'Idol' odds 'n ends: Carly Smithson to front new band The Fallen

The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:

>Carly Smithson will serve as the lead singer of a new start-up band consisting of three former members of Evanescence (Ben Moody, and a bassist that worked with Kelly Clarkson and Disturbed. Per the original article by Brian Mason of USA Today:

"This all happened by accident," says Smithson, who sang Evanescence's Bring Me to Life during the 2008 Idols Live tour. She's friends with Moody's housemate, Monique Morrison. "I met him once or twice (at the house) before the band thing," says Smithson, who had been working on a solo project.

The Fallen will release its first single, "Bury Me Alive," on their official Web site (WeAreTheFallen.com) on Monday and plan to release songs individually over the course of the next year and a half before working on an album.

>People magazine's 10th annual "Hottest Bachelors" edition was revealed this week, and a certain Idol runner-up made the cut. Adam Lambert was named as one of the hottest bachelors alive. Upon hearing the news, Adam said:

"Am I really? I'm not hot!" Adam Lambert responds in disbelief when Access Hollywood's Nancy O'Dell reveals the news that he is listed on People magazine's 10th annual list of Sexy & Single Men in 2009. He, however, quickly adds, "That's pretty cool. That's really cool."

The current issue of People is now available on newsstands everywhere.

>Another runner-up was in the news this week, but for more negative reasons. David Archuleta's father, James Jeffrey Archuleta, was nabbed for solicitation of a prostitute at a massage parlor back in January in Midvale, Utah. Archuleta's attorney, Erik Bauer, responded to the news:

“He did not go there for sex and that was it and pure, plain and simple that’s the way it was,” Bauer said. “He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He’s a good man and we hope this story won’t cause his family any embarrassment.”

The services reportedly cost $582, so it seems that Arch Sr. asked for the works.

>Chris Daughtry appeared on FOX Business Network's America's Nightly Scoreboard on Tuesday to promote his band's forthcoming album Leave This Town. Watch the interview below:



Chris discussed the diversity of the music found on Leave This Town and responded to a question regarding the possibility of attempting to do musical theatre in the future, saying that he's thought about it and has done some acting (like the 100th episode of CSI: NY) but he is solely focused on music at this point.

>Fantasia did a photo shoot with Derek Blanks. More photos from the shoot can be seen here.

Fantasia will next return to the musical The Color Purple as Celie, only this time she will be joining the national tour for its Washington D.C., Chicago, Atlanta and Los Angeles dates. The tour currently stars Fantasia's fellow Season 3 alum LaToya London. In addition to the tour, Fantasia will have the chance to reprise the role of Celie on the silver screen when she begins filming later this year.

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Arch's "Crush" adds date pushed back

David Archuleta's highly-anticipated debut single, "Crush," will no longer be impacting Mainstream Top 40 radio stations on Aug. 12. According to AllAccess.com, the release was pushed back to Sept. 2. There is no word on what caused the delay, nor whether there is any truth to the rumors that the song will be leaking in the near future.

As for an adds date on Hot/Modern Adult Contemporary, "Crush" will have a head start on the format with a Sept. 1 release date. Maybe that gives a clue as to how the song will sound? The only hint on how it will sound came from Jeff Archuleta, who revealed at a Chicago meet & greet that it will be a mid-tempo and has a "great hook." Not much to work with but at least it is something.

And more clues to who will be working with David on his album: JC Chasez (N*SYNC) confirmed on Wednesday that he is in fact working with him, and there is a possibility David will be covering his failed single "You Ruined Me." Other writers David is confirmed to be collaborating with include Kara DioGuardi and Ryan Tedder (OneRepublic).

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Arch's "welcome home" bash postponed

Well, it looks like David Archuleta's homecoming concert will have to wait. The event, which was dubbed "Back Home With David Archuleta" and was originally slated to be held Friday at the E-Center in West Valley City, Utah, will have to wait until after Arch's contractual obligations to Idol are fulfilled (a.k.a. after the Idols Live! tour wraps up in September). It looks like pesky 19 is already up to its usual tricks. Per an article in the Archuleta family's hometown paper, The Salt Lake Tribune, dad Jeff tried to skirt around the "evil Idol" reason, and said the following:

"They're just going to reschedule the event for a later time. When all the minds met, everyone concluded this wouldn't work out for this particular weekend, and they just want to reschedule it for toward the middle or the end of the ["American Idol" summer] tour."

Portions of the sales from the concertbration were said to be going to the Multiple Sclerosis Society and Make-a-Wish Foundation.

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The "Dadchuleta" saga continues

By now, the story about David Archuleta's dad, Jeff, being banned from going backstage with his son during the show's performance episodes has been covered by every media outlet from TMZ.com to Good Morning America and everything in between. Idol judges have also spoken out about the controversy, but have offered little insight into the specifics surrounding the whirlwind.

Randy Jackson today told The Canadian Press the judges do not have much interaction with the contestants, never mind any time with them backstage. He also shrugged off the story, saying it was more of a media creation.

"I think there's probably more of a press story there than a reality."

Simon Cowell also told Extra! he is not sure what all the fuss is about.

"To be fair to him, I don't really see him -- I don't know what he does. He hasn't said anything to me."

Now, David is finally speaking out about the whole ordeal. In a feature article on the Top 3 finalists in this week's edition of TV Guide magazine, David says the following:

"I've heard some of the weird things that people have been saying, and it's kind of a bummer," he says, not gigging at all. "I think I, of all people, would know what's going on, and he's been great. He's given me a lot of good advice and helped me from making any dumb decisions. He understands more than anyone what I want in music, and I've felt really blessed to have someone like that.

David seems a bit worked up now. "I don't really care what people say," he continues, "but I know it's affected him and stressed him out." As for reports that his dad withheld water from him during a recording session, the Idol insists, "That's kind of stupid. I'm 17! I think I'd be able to stand up for myself if he were to take my water away."

It will be interesting to see how this is addressed, if at all, during tomorrow's performance show.

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David A.'s dad banned from backstage

The Associated Press yesterday reported that David Archuleta's father, Jeff, has been told by producers that he can no longer join his son backstage before he performs on Idol.

The story, which was originally broke on TMZ.com, has been building since the beginning of the competition, as Jeff Archuleta has been called a "stage dad" multiple times and rumors of bad blood between him and David have surfaced. Things finally came to a head when Jeff insisted David include a verse of Sean Kingston's song "Beautiful Girls" during his performance of "Stand By Me" on Top 4 night, which ended up costing Idol more money due to rights needed to include the verse.

There has been no comment from either FOX nor Jeff.

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