Keeping Up With David Cook

[KSChristian4Clay]

David thanks the fans

David's Official MySpace Page

[KSChristian4Clay]

Idol's David Cook tops iTunes download charts
By Jill Serjeant

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Newly crowned "American Idol" David Cook, already topping the iTunes music download charts, said on Friday he hopes to put out a rock album that will "make the hair on your neck stand up."

Cook, 25, a Missouri guitarist who was tending bar before auditioning for the most watched show on U.S. television, also said his best musical advice came from Frank Sinatra.

Cook won the seventh season of the singing competition and a recording contract on Wednesday, beating 17-year-old crooner David Archuleta by a 12 million-vote margin in the record 97.5 million votes cast by viewers by telephone and text message.

Cook's first single "The Time of My Life" and the three songs he sang in this week's "American Idol" finale were the top four downloads on Apple Inc's iTunes music store on Friday.

Cook said he would not be putting out an album of standards even though he won fans on the show, which is broadcast on the Fox network, a unit of News Corp, with alternative versions of pop classics such as "Billie Jean" and Lionel Richie's "Hello."

"I think it's going to be a mixture of my writing and hopefully writing with other people. I just want to come out of the gate with a solid record," he told reporters in a telephone conference call.

"It'll probably be a rock record. I just want to make a record that's going to make the hair on your neck stand up ... Even if it doesn't do well commercially, as long as I can put out a record I am proud of -- that's the goal right now. And hopefully the success will follow."

Cook is not likely to start work on the first album until the Top 10 Idols finish a three-month U.S. tour starting in July.

Cook, who played in bands for 10 years trying to make it in the music business, said his biggest lesson came from an article he read during the show on how the late Frank Sinatra focused first on the lyrics of his records.

"It made me think I needed to step back and before I even tried to learn the song, I needed to read the lyrics," he said. "That really helped as far as trying to find the vibe."

Despite a new haircut and losing about 15 pounds during the hectic "Idol" schedule, Cook said he had changed little else.

"I didn't have any expectations of what the show was going to do for me or what I was going to do for the show," he said. "I just went into it as an opportunity to expose myself to a large audience."

"American Idol," has become a pop culture phenomenon, drawing an average 28 million viewers this year and producing stars such as Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Chris Daughtry.

Reuters

[Prissy]

David Cook and AI2 Idol contestant, Kimberly Caldwell, are dating.  (Or at least, have been out to dinner.)

[fantasy]

Oh, don't get me started on Kim Caldwell.   

I saw on Amazon.com that his CD, which won't be released until the fall, is #5 on their album charts.

[KSChristian4Clay]

David Cook's Mom, Brother: Idol Win Is Bittersweet 
 

His every move is now tracked by the paparazzi and the bloggers, so you know what's going on with David Cook since he won "American Idol almost two weeks ago.

But what's been going on with Cook's family in the Metro in the aftermath of the Idol madness?

David's mom Beth Foraker and younger brother Andrew Cook know things will never be normal again for him, but will things be normal for the rest of the family?  The jury's still out.
   
Andrew says the post-Idol media circus in LA and New York has taken it's toll on his big brother.

"Every single time I've called him, I usually wake him up.  He's tired, but he's still loving it," Andrew said.

While David works on an upcoming album and the American Idol summer tour, Andrew is now back at his summer job at a Metro area retail store but he says he's not completely removed from the spotlight, either.

"I don't mind the attention, I like the attention," Andrew said. "But it is kind of weird to be walking down the street or be walking through the store or something, and you hear those whispers, 'That's David Cook's brother.'"

David's mother Beth Foraker said seeing her son as an A-list celebrity is now just a touch bittersweet.

"It's probably the only time I see my son anymore is on TV or in a magazine, because it's not like I can just drive to Tulsa, or he's going to come up for the weekend to spend the weekend here," Foraker said.

