jmh123

This Valentine's present thing I suspect is going to become an "our board is better than your board" or "Clay likes our board better than your board" type of thing - especially among the big pod boards. I am surprised they aren't taking up a donation to buy out Clay's RCA contract! I think for some of them they are just trying to attract Clay's attention. They are desperate for Clay to acknowledge them. And then they claim they don't want it to be about the fans.....

Ain't it the truth! The contradiction is unbelievable. As for buying out the contract, I've seen it suggested in all seriousness at the OFC.

I hated the Kimmel with all the presents all over the stage, was so embarrassed by it, and I remember all kinds of fuss about whether it was OTT, did Clay not show proper appreciation and so forth. Oh well, whatcha gonna do?

Clay is #3 on the Taking Off chart with 30 new spins and #12 on the Jump chart with +50 move and 12 stations playing. This is not bad at all, IMO.

Thanks for the report. So to those that travel around, are there any boards that are actually organizing requesting or is the appetite for doing that gone.

I saw threads at the CB and the OFC for radio requests. At the OFC a couple of Pod People came along and told them they were all wasting their time. Make them discouraged, made them cry. How can this be a good thing?

{{{Muskifest}}}

I'd be inclined to not go under the circumstances, being as you're already away from home, especially since your husband said you didn't need to go, but I can understand the pressures and the desire to go too. It's tough, but I know you'll make the right decision.

I was looking at Mediabase after playbiller's post, and while two stations have more overnight spins than any other time, they are also playing ATD at other times. He's getting a decent amount of spins in other time periods across the board. Out of 49 total spins for these stations, 16 are overnight, 6 are in the am, 12 are midday, 6 are pm, and 9 are evening.

Format starters and leaders:

KKCW - Portland - 23 spins: 5 overnight, 5 am, 5 midday, 3 pm and 5 evening

KUDL - Kansas City - 8 spins: 6 overnight, 1 midday, 1 pm

WTCB - Columbia, SC - 7 spins: 3 overnight, 1 am, 1 midday, 1 pm and 1 evening

WFMK - Lansing - 4 spins: 2 overnight, 2 evening

KUMU - Honolulu - 3 spins: 1 am, 1 midday, 1 pm

WLHT - Grand Rapids: 2 spins: 2 midday

WHLG - Ft. Pierce - 2 spins: 2 midday

Clay is #3 on the Taking Off chart with 30 new spins and #12 on the Jump chart with +50 move and 12 stations playing. This is not bad at all, IMO.

Sort of OT, but I just had to research this.

Why does it sadden me that Bo was higher up on the chart than Clay with an album that had been out over a year and in a year where he was mostly out-of-sight due to his illness?

The Real Thing was released December 13, 2005 and has sold a total of 633,746 in the US. Clay's album was released September 19, 2006 and has sold nearly 500,000. Bo sold 227,000 copies in his first week, and 163,000 in his second. That would mean he sold 244,000 in 2006. Clay sold 482,964 in 2006. Obviously this doesn't fit with your stats. I think I might vaguely remember that the Billboard year goes from mid-December to mid-December, so the 2006 chart may include all of Bo's sales of his album, versus 12 weeks of Clay's. Nothing to cry about, IMO.

My cell phone won't accept any ringtones (tracfone).

I finally did my evaluations of Christmas Waltz--posted in the appropriate thread. That was fun1!

Finally, my recommendations for Christmas Waltz:

1) Merrillville - jojoct: nice balance of voice and orchestra, Clay is in fantastic voice, Jessie sounds great on the piano, the crowd sounds and so forth are the most like being there without detracting from the performance

2) Charlotte - clayheaven: rich sound, good blend of vocal and orchestra, Clay is in great voice

3) RedBank - Solo: there's a lot of talking around her or I would have rated this higher, Clay's voice is terrific for this performance, the performance (by both Clay and the orchestra) is lively and fun

4) Red Bank - clayheaven: starts quiet, rich sound, good blend, Clay's in great voice, pitch perfect, someone is talking at one point

5) Williamsport - guitargirl : rich sound, opening couple of words almost can't be heard, orchestra sounds great, the sound guy may have been playing around with the sound for the first repeat before the interlude, someone lets out a wahoo before the interlude, the sound is better during the interlude and after

Honorable mentions - Baltimore - dlh7777: the sound is clear but sounds like it's skipping a bit or Clay and the orchestra are not quite together? loud feedback from the sound system at one point, sounds good from the interlude through to the end - Waukegan - Filomena: nice, rich sound, voice stands out clearly, orchestra's sound is not so clear in interlude.

Others in my top 12: Williamsport_jojoct, Wilkes-Barre_jojoct, Grand Rapids_Lacy, Charlotte_ImAllEars, West Point_Scarlett

Every performance is virtually the same, note-wise, lyrics and so forth. The challenge with CW is that it's the first song and he comes on stage as the orchestra is playing the introduction. There are cheers and wild applause, as there should be, but it doesn't make for the best start for an audio recording. Every recording begins with the mike volume down for a few notes and then the sound is brought up--it must be deliberate on the part of the audio team. A few great recordings were marred by excessive talking - why folks sitting next to clack gatherers feel the need to chat to them I don't know. On some recordings it sounded like Clay was a bit off on a few notes, but other recordings from the same venue were pitch perfect, so it must have something to do with the equipment. As an amateur sound geek, I just thought that was interesting to know.

I'll be glad to participate in creating mp3s for posting on FCA once a final list is decided. We could provide several choices for each song, or just one final, ultimate set. Or we could provide mp3s of all the choices and then let people come vote for their favorite???

Another fan of the brother and sister--they were great, and an interesting family too. Not cookie cutter pop star types at all but extremely talented and musical.

BWAH HA HA HA HA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

Did you all know that RCA PAID for all those bad reviews of ATDW??? :whatacrock:

Not only that, they wrote them too!

:whatacrock:

Sometimes I wonder why I even waste my breath in Podland.

which is why I need that biting my tongue emoticon.

Hey, jmh123, could this little green guy be biting his tongue?

Cute!! I think he's actually trying not to puke, but same difference - heh. It'll definitely do!!

Oopsie - this was supposed to be an edit....

I just googled the Kipling poem to make sure I had the quote right, and it seems more appropo than I realized, and it reminds me a lot of Clay, who seems to almost always keep his head, so I'll quote the whole thing:

[iF]

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you

But make allowance for their doubting too,

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,

Or being hated, don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,

If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breath a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

If all men count with you, but none too much,

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

--Rudyard Kipling

I feel especially upset because I think these speculations will end up hurting Clay in the long run, if they don't hurt him already. I feel totally uncomfortable trashing someone's boss, or his friends, or his "posse," and practically anyone around him. I wouldn't want that to happen to ME if I were in his position, no matter how I felt about my boss.

I've been thinking the same thing for awhile now. I can just imagine the piles of nasty letters and e-mails well-meaning people have sent to RCA, Clive, and Roger. How can this possibly be good for Clay?

Gotta also agree on the frustration that so many people have joined the Pod that we are seemingly in the minority now. I can't find the post now, but yes to whoever said it first [eta: playbiller, and I messed that quoting mess up]--so many people I've liked and admired over the years have now succumbed. I keep thinking of the poem, "If"--"if you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs...."

ldyjocelyn , you are singing my song, especialy the point aobut his boss and coworkers. I guess I am a Stuart myself. I get your point, pods, I just don't agree!

I have been saying, how many time can you insult some ones business without hurting it.

<snip>

The part that really sucks is that I really like a lot of these pods, but feel I can't talk to them about this or anything anymore.

<snip>

when so many of the boards sound the same. It is not that there are so many people who believe this, it is the postwhoring of the same people over and over and over and over and over - and in the nastiest way. I am so glad that they tried to bring a halt to it at the OFC, but it is still unhospitable place because those same people are there doing the same thing only not being so obvious. They make the boards inhabitable. I used to hide out in other threads, bt now they are posting this same crap in every.single.thread, even when it has nothing to do with him. I am waiting for it to show up in the political thread, sigh.

I know, I know. I must have written and tossed about a million posts lately, which is why I need that biting my tongue emoticon.

We need a "biting my tongue" emoticon. Cause I've been doing that at another board all day.

And just for fun:

:pod:

new charlotte pictures by scrpkym

One more

Well people from FCA come from different Clay sites and we've noticed the same things...

People are so busy being bitter and angry and spending all their time fixating on every thing that Clay either didn't get, another Idol did get, conspiracy theory A, B or C they can't enjoy what's in front of them for more than 2 seconds. Good news go ignored. Things that Clay says that don't fit the theory are spin. Those are the pod people.

