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An interview with season four's Bo Bice
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If you're like me, you don't think of the first true rocker on American Idol to be Chris Daughtry, but rather Bo Bice. His performances of songs like "Whipping Post" and "Vehicle," and the unforgettable a capella rendition of "In A Dream" are, to me, the stuff of AI legends. Don't get me wrong--David Cook's unique renditons of songs like "Billie Jean" and "Eleanor Rigby" this past season gave me chills, but Bo paved the rocker way during season four.
I had the good fortune to interview Bo this week for americanidol.com. Here is an excerpt from the article:
An interview with Bo Bice is not just an information gathering session, but rather a chat about life, love, and the pursuit of happiness. The season four runner-up refers to himself as “just a redneck kid from Alabama,” but he is far from it. It would be hard to find a musician as ambitious as Bo yet, at the same time, with an unmatched passion for the industry.
Life is most certainly good for Bo right now, as he has his very own studio on his property. He admits that it can be a blessing and a curse at times, and he even goes so far as to say that the main reason that he did it is because he is a “control freak.” He is out there all the time, working away on his music. However, with two little boys (Aidan and Caleb) who also enjoy hanging with Daddy in the studio, Bo makes sure that things shut down when they decide to enter. If the red recording light is on, they know to stay out for the meantime. But once the red light goes off, it’s as much their studio as it is his. That’s Bo’s one rule.
It’s most likely that same sense of control that drove Bo to create his own label, Sugar Money, and Sugar Money Publishing. It’s not like the industry’s bigger labels in which there are people assigned to the banking, the marketing, and the manufacturing. He had to find his own partners, and he lets them handle those aspects, while he immerses himself in the creative forum. The best part, according to Bo, is that they get to go out and decide what projects are exciting to them.
While Bo obviously has a firm grasp on the business part of the music industry, it’s the music itself that really moves him. One recent project was the formation of “Brothers of the Southland,” a Southern rock band that came together to make a record and do some touring. George Drakoulias, who Bo worked with on the Blades Of Glory soundtrack, introduced Bo to one of his musical idols, Steve Gorman of The Black Crowes. Not only did Steve ask Bo to take part in the Brothers band, but Steve also played on Bo’s sophomore album, See The Light.
For more on Bo's projects, trips to Iraq, and recovery from some serious health issues, see the rest of the article. What's funny is that I noticed in looking at his Q & A page on americanidol.com from season four, his goal was to own a guitar store. Considering he's played with Carlos Santana, Lynrd Skynrd, The Black Crowes, Christopher Cross, and many more since his time on "Idol," I'd say he's pretty much blown that goal out of the water.
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