keepingfaith

I totally agree about the awesome banner. I vote that this one have an extended run at the top. There's so much to see.

jmh, I meant to respond to you about ordering the Clapton/Winwood DVD. Let me know what you think. I checked YouTube for bits of it and all I found were baaaaaaad fan videos, so I'm ordering the DVD myself. (This fandom is incredibly fortunate to have excellent videographers!) I did find this most excellent Clapton / Winwood video from the Crossroads Guitar Festival in 2007. Listening to this is like ... close your eyes and it's Blind Faith 1969 all over again. Ginger Baker's drumming is recreated -- only it takes TWO drummers to do it! (And the 2-guitar part that begins around 4:30 just drives my old hippie soul wild.) No eHP for me this weekend. I have an 8-year-old to deal with. The one who, when I asked her if she liked Clay, answered that if he likes lizards then she likes him. I have a feeling Clay feels the same way I do about lizards. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Especially not the big reptiles that she's attached to. I did tell her that Clay himself appears to be somewhat of a chameleon. She didn't get it. I should turn her on to Jim Morrison! Ha!

Ah, Kareneh, you KNOW what I like! Thanks so very much. I love the recap of the Atlanta dinner. And he deplaned on the tarmac at the airport? Wonder if he flew in on a private jet. Who's happy for Clay Aiken. *hand waving wildly in the air* ME ME ME!

You guys! Thanks for the sweet comments about my post. I struggle with mixed results to accurately express myself, but it's always my pleasure to profess love and admiration for Clay. Yeah he does. I think I'll indulge myself. ETA: Thai where? I've eaten at Thai Pepper -- Nit Noi -- and Konamwan. I went to Konamwan frequently in the 90's but the manager was as intimidating as the Soup Nazi on Seinfeld and he finally scared me off. I also used to eat at Nit Noi in the The Village, and I have noticed they opened another location just south of downtown. Unfortunately, I spent beaucoup bucks too many fixing up my bedroom this week, so I may not be able to afford a restaurant meal until the coffers are replenished. Buying first and balancing the checkbook later is SO not a good idea!

As a consumer of Twitter, I have to say that Twitter is NOT the devil. I think one must download a separate program to search for people -- any people -- by name, which I don't do. I check out news and subject matter from people I know and from legitimate news sources. I'm sure that to Clay it must be pure evil that there are those who tweet whenever they see him and broadcast his location, but seriously, you don't see that stuff unless you deliberately seek it out -- and I'm sure the gossip mavens are there for information on any number of thousands of people. And then there's the credibility issue. I don't trust anonymous sources. However, all that said, for my purposes Twitter is wonderful and I think it will be around until the next big thing swings by. Now, do I believe there are "evil Twitterers" -- you bet! As for that sick man that stalks Clay, I can't go look because I know not where he is, and have no desire to find out. I think it may be of some importance that he be monitored, just as some people monitor the websites of extremists to keep taps on them. Somebody's got to do it. Just not me because reading hater stuff disturbs my psyche. There must be some compromise between ignore and keep an eye peeled. I may have written about this (or not because my memory just isn't what it used to be), but if so I'll repeat: I overheard my son discussing that something needs to be done about haters on the net. He frequents guitar sites with discussions about Gibsons, Fenders, pedals, amps etc. and the musicians who use them -- and he says even those messageboards are bombarded with haters who are vile and disgusting and attempt to slime various musicians and other posters. These people have probably always been around, but the net gives them an opportunity to feed off each other as never before. It must be true that with every positive there is a corresponding negative; and the greater the good the more powerful the force against it -- another of those wacky facts of life in the Universe. Sure wish it were easier. But one thing I never feel, is sorry for Clay. He may not have sold the most records or put the greatest numbers of people in concert seats, or sold the most books, or been completely understood, or whatever the criticisms of fans and foes alike may be, but he is a bona fide A-Lister both in his career and even more broadly in his life. Clay can pivot in so many directions and I love him for being a seeker. I seriously believe that life is a journey and not a destination. I'm not concerned that Clay "arrives" to wherever one may think he should be, or deserves to be, or wants to be -- but that he enjoys a beautiful sojourn and shares his talents along the way. I'm grateful that he's on the scene and that so many love him. To me as a fan, Clay is a gift. And I react the same way when people complain about his choices, comments and commitments as I do when someone complains that their Christmas gift wasn't EXACTLY what they wanted. No boo-hoo from me.

