Former Reality Show Contestants

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Moi? Make fun of someone? HOW could you assume THAT?

It was a tough day in my RL and at the moment I took it as condescending - like "I better rate this post so FC doesn't get upset". I don't want anyone to ever feel that way Then I realized that wasn't why you did it and I really appreciated it. It was sweet So it was just a difficult day that day.

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In control
Ace Young has again made '' American Idol's'' Top 10.

It's been two years since Young was among the finalists of the Fox-TV show's fifth season. Now, he's on track to release his self-titled debut album on July 15, making him the 10th contestant from that talent-laden year to put out a CD.

That could be daunting, considering the season's winner, Taylor Hicks, and runner-up Katharine McPhee already have been dropped by their record companies.

But Young, 27, says that's exactly why it's taken him so long to get to this point.

''I wanted to get the team together to make sure the music would be fitting,'' Young says in a telephone call from his home in Los Angeles. ''I really didn't want to just take advantage of the opportunity of being on a big TV show and throw something out as fast as I could. I really wanted to make sure that it was true to me and that I respected my fans enough to make the music quality enough for them.''

Young says he thinks he accomplished that with what he calls a ''rock, R&B, funk collection.'' Young wrote, produced and will release the CD himself with the help of songwriter/producer Desmond Child, who has written or produced nearly 100 Top 10 hits for Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Kiss and even ''Idol'' winner Kelly Clarkson.

The disc's first single, ''Addicted,'' a crunching guitar-and-drums rocker, was released April 15, and Young has begun playing shows to support it. Tonight he'll open for headliner Jesse McCartney at B104 Night at Allentown's Mayfair festival.

Part of what took the disc so long, Young says, was negotiating through record deal offers after finishing seventh on ''Idol'' -- none of which turned out to be what he wanted, he says. A deal with S-Curve Records fell through when parent company EMI got caught up in a buyout bid.

He self-released a single, ''Scattered,'' which he says he recorded in his apartment ''for 'Idol' fans once I got off the show, primarily so they knew that I wrote.'' But it's not on his album.

He also co-wrote fellow ''Idol'' contestant Chris Daughtry's first hit, ''It's Not Over,'' which was nominated for a Grammy Award.

''That was the two of us coming together and writing for about 15 minutes and we came up with the whole theme and the chorus; the verses were already written. And we had no idea it was going to hit the way it did -- I'm glad it did,'' he says, laughing.

Finally, Young says, he struck a partnership with Child, who agreed to split the album's cost with him, and ''I dove into the recording studio.''

''We didn't even go to labels at the time,'' Young says. ''I didn't want to have an A&R rep on top of me telling me what I had to do musically. I figured if Desmond Child and I couldn't come up with an album that was cohesive, then we were in the wrong industry.''

Child brought in writers such as prolific hitmaker Diane Warren and Sweden's Andreas Carlsson, who penned hits for The Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync. Young says they wrote about 50 songs that were culled to the 11 that made the album.

Then, Young says, they struck a deal with indie record label Fontana that not only will distribute the disc through Universal Records, but ''they're helping with marketing, helping with advertising reaching out and making sure the fans are aware.

''The industry is ever-changing and really the biggest thing with putting out a CD after being on a show where so many people know you -- the biggest thing is just awareness that there's an album coming and that there's a single on the radio right now,'' he says.

The move is similar to the path taken by another contestant from the same season, Elliott Yamin, who partnered with Sony/ATV Music Publishing President Danny Strick to bypass major labels and put out his debut disc by himself. It produced the hit ''Wait for You,'' which was among 2007's most-played songs.

''I was very proud of him,'' Young says of Yamin, with whom he says he talks ''every other day.'' He also counts Daughtry as his best friend, and says he's in contact with contestants Kellie Pickler, Bucky Covington and Mandisa, who all released albums before him. ''I mean, we're a tight year,'' he says.

Asked why he thinks his season produced so many record deals, he says only, ''it was a different year. And every year's a different year. This year, we're seeing younger kids really come out and kick butt -- kids that were fans of the show when it first started seven years ago.'' He says of David Archuleta, who Wednesday finished second to winner David Cook, ''I think his 'Imagine' performance was one of the best performances I've ever seen.''

