The latest iMix is UP! It’s a biggie, but enjoy! Click here to get it, see the full list of songs after the jump!

EMILY	Mata Hari
VanVelzen	Broken Tonight
EMILY	Il était une fois
Nelly Furtado	Maneater
Madonna	Get Together
Kelly Clarkson	Since U Been Gone
Lady GaGa & Beyoncé	Telephone
Alanis Morissette	Doth I Protest Too Much
Alanis Morissette	Straitjacket
Alanis Morissette	Front Row
Madonna	Candy Shop
Madonna	How High
Spice Girls	Never Give Up On the Good Times
Christina Aguilera	Not Myself Tonight
David Guetta	Sexy Bitch (feat. Akon)
Gwen Stefani	What You Waiting For?
EMILY	Légende urbaine
Britney Spears	Radar
Alanis Morissette	Citizen of the Planet
Alanis Morissette	No Pressure Over Cappuccino
Spice Girls	Move Over
Jordin Sparks	S.O.S. (Let the Music Play)
Britney Spears featuring Madonna	Me Against the Music
Alanis Morissette	You Oughta Know
Christina Aguilera	Slow Down Baby
Mary J. Blige	Just Fine (Remix) [feat. Lil Mama]
Jason Mraz	Make It Mine
Fergie	All That I Got (The Make Up Song)
Britney Spears	Oops!…I Did It Again
Britney Spears	If U Seek Amy
Alanis Morissette	Ironic
EMILY	Au grand jour
Alanis Morissette	You Learn
Britney Spears	Toy Soldier
Britney Spears	My Prerogative
Rihanna	Breakin’ Dishes
Britney Spears	Gimme More
Kelly Clarkson	Don’t Waste Your Time
Beyoncé	Why Don’t You Love Me
Kelly Clarkson	If I Can’t Have You
Gwen Stefani	Wind It Up
Fergie	London Bridge
Madonna	Beat Goes On (feat. Kanye West)
Spice Girls	Stop
Lady GaGa	Bad Romance
Gwen Stefani	Harajuku Girls
Kelly Clarkson	One Minute
Madonna	Hung Up
Lady GaGa	LoveGame
Rihanna	Don’t Stop the Music
Britney Spears	3
Kris Allen	Live Like We’re Dying
Alanis Morissette	Joining You
Black Eyed Peas	Shut Up
Cascada	Fever
Alanis Morissette	Everything
Diddy featuring Christina Aguilera	Tell Me (feat. Christina Aguilera)
Alanis Morissette	Eight Easy Steps
EMILY	Où sont les femmes?
Destiny’s Child	Lose My Breath
Kelly Clarkson	How I Feel
Alanis Morissette	Hands Clean
Kelly Clarkson	Judas
Alanis Morissette	Underneath
Britney Spears	Breathe On Me
Britney Spears	Circus
Britney Spears	Womanizer
Kelis	Bossy (feat. Too $hort)
Lady GaGa	Poker Face
Alanis Morissette	Narcissus
Alanis Morissette	Versions of Violence
Kelly Clarkson	Long Shot
Alanis Morissette	Precious Illusions
Britney Spears	Heaven On Earth
Diddy featuring Nicole Scherzinger	Come to Me
Alanis Morissette	Unsent
Alanis Morissette	Ironic (Acoustic Album Version)
Spice Girls	Say You’ll Be There
Britney Spears	Ooh Ooh Baby
Armin van Buuren	Broken Tonight (Radio Edit) [feat. VanVelzen]
Kelly Clarkson	I Want You
Jason Mraz	If It Kills Me
Carolina Liar	Show Me What I’m Looking For
Alanis Morissette	Not As We
Britney Spears	Kill the Lights
Kelly Clarkson	All I Ever Wanted

]]> http://brendangrimaldi.com/2010/05/28/imix-june-2010/feed/ 0 http://brendangrimaldi.com/2010/05/22/armin-van-buuren-not-broken-at-all/ http://brendangrimaldi.com/2010/05/22/armin-van-buuren-not-broken-at-all/#comments Sat, 22 May 2010 21:37:01 +0000 Brendan http://brendangrimaldi.com/?p=1323

Not only is this one of the best songs I have ever heard, but I am PRETTY sure from the video that the person singing is a midge!!!!!!! Armin van Buuren is a DJ, so in following with my last song love, David Guetta and Kelly Rowland’s ‘When Love Takes Over,’ I am obviously on more of a dance song kick. While I really luckily have no emotional connection to this song, like the last one I am just really impressed with the talent and the ability to just suck on my brain so it never goes away! Good job Armin and the little dude! Good Job! Watch after the jump (aka.. just click “continue reading”)

Here’s the newest member of the family, Lily. She’s a golden Shiba Inu (very rare I just found out!) and one of the spunkiest, inquisitive and loving dogs I’ve met. No I have not fallen out of love with my buddy of 3 years the Yorkshire Terrorist Butch, but she is a welcome addition to the household. Today brought the WORST news, Lily has to have surgery on a heart murmur. Could that be any worse? If you never had a pet, you don’t understand, but they DO become like your children. So heatbreaking but a great new love!

1. You complain or huff every  time you need to pull it up, whether the bump into an elevator or walking around stairs.

2. This makes you walk slower and take up a LOT more room.

3. They are just completely unnecessary

4. Because you’re an ass for using one.

Thanks!

B

This song is in by no means new, it has already had its residency on the charts, and is still keeping up with its popularity. Since leaving AOL Music I will admit I have been slow on discovering new songs, but this one I can NOT stop listening to, I think the music is awesome and Kelly really shows off her strong vocal abilities that, if as “A-List” as Beyonce would be riding high on her career instead of joining the B club. This is definitely worth a listen if you haven’t heard it yet. Check it out after the jump…

You have to see it to believe it…..

Yup… this apparently is the secret. Does it silence things too?

What can ya say more than that!

When I was at AOL Music I did a series of “AIM Interviews” over AIM with some pretty awesome (and some kinda awesome) people. Popping up my interview with JC Chazez. Enjoy.

BrendanInMusic: hey there, how’s it goin??
UntilJC: how are you
BrendanInMusic: i’m doin good thanks
BrendanInMusic: thanks so much for takin the time to chat!
UntilJC: no sweat
BrendanInMusic: so what’s goin on? where are you today?
UntilJC: LA today
BrendanInMusic: has the crazy schedule begun or do you still have some “quiet” time before the big album release?
UntilJC: it’s actually just getting started
UntilJC: just got back in town 2 days ago
BrendanInMusic: where have you been?
UntilJC: NY the last week
UntilJC: headed to Atlanta in a day or 2
BrendanInMusic: very cool
UntilJC: NY was cool
BrendanInMusic: what do you have going on in Atlanta?
UntilJC: Atlanta i have to finish up one of my last mixes
BrendanInMusic: so does the album have a title yet?
UntilJC: of course not
UntilJC: i’m nuts man
BrendanInMusic: haha.
BrendanInMusic: Schizophrenic, your first solo album, had a pretty appropriate title
UntilJC: yeah
UntilJC: i have a few ideas but i don’t think i’m completely sold on one yet
BrendanInMusic: what will sell you?
UntilJC: i’ll know it when i hear it i guess
BrendanInMusic: so, the first single off the album is ‘Until Yesterday’
UntilJC: indeed it is
UntilJC: i think is sounds great

