Lopez Blogs

So finally, I get around to the number one artist that i think will be a household name by Christmas (somewhat in front of VFactory and Candy Coated Chaos)... In fact, i've thought it for a while, but i really cannot bear a third Christmas to go by where he is not a household name. So here for your enjoyment are 10 very valid reasons why Simon Curtis will be a household name by Christmas...

• The above video of him dancing to Madonna's 4 Minutes is inspired tomfoolery and genius. I just can't wait for an actual video featuring his dancing and his music...
• He has potentially brilliant pop star hair and the whitest teeth I have ever seen. Good dental hygiene is very important. No one wants their pop heroes to cancel a concert because they have a cavity...
• Broken is probably the best pop song of the past five years. Or Put Your Make Up On. One of the two anyway...
• Pop Messiah is probably the best lead off single for a SECOND album i've heard since either Wordplay or Oops! I Did It Again. I think Simon will ignore my wisdom and pop it on Alter Boy though :(
• He not only sings! He acts too! I've seen the audition tapes! (God knows what for, but they seemed pretty good :P ) Plus he totally knows how to hold a Nintendo DS. And that is very important for passing time on the tour bus until you are big enough to have a tour bus with a wii...
• He quite rightly and unashamedly worships the A*Teens so he is well qualified in terms of knowing what makes pop genius
• He knows how to write searingly painful yet beautiful sounding ballads. Another Heartache is not only an elegant pop tune but has heartbreakingly true to life lyrics to match. How he gets through singing it without sobbing is beyond me...
• He's already quite big in the blog world and my faith in human nature will be crushed if his star is not in the ascendency!
• He's probably currently having the time of his life in Vancouver shooting a moviscal that will blow HSM3 and Camp Rock out of the water. If only for me being able to get an actual physical cd (the Spectacular soundtrack) with Simon singing on it....
• Which will probably lead to Alter Boy being finally released later this year. FINALLY. Start worshipping now people...
  
  

Meanwhile, here is an interview with Simon that took place at the end of last year, but I never got around to publishing properly (though it is on the myspace fan page :P )

1) So, Simon, though you have become quite the star of the bloggerverse, I don't think anyone has put in quite as much time as fizzypop! So, young man, why the fuck aren't you famous yet?

Hahaha, good question!!! Just playing. I think it has quite a bit to do with how terribly, terribly hard it is to get a deal here in the States. I mean, I have what I believe to be a quality product, but for real talent to get any attention these days is a rare feat indeed. Not to say that I less-than-humbly consider myself to be of “real talent,” but it is the unfortunate truth. Instead of the next undiscovered Christina who didn’t make it on American Idol, we have Ashley Tisdale and the like; unfortunately bland “artists” who’ve been fortunate enough to be on TV a bit, force-feeding us mediocre music. I’ve really considered just putting my music online, to download once and for all, the whole darn bulk of it, but I really want a budget to push it, a budget that I currently just don’t have access to. I am going to push and push and push and push and push until it gets released one way or another though!

2) You have an incredible array of songs now to choose from for Alter Boy. Do you have a finalised track listing in mind yet (bearing in mind that i still absolutely think that Pop Messiah and Another Heartache would be stellar first and second singles from your sophomore set)?

Why thank you for the compliment! As of right now, I don’t have anything finalized on the album. I’m still working on new songs as the longer it gets delayed, the more dated the material becomes, but don’t fret, I will get all the good stuff out there ;) The new stuff is going to be utterly wicked…

3) You've recorded with your buddy Thomas Dekker in what is quite a different style for you. How did that come about and what was your input?

Thomas is a really incredible artist. He’s been a friend of mine for a while now, and we both mutually respect each other’s music and abilities. Unlike me, he actually produces, records, and mixes all of his own material, which is a truly daunting task for any recording artist, and as of late the caliber of his work has just been getting better and better. He had his whole album planned out in his head before he even started recording it and knew he wanted to include a duet with me, so when the time came he called me up, I went over to his place, learned the song, drove around the block a few times to learn it, went back to his place and recorded about three takes straight on through, and by that evening he was finished mixing it. I normally am such a control freak and would’ve insisted on having input writing-wise, but I was really eager to get out of my comfort zone, and I was really floored by the result. That’s probably one of my favorite songs I’ve ever recorded, and probably the vocal I’m the most proud of. I’d definitely like to work with him more in the future…

4) Tell me about the Nintendo ads! They are as adorable as Same Difference on the X Factor. You do realise they are going to be broadcast all over "Before They Were Famous" in years to come, don't you?!

