jmh123

I need to see these two again.

I haven't been reading, just came to post some gorgeous pictures.

Thanks you Stargazer!!

I'm going to DC - YAY!!!

:xmas07a:

or maybe I'll try this one . . .

I love that emotie.

So sorry about your NC pottery. That would've broken my heart.

OK, OK. Rescuing YSRN, although I have no content.

This is way deeper than it oughta be. Is anyone surprised? I came across this when I was doing some research on a guy who thinks his band belongs in Wikipedia. This article is about another band he was in briefly. Try Not to Think: Forgetting the Forgotten Rebels, by Krishna Rau:

The audience obviously knows the lyrics, and they don't seem concerned about them, just as I wasn't when I started playing Rebels' albums. Caught up in the band's tight, melodic, undeniably catchy, Ramones/Pistols sound, I had abandoned myself to enjoyment of the music.

There's no room for irony in rock 'n' roll. It isn't film or literature. When you record or sing a song, the song is all there is. There's no context, no explanation, no space to say "I don't really mean it," there's just the performance. Mickey DeSadest may say, as he has in various interviews over the years, that his songs are jokes, merely part of a persona. And some of those songs are genuinely funny, in a tasteless, twisted sort of way, like "Elvis Is Dead": "The big fat goof is dead, dead, dead/ Millions of assholes mourn his death/ I'm gonna steal his body from its place of rest"; or "Fuck Me Dead", their ode to necrophilia: "A pillow in a coffin's just as nice as a bed". But these songs, with their obvious jokes, make it even harder to discern the slightest trace of humour in "Gulls peck flesh from rancid stiffs decaying on the deep blue sea/ Bits and pieces here and there, bomb them far from my country/ Do you, do you want them in your home?/ Do you want them finding you alone?/ They're commies, subhuman subversives/ They're commies/ human living curses...I don't want them around so let them drown/ Bomb the boats and feed the fish." Whether DeSadest has any sympathy for the Heritage Front or not, the sentiments in his songs, especially early ones like "3rd Homosexual Murder" ("I got away with a 3rd homosexual murder, and you might be the 4th") are uncomfortably close to those expressed in white supremacist literature found in Canada.

For people of colour, rock music often represents a far more concrete rebellion against one's ancestral culture and expectations, but an acquaintance with rock music also provides an entree into mainstream, white-dominated society. It means, however, that when rock songs attack difference in race, gender or sexual orientation, it is necessary to develop a studied ignorance of the fact that such attacks may also focus on you. It means, in other words, ignoring your heritage in some crucial ways; even, perhaps, developing some degree of self-hatred.

Could I ever have been as naive or downright ignorant as all these fervent Rebels fans? When I get home, I put on some of their albums, looking for answers, and then it all comes back to me. They wrote good songs. Live, they may now be old and fat and sloppy, but on vinyl they still sound as young and tight and tuneful as ever, and even though I've thought extensively about how repulsive they are, the music still attracts me.

The issue that Don Imus's comments brought to the fore awhile ago is similar to this. Imus claimed he was just saying things that black musicians say every day, so what's the big deal? No harm was meant. When kids sing along to songs with lyrics that are racist, homophobic, demeaning of women, and so forth, without thinking, is it harmless?

Obviously "spinning balls" and all that is on a whole different level than this. Sorry. I'm a lyrics person, and I can't imagine completely ignoring the lyrics of a song, but even if you can, would you be able to ignore lyrics that express things that would be offensive to you if spoken?

My least favorite lyrics:

I want you I need you

But there ain't no way I'm ever gonna love you

Now don't be sad 'Cause two out of three ain't bad

Thanks but no thanks, buddy.

Do not crop means do not crop, period--once you do that then you've already done what the person who obtained the photos asked us not to do. And when you post in on a public board, you can't even control where it goes. I'd hate to see all the fans deprived of seeing these beautiful photos because people just will not understand, "Do not remove this tag, crop and/or alter this image." Personally, I think using it as a banner with unreadable tag line is flaunting FCA's utter disregard for mee2u2's request. Sorry to throw cold water on this, but we're so lucky to have this source. I'd feel a lot better if this example were deleted. It's very beautiful, but to me it says, FU mee2u2. If we do it, then others are going to feel emboldened to do it as well. Sorry, I just feel like it's really wrong.