Do I think everything is peachy keen between Clay and RCA or that he had the best PR there was to have or that things could not have been handled better? No. Is it just as possible that a large company like the BMG group was just ineffective in their planning (like they are with the majority of their talent) rather than the evil CEO spends all his time coming up with ways to hurt Clay? Yes. . Do I think Clay is a wimp being led around by the hand, silenced and unable to contribute to his own career, told what to say and not to say at every turn? No. He's a strong man in a man's world with all the facts at his disposal and will do what is necessary to ensure his longevity. I won't be surprised if he stays with RCA forever or walks away next week. I also think he is a great judge of character and knows every rat in his circle, if indeed there are any. I'm certainly not about to be upset on his behalf based on stuff I have no knowledge of.

Maybe I need to put this in the FAQ hee.

Beautifully said!! I just had to quote it again. Pod People come up with the wildest mental contortions to justify their theories, such as if MOAM is seen on Valentine's displays at a couple of Target stores, it's an evil plan to cause people to think that Clay has done nothing since 2003, and simultaneously depress ATDW sales.

:whatutterclaptrap:

They don't seem to realize how over the top they seem. Instead, they think they are the "true fans" who know what is really going on, and they are watching out for Clay's best interests. And, yes! they end up devaluing Clay as a performer and a man without realizing it.

Here, optimism is not regarded as delusional thinking.

:pod:

I think I coined the term--at least I was using it before I joined up here. (See location <----) I called them Pod People because it was like previously sane people were taken over by aliens in the night, as in Invasion of the Body Snatchers. It got really, really bad when I was off the boards for a couple of weeks while I was moving, and when I got back on, it seemed like my whole board had been taken over.

So cool to see more folks posting, and yay for my goomba Divayenta's arrival!!!

I looooove that picture, bottlecap. It makes me want to misbehave so I can be punished.

Um, apparently not, they are instead ignoring it. But imagine if we inserted just ONE little word into the quote, and it read "I'm not happy with that." They'd be tripping all over themselves to quote it and expound on it. Pfffffffffffft. Works both ways, people. Or it should.

Hee. Exactly. It did seem to me like the timeline was off at first - I had to reread it a few times, but the message seemed pretty clear to me too. Ya'll realize that this is one of the only boards left that isn't mired down in misery about Clay's career? You're my safety net. I come here every day to be rejuvenated. It's only a matter of time before you're stuck with me.

I tried (I know, I know) to start an ATD Impact thread at the OFC and it just became a magnet for cynicism and mocking. That was my last attempt there... for reals. I'm hardly the "positive police" but for God's sake, people... why be in a fandom if you're pissed off all.the.freaking.time?

playbiller, you've been cracking me up with the emoticon unveilings. Here's another version of alien/PP for ya:

YouStop - huge hugs and wet kisses!!!!!!!!! So glad to see you here. I'd be pleased and proud to be stuck with you! I was beginning to think nothing could make me smile today, on account of so much whining and proud cynicism on the boards. I've got to echo the sentence I bolded. What happened to the fandom that had some fight to it, the clever kind of fight, like Operation Vanilla??

I guess it's been abducted! Thanks for the emoticons YSRN and playbiller!!

Wow, it's stretching it to call that flirting. I'll be interested to see if any of this gossip is perceived as hurting Cooper's career over time. It hasn't seemed so to me up until now. If anything, he's seemed to me to have received support beyond what he might possibly deserve (although he's certainly good, but I still miss Aaron Brown sometimes). I wonder if the "gay mafia" will take him on and make up stories about him and/or try to out him, or does having the backing of CNN protect him from this?

Maybe he's giving head. Oh wait. It's we who are supposed to....

never mind

heh

I have always been a sort of a “glass is half full” kind of a person, heck I really am more of a “glass is completely full” gal if the truth is known! I tend to always look on the bright side. I have never read anything into anyone's posts. I tend to take what ever is written at face value. Nothing hidden! So I guess I must not be as smart as some people because whenever Clay blogs I read it, digest it, try to understand it and move on! I don’t look for hidden meanings or messages just Clay writing a nice message. Does that make me shallow? I didn’t think so but then I start reading things that others have read in(to) the post and I am completely mystified because I did not see what they saw at all!

I know nothing about marketing, the record biz, the news media or the insides of TV.

All I want is for Clay to keep making me feel the way I have done since he came into my life, so full of joy and happiness that sometimes I can’t stand it. I have given up trying to make sense of it ….I just go with the flow. I don’t care how long it takes before he tours again or brings out a new record and I don’t care who the record company is. I am just a fan!!!! It’s his life and I am very privileged to be along for the ride!

I have made some great friends, met some nice people and hope to continue doing so! I am having more fun in my life than I ever thought possible. What more could I ask for?

I like the way you think!! Great post!! :laola0:

Sadly, I almost think that people are denigrating ATDW, not because they don't like the music, but because they don't like the sales and lack of critical acclaim. Before the CD was released, there were a lot of glowing comments about the songs as each found its way to the fandom. At the CD parties, people talked excitedly about their favorites. However, now, just because it hasn't sold what they expected, suddenly the album is something Clay can't possibly be proud of?

This is very astute. Thanks for bringing something that's been in the back of my mind to the front and center. I think you have nailed it. If the album had sold like gangbusters, it would have been the greatest! album! ever!

Remember when the first surveys of favorites were done (based on snippets and promosquad), and it was Without You that won? At the time WY was considered a work of art. Now it's that crappy choice for a single made by RCA to ruin Clay's career.

It also ties into the "Clay needs to be cool" factor, IMO. One of the major ways for Clay to be cool is for him to sell a gazillion albums in their eyes. It doesn't matter that the music is good or bad, per se, just that he sells. I can't wrap my mind around that. Success (and coolness) frequently does NOT equal sales. In this case, I think it's about the artistic growth I personally saw in this album, with his known input on BW and HYCA.

Agreed. There was so much growth in his musicality demonstrated, and it totally blew me away. It was a topic on the boards for about a minute, until the sales figures and reviews started coming in.

I know...that is such a slam at the pod people I cannot believe it.

It was, wasn't it? I think one of the things I'm really enjoying about this man at the moment is that he knows when to put some people in their places. It happened a LOT during the comedy routine known as the JNaT. He'd open up the show to the audience, and IMO gently make fun of those with cellphones or binoculars. But, if anyone tried to talk too long, or become an attention hog, he'd shut them down but good with a well-timed piece of snark. I think the opening paragraph of this blog was his version of this, just in writing.

Nicely stated!! Course they managed to make what was absolutely clear into something else, but what else would you expect?

So many pages in one night - I knew something had happened.

May I just say I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED, CLAY'S BLOG!!!!!!!!!

Best blog EVAH!!!

It was definitely a neener. neener moment for me too!

But I did pull out my own super seekrit decoder ring and realized this is what he was REALLY saying.....

"All you Pod People - get a grip! The wise and wonderful women at FCA have it right! That is now my very favorite board in all the fandom. Its the only board I will read from now on because they're right and the rest of you are wrong!! I love me some FCA!!!"

You all didn't see that???

Now that's what I call reading between the lines!!

What can I say that hasn't already been said by all you brilliant people. Was that post frickin' fantastic or what? He said in no uncertain terms, "Stop reading too much into these blogs!" It's staggering, but I suppose, not surprising that some continue to insist that he can't possibly mean what he says. Ya gotta love this guy!

and

I think that what many find "unsettling" is the idea that Clay is basically calling them out and refuting the position they're so heavily invested in, namely, that he's not telling the truth because of label pressure. Not only has he been reading their posts, he's telling them, "You're wrong." It sounds like many are still finding a way to rationalize his words to fit their own agendas, but his blog has made it tougher for them to do so.

Yup.

So, luckiest1 posted her dream on CH (and I hope she'll bring hers over). I'll post mine here. I dreamed that newly scheduled TV appearances began to appear on the RCA home page :o. Leno, the Today Show, and more. Then there was a statement about signing some kind of deal with NBC. Don't remember the specifics.

I'm not saying that I need this to happen to feel optimistic, or that my good mood is based on the dream. I just think there will be more good news to come, that there will always be more good news to come. I think some fans just won't be satisfied unless he's on television every day, and sells millions and millions of albums--anything less is a failure in their eyes. The truth is that most entertainers are not in the public eye every minute of the day, unless their career is based on being in the public eye (Paris Hilton), and that is not something I ever want for Clay (and obviously he doesn't either).

I do admit that I'm jonesing for another SNL appearance, and I think it would be a great time for him to co-host, given the Ripa flap. Lots of great material there to play off of.

