I've heard Dead or Alive, You Give Love a Bad Name, Living on a Prayer and most of the other tunes sung tonight, but I have no real opinion about Bon Jovi's music. Ryan calls them one of the greatest bands of all time and qualifies himself by recounting their huge touring and record sales successes. But, do big numbers make them great?
I don't know. Some would say so, but I see McDonald's signs everywhere boasting how many billions of customers they've served, and I know I can make a better burger than they can.
I hate McDonald's. And I think McDonald's hates me. Something in the hash browns has me running for the bathroom every time. I guess synthesized potatoes are the price you pay to be forever remembered as one of the greatest fast food places in history.
What price does one have to pay to be remembered as one of the greatest rock bands in history, I wonder? If it has anything to do with making musical hash browns, I don't ever want to know. Bon Jovi knows, however, and for good or ill, he was more than happy to share his nuggets with the contestants.
What was his prognosis for Blake? Failure? He didn't actually say it -- no way -- you don't get to the top by being specific. But he didn't like the idea of a 16-bar drum break on a singing show. I wonder, now that most Idol watchers and judges alike seemed to like the idea of taking a chance, if tomorrow he will reveal somehow that he knew all along that "rolling the dice" was a good move for Blake?
Speaking of which, I may not like all the beatboxing, but I completely respect and admire his determination to do something different. I wonder if the arrangement was truly his? Back when I was on the show, we had to sing to a track and didn't get the chance to work with the band on any arrangements. It was all tracked in a studio after we selected the song. It would have been next to impossible to work up an alternate version of the song.
Now I imagine the contestants do all their rehearsing with the band and have a chance to collaborate with Ricky Minor in any changes made. My guess is that if the artist has an idea, Ricky writes the parts out. Still, having the ideas and the will to follow through is cool.
Anyway, back to Jon Bon and his bits of wisdom. I think he got it right for everyone else -- in a bland way. Phil sounded good (even though he was stiff and generic), Melinda and Lakisha took it to church, Chris had a hard time making Dead or Alive his own and Jordin picked a tough song for herself. Five out of six ain't bad.
Tomorrow night I suppose we'll get to see if this rumor of greatness is true.
Answers to Reader Questions:
Do the contestants actually get paid?
Yep. Once you're in the top twelve, that is.
Are you excited in any way, shape, or manner about being a part of the Idol Camp?
Yeah, very excited. I went to summer camps as a kid and I remember all my teachers' names and all the good times I had back then. I like the idea of reciprocating those experiences.
Thanks for reading and all the questions. Feel free to post more.
Jon Peter Lewis was a finalist on the third season of "American Idol." His newly released debut album, "Stories From Hollywood," is available everywhere online and can also be downloaded at americanidol.com. Visit Jon's Web site for more.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
5-02-2007 @ 12:01PM
Bas said...
I'm not a huge Bon Jovi fan, either, but they have had longivity, so they must be doing something right.
Music is subjective - one man's steak is another man's quarter pounder with cheese. For example, look how long you remained in the competition.
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5-02-2007 @ 12:18PM
Scott said...
Who friggin' CARES what Jon Peter Lewis thinks? Why is his stupid poorly-written irrelevant blog even featured on AOL?
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5-02-2007 @ 12:23PM
cathy said...
THERES NOTHING YOU CAN SAY NEGATIVE ABOUT BON JOVI YOUR JUST JEALOUS!!!!! HE IS A TOTAL HOTTY AND AT AGE 49 HE LIGHTS MY FIRE EVERYTIME I SEE HIM! AND I'M NOT ALONE THERES MANY MORE OF US!
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5-02-2007 @ 12:37PM
Porchland said...
No. 2: I'm with you! I don't even remember this 'tard being on the show!
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5-02-2007 @ 12:46PM
bgdc said...
The Stones and The Who have made huge money too. I wouldn't call them even decent musicians or writers. It's all point of view.
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5-02-2007 @ 12:51PM
Ted said...
Bon Jovi isn't a very good band, but American Idol isn't a very good show. It makes a lot of sense for American Idol to equate big numbers with greatness.
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5-02-2007 @ 1:24PM
Kirby said...
The thing about Bon Jovi is, he's the master of his genre. Which is basically, 80s power ballads. Now, apparently a lot of people don't like those (you whippersnappers!), but it's not that he wasn't good at what he did.
It's like N'Sync for boy bands, or Metallica for heavy metal - I don't much like either of these bands, but that's because I don't like the genre. A lot of people think that the Sex Pistols are crap, or Bruce Springsteen or Bob Dylan. And for personal tastes, hey, whatever works for you. But it would be wrong to say that they weren't all legends. Maybe I could see someone like N'Sync or Brittany compared to McDonalds - mass produced and largely created by studios - but Bon Jovi is the real deal, the big star of a major musical movement, and more than just an impressive list of sales figures.
I certainly prefer him to the Peter Noone/Lulu week, but probably because the 80s were my musically defining decade, not the 60s.
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5-02-2007 @ 1:57PM
The Midnight Penguin said...
Does it really matter who is writing the articles? If Jon was just a regular reporter would you still be upset about the writing? Or is it just because you don't remember him? I think the articles are just fine, and it's great he competed as well so he can add in things from his experience, as he has done this week.
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5-02-2007 @ 2:52PM
Sharon said...
Jon, you were my favorite on AI3. I own your album and love it. Just think it's a pity that there isn't some filter on these sites that screens out idjits!
Congratulations on being a part of the Idol camp and rocking on! So glad you can work at what you love to do!
Others should be so lucky!
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5-02-2007 @ 3:07PM
malren said...
"Jon, you were my favorite on AI3. I own your album and love it."
So you're the one.
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5-02-2007 @ 3:25PM
gwinco1 said...
