keepingfaith

That's excellent news! Decca is a music group for serious, established artists -- from the looks of the list -- which includes Rufus Wainwright and Boz Skaggs. Oh baby -- I love them! I see Andrea Bocelli and Sting on the list too -- I'm not so much a fan of theirs, but understand that many love them too. But the big Unversal umbrella is as good as it gets, IMO, and all that we could have hoped for Clay. Oh yeah, Decca is famous for having passed on The Beatles before they signed with EMI. I noted at OFC, that the Pacifica listener-supported radio station in Houston (KPFT) has recently re-programmed and added World Cafe Live (a Decca product) to its midday schedule. I heard it once last week and the artist performing live and being interviewed for the entire program was Marianne Faithfull, another Decca artist -- who was promoting her latest music. OMG, if we could get a full hour of Clay on World Cafe Live next year ..... I'll just DIE!!! (And they stream live!)

This contest is great because I'm seeing photos new to me -- like #1. I'm loving this one, not so much for the orange shirt (because I'm not a fan of orange), or because of the shoulders (everyone in my family, including me, has broad shoulders) -- but those LIPS, baby, those LIPS!!!!

Number ONE! He says his hair is now blond, and the length is in-between, so to me that opens up the dream possibility of BlondyBangs Clay. Since he has been going through ever-changing combinations of colors and styles the past few years, here's hoping he's Back For More .... BANGS (with a twist of lemon).

keepingfaith, I dragged this quote over from the contest thread, just for a good excuse to post some of the other photos from that same time. They are among my all-time favs! (I'm sure a certain beverage container stopper will appreciate this one as well) Well dang, there's one more, but it seems to have escaped my photobucket. I'll be back... Okay more than one more. Sleepy boy! And these are the ones I was really looking for. How adorable is he? I saaaawoooon for the EXTREME adorableness in all those pictures. First time I've seen them, and the two with him standing on the sides of his shoes are MACRO adorable head to toe. THANKS!!!

I like both pictures, but I voted for #1 because I've never seen it before, and I'm a pushover for a vulnerable look on a man's face.

I keep hoping and praying that one day war and hatred will be obsolete, with no need to create enemies, and no need to use dehumanizing language. Hasn't happened yet, (as many country songs bear witness to .... Toby Keith, I'm talking to YOU!)

Maybe I haven't traveled in the wrong circles, but I can't recall having heard "Nip" used as a racial term, or any other derogatory inference, in my life. From being a crossworder, I know that Nippon is another name for the Land of the Rising Sun, but that's about it. I've heard "Nip" used as a slang for a taste of whiskey -- with nothing untoward about it, but that just tells you something about my kinfolk! I remember when I was much younger hearing talk about "Japs" and thinking that was a derogatory reference to Japanese, only to find out it was a derogatory reference to "Jewish American Princesses." I don't pretend to be in-the-know about derogatory terminology, so I suppose that unless it's profane or a well-known slur, I won't "cop" to it. Anyway, my jowls are starting to sag .... Bert Lahr may be cuter.

Regarding acronyms, I would ban acronyms from all public speech and text -- if I were king of the forest. I worked for a multi-national for quite a few years and there were hundreds of acronyms that came and went and keeping up with them could have been a full-time job. There was a RAG group and an OOPSIE group and even a LOCO. There was a NIP and a PIT and a FARC. When I left that place I vowed to never use acronyms again. Of course, my vow was broken with the titles of Clay's songs, especially ones such as IYDKNBN and IWTKWLI and WYSYLM. I'd much rather hear the National Inclusion Project called The Project, or Inclusion Project, or National Inclusion Project -- anything but another damned acronym! ARGHHHH! There's always the FBI/CIA-type abbreviations -- Natinpro or Inclupro -- but that would be even worse. Please, God, let's just have it be the Inclusion Project. I'm begging you!

This is a no contest for me. I love #1 with a passion, but just about anything could have beat #2 for my vote. That look and the Emmy look are to me what Snowflake is to merrieeee!

Both of these are real. Does anyone know why Clay Aiken is listed under United Kingdom in the Chrysalis Music Around the World?

back at ya!

You can find addresses for fan mail here: OFC Messageboard: Help/Support: Members Helping Members: Sticky-Message Board FAQ: Post #12.

Happy Birthday KAndre!

