Keeping Up With David Cook

[Claygirl]

From The Norwich Bulletin:
Nancy Hall: David Cook finally enjoying his success
by Nancy Hall
5/20/09

On the week he has been dethroned as reigning American Idol, David Cook will be heating up Southern New England with two local performances this weekend. Saturday night, fans in Massachusetts can catch him at Pearl Street in Northampton. On Sunday, fans here in Connecticut can watch him play at Toad’s Place in New Haven.

Last May, David Cook was on top of the world. He had won “American Idol,” was getting ready for the Idols Live tour and had his first major label recording contract. Still Cook couldn’t begin working on his debut album until the Idols tour was over, so cashing in on his immediate “Idol” fame wasn’t possible. Cook actually had to wait nearly six months for “David Cook,” the album, to drop.

But fans thought it was worth the wait. His first single, “Light On,” reached No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and the album was certified platinum in its first two months in stores.

Considered the first rock album from an “American Idol” winner, Cook co-wrote nearly all the CD’s songs. Plus, the entire album was executive produced by Rob Cavallo, who has previously produced for Green Day, Kid Rock, Alanis Morrisette and more.

But Cook did not forget his past in the process. Before winning “Idol,” Cook had been part of a band called Midwest Kings, and once he was big time, Cook invited former bandmates Neal Tiemann and Andy Skib to be part of his touring band. That band hit the road for Cook’s first headlining national tour in February 2009 and will play until October, with plenty of new summer dates added.

The tour had its setbacks, however. In March, Cook cancelled several shows for what his rep called time “to deal with personal family matters.” Those matters were spending time with his older brother Adam, who had been battling brain cancer for nearly 11 years. Sadly, earlier this month, Adam lost his battle with the disease, but David still arrived the next morning for the Race for Hope 5K event in Washington DC, telling the crowd he “couldn’t imagine being anywhere else right now.”

The show has gone on for his tour as well. Though Cook has reportedly had several emotional nights on the road, he has been continuing to play his tour dates, including Saturday night in Northampton, Mass., and Sunday in New Haven.

The Norwich bulletin

~Kelly~

[Claygirl]

From GMA News.TV:
The exhilarating David-David concert experience
by Tia Barretto
5/20/09

MANILA, Philippines – Being an "American Idol" fan, I can honestly say that there has been no season in the past, or present, as good as the show’s seventh season. So imagine my excitement and delight upon hearing that both David Cook and David Archuleta would be coming to Manila for a back-to-back concert. I assure you, the feeling was insurmountable.

When the day finally came, my friends Yumi and Chikai and I were extremely excited, and arrived at the venue a bit over four hours before the concert was scheduled to start, despite the fact that we had reserved seats. So we strolled around the mall for hours and grabbed a quick dinner before heading down to the concert grounds.

Once we located our 3,000++ peso-worth seats, I watched in awe as the venue slowly started filling up. I even spotted fans that flew over from Malaysia and Singapore in the crowd. It was quite a scene.

All the excitement of over 40,000 people packed in one venue was an amazing thing to witness. But nothing beat seeing the house lights start to dim, and smoke beginning to fill the stage, feeling a soft hush overcome the crowd, and then suddenly, hearing a burst of applause and a roar of enthusiasm as David Archuleta took the stage.

Archie pumped up the crowd with his hits such as “Crush," “A Little Too Not Over You," and “Touch My Hand." He also covered a few songs of other artists like Robbie Williams’s “Angels" and Vanessa Carlton’s “Thousand Miles," both of which he performed behind the keyboards.

The audience loved every last inch of his performances and you could tell Archie, too, was enjoying himself. He sang his heart out and sounded incredible, just as pitch-perfect as the record. He jumped and danced around on stage and his energy never swayed.

Unfortunately, time does not stand still, and after a dozen songs, Archie’s set was over. That was the sad news, but the good news was, David Cook was next!

After being wowed by a display of fireworks, and the people chanting the Idol winner’s name repeatedly, the stage was again filled with smoke. The house lights dimmed, and the stage was bathed in a mixture of reds and yellows. Everyone in the audience was on their feet, some were even standing on their seats, and despite seeing no one on stage, you could hear that distinct voice singing the opening bars to Collective Soul’s “The World I Know."

The crowd went absolutely crazy as David Cook emerged from below the stage, guitar in hand. Now that’s what I call an entrance.

He then proceeded to perform his own hits such as “Avalanche," “Come Back To Me," and “Light On." He even thrilled his Filipino fans by performing his most popular rendition of Mariah Carey’s “Always Be My Baby," which he has never done on a concert stage before. But a personal favorite would be his wild performance of the immensely beat-driven “Bar-ba-sol."

Aside from singing his own tunes from his current hit album, he also performed songs from his past, much to my own delight. He performed “Straight Ahead," a track off of his pre-Idol independent album, Analog Heart. He also sang a song from an EP of his earlier band, Midwest Kings, called “Make Me."

I confess that I’m one of the biggest David Cook fans around, but I will say without bias that he is a brilliant performer. He’s tireless and charming, and the quick and witty banter he has with his audience is winning.

The whole concert experience was surreal. It was mind-blowing, amazing, yet surreal. And as the concert came to a close, with both Cook and Archie on stage, concluding the show with the remaining bars of Cook’s “A Daily Anthem," I wished I could suspend that moment in time. But alas, all good things do come to an end.

The David-David concert was worth it – worth the sweat, the tired legs, and the sore throat I was inevitably going to have. I guess all I can do now is look forward to the amazing careers that both Davids are sure to have and anticipate their return. They promised they would.

