jmh123

I never watch the video while I'm evaluating audio cause it distracts me Even without goldwave I wouldn't be watching, just listening. Evaluating the video is a completely different process, IMO. I guess I was thinking of a more detailed evaluation than what you are describing. Big head obscures view from 1.27 to 3.2, Waldo appearance at 2.45, and so forth. I'm also always acutely aware of the clack gatherers, which is one reason I don't like to rate everything. If someone worked hard to get something, I don't want to be the one to say this video or audio sucks, especially for this tour. The audio of each performance at a venue is different--the person could be standing next to someone who decides to have a long conversation in the middle of a song (e.g., every effing ballad in the effing NAT!!), or the sound is fantastic but there's a skip in the middle, it cuts off before the song is over, etc. Recommendations is what I had in mind--yay! Best of the tour.

Hey - hope I'm not being a PITA, ansa, but I didn't sign on to rate video. I've already posted my feelings about that today. I admire those who evaluate video, but I cringe at the thought of doing it myself. I really don't want to rate every single audio clip either. I've already created mp3s from the videos of my two songs to use for evaluation purposes (in addition to the audio clack)--there are a total of 64 for AIW and 56 for CW and there's still clack coming in. My preference would be to pick the top audio clips for each song and rate those, including my "top of the top" pick/s. I know there have been board projects, and even individual projects in the past (like spotlightlover's) that were very, very thorough, but the vast majority of people just want a CD of what someone says are the best versions, and a place to go to download it. That's what I had in mind, not a comprehensive evaluation of every piece of clack. Am I bad??

This is audio only, luckiest 1. I have a lot of admiration for those who rate video, but I could never do it myself! I listen for things like, first and foremost, quality of the recording and performance, and also special nuances in a performance, or crowd interruptions at inopportune moments ("I love you Clay" during ICMYLM). I don't always go for the "cleanest version" though. For the IT I picked the version of WY in St. Paul where Jerome came out in a wig. There's a lot of laughter during the performance that could seem strange to someone not in the know, and some would rather have a different version, but I loved it because I liked to remember how funny that moment was. I also included the version with Kim Locke in Anaheim on my CD. BTW, no way I'm going to rate every single performance of a song as recorded by every clack gatherer. That would just take too much time. There will be some inevitable weeding-out, and then I'll rate the rest.

Some lovely posts tonight, y'all. If I try to mention everyone I'll forget someone. Sigh--so happy to be here among the sane and sensible. Along with Christmas Waltz, I'll take All is Well, since I see that it's still available--ETA: oops, or if KAndre prefers, I'll defer to her. Oh, and I was in W-S in 1975, so Fear, Muski and I all three lived there at the same time. How cool is that!! Oh, and Muski, I lived on Polo Rd. too, further away from campus.

I'll do Christmas Waltz, and take another if needed. Thanks for all the support regarding my mom. I got over my guilt for the day when my brother called me to help him fix the computer (which was an ego boost in and of itself because he is a systems analyst with 30 years experience), and said, "I've got to go, she's calling me for dinner." She fixed him dinner!! (OK it turned out it was a microwave meal, but she hasn't made me so much as a piece of toast for years.) Venting did help, and then this sealed the deal. More computer fun--after dinner, computer still not fixed, he went to pick up a prescription for her, and when he got back she was on line checking her bank account. Computers!!

