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

[Claygasm]

Oh, and my first listen of "Forget I Ever Knew You" had me scratching my head, going 'huh'? It's such an unusual song, I didn't 'get it'. But...the second time I listened to it, my whole body got slammed back into my seat. Clay's long, elegant fingers grasped both armrests and yanked as he loomed closer to pour out his heart's resolute valor in my ears. Gah. What an amazingly complex, difficult arrangement...unusual rhythms, unexpected chords and structure. He's disappointed, angry, determined, hopeful...and...prevailing? And that last exhalation where his throat clings to the note even as he releases it? *dead* LOVE. Masterful.

It took me 4 listens but I am you here. LOVE IT!

This album has so many great styles on it. I always said I wanted Clay to record an album with a variety of styles on it so it would never become boring and I got it. :00000442:

That is the one thing that some critics have said that I cannot grasp - that this CD is filled with boring ballads. First, IMO none of the ballads are boring and no one sings a ballad like Clay. But secondly, there are many songs that are NOT ballads on this album! Makes you wonder if they listened or just assumed there would be nothing but boring ballads on the album.....

After watching the video one last time I keep thinking they accidently posted the rough cut, you know the one before the final editing? I think it could be quite interesting, but there are such major continuity issues and jarring editing it kind of looks amateurish to me. If they just edited properly and took care of the continuity problems, it would work much, much better.

Time to go to bed. Tonight's song playing in my ear is my beloved Muppet song!

'Night all!

[liney23]

Ya' know, it may not have been the most professional class video eveh, but I liked it! I liked seeing Clay's old promo pics and I liked him in the brown jacket A LOT, tho they might have combed his hair a bit better... LOL. I liked the theme of On My Way Here by showing There. I just flat out liked it.

I've bookmarked it so I can watch it several times a day (at work with the sound off). I rated it and added it to my playlist (after creating one, hehe). This is something I can do easily to get him out there.

Now, the TITN video, I LOVE!!! He might not have, but I sure do! Whew!

I love that Leno interview more everytime I watch it. It usually takes several viewings to get every funny down, cause the man talks soooo fast when he's on tv, but I just laugh and then marvel at how handsome he looks... and how confident.

I liked Spot's little notice of Clay and Hannah talking. I hope she gets to visit him in NC before she has to go back to England. I heard she was trying to find another job in the states after Spamalot. I wonder why they just don't keep her. She's awesome and Rick said he'd been in the show for 2 years.

00lsee...

Oh, and my first listen of "Forget I Ever Knew You" had me scratching my head, going 'huh'? It's such an unusual song, I didn't 'get it'. But...the second time I listened to it, my whole body got slammed back into my seat. Clay's long, elegant fingers grasped both armrests and yanked as he loomed closer to pour out his heart's resolute valor in my ears. Gah. What an amazingly complex, difficult arrangement...unusual rhythms, unexpected chords and structure. He's disappointed, angry, determined, hopeful...and...prevailing? And that last exhalation where his throat clings to the note even as he releases it? *dead* LOVE. Masterful.

00lsee... (bolding mine) You said it much better than I did in the listening party. First time I heard it I went, "holy cow" that song is sooo complex. Only someone with great vocal technique and ability could pull that off. It is amazing and fits the album nicely. I wonder why they didn't add it... is 13 an unlucky number on an album??? The muppet song does not fit, but I love it anywho and am glad I have it. Haven't heard WINY yet.

[Ansamcw]

I;m bringing back 00lsee's great Banner that was on for only a day or two I think...

Thanks 00lsee...

[muskifest]

LOL, 'but' is the catchword in this fandom, isn't it? Always missing something

.

I look at it more like 'keeping it real', cindilu. Life (like Clay or his video or his hair or...) isn't perfect...but it's still yummy!

FIEKY? Hell, yeah! Try to sing along...that's a damned HARD song to sing! And Clay kills on it.

BTW, I sat in my car and listened to Sacrificial Love four times in a row...in the grocery store parking lot. And when I finished and turned off the car...I still just sat there. I felt...totally raw. He opens his heart in that song...raw.

[claytonic]

CHART DATE: 05/12/2008

LAST UPDATE: 05/13/2008 12:37:47

NOW IN: FINAL

LW TW artist / album label power index % change

-- 1 NEIL DIAMOND COLUMBIA 140,004 --

HOME BEFORE DARK

-- 2 TOBY KEITH UME/SHOW DOG 100,527 --

35 BIGGEST HITS

-- 3 CLAY AIKEN RCA/RMG 92,887 --

ON MY WAY HERE

Ok, who is the bad Clay fan who failed to buy the extra 7641 CDs that would have put him ahead of Toby Keith???

If Neil Diamond is getting the kind of album push in the USA as he is getting internationally, it is no wonder he is #1. I was at the post office yesterday and his CD was on the front counter where customers simply cannot miss it when they line up to pay their bills and/or do their snail mail thing. That's in addition to some constant advertising on prime-time TV. The constrast... I went into a well-known music store and innocently asked "do you have Clay Aiken's latest album? " The salesgirl said "Clay er..?". This isn't the first time I have 'tested' them in this part of the world.

