David Cook talks acting, Michael Jackson, and the music scene today By Marnie Brodersen

I had the good fortune of pulling some old strings from myAmericanidol.com days, and I was able to speak with David Cook on the phone this weekend.  I couldn’t wait to ask him about his surprising stage presence that I noticed when I caught his recent show in Del Mar, CA.  It’s not that I was shocked that it was such a great show (as I explained to him), but was more intrigued by how much the seemingly subdued singer really came out of his shell and engaged the audience.  As David explained, he has a bit of a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde stage persona, and it’s something that has evolved further over the last few years.  As he so eloquently put it, the “on stage David” is a bit “more of a pain in the ass!”  I also had to ask him about the cover song that he did, as it’s been bugging me that I couldn’t remember, and was holding my one-year-old, which presents some challenges when you’re trying to take notes.  He said that it was the one-hit-wonder “Shattered Dreams” by a band calledJohnny Hates Jazz.  David said that has some other covers up his sleeve, but his band hasn’t pulled them out yet, like a hard rock version of “I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight” and Nine Inch Nails’ “Every Day Is Exactly The Same”.

David explained to me the reasoning behind his recent decision to extend his tour, as he said that there were a lot of places that they felt like they didn’t hit, and they also feel that they are not the same band now as they were when they started.  He’s enjoyed seeing them evolve, as he admits they were fairly green at the onset.  As he put it, “The record still has a lot of legs left,” so he wants people to have the full experience.  He’s played in a lot of different venues as well, with the inital part of his tour being mainly in college towns.  As far as a dream venue from David, he basically asks “Where do I start?”  He loves the big arenas, and would love to play Madison Square Garden, Red Rocks, The Forum, Arrowhead, Stonehenge, Wembley, and many more.

As does tend to occur when someone acquires a lot of fame, such as David, he hits the media circuit.  I couldn’t help but ask him about his experience(s) with the iconic Larry King, who makes me laugh, whether he’s trying to or not.  David said he’s been on the show three times now, and he has an absolutely blast, as Larry tells him lots of “cool stories” during the commercial breaks.  I asked him about his comment during the last interview that he’s been surprised by how much people ask him about his love life or what he likes to eat, etc., over his music.  He went to say that he’s saddened that it used to be “music first, pop culture second,” but now it’s the other way around.

Because I see David as being a pretty profound guy, I asked him for his take on the music scene today, and he said that he is a bit disheartened by some of it.  As he explained, so many artists today just go for the singles, where as his band really wanted to release an actual album, complete with a cohesive sound to it.  He “didn’t want to make a collection of singles,” and he thinks that this “concise idea from start to finish” is the reason they have seen the numbers they have.  As he put it, “We pride ourselves on being a rock band, and you don’t see as much of that anymore.”  I asked him if anyone had contacted him about the passing of Michael Jackson due to his memorable rendition of “Billie Jean” on Idol, and he said that they had.  David does admit, however, that his success with that performance was a bit of “dumb luck!”  As far as Michael Jackson goes, David said that he thinks thatQuincy Jones put it best when he said that a great musician comes along once in a lifetime, but an artist like Michael Jackson only comes along once.

I’ve heard David mention in a few interviews that he wants to pursue acting at some point as well, so I asked him to talk a bit more about what kind of acting he’s referring to, and he said that he’d like to do whatever comes his way, and that he even read for something recently that he hopes he gets.  He did joke that we’re probably not going to see him in High School Musical any time soon, but didn’t rule out the possiblity of a role in that either!  David got a bit of acting experience in his video for “Come Back To Me,” in which his love interest is played by Disturbia’s Sarah Roemer.  He was up front with Sarah about this kind of thing being new to him, and said that she was great to work with.  David also touched on how honored he was to be the only former Idol winner to be featured in a promo for the upcoming season, and he said that the commercial was “shot amazingly.”  He joked that nothing beats acting when you don’t having any lines, and called the whole thing a “cool experience.”  David also said he doesn’t plan on distancing himself from the popular show any time soon, as it’s plain and simply biting the hand that feeds you.

David was lucky enough to get a two week break from his hectic tour schedule recently, and during his time off he took his younger brother, Andrew, to a Bryan Adams acoustic show, and was able to hang out with the veteran singer after the show.  He said he got a great bit of advice from Bryan, who told him to make sure he records the music he want to make, and not to stop until he wants to stop.  David plans on doing just that, and will most likely follow up his debut effort with a sophomore album shortly after his current tour wraps.  As David explained, he wants to “take the ideals on this record and expand them.”  As far as writing a song about the extremely devastating recent passing of his brother, Adam, David said he’s not sure about that.  Only time will tell.