Bahahaha, wow, how embarrassing…they are from an interstitial series I work on for Disney called “Gotcha Covered,” in which we “cover” the latest video games and toys. I booked the project last year (in the 14-15 year old age range, no less), we shoot about every other month. It is so over the top, I find it quite funny.

5) You've recorded a couple of new songs this year. I talked about the excellent Put Your Makeup On (which is fizzypop top song of 2007) last time i chatted with you. Can you go through your thoughts on Pop Messiah and Another Heartache. For me the former is a truly bold statement that i think you absolutely have the "kahonas" to live up to. Another Heartache is the greatest tribute to every amazing 80s and 90s song!

I am honored by the accolades monsieur! Well Pop-Messiah started out as probably the best track Jeff and I have ever worked on together. The beat itself was so hot, I couldn’t stop listening to it, and was almost afraid to write to it as I didn’t want to do it injustice. I knew I wanted to write a very cocky song, almost comically egotistical, and the theme practically wrote the song for me, what with a woman named “Madonna” being the biggest popstar in the world and such. Everything just totally fell into place once I figured out the title. The music for Another Heartache started out as a beat-infused-ballad that Jeff and I were working on for some insufferable twat we are now, thankfully, no longer working with. So after that kid split, Jeff re-tooled the music and I switched around the lyrics I’d written already to be more autobiographical. This song was probably the first of my songs to be written solely from personal experience, and the most melodic by far. I really wanted a classic pop ballad on there, despite the fact I don’t really want to be so classically pop. I think I kept in line with that as the song is not about having your heart broken (a novel concept in pop music), but not being able to live with yourself as you, yourself can’t stop breaking hearts, so in an effort to retain some shred of good Karma, you fess up and walk away.

6) Life in LA ~ if you were a sitcom, would you be more Joey (ugh) or Entourage ~ and what are your main plotlines?

Wow, uhh, neither… I would love to say Entourage, but alas, I am not quite able to go around singing Fergie’s Glamorous in relation to my own life yet, and I honestly have never even seen an episode of Joey (no interest there whatsoever). My show would probably follow me on my quest for world-wide musical domination, and include quite a bit of Halo 3 along the way. Hilarity would most certainly ensue, not to mention many a tear-jerking moment ;)

7) I'm writing two sets of books - the second being about a Parisian Rent Boy in the 19th century who is caught up in a mystical otherworld war. Will you play the title character? What can you bring to the role of Pierre Jamin, the parisian rent boy? Will you write a song for the soundtrack? What will it be called?! That was about 6 questions in one wasn't it?!

Hahaha, sure why not? Sounds interesting to say the least, and as I have often considered whoring myself out to help pay the bills I figure I could bring a lot to the table regarding character development…ha

I tried to come up with a funny/witty title for the song, but the best I could come up with were such delightful ditties as “Wizard, don’t screw me over,” “Bilbo’s Dildo,” and other mystical/prostitution themed fare.

9) Your thoughts on the "great honour" (ahem!!) of being fizzypop's best hope for 2008. Do i get a free ticket to the opening night of your tour?

I am so unbelievably honored I can’t even express it! It means so much to have you and this site providing so much support, I really cannot say thank you enough! Free tickets to all the readers! Unfortunately there isn’t a tour for me to perform in, but free tickets regardless. We’ll work something out when the time comes though…

10) Candy Coated Chaos also make the list. Any collaborations in the pipeline.

Yes indeed. I am getting ready to record the demos for a couple of songs I’ve written for them on Thursday (the 6th), and I am also trying to get onboard a new song that their lead singer, Ro, wrote called “Happily Ever After.” Jeff just finished a really rough demo of it and it is going to be so fantastic, I can’t stop playing it. I was dancing around the house to it at 1:00 a.m. the other night in my underwear (well, morning technically) and that is always a sign of pop greatness. Consequently I’ve been texting her all week telling her how proud I am of her for writing it and I haven’t even met her yet, so let’s hope they let me work with them on it instead of filing a restraining order like they should when such a nutcase starts harassing you. Oy :P

And that's it. Who knew (ME!) that less than six month's later Simon's dreams would be starting to come true. It's exciting to think where he'll be by Christmas. Check out the Simon links on the right of the page for more AlterBoy goodness... and an aces Victoria Justice fansite here...