ABC News Radio -- 11/18/08

Interviewer: Andrea Dresdale

Andrea: This is Andrea Dresdale with ABC News Radio, speaking with
singer/songwriter/artist David Cook, releasing his debut album. David, it struck me
when I was listening to this debut album, that if anybody wanted to know what you
were going through in the last year and a half, it's all right there. Was that your
intention?

David: Uh, my intention was really to, to kinda draw on not only the last year and a
half, but really the last twenty-five. And, and uh...you know it's funny, like, I, I went
from like, this total obscurity, to the whole Idol machine in a-- uh, in the last year
and a half. And so, I feel like uh, I feel like I had to...tell more of the story for
everybody. And so wh-- what's fun about this record for me is, is I got to kinda...uh,
it was like an onion peel. I got to take off some layers of myself and put it into this
record. And, and uh...and, and really give people, I think, more of a full sense of
who I am and what I'm about.

Andrea: Most artists, given the choice, would not want to make an album under the
time constraints that you did. But, was there a silver lining? Did it, did it um, lead
to, like, maybe a more visceral or immediate experience? You didn't have time to
second-guess yourself?

David: Right. I was actually just gonna say that. I-- one of the best things about it
was that, uh, kinda like on the show, you-- there really wasn't a whole lotta time to
figure out whether or not it was the right decision before you make it. So...um...we
just kinda went into the studio, and...followed our gut. You know, Rob was great
about uh, keeping the ship on the right path. But for the most part, um...we just
kinda ran around and, and did what we thought would be cool or fun. And...and uh,
the end result is this record. I, I, I couldn't be happier with the way it turned out. I
think...every song is a stand-alone song. And I think every song has its own
identity. But I also feel like as a record, it flows. Which..you know, uh, the fact that
we pulled that off in two and a half months I'm, I'm very proud of.

Andrea: Well I mean, it's interesting, because the songs sort of...run the gamut. I
mean, you know, "Come Back to Me" very different from "Bar-ba-sol," ve--

David: Right, right, right.

Andrea: ...very different from "Permanent." Um...did you want to make an eclectic
album to show your range? Or sort of to give...everybody...something?

David: Um...there was a bit of defiance in it. I think uh...I, I-- especially coming from
Idol, it just seems like everybody wants to pigeonhole. And uh...ya' know for me, I
just wanted to show that...uh, ya' know, that I can do different things. And uh, and,
and musically, it's all stuff that I get behind. It's all stuff that I love to do. I
love...uh...I love that there's so much, like, meandering on The Record, and there's
so many different...vibes on The Record. And, and, ya' know, hopefully that means
that there's somethin' for everybody. Um...but if not, I can guarantee you, at least
we'll have a, we'll have a very uh...um, kinda roller coaster ride live show.

Andrea: Well the songs seem like they were almost designed to be played live. Uh,
I mean, they-- there's a lot of dynamics, and there's a lot of places to open things
up. I mean, is-- was that something that you had in mind as well?

David: Absolutely. I-- you know, that was uh-- that was my big thing in the studio,
was...was uh, ya' know, can we pull these songs off live? And um...ya' know, cuz I
want uh...I, I, I think...I think uh, I think anymore, you know, the, the, the, the w--
the way to sell a record and the way to...to get yourself out there is to go out with
just this bombastic live show. And, and that's what I want. I want people to...come
to a show and feel like not only did they hear music, but they saw a show. Ya'
know, there's a visual aspect to it that I think some bands get lost in the muddle of.
And so...um...yeah, I think movin' forward, I just, I, I wanna do everything that I can
to uh, to kinda push this record up. And, and uh, and hopefully...bring it out of the
muddle that is uh, ya' know, every other record out right now.

Andrea: You had, I think, what must have amounted to a master class in songwriting
on this album. Cuz you had so many different people, so many, really, top-notch
songwriters. And...there's not one way to write a song, but...

David: Absolutely

Andrea: ...is there one particular lesson that you think you took away from, from all
of that activity?

