Drive Machine revving up for Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon

By Allison Duck

Friday, Dec. 4, 2009 | 7:30 p.m.

What happens when Randy, Paula and Simon send you home? Some Idol hopefuls probably cry. Some go on to viral video fame like William Hung. And some continue to pursue musical careers. Las Vegas local and American Idol Season Six semi-finalist Camdon Scott falls into this last category.

The charismatic lead singer returned from his Idol experience with a fresh perspective and a desire to find a band to join. After trying out a few different projects, Scott finally settled in with the band Drive Machine, one of the few commercial rock bands in Las Vegas who specialize in original material. Drive Machine will be performing live at the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon bright and early Sunday morning. If you want to catch their set, grab some hot coffee and a coat and head outside the Venetian by the fountain area around 6 a.m., where you can cheer on runners and listen so some great original rock tunes and classic covers.

What was your American Idol experience like?

When I was 27, the age limit went up to 28. All my friends had always told me I should audition so I went to the last city on the Season Five auditions and I made it through the cattle call auditions. They take the 10,000 people and they perform for the assistant producers. You tell them your name and where you’re from and what you’re going to sing then they say, “go.” And if you take one of those big deep breaths at the beginning, they’ll just say “next.” They don’t mess around. Unless you’re like really funny looking or you start out and sound phenomenal, they don’t want you. They don’t want average. They want really bad or really good because that’s what makes great TV.

After you didn’t get through to the next round that season, how did you come to audition again?

I auditioned in the first two cities the next season and I didn’t even make it past the cattle call. I was completely frustrated because I knew it was my last chance because I was 28. Because of the hotel overcrowding following Hurricane Katrina, American Idol decided to move the auditions to Las Vegas. This time I decided I wasn’t going to try to be the first one in line or get all dressed up. I grew out this mangy looking beard and I put a hat on and wore a shirt with paint stains on it. I told them I was going to sing “Easy Like Sunday Morning” by The Commodores and as soon as I got through the chorus they asked to hear rock so I started belting out, “It’s been a long time since rock ‘n roll” and the Led Zeppelin really surprised them.

What happened when you got to the Hollywood round?

I think I would have made it had I not backtalked Simon on stage. I got up there and sang “Bless the Broken Road” by Rascal Flatts but I sang it in a rock style. The monitors on stage were so loud my face was flapping from the sound reverberation and I kind of lost track of what I was singing. I screwed up some of the lyrics in the verse but when I unloaded on the chorus, the whole crowd went nuts. Simon said, “You know, there’s 20 rocker guys just like you trying to make it big.“ Paula said, “Oh, I disagree.” I had the microphone in my hands and I said, “I disagree too. Let’s ask the audience and see what they think.” And the whole audience just erupts for me and they didn’t show any of that on TV.

What is it like for a rock band in the Las Vegas music scene?

I wish the local community would support modern commercial rock more like it does the punk, rockabilly and metal scenes. I really don’t feel we get our due respect because the people who would support our type of music all party on the Strip. The people who listen to Top 40 commercial rock aren’t hanging out at the Divebar. They’re not hanging out at the Cheyenne Saloon. They’re hanging out at Tao or Body English. That’s why it’s difficult for a band like us to gain a local following.

How do you feel about performing at the crack of dawn for the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon?

A year ago in August, we did the Candelighters’ 5K run so we were up at the crack of dawn to do that. I’ll be having lots of hot tea and lemon to warm up my voice. I typically try to do a little cardio like jumping jacks because when you sing in a higher vocal range, you really have to open things up well before you start pumping volume through it. I would rather showcase at the butt crack of dawn for 5,000 people than showcase at 11 o’clock at night a crowd of 50 people at a bar. We’re going to play some covers because you can’t do a gig like this out of the Strip and just do a bunch of original songs nobody knows, but we’ll be doing mostly our original material.