keepingfaith

The fires in Southern California look horrific. My heart is out there for everyone affected by these massive wildfires. It's awful to watch. {{{ldyjocelyn and hubby and MIL}}} I'm so sorry to hear about this emergency in your family. Take care of your hubby and yourself, and know that you are loved. Scarlett, I know you won't let the sorry bastards get you down. And I can't imagine you'd toss those Sedaka tickets! ... or should I say Solitaire tickets? But, I think he'll do more than Solitare. Don't you think he'll do a couple of solo songs and then full cast finale?

My favorite was always Glenn Frey. Hope that's not blasphemy. I see he's not from Texas, but I've always thought of the Eagles as a Texas band. I love Don too, especially for his mind--I love 'em all. Have sung along to their music on many a road trip. New album soon--YAY!! I love them all. I always felt that even though Frey and Henley were from Michigan and Texas, the Eagles were a California band. Creedence had that Southern swamp sound, but were all California. And BC, Creedence was big in the mix of my road trip favorites, guaranteed to have me hopping in my seat. Elton John was the one I sang along with. That stuff has been on the shelf for a while now. I've been listening heavily to ATDW lately. And I have fallen hopelessly, madly, in love with A Thousand Days. I've always loved it -- but now I have to hear it every day, with feeling, loud and intense. It's amazing how my appreciation of that song has mushroomed. I just came from dinner with my parents and blasted ATDW all the way home. A Thousand Days caused me to hit repeat twice in a row. I'm starting to crave it. I've burned cuts of the song from the tour and listened to those and love the change-ups Clay was doing near the end of the tour; but, for some reason it's the studio cut I can't get enough of. His voice just kills me.

First, Clayzor and jmh -- you guys seem to know more about the munchies than I do. Seriously, the stuff always made me lose my apetite. Yes, I've always been an anomaly. And I'll eat very little of the goodies I bought -- diabetes does rear it's head. My son and the little cutie will get most of it. And jmh, I never forget Don Henley. OK, LdyJ, who dissed the honeycrisp? The ones I've been eating aren't tart at all -- crispy, sweet, juicy, nectar of the gods. I think the music we love depends on time and circumstances. Although we come from much different musical backgrounds, we all live in a yellow submarine in Clay Nation in Twenty O'Seven ... and we LOVE IT! muski, I just love your post about the Orlando clack. In fact, I just read it again. Love it.

Drugs? I prefer Miss Consciousness Expansion of 1969. You know, all the telepathy stuff, Alan Watts ("The Wisdom of Insecurity," "The Book on the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Really Are"), the magical mystery tour .... are you familiar with the synchronicity of coincidence, ClayGary? But above EVERYTHING, The Music. The Music -- rock, blues, country, jazz, and beyond categorization. I would put Texas up against anyplace for producing successful musicians and access to live music ... and the Hall of Fame ranges from Buddy Holly to Willie and Waylon to The Winter Brothers to Kris Kristofferson, Roy Orbison, Steve Earle, Steve Miller, Steve Stills, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Janis Joplin, Big Mama Thornton, Don Henley, Clarence Gatemouth Brown, Lightning Hopkins (who almost caused Ringo Starr to miss being a Beatle!), Norah Jones (daughter of Ravi Shankar), T-Bone Walker, T-Bone Burnett, Boz Scaggs, ZZ Top, Selena, Doug Sahm, The Dixie Chicks and tons of country artists including George Jones (who used to sing in my aunt's joint in Port Arthur way back in the day), also BJ Thomas (Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head), Mike Nesmith (the Monkees), Kenny Rogers, Johnny Nash (I Can See Clearly Now), Seals and Crofts (Summer Breeze), Meat Loaf, the genius of Townes Van Zandt, and Destiny's Child/Beyonce, oh I can't forget Pantera, ... and I'm tired of thinking of people. Clay Aiken has never played Austin. That's a crying shame. Austin is completely eclectic musically -- the quality of the sound is everything.

We have two Euromastix in the house - Jack and Cindy -- and they belong to the little cutie pictured in an earlier post. She's a total fanatic about lizards and has loved them since at least age two ~~ like some past life Morrison or something, she's the Lizard Princess. And muski -- BYLM was beyond emotional in Orlando. He was giving it out that night. LMF ... love you too. Man, it feels good to not be working today and have time to watch clack and download the new goldarngirl/luckiest AC montages, and actually post on the board instead of read and run like it's been all week!!!

Now you have really kicked my ass with that one.