GMA News

~Kelly~

[Claygirl]

From MTV.com:
David Cook Honors Late Brother With 'American Idol' PerformanceProceeds from iTunes release of 'Permanent' will benefit charity seeking cure for brain cancer.
by James Montgomery
5/20/09

One year after he was crowned "American Idol" champion, David Cook returned to the big blue stage on Wednesday night's (May 20) finale, for charity.

Cook performed a version of his song "Permanent," which will be available for download on the iTunes Music Store immediately following the "Idol" finale, with all proceeds going to Accelerate Brain Trust Cure, a charity dedicated to finding a cure for brain cancer.

It's a cause that hits close to home for Cook, who earlier this month lost his brother Adam to brain cancer after a decade-long battle with the disease.

And that was evident during Cook's "Idol" performance. Wearing a black armband, he closed his eyes tightly while hitting the song's soaring chorus, then at tune's end, embraced "Idol" host Ryan Seacrest and admitted that he was still stuggling with the loss of his big brother.

"It's a tough song [to sing]," he told Seacrest, "But at the end of the day, to honor not only my brother, but everybody that has to deal with something like this, you stay the course and you pull strength from everybody else."

Cook then thanked everyone for their support, and — voice wavering — he asked for them to help out the cause and download the song.

MTV

~Kelly~

[Claygirl]

From Rotten Tomatoes:
Five Favorite Films with American Idol Winner David Cook
Last year's top crooner reveals the best movies ever made.
by Jen Yamato
5/20/09

Tonight, American Idol will crown its eighth season winner; will it be the Acoustic Rocker or the Glam Guyliner? In celebration of tonight's season finale (watch it on Fox at 8/7pm Central), Rotten Tomatoes caught up with Season 7 winner and Platinum-selling recording artist David Cook, who will perform his single, "Permanent," during tonight's show. (Buy the live recording on iTunes and all proceeds will go to charity!)

Cook shared with us his favorite films of all time, revealing that his tastes tend toward rock music influences, silly humor, and quotable comedies. But will we soon also see the 26-year-old venture into acting, a la Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini, or even filling the dancing shoes of Zac Efron? See what David Cook picked as his Five Favorite Films (and his plan to follow fellow Idol winners into Hollywood) below!

Rock Star 2001
Rock Star is an interesting movie for me; I watched it probably around 15 times. I love what it represents; I love that it's almost a mockumentary of '80s excess. And any movie with Jennifer Aniston is always a good movie. But more than anything for me, I love the music in it. I actually have bought the soundtrack twice -- I lost the first one -- and I'm a big Steel Dragon fan. I like Steel Dragon enough to know there are two singers who recorded the music for it, Jeff Scott Soto and Miljenko Matijevic from Steelheart. I know more than I should.
As a musician yourself, how do you feel about the fact that it's also a cautionary tale about rising too fast to stardom?

Absolutely. You take what lessons you can from the movie, but I try to enjoy it but not get too caught up in it. Not to get too philosophical about Rock Star.

Some of your fellow American Idol winners have gone on to act in movies. Is that something you see in your future?

You know what, I hope so. I got a little taste of acting in the last music video we did ["Come Back To Me," which was filmed entirely in reverse]. I had a chance to do a little bit of acting -- I don't know how good I was -- but I'll get back into acting at some point. I know I want to do something of some substance, something I'll feel proud of ten, twenty years down the line. I think it's just a matter of everything falling into place at the right time. But I'm a musician first, and I have a record to push.

You know, film musicals are back. That genre combines both of your interests, music and acting.

I heard that I got put on some survey of who should replace Zac Efron in Footloose, and I came in third. But I beat Bow Wow, so there's hope.

Is Footloose something you'd be interested in doing?

Absolutely not! [Laughs] I can punch-dance with the best of them, don't get me wrong. It's all the other stuff -- the actual dancing. [I did musical theater] and I think anyone who has seen me do that can attest to the fact that I can sing okay, I can act okay, but I was not good at dancing.

Totally Awesome 2006
I have always liked Tracy Morgan, and when I saw him in that movie teaching this kid how to hit on women in a mall, and his head pops up and he says, "Peekaboo, I'm gonna hump you" -- that is the funniest thing I'd ever heard in my life. Really, that alone made me want to pick this movie. Sometimes stupid humor is great, and that movie just puts me in a great mood.

Philadelphis 1993
I actually just got re-enamored with Philadelphia. I remember seeing it a few years back and really just loving A) the message behind it and B) I just thought that everything about that movie is very subdued. The music -- Bruce Springsteen, "The Streets of Philadelphia" -- there's an undertone to it that's very calming, but also very heavy. I loved Tom Hanks's performance in the movie; I thought it was amazing.

Juno 2007
Juno is for me, the perfect one-liner movie. "Thundercats are go!" "That's one doodle that can't be undid." I actually do use that one, more than rarely. It's another film with a great overall soundtrack. It's not a style of music that I always find myself getting into, but I think it's one of those movies where the soundtrack fits the film to a T. The movie itself is quirky, it's got a kind of a brash attitude, and I think the music really goes hand in hand with that.

Run Ronnie Run 2002
Run, Ronnie, Run! From the creators of Mr. Show -- David Cross and Bob Odenkirk. It's another movie full of one-liners. It's a little more adult than Juno, but to me it's kind of a mix of Rock Star, Juno, and Totally Awesome. It's kind of just dumb, funny humor, also kind of a mockumentary about reality shows. Pretty much half of my daily vocabulary is from that movie.

