#32: Man with titanium balls and the voice to back them up!

[Gibby]

Oh...and those pics? The first thing I thought of when I saw them (after I'd cleaned up) was that if that pic were to be circulated around with out a tag--without his name on it....I bet a whole lotta women would be thinking, "HOLY SHIT! Who the hell is THAT? Dayum! Gimme some, etc."

Likewise, I betcha that because his name is with the pic, a whole lotta assholes will have something derogatory to say about him. Never mind that the same assholes might actually have been in the category of the drooling masses described above, if they'd never even heard of Clay.

I mean...these pics are HAWT.

And I STILL don't understand Jamie's presence everywhere. Doesn't she have a son? I'm not trying to stir anything up, but it's just odd to me...Admittedly, I don't know squat about being famous so I guess it's necessary (?) to have someone basically be attached at the hip (heh) everywhere you go in order to make sure your hair is coiffed correctly :8:

Shit, he looks good.

BWAH, Muski, I knew you'd be gagagagagaga over those pics!! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

[Penny]

Can someone give me a link to Good Day L.A.? I feel like a DWEEB, I cannot find it around...

thanks!!

[ldyjocelyn]

Clack Unlimited (CU) link to downloading the GDLA clip

WOOHOO on the performance for Kimmel! YAY! That's great, can't wait to see it!

Ansa, I lurve the Rachael Ray preview. He's so adorable, I've watched it too many times already today!

[muskifest]

BWAH, Muski, I knew you'd be gagagagagaga over those pics!!

Well, D101!

Too bad I'm just as sure you can't really appreciate their true gah factor...

:lmaosmiley-1:

Finally! A true summer-feeling day! And Carrie gets to play softball in a black uniform with long pants!

YEAY! for singing Clay on Kimmel! YEAY! Oooooh! Wouldn't it be great if he ended up doing an impromptu mini-Pontiac Garage concert!?!?!?!??!

yeah, yeah...I know...but a girl can dream...

[Clayzorback]

Holy Crapoly.............

I'll haaaave to stay awake tonight to see "Lost" eyecandy, Josh Holloway with Dierks Bently!!!! AND Clay is going to sing and lounge Friday? I'll need some NoDoze, to stay awake for these nights............. Then some smelling salts to bring me back around, so that I can take a sleeping pill to put me in dreamland. Where I can dream about a threesome...........Triple whammy for me......Eat your hearts out...........

[Lotus]

EEEEE...Here are a lot more of those gorgeous photos.

Hot Celebrity Photos

Good to see that his hotness is recognized.

[ldyjocelyn]

Yummy pictures from Pacific Coast News

From the same lunch outing....but in biggie size! Hee.

Guh...

[Gibby]

BWAH, Muski, I knew you'd be gagagagagaga over those pics!!

Well, D101!

Too bad I'm just as sure you can't really appreciate their true gah factor...

Yeah, right.

NOT!!!

Okay, long assed music post ahead. Tell me if this is too much detail, okay? As a musician I automatically start analyzing music I like, cuz it's fun for me, but some may not be interested in all this stuff!

As Long As We're Here -

This song is in the key of C# minor. I like how it starts out with a mournful electric guitar sound, and gradually adds instruments for a nice layered effect. I REALLY like Clay's vocal styling on 'hands' in the first verse (in the phrase 'though my hands'). Gorgeous little bit of melisma there! I like how the entire band comes in and rocks out a bit at the chorus. Again, the celtic fiddle and the out of tune piano add to the mournful sound through the rest of the song. As others mentioned, I like the swaying feel of the 3/4 time signature.

I don’t love the way Clay sings 'why' (in the phrase 'we're gonna understand why'). For me it's not his strongest vocalization, except on the next to last chorus, where he wails it gloriously! On the other choruses it might have worked better if Kipper had put some instrumentation on the same note with Clay. But that's a very little quibble in an album full of amazing production and singing! Clay’s singing in the rest of the song is great - I really get the feeling that he connects with the lyrics!

The instrumental interlude with the celtic fiddle is very nice! It sets up a quieter mood for the bridge. The harmony, instruments and singing in are absolutely lovely in the bridge (’When you’re with me, I breathe easy, You are my need, Right now love me”). I like that the album ends without resolving (going back to the tonic chord).