Bon Jovi is one of the greatest rock bands ever, I don't even remember this guy either.. Bon Jovi is still around for a reason, unlike this guy, he never even got around. There are very few bands still together and selling records for as long as these guys have been. Your mouth sounds like your ass on hashbrowns...What a stupid analogy...Bon Jovi Rocks !!!!
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5-02-2007 @ 4:11PM
Jon Peter Lewis said...
Whoa, settle down people... I never said I didn't like Bon Jovi. I said I have no opinion of his music.
The point of the article isn't about who's great and who isn't. I think no. 1 and no. 7 are right. It's all a matter of preference.
The point is to poke at the idea that big numbers makes you great. I'm really not sure on that one.
What is clear, though, is that putting up big numbers makes you a great salesman.
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5-02-2007 @ 4:49PM
Jerseygirl61 said...
FYI to #3. Jon Bon Jovi is 45 years old, NOT 49. And JPL, no offense but who are you to be the judge of anyone else's talent. I certainly hope you weren't comparing yourself to Jon Bon Jovi as far as singing goes. Your rendition of Elvis Presley's A Little Less Conversation was AWWWFULLL!!!! As far as I am concerned you were the 3rd seasons Sanjaya!!
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5-02-2007 @ 5:09PM
Pauler said...
It's funny Jon, that you have to explain your blog to some people that don't get your point. I totally got the message, even without the McDonald's reference, which I thought was brilliant. Anyway, I think Jon Bon Jovi is good and I enjoy listening to him on the radio when a song of his comes on, but I've never bought his CD or gone to his concerts. When I read your blog I knew you'd get clobbered for not praising him. Being neutral shouldn't be considered an insult .. oh well. And to the person that said Jon Bon Jovi was a hottie for being 49, ahem, Wikipedia says he was born March 2,1962, which would make him 45 if that is accurate.
As far as Blake goes, I thought he was great. Several of his performances have been outstanding. He's grown a lot on me through the competition and is the most entertaining and talented one, in my opinion. Can't wait to see JBJ take credit for Blake's performance tonight. ;)
Jon, again in my opinion, was the best of AI's Season 3 and I find his blogs to be refreshing and fun to read.
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5-02-2007 @ 5:11PM
"Gidget" said...
Jon, you know my thoughts on this post already, but I want to tell you here that generally I totally enjoy your posts and enjoy your insight into AI in general.
Keep on writing my friend. ;-)
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5-02-2007 @ 5:17PM
Pauler said...
Comment to #13 .. Jon's "A Little Less Conversation" won the audience choice so there are more than a few of us that thought it was a great performance. Paula and Randy liked it too so whatever.. It was a great performance. Like Blake, he rolled the dice. Let's hope Blake's gamble payed off as well as Jon's has. And Jon did not compare himself to JBJ, by the way.
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5-02-2007 @ 8:03PM
Lisa said...
I also had a feeling you would get some darts thrown at you for this blog, but thats the way it goes sometimes. Never did you compare yourself to Bon Jovi some people just read what they wanted too.
It still amazes me that people feel the need to put you down, but thats their own disatisfaction with themselves I guess.
Do big numbers make you great? Well thats a good question, I do think they make you rich. To some people that is considered greatness. To other people true greatness is something different.
Jon I'm glad your writing these blogs keep at it!!!!!!!!
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5-02-2007 @ 8:10PM
Chuck said...
Jon
It's always funny to me how many people get mad at you for "judging" somebody else's talent, and then go right on and do it themselves. Wake up peope--the whole point of shows like this is that we *get* to judge! And why does someone have to be a record exec to have a freakin' opinion? These same people would fall over each other to shake your hand, JPL, if you agreed with them, but since you don't they feel they have the right to criticize. (and they do, of course, which is my point. But still . . .)
Anyway. I get what you're saying. I've always hated phrases like "50 million people can't be wrong", etc. Big numbers equal big money, and we live in a society that all to often thinks that big money equals right. Personall I can't stand Bon Jovi, but that's because I don't like the genre at all. But to say he's good, or better than someone else because of how much he has sold is just asinine. There are plenty of unknown kick-A musicians and bands that can smoke almost anyone on the radio, but due to bad luck, bad location, bad marketing, whatever, never make it to the light of day.
Just my two cents. Oh, and Blake was far and away the best thing on the show.
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5-02-2007 @ 8:32PM
The Mean Girl said...
I guess the point of posting comments on here is just to bitch about something or another, for most of you any way. Hey, I can bitch it out with them best of them...
For those spouting out tirades of JPL's jealousy WAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I was already laughing hard enough at his blog as it was but reading some of your hater comments makes it all that more entertaining. See jealousy is trying out for the same show that is being blogged about, not making it on and then posting up nonsense about how someone who is "no longer around", very much is.
Oh and since your stupidity is obviously so blinding, I will spell it out for you. Jon Peter Lewis was featured because people DO care what he has to say. (You took the time to read this and post did you not???) Those who care more then you do are called fans. Now pay attention here children this next one might be a bit hard for your brain to comprehend. JPL has thousands of fans. You might be someone else’s fan but you don't have any yourselves. This is because people don't care about you. My prediction is, we never will. So you should just go deal with being a nobody somewhere else.
As for you Mr. Lewis. I loved the fact that you felt the need to share with us how much you LOVE Micky D's and the runs; or the lack there of. My self personally if I ever think about eating processed potatoes and meat, I gladly stop by and add to the billions sold. Now that is my taste and it is nummy.
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5-02-2007 @ 8:43PM
Sam said...
Remember, what's good for GM is good for America.
I had the feeling in past seasons that Idols didn't get a whole lot of input on the arrangements. But obviously that's changed this year. Do you suppose it was a specific change by AI, or do you think it had more to do with the specific contestants this year?
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