Well, play, I was obviously on the wrong board last year. I know lightmyfire and clayzor and jmh know what I'm talking about. Clay's career was all but over and people were weeping over the sabotage that was victimizing him. Unfortunately, that's where that board was. As for cool. True cool is in the heart of the true cool. Not in the force feeding of failed celebrity and dubious talent by the corporate media. And the definitions change. As Dylan said (to excise some lyrics here): Come writers and critics Who prophesize with your pen And keep your eyes wide The chance won't come again And don't speak too soon For the wheel's still in spin And there's no tellin' who That it's namin'. For the loser now Will be later to win For the times they are a-changin'. The line it is drawn The curse it is cast The slow one now Will later be fast As the present now Will later be past The order is Rapidly fadin'. And the first one now Will later be last For the times they are a-changin'. And muski, Jackson Browne's music of the 70's -- transcended cool altogether. Music so sad it made me intensely happy. Reminds me of the Bee Gees' I Started A Joke. You all must know by now, I had a good time in the 60's -- and as the only Houston native in the eHP, I remember Love Street Light Circus (on Commerce at Allen's Landing in downtown Houston), that opened on the day I got married -- June 3, 1967. I was 18. This place was happening until 1970 and closed the same month that that particular marriage ended. At Love Street, you reclined on big cushions on the floor and listened to live music .... And the bands that performed semi-regularly included the 13th Floor Elevators, the Moving Sidewalks, and Shiva’s Headband. Never heard of the Elevators and their legendary singer/songwriter Roky Erickson? The Elevators invented the word "psychedelic" and had a hand in transforming Janis Joplin from an Austin folk singer into a blues/rock goddess. She almost joined the Elevators in Austin, but they were too hot and she was afraid of getting busted so she hitchhiked to San Francisco with Chet Helms, an old Austin buddy who had gone out to San Francisco in the early 60's and was then doing things like Summer of Love and Family Dog. Helms went back to Austin to get Janis to come to California and front Big Brother and the rest is history. Roky stayed in Austin, was busted for a single joint and facing ten years he plead guilty by insanity and was sent to a state asylum where after repeated escape attempts he ended up at the Rusk State Hospital for the Criminally Insane for three years, and then into full blown schizophrenia. The 60’s. I first heard of Janis when I was in high school and she was a waitress turned folk singer at a coffee house called Sand Mountain. She sang very traditional folk in the hootenanny tradition. Oh, and the Moving Sidewalks? They changed their name to ZZ Top in the 70's. Here they are with less facial camouflage: No frills back then ... some 1968 concerts at the Houston Music Hall (now torn down): Hendrix: and Cream: But back to Roky … The band's biggest hit was You're Gonna Miss Me ... and here's a You Tube of a clip of the Elevators on a Dick Clark afternoon show in 1966 (Where The Action Is?) . The sound has been replaced with the original song track: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJvgSF6aO2E...ted&search= Okay, I now return you to 2007. So what did cool ultimately deliver for Roky and Janis? Cool ain't shit.

Well "she-down" I've never noticed it. Wow, supervising producer ... what does that mean? Sounds muy importante!

Tired of talking dogs already? Okay. I am right at this moment eating the very best apple I've ever eaten in my entire life, no exaggeration. Went to Randall's for ketchup and $200 later I'm home with a bag of incredible honeycrisp apples. Unbelievably good. And two half-gallons of Blue Bell ice cream ---- Banana Pudding and Key Lime Pie ---- that I haven't tasted, but anticipate will be divine. And bear claws from the bakery. Oh, oh, and a six pack of Dr. Pepper in the original 6-1/2 oz. glass bottles made with Imperial Sugar and not high fructose corn syrup. I used to get these in Dublin, TX at the original Dr. Pepper plant, when I visited my aunt in West Texas. I paid over $5 for six little bottles. So????? It's the original thang!! Dammit I went hungry to the grocery again. I know better. Clay content: Yay, I had Clay today on Rewind. He said "dazed and confused" ... a regular phrase out of my mouth to describe my Summer of Clay. My first Sexy Six. I'm in a serious state of denial that I won't be seeing a Christmas show. Maybe something will change. Maybe the ghost of Michael Anthony will visit with a check from The Estate of J. Beresford Tipton and I can quit my job and follow Clay's concerts and appearances around the country/world/universe. Speaking of, has anyone seen Across The Universe? I'm dying to see it. CG, just thinking .... With Eric Idle, Clay now has a George connection. George was the invisible member of Monty Python and Eric Idle one of his closest friends for thirty years. "So Sad So Bad" --- that George is gone. Has anyone ever heard the song SSSB that George wrote and played guitar on that was on a Mylon LeFebre album way back when called On The Road To Freedom? He's credited on the album as Harry Georgeson. Or, is anyone familiar with the song The Bluest Blue from the album Pure Blues? That song has two of the all-time best blues solos ever performed in one song, first by George Harrison, followed by Alvin Lee. And was I the last to know that Alvin Lee (Ten Years After) was born Graham Barnes and changed his name to Alvin Lee? Which reminds me that I have wondered on occasion if Clayton Grissom changed his name to Clay Aiken at age 20 not just because of his relationship with his father, but because Clay Aiken is such cool name -- a perfect superstar name. Good God, I'm free associating all over the place. Better stop, who knows where this will go!

