#31: The Very Handsome Sir Clay of Aiken

[Iseeme]

Thanks Desertflower....the West really IS more than just California. I can drive to Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, etc. and would if there was a reason. Let's just hope that the CD sells well and some thought is put into the dates and places.

OH - the last JNT here in Oakland was the Friday night AFTER Thanksgiving!!! Not too many people were in the mood to hear Christmas songs. Just saying......

Watched the Tyra segment finally. Good Lord - that girl had her hands all over his chest! That was too funny. Had that been me I probably would have had a heart attack .............

[Clayzorback]

People, people, people. Stop speed reading my posts, and you won't misinterpret them. Sheesh........

First off, for the last 4 years I have pretty much figured out that Clay is never going to appeal to the teens and his peer group, for the most part. I have posted time and time again that he attracts an older demographic and have been lambasted on more than 1,000 occassions for saying so. Strolls down Memory Lane at OFC. Hee Hee!

He will never be a rock star or a hit on top 40. He is AC and that is where I have always felt he belongs. Because of the way he sings, and what he chooses to sing. Not a criticism, just a fact. He is a song stylist. An interpreter of the lyrics.I am not upset that he can't get kids or think he can't have a career without them. I just said that I thought Spamalot gave him an image change that might be considered more cool to the youner crowd. In response to those posts talking about a younger fanbase. However, though, I felt they would change their mind if they heard the ballad songs on his new CD. They don't appeal to that demographic enough for Clay to ever be a big hit on top 40. Thank you Kim for posting that comment about what Clay said regarding the 40's big band era. That is where my remark, about those two songs appealing to that era came from. I didn't mean only people born in that time would love the songs. I was just referring to the way he sings them in a style that is a throwback to a different era. I was speaking figuratively.

I know that QVC attracts his demographic not teens and 20 somethings. I think I posted that when we first discovered he had a gig on there, I felt it was a great opportunity for him to reach out and enlarge his demographic by being on this show. I am his target age and the songs did not appeal to me, at all, the way he sang them live on the show. I just felt it was a bad showing. 15,000 cds sold on QVC with the viewership they have is paltry, by my estimations. I am disappointed. I think he could of sold double that if they had of just played the tracks off the cd instead of him singing when he was not prepared or ill or too tired or whatever. I thought his allergies might be acting up.

I love you too keepingfaith :F_05BL17blowkiss: and we do disagree about the touring. There is a reason why he has not been able to get tour sponsers. I think it is because he can't fill the big venues. 2-3 thousand tickets sold is a far cry from the QWEST in Omaha or The Ford Center in Oklahoma City. I agree that Clay has fans that are not online but where are they when he tours? It's his hard core internet fans, I feel that are going from one show to the next that is the captive audience he has. I don't think it will always be that way, at least I hope not. Now I need to go watch me some politics. Because I have turned into the political junkie this year.

[muskifest]

omg.

Those two should take it on the road. Just think---the men would flock to see Hannah's huge tracks of land and the women would flock to see Clay's huge tract of land....and all would be totally BLOWNTHEFUCKAWAY by the unreal beauty of two amazing voices and the

magical sound they make together.

What a stellar blending of talent.

Gah.

[liney23]

Geesh, louise... I have been trying for two days to catch up so I could post. The discussions on the fan base and age and OTT and eyeliner and career and.... have been very interesting (in a good way, LOL). This board is the best! We let everyone be diverse in their thinking and that is just GREAT! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

I interrupt this topic of conversation only to announce that I have finally & completely lost the rest of my mind....

And that I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible this weekend in NYC!!! :nana:

anna... Way to go!!! And, congrats on the medical news! Whew!

Welllllllllllllllllllll - there is a report that Clay and Hannah were holding hands before the papparazzi showed up yesterday! I thought posting a little gossip might change the subject nicely!!!!

And what, might I ask, were they doing in a grocery store at 10:00a.m.??? Buying apple juice no doubt! Awwwwww..........

Iseeme... I saw that, too. She told someone at stagedoor that he was the nicest man she had ever met. Now, if she was younger, then that would be the kiss of death, but since she is a lovely mature 33, that's a good basis for a relationship... be it friendly or more.

