By Jeff Swindoll Jul 10, 2007, 18:38 GMT
I don’t watch American Idol but even I happen to know that Kelly Clarkson won during the first season of American Idol. Her latest album is one that was not easy to miss in the media, as there was a lot of controversy surrounding it.
As the story goes, Clive Davis, the head of Sony-BMG, was unhappy with the album and wanted changes made or even were considering scrapping the album. Clarkson refused to make any changes and it was obvious that she and Davis were having hard times and eventually even fired her manager (it’s somewhat amusing to read her thank you to him in the liner notes considering how things turned out).
I guess people were eagerly anticipating hearing the album to hear whatever it was that put Davis off. I’ll have to say I don’t know that Davis heard. Sure the songs are a bit somber and deal with some heady issues, but if that’s the way that Clarkson wanted to go then why stop her?
Supposedly Davis didn’t feel that some of the songs were “radio friendly” and too dark. Personally, I don’t have a very good opinion of “radio friendly” since it shuts out some extremely good artists (just read a story in Newsweek about the 80-year-old Grand Ole Opry legend Porter Waggoner’s new album not getting any airplay. I also remember the ad that Johnny Cash put out when he won the Grammy “thanking” the radio stations [he was flipping them the bird].
Many of these elder statesmen (or women) are having to go to indie labels since the big labels won’t touch them – shame on them.) I think that an artist should be given the creative freedom to do what they want with their work and corporations be damned. If it tanks then the artist can try something else.
That being rambled, I actually liked Clarkson’s album but should disclose that it was the first one I’ve listened to. Stick around past the final track and you’ll find a bonus track. I say let Clarkson do what she wants to. I think she did fine with this one.
‘My December’ is now available at Amazon. Visit the music database for more information.