Take it easy, Cha Cha. Sit back and enjoy feeling better. It's been an absolutely gorgeous day here. And playbiller, take of that scamp Holly! We have a Golden that always comes when called, but our rescued pound doggie, the one we named "Happy" because he's so glad to be here with us, does the same thing when he gets out. The only thing that works is to take the box of doggie treats outside, shake the box and yell "Bis-kits" -- then the cute little bastard will come running every time. Here are the boys, Oliver and Happy Jack just hanging out. CG! Yeah, I so know. I've been preaching it since May 24, 2006. And I'm beginning to feel vindication from some of the things written by the doomsday scenario pundits. Sometimes I think I should go back to the OFC and post the same things I said over a year ago and see if it would get a different reaction. But, then I think about it, and, naaaahhh. Aikim, I have to write about your out of body experience this week -- Clay wasn't the only one made misty by your post. The sentiments you expressed were so heartfelt and beautiful that I was hugely touched, and I can only imagine how it must have felt for Clay to read it. It definitely affected me on a couple of levels. I love that your comments moved Clay to respond and reciprocate with something personal to his fans. It must have been total bliss for you. It made me breathless reading it. In fact, the impact of it has superseded my thoughts about Spamalot and everything else in particular, because Spamalot is another step along the road, and his road continues to stretch way far out into the distance. Beyond the see. Especially since beginning in a few days we'll have something weekly, or better, through Christmas, and then Spamalot, and then the album, and then another tour, or whatever, whenever, but it's all out there. Yippee! And in this regard, I'm happy to be a young'un. Might as well, I can't change it and turn back time -- so I'll reach out for tomorrow. I loved Clay on American Idol and voted for him and believed his voice guaranteed a career. I bought his albums and no doubt would have bought every Clay Aiken musical product ever offered, and would have bought a concert ticket for every tour that came through Houston (that I actually knew about ... with apologies to September 2004). But with my Clayversion I saw Clay Aiken in a completely new, expanded way -- a person reappearing after an absence from the scene who was on a completely different level from the one he was on when I had last checked in on him. In fact, he had obviously moved through a few levels that I had missed seeing, but that night I saw it happening for this man not because of staging, or training, or anything quantitative, but because I saw him dazzle and shine from inside out and just take over (my heart). I can't compare it with anything I've ever experienced. Period. It happened for me when it hit me. Each in our own time. And now, six months without Clay Aiken news? I don't think it could happen now. When I joined the online fandom it wasn't long before the Stanley Cup pictures were out there, and then the Kelly concert, and the photoshoot, and contests about the album title, and Insider pictures, the Foster Gala, ATDW's release and ... it hasn't stopped. I wish I could be there with you guys! That's gonna be one lovely mezzanine at the Fox Theatre with ldyjocelyn and atinal -- two certified sweeties I am honored to know. I think if I could pick just one show to go to this Christmas, it would be St. Louis. Women after my own heart. And now for something completely delicious ... Clay in Tulsa. The scene of my first Clay touch!

OMFG. I canNOT believe this... wait...yes, I can. Good God. I certainly hope all the people so freely offering weight loss/medication/career/hairstyling, etc. advice are walking their fucking talk. This really riles me. I'm the LAST person to make a seriously real criticism of Clay's weight, clothes or hair (periodic glances into a mirror confirms this). And in Clay's own cyber house, too! Unfucking real. But nothing's gonna rain on my fangirly parade! No, ma'am! I'm a happy camper and it's all because of that big ole' tent Clay pitched for me. Now, muskigirl, you know don't you ... that the pot is calling the kettle fat in this case ... and that the pot hasn't had a new hairdo in 25 years. As to Clay pitching his tent .... *** fans self rapidly *** Aikim ... I got misty, too, last night reading your post and Clay's response. It all went right to the heart and I was a little numb after all of it. I got on the eHP chat late last night, just in time to find out about Clay's "schmoopie post" (TM KAndre) and as soon as I'd read that one I find that he's going to be in the OFC chatroom. There were 106 people in chat when I got there, and over 500 when I left. What a whirlwind in just a short span of time last night. Some of the questions the mods chose to put through were awfully bland... like what kind of crap did he eat at the fair (a corndog), But Kareneh (new spelling required now) had the very best question of all and his answer actually had content but was cut off by word limits. I also liked the Q&A about touring in Canada and Clay said it's because the Canadian promoters haven't asked him there. The summer tour question was interesting too -- but was cut off just as he was getting to the good part. I think I'm going to try to coordinate seeing Spamalot with a trip to Spain early next year -- March or April. I've put off flying to Spain for the past three and a half years and now that my kids will be leaving Spain next June, it's time to actually make plans and do it. I can see Spamalot during layovers on my way to and from Madrid. But .... I'd LOVE to see an early performance in January. That may be something I just have to do in spite of the obstacles. Some things just have to be.

