ldyjocelyn

Adding another reply to...well, vent a bit. Does it seem weird to others besides me that we now know that this Amazon list is now "phony?" I mean, I thought it was kinda cool, and I guess I liked the illusion of it all. So I had no reason to follow up with Amazon to check the veracity of the list. *shrug* I also am reading elsewhere that people now know the person (and company) that came up with the press release....name, address, telephone number, etc. Again, I'm finding it a bit...unnerving. I understand that people were questioning who wrote this, originally because it wasn't signed. But I went back through my files, and the ATDW press release wasn't signed either. And maybe my memory is faulty (it very well could be), but I don't remember others looking around for who wrote THAT release. As a matter of fact, I'm seeing lots of interesting parallels between the release publicity for ATDW and OMWH. The press release timing is almost the same; also, the release of the first single. The first public place to see the release in both instances? USA Today. I honestly think the TV promos will be similar as well. Of course, I suppose this all means that RCA isn't supporting OMWH either. [/snerk]

Great recap from abbeynormal at the CH:

Don't look at me, I just do the polls and the basics of the banner changing.

Reality TV Magazine blog Clay Aiken's CD Explores His Own Journey

Idol Chatter Blog on usatoday.com My (Brief) Encounter with Clay

I think the only difference I would have done was to make that section with the new songs a brand new paragraph.... ...but then I'm not an English teacher, nor do I play one on TV. Ken Barnes blogs about talking with Clay

Now THAT'S a thread title! :F_05BL17blowkiss: wanda! {{{{{{pkmiller}}}}}}} Just go and have a good time and blow Clay a kiss from us. That will help you cope, I'm sure. EEEEEEEEEEEE for the press release and the single preview! Yes, I will listen to it, I'm not TOTALLY stupid in my rationale of not listening to the album before the release date! *g* Besides, I've got to hear it so that when I DO hear it on the radio, I'll be ready for it!

PRNewswire Clay Aiken to Release Brand-New Album, On My Way Here, on May 6th 2008

From scorpionlady at CV, a scan of the print edition of USA Today: Off to EEEEEEEEE about the press release!

April 2: USA Weekend blog article April 3: USA Today online article. Also in the April 4 print edition. April 3: Segment on Spamalot and the new album on "American Idol Extra" (Fox Reality Channel) April 4: Press release!

I suggest, from strolly's recap:

{{{{{{Cotton}}}}}} Totally understand the feeling. Too much to do, not enough time, and no rest for the wicked. *g* Two questions: 1) Is the USA Today piece that was found last night in the print copy of the paper? 2) Was Clay mentioned/spotted in the Kimmel special last night? Inquiring minds want to know. Hope everyone has a great day!

*makes note to stop at store and pick up all copies of USA Today I can find* I always find it interesting that USA Today almost always has the TV guys write the articles on Clay. I'm so loving all this publicity so much. And I'm loving Clay Aiken so very much right now too....

usatoday.com Achin' for Some New Aiken: It's On the Way

OK, time to break up the seriousness.... From IvorySky via this thread at the Clayboard. {{{{{{{jmh AND YSRN}}}}}}

Congratulations aikim!!!!!! 'Tis true, 'tis true. And yet....I think, for me anyway, that there needs to be a place to let that kind of crap out -- and let it go. I've really never gotten the feeling that we here at FCA wallow in the angst about the angst (hee), and for me, that makes it feel a bit different. I can see where others would question my sanity in regards to that, but it is how I feel. At other boards, with regards to "angst," it seems that some enjoy that worry, that dread. IMO, we here at FCA vent about what is happening elsewhere, and then it's (mostly) gone. Can't claim perfection on that though...I know that. We do tend to revisit it. Heh. I totally agree -- and that's why I'm confused. We have members who post their disappointments about Clay around here, and that's fine with me, as long as they are said respectfully. I may not agree, but hey, them's the breaks. But, the past 24 hours made me think that some don't feel like they can do that anymore. Why is that? What changed? I totally get that some were upset by the article, whether it be what the writer did with the information, or the information Clay gave (or in one case, didn't give). I'd hope that people who did feel that way would go ahead and post.

Hi Everyone! I stopped in here last night because of the angst all over and I enjoyed your conversations. So I joined. Welcome! And now you may think I'm picking on you...but I have a question: does she HAVE to name him as one of her favorites? That is a serious question. To me, there's always been this weird vibe that those who have worked with Clay, at one point or another, must fall all over their feet to praise Clay, at least in a few people's eyes. And yes, KLo's possibly said and done some not-so-nice things regarding Clay....but I just let her roll off my back. I feel there are going to be some people who, even working with Clay, won't "get him." And that fine. As far as Clay being that "better person" -- well, yeah. I think he is. I also think he may still just love KLo's voice. You've owned up to your opinions mjrp4clay, and I like that. I also won't force you to like KLo, even though I still do. JMO and all those silly letters. laughn, that's actually a pretty analogy. I try to avoid that kind of thinking when I can, but I have to admit that for me, I think it's pretty easy, because I stick with my two little boards, this one and one that you know as well, and that's pretty much it. Every once in a great while, I do venture out, but it's a little too scary, and a little too blechy, for me.