As Foraker tried to get back in her normal work routine at Aquila, the company set up a Q&A session so all her co-workers could get their Idol questions out all at once.  Beth may still take a few more questions, but there's one comment that's off limits.

"I did tell the women that I work with that they can say a lot of things about my son, but they should never come up to me and tell me think my son is sexy!  That's just something you don't tell a mom," she said.

Dave Froehlich, FOX 4 News

MyFox KC

[Jan]

DAVID COOK
OPENED THE FINAL NATIONAL BASKET BALL CHAMPIONSHIP WITH HIS REDITION OF THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER
IT WAS EXCELLENT. HE HAS A TERRIFIC RANGE.

JAN

[KSChristian4Clay]

I missed it! I'm sure it will be up on david-cook.org soon.

From PuddinsJoy at CH :

Cookie's going to be on Leno again this Thursday the 12th.  It doesn't say it's a repeat and he's listed 3rd in order so I'm guessing he's going to sing!

He and Archie will be on the view on tuesday the 24th!
they're listed 1st & 2nd

[KSChristian4Clay]

[fantasy]

I love that picture. 

I read on one of the websites devoted to David that he started the National Anthem a little off-key but managed to pull it together. I'm sure he is so exhausted. I hope he gets to rest soon, but it doesn't sound like it with those additional appearances. And yes, the Tonight Show appearance is new.

[fantasy]

Last night on The Tonight Show, David sang one song that aired, "Time of My Life." Jay didn't talk to him. But on the Tonight Show website, there is an extra performance of The Foo Fighters' "My Hero." It is good. 

[Tiffany]

David was a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Sunday. He was great and funny. Showed a cute pic of him when he was younger playing basketball.

[Claygirl]

David will be on The View this Tuesday, 6/24/08.
And I transcribed his radio interview on my local station 101.9 The Mix, for david-cook.org, and thought I'd bring it over. This was on The Eric & Kathy morning show 6/13/08:
This took three hours to do, and it's as close to word for word as I could get, with the exception of when everybody was talking at once and what they were saying overlapped. Talking was Eric and Kathy from the morning show, Melissa, the traffic girl, and morning show assistant Cynthia is mentioned as well. Enjoy!