Just read this afternoon: New Hampshire becomes the 6th state to approve same sex marriage. The governor will sign it today. Woo-Hoo!

merrieeee.... thanks for bringing that over. It was great entertainment during my lunch hour! I may just go back and start from the beginning of the season. I didn't watch a minute of it this year, but this site makes it fun. OMG Yes! I've read down to the fake Bono comment about "One." This girl shows no mercy and CMSU!"

Thanks! That was totally enjoyable. Also totally enjoyable tonight was catching a good part of the Great Performances: Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood Live from Madison Square Garden on PBS. WOW, that was something I never expected to see -- those Blind Faith heavy-duties doing Presence of the Lord, Well All Right, Can't Find My Way Home, along with stuff from Clapton's career, and some Traffic as in Mr. Fantasy and Glad. Just WOW! When Stevie's voice came in on Presence, I thought I was gonna DIE! Now I don't know how I'm going to stay away from their June 24th concert here at Toyota Center. I can't go because it's my DIL's birthday, and I'm committed for the dinner that night. Of course, I park a block from Toyota, and there's always the possibility that I would have to work late, maybe .... but it wouldn't be worth doing if I couldn't TALK about it afterward. Or would it?

Hey KAndre! It's always a good day when I read anything quoted from the late, great Lester Bangs, about whom was said: What this book demands from a reader is a willingness to accept that the best writer in America could write almost nothing but record reviews. And as hard as it is for me to have a favorite Lester Bangs quote, I'm partial to this one: "I'll probably never produce a masterpiece, but so what? I feel I have a Sound aborning, which is my own, and that Sound if erratic is still my greatest pride, because I would rather write like a dancer shaking my ass to boogaloo inside my head, and perhaps reach only readers who like to use books to shake their asses, than to be or write for the man cloistered in a closet somewhere reading Aeschylus while this stupefying world careens crazily past his waxy windows toward its last raving sooty feedback pirouette." I can't leave out the quotes ascribed to Bangs by the kid he mentored, Cameron Crowe (as William Miller) in Crowe's movie Almost Famous about being friends with the rock band he's reviewing: With Lester's take on the 70's, wonder what he would have thought about popular music today! Clay Content: I am a pawn to the passion in music .... for me, it began with Beethoven and Schumann, and continues with my love for the passionate voice and honest musical expression of Clay Aiken. And I think Lester Bangs would have loved him.

All this gorgeous Red Bank put me in the mood for Christmas Clay and one of my Top 10 favorite pictures ...

Hope your birthdays have been GREAT, OOlsee and jumpingjacks!!! I do love you Geminis.

Except I don't see Adam as anything but a piffle next to Clay, and don't want to give him any more notice if at all possible, on a Clay fan board. His latest charge that Clay is riding on his coattails sealed the deal for me, as far as Adam is concerned. I don't wish him harm, but do wish him out of my world. Totally agree. I personally don't care one way or the other about this. And yeah, it's HIS opinion. He's free to express it. I don't have to like it, and probably won't read stuff about it ever again (if I can avoid it). I'm just tired of the fan war bullshit. Does AI program fans to automatically hate other contestants, no matter the season? And that Clay fans have had 6 years of practice, while the Adam fans are just getting started? I never was into the fan war crap. Don't intent to start now. Fan wars? This ain't no stinkin' fan war. I'm just personally sick to the gills of so-called Clay fans digging into him for having the balls to speak his mind on his own private website, which included acknowledging that this arrogant dude's shreaking voice almost scared him. If I were participating in a fan war, I could have said a lot more, and included words like "putty knife."

He's the Idol runner-up who got a lot of mileage for being the openly gay contestant this year, who now says that his sexuality is something he's going to keep to himself -- that he's a private person. I've heard that somewhere before, I think.

I'm mostly in the dark about lurkers who only come out to do the OMG He Didn't! thing. Actually, I love that He Does! Who wants a weak, affected, slave to the magazines, milquetoast for a PBF? I'll take a real man, thank you very much. Lurkers who only come out to cringe? Plasticine and shallow = easily seen through.

I used to get my sage and sweetgrass in Houston at Lucia's Garden, a shop that sells oils, stones, herbs, chimes, fountains, medicine bags and healing books. It's just a few blocks from KAndre's place. Now I get it at Eagle Dancer, a Native American shop just a mile or so from my house. They have sage, cedar, sweetgrass, soaps, baskets, paintings and jewelry. I love to mix sage and cedar. As my Cherokee friend taught me, the sweetgrass invites the spirits in, and the sage runs out any negative spirits that may have sneaked in with the smoke from the sweetgrass. With the day I've had so far, I need to pat myself down right now and take a good personal smudging. Started the day by tossing coffee grounds on the floor, in the semi-dark, where the trash was supposed to be -- and then I ground up a shotglass in the garbage disposal about five minutes later. Obviously, the negative word for today is ..... ground(s). Today is my youngest son's birthday (hence he took a shot of Patron at midnight which somehow caused the shotglass to end up IN the garbage disposal). For his birthday this evening, we were going to grill burgers as a prelude to the fabulous raspberry walnut cheesecake, but since burgers would involve ground meat I may need a Plan B.

