James Durbin: Era 2.0

[Miguel]

James' updated bio:

James Durbin is known for giving metal a chance on Season 10 of “American Idol” and pushing to keep rock alive on his 2011 debut, Memories of a Beautiful Disaster. But take a deeper look inside Durbin’s musical soul and for every Judas Priest song he loved, there was one by the Beatles. For every Sammy Hagar, there was a Michael Jackson. For every ounce of metal that soared through his veins, there were equal amounts of pop hooks, catchy melodies, and sing-along lyrics pumping through his musical heart. It’s this musical juxtaposition of rock and pop that Durbin offers up on his eagerly awaited sophomore album, CELEBRATE.

At first listen of his second Wind-up Records release, it might seem that Durbin is taking one big courageous step out of the box. But, for him, it’s really just a natural progression of who he is as an artist, based in the music of his formative years. “I was having an identity crisis!” explains Durbin, “worrying if it would be too heavy or too poppy. I was over thinking it, trying to blend the two just right. I had to take a step back and say, you know what? I’m just going to write like crazy and see what happens. It took a while – almost a year – but the music on CELEBRATE is the end result. It sounds like nothing I’ve ever heard before. But it sounds like me. It’s who I am now and where I am at as an artist, as a person, as a husband and father walking through life.”

So, where did all of this come from? Who was the pre-”American Idol” Durbin when music began to shape him? The Santa Cruz, California-born and bred vocal powerhouse was raised by a single mother hooked on oldies and two older sisters hyped on New Kids on the Block. “I grew up with Motown and boy bands,” Durbin laughs. “I had Space Jam, Spice Girls, and *NSync CDs. I was super into Michael Jackson, too, and even sang ‘Rock With You’ for my sixth grade talent show. I had the glove, the jacket, and could moonwalk. It wasn’t until high school that I got more into rock and metal,” he explains.

Post “Idol,” Durbin had just a few weeks to record his debut, Memories of a Beautiful Disaster, which peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Rock Albums chart and debuted Top 40 on The Billboard 200. While Memories cemented Durbin’s rock status (with Revolver even naming him one of the 100 Greatest Living Rock Stars), Durbin never felt that the album was a true representation of his artistry. He didn’t get to let all of his talents fully shine. On CELEBRATE, though, Durbin took creative control over writing and production, resulting in a true mix of his musical influences.

The result? “This is the record I’ve always wanted to make. This is who I am. It’s definitely more pop than most people would expect – it’s even more pop than I thought it would be. All of that came out of writing the record, building it from the ground up. I listened to a lot of different music in between sessions, especially alternative radio. I really like what’s going on there right now with bands like the Neighbourhood, New Politics, and Smallpools. These are great rock bands with a punk vibe that know how to craft an incredible hook. And that’s really close to where I wound up in the end,” says Durbin, who also cites Lennon & McCartney, Bruno Mars, and Pink among his many influences.

CELEBRATE is truly a return to love of music and early pop musings he grew up on...

...“When it was first suggested that I try out a session with Ted and I saw that he had written songs for Selena Gomez and Katy Perry, I was like, ‘Okay this is the challenge I’ve been looking for musically. Let’s really go for it.’”

...“It was my first day working with Ted and right off the bat we had these ‘visual inspirations’,” says Durbin of his time working with Bruner. I told him about the inspiration for the lyrics to ‘Children,’ which is about a time in my adolescence at The Boardwalk in Santa Cruz when I was getting into some mischief. He put up a photo of The Giant Dipper rollercoaster from The Boardwalk and we used that photo to base the sound of the song around. He’d be like, ‘Okay, look at this picture when you’re writing and singing. This image is what the song should sound like!’” he explains.

“’Children’ really helped set the tone for the record. Ted and I were going for some big songs with big choruses and ‘Children’ really does that. After months and months of writing and writing, it was ‘Children Under The Sun’ that was the big game-changer. That was the song! As soon as everyone – my manager, the label, my A&R – heard it, they really got where I was going and got behind me 110%,” he says.