But asked whether he thinks he could have won ''Idol'' in a different year, Young says, ''I don't even think about it, man, truthfully. I'm so detached from the show. I mean, I'm not with 19 [Entertainment, the management company that signs the show's winners.] I'm not with 'Idol.' I'm just like you watching the show and giving my true opinion on it.''

Not being signed by 19 Entertainment has meant he's had to work harder, but that doesn't mean Young -- a self-described jock from a Colorado family of five boys who moved to California to follow his dream -- has not had success.

Before hitting ''Idol,'' he had appeared on UPN-TV's ''Half and Half,'' and was even rumored to be involved with the show's star, Essence Atkins. Asked if that's true, he slyly answers, ''Not anymore,'' laughs and refuses to say more. He also says he had four record offers before ''Idol,'' but all ''wanted me to change who I was so drastically so they felt they had a gimmick to sell,'' such as a country music boy band or an R&B singer.

Just last week, he appeared on the Fox-TV show ''Bones'' and says the episode ''did 91/2 million viewers -- beat out Britney Spears on 'How I Met Your Mother.' And it was a lot of fun for me.''

But he says he also rejected a lot of post-''Idol'' offers -- including a reported Playgirl magazine photo shoot -- because music is his first love.

''I had offers for modeling, I had offers for movies, I had three Broadway plays, I had soap operas all approach me the moment I got off the show,'' he says, laughing. ''And I was blown away. I was really caught off guard. And I knew that a lot of those things were things that I may want to do later. But all my fans know me as a singer, and this is my one shot to let everybody know what I stand for musically.

''So I turned everything down -- reason being, I didn't want all my fans who care about me, I didn't want them to be comfortable thinking I was doing what I've wanted to do my whole life when it wasn't what I wanted to do. All I've wanted to do my whole life is music.''
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Constantine will be singing the role of Judas in this production. This is not the Bway one that there have been rumors about.

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Jesus Christ Superstar with American Idol's Constantine Maroulis!!

June 13th- 29th
A Rock Musical in its purest form, Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice's classic Jesus Christ Superstar tells the story of the last days of Christ in a truly unique and powerful way. The story is classic, but the themes of faith, power, and the dangers of celebrity worship ring eerily true today.

That's great for him! Will you get to go see him in it?

Yes, FC, I will. I had to buy tickets early this morning as one of the shows sold out during the night. Not used to buying stuff at 8:00 a.m.!

Well, that should be a lot of fun. He's done both Judas and Jesus before; apparently Con has been in the this a LOT of times. This run isn't very long, is it - just a couple of weeks? Is that right?

Yes, abrahammy, its a very short run. Looks like 3 weekends. Maybe that's why another show was added for that last weekend since the final show sold out already.

Cool! I am glad you can go see the show! Be sure and let us know how it went when you get back.

OK, he scores a few points with me for the bolded part

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Myspace blog

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YO!!!!

Okay so Idol is over and I can breathe...but for only a day or two. It was a great season and many thanks to everyone on the "American idol EXTRA" crew. David Cook is an Idol GOD! David A. is a future star as well. God Bless!!So now I go right into rehearsals for "Jesus Christ Superstar". As many of you know this is my favorite show in the world. YES!! I am returning to New Jersey to portray "Judas" this June in Lincroft. Now some of you may say why do such a small theatre show etc. Well the answer is...I love Superstar. Mark Fleming and the gang at Premier have their shit together for a community group and they bring in lots of Equity talent from NYC. I was available in June and it just makes sense. It will be an intimate production but a swell one. Yes I have been offered a role on Broadway as well. We are working out the details and if it works out I will be joining the show by Labor Day. So JCS will be a nice warm up for the eight show a week grind of Broadway.We have plans to do some intimate shows while in Lincroft so stay tuned. Ya know some late night acoustic "after the show" gigs. Fun Jersey style!! If it all works out Freddie and Ben will be joining me in the Superstar band and on the gigs after the shows. There are some things poppin' in July so stay tuned and I may leave my heart in San Francisco in August for a couple weeks as well. oh yeah.Thank you all for the amazing support and the wonderful journies!

NOW GET YOUR TIX FOR SUPERSTAR!!!

Thanks~
C

So does Constantine still do shows with that Jim guy? ARe those the gigs he is talking about?