BrendanInMusic: it’s definitely a great song. i randomly start humming the “ooohs” in my cube haha
UntilJC: haha
BrendanInMusic: and on this song, you worked with your good buddy justin right?
UntilJC: yeah
UntilJC: it was the second song we worked on
UntilJC: and it’s where i feel like we found the entire feel of the record
BrendanInMusic: was it odd working with him on non nsync stuff? what was the vibe?
UntilJC: wasn’t odd at all
UntilJC: it came completely natural
UntilJC: it was relaxed
UntilJC: we had already written one song
UntilJC: so we were starting to really fall into a groove
UntilJC: by then he had a strong idea of the kind of things i was into
UntilJC: and everything just rolled from there
BrendanInMusic: nice. seemed to have worked well!
UntilJC: i think so
BrendanInMusic: you also worked with a lot of big names on the album
BrendanInMusic: out of everyone you worked with who did you mesh with the best?
UntilJC: i worked with quite a few people on this record
UntilJC: it seems like the cuts that made the album were all done by the people that i got along with and had the most fun with
UntilJC: all the records on this album that made it came from great writing experiences
BrendanInMusic: nice
UntilJC: so i wouldn’t really choose one over the other
BrendanInMusic: what else can fans expect to hear on your album?
UntilJC: this record has A LOT of singing on it
UntilJC: Even the first single is a very complete song
UntilJC: very musical
UntilJC: not just an 8 bar loop with a melody written over it
UntilJC: some vibes are great like that
UntilJC: but i wanted to make a very musical and melodic record
BrendanInMusic: did you feel like you had something to prove this time around? your soph. solo record??
UntilJC: not at all
UntilJC: i just wanted to make a record with great tunes
BrendanInMusic: i don’t think anyone would argue that one!
UntilJC: there are a few songs with a great sense of humor and sarcasm
UntilJC: like the first single
UntilJC: i think that shows how i don’t take myself too seriously
BrendanInMusic: who was playing with fire?
UntilJC: that no good heart stomping tramp that got knocked up by another man
BrendanInMusic: hahahaha!
BrendanInMusic: hate that @#%$
BrendanInMusic: so you definitely have the laid back thing down, but you’ve also described your music as intelligent pop music
BrendanInMusic: what does that mean exactly?
UntilJC: i didn’t settle
UntilJC: i wanted to make real songs
UntilJC: even if they were sarcastic
UntilJC: i wanted to push them
UntilJC: so much of what’s popular is hypnotic
UntilJC: and that’s fine
UntilJC: but i wanted folks to kind of catch things and think about things when they heard these records
BrendanInMusic: did any one specific thing help drive you in that direction? a muse or idol, etc?
UntilJC: i don’t know if it was anyone in particular
UntilJC: i think it was more me looking for something interesting to listen too
BrendanInMusic: what else are you listening to now?
UntilJC: i don’t know really
UntilJC: everything and anything i guess
UntilJC: music is food
BrendanInMusic: nothing on heavy rotation on your ipod?
UntilJC: i pretty much download a new album everyday
UntilJC: new or old
BrendanInMusic: what was the last one you got?
UntilJC: embarrassingly enough Thin Lizzy
UntilJC: good time records
UntilJC: haha
BrendanInMusic: lol, nothing wrong with a guilty pleasure 
UntilJC: that and i picked up a YES record last night
UntilJC: those were the last 2
BrendanInMusic: i recommend the new Fergie. its pretty good!
UntilJC: right on
UntilJC: i like Powlow
UntilJC: he’s a great beat guy
BrendanInMusic: is there anyone you still have a hankering to work with musically?
UntilJC: I don’t know
UntilJC: I think I really just want to get better at what I do everyday
BrendanInMusic: paris hilton perhaps? 
UntilJC: no thanks
UntilJC: haha
BrendanInMusic: lol
BrendanInMusic: so a few months back there were rumors that nsync was going to get back and do another cd
BrendanInMusic: was that just rumor?
UntilJC: just a rumor
BrendanInMusic: is that something you would have liked to do? maybe in the future?
UntilJC: who knows
UntilJC: right now i’m happy working on what i’m doing
UntilJC: i’ve had a great time working with Justin
UntilJC: I think at this point it might take away from what we accomplished
UntilJC: we’re all happy where we are at
UntilJC: but i can never say never because life is a journey and they are my friends
BrendanInMusic: well there’s still some hope for those who still have the marionette dolls on their shelves 
UntilJC: haha
UntilJC: you might have to paint some lines in the faces and paint the hair grey by then, but there is hope
BrendanInMusic: what about you,? anything else you feel like conquering
BrendanInMusic: acting?
BrendanInMusic: curling?
BrendanInMusic: lol
UntilJC: haha
UntilJC: I keep an open mind to options
UntilJC: but right now its basically the record
UntilJC: i really do want people to see this is my passion
UntilJC: and when you dedicate too much time to other things i feel like it takes away from your focus on what is important
UntilJC: maybe later on
UntilJC: but for now
UntilJC: i’m still doing a lot of learning and self discovery
BrendanInMusic: what is the most valuable thing you think you’ve learned at this stage of the game?
UntilJC: everyone in the world is searching for what makes them happy
UntilJC: what they want to do with their lives
UntilJC: i feel fortunate to realize what makes me happy
UntilJC: and to make a life out of what i’m passionate about
BrendanInMusic: so do any other songs on the album stick out to you?
BrendanInMusic: any that you find yourself really magnetized to?
UntilJC: I’m a sucker for a ballad
UntilJC: because i scream my head off in them
UntilJC: i think people will respond to the vocal performance
BrendanInMusic: sucker for love?
UntilJC: but the 2 other songs i kind of respond to might be the weirder ones
UntilJC: Satellite is a song I like alot
UntilJC: as well as I Found You Out
UntilJC: Satellite is a great story and metaphor
UntilJC: I Found You Out is just one big build to a climax
UntilJC: so by the time you get to the end you just feel lifted
BrendanInMusic: nice, can’t wait to hear them!
BrendanInMusic: so you said that this album pretty much has all your attention at the moment. does that mean no love life for you?
UntilJC: love life is a wreck
BrendanInMusic: uh oh, that doesn’t sound too good
UntilJC: haha
UntilJC: not bad
UntilJC: i can be a walking disaster
BrendanInMusic: do you think that has to do with your schedule? the people you meet??
UntilJC: sometimes it’s the people i meet
UntilJC: sometimes it’s me
UntilJC: sometimes it’s the erratic schedule
UntilJC: who knows
BrendanInMusic: what is it you look for in someone?
UntilJC: i love it when someone draws something out in you
UntilJC: you forgot you had or didn’t know you had
BrendanInMusic: i read somewhere that you had your first kiss at 7…
BrendanInMusic: is that true??
UntilJC: somewhere around there yes
BrendanInMusic: started playin’ the field pretty early! haha
UntilJC: we called it soap opera kissing
UntilJC: i guess that’s me
UntilJC: the experimental one
UntilJC: though i do have my limits
BrendanInMusic: what type of soap opera
BrendanInMusic: the one on daytime tv, or hbo after hours?
BrendanInMusic: lol
UntilJC: daytime tv when i was young
BrendanInMusic: i guess we can use our imaginations for when you became a young man jc 
UntilJC: ……………………
BrendanInMusic: so you’ve definitely made some tabloid headlines, but for the most part, your personal life still tends to be somewhat well covered
UntilJC: i think that’s true
BrendanInMusic: is it something intentional or just the luck of the draw?
UntilJC: i’m not looking to extort a career out of my personal life
BrendanInMusic: do you think a lot of what is out there smells a tad like publicity stunts?
UntilJC: who knows
UntilJC: but some of what’s out there is conveniently in front of the camera
UntilJC: i will never dog anyone for having a good time
BrendanInMusic: so no crazy drug addiction or affairs to spill??
UntilJC: ……………
UntilJC: haha
BrendanInMusic: hahaha nice
BrendanInMusic: we’ll have to wait and see 
BrendanInMusic: but totally excited about Until Yesterday and the new album
UntilJC: thanks man
UntilJC: me too
BrendanInMusic: can’t wait to see much more of you soon
UntilJC: i feel like i have something unique to offer the world
UntilJC: and i’m excited for the people who will enjoy it to have it
BrendanInMusic: you think the world is ready for you??
UntilJC: i hope so
UntilJC: cause i think I’m about ready for the world
BrendanInMusic: nice. definitely wish you the best of luck
UntilJC: thank you
BrendanInMusic: thanks so much for chatting 
UntilJC: no sweat
UntilJC: sorry about typos and such
BrendanInMusic: haha. it’s all part of your charm
UntilJC: right
UntilJC: take it easy
BrendanInMusic: you too 
BrendanInMusic: bye!
UntilJC: later

Honestly, there’s no one I give a crap about… this season has been dull at most and just have no desire to talk about it! Sorry Idol, this year… not feelin’ it dogg…

Too tired, sorry lol… I will put out an update manana….

I overdid it for a while, then it went quiet but here’s the latest for April… I have a few more up my sleeve so look out for em!. Check it out, and if you like it, rate it with the stars! I have some ratings so far but more would be really cool!!

7:56- So I have absolutely no idea what this weeks theme is so it should be an interesting “surprise”

8:00- Oh Ryan! You out tool yourself each week. Thanks for that great tour and welcoming. And again, I have to point out that they had to get an announcer this year so Ryan could also be announced? Isn’t that his JOB?

8:03- Ok, SO I am actually really excited about this, I love the Beatles, and last year Kris Allen KILLED ‘Come Together.’ Who I do feel bad for, is the other Beatles. Poor guys. Also it saddened me to see “Sir” Paul act about as toolish Ryan. Ouch.

8:06- Simon, thanks for clarifying– some things should be changed and some not, but hopes to hear DIFFERENT. So basically unless Simon likes you, you will suck and be wrong. Sorry kids.

8:10- Speaking of, I am glad we are starting off with one of the worst of the show. This kid is somehow hanging on by the skin on his teeth. Is it wrong to pray someone will get kicked off? He has a crush on Miley Cyrus (um ok) and has NO personality. AND Star Wars fan? Vomit. Totally over Aaron, but will be interesting to see what he can do with a Beatles song… um I mean McCartney/Lennon song. ‘The Long and Winding Road.’

8:12- Well the first verse couldn’t have been more off tune, and this is the cheesiest rendition of a song I’ve heard. This is not a Beatles song, this kid is like Clay Aiken Jr. but with less talent. Oh and his faux emotional nature is pathetic.

Lastly, the last note? OUCH.

8:15- Judges– Thanks for hitting the horrible arrangement Randy, Kara, wow.. you really made some legit comments, you aren’t just boobs and sequins! Young and relevant, great suggestion Simon– when picking songs from the 60s & 70s.. um. RIGHT.

8:20- My CT home girl Katie. Has to be young and modern (deja vu) with an older song. She’s young, yes, she isn’t in the class to actually create her own mind-blowing arrangement but she DOES have the voice for it. We shall see on this one… interested to see how she will do with Let It Be

8:23- So in my opinion I think Katie did a great job with this song. The arrangement was also a little Lite 100.5 meets gospel church, but I thought she was strong vocally and looked very very into it. Thumbs up Katie.

8:26- THANK YOU JUDGES for appreciating Katie’s abilities… she isn’t the biggest star– she does awesome, and Kara– true– after being beaten up for 2 weeks, she was very confident, and I am really glad that she is getting great feedback, even from Simon… This makes me happy. Kara– we don’t need to hear you sing. sorry.

8:28- Is there a new rule that Ryan has to throw a zing to Simon after every performance? I need to consult with the producers. I almost want to throw votes for Katie, but after doing this blog my hands are too dead, but if someone can do some before me… thanks! Andrew is next. I am still hugely into his ‘Straight Up’ Paula Abdul cover. I know he’s struggling to find a moment when it REALLY counts… but man, I really think he has talent. He won’t be the idol, but I want him to get some better recognition… yah know.

8:35- So we’ve got Andrew ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ which has his “cool twist.” That scares me.

8:36- Less than a minute into it, I love it. It’s very Maroon 5 meets Little Richard (I know…. interesting lol) but I think this change was a really good one and could pay off, lets see what the Judges feel like today about the kid.

