Peaceful, easy feeling...

Ah, another calm-before-the-whirlwind time in the Idolsphere. While Mr. and Mrs. Covington are presumably enjoying some well-earned downtime back home, there's still a little bit of post-finale/pre-tour info to share:

This recent Yahoo Business article is a fascinating detour for anyone curious about the corporate details behind the Idol juggernaut. Among the fun facts: "A deal 19 signed last year with Sony BMG Music and on-air judge Simon Cowell (who gets a piece of the record sales) caps the recording budget [for the Encores CD] at $375,000. (Italics mine, as is the dropped jaw. That is a seriously low-budget affair, there, No wonder the Miami Herald's music critic felt the "plodding pop/rock" backing track on Bucky's "Superstition" didn't do his pipes justice. The sorely underpaid musicians might have been faint from hunger...)

This didn't start out as a Bucky tribute thread. In fact, I think it's fair to assume it was a rather incomprehensible sideswipe. But it sure changed course in a hurry, thanks to some very eloquent posters. ("People love you, Bucky!")

Edited to add: Looks like the mods 86'd that one--so in its place, I give you more official board silliness: the "AI 5 crush thread". Just in case you might have a thing for someone from this season of Idol...

And people who have a thing for Bucky are buying a lot of concert seats--the tour is officially the hottest ticket of the summer so far, according to the semi-reliable New York Post. If you're in the big-spender demographic, there are still a few Ticketmaster auctions going on for the recently-added shows. And the brokers' prices have come down a tiny bit, too--front row seats that were selling for four figures two weeks ago are now turning up at prices as "low" (snicker) as $895 or thereabouts.

Last but not least, a serendipitous find--not sure who these fine Bucky Bash shots belong to, but a big thanks to him or her for sharing them at Webshots. Kudos!

More later...