David Cook – Fuses Countdown

Video By: Davidcookfansite2

David Cook in Aspen, CO June 27

Heroes

Life On The Moon

I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight

Avalanche

Declaration

David Cook at Fox31

David Cook’s No.1 Countdown BY Just Jared

David Cook visits Fuse’s No. 1 Countdown at Fuse Studios on Thursday (June 25) in New York City.

The 26-year-old American Idol winner just scored his 3rd Top 10 Single on Adult Radio. His introductory single, “Time of My Life,” reached No. 7, its follow-up, “Light On,” peaked at No. 4., and his latest single “Come Back to Me” moved into No. 10 this week. Cookannounced plans to extend his first ever solo tour, “The Declaration Tour – 2009,” through October 2009.

Earlier this month, JustJared.comreported Cook getting a little cozy with scene queen Lana Jade.

Photos: Bryan Bedder/Getty

David Cook at 95.5 WPLJ

David Cook rocks Cain’s By Tulsa Today

By Tracy Crain, Managing Editor

Thursday, 25 June 2009

New Information Added Review: David Cook played to a standing room only crowd at Cain’s Ballroom on Tuesday night, where there was a warm and romantic welcome. A proposal was made moments before Cook was scheduled to perform. Out of nowhere, a gentleman came to the microphone.  He called out to his girlfriend, who was standing in the crowd and asked her to the front. He then proposed.  It was sweet and she said “yes” as the sound of cheers filled the room. Security then tightened around the stage where photographers and media stood to the side and in front of the barricades, waiting with an ever growing crowd, for Cook. Suddenly, lights came on and flickered, applause echoed and he came bursting onto the stage. The first song was “Heroes.” His voice was strong. Dressed in black jeans, a black t-shirt and a pair of black boots, he looked great and comfortable. Overall, he had firm control of his stage performance, which did not disappoint. Throughout his hour and 15 minute set, such hits as “Declaration,” and “Come Back to Me,” were heard. He frequently addressed the audience.  He spoke of his early days in Tulsa as the crowd interacted and communicated back. “I remember three years ago, I was harassing Phil to let me book a show here. Tonight we sold out,” he said. The crowd cheered enthusiastically. Cook gave a performance of “Shattered Dreams,” and “Til I’m Blue.” He spoke of a couch at 41st and Yale Streets, where he spent some time songwriting.  His two closing songs, “Light On,” and “A Daily Anthem,” drew significant crowd reaction. As one Tulsa Today reader, Cori Griswold, of Connecticut, wrote in to say, “My favorite thing about seeing David Cook in concert is that he really connects with the audience and makes each person feel a part of the show.  His band is incredibly tight with great chemistry.  It isn’t often that you can say a band sounds better live than on a produced album but it is 100% accurate in this case.” She continued, “After seeing them live, I immediately went looking for tickets to future shows so I could witness it all again! Ryan Star, currently promoting his “Last Train Home,” EP, was Cook’s opening act. For more information on Star, visitwww.rstar.net. For information on future David Cook tour dates, please visit: www.davidcookoffical.com Editor’s Post Script:  Tulsa Today was proud to be a part of welcoming David Cook back home to Cain‘s Ballroom. Kevin Pyle, Tulsa Today photographer, members of DCF and the promoters graciously provided my show accommodations and it was appreciated. Thanks to security at Cain’s and Kevin,  I did have one of the best seats in the house.  Positioned about two feet from the stage, I was able to see his Cook’s performance and gauge the fan reaction.  It was touching.  So heart-felt, compliments filled the air about this Tulsan they so dearly love. After the show, I went to the newspaper, where publisher David Arnett and I discussed the overwhelming reaction we received to the David Cook article. Cooks fans far and wide made their presence known and we experienced a tremendous hit count to our website.  Your support was overflowing and we thank you so much. Moments after leaving the paper, I ran into David Cook unexpectedly.  Out of the blue, I heard this voice. I turned to look and he was standing right behind me!!! I was so surprised. We shook hands and I told him of the reaction we had to the interview he gave Tulsa Today.  We also spoke of his remaining tour as he posed for a picture and gave an autograph to a passerby that had recognized him.  He is every bit the way so many describe him–authentic, genuine and kind. Cook indicated he was looking forward to his upcoming performances.  Then, we spoke of Kris Allen and an upcoming interview.  Cook offered a few comments for the upcoming article on Allen, another Tulsa Today exclusive.  Look for that to be posted in the following weeks. Overall, Cook appeared happy and was among friends. New Information We wanted to comment on a recent story that posted today by the Oklahoman on NewsOK. It states that Cook performed at the Grey Snail Saloon in Tulsa after his show at Cain’s. I had heard that rumor myself from our photographer Kevin Pyle. When I saw David that night after the show,  I did ask if he had performed there.  He said that he had not and that he didn’t know where all these rumors were coming from about him. Hmmm??? Makes you wonder. We’re going to let all you Cook fans battle that one out as we move forward with our Kris Allen interview. Look for that in the upcoming weeks. http://vodpod.com/watch/1640130-kris-allen-aint-no-sunshine-final-encore Concert Photos at Cain’s Ballroom by Kevin Pyle

