SCARYPOOLPARTY IN THE TIME OF CORONAVIRUS COVID-19

We all watched it happen right in front of our very eyes. We were witnessing a moment of musical history being written. Right in front of our very eyes we were watching a musical legend being born. And it was good. It was exceedingly good.

And so it began...

I watched Alejandro's audition video again. I wanted to remember that moment now after watching all the American Idol 2020 auditions. I had to rewatch Alejandro Aranda's 2019 American Idol Audition. I had to remember why last year was so special. Why after watching the 2020 auditions I was impressed but not obsessed.

So far I have a favorite from this year's auditions - Arthur Gunn aka Dibesh Pokharel, a native of Nepal who now lives in Wichita, Kansas. He's my favorite for several reasons - his voice, his songwriting ability and his previous recordings which I found online - hundreds of them.

I've tried to find everything I can online for several of the 2020 contestants. But one thing is different this year. Last year was the year of discovering Alejandro Aranda. Last year I was driven to find everything I could online. I found a treasure trove of songs on SoundCloud, Spotify and YouTube. I was driven, impassioned, obsessed last year when I first heard Alejandro.

This year I'm just interested in seeing who I should vote for. I don't think the live portion of American Idol will be happening any time soon due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), so I assume I won't be voting any time soon. We all are waiting to find out right now. Either way, I will not be committed to vote all 30 times for anyone yet, no like I was committed 100% to Alejandro. I will not be driven at all to do much except to listen to Alejandro's audition from last year again. I remember thinking last year, "This is a new thing for American Idol. Alejandro's going to change my all-time favorite show for all-time." I think I might have been right.

But now I'm stuck between wanting to give someone new my attention this year, or not caring at all. I want to not care. I want to stay stuck in my very excellent opinion regarding the "no one could possibly be better than Alejandro" blues. I've been singing that blues tune all season long. I love the judges. I love what they are trying to do this year - the year after the Alejandro Aranda Show. They even mentioned in an early episode that they were hoping for someone to make this season special like last year.

They also need a Laine Hardy. So who will be this special Laine Hardy ingredient this year? Someone who can sing the songs loved by many American Idol fans. Or have the fans somehow changed this year? We don't know yet, and may not know for a long time. In our time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Who will be the perfect fairy to win the hearts of America? If any of them are smart they would use their time to do what Alejandro did all last season - pleasure us each night with his Instagram "midnite surprise" concerts. This could become the new future of American Idol. Live performances online being judged by the internet groupies. Hmm?

Just like Peter Pan I never want to grow up. So I hold on to old school ways. Just like my parents I hold on to the sentimental, nostalgic affection for the past. I'm not sure if I want American Idol to change that much. My mind and heart are not connecting to that way yet. But I'm sure 'that way' is 100% understood and very comfortable and familiar to the Millennials and younger members of the audience. I just want to be Peter Pan forever.

I understand how some people who fell in love with Alejandro from watching him on American Idol last year still want him to perform only acoustic songs. None of this Scarypoolparty stuff. But Scarypoolparty has not given in to stay in that world. Who wants to stay stuck in looking backwards forever?

The truth is that Alejandro Aranda is now officially Scarypoolparty. The names are interchangeable, but the identities are not. Scarypoolparty also includes Maxx Diaz (bass), Darren King (drums), TJ Routon (guitar), and Neal Pogue (engineer).

Maxx Diaz started playing bass when he was 15 years old, and in that very same year he started playing in bands. Over the last 15 years he's been able to do many things as a result of being a musician and sticking to those convictions. Like traveling, playing with Grammy award winning artists, learning a lot about himself, and so many other awesome things. As a musician living in los angeles Maxx Diaz found ways to make himself stand out from the crowd. He takes his profession seriously. When he works on something he gives it my all so that he may enjoy it more fully. He strives for satisfaction in his career and he believes he's here to create. Maxx says

"If I'm not creating or learning, I'm not living."

In a very special episode of the Jellyhead Podcast, Andy sits with Maxx as he describes his horrific car accident that nearly took his life and how these random moments can kick your ass into depression or into gear. After some tear-jerking moments, the Jellyhead crew heads to Big Ego.

Darren Charles King (born June 25, 1982) is an American drummer and percussionist, best known for his association with the band Mutemath until his permanent departure in August 2017. He also played drums for the New Orleans-based Christian rock band Earthsuit for a short time. In concert he is often seen wearing a pair of headphones gaffer-taped to his head for foldback, something previously done by The Who drummer Keith Moon. King grew up in the small town of Marshfield, Missouri.

On October 27, 2010 Switchfoot's song "Yet" was released for free download as a remix by Darren King. He also remixed Hillsong United's "Love is War" which was released on their White Album (the remix project) in 2014. King played additional instrumentation on the Kanye West and Travis Scott collaboration "Piss on Your Grave" which was released on Scott's debut album Rodeo (2015), as well as on another Kanye West song, "Real Friends". King was heavily involved in the creation of Say Anything's seventh LP, I Don't Think It Is. His brother-in-law Max Bemis says that King "[collaborated] fully on its production and creation."

