Returning from Planet Idealism
So here's the deal. I don't know when it hit me last night but you can all relax now. My soapbox is back in the garage and I'm over worrying about Adam Lambert's integrity as an artist and hoping he'd do the kind of music I want. For all I know, this kid sold out from day one and that's his prerogative. I'm in no position to judge. I still like his voice. I still think he's pretty and I'm going to do like, what appears to be the majority, and feed the music money machine by buying his records and going to his shows. I won't pay $50 to see him in an arena but I'll hope some day that things will calm down and he'll tour smaller (3000 or less body) venues for $30. I'll try not to barf listening to more craptastic Diane Warren songs. I'll temper the nausea with the fact that one thing I haven't seen from Adam is the ability to write/compose/arrange so he's gonna have to depend on others out there who can.
I will say on the integrity level it will be sad if what I perceived as sharp edges were real and he allows people to shave them off but again...his choice. He's closer to 30 than he is to 20 and is desperate enough to play the 19E game so anything's possible.
So I'll save my idealism for the musicians that I actually know. The people who have told me and showed me what their goals are. I'll continue to despise the "machine" for making their lives so difficult. I won't think any more about people's taste or fears of risking their heart and spirit by letting down their guard long enough to try something new. I'm just going to go on doing what I do and hoping there are a few like me who are into the same arts so they stick around for us to enjoy and I'm also talking museums staying open and galleries rebooking painters/sculptures, a writer selling enough books to be able to fund their next one or a play selling enough tickets to muster up a road company every 5 years or so...the whole gamut.
Don't worry. I'll still be in front of the TV on Tuesday and Wednesday nights for the next 10 weeks. I will watch Adam perform and vote. At this point I'll help him get to No. 1 if that's what he wants. I just hope he's not disappointed when he gets there. If he can pull a Kelly Clarkson, my hat is off to him. But I'm just not invested any more.