David Cook: Co-Writers Have “Opened me up to being just a little more honest in my songwriting”

By On 08/15/2008 · 36 Comments · In Uncategorized

I’m hearing that David Cook is laying down vocals for his first single today…

Meanwhile, David talks to ABC News Radio about his upcoming album, the tour and “Time of My Life. Check out these excerpts:

  • On co-writing songs with some of his musical heroes: “I think I went in a little timid, just from the standpoint of, I’d never really co-written before. I’ve always been the kind of writer that just kinda holed up in a room and wrote something on my own…It’s been actually kind of a really cool experience to be able to pick other people’s brains and attack the song from a different standpoint. [It's] allowed me, I feel, to come up with some of the best material I’ve ever written.”
  • Working with other writers has made him more willing to reveal himself, “I’m really kind of delving into some aspects of my life and my experiences that maybe a year ago I wasn’t that comfortable writing about. And so it’s really opened me up to being just a little more honest in my songwriting.”
  • Solo artist, or band? “I want there to be a band vibe. I don’t necessarily know that ‘Cook’ is a good band name but we’re still trying map that all out.”
  • On having his old bandmate, Neal Tiemann from Midwest Kings, join the band, “He’s an amazing musical mind and I’m also just glad to have a friend in tow — somebody I know that I can be on the road with and not want to wring their necks.”

More about his album, the tour and “Time of My Life” after the JUMP…

  • David explains what he means when he continually says that his album is “me”, “You listen to bands like Aerosmith and you know that’s Aerosmith. You listen to AC/DC and you know that’s AC/DC — there’s a vibe associated with those bands apart from a sound. I mean, obviously, they have a sound, but there’s an energy to those bands that no one else has been able to replicate and that’s my goal on this record. I want to make a record that has my energy and my vibe.” He admits this is a “lofty goal,” but says, “To shoot for anything less would be disrespectful to people buying the record.”
  • On feeling pressure to produce a record that fans will enjoy, “I have pressure to live up to my own standards, not everybody else’s. I feel like if I can meet my own, I’ll meet everybody else’s along the way just ’cause nobody’s gonna expect more from myself than me.”
  • The concert date in the Phillippines he’d previously alluded to isn’t exactly confirmed.

On NBC using “Time of my Life” for their Olympic Coverage:

  • David hasn’t had a chance to see it, but, “I have plenty of family members filling me in every time in happens.”
  • Regarding the radio/sales success of “TOML,” and its subsequent use in such an important cultural moment like the Olympics, “I think more than anything, it’s just a testament to the song. I think Reggie Hamm, the guy who wrote it, did an amazing job with it, and it’s just one of those songs that just seems to fit so I’m just happy to be a part of it.”

About the tour:

  • On commanding the stage, “Really, more than anything for me it’s just a matter of trying to make yourself accessible — I think that’s really the trick, when you get a crowd of 16,000 people, to really become vulnerable in front of all these people and just try to not only entertain them, but make them feel as though they’re part of the experience. I think coming in with that as a conscious idea is something I’ve really kind of strived for.”
  • He’s still enjoying the tour, “I love it. Every city has its own kind of stamp, every city has its own vibe.”
  • He singled out his time playing golf in Portland with Michael Johns as a highlight of the tour, adding, “Stuff like that, the little feathers you can put in your cap along the way, is what I love more than anything.”

 
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  • cookcricket

    Haven’t read the interview yet, just hoping to be the first to post. hee.

    ETA: Good stuff! I just love reading anything new on DC!

  • Sarah

    Yay, David. And congrats, cookcriket, you got the first post. Good interview! So happy to have some DC news. My heart skipped a beat when I logged on and saw his picture with the exceprts.

  • Jolene

    à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“I have pressure to live up to my own standards, not everybody elseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s. I feel like if I can meet my own, Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ll meet everybody elseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s along the way just à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢cause nobodyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s gonna expect more from myself than me.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

    Oh man, he has such a healthy outlook on life. The more I hear about his upcoming album, the more I want to hear.
    I cannot wait to hear the fruits of today’s labor when a new single comes out. Can we get a title next? Release date? PLEASE?
    I’m trying to be patient, really I am, but interviews like these make it really really hard.

    Thank you for bringing this to our knowledge, MJ!
    BTW – what format is the source? Is “ABC News Radio” actual radio? Is there an audio of this interview somewhere?

  • http://www.myspace.com/gwendolyndiane GwendolynD

    Just… :jittery_tb:

    Okay, I really need to hear a snippet of the album now. Just a little, before I blow a fuse.

  • crzyshrk

    Looks like he’s going with the Daughtry route with the implementing of a band

  • calimari

    Not sure “Cook” is a good band name. LOL. So long as he doesn’t get it tattooed across his back…

  • Jolene

    BTW – re: solo or a band – I think no matter which way he goes, David needs to be “David Cook”. They can build a band around him and still use his name. Sticking him in a made up band would be very very stupid – Being an Idol winner means name recognition, and that is invaluable.