David: Uhhhh yeah, that I am almost twenty-six years old, and I know absolutely
nothing about music. I think uh...you know, it was, it was...it was like goin' to school
every day. You walk into these rooms with...relative strangers. Ya' know, guys that
you know but you've never met. And you essentially have to...bare your soul to this
person. And you almost feel bad cuz you're, like, [laughs] dumpin' all your
problems on these people, ya' know? They've got their own. And...and um...but I, I,
I just, I, I think more than anything, I've honestly, well, I've honestly learned just to
be honest. Ya' know, I, I think uh...um...nothin', nothin' beats experience when it
comes to songwriting. So...write what you know.

Andrea: Was there a moment when you were writing where, um, somebody would
suggest something, and you'd be like, you know: "Wow. You know, I never actually
thought of doing it that way."?

David: Absolutely. I-- you know, I think uh, before Idol, I was very much, uh, I was
very much a writer who liked to write ambiguously. I liked to write songs that
meant somethin' to me, but were written in a a way that anybody could take
whatever they wanted out of 'em. And uh...ya' know, the, the, the downside to that
sometimes is that the message gets lost. And so, I, I was a lot more direct on this
record than I've ever been. Uh, especially on a song like "Permanent," where uh...I,
I don't think-- an-- anybody that knows my story at all is gonna have no problem
deciphering what that song's about. That song's the cornerstone of The Record for
me, cuz it, it uh...it, it represents exactly what I wanted to do with The Record,
which was, uh, ya' know, again, be lyrically...uh, open...and, and musically not, not
afraid to uh, to do somethin' that people weren't expecting. And I don't think
people were expecting a piano/strings ballad. So...I'm uh, I-- to me, that's uh, I'm,
I'm probably-- I'm proud of all the songs. But uh, I have a very special place in my
heart for "Permanent."

Andrea: It sometimes seems like your brother is one of your muses...

David: Yeah

Andrea: ...if not your muse. And, uh, what does he think of the songs that you write
that were inspired by him?

David: Um...well it's funny. I, I actually-- I don't talk to him about it too much. It's
kinda one of those unspoken things between us. And, and uh...cuz I'm, I'm sure
there's, like, some unconscious fear that he's not gonna like it on my part. And, and
uh...um...but I know, I, I do know he's proud o-- of, of kinda what I've accomplished.
And...and uh...you know, more importantly, I-- I'm just kinda lookin' in-- I'm, I'm, I'm
not only lookin' at this as a career, but hopefully, you know, a continued platform to
uh...to, to get out in the public sector and continue to promote uh, you know,
advocacy. And...and uh...you know, more involvement in cancer research and
funding. I just think uh...it, it's somethin' that, I, I think even if, if my brother
weren't sick, it's somethin' that's extremely important to me. And...ya' know,
everybody knows somebody. So...

Andrea: Well your fans have been so great at raising money in your name.

David: Yes they have.

Andrea: Do you want to establish, like, a more formal, you know, David Cook charity
foundation?

David: Uh, we've talked about it down the road. Uh, you know, right now I'm, I'm
trying to uh...to get this tour in the Spring off the ground. And, and really uh, try to
cross-promote it to, to raise awareness and funding. And, and uh...so we're in the
midst of doin' all that. But I, I would like to at some point...uh, ya' know, hopefully
sooner rather than later, really uh, really set up somethin' formal and, and uh...cuz
ya' know-- I mean...ya' know, fame is fleeting. And...uh...I, I, I don't, I don't expect
to be a, a Rolling Stones or an Aerosmith and be in the game for...however many
years, ya' know? So...I just wanna, ya' know, strike while the iron's hot. And, and
uh, and if I can put somethin' good together out of it, then great.

Andrea: Getting back to the songs on the album, you know, as a, as a writer, if
you're gonna record a song that you didn't write, I would assume you're gonna have
to have a, an immediate connection to it. You're gonna wanna really feel that song.
So...how did that play out with "Light On"?