Rotten Tomatoes

I'm not sure I'd want to go see a movie with David if these are his favorites! The only one I've seen was Juno and I hated it! But still interesting to see his taste, kinda like a typical guys.
~Kelly~

[Claygirl]

From David's Official site:
Concert Report: David Cook Conquers The Philippines
5/21/09

David Cook recently visited the Philippines with his fellow American Idol, David Archuleta, and both performed for over 50,000 fans who turned up at Manila's SM Mall of Asia Open Grounds. Archuleta took the stage first and sent girls into a screaming frenzy with his wholesome smile and crystal clear vocals, delivering an energetic set. Then David Cook and his band stormed on stage with their undeniable rock show, and David brought fans to delirium when he climbed down from the stage to sing amongst his fans - his smiling face surrounded by a gaggle of digicam-wielding hands. The show ended with Cook calling his pal Archie back on stage for a final song, the pair leaving indelible memories that Manila's music fans won't soon forget.

davidcookofficial.com

~Kelly~

[Claygirl]

From The Examiner:
David Cook stuns AI finale viewers with his moving performance of Permanent
by Marnie Brodersen
5/21/09

An understandably subdued David Cook performed the touching song "Permanent" on last night's season eight finale episode.  Let's face it - the arms swaying in the audience are a bit distracting for us watching at home, but it sure shows how much everyone there was moved by the performance.  As noted in my article yesterday, the live song was available on iTunes last night, and all proceeds from the downloads went to ABC2, an organization dedicated to finding a cure for brain cancer.  It's a cause near and dear to David's heart, as he recently lost his brother, Adam, to the disease.  After the performance, David told Ryan that he was doing this for everyone affected by cancer.  Proving that he is a true class act, David also commented on meeting both Adam and Kris and said, "I don't know that America can get this wrong."

The performance was obviously a success, as "Permanent" is currently no. 17 on iTunes.  David was also shown on the finale episode pulling a fast one on Adam Lambert and Kris Allen, who he met on the FOX lot for an undisclosed reason.  Much to their surprise (Well, considering they do this every season, it might not have been that big of a surprise, but who cares!?), David presented both of them with keys to their new Ford Fusion hybrid cars.

The Examiner

~Kelly~

[Claygirl]

From MTV News:
David Cook Tried Not To Cry During 'American Idol' Finale Performance
5/22/09
by Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Garth Bardsley

On Wednesday night, a year after he was crowned the American Idol, David Cook performed on the season-eight finale, when Kris Allen was named this year's champion. During his performance, Cook paid tribute to his late brother Adam with the song "Permanent."

"For the finale this year, I was floored that they would allow me to have that platform," he told MTV News. "There's so many great artists out there that could have had that moment. The fact that they had me come back and perform 'Permanent,' something that was important to me, the charity and everything, to continue to give me that platform [was great]."

He does admit that although he was grateful for the chance to sing the song and bring attention to his charity, Accelerate Brain Trust Cure, he did hope that when he went out there, he wouldn't get too emotional and cry in front of everyone. "I was kind of half-joking with everyone beforehand that I always seem to cry at 'Idol,' " he said. "I really didn't want to with this last performance."

Luckily, the show offered him some eye candy (and some old friends) to keep him from tearing up. "It was difficult, but I just remember looking around the room and seeing, like, Cameron Diaz over here and Heather Locklear over here and the four judges in the front and just thinking it's such an oddly absurd moment, and I was here a year ago," he said. "To have those, for lack of a better way to phrase it, distractions, it was just like, 'Where in the world am I at right now?' It kind of helped me get through it."

MTV

~Kelly~

[Claygirl]

From Master Class Lady:
Support Cancer Research By Downloading David Cook’s American Idol Performance Of Permanent From ITunes.
by masterclasslady
5/22/09

American Idol Season 7 winner, David Cook , gave an outstanding  and incredibly moving performance of his song, “Permanent”, on the finale Of American Idol Season 8.

The song was performed by David as a tribute to his late brother, Adam, who died of cancer earlier this year.

I was so inspired by David’s performance. It was a sensitive, raw, yet powerful testament to Adam’s legacy and David was obviously moved by the entire experience.

And so was I!  His beautiful voice and vulnerable demeanor just touched my heart in a very special way.

It has been a year since we last saw David on the American Idol stage and he made me remember why I love this show so much.

He so fully represents the heart, the dreams, the blood, sweat and tears of all performers who came before him and those who have come after.

It is exciting to watch the metamorphosis of the singers during each American Idol season and David’s journey certainly is legendary.

David was a relatively undiscovered talent before American Idol.  He came out of nowhere during the semi-final rounds and, through ingenuity and charm, catapulted himself into the Top 12, leading him on an exciting journey toward the American Idol crown.

His genuine persona coupled with his enormous musical talent created many memorable musical moments during Season 7.

Earlier this evening, I was sent a memo from a fan – Jaye-asking me to encourage people to download the correct “Permanent” performance from ITunes. Com. 

Per David’s request, the proceeds are to benefit David’s personal cancer cause, Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure; however, there are two versions on the ITunes site one to benefit cancer and one strictly for profit, so make sure you grab the correct version before you download.

I believe this is the link or you can follow Jaye’s excellent instructions:

This is not about promoting Cook. If people aren’t Cook fans, then they can delete the file after you buy it. But, a simple $.99 download can help fund research to find a cure for cancer. And as I said, if we can just get it into the Top Ten, then there’s a much better chance that downloaders will direct their money to the right source.

There are three ways that people who want to download can get to the page for the correct version of the performance.

1. On the Itunes Idol page, they finally put up a rotating banner, where a link to the performance flashes in rotation with other finale performances

2. If you scroll WAY down to the bottom of the front page, Itunes has a link to the performance  under  the “What We’re Listening To” section.

3. If you just use the search function and type in “Permanent charity”, you should be able to find it.

Please download this song and help support cancer research. We have all been touched by this horrendous disease and want to eradicate the devastating effects it causes in the lives of so many.