Lyrically there's a lot to like, too. These are my favorite lyrics in the song:

Some people live their lives

Holding their fears inside them

Afraid to build windows to let the

Light of the world in

They hide in the darkness of

Self-imposed walls

If they could just tear them down

They’d have it all

Yes! Couldn’t agree more. And he sings it purdy, too!

BTW, this song could be performed in concert without having to lug around an actual out-of-tune piano. I’ve played on a couple of electric keyboards that have settings for almost every sound you can think of, including an out-of-tune piano. One of the settings for an out-of-tune piano is named honky tonk! Of course, Clay might decided that he wants the actual instrument there if he likes how it sounds better.

Ashes -

Yay, an uptempo song! It’s in the key of F minor. I really like how the feel of the song, particularly the chorus, is triumphant. It does a good job of conveying the ‘rising up from the ashes’ theme of the song.

I really like the settings on the electric guitar in this song. The backup harmonies are cool, particularly in the chorus. The backup vocals are mixed really well on the CD so that they complement and don’t overwhelm. It’s much harder to achieve that balance in a live performance. The verses occasionally have some sparse vocal backup (‘a million pieces left to hold,’ ‘looking back’, etc.); I really like the open, sparse vocal harmony there.

I’ve posted before how about how much I like the bass guitarist on the album. He rocks! Especially if you have a system with a good bass sound. The bass comes in halfway through the first verse, and I’m always thrilled to hear it. He plays sparsely, but with a syncopated beat, for awhile. Then, in the chorus, he plays in steady, loud eighth notes. And makes me want to dance!

The repetitive chord progression in the chorus is catchy, and I just had to figure it out - here it is:

Fm - Db - Ab - Eb

I am impressed on this entire album how well Clay manages to sing all of the different genres. I love his rock voice! He really wails and belts this song! And he does it without damaging his voice, and without a gravelly, grating sound. His rock is actually in tune, but yet he sings it convincingly by giving just the right punch to certain notes and phrases. I think his voice sounds so cool with the electronic effects toward the end when he sings ‘turn around and see what loves done for me’, and then he immediately belts out ‘you would not believe . . . ‘ Yay!!! It makes me want to dance!

Of course, the lyrics are great, too - all about overcoming the awful stuff in life, and being better for having gone through them. I like it that the ‘fire’ imagery stays alive throughout the song with the words ember, flames, fire and, of course, ashes.

[Clayzorback]

Those pics of Clay.........Too Hot. Thank you sweetheart for giving me the Keith Urban hair. It is coming along nicely. Growing like a weed. Muah....... :F_05BL17blowkiss: :big hug:

ANNABEAR/AKA Mrs Santa Claus.....My poster and K-Mart CD came just now. You have made me one happy woman. Thank you for reaching out to me and offering to help. I will surely return the favor for you or pass on one to another Claymate in need.

[Ansamcw]

CG, thanks for posting the article for me. Hubby came to take me to lunch just as I was ready to load the article into photobucket. And I couldn't tell hubby "My readers at FCA are waiting for me!" Hee.

I think the article is very interesting, and I love this little section:

I'm not a politician. I'm not trying to get votes and get people to like me. It's not what I'm here to do. I want to do what I'm good at. If you like me, great. If you don't, you don't have to. I don't sit down and calculate what I might do and how that might help me get someone to like my music. I just do what I like to do and what I'm good at. I put it out there and if good things happen and more people like me this time around than before, that's great. But if I only appeal to females this time around, that's great too.

It sounds to me that he's got his head on straight regarding so much of his career -- he tries his best, and the pieces fall what may. He's a straight-up guy, and IMO he doesn't care all that much (maybe a little) about some silly bloggers who think his career is over.

I love this quote too ldyJ...to me this is his anti-marketing ploy answer. I remember I used to argue with the marketing experts on my other board...I mean yeah there are all kinds of ways that clay can change what he sings, how he looks, how he acts, what he says...to fit the perfect marketing image that would appeal to te desired demographic....BUT he does not want to because to him its about being real and true to himself. Thats why to me I am not stressing about the sales and promo. I think whats important is that he finds the music that truly represent him. That he makes his artistic vision real. If it will connect to people that didn't use to like him great...if it only appeals to his current fanbase...nothing wrong with that either.