ETA: Thanks ansa. I'm so sorry merrieeee because I know you didn't mean any harm by it. I was going to PM ansa and let her and "anonymous" take the heat, and then I thought that would be gutless of me. I've seen mee2u2 close access down over these issues before, and regardless of how people may feel about whether it is necessary, she obviously feels that it is, and she makes her expectations really clear.

ETA again: this post set the stage for my reaction, but I figured it's only an avatar. Probably should've spoken up then.

I do recall an episode of The Early Show with Clay and Giselle Bunchen where Clay appeared to sneak glances at Miss Bundchen.

Yeah, and he scooted his toy trucks and himself over closer to her too. And don't forget Britney on Kimmel--he might've been putting her down, but it didn't stop him from gawking at her boobies.

BTW, I hope that scum watches the AI Rewind Wildcard show intently -- the one where Clay feels up every single girl in the room while playing for sympathy. *GGG* (thanks to KAndre for pointing this out)

He not only feels up the girls during the Wildcard show, but he ogles the girls throughout AI2. Just watch him, especially during the group numbers. If he's following a girl, he often checks out her legs or butt. In one of the group numbers, several girls are wearing belly-baring outfits, and he is clearly looking at their bellies and enjoying it. He looked at cleavage a little bit, too, but tried pretty hard to cover it up! We may not see as much of this if they don't show the group numbers during AIR.

This is one of the reasons I never thought Clay was gay - it was pretty obvious to me that he enjoyed being with girls.

Sooopoo, basically are you saying that Clay is just another guy pig?

Just gotta word these observations. He gets a kick out of his "interactions" with Angela as well. Well, often, more than a kick, if you know what I mean.

{{{Divayenta}}}

Belated hugs to wandacleo. Even if the hugs don't come right away, I hope you know they're being sent as soon as your post is read. Please do take advantage of this forum to vent whenever you need to. I've found that taking about these things isn't particularly desirable social conversation, so at least here you can talk with those who understand.

Jazzgirl, that's a great idea about the dress. I bought the only one just like it, but there were similar ones (same design, different fabric), so I'll go back to the store and see what's left and get at least one more. Thanks for the link to the magazine as well--I enjoyed several of the articles, so I'll be on the lookout for it in the future.

Just for the record, once again, I LOVE Back for More. I was really sad when it wasn't on the album that became ATDW. I'm just not going to make myself miserable over the fact that it was recorded by someone else, especially under these circumstances. I think I'd worry more if I were a Loverboy fan (a guest on their album is !! Def Leppard !! and their lead singer is an !! artist and musician !! who !! wrote every song !! on the album) when he's been caught in a baldfaced lie over a pretty big deal in the music business, the claim to be writing one's own songs. And on top of that, the song was performed first by Clay Aiken. I mean, CLAY AIKEN. I think it's kind of funny myself. These are the guys of the era that ATDW honored with all those 80's classics. And one of those bands, multi-million sellers in their time but now virtually unknown, ends up picking a Clay Aiken song to put on their comeback album. It's hilarious. All it says to me is that Clay's critics are full of shit, six ways from Sunday.

I love the song. And I can see how it went to this band, trying a comeback album with a similar sound. It's a delicious irony.

About a week ago I saw a blog that lamented the loss of BFM and Rock! Star! Clay! in the same breath as they said LAA was the Best. Song. Ever. That's a delicious irony too.

One man can do both things, but not in a music world in which one of these songs is more likely to be heard than the other, but neither is really "contemporary". There's really nothing wrong with the fact that people like songs like BFM. Did I mention that I love it? Or that most people might not want to listen to LAA every hour 16 hours a day on the radio. But I couldn't forgo LAA for 10 BFMs. I would not rather have Clay be doing a Kelly Clarkson to his voice and singing about butts at the cost of hearing That Voice. I would not. But neither have I ever thought that I'd seen the last of a singing, dancing, acting dorky to the fast songs Clay.

If this bio is correct, Davis has four children, and one is female. So lmf could be his daughter. Hee! Or maybe I am.

jmh... I didn't say they didn't know he was going to appear... I just don't think they knew about the surprise hairdo, IMO. Niguel was interviewed after the show with Ryan and didn't say he knew or didn't know, just that it was a great tv moment. Roger was at the fitting, but he might not of known how Clay was going to do his hair. We had seen Clay from the miliary ceremony he sang at a bit before and his hair was very long then, but no one guessed what he was going to do with it. Especially the 3 stooges and Ryan didn't know. So... I think he surprised almost everyone. JMHO!