Master Class Lady

~Kelly~

[Claygirl]

From a County Music Blog:
David Cook Song Enough To Open My Mind
by Alison Bonaguro
5/22/09

My daughter is graduating tonight. I won’t tell you from what grade because if I say “college,” I just sound old, and if I say “kindergarten,” I just sound ridiculous.

But she is old enough to have taken it upon herself to make a video for the class. It will be shown after tonight’s ceremony. And it has about 150 pictures of her and her classmates from the past 10 years. Very, very touching stuff.

The soundtrack for this tear-jerker is last year’s American Idol champ David Cook’s “The Time of My Life.” Even though I had a long, long list of country songs that would’ve been perfect: Dixie Chicks’ “The Long Way Around” or “Wide Open Spaces,” Darius Rucker’s “It Won’t Be Like This for Long,” Carrie Underwood’s “Don’t Forget to Remember Me,” Trace Adkins’ “Then They Do,” Sugarland’s “Already Gone” and Kenny Chesney’s “Don’t Blink.” She ignored my country and went with rock.

While I’m the first one to admit that I put country music up on a pedestal and shun most genres that aren’t up there, I have to say this Cook song * is pretty perfect. So much so, it could almost be a country song. It’s not, but if you added some steel guitar and a fiddle or two, this could turn into one of those story songs that so many country fans could relate to. With lyrics such as, “Holding onto things that vanished into the air/Left me in pieces/But now I’m rising from the ashes/Finding my wings” and “I’ll taste every moment and live it out loud/I know this is the time to be more than a name or a face in the crowd/I know this is the time, this is the time of my life.”

What really gets me, and I know will make every parent in the room tonight come unglued, is the line about being out on the edge of forever, ready to run. That alone makes this song a country one. In my heart, anyway.

* Yes, fact checkers. I’m aware Cook didn’t write it. It was penned by Regie Hamm.

CMT Blog

~Kelly~

[Claygirl]

From The Morning Journal:
He'll be cookin' at Stocker: David Cook keeps hitting home runs with 'Idol' glow, Midwest style
by John Patrick Gatta
5/24/09

Baseball's loss is the music world's gain.

If it wasn't for an arm injury, David Cook may not be talking on the phone right now about his self-titled major album debut. Instead, he could be pitching somewhere in North America on a major-league baseball team.

"I miss baseball constantly," said Cook, laughing, during a recent phone interview. "My (Kansas City) Royals are doing OK this season, and I've managed to become acquaintances with David Wright, so I've become a by-proxy (New York) Mets guy."

But he still ponders his move from sports to full-time musician. "I haven't yet garnered any firm conviction on fate," he said. "But it definitely seems like, especially in the last few years, things have lined up just right for me to be able to do something that I love to do every day, which is play music."

A road less traveled

Cook, the seventh-season winner of "American Idol," will be following his passion when he performs a sold-out concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Lorain County Community College Stocker Arts Center. Unlike past "Idol" winners, Cook has been supporting his albums with dates at smaller venues.

Despite being heard in millions of households during his time on the program, it's part of his approach to pay his dues and build an audience.

"I really wanted this tour to be organic and accessible, to try to eliminate whatever buffer might be there," Cook said. "So far, it's been great. The crowds have been coming out in great numbers and enjoying themselves, which is good.

"Past that, we put this band together — some guys I've known for years and played with for a long time and some guys I haven't," he continued. "So, it's been nice with these smaller venues. We have been able to take our bumps and bruises in something other than brightest light imaginable.

"We want to be around for the long haul. Whatever can make us a stronger band and make this a stronger show, then it's something we're on board for. It just makes sense to come off of 'Idol' and get back to our roots a little bit."

Midwest roots

For the 26-year-old Cook, his musical roots developed in the Midwest. Discovering alternative rock while visiting relatives in Indiana, he returned home to Blue Springs, Mo., and practiced guitar to records by Green Day, Foo Fighters and Our Lady Peace.

From the ashes of a band he formed in high school, Cook put out an independently released solo album, "Analog Heart."

Although he graduated from Central Missouri State University, his longing to play music became more important than pursuing work based on his college degree. He then hooked up with the Midwest Kings, a regional touring act from Tulsa, Okla.

Accompanying his younger brother Andrew to an open audition for "American Idol," Cook was encouraged to sing. He was then chosen among the finalists to participate on the highly rated program and ascended to become last year's winner.

While pleased at the final result, he admitted that his view of the show as an opportunity for exposure rather than a star-making vehicle may have helped him keep calm amid the media-driven madness.

"I would hope that's the way everybody sees it. 'American Idol' is a great avenue for people who otherwise may not have gotten the opportunity to do something they love to do, to be a professional musician.

"The track record speaks for itself," he added, "You've got winners who have done great and winners who have, maybe, stalled, and you've got people who haven't won but went on to great things.

"Look at someone like Chris Daughtry, who has gone on to sell five million records when he took fourth. 'Idol' is an amazing tool, but it's not the be-all-end-all. You still got to put out a great record. You still got to put on a great live show."

Attracting fans

So far Cook hasn't had to worry about attracting fans. Right after he won, 11 of the songs he performed on the show placed in the Billboard singles chart.

With only a few months to make his album, Cook, with the help of a team of writers and producer Rob Cavallo (Green Day, Kid Rock and My Chemical Romance), put together what he described as a "very accurate representation" of where he is musically. Released last November, "David Cook" is already moving beyond platinum status in sales.

Part of his satisfaction comes from writing or co-writing 10 of the album's 13 tracks. "I consider myself lucky that RCA and 19 Records allowed me from the get-go to be involved," he said. "To be able to go on stage and sing these songs, I want to be able to sing them with the conviction that they deserve, and being a part of the writing process only helps that.