From today's NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/27/business...ml?_r=1&hpw Looks like Idol and corporate sponsor AT&T may have some 'splainin to do. I read this morning that Lily Allen blasted Susan Boyle, saying that she has a nice voice, but no timing or breath control and insinuating that she's being exploited. Maybe this isn't a good day for Simon Cowell..... but, Kelly Clarkson to the rescue! Kelly says that she loves Susan Boyle and that Susan's singing makes her bawl; and added that she still watches Idol and doesn't have any problem at all with the contestants having past show-biz experience. And then ..... Adam Lambert says his album is in the works -- he's writing much of it himself -- it's going to be futuristic rock-techno-dance -- and he believes he's creating a new genre in the industry. Now, from what I know, rock-techno-dance isn't new, so it must be the "futuristic" part he's bringing? Somehow I don't see this as an industry game-changer. But it does seem altogether arrogant, in a Madonna kind of way. Oh, and he wants to work with Madonna -- doing some fresh 1980's music. Wanna know what I think, bottom line ...... Idol's fucked. They have "raised the bar" with these inside baseball finalists for the past few years, and all the glitz and glamour -- and the golden goose is over in a corner somewhere out of eggs.

I'm piling on the Clay love. He's a smart, witty, classy man -- but we knew that, didn't we, that's why we're here. As I have mentioned before, my DIL loves Danny Gokey, the 3rd place finisher on AI. She called me in to watch him on LKL tonight, which I was happily prepared to miss when I found out Seacrest was hosting. But I'm glad she finds joy in Danny's singing and I watched his few comments .... which included saying that he believed the judges' excessive praise of Adam hurt Adam because people were turned off by it. And Danny had predicted on a CNN blog that Kris would win, partially as a result of a backlash against the judges. And he said these things sitting two seats from Adam. Adam seemed to know the score, and why not because it's just a fact that people instinctively reject manipulation when they perceive it. The real controversy seems to be .... did the judge's early marketing of Adam cost him the win? I doubt Adam will be the greatest entertainer in the world, just as Rubin has not been the most successful singer in the recording industry. People aren't stupid. But Adam will have the "he was robbed" factor going for him now. Everybody wins. Except the Idol judges.

And, now for some Holiday Weekend cleansing of the palate -- a gentle bouquet of Clay ... or would that be a bouclet?

From the few performances I managed to see this season, Allison was my favorite too. Her "Cry Baby" was excellent. The best two Joplin covers I've ever seen performed on TV were Melissa Etheridge at the Grammys doing Piece of My Heart, and Allison on Idol. That girl is so young, but she'll be heard from. I think Clay may have offered himself up as media fodder to fill in for the lack of interest in Idol this week. That's meant to be funny, but may not be far from the truth. The finale was a ratings dud -- worst ever. No matter who won, it would have still been the lowest.rated.ever. Now the picking of bones begins -- not in ClayNation, but in IdolHell. Nigel Lithgoe is saying that if he had stayed on as producer he would never have allowed a fourth judge on the show, and that the production was amateurish, running overtime week after week. ~yada yada~ There's a piling on happening around Idol. Changes will be made and that's a safe prediction. Maybe they'll bring in Clay Aiken as a consultant to straighten it out! No, they don't have that much sense. Simon will jump this ship if it doesn't improve next year -- and I don't see what they would be willing to do that would make a difference. The show seems hackneyed and strangely out of touch for people in the midst of the music scene. The judges comments are repetitive to the extent that they could just play Tape 1, Tape 2, Tape 3 and cover everything. Every year is the best ever. Everybody they choose to pimp is going to be the biggest star ever. One thing they should stop doing is bringing in ringers through the back door and make everyone audition the same way. Otherwise it just ain't real. I did read an interesting post on one of my political boards yesterday, in summary expressing gratitude for Adam Lambert being on the show this year because his presence forced an end to the "you're so gay" sniping between Simon and Seacrest. OMG NOOOOOO. Apparently I share an opinion with Gene Simmons. OH NOOOOOOO! Say it ain't so, Desertrose!!!

