#31: The Very Handsome Sir Clay of Aiken

[merryclay]

I love those interviews. I feel like posting some positive feedback. Soa mny wonderful things going on right now. I'm very excited. Clay sure looks good, doesn't he? So fit and happy. That makes me happy.

[annabear]

Ooooooh! So many tidbits to read!

Busy Friday here. We had a meeting first thing this morning to discuss the "restructuring" we heard about yesterday. Sixty-five people let go. All over the board - been here 2 years, been here 20 years. Supposedly this was the plan for this year all along, but due to the stinking economy, it happened earlier than originally planned. Also supposedly, the rest of us are safe. For now. I guess my belongings won't be in a box on my desk when I get back next week!

*Always look on the bright side of life....*

Twenty-four hours from now I will be on a plane preparing to land in NY, meeting some new friends and applauding from my heart as the Spamalot chapter in Mr. Aiken's life ends and the OMWH chapter begins! I feel HAPPY! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

[Couch Tomato]

Sorry if I'm overacting, I'm not in touch as much as normal... but it seems I"m not the only one PMSing. (sorrry roomies to be) After a day or so.. when the convo gets redundant, it's ok to let things go. Last worditis isn't fun for the rest of us. And if things seem prickly ask yourself this? Is this an A and B conversation? If so, C your way out. Please don't jump in for reasons that don't enhance the conversation. Sorry, if this needs further expounding..but my computer time will self destruct in 1 minute.

New interviews are Fabulous.

[laughn]

Billboard album review

On My Way Here

CLAY AIKEN

Producer(s): Kipper, Jaymes Foster

Genre: AC

Label: RCA

In the Broadway show that is Clay Aiken's public life, he is, of course, the leading man. His fourth full-length progresses just like the Original Cast Recording, with character development songs early ("On My Way Here"), beatific love songs in the middle ("Something About Us") and a dénouement of regret and lessons learned ("Lover All Alone"). Aiken, who debuted on the Great White Way this year in "Spamalot," sings like a theater veteran: almost too perfect, with a self-aware showmanship. But that doesn't make pop-rock nuggets like "Ashes" any less catchy, or the ballads—on which Aiken's breathy tenor could break housewife hearts—ring any less true. With big American melodies, stock AC production and general inoffensiveness throughout, this should satisfy his army of self-dubbed Claymates. —Kerri Mason

[luckiest1]

I know the "housewife" and "Claymate" references are going to rub some the wrong way, but overall, I'll take it! Billboard actually gave him a decent review.

*waves* to roomie-to-be up there. PMS you say? Eeeeep!

[Ansamcw]

Billboard album review

On My Way Here

CLAY AIKEN

Producer(s): Kipper, Jaymes Foster

Genre: AC

Label: RCA

In the Broadway show that is Clay Aiken's public life, he is, of course, the leading man. His fourth full-length progresses just like the Original Cast Recording, with character development songs early ("On My Way Here"), beatific love songs in the middle ("Something About Us") and a dénouement of regret and lessons learned ("Lover All Alone"). Aiken, who debuted on the Great White Way this year in "Spamalot," sings like a theater veteran: almost too perfect, with a self-aware showmanship. But that doesn't make pop-rock nuggets like "Ashes" any less catchy, or the ballads—on which Aiken's breathy tenor could break housewife hearts—ring any less true. With big American melodies, stock AC production and general inoffensiveness throughout, this should satisfy his army of self-dubbed Claymates. —Kerri Mason

Not bad...despite all the stereotypes. What I get from this review is that this person liked it...but dare not praise it too much lest they be seen to be uncool....

[KAndre]

What the hell is a big American melody?

[annabear]

that doesn't make pop-rock nuggets like "Ashes" any less catchy, or the ballads—on which Aiken's breathy tenor could break housewife hearts—ring any less true

To quote Clay, "I'll take that!"

[merrieeee]

I always joke that the British will take the country back........ one person at a time!

Well I think Clay Aiken is winning them over....one person at a time!