8:30- Corny because it was pop? Isn’t this a pop competition? UGH. I Hate stupid crap like this. Another frustration– we want to see you as an artist– yet if they are consistent…. they are too boring. Rabble.

8:40- Big Mike comin’ up… No not from The Blind Side (though what an f’in awesome move it was— Lisa the f’in was for you, good boy talking hehe). I am over the side stories. I don’t care. Sorry but true. Get to the music. When is Alanis or Kelly week?

8:46- Eleanor Rigby. YES. Can’t wait… START!

8:47- I really can’t decide on the arrangement. His voice was AWESOME. The arrangement, just NOT traditional enough, I feel this one is a stay true, but thats just my opinion…

8:49- Judges love Mike. Agreed. Performance was OK… agreed around. Crystal up next, definitely her scene. I would LOVE if she id In My Life… I wish someone would and do it good. But I can take anything.

8:58- Crystal— All I wan’t you to do is wash your hair, straighten it and just go to Banana Republic.. just once. BUT I guess to each his own.

9:00- Crystal– Can you outdo my Kris Allen on Come Together? Definitely much more authentic… and naturally in my opinion flawless vocals. She reminds me a lot of Joss Stone, and that’s a good thing. I won’t even review the judges, if they didn’t like it, they I will just have words inappropriate to share, if they loved it, nothing new to say about her wonderfulness. (But again I will say— I preferred Kris Allen’s…. Just sayin…..

9:06- Tim Urban time… this should be interesting. Will it be good Tim or crappy Tim? ‘All My Lovin’.. where he can smile First off… Time HAS been working hardcore on his vocals and it’s showing. I am not saying he is the best out there but he’s improved EVERY WEEK. Good for him. I enjoy it. He is finally finding his groove in this show. Good for him and big thumbs up for the vocals upgrade. Effort is always awarded

9:16- I am glad on acknowledgement on his efforts and progress. Right on.

9:19- NOT interested in Casey James. Whoopee…can’t wait. If he does Imagine or In my Life, I may change the channel. Ok, it’s ‘Jealous Guy,’ which I’ve never heard of. Too country. already hating it. This was very boring but I will say not horrendous vocals like before.

9:29- Shuuuuvaaaauuuuunnn is next. My least favorite, if she screams I will mute her for the rest of the season. Also if she screams during a Beatles song, I may see if I can do a citizens address…

9:37- Across the Universe… please dont f-it up. Too late. What is going on. No screaming doesn’t mean a LIGHT version of Celine Dion. Give it SOME personality. At least the judges admitted it was OK…….thank you for not being all I LOVE YOU OUR GOLDEN CHILD!!!! NOW… WTF is the crying. GO AWAY. I HATE YOU. Thanks

9:45- Lee is comin’ up! I am genuinely excited. — Danny Gokey babies. I can’t get over that. I may pee my pants, but I can’t because Lee will be singing Hey Jude. Holler.

9:51- Ok so now that it’s started… I am just not feelin’ it sometimes I am like, ok here we go, then its EHH. not his best. His stage presence is great, and he won’t end up in the bottom 3 unless the judges slaughter him but, other than that, that’s the show!

I will put up the dial idol results tomorrow to see who they predict is taking the road home…

Thanks for reading, and COMMENT!!!!! so many people reading, I’d love to hear something from someone!

Rankings

1. Crystal
2. Katie
3. Tim
4. Lee
5. Andrew
6. Big Mike
7. Casey
8. Siobhan
9. Aaron

Now for the Dial Idol results from last night…

When I was at AOL Music I did a series of “AIM Interviews” over AIM with some pretty awesome (and some kinda awesome) people. Popping up my interview with JoJo. Enjoy.

BGrimaldi01: hey!!!

JoJoHighRoad2: helloooo!

BGrimaldi01: how are you JoJo, where are you IMing us from today?

JoJoHighRoad2: Im at my home in Massachusetts right now, and im good, how are you?

BGrimaldi01: doing good thanks!

BGrimaldi01: getting a little relaxation time at home before the big album release???

JoJoHighRoad2: hehe, yes! The leaves are just starting to change and the weather is awesome and all my familys here so its good to chill out a bit before it gets extra crazy!

BGrimaldi01: very nice! i just spent the weekend in Cape Cod ( a nice rainy weekend ) but the weather seems to be cooperating for you today so that’s good!

JoJoHighRoad2: I love Cape Cod

BGrimaldi01: so you have a lot goin on lately, first off tell us a little (or a lot) about The High Road

JoJoHighRoad2: Its my sophmore record! And im very excited about it. Its been 3 years since i was in the studio recording my first album so to get back in and sing again was so much fun. i had taken some time off to film two movies and had a great experience with both, but it felt so nice to get back to the music. I worked with everyone from Swizz beats and Scott Storch to Diane Warren and Billy Steinberg. Its eclectic and something that  i worked very hard on.

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BGrimaldi01: those are some of the biggest people in this business…What was it like to work with these people?

JoJoHighRoad2: It was incredible. I was a little nervous to be honest, though… I got to go to Miami to work with Scott Storch and Sean Garrett and i didnt know quite what to expect. All the producers, however, were so nice and helpful and definetly put me at ease.

BGrimaldi01: was it more of a collaborative process with them?

BGrimaldi01: or did you take more of the drivers seat?

JoJoHighRoad2: Thankfully yes, they were always open to my ideas ,opinions, or suggestions. Since im still very young, I llove to listen to and learn from other peoples ideas because they have more experience when it comes to things and they have dozens of hit songs under their belt so i think Its good to work in conjunction with them as long as we can still get across who i want to be as an artist.

JoJoHighRoad2: sorry… im taking a long time to type

BGrimaldi01: who seemed to mesh the best with your sound/style

JoJoHighRoad2: lol

BGrimaldi01: haha it’s ok, you’re on vacation, you’re allowed to be as slow as you want

JoJoHighRoad2: hmmmm… thats a tough one! But i think Billy Steinberg (who did my first single “Too Little Too late”) and I mesh very well. He works with a guy named Josh and together we wrote a song called “How To Touch A Girl”. They are soooo cool and sooo talented and are always pushing me to try new things and take me vocally to notes i didnt know i could reach. lol

BGrimaldi01: awesome

BGrimaldi01: so, the people you worked with are giants in music… did you get any dirt on some of the other people they worked with??;-)

JoJoHighRoad2: oooooh actually yes!

BGrimaldi01: ooh do tell!

JoJoHighRoad2: U know i can’t spill any of that!! Im a nice girl…

JoJoHighRoad2:

BGrimaldi01: ok ok… good P.C. answer.. (you can share after our chat!! )

JoJoHighRoad2: I dont know, just things like what kind of things certain artists demanded…

JoJoHighRoad2: or wouldnt do…

JoJoHighRoad2: hehe

BGrimaldi01: so everyone who just knows your music thinks you’ve been on a nice relaxing vacation since your first album.. like you said it’s been 3 years since you recorded it, but you did two movies..

BGrimaldi01: did you study acting at the same time as you were pursuing your music career?

JoJoHighRoad2: Ive actually been acting since i was 6. I did a bit of theatre and commercials and even a little spot in an independent movie when i was about 8 or 9. So acting wasnt just something random for me to jump into after the first album, even though it might seem that way. lol. I really enjoy it and i knew i didnt want to release back-to-back c.d.’s so i thought it would be a fun way to occupy my time in between music projects!

BGrimaldi01: that’s cool, you’ve been quite the busy girl throughout your life.. now that you’ve done major projects in both music and the big screen, does one seem to be more “you” than the other?

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BGrimaldi01: maybe you will do a musical like outkast?

JoJoHighRoad2: I would say music is more “me”, because in music you can be whoever you want to be at any moment and constantly change and evolve and show different sides of your personality. In a movie, you are one character and although you go through different emotions, you are not yourself. You’re acting!

JoJoHighRoad2: I LOVE “IDLEWILD” by the way, that movie was awesome. OutKast is great…

BGrimaldi01: haha nice! maybe one of these days we can expect JoJo the movie/musical!

JoJoHighRoad2: who knows…

BGrimaldi01: so i’ve got you on MY ipod, other than OuKast what are you listening to these days?

JoJoHighRoad2: I just downloaded Beyonce’s new album to my i-pod yesterday. Im a huge fan of hers… i also loooove Joni Mitchell. She is one of my favorite songwriters. Also James Taylor, and D’Angelo I’ve been listening to alot.

JoJoHighRoad2: And Bob Marley!

BGrimaldi01: nice! ps.. irreplaceable on beyonce’s cd is AMAZING! check it out if you haven’t

JoJoHighRoad2: BEAUTFIUL song, i agree

JoJoHighRoad2: I love “Get Me Bodied”

JoJoHighRoad2: shes awesome

BGrimaldi01: now about you…too little, too late seems to be doing really well, when you finished it, did you KNOW it would be a hit or are you a worrier?

JoJoHighRoad2: Aww thank you! Im excited about it, and i really liked it from the moment it was played over the phone for me. I heard it first with a demo-singer on it and they asked me if i wanted to record it. And i said YES! I loved the way it was written and knew alot of people would relate to it. After i recorded it i knew i wanted it to be the first single. It was one of my best experiences in the studio ever, as far as how fun it was to record.

BGrimaldi01: it really is a great song, your voice sounds amazing on it, you can hear that over the last three years your sound has definitely matured

JoJoHighRoad2: thank you very much

BGrimaldi01: so I was lucky enough to hear a little bit of your album, the style of the songs are pretty diverse, what can fans expect when they get to listen?