I don't know who "we" are, but I just disagree. I don't see the Idol vote as indicative of anything beyond a vote in the 8th season of Idol. I rarely watch the show anymore, although I don't have a problem with it, I just don't have time. And I certainly don't vote, but I wouldn't have voted for Adam under any circumstances, because he disqualified himself with his butchered version of One, which I did see. And even though I left a homophobe husband over Elton John, I can't be counted on to vote for the gay guy. I don't see the Idol vote as a "cause." On a completely different note, I think I've detected that a good number of people, especially boomer-types, are always anticipating the next Elvis, the next Beatles, the next Dylan, and I believe this to be a futile search. The music options are now pretty much unlimited, the delivery systems reach us from the sources of our choosing, and tastes are sophisticated, diverse and individualized. There may be bands and singers that have large followings and more fame than they know what do with -- but for any of them to be THE ONE. Ummm, no. I believe the Elvis thing to be a phenomenon of times past. And ... I think that's a good thing. At least an indication of some evolution on the planet. And 00lsee, I think there must be a demonstrable difference in the reactions of original online fans vs those who came later. You guys who went through the long wars have developed a reflex as to what will set off a chain reaction in the fandom. I wince that you must wince, because I remain as ever in these matters, ignorant. Or, for you who say idget, I'm ignernt.

Thanks guys for the tip. I'll be staying away from OFC 'til the storm passes. It amazes me that with Clay having fans of all ages, sexes, sizes and every distinctive difference I can imagine -- that it would matter to anyone that Clay would have an opinion, among all the opinions of life, that didn't agree with theirs once in a while; because I think it's impossible to agree with someone about everything all the time. Oh the outrage that Clay said something some others don't agree with!!! What I love is that Clay has adopted an Adm. Farragut attitude: Damn the Torpedoes, Full Speed Ahead. I adore that. I just love so many things about Clay Aiken. And now I love that he feels free to speak his mind -- whether half, or two-thirds, or ninety-percent of the fans agree or disagree with what he has to say. Here's to NOT CARING!!! I have learned to enjoy the variety of opinion in Clay Nation. Whatever Clay does, and however he wears his hair (color and style, long or short, even Something About Mary hair), and whatever clothes he puts on his body, and whether he wears glasses or not, or has stubble or not, or sideburns or not, and all combinations of the above -- somebody's going to absolutely LOVE IT and think he's never looked better. How lucky can one man be -- no matter what he does, intentionally or by chance, he's going to make somebody's day. That's all that should be important, not whether it's my particular favorite, but that someone somewhere is in HEAVEN. Truly I've seen some pictures of Clay that made me wince, and yet somebody will come on and be gasping at the gorgeousness of the man in the same pictures. That's really extraordinary. And I have learned to embrace the pleasure others enjoy, even when I may see him differently. In fact, I've learned to love that. Now, that said, when Clay answered that he wants his short hair long, and his long hair cut, does that mean that longer hair is on the way? He is so fine.

Favorite line from that commentary: The cardinal rule of show business: You never replace Curly with Shemp if Curly is still alive. That's a keeper for me! I've been preoccupied for a couple of days, did watch part of AI late last night that my DIL had DVR'd. She really loves Danny. She told my son that she's fallen for another man! And once Danny was voted out, she didn't vote, didn't care, doesn't care. It's just Danny Gokey for her. My son liked Adam because, as I said before, he sings like the dude from Judas Priest. Adam seems to be a manufactured sensation, but having been through the rock years, I see him as a throwback of times gone by. I don't really see much in the way of a Kiss Revival in the immediate future (disclosure: I've actively and vocally disliked Kiss since ... about 1975). When's the last time they made the radio?? And, Queen? Help me, Jesus. If anything, last night proved that Adam can sing on key and scream at an incredible range, but he's not in the same league to be compared to the great Freddie Mercury. This is just me, but Adam is to Freddie Mercury as Taylor Hicks is to Ray Charles. Okay, so you're thinking, was this bitch impressed with ANYTHING last night? Yeah I was. But it certainly wasn't Rod Stewart. Good God -- put him out of his misery, PLEASE! And it wasn't Queen Latifah. I'm a fan of hers, but, strangely, I think the other girl outsang her last night. Kris and Keith Urban did nothing for me. Nada. Kiss A Girl or whatever that song was is BORING! Cyndi Lauper and Allison were good. Cyndi looked and sounded great. Danny and Lionel Richey had a nice blend of voices. Danny does raspy very well, and I usually don't like raspy so much. But the best of the night for me, and if you knew me you wouldn't be surprised at this ... was Carlos Santana. I LOVE HIM!!! I talked to my 86-year-old mother this morning and she proceeded to tell me that she watched the finale last night after not having watched one show during the regular season. I asked her what she thought, and here's verbatim what she said to me ..... "That show really has gone down, hasn't it." (My mother has been a fan of Clay, Ruben, Taylor, and Elliott) I think it's so so sad that people would start up with "the Christians vs. the Gays" on this. I just don't believe that at all. I believe there were as many Christians voting for Adam as gays voting for Kris, and vice versa. I was on a political board this morning and there were several angry threads in the GLBT forum blaming a Christian voting bloc for Adam losing, while at the same time some of the same posters were beating the drums for all GLBTs to vote for Adam all season -- even if they had never heard him sing. It cuts both ways, and both ways disgust me. Just shoot me if the day ever comes when I prefer a singer or musician because he's straight, gay, pagan or pentecostal. Really, just put one neatly behind my right ear because I'd rather be at peace than that screwed in the head to have an agenda about music.

