Like I say – all roads lead to Asheville. Here’s the story, from seacoastonline.com:
Gary Jules is a secret “American Idol” fan. So when Adam Lambert sang “Mad World” on Tuesday night’s show, the man who helped make that song famous was watching.
“I was actually sneakily watching it,” Jules told Seacoastonline by phone Wednesday from his home in Asheville, N.C. “I heard the piano line at the beginning — if you’re me, that means ‘time to wake up.’”
Jules didn’t know about the theme of the night — songs from the year the season eight top eight contestants were born. Or that Adam Lambert was born in 1982 and that meant the original Tears for Fears song, “Mad World,” was a possibility.
Still, Jules wasn’t surprised when he heard that piano.
“I said ‘I knew he was going to do it.’ I knew it! He’s cool and he’s kind of emo-y and has black hair and seems sensitive. That’s who would have that song in their lexicon,” Jules said. “He totally understood the vibe of it and the power of it and delivered it in a unique and beautiful way. … I think Adam is straight-up the most interesting, for my personal taste, of anyone I’ve ever seen on the show.”
And this from a guy who’s been complimented by judge Simon Cowell — twice — and is practically related to season five contestant Kellie Pickler.
Jules’ cover of the Tears for Fears song was on his 2001 album “Trading Snakeoil for Wolftickets” and was featured in the 2001 cult film “Donnie Darko.” His “Mad World,” with an arrangement by his best friend, Michael Andrews, earned the Christmas No. 1 spot on the U.K. charts in 2003.
Jules has since released two albums on his own: a self-titled album in 2006 and his latest, “Bird,” last fall. The song “Beautiful” from “Bird” will be featured on NBC’s “Friday Night Lights” this Friday night.
“I’m a singer/songwriter and have my own little thing that I do and have been very, very fortunate, mostly from getting my super-sensitive cathartic songs played on ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ ‘Scrubs,’ (and other) TV shows,” he said.
In the middle of putting out a new album, he’s been having conversations daily about the nature of publicity.
“And now I’ve figured it out. I’m not even going to get a publicist,” he joked. “I’m going to get on ‘American Idol’ every week.”