Eyeliner? How many of "us" would go up on stage as a performer without makeup? Those lights are BRIGHT. His eyes are so beautiful, I love that they are accentuated. I love how Clay looked in the QVC appearance. I think he's looked HAWT at the stage door the 2 times I've been there. I think he'll look HAWT this weekend when I see him live and in person, even if it's only in his Spamalot wig.

I can't wait for Saturday!

luckiest... I can't wait for Saturday, either, if he's only going to be wearing his Spamalot wig... especially "if is't only in his Spamalot wig"... way to go, girl!

I guess my point is, from what I could tell from these songs, I wouldn't expect them to be big hits with the teens and early 20-somethings who seem to mostly love rap and dance music. But most of those songs TO ME seemed cross-generational. Of all the songs I heard that night I loved SAU the best. I thought it was very sexy, smokey, jazzy and that appealed to me, and while I am not a youngster I am definitely not from the 40's!

I have never understood why his music has to appeal to the teens and 20-somethings. Is there any more fickle an age group than that? Someone they LOVE today is old news tomorrow as they move on to the next person. That doesn't bode well for longevity! I suppose to be a "cool" pop star you have to appeal to that age group, be heard in dance clubs and be a hit on Top 40 radio.

Well I think its about to time this fandom comes to accept that Clay is not the usual "pop" star. I think he's forging his own path. I would like him to get radio play but I am sure it would be on AC or maybe Hot AC. Would that be so bad? Artists played on those formats sell CDs. Not only old fogeys listen to those stations. I work with a girl who is 27 and she listens to an AC station all day!

The thing for me is that Clay is successful enough to be around for a long time. To accomplish that he will have to expand his fanbase. But that doesn't mean he has to expand it just to the teens and young 20-somethings. He just has to gain new fans - young, old and everything in between.

CG... (bolding mine) Very right on, girl! Simon was right (ducks way down, bobs and weaves) that Clay is not what they were looking for. They were looking for a Justin, bubble gum pop star. Clay is so much more and is indeed forging his own path. If the goal of him being a pop star in the Justin vein is given up, then he can just be an immensely popular entertainer and all ages can apply.

I think he knows that. That's why he is doing music he likes the best he can do it and he figures people will like it or not. Same with himself. He's going to just be him and let people decide to like him or not.

This cd is going to get some new, younger fans based on the uptempo songs and the meaningful lyrics on the ballads. I really believe that!

[playbiller]

There can be perfect sized venues anywhere, they still have to request Clay - they get to choose, not Clay.

Sohow do you get Clay where you want him (heh) and how do you then fill up the stadium, considering most people here do not believe Clay wants to be another Rolling stone.

[muskifest]

jsut have to gah again...now I've watched the very fuzzy video, but I don't even carea bout that...they sound soooooo beautiful together....

I'm gonna be sitting there on the bus with a freakin' idiotic grin on my face all the way home...

[merrieeee]

OMG there is going to be better audio! I will not survive!

[bottlecap]

Not that I'm jealous of Hannah or how good she looks with my boyfriend or anything, but would it be difficult to get her deported?

[annabear]

That gave me chills! Beeeyuuutifulll! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

[Thankful4Clay]

HQ Audio of Clay and Hannah singing The Prayer from the Broadway Cares event.

The Prayer

[aikim]

Wow! That was just beautiful. Love it when Clay sings with a partner who actually knows how to sing a duet with give and take and doesn't try and overpower him.

Heather Headley and now Hannah, best duets ever.

Kim

[Ansamcw]

That truly made me cry...I always watned Clay to sing this song...when he sang it with Quiana I figured I had to accept that his pop placement was just not quite right for this song...

BUT WOW!!! this is a whole different Clay singing with Hannah...

first of all...her voice is fantastic...

then he comes in with his low register...WOW!!! the fullness the timbre...the tone...beautiful. This kind of strong an gorgeous low register is really tough to find with someone that has such a great range.

then they sang together...wow ...that was just soo beautiful...the best duet partner for Clay.