Well, Nigel was the one who arranged for Clay to be hidden away in another room and not seen by anyone before the show, so I think he knew. I think the hair was an integral part of that "fitting"--that is, they were working out what his new style would be. I agree that the 3 stooges and Ryan didn't know, and the general public didn't know, and ultimately, that was what it was all about!!

Why do the same heads explode over and over? Shouldn't they get that fixed?

BWAH!!!

My theory? Clay isn't turning into what they want him to turn into. They have to blame someone because they can't blame Clay and they have to believe he may not want for himself what they want him to be. So they blame Clive/RCA/whoever-else-they-can-think-of instead of just accepting that he may not want what they want.

I agree. And pretending David Foster would turn Clay into a Rock! Star! is laughable, especially when the same people used to diss Foster for the same reason.

I think it's because the initial explosion weakens the structure and makes it susceptible to future explosions. And each consecutive explosion weakens it further, so that eventually even the most innocuous thing, such as, say, Clay blogging to say "Good morning, I love you all!" can cause another explosion. The only answer is to just shoot them and put them out of my misery.

I liked BFM. I would have enjoyed having it on a Clay CD someday, but if he didn't like it, that's that. Time to move on.

Y'all are good today!!!

I liked BFM too, but it's a fact that anyone could sing it. It's not a "song for singers."

Then I saw the picture of him and Aaron with the caption that, "Me and my homie off to make some people(?) mad." The thought that he did it under the radar and put himself in control just tickled me and turned me on (not that that is difficult when it comes to Clay... LOL)

JMO, but I think Nigel Lithgow was aware from the beginning, and !! also Clive !! I think they knew he was going to appear on AI back when the pictures that didn't show his face were posted at the fan club.

I suspect there's a boatload of people probably sick of hearing my thoughts and opinions that include references to AI5. I try to reign it in as much as possible....

Not to me--you can talk about it every day as far as I'm concerned.

It's so sweet here at FCA. I think only about five people, total, appreciated my perspective at OFC, and I think that's because I wasn't a marketing legend in my own mind. For some reason, that stuff seemed to go over big. And the super-secret-inside-rockstar stuff. What a load of crap that all was, and how nice it is to be free of it.

I'm one of those five.

As per OFC, Clay's episode on Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader is going to Air on Oct. 11!!!

Wonder if that's not a typo. Unless I totally missed it - which is possible because I found this station called Chiller that is airing "Twin Peaks" and I was switching back and forth - I watched 5th Grader and didn't see a single promo. October 11th would be a week from tonight. You would think they would promote it heavily.

And if they don't, you can't blame it on Roger!!

Seriously, wouldn't you think they would save these celebrity episodes for November sweeps????

Apparently 5th grader will be affected by playoffs and World Series play.

baseball post-season schedule

NLCS Game 1 Thurs., Oct. 11 TBS

NLCS Game 2 Fri., Oct. 12 TBS

ALCS Game 1 Fri., Oct. 12 FOX

ALCS Game 2 Sat., Oct. 13 FOX

NLCS Game 3 Sun., Oct. 14 TBS

ALCS Game 3 Mon., Oct. 15 FOX

NLCS Game 4 Mon., Oct. 15 TBS

ALCS Game 4 Tues., Oct. 16 FOX

NLCS Game 5 Wed., Oct. 17 TBS

ALCS Game 5 Thurs., Oct. 18 FOX

NLCS Game 6 Fri., Oct. 19 TBS

ALCS Game 6 Sat., Oct. 20 FOX

NLCS Game 7 Sat., Oct. 20 TBS

ALCS Game 7 Sun., Oct. 21 FOX

WS Game 1 (AL host) Wed., Oct. 24 FOX

WS Game 2 (AL host) Thurs., Oct. 25 FOX

WS Game 3 (NL host) Sat., Oct. 27 FOX

WS Game 4 (NL host) Sun., Oct. 28 FOX

WS Game 5 (NL host) Mon., Oct. 29 FOX

WS Game 6 (AL host) Wed., Oct. 31 FOX

WS Game 7 (AL host) Thurs., Nov. 1 FOX

(red indicates potential games)

That's potentially 3 weeks in a row of preemptions for baseball. There's a special showing of 5th grader tomorrow night, and I'll bet the October 11 showing of Clay's episode was just decided after considering what to broadcast and when after the baseball schedules were announced. (And after the falling ratings came in.) Maybe they'll even repeat portions of Clay's show during the celebrity special in November as well. Because you know, there's never encugh Clay Aiken.