So apparently there are tunics over the tights? Dayyum*&%$# They could have renamed the show Waldo-alot and had a sold-out show every night! Oh well, maybe next time. In addition to the show itself, I'm getting all excited about the talk shows Clay will be on in late December and early January to promo Spamalot! He'll no doubt be on Letterman, and GMA (no brainer), and Tyra (of course), but the possibilities of Oprah and Ellen and The View and a big night on the new season of AI. Woo-Hoo!!! I want an SNL for him -- but he'd have to have a night off to do it -- a Saturday night, so that won't happen ... unless he does it BEFORE the run begins. I am SO EXCITED!!!! :headbangerf: ETA: My daughter just called me from DC and she heard the news and she's not.a.fan. I have suggested to her several times in the past that she go see Clay in concert in Baltimore or DC and she's never been interested .... and now she calls to say that she wants to see him in Spamalot and that we'll have to plan a trip. This is a biggie!!!

Stubble fans? You're looking for stubble fans? And what is more .... I'm so glad you're posting here, PermaSwooned! I don't know if you remember meeting me after the concert in WPB, but I remember talking to you (and somebody from Oklahoma that I can't remember her name) -- but I remember both your lovely faces! We were all definitely swooning that night!!! Your photographs are divine. That scruffy patch under his chin where the light hits it just right .....

I guess cousins can mean different things to different people. My cousins are a bunch of old people. Always have been. I have 21 first cousins -- and most of them I see only at family reunions -- and not one of them would I consider an intimate relationship. None of my first cousins are within 7 years of my age, and growing up that age difference was huge. The one cousin 7 years older than me, I guess I was fairly close to her because she was like the big sister I never had, that is, she locked me out of her room when we visited. By contrast though, my youngest son and my sister's son have grown up together and are tight. But he's my kids' only cousin. Only one.

Oops -- sorry 'bout that. The link for Watching and Waiting is the actual song off the 1969 album To Our Childrens Childrens Children. Regarding 2005, the link was intended to be a video of Are You Sitting Comfortably from the 2005 tour (which I saw) to contrast the 1970 video .... and I hope this link is finally correct! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KRYmcF8XYY. There's a lot to be said about living right when you can do it at 60 as well as you did it at 20 -- I'm talking about singing the big notes in Nights in White Satin! I know there's no point in shipping Clay with anybody because there's just no telling with that boy. He is a tease you know. But discounting her because she's Clay's step-father's aunt's granddaughter is pretty weird to me. That's no blood relation at all, and there's nothing to indicate that they grew up together or had established a cousins identity with each other growing up. She didn't get a mention in his book when he was naming everybody but the dogs. He mentioned Nanny McGhee's grandchildren, and all his cousins from Ray's side, but no Jamie. Just saying, she apparently lives with him, travels with him, and goes out socially with him --- no matter what, she's way more than a distant, no-relation cousin. But even if she's just a hairdresser/companion, and Clay is helping her through a bad time in her life, or whatever, they always look great together, and happy. Am I the only one that sees her strong resemblance to Marie Osmond?

I'm not such a fan of CITH -- reminds me of the evil Sith in Star Wars! I would prefer something like Cindilu said .... FCA Doing Clay in the Heartland or FCA Doing Clay for Christmas 2007 or FCA - Doing Clay - Fa La La

I almost agree, except it could be the most brilliant subterfuge evah! And I did see Quiana, coming out with her golden ticket! She was so cute!!!

When I watched the Clay audition today, all I could think was ... jeeze, he couldn't have imagined that day in Atlanta that in five years he'd be having lunch and dinner dates with Tyra Banks in New York, attending receptions with the president's family as a UNICEF ambassador, and ... and ... and ... just everything.

