#24: Somewhere out there Clay is looking cute and talking with an accent and practicing a dance.

[gbmifan]

I really think Clay is a little bit nervous for his opening. You never know with him. He is always saying he is not prepared or something is not quite right, and then he blows us away. If he is not perfect we will have to deal with it. I think if they were worried at all he would not have been able to go home this weekend. He is probably still sore and feels he will never get it right. I am sure by Fri. it will click.

I watched Quiana this am. Thought she did a great job, but I sometimes think she is yelling to much instead of sing. I especially notice this when she duets with Clay. She tries to overtake the duets instead of complementaring(SP) each other. I know others think differently and that ok, everyones love of music is different.

[luckiest1]

Wheeeeeeeeee! Love coming home to HE BLOGGED. Yep, I think he's a tad nervous about his debut Friday, and probably knows how many fans are heading to NYC to see it. But, as always, he'll pull it off when it counts. I have no fear.

Hee, course that's easy to say since I'll be sitting in front of my computer waiting for reports, not sitting live biting my nails in the audience.

Personally, I love Quiana, and think she is super talented and has a marvelous voice. Heck, I even broke through my own rule of not bothering a celebrity on their off time to tell her once (JBT Toronto, when I ran into her on the grounds of Ontario Place). So nice of Clay to blog and encourage everyone to go and see her in Dreamgirls. If I was able to, I would definitely be there.

[skybar22]

Love his blog! So casual and friendly and comfy...complete with spelling and syntax errors 'coss he just wrote it and didn't worry about all that stuff. Love it. Love him.

It's a good thing that we all do hear music subjectively, isn't it? Otherwise, there'd only BE one kind of music to enjoy. It's like appreciating colors. I've always wondered if the shade of red I see is exactly the same shade of red that you see when we look at the same thing. And then I realize that I'll never know. How the hell would we ever know that? I think music is the same way. We're hearing the same note from that person, but how will we ever know that our ears hear the exact same thing?

I think all the people named in the last pages are very, very talented singers. I'm not a FAN of the kind of singing some of them do, but I acknowledge the skill and talent needed to sing it! I have preferences, just as we all do. I'm not a fan of the kind of singing Fantasia does. I think J. Hudson is amazing, but sometimes her vibrato annoys me. Billie Holiday's voice is unique and I wonder if I hadn't known her life story when I heard it, if I would have warmed to it as much as I did.

As for Q&A, it's the tone of Q's voice that---to my tastes---makes me favor her voice over Angela's. I hear harsh, screechy tones from A more than I do Q and the richer, fuller tones are more pleasing to my ears. I don't think that screechy means emotive or 'feelin' it'...I think screechy means screechy! Quiana is a very emotive singer and seems to be able to do more with her voice than Angela. That being said, I really loved Angela's "Listen" during DCAT. It was great hearing her singing with a more subtle approach. The end was amazing, of course, but I liked the softer, beginning part of the song better!

Yippee! So happy Clay was in Raleigh and could enjoy himself. And I hope that whoever got a picture of him without being noticed didn't use a flash and gets it uploaded really fast!

I could have written the above.

My music collection is totally eclectic. I was raised on 50's rock and roll and had siblings in their teens when I was a little kid so Elvis was KING in my house. My parents loved him too. I also heard a great deal of Sinatra, my mom's hearthrob and in honor of her, I have some of his CDs. I really enjoy his talent. My favorite music is what is now referred to as Classic Rock so when Clay came along he kind of changed things for me. I don't love everything he sings/sang but I love his voice and I love his energy. Whatever it is about him it is magical to me. I am with Gladys Knight on that one. I also really enjoy female singers like Natalie Merchant and my favorite is Eva Cassidy. So, music is, IMO, totally subjective and my tastes are all over the place.

I think it is probably really okay for Clay to be apprehensive about his debut. Broadway is HUGE and I think he knows how important this is. I still believe in the line from the song, NY, NY...."If I can make it there, I'd make it anywhere...". I grew up relatively close to NYC and Broadway was IT. I think Clay will be great so I'm not worried. Clay seems to always bring it under pressure. Remember Mack the Knife after the Vincident? That was pure joy to see him nail that tune.