I just saw a show on showtime called "Californication" and the lead character is played by David Duchovny. It was pretty good btw...
Anyway I just realized that Constantine and David Duchovny have some similarities in their appearance, mannerisms, and voices. Check out the show and the way David plays the character Hank ( atroubled novelist) really reminded me of Constantine for some reason. A little cocky, a little smartass, and yes...something kind of appealing too.

I think Constantine and Jim have parted ways.

firecracker wrote:

Cool! I am glad you can go see the show! Be sure and let us know how it went when you get back.

I will! And thanks for posting C's blog.

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I think Constantine and Jim have parted ways.

I think there are reasons for the parting that have to do with each of their schedules.

Jim has been very busy with getting ready to release his new CD due out sometime this summer. He's made several trips over to London. When I saw Jim back in March at the Living Room, the head of his label was there. I didn't get to speak with her and only chatted for a minute with Jim as he had to leave very quickly after his set. Of course the Living Room was packed that evening as it was one of their anniversary nights.

He was a little different the way he performed that night than I have seen previously. Very good of course, and less casual than normal. I got the impression this CD will get a good push. He also had a song that made it to tv for a Blackberry commercial recently.

I really think this is a case of two artists whose schedules just are not meshing at this point.

You are welcome!

Thanks for the Jim info. I had no idea he had a song used in a commercial. That is cool!

Nice article about Constantine on the Playbill.com website:

Wedding Singer's Maroulis to Star in Jesus Christ Superstar

I love the picture they used too. But, I still crack-up when I see his appearance in Law and Order used. I remember watching that download over and over trying to figure out if that was him in the background getting something off the shelf

That's a very nice writeup in Playbill. Are you going to the play, Lau?

As a big fan of theater, I envy your being in the NYC area. I go to numerous productions here, but NYC is really the place to see the shows. I'm hoping to go back next spring to catch some of the new ones that are opening later this year.

I agree with you FC, that Law and Order thing was so small it is funny to see listed on his credentials. There is no way I could swear that was him even after watching it.

But oddly enough, I rarely pick up a playbill listing casts that I find people who don't list Law and Order!!! I think its a right of passage with NY theater people somehow.

And yes, Janice, I will be going to see the show. Although it's in Jersey, it would be faster for me to go into Manhattan than the location this place is in. Spring is a good time for seeing shows.

'Idol' Constantine To Guest Star At Radio Broadway, 6/30

by BWW News Desk

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Radio Broadway has just announced that American Idol star Constantine Maroulis will be guest starring at "The Hits of 1958" which will be presented at The Town Hall on Monday, June 30 at 8 p.m.

This event will mark the debut performance of Radio Broadway, a new concert company dedicated to presenting "the greatest hits of all time by the greatest singers of our time."

The show will feature a cast of today's finest Broadway talent performing songs that topped the Billboard charts in the year 1958. Principal singers will include Max von Essen (Dance Of The Vampires, Jesus Christ Superstar, Les Miserables), Jennifer Hope Wills (The Phantom Of The Opera, Wonderful Town, The Woman In White), Nancy Anderson (Wonderful Town, A Class Act), John Treacy Egan (The Producers, Jekyll & Hyde, The Little Mermaid), and LAWRENCE CLAYTON (The Civil War, Jesus Christ Superstar, Dreamgirls) with additional stars to be announced shortly.

The evening will be hosted by Raymond Jaramillo McLeod (Drama Desk Award nominee – Wonderful Town), with direction by DEBORAH KYM and musical direction by DAVID KEYES.

Presented in the spirit of American Bandstand, complete with back-up singers, dancers and live band, this brand-new concert event will be a fun and energetic journey back to yesteryear that is sure to shake your bones and rattle your brains. Songs will include "Yakety Yak," "Who's Sorry Now," "At The Hop," "Great Balls of Fire," Elvis Presley's "Jailhouse Rock" and many more.

Tickets, priced $40 and up, are available at The Town Hall box office or through TicketMaster by calling (866) 448-7849. The Town Hall box office is open from 12:00-6:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

The $200 "VIP" tickets include premium seating and a private cocktail reception with the stars following the show.

The Town Hall is located in Manhattan at 123 West 43rd Street between Broadway and Avenue of the Americas. Nearest subways are as follows: 1, 2, 3 - Times Square-42nd Street (7th Ave.-Broadway). A, C, E - 42nd Street-Port Authority (8th Avenue). B, D, F, V - 42nd Street-Brant Park (6th Avenue). N, Q, R, W - Times Square-42nd Street (Broadway). 7 & S - Times Square-42nd Street (Broadway-7th Avenue).