I agree about Kellie P. I think her voice must require engineering to stay on pitch, however I'm assuming her recorded voice is on pitch. Staying on key while singing live? Never happened when I was watching. And Buffett? I loved him lots back in the day. Saw him at Armadillo World Headquarters and a couple of other places in Houston and Austin when he was God's Own Drunk and a fearless man, and before he was a cheeseburger in paradise. I jumped off the parrotswing when he stopped writing those emotional songs that touched my heart, songs like He Went to Paris, Death of an Unpopular Poet, A Pirate Looks at 40, Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season, The Captain and the Kid, and although he didn't write it, I wore out a couple of Changes in Latitude/Changes in Attitude albums just listening to Lovely Cruise. I still wish he had a pencil-thin mustache, the Boston Blackie kind, with a two-tone Ricky Ricardo jacket and an autographed picture of Andy Devine. Why? So he could do some cruisin' too! I wouldn't mind seeing Buffett again after all these years, 'cause life is just a tire swing after all. HAVE FUN! Question: Is Clay a Hot Pocket in Paradise? Buffett songs Clay would never sing: The Weather Is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful -- The Wino and I Know -- Boat Drinks -- My Head Hurts, My Feet Stink, and I Don't Love Jesus -- and probably about 100 more! Have I ever mentioned that I really enjoy a good Boat Drink? ETA: Ole duffers, huh? Haven't seen a Buffett concert in 30 years, but I have seen a few Moody Blues and it's like people come out of caves for those shows -- geezers with long gray braids and headbands, wearing unfocused smiles -- the tribe gathers again. And, I'm shocked, SHOCKED, I tell you, that the Moodies sold out to The Man and Tuesday Afternoon is featured on that VISA/aquarium commercial. Okay, so the song is 42 years old -- maybe I'll forgive it just this once.

I adored his music -- Higher - Dance to the Music - Stand - You Can Make It (If You Try) - TYFLMBMA - Hot Fun in the Summertime - I probably should stop before I name them all. I'm just sorry that I saw Sly on the Grammy's or whatever music show he was on a couple of years back. I wish I could have remembered him as he was at Woodstock, or anywhere else during the 60's. He really was the Father of Funk.

I don't think Simon Cowell is solely responsible for the music landscape today -- but to the extent he is, I don't think that's anything to be proud of. The quality of popular music is not only derivative, but derivative of an uninspired model. But of course, JMO. I agree -- especially when he's wrong he's spectacularly wrong. Yesterday I watched the video of Adam Lambert's performance of One -- and Simon swooned and drooled. Word to Simon: It SUCKED! Regarding Broadway, I listen to Adam and think Broadway - and nothing to do with gay, but how theatrical he is on stage. Having not been on the boards until 2006, I cannot remember ever thinking Clay was gay -- or not gay -- during Season 2. I just didn't think about his sexuality at all. I did consciously think he was a kind, gentle spirit with a gifted voice -- and I was always amazed that he performed without any apparent self-consciousness. The Broadway comment I didn't understand other than Simon couldn't believe Clay would be a popular recording artist because he didn't LOOK the part -- and Simon is all about the image and money in his pocket. But associating Broadway with gay didn't happen in my head. In fact, I didn't understand why Clay made the little face when Simon said that! I rarely agree that ignorance is bliss -- but sometimes it comes in handy. And about cool -- if I like it, it's cool! I assumed this was true for everyone. "Cool" and "mass popularity" are not synonyms in my dictionary, in fact they are often just the opposite.