I used to live in Winston-Salem, near Wake Forest. It's a beautiful campus in a beautiful city. I lived with several women in a gorgeous house. We had a coin-operated washer and dryer and footsball table--used to bring guys home and humiliate them at footsball and then send them away. We racked in the quarters too. I also lived in Old Salem (Salem College) for a summer back in high school. I have lots of fond memories of that city. This may be totally off the wall, Muski, but I was struck by the fact that your mother scared the man away with her screaming. Would it help to emphasize that she "won", so to speak? As traumatic as it was for her, I'm impressed with her for defeating the bad guy by successfully running him off. Man, there are some crazy f**ked up people in this world. I'm doing mom care these days, living about 45 minutes away. My mother still lives at home, alone--she's 93. Three of us siblings are helping her out, keeping her at home where she adamantly wants to be. I'm feeling guilty today although I shouldn't because she managed to mess up her computer and I haven't gone over to fix it. She called me yesterday, told me it was messed up, and blamed me, because last time I was there I updated her virus scan. I can't imagine she stayed off the computer for 3 days, or endured it being messed up without telling anyone for that long. Somehow she logged off windows, and can't remember her password. My brother is probably going to stop by there tonight and fix it for her. My mother has always been depressive and self-centered--she's actually easier to get along with now than she used to be. She's too old and weak to be very bitchy and controlling anymore. She has short-term memory problems these days and is becoming quite ditzy, to add to her general sense of helplessness, but physically she's in pretty good shape. It's hard to separate her genuine needs from her emotional ones. She really wants me to move in with her, but for my own sanity, I'd prefer not. At any rate, she's managed to guilt trip me this time. I know she's feeling lonely because it's the holidays, but I was over there three days the past week. I'm really vulnerable to her tendency to try to make me responsible for her emotional well-being, which is the one thing I really cannot do anything about. I know I don't post much, but I really appreciate this place. I manage to avoid most of the boards these days, so was spared some of the stuff y'all were alluding to the last few weeks--Clay's so mean, getting above himself, whatever. I do read the CH, and when friends who were taken over by the pod people awhile back post conspiracy-minded comments there it bugs me. And then there's the whole Greensboro-gate thing. I think Clay could win the Nobel Peace Prize and it would be spoiled for some by the fact that he was dissed in the Bumfuck Egypt Times by a cub reporter. Sigh. Anyways, I read here everyday, even though I don't post much, and this place has probably saved my internet fandom. I've been weary of the boards for a long time, and especially so for the last few months. Instead of laughing and having fun, it seems that too many people are bitter and jaded. They come off as greedy, demanding, and entitled to me. It isn't that I love seeing Clay dissed; it isn't that I don't wish he had sold a million ATDWs in the first week; it's just that I think things are not nearly as bad as some people, a lot of people, seem to think. So why am I bringing a whole lot of funky thoughts over here? I apologize for that. Playbiller, sorry that Holly has backslid, and that you had a nasty fall. I hope that she'll be back on track very soon. I really admire the love and patience you've had training her. On another subject.... I can try my best to help on this. Maybe start a thread and everyone pick a song or two that they would listen to all of them. Also, figure out if there are mp3 for each song, or if we need to have one ripped from a video... I'm still up for this. Making mp3s with Goldwave is really easy, but a way around it for those who don't want to would be to just decide on the basis of the audio of the videos (as well as what is already in mp3 or wav form), and then I and others can make mp3s of the best ones after they are chosen.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!! :00000430: :fest30: !

OK - for 2007. I hope for lots and lots of TV--whatever form it takes. My personal favorite would be a variety show, with singing and comedy skits. I'd love to see him host SNL early in this coming year--guest host and musical guest--with tons of funny skits that he helps write. A talk show, an acting part in a series, a movie or animated feature with PR, a TV special--anything of this nature that keeps him in the public eye. He sells himself, but people have to see him. Eventually (years from now) I'd like to see him as The late night host, or maybe a regular stand-in, so he'd have time to tour and record too. I wish for more music, cause I love it when he sings. I wish for tours--2 or 3. I hope there's some karmic retribution for certain people. And on a global scale, for everyone--peace, happiness, an easing of pain, misfortune, fear and hatred in the world.

I can't believe I'm actually here for one of these. Yay! Agreed. I actually believe there was a plan. Address the crap and then back off to give people a chance to think about what he said. Or not. What could would it do to repeatedly deny all the rumors and lies? Some very high profile stuff like Leno and LKL. A few targeted smaller appearances. Then bring on Mr. Christmas. After Christmas? Next post.....

Agreed - he's funnier than most comedians out there. I've wondered if there hasn't been buzz about that within the industry for awhile, and that's one of the reasons he's been attacked by so many comics. It must be scary knowing there's a guy out there who can sing like he can, attract media attention the way he does, look as good as he does, and is funny as all get out too. Com.pe.ti.tion!!!!!

I'll be in Greensboro. eeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AI2: Anaheim IT: Philly, Wilkes-Barre, Nassau, Dover Benefit NAT: Syracuse, Delaware, AC, Musikfest, Clearfield, Charlotte, Raleigh x 2 JNT: Sewell, Baltimore, MSG JBT: Buffalo, Wolf Trap, Musikfest, Borgata x 2 JNT: Reading, NYC (Beacon), Camden, Raleigh JNaT: Greensboro 3 X GMA plus 1 Early Show Hurricanes, Broadway - Heather Headley 32 :o

That's a great idea. Or maybe we could each take a song (or two if there aren't enough of us) and make a list of 5 to 10 "finalists" and then everyone could vote on the bestest??? Loving the recaps! Four more sleeps until my concert - eeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!11

Marsha - you must have missed this response the last time you asked: Clack means all the stuff Clay fans get that is related to Clay like pictures, video, music, interveiws, print...it is a combination of the words clay and crack...crack, because people crave this stuff and we can't seem to get enough...we get addicted to it just like crack...so very early in the fandom some clever people from the clackhouse coined the word clack...so now that is what we use to refer to anything that we get that is connected to Clay. or has Clay in ut. Clank...as far as I know is just a word for a certain noise...if it has a clay connection I do not know. I've never heard the term clank in association with Clay. Have fun in Grand Rapids.