OK, I've been working. Truly I have. I've gotten a bunch done. Truly. But I've also been listening to the music on Clay's list. The only one I knew at first glance was Kelly/Reba -- I think their version tops Kelly's solo version. But then, I remembered that I heard a bit of KLo's song during last week's AI. A ballad, if I remember correctly. And then...I checked out Sara Bareilles, and knew IMMEDIATELY the song. It started as a commercial (check out the YouTube ), and is now a major hit on AC radio. Maybe this will jog some memories? And, ironically, the chorus is "I'm not gonna write you a love song..." Heh. Hmmmm....just thought of something. Sting had one of his biggest hits recently, Desert Rose, by being featured in a Jaguar commercial. The song was produced by Kipper. Hmmmm.... Anyway, most of the other songs on Clay's list are ballad-y to me. I'm thrilled that he thinks Alison Krause's voice is "like an angel," because I totally agree with that assessment. The Chris Botti choice is very interesting to me -- it's almost "smooth jazz," and for some reason, that doesn't jive with what I think Clay would like. He's a constant surprise, that's for sure. ETA: Oh yeah, I know (and really like) "Everything" by Michael Buble, and I've heard that one on AC radio too. But then, I'm one of the few people who is a Clay fan who also LIKES Buble. I'm sure I'll be ducking tomatoes soon...

Recognize anyone in this poster? I've got too much to do at work today, but let me just say that I think one of the cold, hard truths that I've come to realize in the Clay Aiken fandom is that NONE of the boards are perfect, and really, IMO, there will never ever be a unified "Clay Aiken fandom." We're just too diverse. We all get different things out of what Clay does, and we're never going to agree on those things. Also, boards tend to "bond" over a particular aspect of Clay, and therefore, I also think that no board will truly ever be balanced. It's just a fact of life anymore to me. It makes me sad, but I think this is also a microcosm of the real world. OK, gotta run. If someone can bring over recaps from Spamalot, I'd appreciate it!

Heidi -- would you care to tell us how you really feel please? I couldn't tell from your post. annabear -- BWAH!! And I bet Jerome would have some very interesting stories to tell....

CG, I'll give you a PERFECT example of an album coming out without this fan knowing of it via press release: REM released their latest album yesterday. I'm not a HUGE REM fan, but I usually do pick up their latest album. I did not know about this album being released until last Friday, when I saw the review in the latest People magazine. I've since seen one more review, and a major article in Time magazine. But a press release? Heh. Never saw that. As for the rest of the crap out there, I'd just like to WORD almost every single one of you here tonight. I really just get sad when people think they can help Clay by contacting people at his record label. And I really did like the article a lot, I think it said a lot without giving everything away. I also think this article was a bit different in that the fans provided the questions, and Clay knew that. He knows the fandom well enough that he kept stuff close to his vest (*waves at 00lsee*). And, with an interview like that, he's damned if he says too much, damned if he says not enough. I'd go crazy if I were in his shoes.

luckiest1, you're right -- he didn't use "fall." My bad. It just seems to me that Spring 2009 is soooooooooo far away....but stranger things have happened. (ATDW release in Sept. 2006; DCAT in July 2007).

Now that a few other people have posted (so I'm not totally Miss Posty-ho *g*), I'm going to pick through this interview....just as I'm sure many others are doing right now. My answers will probably be different though. Considering that I heard over the weekend that one board was speculating that Mike Nichols had a role for him in his next movie....bubble burst number 1. {{{{{{{{{{Claytonic, ausdon and others affected by this}}}}}}}}}}}} Oh dear. Bwah! I'm actually quite happy for this news, both for Clay and me personally. I think he'll need the break, he's been working straight for 4 months (5 by the time you add May, filled with album promotion), and if I were him, I'd be really jonesing for a couple of days off. I'm personally happy about it because it gives my bank account time to fill up. I'd really love to know what he means by "fall" though. To me, that's October/November. Maybe he's finally at a place where there will be no Christmas tour this year? I kind of hate to even supposition on that, because I think he personally gets a lot out of the Christmas tours, but the timing that he's suggesting could be very tight. I'm also quite glad that he's still thinking about this, and I totally agree with couchie that there's got to be some channel out there somewhere that would love to work with him. Raise your hand if you could hear in your head him saying "NO!" Since I'm one who "likes to lie everything he does," I'm really curious about the album now. He's worded that so interestingly. How much of an uproar will there be on this album? It sounds as if he's bracing for something. Just curious what exactly. Still won't listen to the album until the release date though. *g* Especially after reading the paragraph following this one, I really think that his problems finding "rockin' songs" has more to do with lyrics than anything else. It sounds to me that he's not paying as much attention to the tempos and arrangements but the lyrics. If it's a fast song with lyrics that mean something to him, he'll do it. It will be interesting to see if the fandom can accept that. Not that I'm listening, but have we found a demo for this one? The lyrics? Well, there's a difference between he and I then. But that's OK. Still love him. I take two things out of this little section. One, I had flashbacks to that one blog of his, when he said to stop reading things into what he's written before! But the other thing is, I think the man is really trying to guard his privacy, and maybe even some of his feelings (not to get too psychoanalytical here). He definitely wants others to get the meaning out of the songs, whatever it may be. But I also just feel that, as much as some of the fandom wants him to be open with that kind of thing, he just isn't going to do it. And some of the fandom is going to have learn to deal with that. I'm cool with it.

USAWeekend.com Clay Aiken Talks Music, Acting, and Talk

luckiest1, I couldn't get your link to work, so I'm bringing the blog over here. Very interesting stuff...