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JoJoHighRoad2: They’ll hear growth and a bit of maturity in my vocals and the content of the lyrics. Im by no means “grown” but in the past years i’ve experienced alot, got to see alot of the world through traveling and promotion, and tried new things vocally that you will be able to hear on “The High Road”.

BGrimaldi01: The song ‘They Way You Do Me,’ you sound just like Beyonce… you’ve got a strong set of pipes!

BGrimaldi01: what songs on the album stick out to you as your favorites?

JoJoHighRoad2: Oh my gosh, thank you! That is quite a compliment!

JoJoHighRoad2: I really connect with “The High Road”, the title track of the album, also “How To Touch a Girl”, “The Way You Do Me’, “Good Ol’ “, but every one of them means something different to me, so its hard to not name them all!

BGrimaldi01: can’t wait to hear it all!

JoJoHighRoad2: i cant wait for you to hear them either!

BGrimaldi01: now you’re 15 right?

JoJoHighRoad2: yes i am. 16 in December.

BGrimaldi01: well happy early birthday!

JoJoHighRoad2: haha thanks!

BGrimaldi01: now…you sound, look, act like your about 25, you said you were 6 when you started acting…how old were you when you started your music career?

JoJoHighRoad2: lol, Ive been singing as long as i can remember. i have home videos of me singing at the age of 2.

BGrimaldi01: was it difficult being JoJo in school when you were doing all these things?

JoJoHighRoad2: I did my first t.v. show, “Kids Say The Darndest Things” with Bill Cosby when i was 6, and kids in my class and their parents started to treat me and my mom a little differently. They thought that i thought i was better then them. But i didnt think that at all! It made me feel sad, and when i did more shows and things like that, it just got worse. But thats why in those kinds of situations i try to take “The High Road”. lol. Thought i’d throw in a shameless plug for the album too…

BGrimaldi01: hahaha it worked

BGrimaldi01: so now what’s next for you?? tour plans, anything special planned for the album release? perhaps a love life??

JoJoHighRoad2: I think we’re having a big fun party for the album release! Im doing the Today’s Show the morning of the release and im so excited for that. And then later on in the day we’ll have the release party. We recently put a band together and they are all based in New England. Its alot of fun playing with them, they are so talented. And a tour is in the works… i really want to do one. I love traveling.

BGrimaldi01: nice! and the love life? anyone special going on the road with you?

JoJoHighRoad2: My mom will be on the road with me…

JoJoHighRoad2: not the answer u were looking for?

JoJoHighRoad2: lol

BGrimaldi01: hahaha not quite

JoJoHighRoad2: im young, im having fun

BGrimaldi01: that’s ok.. when you come through NYC you can call me anyways

JoJoHighRoad2:

BGrimaldi01: as you should!

BGrimaldi01: any last words for the fans out there reading?

JoJoHighRoad2: Thank you for supporting me, and please try to come to one of my shows if im in a town near you! I love meeting people, so please dont be shy to approach me and say hello if ya see me out and about. And also, check out my myspace! Its myspace.com/jojoonline

BGrimaldi01: sounds awesome, thanks soo much for your time!!!

JoJoHighRoad2: It was a pleasure, brendan, thank you!

BGrimaldi01: can’t wait to see more from you! good luck!!

JoJoHighRoad2: excellennnnttt thanx man!

8:01- R&B week for the whitest cast of American Idol… this will be a joy. I already can hear the “horrible arrangement” or “not your style” because you know. These folks are going to blow our minds with the help of (one of my least favorite singers) Usher (who really has only had ONE big hit…)… Let’s see. I’m praying for some dance choreography!!

8:08- Siobhan is going to sing ‘Through The Fire” and I may actually like it based on what she sounded like during the prep!

This song really showcased her phenomenal voice, it wasn’t an over the top performance, it wasn’t annoying and I would really consider downloading this one. She hit some “pitchy” notes, but I doubt the judges will even note it…. The high notes weren’t big screams thankfully!!!

…and the judges say…
Randy- Wow, I am surprised he hit the pitch issue
Ellen- Loved it but not best, best for my feelings on her but for the judges big words
Kara- “I am rambling on and on what everyone else just said”
Simon- All over the place… I am actually surprised– Why is it the only one of hers I liked none of the judges did. Thanks for the screaming note…. though this week it wasn’t THAT bad.

8:20 Casey. Oh Casey. I can’t wait for your “heading home moment.” Sorry. I have no clue what you are going to sing but I just find you irritating. However, you will get the benefit of a fair judgement…

Performing ‘Hold On I’m Comin…’ in a rockish style is really sadly his best change in my opinion. Rabble. It pains me to say I thought it was a really good performance, though the actual chorus was barely legible, I am not sure if he got too quiet, the mics were off… i dunno.. but ugh. good job.

…and the judges say…
Randy- THAT WAS IT DAWG! (original)
Ellen- Good performance but very generic Casey style… very true.
Kara- I don’t know if I can keep up with her comments
Simon- Strongest– I agree.. but why must simon discuss his recollection of the last few weeks in judges thoughts? Just give your review and MOVE ON!

Big Mike showin’ his love next. I’m in.

8:32 So who just doesn’t love this big teddy bear. Why did he have to sing an India.Arie song? Who the hells knows this one. I don’t. No thanks. He better hit it hard out of the park or I may nap.

While I just think the song is blah, I thought he sounded good and reminded me a little of Lionel Richie (based on the voice) but not quite the song I would sing at this point. As good as the performance is he needs to get more love before picking a song that isn’t very well known nor very entertaining.

…and the judges say…
Randy- In the zone– is that a new one for Randy? nope.
Ellen- Always has a good listener’s point of view, good kudos.
Kara- Kara– you admit you didn’t know SOMETHING. O.M.G.!!!!!!!!!!!!
Simon- Time to take seriously as an artist….

I don’t disagree on these comments, but if he puts an album out like this, it will end up in the clearance bin for 4.99 within the first 4 months.

8:39 Didi– Why is it that I think you can possibly have a mental breakdown at any second… Well best of luck with that. I hope you dont pick a sucky song..

Well this, ‘What Becomes of a Broken Hearted’ sounds like a broadway style performance and she already broke down crying twice. Oh Jesus take the wheel… If she breaks down on stage I WILL pee my pants…

Lets see what she did before the show:
Prom dress- CHECK
Glitter- CHECK
Fake eye lashes- CHECK
Valium to prevent on stage meltdown- hopefully NOT check.

I will admit this sounds much more normal than the time with Usher though the “breakdown” at the end… um. unnecessary.
…and the judges say…

Brendan- no crying, sadface
Randy- Nothing exciting. He should work for AP or Reuters with his news breaking style
Ellen- Thanks for calling out the dramatics…
Kara- I don’t get what vision you saw, who did you know… how can you be singer songwriter on R&B week?
Simon- Swimming in jelly. Over the top?  Her looks maybe, but what about Siobahn’s past performances? How are THOSE not over the top Simon. Why don’t you call them ALLLL out?

Whoa to the jab to Dancing With the Stars. I love that. Made the night.

8:51 Timmy Timmy is up next. Get your board shorts and flip flops out.

I thought last week was actually a great performance for the obvious low end of the talent spectrum of the top 10. He’s going to sing Anita Baker’s Sweet Love…my guess is that this is going to be a bit of a trainwreck… I actually think he has a pretty good but untrained voice… Time to focus on the voice instead of the abs…. If you step up, you can probably get further than any of us thinks…

8:58 Ok from the start his voice style is all over the place, it is sucking the life out of the song, and I’d bet every dollar in my wallet (ok there’s just one, but still) that he’s stoned. What’s with the red eyes opened so big?!

One thing I do think he did pretty good was the chorus and the bridge– he seemed to “catch up” after the beginning of the song, good for him, but I will be surprised if he doesn’t get the wrath of the judges as he is a non favorite…
…and the judges say…
Randy- Echoed my comments about the beginning, way to be original Randy, but I agree there wasn’t enough passion, but Randy… please don’t talk about greasing things up
Ellen- A drinking game to her saying adorable?!?! I AM IN! Sneaking into a bedroom? This whole review is a little too sexual for my comfort zone.
Kara- “I am rambling on and on what everyone else just said”
Simon- Quite an interesting review. I don’t even know what to say….

9:04 Can we discuss this brand new backstage shots? Really? thanks Dancing with the Idols.

9:09 Andrew Garcia– Please whip out your talent this week. If not, it really should be time to head out. To sing Chris-Beat-Her-Brown??? Eeek. That’s not something I would venture for. HOWEVER I think he did a really awesome job with it, I loved the arrangement… it wasn’t as forced as the last few weeks. Thankfully, it had style and personality. Strong vocals. Good one Andy…
…and the judges say…
Randy- Next week I am going to count your “yo yo’s” — Andrew is back.. I could have scripted his response, though too much outfit talk. uncomfortable.
Ellen- Back in your zone, yeah… this is all going to be the same…
Kara- Kara had short comments– wow. my mind has been blown away.
Simon- Simon’s issue– he’s boring… When is he boring? But true– personality IS important…

Mrs Garcia.. I love you. Mom.. if you ever dress or act like that… we will have a big issue.

9:20 Katie to take on Aretha– oh boy, I am already hearing, too old or don’t connect with right audience, who are you with this song, blah blah blah. Well BRENDAN likes you Katie.