Eric: *pretending to shake and be nervous about talking to David*
Kathy: "Are you nervous?"
Eric: "Oh, I'm just a mess, I'm a wreak!" *whispers* "He's my favorite."
Melissa: *whispers* "He's my favorite!"
Kathy: "Just like you were when we interviewed Madonna?"
Eric: "Oh, it's tantamount to that, it's very similar. Buffalo, New York, checking in. Brooklyn, New York, checking in."
Melissa: "Boy, the fans are just coming from everywhere!"
Eric: "Please don't forget...Hammond, Indiana!"
Melissa: "All right! Way to go Hammond!"
Kathy: "Had to get an Indiana in there! And Arkansas?"
Eric: "Liverpool, England, checking in. Listening in around the globe at wtmx.com as we anticipate the arrival, for any moment now, of David Cook.
Kathy: "Yes."
Eric: "American Idol champion. He's captured the hearts of millions."
Kathy: "His life has been crazy."
Eric: "I just thought this would be one of those average everyday moments, but this, this is big,"
Kathy: "Oh no, not if you've watched American Idol."
Melissa: "He might be the biggest Idol. That's one."
Eric: "You think so?"
Melissa: "Yeah, with the biggest fans."
Eric: "Kelly Clarkson?"
Melissa: "But I don't think she has the fans."
Kathy: "No, it's the male winners that get the most crazy fans."
Eric: "Ruben Studdard?"
Melissa: "He doesn't have nearly the fan base that David Cook has, not even close."
Kathy: "Daughtry had the..."
Eric: "Clay Aiken."
Kathy: "Oh."
Melissa: "But he didn't win."
Eric: "Clay Aiken. He didn't win, but still, you know those Claymaniacs."
Melissa: "Yep."
Eric: "Jacksonville, Florida. I feel like Larry King." *impersonates Larry* "Jacksonville, Florida, Hello."
Kathy: "Boy, a lot in Florida."
Eric: "Which kind of makes me like Ryan Seacrest in a way, because you know, he wants to take over for Larry King, so there's this weird incestuous thing going on."
Kathy: "What about Idaho? No Idaho?"
Melissa: "No California?"
Kathy: "Yeah, we got L.A."
Melissa: "Did we?"
Eric: "Another one from the Fins. Finland checking in."
Kathy: "Oh!"
Eric: "wtmx.com We're still on hold I'm told. Cynthia is waiting on hold, David Cook is coming to the phone. I think he's working on trimming his beard up to look just right. He wants to look good. He wants to look just right for you folks."
Kathy: "It better be just right. It's a sexy beard."
Eric: "Is he on the road now?"
Kathy: "They're not on tour yet. The American Idol Live Tour starts July 1st."
Eric: "Oh, here we go. Are you ready? Ladies and gentlemen."
*Plays clip of Ryan Seacrest saying David is the winner of AI, and the AI theme*
Eric: "Ah, that's right! It's time to talk to David Cook! Hey David!"
David: "Hey! That's quite the presentation!"
Eric: "Well, you know, we're trying. David we were talking off the air, and you need to know something, OK?"
David: "OK, let me know."
Eric: "I was thinking, when we booked you earlier this week, this would be an average everyday interview, we could all hang out and have a good time. But that's not the case."
Kathy: "Nope."
Melissa: "Not even close."
Eric: "The world is listening in. We've heard from all over the globe, at wtmx.com. 'The David Idol", 'The Cookies', 'The Word Nerds', they're, they've lost their minds in anticipation.
Kathy: "'Cougars for Cook'. We've heard from Malaysia, The U.K., Italy, Brazil."
David: "Wow."
Eric: "How gratifying must that be for you?"
David: "Aw man, I'm just a, I'm just a goof from Midwest who got lucky. That's, that's huge. I can't get over that actually." *Laughs*
Eric: "Does it ever start to sink in? As you're walking around, and I mean a virtual sensation, you know, is happening around you."
David: "Man, I hope it doesn't. I mean, I just feel so, so, so lucky to be where I'm at right now, and everyone that I've met and had a chance to talk to on a one on one basis, has been so complimentary, and humbling, I just can't, can't wrap my head around how nice people are being. I really hope it doesn't sink in. I really don't."
Kathy: "Can you go anywhere, unnoticed anymore?"
David: "Um, I actually, I did get a chance to go to a show out here, in L.A., couple days ago, I got to see Augustanna, and I got completely lost in the audience, like nobody said anything to me. It was great."
Eric: "Did you have a hat pulled down low, dark sunglasses, like everyone else in L.A.?"
David: "Well, I was wearing a long blond wig."
Eric: "Good call."
Melissa: *laughs*
Eric: *whispers* "I think that's Pamela Anderson!"
*Everyone laughs*
Eric: *whispering* "I think that was Pam Anderson, I think she's got a beard now, but I'm pretty sure it's her!"
David: "Just the light hit the face the wrong way, that's all it was."