[merryclay]

That's OK in my book. I do believe that some artists would kill to have some loyal mates like us. LOL!!! Anyway, it sounds like she might have broken something giving those back-handed compliments. It's fine. Clay's interviews this morning fit right in, didn't they? He's way ahead of them. I love him, and I'm so excited about this weekend and than next week. I wish I was in NYC.

[cagney1950]

What I dislike about the BB review is that it assumes that his claymates will like it, that's about it. In other words that it will have limited appeal. I don't believe that, from the snippets I heard. I do kinda get the "too perfect" for some parts of the snippets that I have heard though but I want to hear the whole song before I judge. I think pefect works really well on Something About Us, though.

So far two reviewers have mentioned "Ashes." She calls it a pop-rock nugget -she likes it- while that was a miss for the People reviewer.

The bottom line - you saw Clay Aiken on AI 2, liked him then, bought MOAM but nothing else. Would you be intrigued by this review to hear more?

[bottlecap]

I always joke that the British will take the country back........ one person at a time!

Eyes Hannah suspiciously and wonders if she's part of a plot to steal our hawt men...

[aikim]

Sorry if I'm overacting, I'm not in touch as much as normal... but it seems I"m not the only one PMSing. (sorrry roomies to be) After a day or so.. when the convo gets redundant, it's ok to let things go. Last worditis isn't fun for the rest of us. And if things seem prickly ask yourself this? Is this an A and B conversation? If so, C your way out. Please don't jump in for reasons that don't enhance the conversation. Sorry, if this needs further expounding..but my computer time will self destruct in 1 minute.

New interviews are Fabulous.

Hugs Couchie, I feel your pain literally. Hope you have a great time this week-end. I pretty much need to stay off the boards when I am feeling like this because every little thing starts to piss me off and I don't trust myself to post. Just in a mood and I can't even get excited about Spamalot this week-end...probably need to eat copious amounts of chocolate or something, LOL!.

Love the two new interviews; my favorite thing about Clay is that he says what he feels and the heck with being PC.

Kim

[cindilu2]

Hey, at least this chick tried a different analogy. Clay Aiken as theatre. Hmmmm. As reviews go, it's... a review. Gets about as much weight as any of them do for me. *If* I was looking for an opinion on something to listen to though - I'd give it a try. She does pay him some pretty nice compliments, voice wise. And I'm all about the big ballads - American (wtf???) or otherwise. And a promise of a nugget. Hee!

At the very least, it's innuendo free. That's something to be happy for.

Hey couchie - I'll give ya my avi if it makes you feel better. :-)

From the 'You know you're having a bad day when...' file:

[keepingfaith]

I'm going to weigh in with my opinion of reviews and then bow out of it -- at least for a while.

In the new era, the new music paradigm, music critics are totally irrelevant whether they love it, hate it, or feel it's a mixed bag, because the music buying public is on the internet -- and if I'm interested in somebody's album I'll listen to samples at iTunes, Real, Amazon, etc. -- or listen to the whole album on Rhapsody. I don't have to take the word of anybody anymore. No one else does either. Music critics have expired. Their "sell by" date was the 20th Century.

[keepingfaith]

What the hell is a big American melody?

Music from The American Songbook that Clay talked about last summer? I Like Big Butts?

[duckyvee]

Too perfect? I like that!

[Claygasm]

LOVED those interviews! You go Clay!

The Billboard "review" - well it was so condescending it was ridiculous. Its almost as if she rather liked the music but would never admit it. I don't think she thought it was amazing or groundbreaking or muttered to herself "That's Clay Aiken?", but I think she found it pleasant and appealing and some of the songs seem to have struck on emotional chord with her.

But she couldn't say that because then she wouldn't be cool.

I am loving that this is the second time SAU has been praised - first it was the song to download in the People prattle and now its beautific!

