James Durbin Season 10

[Misty8723]

It's still a matter of preference. Randy not caring for her voice, and Steven loving her voice. Nothing to say Steven is any more "right" than Randy is. I'd say Randy has a GOOD grasp on what range is all about as having been bass guitarist in the bands Journey and Taxxi. Not to mention he has performed with Jerry Garcia and Carlos Santana. It's all about preference. One likes her, one there doesn't. To each his own.

I'd say Randy has a better grasp than Steven since he is also a producer. And Randy was right, she did scream the last part of that song and it sounded awful. He should have left off the part about how she should have done it the same way as Michael Jackson, but he does that all the time if someone covers a song by someone he particularly likes and doesn't kill it.

The bottom line is if you like someone and the judges don't, you think they're idiots. If you don't like one and the judges don't, you think they're brilliant.

[pillbeam]

Steven has never told anybody they were anything other than beautiful. I would take what he tells you with a grain of salt.

That's exactly my point. The judges' comments are not to be trusted or relied upon. Haley has been wise to listen to Iovine, not the so-called "judges" panel.
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[angelic_one2002]

These last contestants are young kids, though..and they should look up to these judges as knowing a bit more about the music and music industry than they do..they're experienced and older. Been around it much longer. All the more reason to take their advice or tips, and listen.

[pillbeam]

The bottom line is if you like someone and the judges don't, you think they're idiots. If you don't like one and the judges don't, you think they're brilliant.

Nah, I've always thought the judges were idiots, even when they praised my favorites. For example, they praised my favorites, Jacob and Casey, to the hilt this year, but I still know that they are not real "judges"---just performing monkeys doing mostly Nigel Lythgoe's bidding. Last year, they continally praised Crystal, also my favorite, but I still thought their comments about her were pointless.

This year, I am not crazy about Haley's performing and prefer Scotty, but I still think they gave Haley a raw deal.
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[pillbeam]

These last contestants are young kids, though..and they should look up to these judges as knowing a bit more about the music and music industry than they do..they're experienced and older. Been around it much longer. All the more reason to take their advice or tips, and listen.

Okay, James just got booted off the show. What was the best advice the "judges" gave him? What pearls of wisdom did they tell him? Seriously. How did they supposedly help him improve his performance? Of course, he is not there anymore to listen.

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[MsFroggy]

Hmmm, Adam seems as disenchanted with James as I am. He sees James as not that original or authentic sounding. From the Hollywood Reporter:

"The constant comparisons of James Durbin to Adam have no doubt been a thorn in the side of both singers, but now the senior Idol says, he’s “kind of over” James. “I think he's got talent and passion 100 percent, but I feel like he's trying way too hard,” Adam opines. “Also, his niche is so limited with the metal. When he did that “Heavy Metal” song [by Sammy Hagar], James was note-perfect. He was on pitch, which is usually kind of an issue, and I think he sounded really good, but it felt like a copycat. I didn’t feel like I was seeing an original artist yet. And I'm not saying he doesn't have that in him, but it hasn’t been showing. Whereas Haley and Casey, they're bringing a little more legitimacy to it. They're more grounded in their own voices. When they did that jazz duet, that was nuts! They give off a good vibe.

He also advises the contestants to pay attention to what the seasoned music business veterans have to offer — they are, after all, there to help and guide them. Says Adam: “Yeah, you can stick to your guns, like James did when he was arguing with Jimmy Iovine, but I also feel like: ‘You're new to this, dude. Listen up!’”

(So much for James taking advice. I don't see that in his future).

Adam Lambert On His Season 10 Fave Haley Reinhart And Why He
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That's more constructive criticism than James ever got on the show. Perhaps if the judges had told James, oh, three months ago, that he was consistently off key, that may have helped him. However, all he got where protracted tongue baths from the judges even when he was truly horrible. I think he's finding it out the hard way how it is to receive feedback from people who are not paid to parrot the party line like the the Idol judges. The media and everyone else is not obliged to give him a free pass and they won't.

And as evidenced by the absolute PR nightmare he's proving himself to be in his post-Idol interviews... You know what they say about giving somebody enough rope and all that.

[angelic_one2002]

Okay, James just got booted off the show. What was the best advice the "judges" gave him? What pearls of wisdom did they tell him? Seriously. How did they supposedly help him improve his performance? Of course, he is not there anymore to listen.

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Randy told him after his performance of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"..that he had "to take chances" as he did on that performance..if he "wanted a long career", and "in order to be an artist."

[pillbeam]

Randy told him after his performance of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"..that he had "to take chances" as he did on that performance..if he "wanted a long career", and "in order to be an artist."

What did that exactly mean? It's just a vague comment that didn't help James stay on the show. Why didn't the judges call James on some of the performances that were out of tune? Or a couple performances where he literally screamed through the whole performance with no emotional connection to the song? These are the things that James needed to hear about. And there were some real technique issues that rocker extraordinaire Steven could have, and should have, told James about. But Steven, and the other judges, are not there to "judge" or advise. They are just playing a role, as devised by Nigel. Simon said this year that the American Idol producers were not happy with him because he did not do what they "wanted." I'm beginning to think that this means he did not want to follow whatever script the producers outlined for relating to the contestants.


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[Misty8723]

What did that exactly mean? It's just a vague comment that didn't help James stay on the show. Why didn't the judges call James on some of the performances that were out of tune? Or a couple performances where he literally screamed through the whole performance with no emotional connection to the song? These are the things that James needed to hear about. And there were some real technique issues that rocker extraordinaire Steven could have, and should have, told James about. But Steven, and the other judges, are not there to "judge" or advise. They are just playing a role, as devised by Nigel. Simon said this year that the American Idol producers were not happy with him because he did not do what they "wanted." I'm beginning to think that this means he did not want to follow whatever script the producers outlined for relating to the contestants.


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How much advice can they give them in the few seconds they have to talk? I think all the advice giving is done off camera. All reality shows have scripts they follow, why would we think this one is different? We all get too worked up about it, should just mellow back, forget what the judges say, and enjoy the performances.

[Tammi]

Steven has never told anybody they were anything other than beautiful. I would take what he tells you with a grain of salt.

Isn't that EXACTLY the truth!! Anyone with any sense of self-awareness would realize that Steven is to be ignored if he tells you that your singing was beautiful!! Only people desperate for a compliment would listen and believe!!