GIbby....I love it when musicians chime in about the music. I really haven;t had any time recently to posts about ALAWH and Ashes...but I will try to make comments later.

[aikim]

Okay, finally got home from work and was able to actually look at the pictures in detail instead of stealing looks on the side when I was supposed to be working... He is looking very good and it just that Clay Aiken having lunch and talking on his I-phone is newsworthy and had the photogs going nuts. Yeah, career is so over.....not! Totally made my day!

I loved that article in Speak Out...especially loved his response to the Krippa question!

for a perfomance on Kimmel...can't wait.

Off to download the Clay/Ray promo!

Kim

[annabear]

Yay! Glad the CD & poster arrived so quickly, Clayzor - and together, even!

I like your in-depth music analysis posts, Gibby. It's interseting to me because I have absolutely no musical knowledge WHATSOEVER! Unlike most kids, I always wanted to take the dreaded music lessons growing up, but it just wasn't possible. I've tried since on my own. Not successfully.....

I forgot to chime in on ALAWH yesterday. I really like the song, especially the Celtic sound. My favorite part is the way he builds, starting with "when you're with me" and ending with "right now love me". So much emotion in that little section! GAH.

I'll have to do my Ashes listening this evening.

for the Kimmel performance confirmation!

[KAndre]

KAndre looks with envy at Gibby's analysis and decides to steal plagarize appropriately modify it for her own use...

As Long As We're Here

I think the song is in the key of c# minor too (which I think is one of those black keys on the piano - but since the piano is out of tune, it could be a white key. Of course, guitar don't have keys (I don't think), so never mind. Due to mucho and deeply detailed analysis, I have determined that there are stringed instruments (by looking at Gibby's review)). Wait, I think I need another parend!)

Here's the original part: Man, Clay sings pretty! (Gibby said purdy! Ha!)

Apparently there's a bridge. Not a suspension bridge, like the Golden Gate, but one of those rocky ones crossing a swiftly running stream in some place like Ireland and Clay's wearing one of those big off-white cable knit sweaters with a pair of narrow legged black pants (with a big ass heater off screen because you know the boy will be freezing) and it's misty and his layered, almost shoulder length chestnut locks are damp and he's singing the chorus (wait, maybe that's the chorus and not the bridge. OK, y'all pick one and go with it.)

So that makes this the bestest song ever.

[keepingfaith]

I'm not a politician. I'm not trying to get votes and get people to like me. It's not what I'm here to do. I want to do what I'm good at. If you like me, great. If you don't, you don't have to. I don't sit down and calculate what I might do and how that might help me get someone to like my music. I just do what I like to do and what I'm good at. I put it out there and if good things happen and more people like me this time around than before, that's great. But if I only appeal to females this time around, that's great too.

It sounds to me that he's got his head on straight regarding so much of his career -- he tries his best, and the pieces fall what may. He's a straight-up guy, and IMO he doesn't care all that much (maybe a little) about some silly bloggers who think his career is over.

I love this quote too ldyJ...to me this is his anti-marketing ploy answer. I remember I used to argue with the marketing experts on my other board...I mean yeah there are all kinds of ways that clay can change what he sings, how he looks, how he acts, what he says...to fit the perfect marketing image that would appeal to te desired demographic....BUT he does not want to because to him its about being real and true to himself. Thats why to me I am not stressing about the sales and promo. I think whats important is that he finds the music that truly represent him. That he makes his artistic vision real. If it will connect to people that didn't use to like him great...if it only appeals to his current fanbase...nothing wrong with that either.

GIbby....I love it when musicians chime in about the music. I really haven;t had any time recently to posts about ALAWH and Ashes...but I will try to make comments later.

Aha, maybe Clay's going after that huge anti-marketing market! GENIUS!

