#31: The Very Handsome Sir Clay of Aiken

[laljeterfan]

Got home from work yesterday and started perusing the boards- and almost immediately found the AOL listening party link. Called my cousin, cause she is not on the boards AT ALL, and I had promised that we would listen to the new CD together. I asked her if she wanted to listen, and she selected "The Real Me" as a starter, then "Grace of God". Then I said "Get your ass over here and listen to the whole thing in person!" So she did. We sat down in our chairs, with very little talking between us, and just listened to the whole CD in order, grabbing kleenex as we went. After claiming "He's going to kill me", she went home.

I listened to the AOL tracks on repeat the rest of the night, until the itunes reports started creeping in, then I downloaded that, burned one copy, and took it upstairs to bed with me, listening to Clay's beautiful voice as I drifted in and out of sleep. I dreamed (TWICE!) in the middle of the night that I was pregnant!- whatever that may mean! (heh)

I am a sucker for the really romantic or really heartbreaking songs, so as I listened for the first time yesterday, the ones that made me cry were Sacrificial Love , The Real Me Something About Us and Lover All Alone - even though I've listened to it about a gazillion times over the past 2 years. I also really liked Where I Draw The Line and As Long As We're Here, and.......oh shit, I just LOVE this CD!!! And I LOVE CLAY AIKEN!!!! And I'm not gonna let any jaded old (or young) "critic" who doesn't "get" Clay to ruin my buzz! I have the whole day off- to scoot over to K-Mart to see if they have any CD's, and then spend the day with my cousin when she blows out of work. We'll go out to dinner, and belatedly celebrate her birthday (May 3rd) with a coconut -lemon cake that I ordered from Junior's, and just drive around listeneing to Clay's glorious voice. "It's gonna be a perfect day!"

Plea for help from anyone so inclined. I was never able, when ATDW came out, to burn "If You Don't Know Me By Now" to the same CD as all of the other songs on the album. I'd still like to be able to do it, and add the WalMart exclusive, which I'm assuming will also be a download, and not a regular track on the album. I tried last night to import the song into i-tunes, but it wouldn't allow me to do it. Any help or suggestions? (In really simple language, please! I'm a novice.) :F_05BL17blowkiss:

[aikim]

1 Day until Clay is on GMA!

2 Days until The View!

3 Days until The Today Show!

6 Days until Leno!

10 Days until The Climmel/Rachael Ray!

13 Days until Craig Ferguson!

Everyone have a great day!

Kim

[bottlecap]

I gave up screwing around with iTunes, and just got up early this morning and downloaded from the Amazon MP3 store - no freakin' upgrades required. I didn't want my first spins of OMWH to be at work, but hey, that's how it worked out. Right now I'm groovin' along to Everything I Don't Need.

I saw the promo for Clay's appearance on GMA tomorrow a couple of times this morning. "The man with the golden voice that America can't resist." Sorry, Canadians, I guess you're immune to the Aiken Charisma.

I FEEL HAPPY!

[claytonic]

Clay Aiken - Spamalot Scrapbook

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo2vbDzt2Ww

This is my favourite Spamalot compilation on YT, from January 18 to the appearance on the roof, and finally a message to Simon (at the very end)!

Those of us who were deprived of the Spamalot experience will enjoy it!

[aikim]

I definately think I am going to have to work on Emily to have Something About Us played at her wedding...love this song!

Kim

[Clayzorback]

"Either you're gonna rescue me, or be the death of me!"

"Turn around and see what loves done to me. You would not believe how cold I use to be!"

These are the two ear worm hooks, that have stayed with me..............Gahaaaaaaaaaaaa

[claytonic]

iTunes hates me!

Join the friggin club!!!!! :bigemo_harabe_net-24:

[bottlecap]

If it wasn't for the bonus song, I'd be willing to forego iTunes and their constant, impossible-to-load upgrades altogether. If you need a download right away without the endless hassles, try the Amazon MP3 store.

[aikim]

If it wasn't for the bonus song, I'd be willing to forego iTunes and their constant, impossible-to-load upgrades altogether. If you need a download right away without the endless hassles, try the Amazon MP3 store.

Only for Clay would I deal with Itunes, doubt I will be downloading anything more from there until Clay's next CD!

Kim

[Claygasm]

and watched them change the marquis....

Awwwww...

I was hoping someone would take these pics, chach. Thank you!