I'd never heard of Toby Keith until I read his name on this board.

Play, you can let "some people" steal your fun.

Clay's story should be well known. A ringer, he aint!

What's a ringer in this context?

[playbiller]

A ringer is in the meaning of having professionalperformers on Idol. There was an article quoted earlier describing some idol contestants this year (Carly, Michael who both had major label contracts) as professional. This article claimed that there were always professionals in this contest, Like ......, and Clay Aiken. While you can't have never publically performed and stillsurvive IDol, there is a difference in having someone spend millions of dollars on your promtion and singing in amature shows for a little extra money.

[merrieeee]

eeeeeeeeeeeeee Sunny 99.1 just talked about Clay. 00lsee's real name was just mentioned!! Clay will be on in 10 minutes!!

ETA: Way to go guys...let's play Invisible and not anything new! Grrr

[Clayzorback]

Thanks playbiller for the late birthday picture.

keepingfaith, Toby Keith has had a few songs out that I liked. I just don't like him personally, though. He is the one who was having the feud with Natalie Maines, from The Dixie Chicks, over her Bush remarks. Reckon most people agree with her now? He sings some of those "Patrotic" songs, sometimes. I hate those kind of songs. Anyway, I think he has the ugliest set of lips and mouth I ever saw. I can understand why he wears a mustache and beard. Here is his link to his site if you want to check him out.

http://tobykeith.musiccitynetworks.com/index.htm

I'll take Keith Urban over Toby Keith any day.

[00lsee]

eeeeeeeeeeeeee Sunny 99.1 just talked about Clay. 00lsee's real name was just mentioned!! Clay will be on in 10 minutes!!

ETA: Way to go guys...let's play Invisible and not anything new! Grrr

Meep and ack! Why would my name come into it?

Well? What else? I wasn't up in time to hear this. How was it?

[laljeterfan]

My rant for the day after visiting other, less friendly climes....

Page after page of bitch, bitch, whine, whine, more bitching, more whining........ becomes really tiresome, really fast.

It's not often I look forward to going to work- but today I am.

Sorry for the disruption- sometimes I just need to vent.

Can't wait for our next glimpses of Clay on our teevees!!!

[luckiest1]

http://new.music.yahoo.com/videos/Clay-Aik...8Tf8Qtq.1U1wSUv

Clay's video of OMWH...lots of new yummy footage...go watch!

Kim

Thanks for the link......I watched with a big shit-eating grin on my face. Love all the flashbacks! And I'll just word 00lsee's entire post in regards to the video, even if she did copy and paste it from another board. :F_05BL17blowkiss: Heh, that song is an earworm for sure. After I watched the video twice, I went into the bathroom and brushed my teeth. What did I hear over the sound of the running water? (oops, guess I'm not green, like Clay) I heard 16 yo son singing his own version of the song in the kitchen. Hee.

Oh, and my first listen of "Forget I Ever Knew You" had me scratching my head, going 'huh'? It's such an unusual song, I didn't 'get it'. But...the second time I listened to it, my whole body got slammed back into my seat. Clay's long, elegant fingers grasped both armrests and yanked as he loomed closer to pour out his heart's resolute valor in my ears. Gah. What an amazingly complex, difficult arrangement...unusual rhythms, unexpected chords and structure. He's disappointed, angry, determined, hopeful...and...prevailing? And that last exhalation where his throat clings to the note even as he releases it? *dead* LOVE. Masterful.

OMG you nailed it! And that last note gets me EVERY.TIME.

Yikes, it's only Wednesday? Thank god we have a long weekend coming up.

[merrieeee]

Well? What else? I wasn't up in time to hear this. How was it?

Lets see they asked Clay if he had ever heard the term Claymate. Wow how original. Talked about no plans for a tour and he doesn't know where these rumours come from. Talked about EIDN, Spamalot and that was it. He didn't sound tired.

I emailed them to see if maybe they could play something from the current CD, after all that is what he is promoting. What a concept. I am more than annoyed about Invisible!.

[aikim]

Good Morning Everyone,

Watched the video a second time and really liked it; I think it is fascinating to see what goes into recording a song and Clay looked great. The whole idea is to get a song heard and I think that was accomplished. I think a lot of times the song gets lost in those storyline videos and frankly, a lot of them never seem to have much to do with the song itself.

laljeterfan I agree, the armchair quarterbacking and second guessing gets very tiresome indeed...apparently Clay's blog went way over some heads or maybe they are deliberately being obtuse.

2 Days until Kimmel/Rachael Ray!

5 Days until Craig Ferguson!

Everyone have a great day!

Kim

[luckiest1]

laljeterfan I agree, the armchair quarterbacking and second guessing gets very tiresome indeed...apparently Clay's blog went way over some heads or maybe they are deliberately being obtuse.