Eric: "So when the whole thing started, American Idol started, and America followed along on your journey with each subsequent week, your journey through the process, and it gets down to the final moments, and you're on stage, and Ryan Seacrest announces the results, you've told this story before, but please tell it to us, what was going through you, churning inside you at that moment?"
David: "Um, well, before he said my name, I wasn't really that nervous, I'd kind of resigned the title to Archie, I thought with Tuesday, and the judges comments, hearing the percentages on Wednesday, I was set for second as far as I was concerned, so when he said my name, it was uh, you know, shock and awe pretty much."
Kathy: "David, seriously, you're performing in front of 31 million people, and you're not nervous?"
David: "Well, no, see, we're talking about two different things. I wasn't nervous on Wednesday night, I was really nervous on Tuesday, um, you know, but at the end of the day, I mean, you just kind of have to, put blinders on and, uh, just do it, because they weren't just going to let me bow out and not perform, so..." *Laughs*
Eric: "When you're nervous, how do you respond? A lot of people respond differently, I yawn when I'm nervous, some people wet themselves, um, which I, which I noticed you, you didn't do that."
David: "I'm somewhere in between there: yawning and peeing myself." *Laughs* "No, I just, for me, when just, I get out on stage, and the good thing about the show is they set you up, and they usually have that 15 or 20 second, well they show that prepackage video before you go on, where you can just kinda, take a second, and I utilized it, and I uh, uh, it's uh, it's a weird thing to explain, so I apologize, I just put mental blinders on, and I don't hear anything around me, I don't really even see the audience, I'm just kinda zoning in on thinking about what I want to do."
Kathy: "You know it was very sweet when your mom came up on stage.
Eric: "And your brother."
David: "Oh yeah! Yeah. They're uh, they're good people."
Kathy: "I read how your mom is struggling a little bit, with your success, because her co-workers keep coming up to her and telling her how, sexy and hott you are."
David: *Laughs* "Yeah, she called me once and told me the story, about a co-worker, I guess my mom had finally had enough, she was like. 'Hey I'm all for you guys saying nice things about my son, but please don't tell me that my son is sexy, it's just weird.' And uh, you know, I mean,...sorry mom."
Eric: "Did your mom ever decide, you know, that 'David it might be time for you to let yourself go a little bit. Because they think you're sexy and if you put on some weight, maybe you know...'"
David: "Well, that's whats funny, like, I'm not actually in, in the, the best shape of my life, by no stretch of the imagination. So I don't know what else I've got to do here, sort of, you know."
Eric: "You're like: 'I'm trying to turn you people off!'"
David: "I've been trying since freshman year of collage to do that. So I don't know what else to do."
Eric: "Well, it's a burden, it really is."
Melissa: "You got sick once and had to go to the hospital. That was high blood pressure. Do you still have that?"
David: "Um, yeah. I mean I'll always have, I'll always have high blood pressure, it's, it's, that got blown way out of proportion, it was just uh, I went just as a precaution, for liability issues for the show, and uh, because I was in no life threatening danger or anything like that."
Melissa: "Kinda young though."
David: "I didn't know the lyrics as well as I should have to that Dolly Parton song, so I got nervous."
Eric: "Yeah, well, that's tough. Now that you're the American Idol champion, and a world wide sensation, you were on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, you've really had the opportunity to meet all sorts of cool, interesting people, during those travels has there been anyone who's really, really impressed you, and taken your breath away?"
David: "Um, yeah. I actually got a chance to uh, to, to talk to during the show a little bit, and actually got a chance to get to meet when the show was done, Raine Madia from Our Lady Peace. And uh, he was just so down to earth, and so unassuming, uh, and given that he was one of my music Idols going into this, that was one of the coolest experiences, because you hear all these horror stories about meeting your musical Idols, or entertainment Idols, and they're mean, and it's kind of a huge let down, so to have him kind of, uh, stand up to all these, uh, expectations that I'd put together in my head, was really really cool."
Kathy: "What about any athletes? Because I know you sang the national anthem at the Boston, Celetics game."
David: "The only, uh, the only athlete I got to meet was John Sally. And uh, he was uh, he was actually really, really cool, we talked shop for a minute, uh but, the players were all so busy getting into the game and stuff that I really didn't get the chance to, say much.