Chain of Fools- Oh memories and love of this song. Her voice is amazing. Give it to ‘em Katie– one of these judges need to start pointing out her positive vocal abilities at SOME point…

Well one thing we know, someone isn’t shopping at Kmart anymore. Well maybe still for jewelry, and are those patent leather tights??… I think her voice is really strong and impressive as always but I actually am not getting the connection to the song which I think will be heavily accented by the judges…
…and the judges say…
Randy- Yes.. disconnected vocally– I said it, but THANK you Randy for giving her her the shout out on the vocal abilities…
Ellen- Snookie shout out!!!! I knew Aretha was going to be tough…
Kara- Yes Kara—- we know R&B Pop, Current….
Simon- Robotic and cold? Not in my opinion, but i do see the disconnect…

9:30 Time for Lee! One of my favs to go on…Treat Her Like A Lady by shmehshmehshmea (i couldn’t understand what he said)… Whatever it is, it has a great unique pop rock song… I wouldn’t be shocked to hear this on the radio at all, and I enjoyed it with out knowing a second of the song, and for me that says a lot…
…and the judges say…
Randy- unbelievable — thanks randy
Ellen- best performance of the night… pretty late but good!
Kara- kara– short comments again, thanks!
Simon- simon, you are taking kara’s long windedness…. way to cut off the point of his long long speech.. i assume it was that he did awesome? better be….

9:50 Crystal… in pumps! This will be an interesting adventure…. I hope she’s just as good– I am almost hoping for a Lee/Crystal finale!!!

Something new and different— I think her talent will help her kill it… Midnight Train to Georgia… not a new one for the Idol stage, but will definitely be a different take with Crystal… I think her voice is just unmatched this season, though without an instrument she seemed a little lost but the voice was the focal point, and a good focal point it was! (Better than her hair)
…and the judges say…
Randy- Name dropping… shock.
Ellen- “You’re never not good” yes Ellen.
Kara- Glad she saw “another side” aka not playing the guitar…. hmm…
Simon- Incredible, Sensational were impressive words, but I liked the if it’s not broke, don’t fix it….If she has a bad night, it’s going to surprise me…

9:52 Yay, Aaron. One of my least favorites. I liked Chicken Little more, but whatever… everyone gets a shot! But singing Ain’t No Sunshine… he will NOT hit the level of Kris Allen. end of story.

Is it me or does he look like he’s sporting the outfit from Kohl’s Sunday ad? Talk about a disconnected song. It was like he was just singing from a teleprompter. Yawn. If I had my way this will be his farewell week… him or Didi… either way….
…and the judges say…
Randy- Just ok… accurate
Ellen- The “good job” seemed like a stretch
Kara-Way to convince us that you actually liked it.
Simon- Basically- In comparison, you sucked.

That’s all for tonight folks, I’ll put my top 10 in order in the AM and then add in the dial idol scores…

Yeah– I actually FORGOT Idol was on until right now, I was watching my NCIS reruns… sorry there’s no live blog, but I’ll put together an update tomorrow!!!

Well, year 2 of American Idol live blogging (for those who don’t know, this post gets updated after every performer so just hit refresh to see what else I have to say!)… Anyone who actually wants to pay attention can listen to all of my stupid ranting on the contestants and the judges… A lot of folks seem to tell me they enjoy it (though no one ever COMMENTS…hint hint…) But it’s the first night of the TRUE competition, the TOP 12! SOOOO I shall start the live blog tonight at 8! Hope all enjoys!

7:55PM WOO! I just learned that this week will be Rolling Stones week! Just what I want to hear! Songs that my PARENTS were young for. Nothing like sticking with the “contemporary” times the judges demand. If they tell Katie she is singing a song too old for her, or not young enough, I may have to buy a new tv after throwing mine out the window!

8:00 PM Why is it I always feel like the opener with Ryan is part of some perverse hazing ritual? Why can’t he just open the show. It’s NOT a drama. They sing. Someone loses. And where the hell did the new “announcer” come from? Did Ryan need to be announced so he refused to introduce the rest? I will blame this on his big ego… the only big thing the idiot (rich idiot) has… Oh and isn’t the WHOLE SHOW the countdown to the finale??

8:05 PM Did I mention my love for the Rolling Stones? And by love… I mean utter vomit educing reaction I get when I look at them or hear that big mouthed freak’s voice. Nevermind the dancing. If he won’t stop it by now, we are just screwed with it. Side note Ryan… the BEATLES are the most ICONIC band and will ALWAYS be.

8:07 PM Michael Lynche – “Miss You”
So, this guy’s voice is awesome, there is no doubt he’s going pretty damn far. The one thing I don’t like from ANYONE is the Michael Jackson “ball squeeze” high notes from a guy… I am not really sure what song this is, except I recognize the background from the chorus… are we in danger of being told he changed it too much? I think doing a bluesy version of a Stones song was his best bet. He IS one of the judges golden boys so I doubt they will be too harsh…

The judges…
Randy: please, you weren’t feelin’ it, then you slayed it. DECIDE WHICH AND TELL THAT ONE.
Ellen: Good job, genuine, I am going to really like you…
Kara: Chapter 8… (some folks will get it)
Simon: Corny dancing. I am not going to lie, not quite “cool” but I wouldn’t call it DESPERATE…however I wish he spoke more about the performance instead of just dancing. But how can you call ANYONE’s dancing bad when they are doing a ROLLING STONES SONG! (see my comments from above)
Ryan: You are showing your true psychotic nature…

8:16 PM Didi Benami – “Play With Fire”
So…Didi.. you make ME feel uncomfortable, I will listen to you sing but probably mute you during your awkward interviews. Fail.

I am wondering how many times they will refer to these songs as “Stones Classics.” Again, no clue on this song but I am ok with that. This may be one of the most BORING songs I have ever heard, I guess I should have gotten stoned before the Rolling Stones… seems like it would have made this better. Anyways. Great middle vocals but started and ended blah for me. She won’t go but won’t be hitting any confetti in a few months…

The judges…
Randy: You left no lasting input
Ellen: When nothing else, hit humor
Kara: I need an interpreter
Simon: Hmm, said the same thing about the start…Jeeez I am SO smart…

8:22 Casey James – “It’s All Over Now”
Ok, this is one of my least favorites. Keep your shirt on, close your mouth. Not feelin’ it at all… let’s see if SOMETHING will change my opinion… I see he starts the family sob story early.

Wow…let’s put this in perspective… my dog barked for the first 20 seconds of the performance. He screamed it. Loud. He caught up with the song, I guess… the guitar playing fantastic, other than that…I will not shed a tear for his departure which I assume will be sooner than later. That and hopefully a shampoo and haircut.

The judges…
Randy: You have bad taste
Ellen: Token lesbian joke, or…blonde joke (good job…) fantastic though? Ugh
Kara: Rockstar? Did ANY of them hear what I did?
Simon:  Despite your semi-agreement with a bad performance, you even thought it was better than it was. Blah.

8:33 Lacey Brown – “Ruby Tuesday”
The only thing I like about Ruby Tuesday’s is the fresh croutons from the salad bar. I didn’t even know there was a song. No love lost. OOH…Her hair is ruby colored. How convenient! But she’s really shy? She has red hair, sings and is on a national television show. How shy can she be?

Oh I hear a “pitchy” in our future… And possibly “freakin’ boring as hell” but we will see on that one…

The judges…
Randy: DAWG…WHERE’S YOUR LINE?!?! PITCHY! PITCHY!!!
Ellen: You said freakin’ boring as hell in SUCH a nicer way…
Kara: Thanks for picking up the pitchy part… drop the story telling though. I am starting to hate you.
Simon: What are you talking about?

8:44 Andrew Garcia – “Gimme Shelter”
So I am so torn between Katie and Andrew. Katie’s voice is flawless and she’s a great performer. Andrew is creative but it is true.. he just hasn’t captured the amazingness he hit from his version of Paula Abdul’s ‘Straight Up’… I wish this would resurface in a longer version but let’s see how he does on Gimme Shelter… whatever song that is…

And to the performance… oh wait… Ryan wants to be funny. Oh HA HA Ryan. To everyone who calls out my bad sense of humor, please take note. Ok, really time for the song. I have no idea how “original” this will be since I have no idea on the original. His voice is really hitting it tonight. I really like his performance, he’s not being too dramatic on stage, but I don’t think that would ever be his thing so I am ok with that. He seems comfortable, and I think if there’s a criticism on his voice then they are just being bastards and inconsistent (not that I am judging…the judges…)

The judges…
Randy: Pitchy and wasn’t great? You Randy… are a full blown idiot.
Ellen: Best performance yet? YOU ARE ON.. I knew we would mesh
Kara: A song about Vietnam— HOW CAN WE CONNECT, HE WASN’T EVEN ALIVE!!!!!
Simon: Thank you for shooting that down… Kara is dumb, and didn’t do great. I am not sure what didn’t connect… Thanks for hoping he sticks around…

8:53: Katie Stevens – “Wild Horses”
Ok, my two fav’s back to back. I can be happy with this. Now… unless there are many different songs called Wild Horses, I actually know one, and can’t wait to hear my girl knock it out of the park… Katie…WILL be in the finals. With that being said. She definitely had pitch issues, yes… I admit it but she is a powerhouse, and I think she is “dressed appropriate” for her age singing a 38247298 year old song. Lets see what they have to say.

The judges…
Randy: Not surprised he mentioned the pitch, but kudos for actually hitting the strong performance
Ellen: NOOOOOO don’t go to the pitchy… but good comments…
Kara: How nice… “It’s never technically perfect with you” See you next Tuesday Kara
Simon: Great strong song choice… a little surprised, he never likes the arrangements, get over it. Judge HER.

9:01 HOW MANY FREAKIN COMMERCIAL BREAKS CAN THERE BE?!?!!? I thought it was like one break for every two performances. This is driving me insane. RABBLE!