The thing about Clay's voice being too perfect? Yup, I have said that for ages. Whenever I listen to male singers on the radio their voiced always have a raspiness or a roughness or are just not great. It works with the kind of songs they sing, but that seems to be what's popular these days. Clay once said he wanted singer's songs. For those you need a really good voice to pull them off and he has it. Unfortunately, that kind of music just isn't that popular right now.

You know, this album was never going to set the music world on fire and that goes beyond just because its Clay. From what I have heard its nice and pretty and decently produced, but nothing earth shattering. But that's ok. I like nice and pretty! I am pretty pessimistic about its first week's sales too. First there is the general decrease in CD sales. And while there has a been a lot of buzz on the internet and he will appear on a few TV shows next week and was on QVC, he doesn't even seem to have the presense he had for ATDW. Granted, much of it was about the crap, but still. No big spread in People (and no centerfold! ). No 3 straight days on GMA. No mini-concert on Kimmel - or even singing of any kind! No AI that we know of. Will he even get the kind of coverage he got on The Insider or ET this time? I know some of the pre-drop stuff has been limited due to his time constraints with Spamalot, but it seems he'll be around a few shows for a couple of weeks and then that's that. And it surprises me because from all reports the label likes this album. Clay likes this album.

I'm not going to worry about it but I am concerned if he doesn't sell well his first week - the only week he ever seems to sell really well, the reports will be how the album flopped and that's what people and radio types will hear and interest in it will go from almost none to none.

And that's a shame.

My one last hope is that this album will be pushed to radio and if OMWH does achieve some radio success it could pave the way for single #2 and in the end that could give this CD some legs. I just don't think that will happen.

Que sera sera! At least I will have MY copy - and I better get one before I go to work on Tuesday or that will be a verra, verra loooong day!

[luckiest1]

I don't get the pessimism about first week sales (and I'm not pointing fingers here, it's pretty wide spread from what I've seen). Of course, I'm the eternal optomist, but I think that OMWH has had pretty good internet promotion, and while maybe that's not what people think it needs, to me and most people I know, that's where it's at for music. Amazon, iTunes, youtube, etc. I don't really know anyone who listens to radio anymore, and morning shows & late night TV? Those are great, and he has lots of those coming up (YAY!), but are they necessary to drive first week sales? I guess we will see. I think he'll sell at least around the same numbers he did for ATDW first week, if not more. Last time, there was so much whining in the fandom over covers and negative energy being spread around, that I think it negatively impacted sales (i.e. fans posting their Amazon "reviews" that were less than stellar, etc). However, this time there has been much excitement and rejoicing over the original tracks by the core fans, not to mention so much publicity and excitement generated by his Spamalot run. So again, I could be waaaay off base about how much that stuff matters.....I guess we'll know soon enough.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE less than 12 hours and I'll be on my way to NYC! Off to run some last minute errands (including picking up dinner.......who could cook at a time like this?????)

[keepingfaith]

I just saw this in a Google Alert:

http://news.lalate.com/2008/05/02/celebrit...out-clay-aiken/

Celebrity News Site LALATE to premiere “eLATEd”, New Celebrity Television News Broadcast

SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA – May 2, 2008. LALATE NEWS will premiere next week its new celebrity news show, marking its first long format news broadcast. Viewers will be able to get “elated” for singer Clay Aiken in LALATE’s brand new news show called “eLATEd”.

Joining its existing programs “The LALATE MINUTE” and the “LALATE HOT 10”, “eLATED” is the net’s first fan themed celebrity news program. Each broadcast will report on a major celebrity who is making news that week. Singer Clay Aiken will be the focus of the series pilot.

The four minute program is from America’s fastest growing celebrity news site, LALATE NEWS (lalate.com), and comes direct from Hollywood.

“The series takes a current newsworthy celebrity, like a musician who has a new album coming out or an actor who has a new tv series premiering, and does a retrospective biopic look at the celebrity’s career through the eyes of a fan,” says LALATE.

The show now places LALATE NEWS as producing the most online news broadcasts of any celebrity news site.