    And I really hope he was kidding about “Cook”. We don’t need anymore Daughtry comparisons, do we? LOL

  • movin2thabeet

    Great interview. Wonderful to hear the clarity and aliveness of David’s thought processes and choices – living up to your own standards and not other peoples, learning and honing how to be accessible to audiences, finding greater truth in his songwriting through collaboration, appreciating the individual stamps of each city. This is a guy with a very strong, clear center of balance and that essence comes through in everything he touches. This is yet another reason why I think he will be hugely successful. Being strong and vulnerable at the same time? Very magnetic qualities.

  • AUJenV811

    Oooh, I wonder where David is recording today! To be a fly on that wall!

  • IGetCranked

    If his lyrics are anything like how he expressed himself in this interview, lookout! I bet we get a single soon!

  • Sarah

    Yes, to follow up on movin2thabeet’s observations about David’s thought processes, I have to say how strongly he comes across as an open-minded person who appreciates that new experiences (and people and places) help to crystallize who he is artistically and to express it musically.
    Maybe one reason I like (ok, love) David is that I like open-minded people.

  • fallforever

    OK, I love his character as much as I love his voice. And how he looks. And his cute, cute personality. Fall forever, indeed.

  • EmmaJK

    I just love it when I click on this site and David’s face pops up.

    There’s so much goodness in this interview it’s even hard to know where to begin. He has such a good head on his shoulders, and is so incredibly mature for his age. And sooooo articulate! Good for him for not trying to please everybody with his “record”; that would be impossible – just please himself and the rest of us will follow :)

    …not only entertain them, but make them feel as though theyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re part of the experience.

    Yep, he does this every night, with getting the audience to sing along, the hands up “come on”, the terrific banter, prowling the stage, standing on the rails…

    Regarding the radio/sales success of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“TOML,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  and its subsequent use in such an important cultural moment like the Olympics, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“I think more than anything, ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s just a testament to the song. I think Reggie Hamm, the guy who wrote it, did an amazing job with it, and ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s just one of those songs that just seems to fit so Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m just happy to be a part of it.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

    Bah! He’s way too humble. That song is treacly, and he completely sells it. I, myself, give him 100% credit for the success of Magic Rainbows.

    He singled out his time playing golf in Portland with Michael Johns as a highlight of the tour

    Bwah! Why does the fact that Michael Johns figures in his best tour moments not surprise me one bit. LOL!

    All the terrific record talk has me terribly impatient for it to get here.

  • http://www.myspace.com/gwendolyndiane GwendolynD

    I want to make a record that has my energy and my vibe.

    I really do want him to make a real record…you know, a vinyl one. That is such an old-school word.

  • http://mjsbigblog.com lucyfan

    Bah! Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s way too humble. That song is treacly, and he completely sells it. I, myself, give him 100% credit for the success of Magic Rainbows.

    Totally agree, EmmaJK. No one else could have pulled off that song the way he has.

    Can’t wait for the record!!

  • Sarah

    Wow, I’ve got David’s “Creep” version playing now, and those growls and soaring notes and gift for phrasing that decorate his rich voice just make me ache for what he has in store for us sonically. Paired with great collaborators and production resources, his musicality will surely shine.

    And I just love it that he and Michael so clearly love each other.

  • Patchchat

    What is the word for this guy? Real? Upstanding? Classy? Humble? Balanced? Giving? Thoughtful? Mine?

    Honestly — he just impresses me over and over again. An example out of many: it’s very rare that a performer gives props to a songwriter. Songwriters expect to be dissed to a certain extent even by the person giving voice to their words. For David to immediately give credit to Regie Hamm for the honor of having TOML in the Olympics is very admirable — a very Cooksie thing to do.

    I wub him.

  • tinawina

    I can’t even process this. My head is going to explode from all the now info. I.Can’t.Wait!!! This is going to be the longest couple of months of my life.

  • Sarah

    Patchchat, your list of words for David conjured immediate images from my beloved Charlotte’s Web. Must have been the “humble” that did it. He’s pretty terrific, too.

  • Jolene

    Oooh, I wonder where David is recording today! To be a fly on that wall!

    Most likely NYC.
    Every now and then I catch myself imagining what the single might sound like, and knowing it’s being recorded today… Ahhhh, I want! *grabby hands*

    OK, I love his character as much as I love his voice. And how he looks. And his cute, cute personality. Fall forever, indeed.

    Yes to all of this. And – fallforever, just so you know, every single time I see your screen name I get an itch to go listen to “Searchlights”. That high “You make me fall forever, with no end in sight” is one of my favorite DC moments, vocally.