Welcome Claytonic. I love hearing about your reactions to Clay. Please keep it coming as you discover more and more of his magic.

[aikim]

Some of you may remember that last Sunday, hubby and I were at an Antique Store and saw a picture of my Grandfather on the wall; it was a group shot of the baseball team from his high school, around 1914. Well, we went back today to take another look and it is definately him; unfortunately, the picture is not for sale because it is one of a group of pictures that were blown up and hung on the walls as part of the store decoration. So I guess, I will just have to visit him now and then! Good excuse to go antique shopping!

Kim

[Clayzorback]

See, I look at that blurb and it's very nice - but it's also why no one's press release impresses me. They tend to be full of puffery and make things like, "recorded with some of the industry's most respected producers: Walter Afanasieff and David Foster" sound like she had an album with them.

Posts? As long as they don't annoy the fuck out of me, I'll read them all. If someone says, "oooo, that note in AIW was wonderful, because it proved he doesn't lip sync", I don't think it makes it dishonest - just delusional. I think I have a tough standard for dishonesty (which is a really emotion-laden word) - I have to know someone really doesn't believe what they are posting. And frankly, I tend to believe that the "blowing vanilla-scented smoke up your butt" crowd, really does believe most of what Clay does is rainbows and unicorns, as opposed to the "if Clay gave me a billion dollars, I'd have to inspect it for cooties" crowd, because some have admitted to be instigators. I occasionally like to read either or both and mock.

I don't think I can name a genre of music that I can't pick out an example of that I like. I might dislike 98% of it, but that 2% I like totally rocks! I just get picky at implications that some genres aren't music or have no redeeming value.

You're probably right about the part I bolded KAndre.

I usually read everyone's post on this board. Unless i'm way behind in reading, or it is in a thread I can't give an opinion on. Like the soaps or something I don't watch on TV, etc. I agree that my choice of the word honest, was a bad choice. So I went back and edited my last two posts in question. Because the word I should have used is objective. Hope that satisfies everyone.

Clayzorback

This happens to me a lot in this fandom. Certain fans will rave and rave about some clack, and then when you go watch it, it is a real letdown. They over hype it. I am not talking about this board in particular or no one here in particular. Just speaking in generalities. That's why I also like to look for some people 's posts that I believe can be more objective in their opinion.. I am not a fan of scream singers or over melisma singers either.

[duckyvee]

My music collection is totally eclectic. I was raised on 50's rock and roll and had siblings in their teens when I was a little kid so Elvis was KING in my house. My parents loved him too. I also heard a great deal of Sinatra, my mom's hearthrob and in honor of her, I have some of his CDs.

Your post brought back memories for me, skybar. My mother used to call Engelbert Humperdinck her boyfriend. I never gave it much thought at the time, but I understand now. So funny. I wonder how her fandom might have developed in the Internet age. My musical tastes really don't seem to be influenced by my parents or siblings, though. My older sisters were Motown fans, and that set in the JBT was by far their favorite. As much as I admire the work that came out of Motown and like some of it, I don't gravitate toward that sound. My parents liked 40's standards and big bands. I like both, but I don't listen either, really. I lean toward indie and alternative. And Clay. It always makes me smile to think of how all of us, with such divergent tastes, are drawn to Clay.

[playbiller]

Cesberry loaded out some clips of Quiana's "audition" here

The MP3s will eventually be loaded to the vault, but you can listen to them here. I love her Here and Somewhere.

[Bookwhore]

In my opinion, this is most definitely a case where Clack cannot and does not do it justice. It wasn't about the vocals, it was about the moment, and the look of pride and joy on Clay's face when it was over, and the surprise of it happening. It was among the best moments I've had so far in this fandom, and I count myself extremely lucky to have been there. So when I rave about it (and I have, did and will again!!) it's because of the sum of the parts.

And yep - that's my honest opinion. ;-) Does it only have weight if I didn't enjoy something?

My 'lucky to have been there' moment was in Council Bluffs, the night Jacob, um....'left to pursue other interests'. Of course when they came back out after intermission and Jacob wasn't on stage, we knew something was up, but it didn't hit until those opening notes of Emmanuel. Clay sang that so beautifully that night....not really tentatively, but sort of feeling his way through it. Listening to the Clack it doesn't sound like anything that special, but boy oh boy, that performance was fabulous!