Eric: "Kobe didn't give you a wink or anything?"
David: "I gave Kobe a head nod, he, he looked at me like, like I was really in the wrong place at the wrong time."
*All laugh*
Kathy: "Oh!"
David: "And kept goin'."
Eric: "And you're like, 'whatever dude, you're down 3 to 1, that's nice."
David: "Well, yeah, I was no, oh."
Kathy: "Is it true that you're a diehard Bulls fan?"
David: "Uh, yeah, I'm a pretty big Bulls fan. I think you know, I got into basketball about the time it was Jordin, and Pipin, John Paxton, and uh, Will Perdue, I mean the glory issue of the Bulls."
Eric: "Woah, woah, woah, David, nothing against Will Perdue, but very few people go 'Michale Jordin, Scotty Pipin, John Paxton and Will Perdue' in the same sentence."
David: "Well, I mean you know it, it's gotta be done, gotta give the man some credit."
Eric: "All right. All right."
David: "And Bill Winnington."
Eric: "Oh yeah, Winnington, there's your man right there. Can drop the 15 foot jumper from the side everytime. Hey you were on the Tonight Show, we mentioned that, last night, is it true, what's been said that the Tonight Show greenroom is one of the best in the business? They got a good fruit platter and..."
David: "Oh man, it's, it's up there. They uh, apparently just got in these new TV's which were really nice I have to say. But yeah, I mean yeah, honestly, so far, I have to say, probably is one of the best greenrooms."
Eric: "Wow. Well maybe one day."
Kathy: "Maybe someday we'll experience..."
Melissa: "Keep dreaming."
Eric: "Next time you go, could you bring us with you? I think that would be awesome."
David: "Sure, Why not?"
Eric: "I'll take you to a Bulls game. You take us to the Tonight Show. Is that a deal?"
David: "You've got a deal."
Eric: "Man, the Word Nerds continue to send notes, they want us to say 'Hello' on their behalf, and acknowledge, I'm certain, because obviously, and we were talking about that the Word Nerds holding a place in your heart.
David: "Yeah, absolutely, I mean they put me where I'm at so I kind of owe them everything right?"
Eric: "Umm, Hmm. Where did that start? You're a big Word Nerd yourself?"
David: " Uh, well, the whole crossword thing was really, I mean probably, early high school, uh, I grew up watching my mom and grandmother do crosswords, and I guess I got the bug. Yeah, and i don't know, it's gotten into, I've really been into Suduko lately, so I guess I'm a number nerd too, I'm not sure."
Eric: "Wow."
Kathy: "Suduko nerd doesn't sound as good as Word Nerd."
Eric: "That'll cause a whole new global sensation."
David: "I know, I know, doesn't roll off the tongue quite as well."
Eric: "Well congratulations obviously on your enormous enormous success, and well deserved, many many people around the world are very very happy and proud of you, and what's next? What's your summer lookin' like?"
David: "Well, we've got this AI tour that starts July 1st in Glendale and goes September 13th in Tulsa, uh, that'll be a lot of fun, just kinda get out on the road and uh, get a whole new experience with the people I've already shared the show kind of aspect with, after that, then I'm going to be working and finishing my first record which is gonna be out, hopfully late October, early November and..."
Eric: "Boy, I sure hope that sells."
David: "...so I'm excited, so far it's exactly what I wanted to do."
Kathy: "Did you, did you hear what Eric said, David?"
David: "No, I went off on a rant."
Eric: "No, I've hot my fingers crossed, I hope that moves, I hope that sells."
David: "As do I."
Kathy: "I think it'll do just fine."
Eric: *sarcastically* "I really hope there's a market for that David. I'm not certain biased on what I've seen, but you know, I've got my fingers crossed for you.
David: "I don't know. I don't know. It's kind of on the cusp, it could go either way."
Kathy: "Oh, I'm sure it'll be fine. Didn't you say you want it to be a little quirky?"
David: "I do, I want there to be some twists and turns in it that'll make people you know, want to go out and buy it. I don't want to put out just a stock rock record, I want, I want there to be some twists and turns to it where people actually want to go out and buy it and be proud that they own it. At the end of the day, I want, I want to be proud of it as well, so um, I have my work cut out for me, but so far so good."
Eric: " Well congratulations on all your success, and thanks for calling in and spending a few moments with us, and have a great summer, OK?"
David: "Aw, thank you, and talk to you guys soon."
Eric: "There he is!" *plays Ryan announcing David's the winner again.* "How about that. Nice guy."
*plays Time Of My Life*
Eric: "David Cook, just joining us a few moments ago on The Mix."

