At first glance, it is easy to associate the band with television show American Idol and write them off as pop sensations with no musical talent. That's truly not the case with this band. A little bit of history might make things clearer. Chris Daughtry was cast onto American Idol as the bald rocker with smooth vocals from North Carolina. During his idol stint, Daughtry performed a rendition of "Hemorrhage" by rock band Fuel. This performance led to an offer from Fuel for Daughtry to become their new lead singer. To the surprise of many, Daughtry declined the offer. He decided to take the risk and try to make a name for himself.
In November 2006, only 3 months after the end Chris's participation in the Idols tour, the band Daughtry had been formed and their self-titled debut album was released through RCA Records. The record label made the decision as to who was going to be in the band: Chris Daughtry as lead singer, songwriter and guitarist, Josh Steely on lead guitars, J.P. Paul on the Bass guitar, Joey Barnes on drums and percussion, and Brian Craddock on guitar. The certified double platinum album was co-written by Chris and he had an active hand in it's production.
The album Daughtry is a welcome addition to the seemingly dissipate genre of alternative rock. Chris's powerhouse vocals create a different mood to every song. The heavier songs such as "There and Back Again", and "What I Want" feat. Slash, prove that Daughtry knows how to rock. The explosive vocals mix well with fast paced memorable guitar riffs and heavy alternations. Ballads such as "Feels Like Tonight", and "What About Now" display his melodic voice in it's prominence.
Daughtry was recently in Atlanta for a follow up tour promoting their debut album. The band played a tiny venue, The Loft. The maximum capacity at this venue is 650 people and tickets sold out within 2 minutes of going on sale. Since the show was general admission, fans travelled from neighboring states and were lined up as early as 7am hoping to secure a prime spot in front of the stage. Local radio station All The Hits Q100 had a contest where listeners were admitted into a private sound check performance with the band. I was lucky enough to be part of the crowd during this performance and experienced the raw version of Daughtry. The band made last minute adjustments to ensure optimal sound quality for the concert later that night. An error with venue accommodations forced the band to play an acoustic set, something rarely experienced in modern day rock shows. The band performed at an optimal level, their music sounding almost exactly as it did on the album quality wise, but with a personal twist for the acoustic set and the intimate venue. In a day where many lead singers disappoint during live renditions of strongly recorded songs, Chris Daughtry's voice met or exceeded the quality displayed on his album during the show.
Even though they are popular on mainstream radio and sell millions of records, Daughtry is a band that delivers real rock music. You can argue otherwise or you can simply accept the fact that for the first time a real artist emerged out of American Idol.
Photo Credit: RCA Records
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