David cook at Kiis Fm 98.9

‘Idol’ Cook hits Cain’s with his best shots By TulsaWorld
The former Tulsa bartender comes home to an adoring crowd.

“American Idol” winner David Cook wows an adopted-hometown crowd at Tulsa’s Cain’s Ballroom on Tuesday. STEPHEN HOLMAN/ Tulsa World

By JENNIFER CHANCELLOR World Scene Writer
Published: 6/24/2009  2:17 AM
Last Modified: 6/24/2009  5:26 AM

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For more on Green Country music news and more, check out Tulsa World reporter Jennifer Chancellor’s Barrelhouse Beat blog.

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David Cook drenched eager fans with emotion Tuesday night as the former Tulsa bartender served up hits like shots from his short but intoxicatingly potent career.

The seventh-season “American Idol” winner played a sold-out homecoming show at the historic Cain’s Ballroom.

Mothers, sorority sisters, fraternity boys, teachers, kids, grandparents — they all crowded in, shoulder to shoulder. They all sang along like pie-eyed old friends singing bar-room anthems.

“Three years ago I was begging Phil Marshall to open for him,” Cook joked to a drummer’s rim shot as he referenced opening act Phil Marshall, a popular Tulsa transplant from the U.K.

Cook’s set was a contrast of extremes — his hits set on shuffle. Poppy “Heroes” segued into “Mr. Sensitive,” and woeful “Lie” exploded into the thumping roar of “Kiss on the Neck.”

Cook owned the crowd, leading it in handclaps, sing-alongs and riotous cheering.

He joked a lot about his old days, watching his friends get drunk from behind a bar, then, and now, watching his fans get wasted from the stage. It was conversational tavern banter that Cook had years to perfect during his tenure in smoky, tiny clubs all over Tulsa.

Yet he’s truly humble.

It’s obvious in the way he tours with his “old band” of more than six years. It’s in the way he says “us” when he references the band and the tour, like they’re family. It’s in the way he breaks into songs by his former band, Midwest Kings, during his headlining tour.

The MWK tune channeled the grunge rocker in each of them with ” ‘Till I’m Blue,” which then rocketed into the big-drum and dirty guitar grandiosity of “Dream Big,” then into a screaming electric cover of the ’80s pop hit “Shattered Dreams.”

The tempo slowed, but racing hearts didn’t as Cook went into power ballad mode with his new single, “Come Back to Me.” His lips brushed the microphone, sweat dampened his faded V-neck T, and the crowd sang with him. It’s a tune that was co-penned by Tulsa’s own music man Zac Malloy.

Cook has, indeed, come a long, long way since he performed with his first band, Axium, as a middle school kid in Missouri.

Several minutes of yelling, foot-stomping and cheering brought Cook and the boys back out to perform the encore, “Light On,” to a distinctively feminine backing choir of star-struck fans.

He closed with a song he wrote in 2006, one that came to him as he sat on his buddy’s couch in a home near 46th Street and Peoria Avenue.

“I never believed this would become a major label hit,” he said as the band rumbled into “A Daily AntheM,” a song he also dedicates to his eldest brother, Adam, who died from cancer earlier this year. ” But here we are.”