~Kelly~

[Pamela]

Kelly...that's incredible!  Thanks for doing that - it must have taken forever.

That was a really great interview.  I hope David's album is what he wants to do. 

Thanks everyone else for the DC info too. 

[KSChristian4Clay]

That's cool, Kelly!

I'll post some video and a pic I took in Blue Springs yesterday. PuddinsJoy and I went thru after a wedding we went to.

[Jan]

tHAN WAS SUCH A NEAT INTERVIEW!!!!!

DAVID COOK IS THE REAL  DEAL.

JAN

[Claygirl]

  Pamela! It actually took about seven hours to do. To rewind the tape I recorded it on a billion times to make sure I got everything down correctly, then type it all up, all of that on no sleep!
And that's not counting all the hours I spent listening to the morning show every day that week to make sure I didn't miss it.
I hope David can make the album he wants to, too, but with his voice, I know it'll be great.

Thanks Meesa! I'd love to see that picture!

Wasn't it Jan? I just had to share, I've always wanted to do that with a Clay interview, but he's never done one on one of my stations.

~Kelly~

[KSChristian4Clay]

Here's the pic :



and the video :

[Claygirl]

So cool Meesa!
~Kelly~

[Claygirl]

"Idol" moments with winner David Cook
by Misha Berson

First he handily beat out legions of other hopefuls for the "American Idol" crown. Now the champ of TV's top-rated sing-a-thon is on tour with the top 2008 "Idol" contenders, which began last Tuesday in Arizona, and comes to Tacoma on Saturday.
The 25-year old Tulsa musician David Cook — he of the soaring voice, mercurial hair and indie attitude — might be the first rocker champ to please "Idol" fans and critics alike.
By phone from a limo in L.A., a busy but open and amiable Cook seemed eager to talk about matters musical and creative, revealing passions for grunge rock, books by a hot Vancouver, Wash., novelist, and a Broadway role he's dying to play.
Q: You'll be performing in our area for the first time, when the "Idols" tour hits Tacoma. Growing up near Kansas City in the '90s, did the Seattle rock scene ever excite you?
A: I was kinda late on the curve with the Seattle sound. I had to backtrack to get into bands like Soundgarden, Mother Love Bone. But Pearl Jam's "Ten" was one of the first rock records I really embraced.
I absolutely think the Seattle grunge sound was instrumental to my music education. Songs like Soundgarden's "Rusty Cage" ... You listen to the lyrics and think, where in the world did that come from?
Q: Speaking of Seattle musicians, on "Idol" you sang Chris Cornell's version of "Billie Jean." And we hear you planned to do a Jimi Hendrix classic — Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower"?
A: Yeah ... but I never wanted to plateau, y'know? I didn't want to do two songs in a row with the same vibe. The week I sang the Who's "Baba O'Riley," and we slowed it down, I couldn't also do "Watchtower" the way I wanted — with a slow, acoustic, Dave Matthews vibe. I'll get to it down the road.
Q: Vocal versatility helped you win "Idol." Did you always have such a big vocal range?
A: I was a real midrange singer, out of fear or discomfort I wouldn't stray too far from that. It took me doing a solo record ("Analog Heart," released in 2006) and having to sing backup vocals to realize, hey! There are some high notes there I can actually hit.
The hardest part for me is to find a new (vocal) trick and not beat it into the ground — which I'm very capable of doing.
Q: You've had theater training, and your approach to songs on "Idol" seemed very theatrical.
A: Right. Some of the best rock shows I ever saw were those appealing to all your senses. There's definitely a visual aspect and an emotional aspect to a song. And that harks back, for me, to theater. I think every good song tells a story, as ambiguous and vague as it may be. And if you know what a song is talking about, it can only help your performance.
Q: You had different looks, "costumes" for each number.
