Adam Lambert Reveals His 'WICKED' Past And Musical Influences To The LA Times

AMERICAN IDOL season eight favorite took some time out of his busy tour schedule with 'IDOL ROCKS LIVE' and gave a candid and in depth interview to The Los Angeles Times.

He talks on a variety of theatre related subjects including touring Europe with HAIR and starring in the Los Angeles ensemble of WICKED.

When asked about his time in the LA production of WICKED Lambert remarked, "WICKED happened right after the Zodiac show. Toward the end of our run on "Ten Commandments,' there was an audition for the first national company and the casting director had heard of me because of the reviews for "Ten Commandments." That really set me up for that. I don't think I would have gotten hired if it hadn't been for that. I was hired as an understudy for Fiyero on the national tour and we rehearsed in New York and that was a blast. It was a great moment for me because I felt like I'd finally arrived. Even though it was the tour, it was a Broadway production. It was the highest caliber thing that I had been a part of. "Ten Commandments" wanted to be that and had all this money behind it, but it was a disaster. So this was a successful hit show that I was now a part of and it felt validating to get that job.

You were in the ensemble, so you were on stage every night, even if you didn't go on as Fiyero.

Oh, yeah. I was an onstage cover. And we rehearsed it in Toronto for about a month before we opened and we ran there for about 2½ months. So I spent time in Toronto and then we went to Chicago. Spent a couple of months there and then here in L.A. a couple months and then San Francisco. And at that point, it was about six months into it and I felt, "I think I'm done," and I got to this point where I thought, "This is what I've been working toward my whole high school career and my early 20s. This has been the goal, Broadway," and I knew that I could probably go into the New York production the minute a track opened up but I wasn't satisfied. Probably because I was in the ensemble. I'm not going to lie. It was probably a step down from "The Ten Commandments" situation. Bigger show but not as featured, not as much attention. Not doing what I felt I was supposed to be doing.

How often did you get to play Fiyero?

I went on as Fiyero a couple times and it was really fun. I thought I did well, but it was only a couple times. The guy hardly ever missed. So I dropped out. I thought, "I want to be a rock star." During "Ten Commandments," I had a friend who encouraged me to play around with Garage Band and come up with my own stuff, so it all happened at once. I started messing around with the idea of recording. I got really interested in that while I was on the road with "Wicked."

To read part one of the LA Times interview with Lambert click here, for part two click here.

The American Idols Tour is "hitting the road" this summer. The top 10 finalists, Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta, Anoop Desai, Danny Gokey, Kris Allen, Lil Rounds, Matt Giraud, Megan Joy, Michael Sarver, and Scott MacIntyre, all are taking the stage on a 50 city tour which began July 5th.

Adam Lambert signed a record deal with 19 Entertainment and RCA Recordings. Lambert is scheduled to record that album while on the road with the show's finalists for the "Idols Live Tour." The untitled album is expected for release in the fall.

Lambert was a true stand out on AMERICAN IDOL's 8th season - coming in second place in the finals behind winner Kris Allen. The young Los Angeles based singer made every song his own with a soaring vocal style that thrilled week after week. Adam is also is no stranger to the theatrical stage having gotten his early start behind the footlights. Adam Lambert appeared in WICKED twice, once with the touring company in March 2005 for a six month contract, and then opening in the sitdown Los Angeles production in February 2007 and remaining with the show until October 2008. For both engagements in "Wicked", he was a member of the ensemble and understudied the role of Fieryo, the show's love interest. "

In addition to performing in WICKED, Adam Lambert also had a role in The Ten Commandments and appeared in The Zodiac Show.

AMERICAN IDOL is created and executive-produced by Simon Fuller, founder of 19 Entertainment; and executive-produced by Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO, FremantleMedia North America; and Ken Warwick, Executive Producer, FremantleMedia North America. 

For more information visit, www.americanidol.com.

Photo Credit: Ray Mickshaw/FOX