The Reed picture!!!! What an exceptional specimen of a man. I do hope their relationship is everything I believe it to be; because if so, they'd be extremely and happily in love. I couldn't help but wonder if the reason Clay went to see Hair again is because Reed may be joining the cast. If so, he would have that nude scene working on another level, however brief. Now, THAT could get me in a seat. Also, heard Clay singing to me at the store today. It was Everytime You Go Away, which was a first for that song. When I hear Clay's songs in the shops and supermarkets, they are remarkably better than the music played before and after and I'm being totally objective, I think! I have dozens of Clay mixes, and scores of variety mixes, but I'd never before put a Clay track into a list with other artists ... until last week. I was filling up a playlist to burn, with primo stuff on it btw, and I needed one more song. I put Everything You Don't Need in there, about midway, because the length and the style both fit, and then I promptly forgot about it. Forgot until I was playing the CD on the hour drive home Friday. With the initial drumbeat, I was DONE! And just shocked at how much better Clay's track sounded in comparison to the ones before and after. Not only his voice, which is incomparable, but the quality of sound, the arrangement, and the background vocals -- just everything about it was First Class Plus. I really learned something --- that I like Clay's songs to varying degrees when measured against other Clay songs, but measured against other artists? Anything by Clay sounds superior to me. I've kept Clay in a special place and not mixed him with "the others" -- but from now on he's going to be a part of EVERY mix. He classes up the company -- even when I'm playing "legends." Did anyone read the Tweet several days ago from someone who wrote, "Everywhere I go they're playing Clay Aiken on the radio. WTF?" I though that was kinda funny because we know he's not on the radio-radio, but since a diminishing number of people are listening to terrestrial radio anymore, what's the difference if people hear Clay Aiken being played wherever they go? Anyway, I found some minor irony in that. Blond Clay?

I think Clay's comment about Hair is that he wished the cast would stay on the stage and out of the audience. About a week after he made that statement, I saw the Hair cast on Letterman doing Let the Sunshine In -- and they not only were in the aisles, they were stepping over seats within the rows. If someone stepped on Clay's seat, I'm sure he would not like it. I loved Hair when I saw it decades ago -- but nobody stepped over me, and I wouldn't have liked that. Maybe this time he sat in the mezz, or the back of the orchestra -- and enjoyed it more.

jmh I don't wear socks. But in honor of this thread title, and jmh's birthday, I'm going to buy a pair of fabulous striped socks and let Clay rock them off my feet. And I know that he will.

I really hope so....one day! I think he would need to find someone with similar interests and one who would be happy living a simpler and somewhat quiet life with him in NC during down time first. I hope for his sake and Parker's, one day he has a chance to experience that kind of relationship with his soul mate. Personally, my longest-lasting relationship was with a man I refused to marry -- and eventually I kicked his ass out and was sooo glad I didn't have to get a lawyer!! My two marriages were not so hot, and did require lawyers and lots of money. The love of my life I did not marry -- which may be why he remains the love of my life. All in all, marriage is something I'd never do again, but it was convenient for having children. Speaking of children, I've just come off a couple of weeks of family -- parents, kids, grandchildren, inlaws, outlaws, and all their dogs, cats, horses, bulls, and cattle. Spent most of last week at my DIL's ranch in central Texas. Actually it belongs to her father, but he lives in another state, has hired hands to run it, and my son and DIL spend their every off-hour there. Can you say 105 degrees? I'm still peeling, and I had on 50 sunblock. Here's a few representative pictures of my Fouth of July -- Arriving ... The cows were hot too .... The saving grace was the POOL where we lived for five days .... Fortunately, no matter how hot it is outside, Texas men love to sweat over a brisket and fajitas! So we spent minimal in here, hallelujah ... There are five 4x4's on the ranch so the kids would take off in the early morning for a roll in the hay ... I can't believe I got even a distant picture of my oldest granddaughter (with her arms folded) -- she's pissed that I'm taking a picture with her in it, but I had to promise her it would be the only one! Oh, we had tons of fun ... but did I mention it was HOT!!!!!????

There are some people in the media who have forever lost credibility with me in reporting and commenting on the death of Michael Jackson. I have heard supposed "news" reporters say some of the most preposterous things I've ever heard -- and with a straight face. A female reporter on CNN yesterday said that Michael Jackson broke the race barrier on Top 40 radio. She actually said that the Jackson 5 was only heard on black radio and Michael broke the race barrier with his solo career. Maybe she got this confused with the MTV situation, but she later repeated it and nobody corrected her. I was a child in the 50's and I had my turquoise transistor radio tuned to Top 40 and I loved Chuck Berry, The Platters, Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke, Little Richard, Jimmy Reed, and the list could go on and on. And the Motown 60's followed, along with Memphis and Gulf Coast R&B. As a very young person I had the music of Bobby Blue Bland and Gatemouth Brown in my ears. It was certainly played on Top 40 radio in Houston, Texas. Maybe Houston was an anomaly? Anyway, that asinine comment really bothered me yesterday. THEN, I heard this dude hosting a show on MSNBC this morning say that Michael Jackson INVENTED pop music. DUDE, before there was Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 (and I won't even mention The Beatles) there was Little Stevie Wonder. Stevie went to the top of the charts when he was 13 with Fingertips Part 2 and provided a soundtrack for the next 20 years. Signed Sealed Delivered is one of my ringtones. Oh God, I've left out Ray Charles. My mother adored the music of Ray Charles and it was always in our house. Then I heard someone say that Michael Jackson was the first black performer that was accepted by white kids. Are you kidding me? Jimi Hendrix was a god to the white kids of my generation, and I stress white kids because there weren't that many black kids into the psychedelic music Jimi was pioneering in the late 60's. And there was Sly Stone, who was HUGE in the late 60's. IMO, Sly Stone was the star of Woodstock. More accurately, Michael Jackson was the first pop star to combine song and dance in a glittering extravaganza of excitement. But I don't forget Prince, who is still amazing -- he can sing, dance, compose, and plays a brilliant electric guitar. He's talented beyond measure. Michael Jackson was a record-selling juggernaut of the 1980's, but he didn't invent music, or even dominate the music of the 80's even though he had the top selling album. Pink Floyd probably had the top selling album of the 70's in Dark Side of the Moon, but that signifies what? MJ was a creative entertainer who wrote his own story and projected a magical aura that marked him for legendary status. He was a marketing genius in addition to his musical gifts. Anyway, I've reached an age where I've heard enough and read enough to question anything I hear or read. And the last four or five non-fiction books I've read have contained egregious factual errors. It creeps me out when I read a book and the narrative veers into an area where I do have some knowledge and find glaring misstatements. Who's editing books these days? There's something insidious about non-fiction and journalism without honest fact-checking. Is it any wonder we live in Tabloid World? I don't know if I even trust half of what I see anymore. Maybe 1/3. Well, I'm off to the ranch this afternoon for a few days. Surely Clay will surface while I'm gone!

