, and ridiculed by people who just don't get it. And that's because it's Rock And Roll!
True, Country gets ridiculed and trashed but it's not controversial. There's never been a record burning of Country albums. No, it was Heavy Metal records that were burning in Church parking lots across the country back in the 70's and 80's.
This kid is doomed as far as making the final rounds, as I said, but at least he will go out in a "Blaze Of Glory". I wouldn't be surprised if he actually winds up singing that exact song as his final curtain call coming up very soon.
But ya gotta hand it to the kid, and Idol, for going with the whole Heavy Metal thing. There may have been some calculation in it, because they figured Tyler would draw more people like us. Last night probably did more for the advancing of our cause, Al's battlecry, to Bring Back Glam! than anything else yet!
Still, all of the other contestants have taken the easy way out, sticking to all that is safe and secure in Pop and FM Lite, while this kid is out taking chances!
Again, gotta hand it to Durbin, even if I didn't really love his song selection last night (sorry, Glametal Princess!), but it was probably his best choice, as Allyson so insightfully predicted, as the name of the genre of music he's so boldly hanging his hat on is in the title of the number he chose to sing.
Still, it would have been fun to see him really go out on a limb and do "The Transformer's Theme" by Lion (though it would have been safer to do Trick's more recent version) or "Dream Warriors" by Dokken (that would have been hard for him) or "Big Gun" from "Last Action Hero" or, better yet, "Shout It Out" by Slaughter from Bill & Ted's Bogus Adventure.
Actually, Durbin probably would have been better off going with some lame-o crap like "Footloose" or the much better "We Don't Need Another Hero" by Tina Turner, as they would have been less risky crowd pleasers and he could have just nailed either of them.
But I am glad he stuck to his guns and went for broke with this one, even trotting out Zakk Wylde.
I really think there is a ground swell recently in generating more interest and appreciation (read "more Rockin' Out") for Heavy Metal than any other time since the Led Zeppelin reunion and even that really just sparked a new found interest in Classic Rock and not our beloved Glam Metal!
Look at recent chain of events. The stuff that's played on video games, especially Guitar Hero and Rockband, New Glam Metal bands like Bad City getting signed to major record labels, The Poison Dolls Crue tour, and now... James Durbin!
Still, this may have been his swan song, since the voting viewers are dominated by people who don't like our music. They probably did not like the song, his performance and especially Zakk Wylde. I can just hear the comments now... "Herman! Eee-Gads! What on earth is THAT?! We must vote him off immediately!) Durbin may even suffer from guilt by association just for having Wylde up there with him.
Hopefully, I will be proven wrong!
Good luck to him!
p.s. Brian L! Accept is astonishing! Not only is the guitar work stunning, so are their songs and so is the show (did Hoffman leave any stone unturned?). They touch on every subgenre of Rock and Roll and somehow thoroughly Metalize it. They played Metal, Glam, Thrash, Speed, Hard Rock and even some Blues. Oh, well -- they skipped Funk Metal, because that's not really their bag and that's probably because they think it sucks like I do! Easily one of the best concerts I have seen in my life and I've probably seen 200 Heavy Metal and Classic Rock shows!
No, I don't watch A.I. (yes, i have watched a few episodes here and there over the years) and I'm not about to jump on the bandwagon now b/c some guy is a HEAVY METAL guy.
Do I think its cool the guy is a HEAVY METAL FAN? HELL YEAH!
DId I see his Judas Priest song in earlier episoded? NO
Do I love the fact that he wants "America to give Heavy Metal A chance?" HELL YEAH!
BUT....this guy may not be the one! I just tried listening to this song again and still think it sucked!
Did it look "Cool" - HELL YEAH and luckily Zakk Wylde kicked it up a notch and contributed to that. If you truly listen though, I think his voice is very generic. Again, MY OPINION!
Maybe it was the wrong song for him, he's gotten this far so he must be doing something right.
I think TYLER lied through his teeth to appease the public and for the sake of the show. If you watch a clip of the judges, his facial expression says it all. I've been watching his mannerisms for as long as many of you and his face and the words that came out are the EXACT reason why i don't watch this damn show. Someone commented somewhere that the judges are nothing but cheerleaders and they are absolutely right, Its ridiculous!
Best of luck to this James guy! Maybe things will work out for him.
oh and james rules cant wait till his post-idol music!
Don't expect anyone coming off of idol to be able to bring back an entire genre of music that's been dead for over 20 years. Especially one where the fans of the genre aren't exactly the main demographic watching american Idol and wouldn't take someone coming off the keraoke show seriously.
OH, and Bob, PLEASE TURN OFF THE CNN! That's more brainwashing then American Idol (haha).
As much as I'd love to see him pull it off, he won't make the final rounds, I assure you.
But I also believe Durbin's a pretty good singer.
And the fact remains, I actually think the guy stands a pretty good chance of getting eliminated soon.