:cry4: :cry4: I miss it already. Wonder if it feels funny to Clay for it to be a Tuesday and knowing he won't be going to the Shubert today...

I saw the promo for Clay's appearance on GMA tomorrow a couple of times this morning. "The man with the golden voice that America can't resist." Sorry, Canadians, I guess you're immune to the Aiken Charisma.

I FEEL HAPPY!

I have had GMA on all morning. Now I have been and out of the room as I get ready for work, but I haven't seen the promo! What do they do, what until I leave the room to air it????

iTunes never gives me a problem. Of course, I have a Mac!

Luckily I can't even be tempted to listen this morning because I am running late. I am really looking forward to coming home tonight and immersing myself in the album and I really wish I had not listened last night when I was so tired. But then again, I was so tired I barely remember any of it so it really will be like the first time! I am hoping the Walmart CD will be here so I can here that bonus song too.

Muski, glad you made it home safe and sound! The weekend wouldn't have been the same without you! :F_05BL17blowkiss: Enjoy the CD. You MUST listen to the iTunes bonus track - but get out that Bic lighter first!

Ok, time to go to work. Hope its a fast day!

[ldyjocelyn]

I actually really like the iTunes interface. HOWEVER -- I do find that my computer gives me fits when I use it. Example: I left iTunes open overnight so that I could get up this morning and just click "on" again. Instead, my computer froze up overnight -- the screensaver specifically. While they may not be related, I'd bet they are. OTOH, I'm glad I plugged in my iPod early enough last night to get all the updates needed (which I do have to admit are a pain....)

One more thing about iTunes -- I'd like to thank them for getting their act in gear for us, and having the download ready earlier than we all were expecting. It was nice to listen to the album twice and still get to bed before 1:00 a.m.!

A word about reviews: I'm a librarian, and a collector, and feel semi-complete records should be kept of things like reviews -- both positive and negative. Therefore, almost all the reviews will be put in the Fast Forward News Section. This isn't to keep discussions of particularly jerk-y reviews off the main thread so much as to try to keep in the spirit of Clay's "here's to not caring." I personally think that is a great motto, and I think I speak for Ansa and couchie on this as well.

Meanwhile -- I'm still in love with this album. I went to sleep singing WOTW, and woke up singing TRM. There's so MUCH to this album; so many layers that I'm so willing to peel away. This is an album to be savored, and in many different ways. Through kick-ass computer speakers (doing that now); through headphones (later this morning); through a kick ass stereo system (again later today); and through my car speakers (when I'm out this afternoon running errands). As a matter of fact, I think I'm going to grab lunch at Sonic (now that we have one here, *waves at kf*), sitting in my car, with the windows down, blasting the album.

But first, a shower....and more coffee. And then, I think K-Mart is calling me. I'm going to hold off on stopping at WalMart for now -- I can wait a little longer for my bonus track to come in the mail.

[Iseeme]

Morning. Can I join the iTunes hates me club? I don't know what I did, actually, but finally got the CD to download last night. Thought it was just user error until I saw y'all were having the same problems. I thought iTunes was supposed to be intuitive. Anyway it was worth it because I love the bonus track. And LOVE the whole CD! I'm still really, really partial to The Real Me but then Sacrificial Love and Something About Us are right in there too. It's too soon to have a favorite. Have to listen to it a few hundred more times.

Off to work in the Bay Area today.

[luckiest1]

I guess maybe iTunes is easier to use for those of us with iPods? Cuz I don't have problems with iTunes itself, it works like a charm (although I know it is a memory hog and can really wreak havoc on slower or older systems). I was getting frustrated with my iPod, though, because for some reason lately iTunes wasn't recognizing it, or if it did, saying it had either a file error or was corrupt. Hopefully that iPod software update that it installed last night did the trick!

I couldn't resist this morning, I needed a few things before work anyways, so I hit Walmart (not that we have the bonus track in Canada, but it is open before 8 am). The poor girls in electronics had no idea what I was on about but she gamely started searching through boxes of new stuff before we found two whole rows of OMWH in the new release section, already shelved! LOL. I only planned to buy one, but decided that I HAD to have a extra copy in the car, so I bought two. I think she thought I was kinda nuts cute, cuz I instinctively hugged them to me when she handed them to me. GAH, I love the smell of a fresh CD, don't you?

[cindilu2]

I know I'm a ballad-ho, and easy and all that jazz. But oh my god, the word 'frailty' in The Real Me takes whatever string it is that's attached to my goosebump switch and yanks it every single time.

GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

ETA: the Walmart at White Oaks, luckiest? I feel a lunch hour road trip coming on if Amazon doesn't come through for me today.

[ldyjocelyn]

Just read here that "It's In Every One of Us" was sung at Jim Henson's funeral.

*sob*

[duckyvee]

I love iTunes. I use it all the time on my Mac, but never tried it on my PC.

I just couldn't stay awake to listen to the CD last night, but downloaded it first thing this morning.

I need to listen lots more before I make any specific comments, but I have to say that there are some incredible sounds! My syllable collection will be getting more than a few additions.

[muskifest]

iTunes downloaded? Check.

iTunes loaded onto iPod? Check.

AOL CD listening thingy clicked on multiple times? Check.

Any songs listened to? Well.....only part of the iTunes bonus song.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Carrie's in the shower and then I take her and her friend to a coffee shop so they can hang until school. Then I'm off!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Need speaker wire...

Is Radio Shack open at 7 am?

Hee, I oh-so-casually asked hubby last night if he was planning to work from home today (as he sometimes does). He said, "nope, goin' in". I LOVE hubby, but....

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Now only Shadow and I will be here to listen! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

[annabear]

I love, Love, LOVE the iTunes bonus track!!! Ok, I love, Love, LOVE the entire CD!!! So many different songs, yet the same beautiful voice on all of them.... I kinda love, Love, LOVE that Clay Aiken guy, too!!!

Here's hoping annabear or ldyjocelyn has extra K-mart cds today. PM me. I have PayPal.

I'll be making a run to Starbucks & K-Mart shortly and will report back with my findings!

I am a sucker for the really romantic or really heartbreaking songs, so as I listened for the first time yesterday, the ones that made me cry were Sacrificial Love , The Real Me Something About Us and Lover All Alone - even though I've listened to it about a gazillion times over the past 2 years. I also really liked Where I Draw The Line and As Long As We're Here, and.......oh shit, I just LOVE this CD!!! And I LOVE CLAY AIKEN!!!! And I'm not gonna let any jaded old (or young) "critic" who doesn't "get" Clay to ruin my buzz!

You are me, laljeterfan, on all of this!

I've always loved LAA, but it does sound different when presented with this set of songs rather than ATDW. Listening to it now, in the context of this album, it seems to me that in 2006 it was a teaser saying, "This is what is yet to come....."

As I said above, I'll be making a K-Mart run then I've got to get my butt in gear and finish up a Sir Robin bear for the SW Ohio CD release party this evening. And since I procrastinated so much last week, trying to decide whether I was going to go this weekend or not, I've got a TON of work to do on the bear today. Oh well - I've got Clay's "breathy tenor" (TM some review) to keep me company!

[ldyjocelyn]

The satellite TV interviews are starting to show up (meaning: MORE CLACK!!! EEEEEEE!).

From RedBay at the CB:

That was very nice. He looked great. The interviewer was very upbeat and appreciative of Clay. I am sure someone somewhere capped it.

He talked about how he needs to be Clay Aiken not someone else when recording (Stay in your own line remark). He said he is blessed to still be in the record/recording industry. He used "we" throughout and did mention the "if I was at a club (but I don't go to clubs) and they played Clay Aiken I would leave- I love and respect this man so much but I wish he wouldn't say that.

Anyway it was great.

lindylo at CV wrote

I listened to the stream on the Atlanta station of the satelite interview. Clay looked good, brown jacket, pinkish shirt, hair parted off centre. Said usual stuff about the album, said he's as far from a sex symbol as he can get and you wouldn't want to hear his music in clubs,etc. I wish he wouldn't say negative things about himself though. Said he didn't know what to do with himself tonight when he didn't have to go to the theatre at 6:30. Announcer said well he would be watching Idol and seemed so surprised when Clay said he hadn't watched for three years and used the high school football analogy.

cravingclay at CV wrote:

I just saw him on the Baltimore station. Talked a little about how he just finished Spamalot and recorded the album during the day. Has not slept since Jan. 17. Talked about the songs on the album being connected, experiences everybody goes through. etc. News lady told him since they've been advertising his spot on the show their phones have been ringing off the hook. Told him he has a lot of fans in Baltimore. He said they like to come to Baltimore and enjoy it here. She said something about him using regular people in his videos. He said he couldn't use pretty people or he would be the ugly one in the video. She said, "Oh, pulease!" (He was looking particularly gorgeous). She asked about idol and what the atmosphere would be like when down to the final 4. He said he thinks its so different now than it was when he was there that he didn't think he could compare it to his experience where everyone was just in awe, that now he thinks the contestants are much more prepared. She ended with, "Clay Aiken, you're just it....you've got IT." Yes he does!!!!!