Radio Broadway was co-founded by Raymond Jaramillo McLeod, Deborah Kym and David Weitzer. Following the June 30 premiere, the company plans to present various incarnations of the show – featuring a variety of Broadway stars and radio hit songs spanning all decades – in venues throughout the country.

BroadwayWorld.com is the official media sponsor of Radio Broadway.

The website for Radio Broadway is www.radiobroadwaylive.com

Remember Marty?

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LOS ANGELES, CA (JUNE 3, 2008) - The rock 'n' roll band, L.A. GUNS, featuring guitarist Tracii Guns, has some big news heading into their Summer Blackout Tour 2008.

The band will be hitting the road this month with a couple of new members on board. In addition to Tracii Guns on lead guitar, Jeremy Guns will be on bass along with Chad Stewart on drums, and the band has enlisted new rhythm guitar player Alec "Big Al" Bauer, who has been touring with the band since 2007.

Marty Casey, the "new blonde guy," as the band has affectionately referred to him on their website, is the new voice of L.A. Guns. Casey gained recognition as a vocalist along with millions of fans during his run on the hit CBS show "Rock Star: INXS." He was also instrumental in writing and creating new material on the upcoming L.A. Guns album.

The boys of L.A. Guns have another "big gun" in their pocket. The band is currently in Canada recording their new album with Multi Grammy Award Winning Producer Steve Thompson. Tracii describes the album by saying, "this definitely will not be your father's L.A. GUNS" and the music is "slightly more advanced" and the lyrics are "more introspective, without losing the fun nature of our Rock 'n' Roll."

L.A. Guns is currently signed with ALEXUS RECORDS. Look for these guys on tour this summer with Faster Pussycat and Bang Tango as they blaze a trail through a city near you.

I remember Marty! Love him! So what - no more Lovehammers? Wow. Well, good for Marty! I hope he and the band have huge success!! Hey, Aerwin - weren't you suppose to marry Marty?

yeah I was supposed to marry him after marrying Johnny Depp, DDL, Alan Rickman, Anderson Cooper, Trent Reznor, etc... I guess I better get busy and stop falling asleep so early.

I guess he felt stuck in LH's, I don't know. LA guns are a great band.

Interesting article about Constantine guest starring on that Broadway Radio Show. There were some amazing Bway shows back in 1958 including The Music Man (one of my faves) and South Pacific.

I was really surprised to read that about Marty. The Love Hammers were really good. But someone I know went to see him at a show last year, and they said the crowd was really small. Maybe this move will get him a bigger audience.

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yeah I was supposed to marry him after marrying Johnny Depp, DDL, Alan Rickman, Anderson Cooper, Trent Reznor, etc... I guess I better get busy and stop falling asleep so early.

Good one aerwin. You have some good taste there.

How sad for The Lovehammers. Can't believe they didn't really take off except here in the Chicago area.

Jordin's CD is doing really well! It helps to have radio hits, especially one with Chris Brown!

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Jordin's album sales for the week ending 1 June 2008:

27. Jordin Sparks, Jordin Sparks: 14,912 (793,078)

The album will clear 800K in US scans on next week's chart, and if "One Step at a Time" does reasonably well, I think the album stands a solid chance of clearing a million in scans eventually. Combine that with a lead single that is well north of 1.6 million in downloads and a follow-up that will soon clear 2 million in downloads ("No Air" is at 1,934,895 downloads sold through 1 June 2008, having sold 68,552 downloads last week), and I'm thinking Jive is probably pleased with what it has accomplished with Jordin on her debut album. "One Step at a Time" seems to be off to bit of a slow start, but it has huge audience (nearly 3.9 million) relative to spins (166 spins in the #72 spot on the Mainstream Top-40 Mediabase chart for the past 7 days) and I believe Z100 has now picked it up. So it probably has a good deal of life left in it.

Jordin and Marty? Two of my all time fav reality show rock stars!

Must check out Jordin's webpage and listen to some of her stuff from her new album. Have you listened to any of it yet FC?

That info I brought over is on Jordin Sparks - season 6 AI winner, not Jordin from Rock Star. I heard her record deal fell through. I bet she has some indie stuff out there though if you Google her.