More: http://www.durbinrock.com/biography/

That is better written than the original PR peace for MOABD.

[Outcast]

Children Under the Sun is a great song, as is Celebrate. Just as I suspected Parachute (while good unlike LMB) is not the best song on the new record.

James tweeted earlier today that Parachute officially goes to radio today.

[Miguel]

Pics of James Durbin Live at TouchTunes:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=...75194ccc49

James wishing happy birthday to Heidi on Instagram:
http://instagram.com/p/j-rbi5rybM/#

James on Fox8 news:
http://instagram.com/fox8news

Picture he drew of Hulk Hogan:
http://instagram.com/p/kF-BU8ryYW/#

Picture he drew of Pee Wee Herman and ET:
http://instagram.com/p/kF-LHpLyYn/#

James Durbin ‏@DurbinRock 1h

I was on @Fox19 in Cincinnati this Thursday! Check out the videos here!! http://ow.ly/toXAx http://ow.ly/toXC4 #Parachute

Playing in Steger, IL today:
http://www.bandsintown.com/event/7486041...me_from=93

---

Interesting observations here:

Durbin, who has been married for two years and lives in Santa Cruz, Calif., said the one year after “Idol’ was a whirlwind but not all in a good way. “I was uprooted from my nest, my family, my home, my son and fiance,” he said. “I was put in Hollywood with designer clothes and designer amenities. I had a chauffeur, five-star dining, massages, facials and pedicures. Then I returned home.”

When reality hit home as well, he felt like a loser. “I was really f**** in my head,” he said. It took some time for him to right himself to “label my own success by my own standards,” not that of Chris Daughtry or Carrie Underwood.

He said the album cover says it all. He’s not “on a backlot staring at the ground wearing a big trenchcoat. I’m instead on the beach. There’s a sunset. I just wear my heart a little differently these days.”

“I’m just really happy,” he added. “I want to tour. I wrote a really killer record. I can’t wait for people to hear it.”

http://radiotvtalk.blog.ajc.com/2014/01/...-x-factor/

[Outcast]

Two more new songs:

Celebrate:



Sexy!!!!!!!!!!!

You Can't Believe:



This rawks!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some killer covers:

18 and Life:



Shot at the Night:

[Tusk]

Wonders if Outcast posts about Haley in James' blogs

I mean, I used to like following along about James, he was my early pick for S10, I discussed his new album and songs at IDF....I didn't see why someone couldn't like Haley AND James, I did, it shouldn't be exclusive one or the other.

I got into a tussle on HF because, back then, at least you commented every once in awhile about Haley, so I defended your right to post about James thinking you also are a fan of Haley's

I figured, this fan base was different, Haley's fans should be able to be accepting, even if James' fans appear not to be. I want Haley's base to grow, why shouldn't it include fans who also like James?... God knows, no James' blog would even THINK about allowing a subsection so one member could post exclusively about Haley. So we should be different. One of our member's is a fan of both, so why not?

Since, I have stopped following James completely because frankly 99% of his fans are massively unfair whenever Haley comes up in any blog, his fans make me don't even care one iota about what James is doing. I can't bring myself to agree to be part of a fan base that jumps and disparages about Haley's journey every chance they get (see comments from James fans on MJ)

So I wait, "well Ouctast is a a fan...right?" Still waiting.... It's been quite some time since one comment in this whole blog about Haley. So it was a trojan horse all along, a way to talk about James in someone else's blog

I used to post in this thread, back when only Outcast did, being encouraging, being inclusive....

Sorry, I held my tongue long enough. I got in a tussle w/ Haliens for your right to post here (ultimately Miguel's decision).... I guess I was wrong, a James' fan is a James' fan, it turns out.....

[Outcast]

Just because I'm a James fan it doesn't mean I'm a Haley or a Halien hater.

This section of the forum (it's a forum not a blog btw) is titled "Other Idols & Other Shows". There are threads here about other Idols such Casey, Stefano, Scotty and Lauren. I've posted in threads other than this one, including threads about Haley.