9:05 Tim Urban – “Under My Thumb”
Ok Tim, all the tween girls saw your shirtless photos on Perez Hilton. Congrats on your 6 pack. (oh yeah and F-U for the same thing). I have yet to believe that you should even be where you are in this competition and am definitely on the bandwagon who believes your Abercrombie model look is what has gotten you this far, but at least he does have a fun personality to back it, I will give him that… I thought the last performance was EHH but wasn’t fully surprised he moved on. I am hoping he’s been practicing hardcore, his singing that is…

Are we sure this isn’t Who Shot the Sheriff??? I actually think that Tim did the smartest thing, he Jason Mraz’d this song, it complemented his voice which I will say is much stronger this time around, I am glad he listened to the advice I gave a couple minutes ago. (My next piece of advice… clip your girly fingernails. please.) This is one of his strongest performances in my book…

The judges…
Randy: What didn’t you get? You couldn’t hear?
Ellen: Sounded great, but on the beach laying back? Hell, I would LOVE to be there
Kara: WHY do you keep calling Ellen and Randy the GUYS, she’s a lesbian not a guy… thanks though for noting the personalization
Simon: Thank you for acknowledging that this is a boring song as it is. It didn’t work, maybe… I would NEVER download it, but for HIM I think it was good… I guess all in context…

Tim, I give you credit for actually saying you knew you couldn’t look or sound like the Rolling Stones. However to EVERYONE… STOP SAYING YOU JUST WANTED TO HAVE FUN… That is right up there with Pitchy, Dawg, Just didn’t work for me, and I don’t get it. (ironically all of randy’s… yet used soooooooo much…hmmm…)

9:15 Siobhan Magnus – “Paint it Black”
Siobhan…Take the nose ring out. I am begging you.  I know everyone has different styles but it just looks gross and anyone who tells you it works for you is a big hairy liar. Even worse than the huge glasses. Even Sally Jesse would’t wear that crap. With that, she does have a very hardcore voice…

Oh Jesus. This is going to pain me. I already want it to stop, but I did just realize what this song actually is, however that is when the not BAD singing went BAD in my mind and she’s pulling major John Mayer singing face. BTW are those Doc Martin’s? Oh no, screaming. I officially hated this. Hated.

The judges…
Randy: That was hot? You’re officially an asshole. over it.
Ellen: She rises above? WTF… What was I watching???????
Kara: Flashbacks of Adam Lambert probably more because of his actual SCREAMING.
Simon: I have nothing to say to you. You have really failed me tonight. DON’T ENCOURAGE THE SCREAMING!!!!!!!

I am thinking she will be my Adam Lambert of the year, I hated him. I still hate him. People like him… I don’t understand those people but… Everyone’s allowed to have bad taste.

9:26 Lee Dewyze – “Beast of Burden”
I really like Lee. I don’t know why. He’s not my favorite, he isn’t an amazing prodigy and he’s not an overwhelming personality or topping the People’s Hottest person list, but I like him. Thankfully the paint color pop quiz didn’t ruin it. Ok, I don’t know if it’s my old age kicking in, but I can barely understand a word he’s saying. I love the sound of his voice, I love the style of the song, when he finally got a little louder, I thought it was AWESOME, the rest I think I would like if I had a clue on what he was singing about. It honestly sounded like he forgot the words for most of it and was humming. But that’s ok, I still loved it. Love his style. I would listen to a clip of the studio version to see my thoughts and would actually for the first time tonight consider buying it!

The judges…
Randy: Quality, thanks!
Ellen: Less than she expected, I get that… better delivery
Kara: Thanks for not being such a negative nelly as she looked like she would be in the middle of Ellen’s
Simon: Very safe song– WELL GIVE THEM BETTER OPTIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! At least you believe he has talent!

9:34 Paige Miles – “Honky Tonk Woman”
Man, for someone who almost voted herself off last week, it stinks that the Rolling Stones week is her FIRST week for the Top 12. Eek…Train wreck ahead?

Ok Paige. As most every week there’s someone who will suffer due to the genre and this is definitely your week to suffer, however your vocals kicked ass especially compared to last week. Another dumb song, Rolling Stones officially really stink in my mind, but I think she was very confident on stage, the notes she hit were great, and she seemed actually comfortable with the song despite being outside of what I imagine her comfort zone would be. I ACTUALLY felt like at the end she had a Christina Aguilera tone!

The judges…
Randy: You wanted more energy? Should she be doing the Ashlee Simpson dance?
Ellen: Nice comments, nothing to really effect
Kara: You are useless
Simon: Thanks for showing she did awesome considering laryngitis!  My voice is like a frog right now and if I tried to sing, my F quality would be 10000x’s worse.

9:42 Aaron Kelly – “Angie”
Hey Angie, can you just respond to him asap so he can stop singing. I find his voice to be irritating. Pickle juice in the eye irritating (Shout out Ellen…). Dumb song, blah performance. Yawn…

The judges…
Randy: I would like to see what songs are on your iPod to think that was good
Ellen: Don’t stray from our connection.
Kara: How can you call this great and hold your criticisms up for the others. Dumb HO!
Simon: He sang the song within the limits of his vocals– true… TINY limits… not a big voice… TRUE.

NOT an American Idol. Besides, he hasn’t even hit puberty, his voice hasn’t changed (and if it did… eek… that’s sad)

9:53 Crystal Bowersox – You Don’t Always Get What You Want”
Last but not least Crystal. She’s been hitting it hard since the Alanis performance which I actually didn’t love… Isn’t THAT ironic… And again finally another song I know… Without even hearing the rest, my favorite performance of the night. This girl is ruling this competition. I would never have guessed it. This performance wouldn’t be on my iPod but I am smart enough to know that she had one rock solid performance. Judges… if you bitch, then you are doing it for your own selves.

The judges…
Randy: Couple of problems, such as????
Ellen: Needs more personality… hmm I can’t disagree but what about the vocals?!!?
Kara: I will ignore you for the rest of the season… you are really useless and I hate you.
Simon: He could feel she wasn’t “in it” which I don’t get, I thought she was just fine, and no f’in way was that nose ring ho-bag better than her tonight.

Ugh, this is going to be a Adam Lambert issue this year and I am NOT up for that crap again. What I don’t get is why some of the best performances only get the negatives picked out, but the ehh ones get praised? I don’t get it. Last year I was pretty on top of it with the judges except for the whole Lambert ISSUE… but it’s ok Kris Allen won. Therefore I won. I like winning.

Well anyways… I feel like Lacey is the one who should be headed home… I would pick Siobhan but apparently she was a musical genius. I guess it must be the ATT Uverse HD that showed just how bad she was. UGH. Here’s my 12-1 favorites

12. Siobhan
11. Lacey
10. Aaron
9. Casey
8. Didi
7. Tim
6. Paige
5. Katie
4. Michael
3. Andrew
2. Crystal
1. Lee

As always I will pop the Dial Idol predictions tomorrow AM…

WHAT…A surprise… Everything is in the too close to call category, but a surprise is that Lee came out with the most of anyone!

Recently the Greater Hartford Arts Council had a meeting where we did a little shaving and repurposing of the video I created last fall. Thought I would share the new version, nothing crazy different, but still sharable

When I was at AOL Music I did a series of “AIM Interviews” over AIM with some pretty awesome (and some kinda awesome) people. Popping up my interview with Hilary Duff. Enjoy.BrendanInMusic: Hey there 
WithLuvHil: hello
BrendanInMusic: how are you today Hilary??
WithLuvHil: pretty good! had to wake up early!!
BrendanInMusic: that must be tough, do you have a lot going on in prep for the album release??
WithLuvHil: yes! i have been doing a radio tour> two citys a day
WithLuvHil: lost of interviews! fun though
BrendanInMusic: well as long as it is fun, any cool places??
WithLuvHil: i was in arizona and it was really nice, the weather> then to dallas and i am from tx. so it was cool to be there for a little while. and chicago! those have been my fav so far!
WithLuvHil: and of course NYC
BrendanInMusic: awesome! what has the reception been on all of your new music
BrendanInMusic: it’s definitely a new sound for you
BrendanInMusic: many people calling it very Kylie
WithLuvHil: it is! i got to have so much fun. this is the first time i actually wrote the whole record! i got to just be really honest play with new sounds. i think it has kind of suprised people in a good way.
BrendanInMusic: we love what we’ve heard so far, it sounds great!
WithLuvHil: thanks!
BrendanInMusic: was it a hard transition for you at your age starting with a young audience to evolve your sound?
WithLuvHil: no it kind of feels just like a natural progression. it feels right. but it is weird kind of growing up with everyone watching you grow up. they think i am like planning all this out but really it is just how i feel and who i am
BrendanInMusic: what do you think has influenced you through all of this?
WithLuvHil: the reason i wanted to do more of a dance record is because i cant wait to go on tour again and want to do a show with the live feel from before but with dancers and i wanna dance and have a choreographed show
BrendanInMusic: when will you go on tour??
WithLuvHil: also other artist and wanting to do something diffrent to challange myself
BrendanInMusic: thats awesome, what did you find the most challenging from this record?
WithLuvHil: i was a little nervous to be so honest! when i started writting, i would stop and be like( whoa do i want people to know this about me?) but then i kept it all and let go being scared to be judged! no ones perfect and we all have problems and i am just like everyone else
WithLuvHil: it was so much fun!
WithLuvHil: i covered a lot of ground on this record
BrendanInMusic: very cool 
BrendanInMusic: in general you’ve been big in the public eye over the past few years
BrendanInMusic: but at least mostly positive!
BrendanInMusic: how do you feel you’re portrayed??
WithLuvHil: thats kind of a hard question to answer myself. i feel like i should ask someone and get back to you! ha! i think pretty positive though. i dont like to live my whole life and things i do and people i hang out with all in the public eye for people to talk about.
WithLuvHil: i am not out there doing really crazy things, ya know
BrendanInMusic: haha well that’s a good thing then 
BrendanInMusic: do you consider yourself a rolemodel??
WithLuvHil: yes. people always say that to me and its very flattering. at the same time it can be alot to live up to. i am just trying to figure out who i am in my life.
WithLuvHil: i dont really feel the same pressure as i used to about it though. i just want to make my self happy. if people like me they like me and if they dont they dont. or maybe look up to me is what i mean.
WithLuvHil: sorry dont feel like going back and deleting all that stuff
BrendanInMusic: well its a lot to look up to, you’ve sold millions of records, stared in movies
BrendanInMusic: is there something else you want to accomplish??
WithLuvHil: there is stuff that i have not accomplished within those things like a certain role or a diffrent sounding record.
WithLuvHil: i dream up all kinds of things
BrendanInMusic: what’s you’re wildest, or favorite dream of that sort?
WithLuvHil: i dont know if i could tell u specifaclly because i have been so focused on this record. but i know especially in movies i want to do something really dramatic or unexpected. i just did a movie in bulgaria and got to play this really out there girl who is totally the opposite of who i am and it was so amazing i cant wait to do more stuff like that.
BrendanInMusic: can’t wait to see that!
WithLuvHil: thanks! me too!
BrendanInMusic: so this record… what made you decide on the title??
WithLuvHil: i think it sounds strong! dignity is something we have to work on our whole lives to have if we want it. its not an easy thing to have all the time and it can go away really fast. but, you can get it back if you want. i just think its intresting and it is something i hope i always strive for
BrendanInMusic: that’s pretty strong!
BrendanInMusic: what can fans expect from the whole album
WithLuvHil: it really sums me up and is self explanitory. it was intresting to make a record half in a realationship and half not! lots of emotions happy,sad,lonley, strong. also lots of family matters happend to me this year i feel alot of people will realate to and living in la there is alot to write about!! some funny thing. all of it is done to dance music so its fresh. there is no ballad on the record
BrendanInMusic: very cool — what made you choose with love as the first single??
WithLuvHil: i have a fragrance that came out around christmas time it is called “with love” i wrote the song for the commercial i shot for the perfume. i loved the song and wanted to release it as a single
WithLuvHil: as well
BrendanInMusic: awesome, it sounds great
BrendanInMusic: so what can we expectto see soon, tour new movie???
WithLuvHil: thanks! it is pretty catchy
WithLuvHil: i will be touring over the summer!!! i miss tour and cant with to be on the road again. it is the greatest feeling! the movie i did in bulgaria is called “Brand Hauser” it is with John Cusack and Marisa Tomei, also Ben Kingsley. that sould be out in 7 to 8 months i think. also and animated movie called “Food Fight”
BrendanInMusic: awesome! we can’t wait to check it all out! it sounds great 
BrendanInMusic: i know how busy you are so thanks much for chatting today
WithLuvHil: thanks the album is out april 3th.
WithLuvHil: i had fun too
BrendanInMusic: great!! we are looking forward to april 3!
BrendanInMusic: have a good one  thanks again!
WithLuvHil: bye!

Time to live it! I recently stumbled on this, and it just blew me away, so simple yet powerful. I haven’t gotten trained to it yet, but hoping that will happen in time….

Finally, people are starting to get the axe live. The top 24-12 doesn’t come close to the full entertainment of the Top 12… but first to go was Janell Wheeler who had performed Heart’s ‘What About Love.’ She seems sweet, and very pretty but she just couldn’t sing that song. I am quite fine with loss #1.

My biggest heartbreak is Ashley being voted off. Her audition was by far my FAVORITE and she was AMAZING, but singing Leona’s ‘Happy’ was just a big fail…. I can’t believe she blew it, I will definitely miss her in the Top 12.

Joe? Peace out… The “cute” one did worse, but you weren’t much better so best of luck.

No love lost on Tyler either, thought he did have a strong voice, but he had no chance on going much further.

See ya next week!

What will end up being a ridiculous series of posts, I changed the phone designs a bit, instead of a notification list, i thought interactive widgets were really where it was at… millions of changes ahead but thought it would be interesting to share the process…

When it rains it pours, this time I put a very long iMix up that was approved by iTunes, I’ve been in a little crabby mood lately so I decided to put together a little mix to listen to for a little pouting and uplifting. Check it out, and if you like it, rate it with the stars! I have some ratings so far but more would be really cool!!

So I wrote an insane amount of info on my thoughts on the state of cell phones right now, but I figured I would try and illustrate exactly what I wanted. This is no easy task especially since I have never done this before, but I am working out the kinks but wanted to get a quick draft done to show I am actually putting my money where my mouth is! Any thoughts are VERY welcomed…..

I ended up getting March’s iMix up pretty early!

Check it out

This is the second AIM interview I did with Kelly, 2 weeks before I got to meet her!!!!BrendanInMusic: hey hey
KellysDecember07: hello
BrendanInMusic: thanks for chatting today. where are you IMing from?
KellysDecember07: from my home in texas
BrendanInMusic: very nice, must be nice to be home!
BrendanInMusic: you’ve been pretty busy lately
KellysDecember07: it is very nice to be home, i love it here
KellysDecember07: i love your icon picture
KellysDecember07: haha, it’s funny
BrendanInMusic: hehe thanks.. I’m told it looks JUST LIKE ME
KellysDecember07: right on, then you’re adorable, haha
BrendanInMusic: and single… we can chat about that one after
KellysDecember07: hahaha
KellysDecember07: nice
BrendanInMusic: so you’ve been doing lots of TV, press, etc lately… is there anything that you still get excited about or nervous doing?
KellysDecember07: um …i get excited about a lot of things but never nervous
KellysDecember07: like i love doing Ellen, Leno, Jimmy Kimmel
KellysDecember07: fun shows
BrendanInMusic: what do you consider like the ultimate “it” for guesting KellysDecember07: i think Ellen because i love her show so much, she is hilarious and always super cool to me and to everyone that works with me
BrendanInMusic: awesome
KellysDecember07: she probably has the most fun on her show
BrendanInMusic: i can imagine…get to show off all your dancing skills
KellysDecember07: hahaha, yes
BrendanInMusic: Did you find much relaxation and fun time in between the tour and making the album?
KellysDecember07: yeah, i always make sure i’m having a bit of fun or else it’s not worth it
KellysDecember07: i mean, i want to see the places i’m actually getting to travel to
KellysDecember07: we’re gonna be playing a lot of guitar hero this tour, haha
BrendanInMusic: do you have a favorite so far?
KellysDecember07: a favorite place to visit?? i love boston
BrendanInMusic: that’s an interesting fav place, but a good one
KellysDecember07: i love the people and the city is beautiful. i don’t know, every time i go there i have a great timeBrendanInMusic: so when did you start the process for ‘My December’?
KellysDecember07: a little over 2 years ago
KellysDecember07: i wrote the album everywhere …scottland, uk, texas, L.A ..everywhere
BrendanInMusic: Did you feel very stressed going into the project after the massive success you’ve had in the last few years?
KellysDecember07: no, i had so much to say that i was feeling very creative, haha
KellysDecember07: we ended up with way too many songs
BrendanInMusic: i suppose that’s better than not enough
BrendanInMusic: what will happen with all of the extra songs??
KellysDecember07: started with around 60, then 26, now 14 for the album
KellysDecember07: we’ll use them for b-sides and international stuff and other albums i guess
BrendanInMusic: Did you go into the studio with any type of plan or mission for the album?
BrendanInMusic: sound wise or other
KellysDecember07: not really a plan, no
KellysDecember07: just recorded all of our favorites and wanted to make sure we were focusing on the music rather than being SO concerned with trying to make everything mainstream
BrendanInMusic: if you had to name the “sound” of the album, what would you call it?
KellysDecember07: there’s a little bit of everything sound wise …singer/songwriter stuff, rock/pop stuff, some soulful songs
BrendanInMusic: You’ve also been involved in a few country performances lately, not too long ago with Reba and a little while back with the Rascal Flatts… is a country album something you’d want to do or just something fun to dabble in?
KellysDecember07: oh lord, haha, i have no idea
BrendanInMusic: just good music?
KellysDecember07: i’m actually already working on my next project right now, and it’s kind of country meets blues meets rock
KellysDecember07: it’s awesome, i’m having a lot of fun on it
KellysDecember07: i love country music
BrendanInMusic: wow, thats pretty ambitious! already another new project before this one is out, haha
KellysDecember07: it’s fun and sweet and the melodies are usually killer
KellysDecember07: haha, yes i’m always working on the next thing. some might say it’s a sickness, but i just love writing
BrendanInMusic: all the work seems to be paying off
BrendanInMusic: the last time we talked to you was the day of Grammy nominations (and btw congrats!!)
BrendanInMusic: what did winning them mean to you?
KellysDecember07: thanks! winning them made me feel like all my hard work was paying off, which is a pretty awesome feeling
KellysDecember07: it’s always nice to be recognized for what you do obviously
KellysDecember07: the 10 year-old me was kicking myself that night, it was very cool
BrendanInMusic: in an old interview from Idol, you said that one of your ultimate goals would be to perform at an awards show like the grammys
KellysDecember07: yes i did, and also when i wrote ‘because of you’ i knew one day i would sing it on the grammy’s …i don’t know how i knew but i just did, and when it actually happened i flipped out
BrendanInMusic: now that you’ve done that and won a few… what’s your next life goal?
KellysDecember07: my goal is to be happy…a simple goal but a hard one sometimes with this crazy world, haha
KellysDecember07: i want to be happy with my music, and my relationships and life
KellysDecember07: life’s too short to settle for less
BrendanInMusic: definitely…so your look and sound has evolved quite a bit since you started out
BrendanInMusic: is where you are now the place you’ve been working towards or was it just more of a natural evolution?
KellysDecember07: i’d say natural revolution …i love both of my previous albums but you can tell that with each album I’m in a different place …and i should be because i’m obviously growing and changing…coming out with the same album and sound would be boring for me and my fans
BrendanInMusic: So what are your fans in store for this time around with ‘My December’?
KellysDecember07: well the album as a whole is about surviving things you thought you never would, and actually taking the time to catch your breath and enjoy life
KellysDecember07: it’s a little more rock, a lot more raw and blunt, and it’s all me
BrendanInMusic: right now people are calling you the Alanis Morissette of 2007…
KellysDecember07: hahahahaha, i’m not that good,
KellysDecember07: but thank you to whoever’s saying that
KellysDecember07: the first single definitely has that alanis touch but as for the rest of the album, it doesn’t
BrendanInMusic: You’ve got a pretty ambitious tour ahead of you. are you ready to get back on the road?
KellysDecember07: I LOVE TOURING, I CAN’T WAIT
KellysDecember07: this tour is going to be the biggest and best tour i’ve done
KellysDecember07: we’re bringing a string section, a horn section
KellysDecember07: a dj that plays NIN style scratches
BrendanInMusic: you have lots of fans really excited for it! sounds like they wont be disappointed…
KellysDecember07: it’s just way more production and i can’t wait for people to see it
BrendanInMusic: Do you have any favorite songs you like to perform live? (a couple years later… ‘addicted’ is still one of my favorite songs of all time)
KellysDecember07: oh i love that you like that song, it’s one of my favorite songs i’ve ever written!!
BrendanInMusic: very awesome, hope to hear it when you come around
KellysDecember07: i love performing ‘walk away’ and i think off this new record i’m gonna love performing ‘never again’ and ‘hole’ and ‘how i feel’
BrendanInMusic: awesome.. can’t wait to hear them!
BrendanInMusic: we know you’re busy, but thanks again for taking the time to chat
KellysDecember07: thank you!!
KellysDecember07: have a good one man
BrendanInMusic: you too

