There are many Taylor fans out there who are familiar with the Blues Historian Blog.  Tom Gary has written about Taylor and posted several of his videos on his blog since Taylor won AI.  Tom recently posted a review of Taylor’s concert DVD, Whomp At The Warfield.  I have posted an excerpt below.  I hope you’ll click on the link and read it in its entirety.  It’s rare that Taylor fans get to read intelligent, positive reviews from people who actually know and appreciate music.  This one is worth your time.  Leave Tom a nice comment while you’re at it!

Blues Historian Review:  Taylor Hicks, Whomp At The Warfield

I received this DVD from some fine folks at one of Taylor Hicks fan clubs. I suppose a review is not really necessary since his fans will love the DVD no matter what I say. However, I can safely say for those of you who haven’t listened to this guy yet, that this DVD is for you. Taylor Hicks is the real deal. I have said this many times, but it is true the man can sing the blues, soul, R&B and rock and roll. Whomp At The Warfield is mostly a soul filled romp recorded live at The Warfield in San Francisco back in 2007. The band in incredibly tight and Hicks has both the band and the fans pumped up from start to finish.

http://bluesman2001.blogspot.com/2010/04/blues-historian-review-taylor-hicks.html

The first thing that popped into my mind when I saw this picture of Taylor Hicks was the song Brown Eyed Handsome Man.  He certainly is that.  That’s always been one of my favorite Taylor tunes.  Off to YouTube for a little listen…….. 

Of course, it occurred to me that Taylor is now rounding third in his time with Grease.  After he has a nice long vacation, I hope he heads for home.  It seems as if he’s now ready for a home of his own.  I can’t wait to see what’s next for him.  I just hope it includes a few live performances near me.

Games People Play  by Joe South won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1970. Joe South’s  distinctive guitar at the opening is played on a Danelectro Guitar Sitar, which South also can be heard playing in the opening bars of the mega-hit Chain of Fools by Aretha Franklin.

For some reason, this song has been on loop in my brain for the past 48 hours.  Games People Play, indeed!

Propaganda is communication aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position. As opposed to impartially providing information, propaganda in its most basic sense, presents information primarily to influence an audience. Propaganda often presents facts selectively (thus lying by omission) to encourage a particular synthesis, or uses loaded messages to produce an emotional rather than rational response to the information presented. The desired result is a change of the attitude toward the subject in the target audience to further a (political) agenda.  ***

***  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda

Propaganda?  What gives?  Well, friends, I’m just laying a little groundwork before I warn you of the coming of American Idol Rewind:  Season 5.  American Idol finally gets several hours of TV time to give us their skewed/slanted/biased version of AI5. 

What are we likely to see?  My guess would be the Chris Daughtry Coronation.  They’ve been trying to give him the AI5 title since early in the fifth season.  They’ve put meganza-bucks out to get him before the public and promote his CD.  The only thing they haven’t been able to do is make him exciting. His recent concert reviews have been filled with words like dull, monotonous and boring.  The lack of excitement was a major turn off for me.  No grungey angst for this girl!

What are we not likely to see?  I doubt we see much more than a millisecond of Season 5 winner Taylor Hicks.  He is the thorn in the sides of the powers that be at American Idol.  He dared to go on their little show and kick ass.  He had the nerve to be genuine and charismatic and make people like him.  He had the gall to make people want to get up and dance and smile and have a good time. I guess he spoiled AI’s little Daughtry orgy.  For that, they will dog him the rest of his life.

I’m not really sure what to expect as far as the other season 5 contestants are concerned.  My guess is that they will get more respect than Taylor and less slobber than Daughtry.  Come to think of it, unless you are a Daughtry fan, it’s probably best to just skip this fairy tale.

What a freakin’ lot of phony baloney creeps there are hanging out at the Boogie Board nowadays.  Not all of them, mind you, but the BB has been hijacked by those who think it’s just too cool to find fault with Taylor while singing the praises of Adam Lambert.  Is it ok to not like Taylor anymore?  Sure.  Knock yourselves out.  Is it ok to drool over Adam Lambert?  Whatever rings your chimes.  

I think the problem most people have with you people is the lack of class you are showing by running Taylor down on his own site.  Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think the Boogie Board is a Taylor Hicks fan site.  If you don’t like Taylor anymore, at least show him enough respect to not bash him on his own fan site.  I also find it quite tacky and disrespectful to throw your sleazy Lambert Orgasmafests on a Taylor Hicks board. Make your own damn board and have at it. Just a suggestion. 

Really, if it wasn’t so pathetic, it would be funny.  I kind of wonder where it all comes from.  It’s no secret that there was/is a chroll infestation at the BB.  I suppose they could have something to do with it.  Of course, the Gray Charles groupies have the same above it all attitude that GC has.  He seems to love to pull pranks against Taylor.  Then again, maybe it’s those people who have been reading the anti Taylor media out there and are too weak to ignore or stand up against the crap, so they pretend to have seen the light.  Whatever, folks.  Just try to muster up enough class not to show your ignorance on a Taylor fan site. It really is very ugly.

I just love Vince.  You know, the SHAMWOW guy?  He is just the perfect combination of TV celeb/snake oil salesman.  As funny as I thought the SHAMWOW commercials were, the commercials for SLAPCHOP are priceless.

Yes, he really did say that.  And you know what I mean.  LOL

But wait!  It gets better.  Vince, beloved SHAMWOW/SLAPCHOP huckster, is now a rapper.  I knew that headset wasn’t just for show!

RIP Billy Mays

 That’s the word that keeps coming to the forefront when I watch the Seven Mile Breakdown video.  That’s our Taylor!  The man is real.  Love the feel good vibe.  Love the setting….out in the country.  Takes me back to my roots.   Hot man….hot car…..hot song!  Works for me!  Enjoy…

Taylor Hicks will return to the American Idol stage on Wednesday, April 29^th.  The Season 5 champion will appear on Season 8′s Top 5 results show to perform his new single, Seven Mile Breakdown. Seven Mile Breakdown follows What’s Right Is Right as the second single released from Taylor’s album, The Distance.

I am thrilled that Taylor chose Seven Mile Breakdown for his return performance.  What a great song!  It’s Taylor all over.  I’m sure that once again, he will knock AI on its ass.  They won’t know what hit them.  America will dance like no one is watching, just like in Season 5.  Taylor will make us smile and reassure us that America did indeed get it right.

Simon Cowell has led the Taylor bashing since the end of Season 5.  He will probably not crack a smile.  He will have that same “I’m above it all” bored look that he always has.  I hope he manages to choke back any snark and just lets Taylor be Taylor.  It would be nice if all connected with AI show a little restraint and just let the man perform.