[Claygasm]

Saw this at the CH which they found on CB posted by someone at CV? Or something like that.....

woke up to "On My Way Here" on radio!!

well, technically I hit the snooze a few times UNTIL ...suddenly... popping out of bed became bliss because I could do it to the sounds of OMC

101.5 the River in Toledo Ohio runs a "Smash or Trash" of new songs every Thursday. I listened last week, hoping. But it was today's pick and they treated it like a mystery for the callers to identify this artist who hasn't been heard from for "quite a while" (check your cd stack from '06 djs). Both djs felt he sounds different because he's not "over-singing".

6 out of 6 callers rated it a SMASH-----two identified it as Clay and identified themselves as fans--------the sixth caller & winner was a man who guessed that it was Josh "Grogan"...but when told it was Clay, was "Oh, yeah Clay Aiken"

The male dj Rick said that after hearing "On My Way Here" he's actually interested in listening to the rest of the cd. (which he can do at their station's website if he checks it out)

So, maybe people actually like OMWH? So maybe it wasn't a bad choice for a first single?? Maybe?? (of course, I never thought it was a bad choice....)

Gibby, as another who knows diddly about the technical aspects fo music, it was very interesting to read your analysis. And KAndre, yours was, um, very interesting.

[bottlecap]

So, maybe people actually like OMWH? So maybe it wasn't a bad choice for a first single?? Maybe?? (of course, I never thought it was a bad choice....)

Well, of course, radio listeners in northwestern Ohio have EXCELLENT taste. Waves to laughn.

[cha cha trusty]

Has anyone tried printing the digital booklet that comes with the itunes download?

So far I've had no luck! I mean - it prints, but was it too much too expect that it would actually fit in a CD jewel case after it printed? The first time around it printed full page, and then I reduced the size and it came out two pages on one and too small for a jewel case.

Ho Hum........ any suggestions??

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Long As We're Here.....

This is the song that has been running around in my head the past few days, even upon waking in the morning....

What is that weird little sound in the instrumentation at the beginning? It sounds like someone doing some serious exhaling........ or whatnot. Or some sort of fluttering instrument.

Love the word MY head - in the second line (0:30) - GUH!

Love the plaintive WHYYYYYYYYYYYYY??????

Love the Celtic strings -- one of my fave sounds

"Windows to let the light of the WORLD in"?? (was that a typo Gibby?)

Love the bridge -- and KAndre's description of it!!

"RIGHT NOW LOVE ME!!!!" (oh ok)

LOVE the piano notes at the end!! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

sorry I'm a day behind on this - had important playlist-making/disc-burning/booklet-printing stuff to do!!

Time to listen to ASHES!!

[laughn]

So, maybe people actually like OMWH? So maybe it wasn't a bad choice for a first single?? Maybe?? (of course, I never thought it was a bad choice....)

Well, of course, radio listeners in northwestern Ohio have EXCELLENT taste. Waves to laughn.

That radio info was originally posted by maidenfreckledpaleface at the CB. Make a note of that bottle. That makes three of us. Maybe we can find her.

...and I wanted to take a moment to personally thank play for all the Pepsi she drank. I have a feeling she endured a lot of bathroom breaks in order to get Clay to the #1 online downloaded album spot. :F_05BL17blowkiss:

As Long As We're Here...

I will just copy over my comments from the listening party...

My favorite song on the CD. I just love everything about it. The orchestra sounding like it's tuning up at the beginning, like everyones just trying to find their way, including the person singing. Gives me a feeling like he's talking to himself rather than singing lyrics for the world to hear.

A song of total confusion, trying to figure out the why of 'us.' Begging for love and acceptance. Right now, LOVE ME!

So universal, so painful, so hopeful, so beautiful.

...and add one interesting tid-bit. Just a few minutes ago I dropped off the CD to my son. I thought it would be fun to see if he could figure out my favorite cut on the album. My DiL said, 'I wonder if it's #9? Almost every CD I have ever owned my favorite song has been the #9 track." I kept a straight face and said I wouldn't tell, but that had me scratching my head. lol.

[jmh123]

testing new avatar

<--------------

[djs111]

Claygasm said:

So, maybe people actually like OMWH? So maybe it wasn't a bad choice for a first single?? Maybe?? (of course, I never thought it was a bad choice....)