Anybody recognize the bald guy sort of behind Clay? He reminds me of an actor - NY guy - who used to play a cop/sidekick in the TV series Due North or Due South - about the Mountie working with the NY Police Dept?

Anybody?

The character's name was Ray.

How's that for obscure?!

Love the pics!

I remember Ray, but I don't think that's he. (Lurve Deep South!!!!)

Happy birthday liney23!!!

:7252:

I've never been one to get into conspiracy theories regarding RCA or Roger, but Roger leaves RCA Oct. 1 and since then we have had a whole week's worth of clack...coincidence or not?

Kim

Complete and utter coincidence. IMO.

Kind of OT, but I'm on a Yahoo group with David Gans, who would be known to any faithful Grateful Dead fan as the guy who hosts the Grateful Dead Hour and has published a number of books on the Dead. I didn't know he was a professional photographer for more than a decade. For Scarlett and other audiophiles, here's a link to his photo of the first taper's section, October 27, 1984:

First taper's section - Grateful Dead concert

With mics set up like that, our clackers could record a fantabulous live album.

Here's a great shot he took of Gracie Slick:

mock album cover - forks instead of sporks

Lots of Dead photos at his flickr site, but also a bunch of other musicians of the era: David Crosby, Bonnie Raitt, John Cipollina, Carlos Santana, Ozzy Ozbourne and Dolly Partin.

Some Gans writing, from his website: Dawn of the Deadheads

Happy, happy birthday, keepingfaith.

:bday2:

Googling Mike Nichols and boy am I old. He directed "The Graduate" in 1968. Sheesh. Anyway, he's starting rehearsals for a new Broadway play in January: Playbill - Odet's Country Girl. I don't know if he could do both at once.

Mike Nichols and Elaine May: American Masters

Mike Nichols and Elaine May revolutionized the landscape of American comedy. By perfecting the art of improvisation and introducing it to the public through their appearances in clubs and on television and radio, they forever changed our expectations of comedy, and our sense of humor.

<snip>

Masters of the dead-pan dialogue, Nichols and May created flawlessly improvised scenes that were outrageously funny, yet simply understated. Their dry wit and wry satire enabled them to lampoon faceless bureaucracy and such previously sacrosanct institutions as hospitals, politics, funeral homes, and even motherhood. Like other great comedy duos, Nichols and May perfectly complemented each other. They seemed so attuned and at ease with each other that the miscommunication they often based their skits on were all the funnier.

How about this??

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07276/822326-351.stm

skip past the boring Brit story!!

Holy shit!! I would love that. It's a snarky, crazy, hilarious show, and he could really build some acting skills from an experience like that. It's the kind of OTT comedy that suits him as he is, but he could also grow from it. It would work! Also, one of the biggest shows on Broadway at a prestigious theatre.

(Can I have a dollar for every post on every board in the next 24 hours that whines, "Oh but what about his alllllbummmmm?" And a fiver for every post that questions his talent and ability to pull it off? Because you know they wouldn't audition him for this to see if he's good enough--producers are so stupid that way. They, like RCA, just want to lose money, and are so unwise.)

Current cast: Spamalot cast. No "names". I can pull up 2 Tickets, Center Orchestra Row E, Seats 106-107 (5 rows from Stage. Seat 106 is 6 seats off aisle) for tomorrow night's show. They definitely need a boost.

Damn, I forgot, directed by the Mike Nichols (Diane Sawyer's husband). He used to have a comedy act with--help me out here--Elaine May?? Now a great director. Wonder if he still directs the show or if they move along like the original cast does. If he's still directing that would be a phenomenal opportunity for Clay.

Heee! I've scared everyone away. No one wants to have to give me money, huh?

Beautiful banner, beautiful pictures--yay for you, AAIT!!! And congrats to the banner maker as well.

Today's lesson learned: Do not assume, when doing Diapers 101 with your mom, that she knows better than to try to flush them down the toilet.