David Cook: On the scene at his 'Light On' video shoot
Oct 21, 2008, 07:29 PM | by Shirley Halperin
Categories: American Idol, Music, Music Biz, On the Scene
With his single "Light On" just starting to impact radio, and a debut album expected to chart big when it's released next month, is it any wonder David Cook would need a venue the size of a football field for his first video? On Oct. 16, the reigning American Idol and his newly assembled band (pictured, left to right: Neal Tiemann, lead guitar; Joey Clement,
bass; Kyle Peek, drums; Cook, vocals/guitar; Andy Skib, keyboards/guitar) took to the field at L.A. Valley College to film a performance clip for "Light On." But while the stadium vibe may have felt a bit like the Beatles at Shea, surprisingly, there was no audience in sight. Rather, the overnight shoot focused on Cook, who's by now well-versed in the art of emoting for the cameras, and was purposely light on extras and volume, due to the school's proximity to residential areas.
Despite a handful of complaints from residences in the nearby Valley Glen neighborhood, the video went off without a hitch. Cook arrived at 11 p.m. and shot mostly solo footage for the first three hours, while his bandmates tried to stay warm in a makeshift trailer compound where they fully absorbed the cliched Hollywood adage, "hurry up and wait." Keeping Cook toasty, meanwhile, was girlfriend (and TV Guide Channel personality) Kimberly Caldwell, who accompanied him to the shoot.
After a couple of wardrobe changes, the band joined in and pounded their way through the song for more than a dozen takes. All instruments had to be muted during filming, but that didn't stop director Wayne Isham (Bon Jovi, Metallica, Britney Spears) from yelling to turn the track up louder, nor did it hinder Cook from belting for real (as opposed to lip-synching). By daylight, things were starting to wrap and Cook was finally let go at 6:30 a.m. Fortunately, he had the next day off, but there's little rest for the weary in Idol-land. Soon, Cook will be off to New York for Saturday Night Live and a slew of other TV appearances.
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