OMG!!!! I am sure that will cause great disappointment in some quarters! Actually, I would almost like to keep this stuff on the down-low, since I heard about freaking idiots calling DJs and pushing Ashes instead.

From what I have seen most people only have a finger on their own damned pulse and cannot speak for anyone else, really. Although that doesn't stop them.

[muskifest]

and I wanted to take a moment to personally thank play for all the Pepsi she drank. I have a feeling she endured a lot of bathroom breaks in order to get Clay to the #1 online downloaded album spot

CMSU!

I hope OMWH just grows and grows...expands and fills the airwaves...I hope it becomes a real hook that makes people say, "Ooooh...I like the way he sounds on this one! Wonder what the other songs sound like!" Because if they do listen to the others, they're gonna say, "THAT'S Clay?"... I honestly think that for many out there in 'normalville', the sound the associate with Clay's voice is the BOTW voice---the powerhouse belter, the glorynoter, etc.

And not that he isn't that...but oh...OH! He's so much more.

Oh...remember I told you about taking a copy of OMWH over to my local buddy on the day it came out and how we just drove around listening to it blasting in her SUV? Well, my hubby told me that she saw him at a softball game and told him how wonderful that time was. She said that she had had a particularly tough day (she had recently told her husband to get out of the house, to leave her and the four kids) and just the sound of his voice made her feel better--and that the fact I'd hurry over to give her a copy so fast made her feel better, too.

Clay Aiken is the king of FeelGood, ain't he?

and

[Gibby]

KAndre looks with envy at Gibby's analysis and decides to steal plagarize appropriately modify it for her own use...

As Long As We're Here

I think the song is in the key of c# minor too (which I think is one of those black keys on the piano - but since the piano is out of tune, it could be a white key. Of course, guitar don't have keys (I don't think), so never mind. Due to mucho and deeply detailed analysis, I have determined that there are stringed instruments (by looking at Gibby's review)). Wait, I think I need another parend!)

Here's the original part: Man, Clay sings pretty! (Gibby said purdy! Ha!)

Apparently there's a bridge. Not a suspension bridge, like the Golden Gate, but one of those rocky ones crossing a swiftly running stream in some place like Ireland and Clay's wearing one of those big off-white cable knit sweaters with a pair of narrow legged black pants (with a big ass heater off screen because you know the boy will be freezing) and it's misty and his layered, almost shoulder length chestnut locks are damp and he's singing the chorus (wait, maybe that's the chorus and not the bridge. OK, y'all pick one and go with it.)

So that makes this the bestest song ever.

BWAH!!!!

"Windows to let the light of the WORLD in"?? (was that a typo Gibby?)

Yup, it was a typo. Thanks for pointing it out - I went and fixed it.

testing new avatar

<--------------

Verra verra purdy!

[Couch Tomato]

I now know why some people are rich and others aren't. I thought I gave notice today yet at the end of the day I"m more confused than ever. My company's owner could sell ice to an Eskimo. Now I need to get my brain together and figure out what's next LOL.

Yay for all the Clay news.

[muskifest]

Gibby, I LOVE the analysis...I'm somewhere between knowing what you're talking about and KAndre's take on it all...but I AM puzzled why KAndre didn't ask you about this..

going back to the tonic

Something tells me that if she'd realized this all had something to do with a drink, she might've had a different take completely!

Heee! It's a scorcher here today, folks! Of course, what's scorching here is probably just a blip on the radar for most of you...Here, though, there's a water rationing alert, an electricity alert, a UV exposure alert, etc. When I got in my car this afternoon, it's thermostat said it was 108 degrees---Of course, the car's numbers are always high, but even after driving around it never went below 98...and THAT'S hot here!

I'm leaving now to go to Carrie's softball game and I'll be keeping an eye on her. She doesn't drink a lot of water on a regular day, never mind a day like THIS! She is a real 'wilter' in such conditions as extreme heat, too. We'll see how long she lasts... Course, that's easy for me to say from my seat in the shade under the tree, right?

Later, peeps! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

[jmh123]

{{{{couchie}}}} :F_05BL17blowkiss: