Ashlee Simpson Update: She DID sing tonight!

Who'd have thunk this would be newsworthy... but it is I guess.

Published on October 25, 2004 By historyishere In Music

Well, I was one of the first people here to really lay into Ashlee Simpson after the SNL incident, and I was expecting her to fail.... fail on so many levels tonight and the Radio Music Awards. I mean, she had to really "face the music" if you catch my drift. Her credibility was seriously on the line, and she needed to be live to regain any of it back.

When she first got on stage, her and her band made fun of the infamous song starting fiasco by recreated before she starting singing.... and it was... well, real... no tricks. It was flawed, but it was legitimate. Either that, or she did some quick recording to produce a vocal performance that sounded legitimate.

It wasn't an entirely inspiring performance, but she did sing live. My question is: would she have performed live if it wasn't for SNL? Was it a wake-up call for the industry?

Who would have thought someone performing live would be so newsworthy......

Comments (Page 1)

SSG Geezer

on Oct 25, 2004

OK, Please explain why I should care if a pop "artist " actually sings. She has already shown her vanilli side.

historyishere

on Oct 25, 2004

Because she wasn't that good... which makes the rest look bad by association.

historyishere

on Oct 26, 2004

I guess it isn't really newsworthy after all

BlueDev

on Oct 26, 2004

I just find it funny.

historyishere

on Oct 26, 2004

That it is... that it is....

messybuu

on Oct 26, 2004

I love Ashlee, but I think this post by her was a bit funny.

historyishere

on Oct 26, 2004

OMG.... that's friggin hilarious.... HAHAHAHAHA! The Lip-synching luddite strikes again!

historyishere

on Oct 26, 2004

And now the community is gone(meaning you get a redirect).... just like SNL's board went down on Saturday Night

Angloesque

on Oct 27, 2004

Did you watch Ashlee Simpson either last night on the awards when she "explained" or this morning when Katie Couric patted her on the head and said, "Poor baby"? (Okay, Katie Couric didn't really do that, but her interview was about as hard-hitting as Jon Stewart's interview of John Kerry, but only one of those two interviewers is a journalist.) I think Ashlee made some remark about how she feels bad for getting caught the first time she did it, but she insinuated that lots of people were doing it the night before on the Radio Music Awards. (Continuing the blame game.)

It has made me think, though--y'know on American Idol where the singers sound, well, real? D'ya think some of today's stupid pop stars could make it through AI? I don't. But I can appreciate a few mistakes, and no concert is good when the singer sounds just the same as his/her album.

-A.

historyishere

on Oct 27, 2004

Variation is the key to entertainment. You can sing a song perfectly and have it be a different experience every time.

And I notice you said she felt bad she got caught, not that she did it. Its a huge distinction.... because admitting you felt bad you did it means you feel remorse for doing something wrong, rather than regretting you got busted but knowing that you would have done it again the same way.

I also agree that most of these new pop stars couldn't cut it on American Idol. I don't think they could cut it at a karaoke bar to tell you the truth.

Angloesque

on Oct 27, 2004

Since my words were paraphrase and I don't want to get in trouble, here's the Link to the Today show and on that site is a link to the video (I don't have RealPlayer or Flash on this computer) of Ashlee talking to Katie.

-A.

sgsmitty

on Oct 27, 2004

What I am surprised about is that so many people were either surprised that she was not singing live or upset about it. Modern music is so complex, involving multiple instruments, sounds, vocals, etc. that it is next to impossible to recreate live what they achieve in the studio with multiple track recording equipment.

BlueDev

on Oct 27, 2004

Modern music is so complex, involving multiple instruments, sounds, vocals, etc.

Complex out of design or necessity? I think that is the real question.

Modern POP music is more about image than the music, and as such they need to complicate the equation to build an image that fits some executive's notion of what is going to be a hit. After all, the more layers of vocal track you have the more difficult it is to notice that the singer does, in fact, suck. It is all becoming a game of smoke and mirrors, and we as the consumers are the feckless dolts who are supporting the charade.

Trust me, the most complex music can (and is) performed live. Really live. Go sit back and witness the majesty of a symphony orchestra, or even just a string quartet or the like. Go watch some of the bands and artists making complex, powerful music live, and see that, while they may be using a few pre-programmed parts here and there, they are the ones triggering it, they are the ones playing the instruments, they are the ones making the music. Powerful stuff. Not that hollow crap we are fed by the mainstream media.

historyishere

on Oct 27, 2004

Apparently the music of the 1960's and 1970's passed you by then. If you compare most of these modern pop songs with the songs that were written by progressive rockers or arena rockers... well, then the complexity argument doesn't hold water.

BlueDev

on Oct 27, 2004

that were written by progressive rockers or arena rockers... well, then the complexity argument doesn't hold water.

Heck, compare it to those bands still writing that type of music. Pop stuff is just a sham.

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