I hope they record a duet together...go on the road together...OMG that was just...EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

and Play and Couchie saw this live...EEEEEEEEEEEEEE you girls were sooo lucky!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

ok...Clayzorback...I pretty much understand where you are coming from and a lot of our POV jive, I guess the big difference is I really liked clay;s performance on QVC. Yeah he had a few voice bauble...but all in all OMWH sounded pretty close to CD...EIDN was just fantastic with different textures and I loveed all the songs. I guess this is just a difference in perception and taste.

[Ansamcw]

OMG that high quality audio...its just sublime!!!! I have never heard his voice so strong ...so beautiful...so pure and oh yeah there were parts there that he totally was stronger than Hannah..She is fantastic but there were parts there that I pretty much forget she was singing...just can;t help but focus on his voice.

SNIFF...can we have this as a bonus track!!!! without the laughters of course..

[annabear]

GAH. That hq audio is beautifully lethal.

[muskifest]

HQ Audio of Clay and Hannah singing The Prayer from the Broadway Cares event.

The Prayer

Thank you, Thankful! :F_05BL17blowkiss: I'm downloading now....

[laughn]

OMG that high quality audio...its just sublime!!!! I have never heard his voice so strong ...so beautiful...so pure and oh yeah there were parts there that he totally was stronger than Hannah..She is fantastic but there were parts there that I pretty much forget she was singing...just can;t help but focus on his voice.

SNIFF...can we have this as a bonus track!!!! without the laughters of course..

Sometimes I think Clay Aiken is like Michigan J. Frog. We get to hear him like this, but the general public, aside from the Broadway crowd, will not. *sigh*

I hope more people will hear the magic we hear with this new CD.

[wandacleo]

Interesting discussions going on and I'm a day behind, as usual.

I don't much care who goes to see Clay as long as someone does and I don't care if it's the same people over and over and I don't care if they're old or young. TV shows are usually taped at a time when young people are at school or work, so most audiences are "mature." I don't care. I'm not jealous of anyone. I find some fans a pain in the ass. I find some NON-fans a pain in the ass.

That pretty much covers it.

Oh yes, Clay is hot. (Am I too f%$king old to notice????!!! OMG!!)

[muskifest]

(Am I too f%$king old to notice????!!! OMG!!)

[ldyjocelyn]

Wow. What a great performance.

Now, I've got to say that I watched the video first...and so I even don't mind the laughter interruptions. I hear that laughter, and I smile from the idea of all that silliness going on around Clay and Hannah.

But their voices together? Amazing. Deep voice Clay is simply guh.

I'm toast.

[YSRN]

Did they get any more magnets? Does anyone know?

[Claygasm]

Did they get any more magnets? Does anyone know?

Don't know, Twin, but I'll ask this weekend and if they do I'll get you one!

I can send it to you with the jackets I have had since last summer......

That was mighty purdy. I wish Clay was deep voice Clay more often!

My favorite part though was after the applause when the person said "Its a shame neither of those two can sing"!

The Broadway community respects and admires real talent and hard work and I think that is why they seem to have embraced Clay.

I feel happy!

[playbiller]

Yes, they did get more magnets.

[ldyjocelyn]

Saw this at the CH. Get those credit cards ready:

It's being reported on the Talkin' Broadway message board that the Easter Bonnet DVD will be available in a few weeks (if things are like previous years) at this website:

www.broadwaybeat.com

If you click on the "Order Forms" link in the left column at this page, you can see the order form that has LAST year's show available for DVD.

Anyway, folks at the TB message board seem confident it will be available very soon at this website.

[Couch Tomato]

Hey Muskifest..I would love to come over for a beer...give me about 5 days ok? :F_05BL17blowkiss:

I'm so happy there is audio and video.All I ever know how to say is he was great, wonderful, fantastic. Totally forgot to warn ya'll about deep voiced Clay! I feel happy too!!

And the entire program will be worth it. I hope they do make it available.

[liney23]

Well, I have listened to that 2,936,546,394 times and it is just so gorgeous. I cannot wait for the DVD! I hope Clay warns them to print a LOT!!! WOW!!!

They are wonderful together and I sincerely hope in more ways than one! (hehe)

That deep voice has done me in... I think I've been permanently changed in some basic way!

And, the range... O.M.G. Anyone there who thought he was just a pop star just found out differently! Just take the "pop" out of his title.... he is a STAR!!! (tho I think some part of me popped!)

S.W.O.O.N.