I"m one of the ones that wasn't blown away by the MCUCL trio, but then again I wasn't there, and I understand about how sometimes the moment is what makes the performance.

This is me too, Bookwhore, I have the DVD of Dreamgirls, I have watched a couple of times. I thought J Hudson did a great job in the movie, I was happy she won the Oscar and felt she deserved it. I still like Quiana's version better. I don't think I even realized how much I liked Quiana's voice until I heard her sing MGUCL in 2005. I was in the Chicago theater and while she was singing I got goose bumps and the hair stood up on my arms. It was an involuntary and honest reaction. The same thing happened when she sang IWALY in the JBT. I understand and respect that others may not feel the same way, and I believe their opinion is no less honest than mine.

Oooo ooooo oooooh! I was there that night, too, and had the same kind of reaction. Her version of MGUCL is the one I put on my iPod.

And Clay. It always makes me smile to think of how all of us, with such divergent tastes, are drawn to Clay.

Yeah, how the hell does that happen?

[luckiest1]

Cesberry loaded out some clips of Quiana's "audition" here

The MP3s will eventually be loaded to the vault, but you can listen to them here. I love her Here and Somewhere.

I'm confused........audition? These sound like studio files. Beautiful. And Clay is talking in one? Wheeeeeeeeeee! I guess they are live.

[cha cha trusty]

Some of you may remember that last Sunday, hubby and I were at an Antique Store and saw a picture of my Grandfather on the wall; it was a group shot of the baseball team from his high school, around 1914. Well, we went back today to take another look and it is definately him; unfortunately, the picture is not for sale because it is one of a group of pictures that were blown up and hung on the walls as part of the store decoration. So I guess, I will just have to visit him now and then! Good excuse to go antique shopping!

Kim

Kim - would they let you take a picture of it???? (that's what I would do!) :F_05BL17blowkiss:

[skybar22]

Yeah, how the hell does that happen?

Magic, I tell ya, PURE MAGIC!!!

[djs111]

No. I don't think that everyone that doesn't have the same opinion as me is wrong in their opinion, or lying. That comes across as insulting, but I am going to assume you did not mean it to be. There are certain fans that will never ever be objective to anything Clay does. They will never see anything wrong with anything he or the "girls" do. No matter if it was good or not. That is their right. These are the fans I am talking about and they are not necessarily on this board, but on lots of boards. So, I have learned to try and seek out people's opinion who I feel have a history of being more objectionable. I have read enough in this fandom to know which posters I feel are a bit more objective in their opinions, when I want to get a feel for something. I am big on free speech and everyone having their own opinion. Sorry if you felt I was calling you or anybody a liar. That is simply not true.

Heeeee..I thought your post was kind of insulting, too!

This is music. It is not objective, why on earth should something appreciated for pleasure be totally objective? Actually, how can it be objective? The sentence I bolded cracked me up because I do think some posts are objectionable, only because this is not some sort of grim job for me, it is fun.

Maybe a better question is - why do you care if people like something that you don't? Since this is all just individual opinions, not directives, why does it matter?

[aikim]

Some of you may remember that last Sunday, hubby and I were at an Antique Store and saw a picture of my Grandfather on the wall; it was a group shot of the baseball team from his high school, around 1914. Well, we went back today to take another look and it is definately him; unfortunately, the picture is not for sale because it is one of a group of pictures that were blown up and hung on the walls as part of the store decoration. So I guess, I will just have to visit him now and then! Good excuse to go antique shopping!

Kim

Kim - would they let you take a picture of it???? (that's what I would do!) :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Actually, my husband suggested we bring the camera and do just that, but I was so confident that I would be able to get it, that I said no...guess we will have to make another trip back...It would be nice to show the rest of the family.

Kim

[merrieeee]

Now I have never heard of anyone recognising a picture in an Antique shop until last week. My DH's cousin was at my MIL's funeral and he told us he was in an Antique store in Michigan and saw a picture in a frame that he thought he recognised, It turned out to be a wedding pic of my MIL & FIL! He bought it for $10 and is going to scan it and send it to us as none of us has ever seen it. The owner of the shop said she had never had anyone recognise a pic before and she had been in the business over 30 years.

