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CLAY CHAT -- September 20 - 21 9PM EDT


Couch Tomato

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He should be a "Clay Aiken"!!!

Exactly. And there's none other remotely like him. And to me he can't be categorized.

I heard Kanye West say that he and Justin Timberlake are the new Prince and Michael Jackson. Now that's just pitiful. Which one does he think he represents? Clay Aiken is like nobody ever was or ever will be, and for that, to me, he's a pop star, an entertainer, and a superstar.

WORD.

This is good - Kanye West can suck a big one!!! That's as bad as John Lennon saying that the BEatles were bigger than Jesus!! Let's have a CD-burning party!!

Clay may not be a superstar, but he knows who he is and I believe he has a plan in motion to get where he wants to be. I just hope I am around when he gets there!!

Actually John was referring to their popularity at the time and he was right.

I Knew That!! But it was taken out of context and got blown way out of proportion. I don't hink what Kanye said was taken out of context. Do you?? Edited by cha cha trusty
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who asked a voice question?

heee

All I know about Clay's voice is that it moves me. Technical stuff I don't know. I know some basics.

I think he's learned to modulate his voice much better...

and I think he's learned how to move in and out of his upper/lower registers with more ease

I don't know if those are musical terms and don't care heee

I would love to hear him sing Here, There, and Everywhere today...He'd kill it.

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I like the Clay Aiken answer! He needs to be who he is in order to be happy IMO. He does not want to make compromises and he wants to enjoy what he does.

He's a wonderful entertainer, but I think Clay also wants to make a difference in some way. To do that he has to be influential. So I think he will expand his career to include television and even public speaking. He's good at both of them. He really is a natural politician, but his experience in government recently might not appeal to him. As a former government worker, I can vouch that it's slow and steady with a lot of effort and compromise along the way. Am not sure he'd be happy doing that. But getting information out there that can change lives and make differences in the public perception of things that are important to him, THAT is what he would consider a superstar.

As I recall, when asked by a reporter who he considered a superstar, he responded: "Sen. Tom Harkin", the man who was responsible for getting ADA passed. When asked the person to whom he owes his success, he responded: "my lawyer." This, coupled with a recent fan finding of several 5230 corporate entities tells me Clay wants to get involved with the business end of the "business." Maybe Merve Griffen is his idol? lol

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OK I'm thinking this question should be what do WE want for Clay because really like KAndre said..he can't choose..he can only keep moving forward in his career and what will be will be. I just want him to stay around forever singing. On top of that..I have no problem with TV. I think that will be a way for him to get people to see him anew again. So talk shows, or writing children's books, or a run on Broadway or whatever... he should just follow his heart.
I think your last statement answered your own question, at least in my book. I want for Clay what he wants in his heart. Oh sure, I may have some preferences (TV for me), but for the most part, I just want him to do whatever he thinks would keep him in the business and allow him to pursue his humaitarian work as well.

Well, time has run out on this one and I was so absorbed in reading all of your replies that I didn't get mine done, but that really doesn't matter since I agree with everything I read.

In summary though, I don't think he decides per se on popstar, superstar, guides it with choices - yes, but what he's selling has to be bought so factors other than him enter into play. Of the listed titles, I think entertainer fits best. As long as he's here to sing to me, and entertain me on tour and tv, and let me be amazed and impressed by his supreme gorgeousness of inside and out, and be so touched by all his humanitarian good and even get sometimes responses of action out of me, then I'm more than happy! I just want HIM to be happy and he has to define what that is in his professional and personal life.

Great thoughts everyone!!!!!!!!!!

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Since Couchie rephrased the question? To what would we want Clay to be. Basically I guess I still think an all round entertainer has more longevity in a career, so I would choose that. But I gotta tell you that when I listen to the cds from the IT and Solo tour and I hear the crowd roar, pop star is what comes to mind, and I get a little thrill hearing it again. Like I said last night, he seems happy, for whatever reason, and I think that is important. Pop and superstardom causes a lot of performers to burn out and I don't want that for him or us.

God, I'm slow at this

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His voice is richer IMO that when he was on AI. Also, not as pure as it was then. He has used it and made it richer. More nuances, more runs.

He also likes to stretch himself... AIW.

His voice has more character... that's it, more character!

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He should be a "Clay Aiken"!!!

Exactly. And there's none other remotely like him. And to me he can't be categorized.

