‘Idol’ David Cook works on first album since win

By TIMOTHY FINN

What’s cooking? The newest ‘American Idol’ talks about his post-win plans.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After a quick trip last week to his hometown of Blue Springs, Mo., “American Idol” winner David Cook is back in Los Angeles, where he started work this week on his first post-“Idol” album. He talked with us about that record, his hometown and other “Idol”-related issues.

Q. What can you tell us about the record?

A. It’ll be a jazz calypso record. No, I’m lying. It’ll be a rock record. The goal is to put some twists and turns in it and make it a little interesting. We’re actually in the writing process now. I have songs that I’ve done in the past that have been submitted.

Q. Have you selected a producer?

A. We’re in the midst of figuring that out. A few names have been thrown out but nothing solid. Hopefully we’ll get that mapped out here in the next week or two.

Q. When do you hope to release it?

A. The goal is mid-fall, mid- to late fall.

Q. Will you be part of a band, or will you be a solo artist?

A. I like the idea of the band atmosphere. Being out on the road you should be able to have a “band of brothers” to kind of ease the transition. We’re bouncing around a lot of ideas. Nothing is set in stone, but I’m of the mind a band wouldn’t be such a bad idea.

Q. What do you remember about your years in the Kansas City music scene?

A. I just remember playing shows for next to no money and having nobody there and still loving it. Doing those kinds of shows was probably more eye-opening for me, showing me this is what I really want to do as opposed to a lot of bigger shows.

It’s easy to get that feeling when you’re playing in front of a few hundred people who are all really into what you’re doing. But if you can have that same feeling playing to an empty club, it probably means you’re doing something right for yourself.

Q. Did you ever get discouraged?

A. Yeah, I got discouraged. That happens to anybody. You take your lumps and move on. In 10 years of being in bands there were times I got discouraged and wondered if I was going to be one of those sob stories down the road.

The road to where I’m at is paved with a ton of musicians who are far more talented than me who never got the opportunity. I feel like I’m not only representing myself, but in a very small way representing a lot of those people, too.

Q. Why did you move to Tulsa?

A. I’d been in the Kansas City scene for a long time. I just thought maybe a change of scenery would spike some inspiration. ... I’d traveled to Tulsa a lot to play shows and had really kind of fallen in love with the music vibe. It seemed like a natural progression to me, and it was close enough to home so I could come back and not feel like I had dropped a fortune.

For me it was about getting into an environment that cultivated the kind of music I wanted to write, which is good rock with a pop sensibility.