"It definitely gives me some confidence moving forward, because this is all very, very new to me. Anything that helps keep my feet under me and gives me a solid base to move forward, that's preferable, because I don't know what this holds for me as a performer in the future. I definitely want to be a songwriter for the rest of my life."

Giving back to 'Idol'

Cook's concert appearance comes shortly after the one-year anniversary of winning "Idol." Asked if he had the chance during his busy schedule to check out this year's competition he said, "I caught enough to be in the know, and I have to say that Kris (Allen) and Adam (Lambert) represented the season very, very well. And I'm sure they'll continue to do so.

"There's so much talent on the season, I think people are going to see a lot of records come out from this year."

And if Allen, who was crowned the 2009 champion last week, asked Cook for any advice, would he be prepared with some helpful words based on a whirlwind year of writing and recording, media exposure and international concert dates?

"Sleep," Cook was quick to answer, adding a laugh. "Find the time to take nap.

"I've never worked this hard before in my life, but it's the best kind of work in the world when you love what you do.

"My advice would be to just take care of yourself and try to find the time to take the mental snapshots, because I've been able to do some amazing things in the last year.

"And those are things that nobody can take away from me."

The Morning Journal

~Kelly~

[Claygirl]

From the New York Post.com:
David Cook Tweet Week
by Melissa Jane Kronfeld
5/25/09

Although David Cook Tweet Week has come to an end, you can still find all of David's answers to your questions here at the New York Post!

Q: What do you like better dinosaurs or robots?
"I had a dinosaur BBQ sandwich last night, so I'm going to have to dinosaurs."

Q: Did you eat balut in Manila?
"I'll never tell."
Q: But I read that you said you'll try anything twice?
"True, but it doesn't mean I will talk about it, that's part of the deal."

Q: If you could pick any act to tour with who would it be and why?
"Led Zeppelin, because it's Led Zeppelin! Plus I don't think they're doing anything right now, so maybe they would want to."

Q: How do you feel about redheads going extinct?
"I think it's terrible, we should have equal parts for all hair colors."

Q: Is there a favorite word you like to put in your lyrics?
"I don't know, you have to read through the lyrics and find out yourself."

Q: If you could be in any Broadway musical, which one and why?
"I want to be the voice of the plant in Little Shop of Horrors, but mainly because I could sit off stage with a microphone and do it."

Q: If you could be in a movie with anyone who would it be and why?
"Will Smith, because when he makes a movie it blows up ridiculous. I guess I could be his comedic sidekick."

Q: How do you keep your shows so emotionally charged without burning out and exhausting yourself?
"I don't know, I guess I do burn out and get exhausted."

Q: Hardest crossword puzzle you ever did?
"The USA Today 5 star puzzle, I don't even have a hope for that one."

Q: You have a fondness for Gibson guitars, what other brands do you prefer?
"Just Gibson."

Q: What is the significance of the clock in the 'Come Back To Me' video reading 4:20
"I have no idea."

Q: Do you have any hidden talents?
"I don't know, I'm an open book, whatever talents I have a display them."

Q: Where do you see yourself in five years?
"Having fun and being happy."

Q: Why do you hate the Yankees so much?
"I'm a Royals fan, I support the small market team. What it is about the Yankees... I don't like the idea of throwing money at a problem that's not getting any better."

Q: Why do you keep resisting Twitter? Does anyone in the band Twitter?
"I just don't find myself that important. No, no one I know in the band Twitters. When I first met and lived with Neal he didn't even know how to use a computer, so..."

Q: What is the dirtiest thing a fan has said or given you since you became famous?
"Nothing more than the obligatory panties."

Q: We have an idea for a new green initiative: "Save a car, ride a Cook." Do you think we can lower carbon emissions that way and are you game to help us?
"Um, [laughs], I don't know."

Q: You have a great aptitude for communication, music, writing, speaking, body language, is there anything that helped you achieve that or is it just natural talent?
"I don't know, I guess it's all about not getting caught up in it all."

Q: Would you ever make an album of all style covers?
"I have no plans for it right now, but I've learned in this all to never say never."

Q: What is on your iPod right now?
"Lesley Ray, Burn Halo [myspace.com/burnhalo] and Johnny Hates Jazz single "Shattered Dreams" which we may do a cover of."

Q: Will you do a video for Barbasol?
"No plans right now."

Q: How do you feel about fans sharing and trading video/audio of your work?
"It's great, 90 percent of this job is promotion, and if the fans want to do it for us, that's great!"

Q: How many tattoos do you have?
"5 - two on my chest, an eye on my

wrist, a new one on my right arm and the AC on my left."

Q: Favorite candy bar?
"It changes all the time but right now that new Reese's crispy crunchy bar, but it melts to easily, maybe they could work on that."

Q: You played with Andy and Neal before "Idol," what made you pick Joey and Kyle?
"It was the hang factor. We went through the usual audition process then we all went out to lunch and Kyle started to make fun of right away, so he got the job. And Joey really showed he could roll with the punches."

Q: What is your most memorable moment from your trip to Manila?
"At the end of the show when we brought Archie back on the set and the entire audience of 150,000 people sang along with us, it was powerful."

Q: What did Neal and Andy say when you told them you were going to be a contestant and then when you made the cut?
They didn't know until after it all happened because it all happened so fast. We didn't expect me to win, I mean, nobody expects to win, so at first we laughed it off. But now they have a job form it so no more laughing!"

Q: When will we know the band name?
"Soon, we're waffling and constantly tripping over ourselves. We just want to pick something so that we don't have to rename ourselves, something that isn't also the name of a tanning place in Alaska that will want to sue us for stealing their name."

Q: What is the song 'I Did It For You' about? Who is the 'you' and what were those promises you shouldn't have made?
"The song isn't about one girl its kinda about every ex I ever had, you know?"

Q: What are your plans for your upcoming vacation?
"I'm going domestic, I'm going to put together a home in the Midwest."

Q: Does your puppy Dublin sleep with you or in a crate? Is he good on the bus? Does he like everyone in the band?
"He's good, a fantastic little monster. He sleeps in his crate because when he slept in my bunk he ate my iPod. He gets along with everyone, which is a problem, because he's supposed to be a scary guard dog but he's not very good at it."

Q: Has professional life been everything you hoped, were the opportunities greater then you expected?
"Yes, and then some, without question."

Q: When will we see another installment of Pork Beans and will Neal ever star in one?
"Another episode will be up in the next few weeks. Neil is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, dipped in a quagmire, he is of a different breed. I don't know if he will ever."

NY Post

~Kelly~

[Claygirl]

]From the Newark Advocate:
Cook sells out at Midland
by Tiffany Aumann
5/26/09

Megan Bolen, of Newark, will be seated in the second row, center stage Thursday night to see David Cook in his sold-out Midland Theatre performance. By the end of August, she will have heard him sing in person 10 times since he won the “American Idol” competition just a year ago.

Bolen said she never followed the popular television show until last season, when she got wrapped up in Cook’s raspy, alternative-rock sound. She began calling in her votes and also joined his official fan club.

Now, going to concerts has become a way to see friends from around Ohio who love Cook’s music, too.

“It’s a concert, but it’s to get-together with friends as well,” she said.

The Midland concert, part of Cook’s Declaration college tour and held in partnership with Ohio State University-Newark, sold out in just 20 minutes.

The Midland Theatre is directing people to park in one of several downtown lots off the square since the Thursday concert coincides with the setup of the Newark Strawberry Festival. The public parking garage on South Second Street, as well as several lots between First and Second streets, are available.

According to his official Web site, Cook began playing the guitar at age 13 and formed his first band, Axium, two years later. During his senior year of college at Central Missouri State, Cook recorded a solo CD called “Analog Heart.” After obtaining a degree in graphic arts, Cook moved to Tulsa.

The 25-year-old rock singer decided to audition for “American Idol” at the encouragement of his younger brother, Andrew, who also auditioned. In the Idol competition, Cook received a record-breaking 56 percent of the nearly 100 million votes cast, his Web site states.


Megan Bolen, of Newark, poses with American Idol winner David Cook. Cook will perform at the Midland on Thursday evening.

Newark Advocate

~Kelly~

[Claygirl]

From the NY Post:
David Cook: 'I'm Excited Not To Be The Newbie Anymore'
by Jarett Wieselman
5/26/09

I have always said that I don't vote for any of the contestants on "American Idol" unless they're Kelly Clarkson -- well, that all changed in season seven of "American Idol" when David Cook rocked my world, and yours, by reworking classics like "Hello" and "Billie Jean" to embrace his rock flair.

I dialed Idol many a time, cementing his victory (it was all me) over Kewpie doll David Archuleta. Now, almost one year later, David is busier than ever -- headlining his first tour, playing sold-out shows almost nightly. I caught up with David during a brief stop over in NYC to talk about this year's finale, what the last 365 days have been like and I discovered what single decision David believes would've caused him to lose "American Idol"!

Go here for the video: NY Post

~Kelly~

[Claygirl]

From EW.com:
Kris Allen vs. David Cook: How's the new champ stacking up?
by Simon Vozick-Levinson
5/28/09

It's no surprise to find nine songs by American Idol Season 8 winner Kris Allen and runner-up Adam Lambert jumping onto Billboard's Hot 100 chart this week. What's a little less expected is the details of those singles' chart performance. Allen's victory song, "No Boundaries," landed at No. 11 after selling 134,000 downloads -- not bad, but substantially less than the 236,000 downloads that earned Season 7 winner David Cook's "The Time of My Life" a No. 3 debut on the same chart at this time last year. And while Cook found himself with a total of 11 singles on the Hot 100 in that crucial post-win week last year, Allen has just five. As for Adam Lambert, he made it to No. 19 this week with 115,000 downloads of "Mad World," plus three other charting singles, which is better than his counterpart David Archuleta could manage last year. Meanwhile, the kids from Glee beat out both Idol guys, entering with 177,000 downloads of "Don't Stop Believing" at No. 4 -- which, incidentally, is higher than Journey's original ever got.
None of those numbers are embarrassing for anyone involved. And it's worth noting that, unlike last year's "The Time of My Life," "No Boundaries" as a song has been near-universally panned by fans -- if people aren't choosing to download it quite as often, that may have more to do with the song than their feelings toward the guy singing it. What's more, this year iTunes buyers were able to choose between Allen's and Lambert's versions of the victory song, presumably splitting their sales to some degree; last year only Cook's was available for download. Still, it's hard not to think that Allen and the Idol machine would have liked his victory single to do at least as well as last year's winner. What's your take? Is this just a minor speed bump in Allen's march to global domination, or a sign that he might not be cut out for the big time?

EW.com

~Kelly~

[Claygirl]

From MTV.com:
David Cook Says 'American Idol' Didn't Change His Musical Goals'I just want to write music that is therapeutic for me, because that's why I started writing music,' he tells MTV News.
by Adam Murphy
5/27/09

Since winning "American Idol" last season, David Cook has been finding his own way in the music world. But in the midst of his current Declaration Tour, Cook returned to the "Idol" stage for the season-eight finale last Wednesday.
"I love being there," he said. "It's such a family atmosphere. ... With everything going on and everything being so crazy with the tour, it was nice to just feel like I came home for a second."
Cook continues to work closely with the charity Accelerate Brain Trust Cure on behalf of his late brother Adam, to whom he dedicated his finale performance of "Permanent." All of the proceeds from the iTunes download of "Permanent" will go to the charity.
Reliving his own "Idol" finale experience in a way, Cook credited Adam Lambert and Kris Allen for being phenomenal performers and stand-up guys. "America couldn't get it wrong," he said. Cook recalled how his own finale had been built up as an epic rivalry, despite the camaraderie he developed with runner-up David Archuleta.
He also focused on one really important aspect of the competition: "Lambert and I both have that side-swoop-bang thing going on, so there's that. I guess Kris and Archie have similar haircuts too. It's all about the hair, guys."
As far as his career is concerned, Cook wants to continue to tour and record as much as possible and perhaps delve into writing songs for other artists. Winning "Idol" was an epic moment in his musical journey, but it didn't change his aspirations.
"The goals that I have for myself now, musically, are the same goals I had for myself 10 years ago," he said. "I just want to write music that is therapeutic for me, because that's why I started writing music. And also, I want to write music that people can pull what they need to from it."
As far as his dream songwriting collaborators are concerned, one person is at the top of his list: "I have a dream person I'd like to write with, and that's Paul McCartney. Sir Paul McCartney, I should say. ... Paul, if you're ever looking for an intern, I'm available."
Cook will be making stops across the country through mid-October.

MTV.com

~Kelly~

[Claygirl]

From the Newark Advocate:
'Idol" winner David Cook packs Midland
by Abbey Roy
5/28/09

NEWARK — At long last, the stately halls of the Midland Theatre reverberated Thursday with the heart-pounding rhythm and husky vocals of “American Idol” star David Cook.

After weeks of anticipation, a 28-minute ticket sellout, an intro by warm-up act Ryan Star and a short intermission, the 25-year-old rocker took the stage to screams of appreciation and an audience that was on its feet from the strumming of the first chord.

Which is how it should have been, Cook reassured them.

“This is not a cinema. This is not a movie,” he said in a quick break after the song “Mr. Sensitive.” He had seen a few sections of the audience in their seats and had gestured to them to rise.

“Let’s pretend for one night that we’re at a rock show. Everybody down?”

He was answered with a chorus of enthusiastic screams from a theatre packed with fans of all ages.

Among them — in the second row, center stage — was Connie Bolen, of Newark, who began following Cook in the seventh season of “American Idol.”

“I voted 700 times the night before (the finale) for him,” said Bolen, whose fanhood is perhaps only eclipsed by that of her daughter, Megan Bolen.

The two saw Cook in concert Wednesday in Springfield and expected to be equally impressed Thursday.

“He put on a great show,” Bolen said.

With a playlist that included everything from “Kiss on the Neck” to “Lie” to his 2006 “Straight Ahead,” Cook won the crowd’s hearts — and lungs — with ease.

“I love his sound. I like his voice — I think he has a very nice voice,” said Sue McNichols, of Mount Vernon, who attended the show with her daughter and sister-in-law.

A self-proclaimed “American Idol” fan, McNichols said she had been ready at her computer the day Cook tickets went on sale to ensure that she’d have a seat at the performance.

Another fan, Becky Shoults, of Newark, hadn’t known exactly what to expect when she found herself among those lucky enough to secure a ticket to the show. But she had a pretty good idea.

“Probably a couple hours of fun,” she said.

The Newark Advocate

~Kelly~

[Claygirl]

From the News & Observer:
'Idol' David Cook takes the long road
by Luciana Chavez
5/29/09

David Cook wants more than the notoriety of winning a reality show.

So the 2008 "American Idol" winner had a hand in writing nearly all the songs for his eponymous debut album, which came out in November and went platinum in January.

He and his band have been on the road since February, trying to build a following to last beyond the first blast of "Idol" fame. Cook, 26, plays the second North Carolina stop on his "Declaration" tour Sunday at Cat's Cradle in Carrboro.

The show is sold out, but you have to wonder: What's a guy like Cook doing in a place like this?

He took some time to talk about building a career, how he nearly auditioned for a different reality show and stripping down naked.

Q: So David, you won "American Idol" by 12 million votes. Your fans range in age from, what, 10 to like 70? Your rookie effort went platinum. You've worked with Chris Cornell for goodness sakes. (Cook says later that he and Cornell never met. Cornell did co-write Cook's first single called "Light On.") Why is a guy like you playing 500- to 1,000-seat venues on this tour?
Because I feel, more than anything, if things continue to go the way they're going, we have plenty of time to play huge venues. An important thing for us, coming off "Idol" and the "Idol" tour, I wanted us to eliminate that buffer and really get back to playing the club shows. Really nothing beats having that ethereal connection with an audience in a smelly, 500- to 1,000-seat venue.

Q: You're not in a rush to get back to recording and the tour is running eight months. As far as attracting fans and proving yourself as a live act, what does that take?
I think for us [the process is] constant. We haven't played the same set list twice. We want to work to put together the perfect set. We try different things. We read the audience and try to get a vibe on what they're feeling and what they're not feeling. It's a constant learning curve. We constantly have to keep up with the change in tastes and trends. Even on this tour, songs we played at the beginning that got huge pop are now in the middle. And other songs that were sitting in the middle are now getting huge pop. It's just a matter of covering your bases and realizing that every audience is different.