On July 24, 2010, King married Stacy DuPree, vocalist and keyboardist of Eisley. The couple have two daughters; Scarlett, who was born in October 2012, two hours after King returned from a show in Baton Rouge, and Solènne, born in October 2016. They've professionally worked together, along with Jeremy Larson, forming the band Sucré . On August 8, 2017 Paul Meany announced that Darren King had left Mutemath.

Meet TJ Routon, music producer, and songwriter living in Los Angeles, CA. It’s as if the music chose him, rather than him choosing the music. Growing up, TJ Routon performed at various venues throughout California. In 2008, he attended The Los Angeles Recording School, where he sharpened his hands on approach to music, giving him a more formal understanding of the recording business. He later sparked his career as a working musician, traveling across the United States on numerous national tours. His talents eventually led to his residency in Atlanta, GA for nearly 3 years, where he toured and wrote music full-time with artists. Although he has consistently found himself on stage performing, artists and songwriters have been quick to notice his talents in the fields of producing and writing. Several world-renown producers such as Tony Maserati, Brent Paschke, James Paul Wisner, Kenneth Mount and Zack Odom, have called upon TJ for his skills.

“Working as both an artist and producer, I have had the privilege of seeing how each party views their end of the spectrum. It is important to realize that the producer is very vested in audio and understands what may best fit the song, yet also understands the importance of fulfilling the needs of the artist. They are the ones that will be performing the songs each night for years to come.”

TJ's most recent work includes songs such as “Avalanche” by Nick Jonas Featuring Demi Lovato, which he co-wrote and co-produced, as well as an Apple sync for their 2015 Keynote. He has also had the privilege of working with Miguel, Katy Tiz, Us The Duo, Christina Grimmie, Kara DioGuardi, Candice Glover, Krishane, Andie Case, among many other extremely talented artists and songwriters.

Neal H Pogue is an American producer, audio engineer and mixer from Roselle, New Jersey, based in Los Angeles, CA. Pogue is a Grammy Award winner, having won for his work as engineer and mixer on Outkast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2004) – which won the Album of the Year category. Pogue has also produced for artists such as M.I.A, Nelly Furtado, Earth, Wind & Fire and has mixed for artists such as TLC, P!nk, Nicki Minaj, Janelle Monáe and Tyler the Creator. Having engineered for TLC's Grammy nominated 11-time platinum single "Waterfalls," Pogue also arranged the horns on Waterfalls under the pseudonym "Shock." Pogue has gone on to work with many prominent names in music.

The rest fo the story is history. The rest has been covered in my past review of their first album release, EXIT FORM, my comments about the live performance over the past 8 months. Yes, it's only been 8 months since their fall tour began. It's been a wonderful, wild and crazy ride. We were looking forward to Scarpoolparty's Spring tour of Europe. And then that coronavirus COVID-19 thing happened, and the world came to a halt along with the cancellation of all tours across Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia, South America and North America. It was a world crisis in pandemic proportion.

The first European tour for Scarypoolparty had to be cancelled due to COVID-19. Everyone had to cancel across the globe. The airlines shut down. The restaurants and hotels had to close. Churches and schools were closed. The entire world stopped at least for this moment in time. It sometimes seems like that scene in "The Day the Earth Stood Still" when the Earth literally stopped all technology, anything with a motor, anything that was mechanical. We still have power thank God, but basically people have stopped moving. We are all quarantined or self-quarantine or isolated due to possible contact with those who were contracted.

We will wait until our lives come back to somewhat normal.. if it really ever comes back to somewhat normal. Normal? Never again, I'm afraid. "We have come too far to turn back now..."

There will be a time where the terrible days of the coronavirus will probably be passed, when a antiviral is determined and a vaccine is created. Probably many months away. For now we cherish our moments with Scarypoolparty on Instagram, on YouTube, on SoundCloud on EXIT FORM. We have shared so many times together over this past year. We have become a family. Our community will one day be a legend during the Days of COVID-19. Our time when we encourage one another to be better, to be an example of love and kindness. Our time together with Alejandro as our inspiration.

I no longer want the "Sun Stop Rising." I want a time of peace in the light of the sun. A time when we can once again gather together as a community safe to share hugs and handshakes. A time to celebrate music together at a concert without fear of contagion. A time when the pool party isn't so scary.

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POST SCRIPT

I watched last night's episode of American Idol. The last show of Hollywood Week. They brought in a surprise guest to talk with the contestants who will be going to Hawaii in next week's shows. Of course they brought in Alejandro to my surprise and especially to those contestants who had said they were there this year because of Alejandro. It was quite obvious that they responded to him as if they were meeting a Rock Icon or Pop Legend. I guess in a way they were. At least I think so... and probably you, too, if you're reading this.

A time of reminiscing about the time when Alejandro Aranda changed my life. A time before COVID-19. I can barely remember that time right now while I watch an auditorium full of a cheering American Idol audience in reruns. An auditorium which will be empty for quite awhile I'm afraid.

MEMORIES of SCARYPOOLPARTY BEFORE

the TIME OF COVID-19

The Jimmy Kimmel Live! Show

Lollapalooza 2019

National Fall Tour 2019

"DIAMONDS" video

The filming of "Cholo Love (acoustic version)" video

Alejandro: "We love you and miss seeing you in person. One day, some day, we will meet again and never be apart to celebrate life, freedom and music!"

Wally (Me) the author, who loves so many of you!