David: Uh..."Light On" was easy. Uh...I remember listenin' to the song for the first
time...like, maybe two weeks after the finale. And it just immediately grabbed me.
I think lyrically it, it talks about somethin' everybody can relate to. You know, the
whole love amidst distance thing. And, and uh...but musically it was, it-- was what
really grabbed me. I think um...it's got, it's got so many different aspects of rock
music for me. I can hear, uh, G & R in it. I can hear...Zeppelin in it. I can hear
Stone Temple Pilots in it., ya' know. Um...there's just uh...very rarely do you come
across a quote-unquote ballad that has some swagger to it. And that definitely has
that. So...um...it's, it's a fun song for me to play, cuz...and especially sing, cuz it's
such a challenging song, that, I, I, I, ya' know, we've sang it now I don't know how
many times, and I still haven't gotten bored with it. So that's probably a good sign.
We did um...Leno the other night. And...um...ya' know, I was singin' it, and I was
kinda, I was kinda nervous. I mean, it's Leno. And...and then...so uh, we get out of
the bridge, and I ran out of breath. And so, like, [laughing] I kind like, look up and
smile, just to kinda buy some time. And everybody's...ya' know, I'd-- I've heard,
like, a million different...explanations for why I did it. And literally, it was just, I ran
out of breath [laughing] and I needed a second. So...there's the big expose.

Andrea: Well, um, tell me about the band. You've got Neal and Andy, from your
previous band.

David: Yeah

Andrea: You've got a couple guys you didn't play with before. So, are you all
gelling? Do you have that band mentality, that gang mentality? You ready to go
out and hit the road?

David: We uh...I, I, I made it a real big point to uh, to not necessarily go...with
whoever was the most technically sound musically. I-- and ya' know, I lucked-out
that the guys that we have are technically sound. But uh...um...ya' know, I wanted
guys that I could hang with. And I wanted guys that I could go on the road with and
not want to wring their neck a week in. And, and uh...we, we found that. Ya' know,
Neal and Andy I've obviously known for years, and, and know that I can go on the
road and get along with them. And, and uh...and Kyle and Joey, um...have worked
really hard to, to get themselves into the fold real quick. And they've done a great
job, and they've done their work. And uh...ya' know, when, when it's time to have
fun, we probably have more fun that we should. But uh...we are, we are definitely a
band. And, and...I cannot wait to uh...travel the world with these guys.
Andrea: Can you talk about your relationship with your fans? Because...um...they're
quite vocal.

David: Mm-hmm

Andrea: And...they're quite loyal. What kind of feedback have you gotten?
And...you know, are you continually surprised by their reaction to you?

David: Um...well based off the reviews, I'm a solid two and a half stars, which is
uh...I, I told my manager I wanna name the next record "It's Another Idol Record.
Two and a Half Stars," cuz it seems like...you could put out a White Album, and
nobody-- nobody that reviews it's gonna like it. So, I'm not worried about it.
Um...but my fans have been amazing. And...um...I'm continuously amazed. Ya'
know, we just did the David Wright, uh, benefit, at um...at the Hard Rock last week.
And a bunch of fans came out...packed out the Hard Rock. And they bid on so much
stuff. And...it was just, it was amazing. Like...uh...I talked to David Wright the other
day, and he was tellin' me that they exceeded...ya' know, their goal by like, a real
comfortable margin. Raised over, like, two hundred grand. So...um...the stuff like
that that makes me really proud, um, to be kind of associated with these people.
And...um...and, ya' know hopefully, hopefully we, we, we build more of a base, and,
and more people do that, and, and um...ya' know, we keep movin' forward. But so
far I've been continuously amazed at the support, uh, that the fans have. Not only
for me, but the things that are important to me.

Andrea: Are you gonna get a break at all? I mean, are you gonna be able to go
home for Christmas and have any down time?

David: I remem-- uh, about midway through the tour, I uh, I called 19 and I said "Ok,
I know that we have a ton of work to do between now and the end of the year. Give
me the last two weeks of December to just decompress." Cuz I, I th-- I think we
counted-out, I've had two weeks total...since January 1st off. And uh...so I'm gonna,
I'm gonna snag two weeks in December and...get off the grid. And uh...but until
then, it's, it's kinda go, go, go. And then we'll start back up uh...early January with
tour rehearsals, and then Iraq. And...um...and then the tour. And I think uh, I think
we're also opening the uh, the Disney American Idol ride.

Andrea: Well best of luck with the album, David. Thanks very much.

David: Thank you.

Andrea: And for ABC News Radio, I'm Andrea Dresdale.

END OF INTERVIEW