I haven't forgotten. I''m holding out hope that we'll get something like Clay and Ruben at Kelly's concert in July 06. That was EXCITING! I remember people complaining that night that he looked 16 years old. Poor Clay everybody thinks he either looks too young or too old, too fat or too thin ..... but Clay is just like Baby Bear ... he's juuuuuuuust right.

Happy Birthday LAUGHN Happy Birthday MOAM And I couldn't let this day go by without wishing a Happy 61st Birthday to Justin Hayward, still just as beautiful inside and out as he was in this clip from 1978. I think I have a pretty good track record with Idols. For me it's been the Beatles and The Moody Blues, primarily Justin Hayward, and now and biggest of all, Clay Aiken. Through all the years, Justin Hayward still tours both solo and with the band, has a wife of 37 years and a married daughter, yet virtually nothing is known of this private man other than what he wishes to disclose in rare interviews and through his charity work. This son of teachers is a very wealthy and generous man, who divides his time between an English manor and the South of France --- and I must admit that as much as part of me sees Clay as a worldwide media star, another part of me wishes for him the kind of genteel life that Justin has managed for himself and his family, in spite of being this tall, sexy man with a gorgeous face who asks "Are You Sitting Comfortably?" before weaving his spell. Here's merlin casting his spell in 1970 ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOVYTn0SxUY...20Moody%20Blues .... and then in 2005. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZsnHIKXVHE...ted&search= But mostly I wish Happy Birthday to Justin Hayward because he wrote and sang this song in 1969, which is my favorite song in the history of songs that I even know about. It still takes my breath away - and the album cover is all the video this song will allow. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZsnHIKXVHE...ted&search=

LAUGHN!

I love that this emoticon is named "Clay" -- how totally cool. :clay:

I thought the same when she said she was going to be a name dropper and was all prissy and fangirly about it. She has a case of Aiken Fever all right. They picked O-Bla-Di? Well that tells me how much credibility they have then. Pfffffft. Really? That's not one I'd ever considered. I tend towards some of George's songs, with Something at the top of my list, I think. But since he's apparently said he's not a Beatles' fan, I doubt it'll ever happen See, if Clay ever covers the Beatles, I don't want it to be something covered a thousand times already -- and especially not an iconic song like Something. The only two versions I like are the original, and the Clapton/McCartney/Starr version at Concert for George (which made me cry like a baby when I first saw it.) But Bulldog has always been a hot song, with a contagious beat and guitar riff and lyrics Clay could sell -- a contemporary version of Hey Bulldog would be hot. You caaaaaan talk to me You can talk to meeeee-eee-eee If you're lonely you can talk to me Great Lennon song! I'm not so sure Clay said he didn't like the Beatles -- I interpreted what he said as he wasn't a fan but more because he just wasn't that familiar with their music. My 28 year old son wasn't either until I made him listen a couple of years ago and now he has about 40 Beatles songs on his iPod -- his favorites of the moment being Gently Weep and I Want You (She's So Heavy). Clayzor .... :thbighug-1: I've suspected that Clay may be tight with a dollar, and that's not a bad thing. Any kid in his 20's who had to struggle financially and then becomes an overnight multi-millionaire and who doesn't go out and buy a Porsche or a BMW or some kind of expensive jazzy sports car, but instead buys a Volvo and a Grand Cherokee -- that's not an extravagant person there. And a celebrity who doesn't mind being seen in the same clothes over and over --- that's another clue. But, to me that's a positive attribute. I think Tyra just wants everybody to know that Clay Aiken bought her danged lunch at Jean Georges and that when Clay said "I'll pay" she was all for it -- in the girliest way.

I read a number of those blurbs and whoever wrote them is an idiot. Oh-Bla-Di-Oh-Bla-Da was never one of my favorite Beatles songs, but the "reviewer" totally missed the entire idea of it -- maybe you had to be there. I think it's one of the few that KAndre was positive about. I'm know I'm alone with the Beatles love among the eHP -- although I do believe Karen Eh? could help me out ... but she's Back in the USSR Baku. Beatles song I'd like to hear Clay sing .......... Hey, Bulldog ......... hands down. I love his post today to the ultimate. He's been playing in that thread ... and loving being a tease. He could mean anything with what he said, and with what he didn't say. I've read sporadically through there and found the usual angsty hair-pulling about how being on Broadway would hinder the proper promotion of a new CD ... or how this will interfere with production of the new CD -- you know, all the experts on his career. That may be what cracks him up and what he thinks is CRAZY.

I don't know. I watched the promo clip and saw that face ... so I put in MovieMaker and snapped it. He's such a doll!!!!! And a close up of those mesmerizing eyes ...