A: I had to nudge the wardrobe people a little. They didn't want us to dress for the song, just wear street clothes. I said, why can't we do both? To me, there's a very abrupt disconnect if I go on stage in bicycle shorts and a tank top to sing "One" by U2.
Q: Would you like to act, along with making music?
A: To get back into theater would be a lot of fun. I got very excited when (rocker) Sebastian Bach took over the lead in "Phantom of the Opera." I find that role so intriguing and mysterious. When Andrew Lloyd Webber week came along on "Idol," I couldn't imagine myself singing anything but "Music of the Night." I'd love, love to play the phantom.
Q: "Idol" turned you into an instant media celebrity. Was that weird or intrusive for you?
A: It was like three years of PR wrapped into three months! It's nuts! To have people I've never met come up and congratulate me, say they feel they know me ... it's very powerful.
Q: It probably helped that you looked so relaxed on camera.
A: Well, things changed when I sang (Lionel Richie's) "Hello." I couldn't tell any other difference performance-wise from earlier weeks. I just began to engage the camera more. I learned a trick of not looking at the lens, but through it.
There's an odd disconnect with TV sometimes, and if you can do anything to break down that fourth wall between you and the person 10,000 miles away, it can only help.
Q: You're writing new songs for your album. What are they like?
A: I want the album to be eclectic, but still rock. I've tried to incorporate fresh ideas, and actually I've tried not to listen to rock music while I'm doing this.
Q: So what do you listen to?
A: (Singer-songwriter) Imogen Heap. Some Keith Urban. Trying not to stray too far, but get a bit of a fresh perspective.
I'd like this record to be palatable for sure, because I want to sustain a long career. But I don't feel I have to glue myself to the usual 1-4-5 (pop chord structure). I'm trying to write songs you may hear on the radio, but with interesting quirks that make them stand out.
Q: Isn't it the post-album era, where the big thing is single tracks?
A: Yeah, depressing, isn't it? I came from a time when records were records. I'll let the label worry about the singles, I'm into making a record.
Q: What songs will you perform on tour? The same each time?
A: We have a set list, but I want to make it a bit different every night, get as much audience interaction as possible, make it about us ... as opposed to me! I tried to put some duets in with others and I kept hearing, "David, your set's about you."
But y'know, I'm over that. You can have my ego! I want people to walk away from the show feeling like they've seen something completely unique they won't get anywhere else.
Q: Do you feel pressure to sing the big download hits from "Idol" — like "Billie Jean" and "Hello"?
A: I'm feelin' like, whatever's going to make the audience happy. ... I put a lot of work into this, and I'm completely OK to take the credit that entails. But if a lot of people didn't invest themselves, and their phone bills, in what I was trying to do each week, I'd still be in Tulsa bartending. And telling my roommate I can't pay my rent again this month.
Q: Will you play after-hours gigs at clubs during this tour?
A: I've talked to old bandmates about throwing in an under-the-radar acoustic gig here and there. For me, at the end of the day, all the interviews and attention are nice. But I'd rather be playing music.
Q: You're called "word nerd" because you like word puzzles. Do you read much?
A: As much as I can. I read a lot of poetry. ("Fight Club" author) Chuck Palahniuk — I'm really into his work. Autobiographies. "The Road to Dallas," about the JFK assassination, I'm thumbing through that.
Q: Amazing you can read at all, given how much PR stuff you've doing. Weren't you on a talk show with Barack Obama?
A: He was on "Jimmy Kimmel" with me, but by satellite feed so I didn't get to meet him. But hey, I was on a TV show with Barack Obama! At the end of the day, that's all I have to say.