I just got lost in the videos of Johnny Tillotson! OMG Poetry in Motion (back then) was my all time favourite. Thanks for finding those for me!

Don't believe anything Kandre says about the eHP! We are innocent! Also I was not there.... I didn't do it .....and I don't know these people. I think I'll take the 5th! :11:

[playbiller]

If I remember correctly, Angie's CD; and I think it was an EP, was actually sold during the JBT...I remember when Clay took his orange shirt off and had a t-shirt on with Angie's picture and promoted the CD in the lobby. Haven't heard anything else after that.

Angie's company seemed to be doing something very wrong, at the time it seemed like all the artists were suing them. Clay said not to go to that website anymore and go to Angie's myspace instead.

Maybe a better question is - why do you care if people like something that you don't? Since this is all just individual opinions, not directives, why does it matter? Some people are just not in this fandom thing in order to point out "wrong" things, is all.

Well, I can tell you why I scroll certain people, which interestingly enough included all the reputed friends of FC. I scrolled them because it hurt too much with my eyes rolling so far back in my head. I just figured it was better to skip some people who said the dumbest things. Of course, I have discovered lately, that I keep missing some posts I did not mean to miss because the little orange thing does not always get me to the first unread post.

Note: I read people who agree and disagree with me and a bunch who both agree and disagree, as long as they are readable without getting a sharp pain

[muskifest]

ha! so the eHP tries to be inconspicuous, eh?

Am sitting here watching AI2 rewind and hearing Clay's Open Arms was interesting. See...when I heard it the first time I thought he sounded nasally a number of times in the song...and I remember seeing that twitching top lip at the end. The man was NERVOUS! NERVOUS, I tell ya!

Now Ruben just sang..."YOU are what this competition is all about..You are a superstar...You set the standard for this competition."

All righty, then.

[00lsee]

Okay, at the request of someone in dial-up hell, I cut the Spam "movie" into FOUR parts. I need to rethink the names of these files because even I have trouble keeping track of them. Part one has two parts...and part two has two parts. Clay's biggest "number" is in part four (that is, part two of part two) heh

Let me know if you have any problems or if links run out. It takes an eternity to upload these and takes much less time to download...my uploads kept getting cut off for some reason, so if anyone knows of an upload manager that works the way Getright works for downloads, please let me know.

Part one of part one:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/gnmmg3

Part two of part one

http://www.sendspace.com/file/47i2v7

Part one of part two

http://www.sendspace.com/file/d7uf0f

Part two of part two

http://www.sendspace.com/file/frylh3

[jumpingjacks]

I can't watch AI Rewind....it makes my stomach queasy and I know how it ends!

[aikim]

Just saw Clay on AI Rewind...gosh, watching that show and then looking at pictures from GFI and I cannot believe it is the same person!

Love it when he was talking about his "shtick" on the show!

Kim

[Couch Tomato]

can somebody tell me the free secuirty computer programs and where to get them? My free subscription has run out.

[Thankful4Clay]

AVG Free

[00lsee]

Cesberry loaded out some clips of Quiana's "audition" here

The MP3s will eventually be loaded to the vault, but you can listen to them here. I love her Here and Somewhere.

Gah...THANK YOU! She sounds amazing. Piano player is also very good.

[muskifest]

I just listened to Quiana's songs from the NC Dinner THeater....that woman can sing. That is all.

Now...does anyone have an mp3 of her And I Am Telling You from Dreamgirls. I downloaded the video clip...but am totally ignorant of how to make it audio only....thanks!

[Bookwhore]

Thanks for those links 001see. It was a lot easier to download it in four parts. :F_05BL17blowkiss:

[FromClaygary]

I just listened to Quiana's songs from the NC Dinner THeater....that woman can sing. That is all.

Now...does anyone have an mp3 of her And I Am Telling You from Dreamgirls. I downloaded the video clip...but am totally ignorant of how to make it audio only....thanks!

There was an audio clip loaded to 4shared by cap121 last night here. 4shared doesn't run out so it should be still active.

Scroll down and wait a bit to see the download link.