I heard Kanye West say that he and Justin Timberlake are the new Prince and Michael Jackson. Now that's just pitiful. Which one does he think he represents? Clay Aiken is like nobody ever was or ever will be, and for that, to me, he's a pop star, an entertainer, and a superstar.

WORD.

This is good - Kanye West can suck a big one!!! That's as bad as John Lennon saying that the BEatles were bigger than Jesus!! Let's have a CD-burning party!!

Clay may not be a superstar, but he knows who he is and I believe he has a plan in motion to get where he wants to be. I just hope I am around when he gets there!!

Actually John was referring to their popularity at the time and he was right.

I Knew That!! But it was taken out of context and got blown way out of proportion. I don't hink what Kanye said was taken out of context. Do you??

Nope. But I'm a little slow at picking up what you meant.

I'm like that a lot. Ask muski!

Sorry.

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Porn star?!?!?! Where's muski?

OK, final question for the evening:

How do you feel Clay's voice has evolved over the past 4 years?

I think Clay's voice is STILL evolving - my GOD - what he can do with that instrument!!!

The possibilities are endless......... :lipstick:

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Man, I have a hard, hard time analyzing Clay's voice. I mean, I know I love it -- but I think my listening along with him has his voice and performing style developed, I just can't separate it. It's always been him.

I was listening to him sing from the first JNT show in 2004 today on the treadmill. Yep -- still Clay. Just younger. But still fantastic.

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How do you feel Clay's voice has evolved over the past 4 years?

His voice is obviously stronger. He's more comfortable in all the parts of his range. He's given us more lurvely low notes, and he's stronger and more comfortable in his high falsetto range, as well. He also seems more comfortable with quiet songs, where he can show his musicality and ability to shade with vocal colors and nuances, like in MDYK or LAA. He didn't do that kind of singing right out of AI.

When he was in AI, the glory notes and long sustained notes really got the applause and attention, so that's how he sang. It was fantastic, and he still does some of that. But I'm glad to see that he's matured and is now able to do the quieter and more nuanced songs, as well.

Clay's stamina in singing has improved, as well. It's really tough for a singer to do a whole show like Clay does, without experiencing vocal fatigue. I don't think he could have done that right out of AI. But he's a pro at it now!

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He should be a "Clay Aiken"!!!

Exactly. And there's none other remotely like him. And to me he can't be categorized.

I heard Kanye West say that he and Justin Timberlake are the new Prince and Michael Jackson. Now that's just pitiful. Which one does he think he represents? Clay Aiken is like nobody ever was or ever will be, and for that, to me, he's a pop star, an entertainer, and a superstar.

WORD.

This is good - Kanye West can suck a big one!!! That's as bad as John Lennon saying that the BEatles were bigger than Jesus!! Let's have a CD-burning party!!

Clay may not be a superstar, but he knows who he is and I believe he has a plan in motion to get where he wants to be. I just hope I am around when he gets there!!

Actually John was referring to their popularity at the time and he was right.

I Knew That!! But it was taken out of context and got blown way out of proportion. I don't hink what Kanye said was taken out of context. Do you??

Nope. But I'm a little slow at picking up what you meant.

I'm like that a lot. Ask muski!

Sorry.

No Prob --- I was being a bit sarcastic - no need to apologize!!!! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

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I guess I'll also add that I love him tackling soul music. His voice really evolves over the course of a tour - becoming more and more "authentic." He feeds off others and he grows. I love it. I think Clay will continue to evolve and grow. Maybe after two more albums he will have finally gotten there..but who knows..maybe it will take a lifetime. I'll be there.

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How do you feel Clay's voice has evolved over the past 4 years?

I think it has grown in depth and strenght - he sings for a living and does shows for most of 32 hours with maybe 1 day off a week. That is what the best do. His stamina is enviable.

He also does a show where the bad notes are the exception and he has learned to manage and work with his backups for them to really have his back on certain notes - right Quiana?

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Oh, OK, the question was how has his VOICE evolved :RedGuy: I think I need to study it more and I have plans to do just that ...hehe!

It seems to have more character, more nuances, more power. It is not as "bright" as it was 4 years ago. But then, his voice was different, to me, on the demo songs when he was much younger. Do all men's voices go through changes like this ? I think I will just stay around and see how his voice changes over the next couple of.............decades !!

Love him.

