Constantine Maroulis just released his debut album this week. You can listen to it right here at AOL. It’s been 2 years since Constantine competed on Idol. As many of you remember, he was eliminated–shockingly! shockingly! at sixth place during Season 4. Ah yes, I remember it well. Paula’s meltdown, Con’s crying mother, Con’s fans wailing and gnashing their teeth. Good times. He went on to tour with his fellow Idols that summer. Afterward, Constantine seemed to have it going on–a development deal for a TV show with ABC based loosely on his life, lots of press–and there were hints from Constantine’s camp that a major label deal was imminent..
Unfortunately, as it often happens in show business, the TV show fell through, and there was no major label record deal. But, there was work for Constantine. If Hollywood would not have him, New York City would. He headed to Broadway where he snagged a supporting role in The Wedding Singer and followed that up with a starring role in a revival of Jacques Brel is Alive and Living in Paris. Then, as fate would have it, Hollywood came knocking for reals, and Con was offered a role to play a character kinda-sorta based on himself in the cheestastic soap opera, The Bold and The Beautiful.
In the meantime, Constantine started his own record company, Sixth Place Records, with a plan to release a record independently. His debut CD, fittingly called “Constantine” is a mixed bag, but, what I like about the record, is that it captures perfectly the cheeky theatricality Con displayed so cannily on American Idol. Try not to chuckle at some of the unintentionally funny lyrics here (the shout out to Nico, Yoko and then himself had me rolling…) and concentrate on the music. He’s assembled a top-rate band (check out the lead guitar work) and his vocals are excellent. The sound is a throw back to 70’s-80’s rock with a little Latin, a little glam rock, and a little pop and hard rock thrown into the mix. Me likey. The CD is being distributed by Sony Red, the same company that distributes Elliott Yamin’s fine debut..
Ok. My chatter buddies have been begging me for months to tell my Constantine story on the blog. Yes, I have one. So, to celebrate the release of his debut album, IT’S STORY TIME.
More after the jump!
Way back in January, I got an email from a friend of Constantine’s who was putting together a charity event in Birmingham. She asked me to plug it, and I said, “Sure!”
When I told her I was a fan, she asked me if I would like an interview with Constantine.
I’ve actually never interviewed an Idol before. It’s not something I’ve ever sought out, though who knows, maybe I’ll conduct one in the future. At that time, I wasn’t looking to interview anybody. But having an interview fall in my lap like that? Of course I had to say yes.
Con Friend says she’d call me in the morning, and at around 9 am, she calls me, but I am in my car driving to work. Very prompt. I am impressed. When I settle in at work, I slip away to the cafeteria to call her back. Mind you, I wasn’t expecting a lengthy interview, just a “hi how are you what are you up to” A 5 minute kind of deal. I thought it would be a nice little scoop for the blog, along side pimping the charity event.
I get Con Friend on the phone, and she’s all “Hi how are you! Do you want to talk to Con!” and I say, “Sure.” So, Constantine takes the phone and says hello. I say hi, and begin to ask him some questions.
I barely begin to speak when he cuts me off abruptly to ask, “WHO ARE YOU?”
“Uh, MJ?” I say. I’m thinking, “WTF???”
“DO I KNOW YOU?” Constantine asks curtly.
“I’m MJ from Mjsbigblog.com, an American Idol blog, ”
“You aren’t Mrs. Jones? Do you write for AI magazine?”
“Oh, no no, that’s a different MJ, ” I say. I go on to explain the difference.
“Well, ” Con says coldly, “I don’t know you. I’m handing you back to my friend.” And without another word, or even so much as a goodbye, he hands the phone back to Con Friend, who is clearly mortified, because she seriously effed up.
I never got an apology from either Con Friend or Constantine himself for his clearly rude behavior. I can understand his not wanting to talk to me when he realized I was somebody he didn’t know, but he didn’t have to be rude about it.
I was somewhat stunned, but since Constantine’s reputation precedes him, not too stunned.
That’s my Con story. I hope you peeps like it.