Q: You've worked with Rob Cavallo, a Grammy winner who's worked with Green Day, and Chris Cornell, who recently has done some great stuff with Timbaland. Who else would you love to work with when you do get back to recording?
Really anybody and everybody. I got such a great vibe writing with other people. Just the idea of walking into a room with a complete stranger and, almost emotionally and mentally stripping yourself down to nothing in less than 15 minutes to get started writing a song. It's unnerving, but it's really exciting. My first writing session was with Raine Maida from Our Lady Peace, who I love. I literally had to leave all of that at the door and try to act like a peer. I imagine it couldn't have been the most comfortable thing in the world for him because I was awkward as hell. If I had a dream version, maybe Sir Paul McCartney. But that may be a little lofty.

Q: You're three months into an eight-month tour. Any Spinal Tap moments to report?
I think other than I do believe we got lost walking to the stage once. (Hey guys, where did we get kinda lost going to the stage?) They don't remember. None of us remember, which is, I guess, in and of itself, a Spinal Tap moment.

Q: So Ryan Star, who's opening for you on Sunday, competed on "Rockstar: Supernova." I want to know who has the best war story about being on reality-based TV talent shows?
Ryan actually has better stories. We had a really kind of docile season. Everyone had a pretty good sense of self. Everyone got along. ... Oddly enough, I considered trying out for that show for that season. I didn't end up doing it. But Ryan talks about that show very nostalgically.

Q: Which song, as far as writing, are you most proud of on the album? Which song brings it home for you, like, I do belong in this business?
For me, right now, the song, that's obviously my coup to grace, is probably "Permanent." I've been writing songs since I was 15 and that's probably the most emotionally naked I've ever been on a song.

Q: What's it been like working with your band? What can you do now that maybe wasn't possible three months ago when you started?
I think just the fact that we get to play together every night; we're obviously a tighter band than we were three months ago. One of the things I'm really proud of, whether I've known them six years or six months, we all seem to click. By now it seems like we've been a band for years ... Of course, I'm only saying this because they're sitting right here next to me. Let's be honest.

News & Observer

~Kelly~

[Claygirl]

From The Star Online:
Chasing idols
by Kavidha Natarajan
5/31/09

A die-hard American Idol fan lived out her dream of getting up, close and personal with last year’s finalists.

ALL the latest trending topics and buzz has been about American Idol’s Kris Allen and Adam Lambert. To be honest, aside from the finale, I haven’t watched a single full episode of Idol this year. It’s probably because I’m still stuck on last year’s American Idol, or more specifically on the two Davids who stole my (ears and) heart.

This year, I got to talk to David Cook and David Archuleta, and see them both live in concert. What an experience!

They’re charming, affable, and pleasant to be around. Thanks to the fan website Archuleta Avenue Malaysia, I got to meet David Archuleta who is this tiny boy with a 1,000 watt smile when he was down here in April for a showcase.

He answered our questions, took photos with us, and autographed everything we gave him. He made us all happy just by being happy to see us. He really enjoyed sampling our Thai cuisine and did a fair bit of shopping while here (he looooves shopping!).

Then, in May, Sony Malaysia called up the Word Nerds (fans of David Cook) and said: “Hey, we’re gonna do a video conference with David Cook; interested?” Umm, heck yes!

As a result (and after lots of OMG OMG OMG’s!) the Malaysian Word Nerd team sat down at the Sony office in KL to stare into the face (via the wonderful technology of webcams) of one David Cook.

We got to ask him fan questions, from the serious ones on his music and his charities to the downright silly questions (Why do you hate mustard?) It was a very fun experience, and we miraculously kept our composure during the interview. It was made easy by David who is easygoing, charming, witty and funny.

So, that was my David-squared experience. Or so I thought, until I found out they were both going to perform in the region. Another session of OMG’s ensued.

Admittedly, it’s the older David that caused me to abandon my sanity and fly to Manila, Philippines to catch him live.

I travelled with my three other Cook-crazy friends, and we arrived one day before the concert to get used to our surroundings. It was our first time in Manila, and I must say the Filipinos are friendly.

The entire Mall of Asia (which is ridiculously huge) was buzzing in anticipation of the concert; every store had posters of the two Davids and their songs were blared continuously. By the day of the concert, we were jumping and flailing about, ready with our Cook T-shirts, banners, and lyrics.

Archuleta came out first; and he performed even better than he did at the KL showcase. He was bouncing about on stage, his voice soaring even though he was still recovering from flu. He did 12 songs, and got me out of my seat, dancing and bouncing when he sang Zero Gravity.

After his set, the stage crew worked swiftly to set the stage for Cook and his band. The crowd, however, was too busy being entertained by an awesome display of fireworks to pay attention to the stage.

Cook made quite an entrance, coming up from under the stage equipped with just an acoustic guitar, launching straight into The World I Know, a song he performed during the American Idol finals. The crowd was silent as everyone just stood in awe, absorbing the beautiful timbre of his voice. After that, Cook’s set was a high energy, rock-your-socks-off session as he was joined by his talented band. He performed songs from his debut album David Cook and his indie album Analog Heart.

Cook seemed to be a lot more at ease with the audience, he bantered and cajoled them to sing along with him. He even strolled down to the barricades, pulling funny faces as he took cameras from the fans and began taking clicking away.

The best part of the night though was when Archuleta joined Cook on stage on his last performance of A Daily AntheM, their voices harmoniously blending together as the song soared to its ending.

The crowd went wild and Cook was visibly affected by 75,000 people singing back the words he penned as a tribute to his brother, Adam Cook, who succumbed to cancer early this month.

When the two Davids hugged and walked off the stage together, it felt like my Idol journey has come full circle.

The Star

~Kelly~

[KSChristian4Clay]

I am seeing David next Sunday at the Cotillion in Wichita! 

[Claygirl]

I am seeing David next Sunday at the Cotillion in Wichita! 

Meesa!
How wonderful! Have an amazing time, and post your recap here! I'd love to hear all about it!
 
~Kelly~