Idol hands...

So if you'll remember a while back I had a whole internal debate over whether I'd gotten over a bunch of things, including American Idol. While I'm not sure about the other four I listed, I was about this one -- until last week, when I totally, thoroughly broke that resolution.

Top to bottom: Lambert in all his glory; Rikki Rockett circa 1989; Fashion and style inspiration for Adam from the L.A. Guns; Taime Downe of Faster Pussycat; Bang Tango. Click to see full-size.

I'd managed to make it to the finale knowing only the two contestants' names, and that at least one of them had an ambiguous sexuality. That was it. But I knew I wasn't going to be able to avoid finding out who won, so I decided what the heck, I'll watch the finale, and possibly this will stop me from watching the rest.

Long story short: Oh no it didn't. Why? Because Adam Lambert is like no other Idol contestant I've ever seen before (and by this I don't just mean hot). His performance with KISS literally blew me away. I've heard many, many versions of "Beth," but none like this. I had to see the rest.

So in a 48 hour all-out binge, I watched just the performance shows (who cares about the results) from the top 13 on down, and with each one, damn. I can't get enough. And somewhere between "Ring of Fire" and "Whole Lotta Love" I realized: Adam Lambert is glam metal's best shot at a comeback in years, and possibly ever.

Admittedly, just the other week I finally got a copy of the Hollywood Rocks! book (to go with the CD boxed set, which I've had and loved for a couple years), so I was in a frame of mind to go gaga over dyed black hair, eyeliner, and tight clothing. And on all three, Adam delivers (on top of already having a strong resemblance to Poison's Rikki Rockett -- they currently share the same haircut more or less).

But more to the point, I haven't heard someone with a voice so suited to lyrical metal in well, possibly ever. He can hit high notes in the range of someone like Michael Sweet or honestly, King Diamond. He can do the melodic stuff really well -- think Don Dokken or Ronnie James Dio. He can even do the growly stuff a la Axl Rose or Tom Keifer! (But since he doesn't do it all the time, he won't sound the way they do when he's their age.)

My advice to Adam: Grow your hair. Hang out on the Sunset Strip. Find a really good guitarist (on second thought, find one who won't get in fights with you), a reliable drummer, and a bassist who can hold his liquor. Then start a band that will finally get me to listen to new music. Do it. Do it.

P.S.: You get it, right? Do the devil's work? Or at least don't get their own work done 'cause they're watching Idol?