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Porn star?!?!?! Where's muski?

OK, final question for the evening:

How do you feel Clay's voice has evolved over the past 4 years?

It better. Its richer.

I don't know anything about singing, but to me he seems to have greater range and better control and the tone of his voice is better.

I don't think he ever would have hit that note in AIW 4 years ago night after night.

I don't even think he could have sung LAA with the subtlety so important to the song.

As with most things, the more you work at something, the better you get, the more you learn.

I don't think pre-AI Clay ever thought about singing. He just sang. It was something that came easily to him.

But now, he has to do more. So he is learning and improving his craft and I think he takes more pride in his voice now.

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As for Clay evolving, I am continually amazed that the guy who did such an awkward hip shake on "Grease" has become the seemingly uninhibited and naturally fluid dancer during the "Classics" this summer.

I think his voice has the potential to become even better as he matures. I already hear a lot more I like than I did four years ago, and I didn't think that I could like his voice any more back then.

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OK, final question for the evening:

How do you feel Clay's voice has evolved over the past 4 years?

He could always belt it out, but now he can sing softly with more control than on AI. I think his range has increased. His falsetto is more developed. He had some bad habits that I think he's worked on, going for schmaltz instead of a more sophisticated interpretation. Sometimes he still falls back on this, but when he's good at subtle, he's really, really good.

Working with orchestras--a whole new world for him and one he has clearly embraced. He has a wider range of sounds, seems like, when he's singing with an orchestra.

On AI it seemed to me sometimes that he was rhythmically challenged, but he's certainly found his inner beat. I think he's more versatile now.

To me, he had the most amazing voice I'd ever heard--not in the sense of trained talent, but in the sense of being uniquely himself. He had from the first time I heard him sing the ability to grab my attention and really "reach" me with his music. He still has this, and, IMO, that's what makes him special. The rest is just bonus extras.

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Are we on the voice question?

Now, see, I'm not sure on this one - simply because it's so hard to compare early Clay to currently Clay - hell, his live performance are so freakin' different from the recorded ones - the quality of the bootlegs have improved expotentially (blows kisses at Scarlett).

So much depends on what he sings - that note in JIL & EL & DSIAFCD & UM - the growls in ISY - the wistfulness in ICMYLM - the R&B in ICHM, EotR & CoF - the purity in EIH and OHN - the pop sensibility in BMUB & Iris & LLVL - the harmonies in CYFTLT and the Motown set.

How the hell am I supposed to figure it out?

Frankly, nuanced performances weren't rewarded on AI - for all we know, he could do them then as well. I think he is playing with his voice more - he can still that brightness and purity, but we hear more of his repertoire now I think.

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As for Clay evolving, I am continually amazed that the guy who did such an awkward hip shake on "Grease" has become the seemingly uninhibited and naturally fluid dancer during the "Classics" this summer.

I think his voice has the potential to become even better as he matures. I already hear a lot more I like than I did four years ago, and I didn't think that I could like his voice any more back then.

heee so agree about the hip shake!! He is so much more comfortable in his own body.

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How do you feel Clay's voice has evolved over the past 4 years?

I think it has grown in depth and strenght - he sings for a living and does shows for most of 32 hours with maybe 1 day off a week. That is what the best do. His stamina is enviable.

He also does a show where the bad notes are the exception and he has learned to manage and work with his backups for them to really have his back on certain notes - right Quiana?

I remember thinking during the NAT...how would his voice last singing Solitaire & TITN over the course of the tour? Pffft. Shows how much I know.

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Ditto to everything Gibby just said. One more thing, he is showing a lot of range lately. Michael Orland told fans Clay's weakest point was his high notes (forgot the official name) and that he was working on it, and if he ever perfected it, there would be no stopping him beause he is just THAT good. So I've noticed the high sustained notes this last tour that had been a little weak during some Idol songs. There is NO weakness what.so.ever.

Have to learn to type faster than this! You guys are FAST.

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As for Clay evolving, I am continually amazed that the guy who did such an awkward hip shake on "Grease" has become the seemingly uninhibited and naturally fluid dancer during the "Classics" this summer.

I think his voice has the potential to become even better as he matures. I already hear a lot more I like than I did four years ago, and I didn't think that I could like his voice any more back then.

heee so agree about the hip shake!! He is so much more comfortable in his own body.

I would like to be comfortable with his body too! :naughtywag:

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