  • kathrynTX

    Waaahhh my comment disappeared while I was writing it! Try again…

    Wow, Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ve got Davidà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Creepà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  version playing now, and those growls and soaring notes and gift for phrasing that decorate his rich voice just make me ache for what he has in store for us sonically.

    I LOVE this one too Sarah! His phrasing is just perfect and you can hear so much emotion in his voice.

    Being strong and vulnerable at the same time? Very magnetic qualities.

    This is an understatement. Smart, talented, witty, confident, sensitive, strong, vulnerable and more = one irresistible man! OK someone must’ve made him up, he’s not real. He’s just a regular guy, right? Sigh. ANYWAY. If he is only getting MORE honest in his songwriting, more honest than Analog Heart?!?!, this record is going to shred me. Absolutely tear me up. Which is OK cause he will then put everything right again, every time I listen. Which will be every day. For years. What torture. I. Cannot. Wait. This is impossible! But I surely want him to do what he wants and have time to do it. He is so grounded. Smart, smart man. Well I’m waiting…do I look patient?
    :jittery_tb:
    Wait wait wait. We’re all waiting, David. Welcome to the planet. Do it. Straight ahead, baby.

  • kathrynTX

    David Cook. He just gets me. (Can I use that line too, Mr Johns?) :wub_tb:
    I wub him too. He’s got quite a nice vibe himself.

  • Mia

    DC will do well because he has a great sense of self. There is a clarity in his thinking that is going to allow him to scythe through a lot of BS coming his way.

  • AInoob

    Thanks for posting that, mj. He seems so level-headed and grateful. I can’t wait to hear what he delivers with this CD.

    I’m really curious what the band will be called. Cook’s Crew? LOL

  • fallforever

    jolene

    fallforever, just so you know, every single time I see your screen name I get an itch to go listen to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Searchlightsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ . That high à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“You make me fall forever, with no end in sightà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  is one of my favorite DC moments, vocally.

    I just started listening to Analog Heart a couple of weeks ago, and that chorus is the best of many great things on that album, for me.
    I can only hope he creates more moments like that in the new record, because that will make all the waiting worth while, right?

  • 123abc456

    Analog Heart is a great album. The more I listen to it the more I like it. It grows on you. My twenty something son liked the guitar on some of the songs and asked “Did DC play them? Did he write the songs? Yea I told him. He said “but AI won’t let him write his own stuff for his new CD.” I told him he is writing his album and he was impressed. He tends not to like AI because they don’t write their own songs on it. But I think I won him over a little when he heard Analog Heart.

  • Jolene

    à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“but AI wonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t let him write his own stuff for his new CD.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

    That is such a widespread view, I wonder what part of DC’s promotion will be devoted to negating it.
    I remember during the season, the conviction with which some people said David was better off losing because AI will never let him have any creative freedom as the winner. The album’s not out yet, but so far all I’ve heard leads me to great optimism on that front.

    I wonder – are there many DC fans who have not heard Analog Heart yet? Anybody here?

  • ptslittlecomment

    I haven’t heard Analog Heart. But I have heard it is great.

  • gingerly

    You can hear all the songs on YouTube. Just search for Analog heart. One person posted them 2 at a time…there’s 10 songs on the “record” lol I’m old and still call them records.

  • FolkFan

    You can hear all of the Analog Heart songs at this site.

    http://www.david-cook.org has what it says is an authorized download of it, as well.

    Thanks for posting the excerpts—what a great interview. They really do seem to be making a concerted effort to give him the chance to say that he really is an artist, investing himself in this record and getting the opportunity to express himself.

  • Barbariba

    I can’t add anything more to what has been said above. For me David Cook is the ultimate musician and there aren’t enough adjectives to adequately describe him. He is quite simply DAVID COOK!

  • smartcookie

    Cookà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Crew? LOL

    Cook’s Crew is a funny idea. It becomes Cookscrew, if you just smush it together. And that makes me laugh every time.

    Since AC/DC is taken, he could just call it the David Cook Band, like Dave Matthews. Or, you know, Bocephus. But I draw the line at tattooing any of them on his back.

  • http://www.youtube.com/user/iamthepurplewalrus purplesmile

    The concert date in the Phillippines heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢d previously alluded to isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t exactly confirmed.

    Aww. Pffft!

  • waffle

    Purplesmile, I know — right? But it seems that it’s the date that isn’t confirmed, not the fact that he’s actually coming. Or is this wishful thinking? HaHa!! The company I work for had tried to get him here for Octoberfest, but it didn’t pan out. It’s all good, though. He needs to focus on working on his record, which, by the way, will be the first cd I ever purchase. Got to think positive here. :)

  • diadiva

    Maybe he should hold a contest for the best band name…who ever wins get front row tickets…for life!!! *Going to think myself up the best name ever…* ;)

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