It seems like every day there is a new name being thrown in to the mix of who could be joining American Idol as a judge. We have heard names like Bret Michaels, Harry Connick Jr, Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler and most recently Shania Twain was added to list. Well there is another name being thrown in to the hat, and I spoke to the man himself about it.
Remember during American Idol season 8 Adam Lambert broke out from the pack when he sang Tears For Fears’ Mad World? Well I guess Fox and the producers of American Idol took notice, because Curt Smith who sang that song originally had a meeting with Fox and Freemantle about being a possible judge! When I saw the man that sang one of my all-time favorite songs (Mad World) could possible be someone I would be watching twice a week from January to May, I had to find out more. So here is what he told me about Idol, Tears For Fears, his solo work, his new website and the popular USA Network show he will be guest starring on!
Seriously? OMG! WTF? – How did you being considered for a judge on American Idol come about? Curt Smith – Now that’s a mystery 🙂 I received an e-mail from my music agent (CAA) whilst on holiday in the UK asking if I would meet with Fox & Fremantle about judging on American Idol. Being a fan of the show I said sure.
SOW – What was it like getting that call? CS: I wondered how they thought of me and my kids went bananas
SOW – What was the meeting like? CS – A little strange not being used to those kind of things. I don’t see how someone can form an educated opinion of anyone in 30 minutes.
SOW – There have been so many rumors on who will be the next judge(s) on American Idol, have you been following them? What do you think of them? CS – I couldn’t really form an honest opinion as I don’t know those being considered personally. I just hope they have a rapport with each other as the show used to be more fun to watch.
SOW – If you got the phone call tomorrow from Idol asking you to judge the show, what would you say? CS – Yes probably 🙂
SOW – Your song Mad World went through a resurgence for a second time, thanks to Adam Lambert singing it in on American Idol. What was it like when you heard him sing on the show? What was it like hearing him perform it live at the finale? And did you watch General Hospital when the show made his version James Franco’s theme song? CS – I was there to hear and see him sing it in the finale – I’ve taken my kids to the show a few times. I liked it and we were rooting for Adam to win as he was the most talented. As to the latter, daytime soaps are not really my thing.
SOW – I know you have been on the road internationally with Tears For Fears earlier in the year and you are out on the road again now here in the states with TFF. Where are you going? What has it been like? CS – We start tonight in Detroit then head to Buffalo, Toronto and follow the coast down to Florida so no reports yet.
(SOW note – You can get a list of all the cities and dates that Tears For Fears is playing from now until September 5th at Pollstar)
SOW – You have a single out today, Perfectly…Still! Where can my readers get it? CS – It’s available on all the online sites, iTunes, Amazon etc. You will also be able to buy limited CD copies at TFF shows and on my website www.curtsmithofficial.com
SOW – You already have a lot on your plate, but what else do you have going on? CS -I’ve just started a music web show called Stripped Down Live that will be up and running again when I return to LA in early September. I’ve filmed an episode of the TV show Psych playing the difficult part of myself which will be out in September also. I’m performing a few solo shows in LA (see my website for details) and heading to San Francisco in November to talk at TEDxSF about social media.
Wow Curt Smith has a lot coming up and I can’t wait to see him playing himself on Psych next month on USA. I hope that he has something else that we will have to watch him on coming up in the new year and that is him being a judge on American Idol! Seriously after watching him in that second video from his website Stripped Down Live, don’t you think he would be great sitting at the judges table on the #1 show on American TV? Fingers crossed he is still in the running.
Now back to his music, you have to download Perfectly…Still because it is as good as Mad World, Everybody Wants to Rule the World and Woman in Chains. Also make sure to see Tears For Fears or Curt Smith live when they are playing a city near you because they are just that awesome live.
BTW Curt Smith is on Twitter and I have been enjoying his Tweets for a while. So if you are Twitter, I highly suggest following him because he is really interesting and posts some really cool pictures.
Finally thank you so much to Curt Smith for taking the time to speak with me before you performed your first show on the tour in Detroit tonight!
via GMMR
Tears for Fears’ Mad World is one of all my all time favorite songs hands down, so when I read that Adam Lambert was going to do it (I am on the West Coast, so I cheat and read online reviews) and Simon gave him a standing O, I thought he was going nail it and I was excited for it. Well I am sorry, but I f*cking hated it. He had the opportunity to make it haunting especially since he did the Gary Jules version of it. While his high voice might be good for the stage and carry through the audience, but listening to it on TV it grated on me. If he would have done it in deeper voice and let the chorus stand a little more on its own, I think I would have liked it a whole better. But man I don’t care, it is my favorite song and I personally didn’t like what he did it with it. I just think when people have favorite songs, they don’t like when anyone else does anything to it and that is how I feel about Mad World. I will be honest it took me a long time to get used to and like Gary Jules version of it and when it comes to Adam I really don’t think I will ever like it.
And I know several of you will disagree with me and bash me, but that is where I stand on his version of the song. Here is the Tears for Fears version of it, that I know you are going to say Adam’s was much better…but I disagree.