Me three. I was there for the famous Wilkes-Barre MOAM and a lot of my friends were at the AI Wilkes-Barre show as well. If I still lived up there I'd have been there tonight as well and to a bunch of other concerts nearby. I sold tickets to Williamsport and Easton that I bought thinking I might fly back, but decided not to. So expensive, but.......sigh.

Nah, it's you and me both! And ye shall know us by our edits... Nah, me three. Course I just joined like a month or so ago.

Of course!! Ya think? I'm hoping to see acceleration after the holidays. Taking advantage of Clay's reputation as Mr. Christmas is really smart, IMO. Could this even to radio play, what with people being accustomed to hearing him on their radios over the holidays?? He may not have one big hit, but it amazes me how many of his MCWL songs are getting airplay!! (Course that's probably a conspiracy too....play them all to keep him from getting recognition for one--that's it!) Add me to the list of people who has always thought of Clay as an entertainer. I've long thought he should have a comedy-variety show on TV. People have shot me down for saying that, saying he has to establish himself as an International! Rock! Star! like Kelly C. first. Now that Clive has ruined that opportunity [/snerk], perhaps we'll get Clay the comedian on TV sooner. Talk show, variety show, whatever--just put him on my teevee. Also adding my congrats to the new mods. Is this the only board where the admins and mods outnumber the other regular posters?

That would be Charlotte, no? as that's where he went to college--or did she move to Raleigh to be closer to the father?? [/snerk]

Short answer because I don't have much time. I think his voice is improving--his control is greater, his ability to sing softly with support as well as loudly. I think he has a finer tone to his voice as well. He is tackling songs and arrangements of greater difficulty, rather than resting on his laurels. With him there is always a learning curve on tours--that's one of the exciting things about this fandom. On AIW it sounds like he's screaming just a bit now and then because it's the highest he's ever sung, and for a sustained period of time. It ain't easy, and he doesn't sound like Pavorotti, but that doesn't mean his voice is going. Clay's always had an edge to his tone, and his glory notes have always been a bit screamy. That's what makes him a pop star and not an opera star. Some people love to worry, and some people love to get other people worried, but this is bullshit! Are they listening to everything he sings lately, or just to ATDW and AIW? Also, they have short memories--I remember some clunkers on Solitaire, and this "his voice is going" is an old, old refrain. Pfffttttt. ETA: People are also being a bit ignorant about sound recording. It takes special equipment to get the sound they get in the studio. Television sound is often bad, especially for shows that aren't accustomed to live music (and some that ought to be). AIW is particularly a challenge because, as you can tell if you're listening to cell radio, some of those notes are hard to record at all. Our clack gatherers are very good and some of them have great equipment, but when it comes down to it, they're still bootlegs.

Well, she puts the kibbosh to the claim that the songs on the EP are ALL left-over recordings from MCWL, "stolen" essentially to make more money for greedy RCA--that Clay will make no money from AIW. And those who said this have said a lot of other things that some of us outside the Pod question--these are the extremists, of course, the queens of the Pod hive. ETA: I was writing while you were posting, playbiller. I think they've made money already, and they'll probably make some more if it's true that they're hastily making more. I think he sold a heckuva lot of albums. Not like the old days, no, though he could have with more stock, but still, quite a lot. Almost everyone who found them bought multiples. And I think the cost to make it was comparably small.

Just heard back--sorry, it's sold.

To further confuse you, I think I know of a ticket in Row O, right orchestra, seat 14, 16, 18 or 20 (I'm not sure which one of these she had). I just sent an e-mail to inquire, but my friend might still be at work until 6 or so.

Ansa, this is so amazing! Thank you so much for preserving these concert moments. I've seen these pages post-tour, but never watched them unfold in "real time" before. Such a wonderful gathering together of highlights, and a way to remember and reflect. Thanks!

Thank you, thank you, thank you, ldyjocelyn. We can live vicariously through you. Even with really crappy sound tonight, it was so obvious that tonight was a show for the ages.

YAY--so glad you made it safely. Can't wait to hear your concert reports!!