Did 'SNL' Gaffe Expose Simpson Vocal Aid?

[TexasStooge]

NEW YORK (AP) - Singer Ashlee Simpson's "extra help" may have been exposed when a "Saturday Night Live" audience heard her voice — singing the wrong song — while she held a microphone at her waist.

Her record company blamed a computer glitch and she blamed her band for Sunday morning's incident, which cut off her planned performance of the song "Autobiography" on the network comedy show.

Simpson had performed her hit single "Pieces of Me" without incident earlier in the show. When she came back a second time, her band started playing and the first lines of her singing "Pieces of Me" could be heard again.

She looked momentarily confused as the band plowed ahead with the song and the vocal was quickly silenced.

Simpson made some exaggerated hopping dance moves, then walked off the stage 35 seconds into the performance. NBC quickly cut to a commercial.

"What can I say?" guest host Jude Law said with Simpson standing next to him at the end of the show. "Live TV."

"Exactly," Simpson said. "I feel so bad. My band started playing the wrong song. I didn't know what to do so I thought I'd do a hoe-down."

Her record company, Geffen Records (unit of Universal), said there was a computer glitch. Instead of some pretaped electronic percussion, the recording of "Pieces of Me" started mistakenly performing, the record company said in a statement.

But it sounded suspiciously like a guide vocal that's a common — although almost always unspoken — concert aid. Either the singer "lip synchs" by mouthing words to a backing tape or has a live microphone and sings along to the tape, making the voice sound more powerful than it is.

Such vocal tricks have been used before on the show, making "Saturday Night Live" not entirely live, said a show insider who spoke on condition of anonymity.

A Geffen spokeswoman did not immediately return a call for comment.

Simpson's walk-off joins the lore of other unexpected music moments on "SNL": Elvis Costello stopping and changing songs on live TV, and Sinead O'Connor tearing up a picture of the pope.

[GalvestonDuck]

I'll never forget flipping the channels several years ago and seeing some boy band performing on MTV's Spring Break (I don't remember if it was N-Sync, Backstreet Boys, or someone else). They were jumping around, trying to dance like they do in the videos, and were barely able to sing without getting out of breath. Made me wonder how "live" their concerts usually are also. And then I remembered reading about how Debbie Gibson used to do jumping jacks or other cardio exercises while she practiced her songs. You know it's gotta be hard to run around and sing like that unless you're in shape. Nowadays, they just go to a surgeon so they "look" good, but their hearts are probably just as unhealthy as that of a 300-pound person.

[alicia-w]

I saw Cher last year and she timed her dance moves to places in the song where she wasnt singing. Best show I have EVER seen live. Of course, she isnt one of these pre-pubescent kiddies. She's a seasoned entertainer and has been around to stand the test of time....

[GalvestonDuck]

I saw Cher last year and she timed her dance moves to places in the song where she wasnt singing. Best show I have EVER seen live. Of course, she isnt one of these pre-pubescent kiddies. She's a seasoned entertainer and has been around to stand the test of time....

I'll confess, I saw her also in Houston for her "Farewell" tour (yeah, we'll see ). She's one of my best friend's faves, so I bought two tix since she went with me to see my favorite, Billy Joel. I don't like her political views, but she's a good entertainer. Loved the video stuff they did and her costume changes as she performed through the "decades" of all her hits.

I've seen Billy Joel twice, Amy Grant three times, and Garth Brooks once. I'm torn between Joel and Brooks being the best LIVE performers, but I'm leaning towards the Piano Man!

Of all my faves, the only one I have yet to see in concert is Olivia Newton-John. Not sure when or if that will ever happen.

[vbhoutex]

I have to go with Billy Joel as one of the finest live shows. I've seen a ton too(that's another story)! I had the privilege of seeing him in a small venue with about 400 others before he became a household name. He blew us all away and I booked him the first chance I go once I got back to Houston(I was at an entertainment convention). He didn't disappoint any of the 12,500 who came to the sold-out concert to see him either.

[GalvestonDuck]

The RMA's sure are hyping the fact that they have Ashlee Simpson performing live...next...live...here..."Did we mention Ashlee Simpson is performing live?"..."Coming up...Ashlee Simpson"..."And we have Ashlee Simpson...LIVE!"

[Ixolib]

Talking Pictures.....

http://wcbs.dayport.com/viewer/content/special.php?Art_ID=13262,13273&Format_ID=2&BitRate_ID=8&Contract_ID=3&Obj_ID=4

[TexasStooge]

This kinda reminded me of that Milli Vanilli scandal back in the early 1990s. The lip-synching duo...or should I say "PUPPETS" were at a concert doing their thing then the record goes "girl you know it's...girl you know it's...girl, you know it's..." several times. They had their Grammys revoked after their scandal was revealed.

Years later, they returned as Rob & Fabb with their own voices, but the reincarnation was short-lived after their self-titled album flopped.

[CaptinCrunch]

Truth be told it's a more common place than you may think with music artist "lip synching" or "singing along to the tape" when performing in front of a TV audience.

[GalvestonDuck]

“I’m going out to let my real talent show, not to just stand there and dance around. Personally, I’d never lip-synch. It’s just not me.”

- Ashlee Simpson

"Anyone who lip-synchs in public on stage when you pay 75 pounds to see them should be shot." (in regards to Madonna being nominated by an awards show for Best Live Act.)

- Elton John

The difference between Milli Vanilli and Ashlee Simpson is that it actually IS Simpson's voice on her CD's. I'm sure there are several artists who sound a dozen times better on their CD's, with the help of studio sweetening, than they do live. But I do wish that they'd either sing it live if they're going to tour, or just don't tour at all.

[michaelwmoss]

There is way too much lip-synching in this business. If they don't sound good naturally, how can they be a good singer? They shouldn't need any computer to make their voice sound better (Airgo- Britney Spears)