Photo: STEPHEN HOLMAN/ Tulsa World

David Cook from the heart By TulsaToday

By Tracy Crain, Managing Editor

Tuesday, 23 June 2009

Tulsa Today Exclusive “Is this the moment that I look you in the eye?” The lyrics melt into the sound of the piano.  “I’m permanent,” David Cook sings.  Each painstaking, beautiful note, causes a lump to the throat. It’s hard to breathe as the song comes into full crescendo. “Permanent,” a release from Cook’s self-titled debut album, is a dedication to his brother Adam. It’s been nearly two months since Adam passed away from cancer.  The loss is raw and there’s an urge to tip-toe.  It’s hard not to cry. Rightly so, Cook has come home to Tulsa.  People here have adopted this talented, tender musician, who moved into the area, lived here, and served up drinks at the local bar way before the success of American Idol.  And, it’s where he will be loved and cherished long after. Cook says, “I have been fortunate to be as busy as I have been.  It helps the grieving process. We are back in the routine of things and everything is good.” He continues, “The loss of a brother…it is not something you really get over.  That’s why I got involved with the Race for the Cure–it galvanizes me.  I don’t want Adam to be just another statistic.” Of all the songs that he’s released, “Permanent,” is Cook’s favorite. “From writing it to recording it, the project took two weeks. I was kind of surprised that we were able to get around all the red tape.” Cook returned to American Idol this past season to perform the song, “Permanent,” on the show’s finale. Proceeds from that recording, which was available through Itunes, went toAccelerate Brain Cancer Cure (ABC2), a Washington, D.C.-based organization dedicated to finding a cure for brain cancer.” A year after winning the seventh season of “American Idol,” record sales indicate Cook has distinguished himself far and above that initial success. A perfect example of that success is his show, scheduled for tonight, atCain’s Ballroom.  It has caused quite a stir.  Tickets for this event sold quickly and are coveted. Andrew Hughes, assistant manager of Starship Records, located at 13th and Lewis, illustrates the point. “He came running out of the gate real fast with those tickets sales.  When people are calling all day long the day you get the tickets in, you know it’s a good show.  I know David’s from around here and I think it’s really good that he has so much support.” He continued, “His show sold out within a day. The demand has been so popular that the agent has come back and released more tickets three times.” Cook, who maintains that, “he found himself musically in Tulsa,” has been experiencing similar success throughout the 75-76 shows he has performed on “The Declaration Tour.” “We have been doing really well.  There is a high sell-out rate, around 96 percent.  Fans have been really, really responsive,” Cook said. “I am extremely excited to come back to Tulsa.” Not only has Cook found success in touring, his self-titled “David Cook” cd has been well received. In December of 2008, The Los Angeles Times reported that the single, “Time of My Life,” had spent more than 10 weeks on the Billboard adult contemporary charts…making him one of 15 solo male artists to do so for 10 weeks or more since the chart began in 1961.” Sales of his album have gone platinum. “Light On,” was the first official single to debut and was followed with the releases of “The Time of My Life,” “Come Back to Me,” and “Permanent.” “There are so many variables for me when it comes to this cd,” Cook said. “We put it together in under four months.  The fact that we were able to do that and do one that is representative of me in that time is amazing.  I am proud of it and I want other people to be proud of it, too.” The cd, David Cook, entered the Billboard charts at number three, also debuted as the number one album on the digital album chart, and is the best debut from an American Idol winner since 2006.  As reported on his website, “…Collectively the songs from David Cook have sold over 2 million tracks and ringtones combined.  His current single “Come Back To Me” is pushing Top 10 at Hot AC radio, following up Top 5 singles (“Light On” and “Time Of My Life“) at the format.” “My father has a lot to do with my success. I grew up watching him play guitar,” Cook said.  As a child, Cook had wanted a drum set. Instead, his father purchased him a guitar. He admits now, “I am thankful for that.” Cook spent Father’s Day with family and friends from Tulsa.  At that time, he was not yet sure about what he was going to do at tonight‘s show, but he is looking forward to the performance. “I don’t plan too far ahead,” he said. “Several of my band mates are from the local area. One of them just might sing,” he says, promisingly, ever courteous and kind. “I have known David a long time.  I had a band years ago and we all played together.  He worked for me down at the club I own,” Jeff Martinson, owner of Exit6C, a musician and friend of Cook, said.  “The one thing I remember about David is that he had this huge voice.  I always told him that he had the voice of a lion.” Martinson continues, “David is a gentleman.  It’s amazing what he has gone through and what he has achieved in the last few years.  He is a great guy and a hell of a talent.” Comparing Cook’s talent to that of other idol winners, Martinson says, “David is one of the few that actually writes his own music.  Historically, if you look at folks like Carrie Underwood, she might write one line and they graciously give credit to that.  Cook is a songwriter and I know he is about to be working on some upcoming projects that people want him to do.” He continues, “I feel like he is the first real musician American Idol ever had.  At least, the rock n rollers here feel that way.  I am looking forward to hearing his next cd.” The Declaration Tour, recently extended, wraps up in October 2009. To learn more about David Cook, visit his official website. To listen to a special message from David to Tulsa Today readers click here. Concert Photos by Kevin Pyle, Tulsa Today

David Cook New VLog