The Seattle Times
~Kelly~

[Claygirl]

"Reluctant Competitor Now Tops Idols Bill"
David Cook/American Idols Live Feature – short version
by Alan Sculley

When David Cook found out he had passed his initial audition for "American Idol" and would advance to have a chance to compete on the hit television series, he felt something besides happiness and anticipation.
Cook felt uncomfortable about the situation.
The reason was, he didn't plan to audition in the first place. Cook came to the audition in Omaha to provide moral support for his brother, Andrew, who was trying out for the show. Cook only auditioned after he was prodded into doing so by his brother and his mother (who also came to the audition).
"We were in the same audition group in the first round, and I was the only one out of the group that made it," Cook said in a recent phone interview. "So, yeah, it was a little awkward. I made it a point, as soon as I got out of the arena, I said to him, 'If you don't want me to do this, I won't.' And his response, this kind of speaks to his character, he said, 'If you don't do it, I'll kick your (butt).'"
With an incentive like that, Cook, 25, had little choice but to stay in the running. And what a run it became, as he eventually made the show and, in May, won the "American Idol" competition, beating out David Archuleta in the final.
The fact is, Cook said he never saw himself as "Idol" material. He recently had moved from his long-time home base of Blue Springs, Mo. (near Kansas City) to Tulsa, to play guitar in the Midwest Kings, a band that had a regional touring base.
He already had released a debut CD, "Analog Heart," and was working on his second album when he auditioned for "Idol."
Cook wasn't sold on the idea that his rock-pop sound would be a good fit for "American Idol."
"I didn't really know I was what the show was looking for," Cook said. "I had watched in the past and never seen a rocker win the show. And to me, it was kind of like, if somebody like Bo (Bice) or somebody like Chris (Daughtry) can't come on here and win it, what shot do I have?"
Quite a few people didn't think Cook would come out on top, either. He was initially seen as a darkhorse in the field of 24, and when the competition finally boiled down to Cook and 17-year-old Archuleta, he still was considered by many — including "Idol's" famously outspoken judge, Simon Cowell — to be the underdog.
Even Cook began to buy into that line of thinking. After arriving to prepare for the Wednesday evening finale, Cook was told the vote was 56 percent to 44 percent. He figured that meant only one thing.
"I was like 'OK, Archie's' got it,'" Cook said. "I didn't really think much about it the rest of the day. I kind of went through the motions of getting ready for Wednesday night's finale. I was just stoked to be playing with ZZ Top."
Since that evening (May 21), Cook has been busy preparing for the next steps in the life of an "Idol" champion.
First up is this summer's "American Idols Live" tour, which features the top eight finishers from this season's show. Cook will perform five songs, and is pleased with the material the performers and the organizers of the show selected.
"Everybody seems really happy with their set and we're all able to not only do songs from the show but also throw in some stuff that we weren't able to get on the show, but stuff that we enjoy performing," Cook said. "Like, I'm doing 'My Hero' by the Foo Fighters, and that's one of my favorite songs, just high energy. So it's cool. I think we're all getting to show a little bit more of ourselves to everybody."
Cook also has his sights set on recording his first album under his new record contract with 19 Recordings/RCA, which is due in mid-November.
"I'm a rock singer, so it will be a rock record," Cook said. "But the good thing about rock music is there are some sub-genres there. So there's room to meander. My goal is to put out a record that's both eclectic and cohesive. If I can do that and find that balance, I think the sky's the limit."
Chances are, when Cook's debut album arrives, it will storm the "Billboard" magazine charts. He already smashed all previous records from the digital music age by landing 17 songs on various "Billboard" charts at the same time at the end of May.
Even Cook seemed to have a hard time grasping his presence on the charts.
"I think every so often everything kind of lines up for you, and hopefully that's what's happening now," he said. "I've said it a few times before, I think if this all ends tomorrow I've already had a hell of a ride. I'm content. And I think moving forward, the goal is to keep that vibe."

Kitsap Sun
~Kelly~