In 2007 Apple introduced one of the biggest products in history which “revolutionized” (I hate using that word, but there’s not many others that can work in its spot) cell phones and the emerging smartphone business permanently. From the day Steve Jobs had his keynote introducing the phone my mouth instantly watered and I was determined to get one…asap. The phone had amazing features, went beyond what any other phone could do and was just plain old cool. A lot has changed since then, and with the latest announcement of the Windows Phone 7 series I figured I would take a long winded approach to what I think is good and bad about the 3 major players– the iPhone, Android and Windows Phone.

When the iPhone came out, much to my disappointment in myself, I demonstrated self-restraint and waited after the phone was released… at least until they lowered the price and then it was adios Verizon, hello iPhone. I loved it, there wasn’t really anything NOT to love about it, well other than the fact that it was on AT&T and I was living in the Hoboken/Manhattan at the time and that area was not their strong suit. In fact, it was horrible reception. BUT, the phone was in fact worth that small price, until I actually moved to Manhattan and I couldn’t get cell service on my walk to/from work and was spotty at best in my apartment. Just not a feasible reason to keep a phone, even if it was the “Jesus Phone” since it really just didn’t work where I was.

From there I hopped over to Sprint, who still to this day has the absolute best network I have experienced and I love them. I was praying of a Sprint iPhone. Then Apple introduced the iPhone 3G (still on AT&T) but this time I was residing in Connecticut where I still am today and had no will power on an instant switch to get the precious iPhone back. There were minimal noticeable changes other than on the back end which just made the phone move a little faster. Nothing that really bothered me but always nice to have that done.

As some time went on, companies were busting their asses to catch up to the iPhone, newer smartphones were being released what seemed to be a few a week! It wasn’t until Google unveiled their Android platform did phones (in my opinion) take a step in a new direction. Up until Android phones were introduced, other than adding backgrounds to some phones or rearranging some icons, you really couldn’t do that much at all to really snazz it up, or just make it YOURS. I of course jumped ship. I have the Moto Droid right now, and I do like it, though as always there’s room for improvement. And lastly yesterday Microsoft introduced their new Windows Phone Series 7 system. I figured it was time to pit these phones against each other based on my own opinions on what needs to happen to make this really work.

The iPhone was the first in a class of its own. Its features and look software and hardware were just so impressive at launch….in 2007. Since that time, it has held it’s same user interface from 2007 and while there has been some changes to the hardware, it is pretty much the same phone they introduced in 2007. 3 years ago! In tech years that’s an eternity. Apple is a company of pure innovation and  has shown no true progress in 3 years. Apple. Please. STEP IT UP. Phones now offer animated widgets, the ability to update Facebook with out going into a Facebook app, realtime weather, alerts on the lock screen. The same icons sit in the same spots with no sign of a change. My hoped had been lifted before the introduction of the iPad, however it was literally just a stretched out iPhone, even the little icons were the same size on the same type of main screen which are dwarfed in comparison, the only step forward is the addition of a background! Woo. Apple had such a great chance to really drop a WOW bomb with this and to me and many others it fell flat. Sure it would be great to have if I was commuting compared to just a regular iPod, but there’s really no feasible use for me in its current state.

What chaps my ass is that Apple has just an unbeatable operating system– Snow Leopard. the UI (user interface) is beautiful, it’s fast, it really sets the standard compared to what is currently out there. So the question is why aren’t they taking the impressive features they have and moving them to the iPhone? Apple is always striving to go 2 steps forward, so why aren’t they doing this with the iPhone, why are they in such control that after 3 years you can’t even change the background of your home screen. The only customization you can make is the background on the lock screen and where certain icons can move.

I am not the only one on this rant, its all over the Apple and techy blogs. TUAW had visitors submit an open letter type of what they want to see in the 4th generation of the iPhone.

The theme is obvious on what people want. CUSTOMIZATION. FUNCTION. NEW LOOKS.  The picture to the left is something someone submitted as an ideal “lock screen” for a new iteration of the iPhone. I think that while it stick with the same look of the iPhone it is so great to see all of your current alerts and important information right there with out having to even fish around for them on the phone itself. That functionality would be a huge improvement. Beyond that they need to take a step forward on the way the iPhone operates in the users eyes. No the icons don’t need to CHANGE, but widgets are key, they are interactive and easy to use. They need to take their attention to beauty and make the UI just that. New and beautiful. I am a MAC 100% but yes, I have abandoned the iPhone. Until they step up the game and really take this to a new level, I honestly feel like it’s old technology at this point, which is strange because it set the standard for NEW technology when it came out!

Also on a separate note– PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE expand carriers in the US, every other country has options, not us. AT&T is NOT a great carrier, their prices aren’t competitive and you have more of a chance of me coming back faster if you were on Verizon or Sprint than staying with AT&T.

When the Android phones were coming out, I obviously kept a very close eye on what was going on. The first one that splashed in the US was the T-Mobile myTouch 3G, that didn’t get much of my attention because I don’t see T-Mobile as a carrier with any quality service (as far as actual network and coverage is concerned). Sprint took on 2 quickly after, the HTC Hero which I did drop my iPhone for which was heavily touted in the press as the hottest and most quality phone on the market. Well, despite some of its positives, it just did not work fantastic, there were too many bugs and I had to have 2 replacements within a month and 1/2. Not a good relationship. I decided to make the jump (again…yes) to the Motorola Droid. Verizon and Motorola made such a significant splash with this phone, especially targeted to the lack of features that the iPhone had in comparison. It was a direct slap to Apple, and I think they had proper grounds. I like the Droid, I am satisfied with it, it is powered by widgets, it has a lot of fun things you can add to customize, however for me it is STILL behind. Why is the grid so defined and spaced out, why are the icons SO small, if this is all customizable, why can’t I arrange things in a funky order? Why must I have the icon AND text for the icon. Little picky things yes, but for the customizable phone it definitely limits what you CAN customize. I want cool. It’s getting there, and yes it’s in its infancy stage with a lot of development ahead of it, early adopters pay that price, but I think that the potential is there. There’s one company below who is developing something for Android that I am really excited about…

Here is something that a company TAT has developed for the Android platform which I think should have been something integrated from the start. And it’s STILL not ready, but I definitely put my e-mail in to get on board when it DOES surface for consumers. The video does a much better job illustrating the differences, and it still isn’t “perfect” but it is a lot more customizable than the minimal “customizable” features of the Android system as it exists today.

This is the first interface that I actually think is ATTRACTIVE, FUNCTIONAL, and USER FOCUSED.

Lastly, the newest phone series to be announced, the Windows Phone. I was excited for the announcement to see what exactly they had up their sleeves, as they are coming from behind I expected them to have something really mind blowing in store for us. I absolutely love the interface they have for the Zune so I assumed that it would be just as great if not better. There are aspects of the phone that lean on that but if you want to scroll alllll the way back up to the top above my rant, you can see the home screen of the Windows 7 phones. What on EARTH were they thinking. Some say its simple but effective, I say its boring, has its positives by showing alerts but oh my god is it boring. There’s no life to it. I couldn’t have been more disappointed. The rest of the features are quite attractive so why did they make the home screen so damn boring. As expected they are only the software side of this. That is Microsoft though. Regular phone makers will be taking the operative system and using it for their phones, so really nothing special. Blah.

My recommendation. GOOGLE– Work with TAT asap, even looking through their other works they are really talented and have an amazing knack for some killer UI. With their ideas executed it would be a hard phone to beat when on the right hardware.

APPLE- Wake up, the iPhone was revolutionary in 2007. It’s 2010. Time to reinvent this wheel. It’s not broken but it needs to be fixed. Something FRESH AND NEW. PLEASE.

WINDOWS- Ugly. Come on, show some creative spirit.

For me, I am sticking with my Android but will no doubt head back to the iPhone when it reinvents itself.

Yesterday I popped on the blog and realized it had been forever since I had any updates! My bad!!! Not that there’s people clamoring for more of my drawn out stories, but still, I am getting back on the wagon and you shall see a lot more shortly!!!