Oh, SNAP! What a great blog! I think I'll take a moment to savor the flavor before I read elsewhere the deconstruction of what Clay "really" meant, because I think it's a pretty damn clear smackdown of the poddies.

Damn--another person I used to admire was taken by the Pod People!

I guess the best thing I got from the blog is that reconfirms that I should just have faith in him, the man with all the details of his own life. He's such a smart man. It really pains me when he is characterized as someone weak, inarticulate, and dragged along like the wind unable to even offer input into his own career.

Wordy McWord!!

Was hockeygate an issue on the other boards too. I know it was a huge issue in the CH and probably was the cause of the first big fracture in that board. But I don;t know if it had that much impact outside CH.

Oh yeah--it was an issue on every board I was reading at the time. People saying things like, it wouldn't have been a problem if only his fans were all young and pretty. Or it wouldn't have happened if the people there hadn't done something bad. And so on. Fun times.

But phooey on all that. Last night's blog made me very, very happy, and I woke up feeling soooo optimistic about him and his career. Then I read CH, and pfffftttt. I will not let them take away my happiness, and I know he's happy too.

Going with David Foster - IF that happens also guarantees nothing. Remember all the screaming and yelling that went on when Jaymes was first mentioned as his EP? Just that close an association with DF set some off into a tizzy - terrified he would be turned into another Groban or Celine Dion. So why now are those same people clamoring for a DF/Clay partnership? What if that does happen and he does put out Groban/Dion style albums? Will they then say DF doesn't "get" Clay either??

Sometimes I think people just need to start having more faith in his ability to manage his own life and career and stop trying to do it for him. They need to just sit back and stop worrying and just enjoy the ride. It may not always be the ride they want to take with him, but IMO riding Clay, er, I mean, any ride with Clay is better than no ride. Why ruin it all by creating angst where there is none???

Hooray for this little pocket of sanity. I went to Pod land first tonight (been with my mom all day), and wrote a post, didn't post it, came here, and y'all already said it all. Just for fun, here's what I wrote:

See here's where I get confused. Did I dream that I read pages and pages of criticism on the OFC of the new songs during the JBT? Did I dream that some folks said that Jaymes wasn't good for Clay as an executive producer, because of the JNT comments that she posted on the OFC and a perception that she might too much under his spell (and therefore unable to realize that the JNT that year sucked)? Wasn't there a collective cry of "NOOOOOO!" when Jaymes was announced as executive producer, and earlier when it was suggested that David Foster work with Clay? When Jaymes in her blog compared Clay with "greats" like Celine, Barbra, Andrea Bocelli, didn't a lot of people say "NOOOOOOOOOOOO"?

Aren't some of these the same folks who are now preaching love for Jaymes, even shipping her and Clay, and saying that the new songs tested during the JBT were fantastic? Isn't is possible that feedback on the new songs was one of the deciding factors in going for a covers album? Or that Jaymes' inability to win over the fan base was one of the reasons her vision of the new album didn't "sell" to the TBTP?

Isn't it possible that Jaymes has been absolutely consistent from the get go, and that she, Clay, and David all agree on the kind of music Clay excells at singing, and that it simply isn't what some people are expecting or wanting from Clay? Isn't it possible that while the covers album idea wasn't Clay's or her first choice, they both willing agreed to go for it, and put 110% into making it the best album they could make? And isn't it possible that some of the fans who are preaching disappointment with RCA are unhappy because they don't like the album, but that Clay actually does love the album and does feel that it represents him??

Oh, and totally agreed about Hockeygate. I was there. I too stayed away from the boards for months until I could make sense of it all for myself (and because I was so upset at all the blaming of the people there that was going on), but his comments during album promo really solidified my perception of that night. {{{Clay}}}

Sneaking in a New Banner....

Thanks to cindilu2...

Holy Cow - that's fantastic!! Can we keep him? Huh, can we? Please?

Of course...new year...new hair...new Banner...The problem is...its kinda tough scrolling down...I want to keep looking...

Nice - very nice. The one on the far left is my desktop background. Lurve.

Just wanted to say that some of y'all have been absolutely brilliant this morning in Pod People land. You are my heroes!!

I saw that KAndre was nominated for AIW, but not that she accepted. Posting before reading the nominating post, I volunteered, so if she isn't going to do it, I will. I'll do CW first.

ETA: Thanks, couchie--missed that entirely!! LOL.