From demeter at CV

I hope somebody was able to capture the FOX Chicago clip. It was different than what I am hearing was the Atlanta clip.

Clay looked gorgeous, of course.

Talked about the album some. Asked what his favorite was on the album, said he couldn't choose but then explained OMWH as the starting point. Showed clips of the studio recording while they were talking. Talked about maturing. Some songs personal to him, some just universal. Not any one lesson because it is all about maturing. Sometimes after school, for him maybe after AI experience and living this new life.

A little talk about Spamalot. Just finished. Hasn't had two days off since October. Yesterday first day off in a month. Showed Spamalot clips while talking.

Female anchor from S. Carolina? Asked if he is dating anyone. Said "we've" been recording during the day and at the theatre at night.

Someone mentioned that he had said he would sing the Crawdad song after Idol if someone wanted him to. Said yes, they were all amateurs then and it was exciting just getting off Idol. They showed pics of him in the This Is The Night suit. They were joking around about the Crawdad song. He said the girl should be familiar with it. She wasn't. But the guys were and they mentioned Andy Griffith. They asked him if he would sing some of it, he joked around and said didn't think he could because of copyright issues.

They were all positive toward him and after he was gone they talked some more about how his appearance has changed from the "geeky" look of Idol (showed the audition clip) to this good looking guy now. Then plugged the album again after he was gone.

Some of this might not be in the correct order and I'm sure I left some stuff out. But it was a good piece.

I'm going out in a few minutes as well to get KMart copies. I'll pick up a few extra.

[muskifest]

Hey, Couchie! Looks like I'll be heading your way! Going to the KMart near you...gotta get the copy with the extra song, of course...heeee!

So...the WalMart copy is not an extra song? Just a poster?

[annabear]

Hey, Couchie! Looks like I'll be heading your way! Going to the KMart near you...gotta get the copy with the extra song, of course...heeee!

So...the WalMart copy is not an extra song? Just a poster?

Other way around, muski - WalMart has an extra song, KMart has a poster.

[muskifest]

Oh...well. What's the poster?

[Couch Tomato]

Hey, Couchie! Looks like I'll be heading your way! Going to the KMart near you...gotta get the copy with the extra song, of course...heeee!

So...the WalMart copy is not an extra song? Just a poster?

Other way around, muski - WalMart has an extra song, KMart has a poster.

Hey Muski, well you know Walmart is right around the corner from where I work. Call me! LOL.

[playbiller]

Well, I think Fear got Itunes working about 3:30 for me. Now, how do you get the CD to have the names of the tracks on it, instead of track 1, track 2.... I have all the information in the playlist.

Fear installed Itunes a few days ago, my installation always froze on one computer and crashed the other, then every time I tried to create the playlist, the software crashed fora few hours, then when I got the playlist up, it was about an hour to get the burn option available. One step at a time, at least the label only took 20 minutes to create and 19 to burn.

Why were we doing this so late at night? I talked Fear into taking the bus to NYC (should have drove in. We found we could still get a wrist band, there were enough, but the store stunk at giving them out and we had to leave long before we could have gotten to the fron of the line, as we watched one person after anouther peel off to make their last bus, Fear was afraid we would miss ours. I told her we could run and make it in 15 minutes, but she didn't believe me, but there was no way the line would ever move fast enough. I think they started with not enough clerks or preparation well after midnight. Chalk it up to another adventure.

[laughn]

I am home for two nano seconds before I have to leave for work...again...

I went to K-Mart first thing, 'cuz I am having one busy day, and grabbed a couple copies of the CD. (got bottlecaps and two extras for anyone who might want them) No poster yet. The gal said they were expecting a shipment from UPS this morning and she would call me when they got in. She was so cute. Said that sometimes happens, the CDs and the posters get out of sync. She said they have a load of Mariah Carey posters that came in at the same time as the CDs but nobody wanted to take them. Then she looked at the OMWH ad in the flier with the poster pic, fingered it and said, "but this one, umm, yeah...people will want this" I kid you not. Cracked me up. As I was leaving she asked, "You wouldn't know of anyone who would want some Mariah Carey posters, would you?"