I've spent some time looking through the Jamd site, and found so many pictures I didn't have in my collection. Here's some of the favorites I snagged: He looked so fine at the Virgin Megastore! merrieeee, he doesn't look sick here, does he?: In this one he reminds me of someone. PARKER! This is just a cool picture all the way around! Clay had a particular style from the very beginning it seems .... Yeah, baybee! About Clay's voice, for me it's the variety of signature sounds in his voice. When he puts a move on a note it may be hushed or husky but it's ONLY Clay who has that tonal quality that makes me tingle. I like it. I like it a lot. Comparing Clay's concerts to other artists, that's kind of impossible for me. I only ever went to concerts that were classical, folk, rock or blues -- and a lot of them, but not pop. I'm trying to think if I ever went to a pop concert other than Clay. The only thing I can think of is Linda Ronstadt, but that was in the early 70's and she was pretty rock then, but I think she counts. So Clay Aiken and Linda Ronstadt would probably be it for pop shows -- and Linda never said a WORD. Yep, I have Clay enshrined in a category up at the top all by himself. The ultimate all-around live musical experience with a natural entertainer who loves people and shows it. I'm ruined for others.

SueReu, I LOVE your avi. I'm such a pushover for cute babies -- and adorable babies that are ringers for Clay, and that actually share his DNA -- OMG that's off the chart of my "Darling Baby" monitor. And welcome to Cognitogirl. Good to see you!

Ahh yes, I love suggestive ..... At certain times, apparently, it can be right in front of your face. 'Fess up, who checked this out in Houston and can testify? I was on the front row and somehow missed that. I remember his shoes, and his smiles, but completely missed the package. And here's a sweet side shot .... He wears it so well. And I'm not talking about the jacket.

A belated Happy Birthday, Fear! Hope you got lots of toys and goodies, and cake and ice cream! Somehow, I think that Idol is slowly sinking, and paying gazillions to Simon Cowell isn't going to make or break it. The thing Idol has going for it is the shared experience factor. Hearing so much during the past few days about the shared experience phenomena that is now gone, wherein families sat down as a unit in front of the TV and watched The Beatles on Ed Sullivan or Michael Jackson on Motown25. I thought, nope, that isn't completely gone -- there's still American Idol. At least the year I watched Clay on Idol, my parents watched, I watched, my kids watched, my grandchildren watched, my sister and my friends watched -- we may not have been in the same room, but we talked about it on the phone and discussed it at work, and at family get togethers. Idol is the one lingering television experience that appeals to all ages in mass numbers, but the numbers are trending down. I don't recall having, or overhearing, even one conversation at the office about Idol during the entire 8th season. I know one girl who has always been crazy about Idol and a fan of Daughtry and David Cook -- I asked her just a couple of weeks ago if she had watched Idol this season and she said, "Yeah, but it sucked. Every season at least one of them appeals to me eventually, but not this year." My view is that Idol has plateaued. It will continue on, unless there is something that happens to turn people off enmasse, but Simon or no Simon, it's trending down. I watched something on PBS recently about the early days of television, and Arthur Godfrey's show was profiled. He had the No. 1 show in the country for a few years and was riding high, until he chewed someone out on camera and fired him on live TV. The audience was incensed, flooded the network with telegrams and letters, and stopped watching. When the ratings plummeted, Godfrey made a big deal over rehiring the fellow and making up, but it was too late and the show was cancelled in a matter of weeks. It could happen to Idol ... smugness and ego are part of Simon's calling card, but they're the things that could just as easily bring him down in the twinkling of an eye. Personally, I think he has a shelf life. He's become as repetitive and predictable as everything else on the show.

That doesn't make sense to me. $144 million a year? I remember reading that Idol was making around $75 million a year for 19E, so why would they pay Cowell double that? No comprende. No idea what News Corporation (d/b/a Fox Broadcasting) is making -- but Rupert Murdoch doesn't throw money around like that, does he? Unless Simon Cowell plans to start healing the sick and raising the dead, I don't get it!

Do you mean the Hey, I know you all recognize this voice. Yep, it's Clay Aiken ringtone? I stored that one.