“eLATEd” continues LALATE’s core of fan-based celebrity news reporting. “Our stories are exciting and refreshing and positive. That’s what fans want. Whoever invented the idea of tearing down celebrities to build oneself up needs to take a long vacation, because LALATE is skyrocketing.”

“eLATEd” joins LALATE’s two current hit existing news programs “THE LALATE MINUTE” and celebrity ranking “LALATE HOT 10”, the first ever weekly show ranking celebrities’ online popularity based upon statistical data.

LALATE’s news broadcasts have been major hits, with viewers into the tens of thousands in just days.

ETA: As far as concerns over the CD running out of steam after one or two weeks -- remember Music Pass in June! Who knows what he has up his sleeve. I've been of the impression that they are going for more long-term promotion on this instead of the wham-bam-thank-you-maam approach.

EATA: Hey, I'm an Executive Producer! And I guess I have been for 18 or so posts -- not that I'm slow, but I am the non-observant type, apparently.

[merrieeee]

http://abcnews.go.com/entertainment

Bwah ha ha . The one thing Clay wants us to know about his album....where to buy it!

[00lsee]

I could listen to that Raleigh son rattle on all day long. He makes me smile.

[Claygasm]

http://abcnews.go.com/entertainment

Bwah ha ha . The one thing Clay wants us to know about his album....where to buy it!

Oooooo! Pretty chestnut AMA hair!!!

I miss pretty chestnut AMA here!

ETA: berkely posted this at the CH:

Check out the listings on Clay's MySpace.

May 6 2008 8:00P

Satellite Media Tour 10022

May 7 2008 8:00A

Good Morning America 10022

May 8 2008 8:00P

The View 10022

May 9 2008 8:00A

CW 11 Morning News 10022

May 9 2008 8:00P

ABC Nightline NEW YORK

May 9 2008 8:00P

The Today Show 10022

May 12 2008 8:00P

Tonight Show with Jay Leno NEW YORK

May 16 2008 8:00A

Rachel Ray NEW YORK

May 16 2008 8:00P

Jimmy Kimmel Live NEW YORK

May 20 2008 8:00P

Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson

Ok, Nightline? Nightline? Now THAT'S cool!!

Jimmy Kimmel Live - from NY?

The Today Shwo at 8PM??

And what is "Satellite Media Tour"?

[annabear]

I don't get the pessimism about first week sales (and I'm not pointing fingers here, it's pretty wide spread from what I've seen). Of course, I'm the eternal optomist, but I think that OMWH has had pretty good internet promotion, and while maybe that's not what people think it needs, to me and most people I know, that's where it's at for music. Amazon, iTunes, youtube, etc. I don't really know anyone who listens to radio anymore, and morning shows & late night TV? Those are great, and he has lots of those coming up (YAY!), but are they necessary to drive first week sales? I guess we will see. I think he'll sell at least around the same numbers he did for ATDW first week, if not more. Last time, there was so much whining in the fandom over covers and negative energy being spread around, that I think it negatively impacted sales (i.e. fans posting their Amazon "reviews" that were less than stellar, etc). However, this time there has been much excitement and rejoicing over the original tracks by the core fans, not to mention so much publicity and excitement generated by his Spamalot run. So again, I could be waaaay off base about how much that stuff matters.....I guess we'll know soon enough.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE less than 12 hours and I'll be on my way to NYC! Off to run some last minute errands (including picking up dinner.......who could cook at a time like this?????)

I was going to just quote part of this, luckiest, but hell, I'll just it all!

I could listen to that Raleigh son rattle on all day long. He makes me smile.

Me too. Thread title?

[Claygasm]

BWAH! He said "poo in my pants"!!

I LOVE listening to Clay!!! He is so damned CUTE!!!!

The Muski has landed! She just called and is on the ground at the Philadelphia airport! I told her I would leave to get her as soon as I was finished listening to Clay.

I think she understood.

Now everyone - keep your fingers crossed that my shower was fixed while I was at work.....