https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=8145130710043009707&postID=5565364409908662366&page=1I must give off some kind of reporter vibe (perhaps the pad and pen?* haha!) because Taylor Hicks asked me if our meet and greet was an interview last Friday night. I laughed and said "no" but then he asked if our talk was going to appear on my blog. I said I wasn't sure and I meant it, because I'm not interested in crossing any lines or betraying a trust even if it is with a stranger. That's just not what I'm about. I'm a nice person.
But his expression looked hopeful. I got the impression he wanted other fans to be able to read what he had to say, so I said, "OK, yes." (There have been some nasty remarks made elsewhere online about messages being sent at M&Gs, so I wanted to get that out of the way.)
And I'll be honest, after getting home from Chicago and reading comments on other blogs, I decided I really don't want to write this up. I'm tired of the effort it takes to be an online fan: making sure that what you write isn't misunderstood, worrying that people will think you think you're somehow special if Taylor says something quotable to you. Believe me, I know I'm just a face in the crowd. There is nothing special about me in Taylor's eyes. I know that, I'm fine with that, I don't care.
But I feel an obligation to relay a few things Taylor said to me that were meant for all of us to hear. Let's just do this so I can commence my disappearing act from the online world for a few days.
After some opening pleasantries:
C: I’m going to Martyr’s tomorrow. So, you’ll be doing the new music?
Taylor: We’ll see...I’m gonna keep everybody in suspense.
C: You like to do that.
Taylor: It’s not that I...I know what the fans want but you have to create demand for yourself. That’s the key. I’m planning on playing some music from the new record but I gotta make sure that the record is effective. This record is really important to me from an artistic perspective. I have to do everything in my power to make the release as big as possible.
C: Sure
Taylor: That’s just good business. You want to make sure that you have the biggest impact as possible, so going and playing a bunch of new music before the album comes out is not necessarily making a big impact when you release a particular product. But you know, I understand what fans want. I get it. But it’s a business, too.
C: Yes, unfortunately.
T: So I’m gonna play some music from the new record. Am I gonna play the whole record? No. I can’t. You want people coming to your shows. The digital age has made the artist like…very…(he hunched his shoulders and hugged his arms around himself)...
C: guarded?
T: well, yeah, guarded with his product. And you know, as a fan, I would think you would want to make this record as impactful as possible. The quality is what I’m worried about…I want people to hear great quality especially when you’re talking about new material. And we’ve got to create a buzz. What if I play a different song from the record in each market? You give people of piece of that and they wonder what he's going to do.
C: To keep people interested.
Taylor: Not just that but maybe they go away with something that nobody else gets to have.
C: Are there gonna be more shows? Are you gonna tour the south with Grease?
Taylor: (mischievous smile) Maybe.
C: (laughing) You drive us nuts.
Taylor: Do I? Is it really nuts or is it that people just want information out of me?
C: Hmm...I don’t know.
Taylor: I just hope people enjoy my music and my entertainment, that's all I care about. I’m trying to put it out there as much as possible for everybody. People say to me all the time, 'you think it was tough getting here, try staying here'. Staying here requires more work than getting here. But you know, everybody’s happy! C’mon this is all fun here!
C: Fun for you! Then we all get online and say 'what did he mean by that?'
Taylor: I can’t help all that. I just want to make the biggest impact I can with the record. Also, I want to be able to play live for some fans. I could NOT play live, but I’m not gonna do that.
C: Uh huh.
*pause*
Taylor: People thrive on information from me and I understand that. People use information as currency. All I can do is go out there and be who am and entertain and hopefully please old fans and make some new ones and keep working it as long as I can.
C: Yeah. (smile, head nod) Oh, I rewrote 'Somehow' for you, it’s a funny version (http://a-caryling.blogspot.com/2008/11/somehow-rewrite.html). Somebody told me I should give it to you. Sorry. (laugh)
Taylor: (laughing) Who knows, I might play it sometime!
More goodbye pleasantries and then he was gone. Well, I'm off to walk my dog, talk to my children, hug my husband and yes, rake a few leaves. Y'all have fun.
*I had the pad and pen because I had questions written down. I was afraid I'd get flustered and would forget. I hate that.
Front Page 
Subject: "Taylor Hicks: "Is This An Interview?" 
Thu Jan 22, 2009 3:42 pm
Very interesting!