James has a new album coming out soon and is currently on tour and promoting his new single. So there's lots to talk about concerning him. I'm less interested in posting about Haley right now because she doesn't have new music out right now. It's all about the music for me at this point. These kids aren't on the show anymore so I no longer have as much of an emotional attachment to any of them, including James.

Nevertheless this is Miguel's forum and whatever he decides I will respect his wishes.

[Tusk]

Not for months have you posted about anyone else.

I'm just letting you know my disappointment. I saw other Haliens acting towards you the way James fans do to Haliens and I stepped in thinking we should be bigger. I know you used to blog under other names at IDF, multiple at MJs, but I gave the benefit of the doubt, stepping in on your behalf, again, because I thought you, like me, liked both artists. I had a pipe dream that maybe you might expose Haley to James fans that liked some of her music through you, as you have tried to do here with James' music among Haliens....

What you say is true, but it wouldn't hurt to even comment once in awhile about Haley in a forum dedicated to her populated by her fans....? Haley's had new songs she's performed, Kicked ass in front of over 10,000 for a rock and roll show.... It's not like NOTHING is going on with Haley, musically, for you to comment on... When was the last time you commented on any one other than James? I would guess many many months...

Scotty McCreery... In October

Last post about Haley in August...

Do you wave the flag for Haley in a James' forum, I wonder?

I guess I'm posting this from disappointment. You were the one James fan who didn't carry this 'attitude' and I felt I'd like to encourage more fans to not be so exclusive. So I fended off Long time Halien friends which ended up in bad blood between us for awhile, since healed.

I'm disappointed in my judgement, that I defended you vs friends, who turned out to be more right than wrong. That my efforts on your behalf was misplaced.

I assume your purpose on HF is to gain more fans for James. I know that it has at least lost one James fan here, well, maybe not a 'fan' at this point, but at least someone who paid attention and was somewhat interested in him

Waiting for months so I could see that I was right about you, and it doesn't appear the case. Do what you must, I'm just terribly disappointed that I thought I found one James fan who was different.

I was wrong....

[Outcast]

Have I in any way disrespected Haley on this forum or any of the other posters here?

If you want to vent that's fine I have no issue at all, we all have the right to feel whatever we feel.

I dunno if you've noticed but I don't even post that often about James anymore. Some of the latest posts in this very thread are by Miguel. I'm no longer a James stan like you are still a Haley stan. I got a new job a couple of months ago and it's very demanding of my time. As a result I don't have as much free time as I used to search for every video, photo and article about James or any other Idol for that matter. And because of this my interest has waned. S10 and the Haliens vs Durbinators feud is ancient history for me. Life happens and things change with time.

Reality tv has a knack of getting us hooked on personalities but these kids are not tv personalities anymore, they are now artists. I don't closely follow other artists and bands I like, never have. James is the only one that got me sucked into internet fandom. Had I discovered James through any other means that probably wouldn't have happened.

I understand where you're coming from but you have indeed drawn the wrong conclusion. The truth is I'm no longer as attached to my fave to the same degree you're still attached to yours. I no longer care about defending James against naysayers here, at MJs or IDF. And quite frankly neither James nor Haley need us to defend them anyway.

This is JMHO of course, you and everyone else here are always entitled to your own.

[Tusk]

Fair enough,

I guess it's more that I see this thread now as an unnecessary scar that I took in hopes of keeping peace among fans, that I hoped we could be a conduit to appreciate both artists.

I had to air it out rather than let it fester...

[Outcast]

That's ok, you're welcome to air with me whatever want.

I do appreciate both artists and I don't think your attempts were in vain. Things have always been very civil here, and I made sure not to invite any other James fans here to keep it that way. I've left every James FB fan group except for one which is the only one that allows the members to criticize James. I still like James but I'm now over everything that comes with being a stan. The music is all that matters to me now.

As for Haley, I'm waiting for new music as I enjoyed her last album. When she releases something new I'll take some time out to listen to it and review it in her section of the forum.