Yep. Or maybe they just don't give a shit because their fandom is far more about themselves than it is about Clay.

Oops, bitchy side coming out again. Better focus that energy into my work today!

I am way behind on all these radio interviews. I hope most of them make it to the vault where I can eventually download and listen to them. He's really working his butt off, isn't he? And YAY for Kimmel this Friday!

ETA:

Talked about EIDN

Cool! What did he say about EIDN? Luuuuuuuurve that song. "Well, now." *dies*

[djs111]

I love the video. If I want to see fan stuff I can go to youtube and search for Clay Aiken. If some people think they can manage a singer's career better, maybe they should go and help Ricky Smith. He is talented, and deserves and evidently needs the help. I'm sure he will be famous in no time!

Lets see they asked Clay if he had ever heard the term Claymate.

That's a lame question, prolly in jest, really, but IMO some Clay fans have earned, all on their own and for all the other Clay fans, a reputation as a nosy busy-bodied intrusive bossy bitchy whiny group of people - Claymates actually sounds too benign.

Or what lajeterfan said:

My rant for the day after visiting other, less friendly climes....

Page after page of bitch, bitch, whine, whine, more bitching, more whining........ becomes really tiresome, really fast

[Claygasm]

I watched the video with fresh eyes this morning. I like the concept a lot, but I just HATE the continuity problems and the crappy editing. The editing problems could probably be re-done in half an hour. The continuity problems may take a bit longer to correct. I just don't see why whoever watched it before putting it out on the web didn't see those things! They bugged me from first watch and they are what make it seem cheap and sloppy - not the concept.

But he looks GREAT and he sounds FABULOUS so it isn't all bad.

Think I'll put the album on shuffle on my way into work today so I won't know which of the wonderful songs I will hear!

ETA: Is it a good omen or a bad omen to start the day on top of the page?????

[ldyjocelyn]

I rewatched the video again *coughafewtimescough* this morning. I will agree that the editing seems a bit jarring in some places. I also think that CG must have a second career as a continuity person for a movie, for I never noticed the headphones thing. LOL! Finally, I'm a bit surprised that they didn't arrange things a bit more chronologically, but that's minor.

Having said all that, I still find myself grinning like a fool watching it. It's sweet, it's fun, and I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes stuff at the recording studio. And he looks fantabulous...no matter the hairstyle.

My final thought -- people complained about the ATDW videos. Oh right, it was RCA's fault. How much of this one will be RCA's fault too? Is Clive still holding Raleigh and Durham hostage? Wait, Clive isn't there any more. So, who's holding the dogs....

[aikim]

New interview:

QUOTE(maetwo @ May 14 2008, 05:26 AM)

The "Coffee With" segment with Clay is now up on the WJZ TV site. Clay certainly was upbeat. For those who haven't seen the two anchors before...Don Scott (on the left) is usually ultra low-key.

You can find it here -----> http://wjz.com/video?cid=7

[luckiest1]

Think I'll put the album on shuffle on my way into work today so I won't know which of the wonderful songs I will hear!

This is how I've been listening to it, too, and it's fun not to know what's coming next! Does anyone else have the problem of having to sit in the car until the song finishes.....I get some strange looks in the underground parking garage. LOL.

I think today I'll add ATDW into the OMWH mix. I miss it. And it makes my blood boil when I surf other boards and see it being put down, as usual. Grrrrrrrrrrr.

You can find it here -----> http://wjz.com/video?cid=7

Wheeeeeeeee, how cute was that? Love his giggle! Ooops, I was supposed to be working, wasn't I? *smacks self*

[aikim]

Think I'll put the album on shuffle on my way into work today so I won't know which of the wonderful songs I will hear!

This is how I've been listening to it, too, and it's fun not to know what's coming next! Does anyone else have the problem of having to sit in the car until the song finishes.....I get some strange looks in the underground parking garage. LOL.

I think today I'll add ATDW into the OMWH mix. I miss it. And it makes my blood boil when I surf other boards and see it being put down, as usual. Grrrrrrrrrrr.

You can find it here -----> http://wjz.com/video?cid=7

Wheeeeeeeee, how cute was that? Love his giggle! Ooops, I was supposed to be working, wasn't I? *smacks self*

And I loved when the guy said its been 5 years since you won Idol and Clay corrected him!

Kim

[KAndre]

Prepare yourselves - I'm gonna whine and bitch and moan!

That fucking Craig Ferguson! I ordered tickets a freakin' MONTH ago - arranged to take a goddam REDEYE back from frickin' California - and your staff of fart brained MONKEYS are cancelling my tickets?!?!? A fucking gateway to HELL had better had opened up under the freakin' host's desk and your only reason for cancellation is concern for my damn safety. Did you even TALK to freakin' Kimmel?!?? His staff have learned THE HARD FUCKING WAY about frickin' tickets and frickin' Claymates (and if you don't like the term Claymates, you're gonna have to suck it up for the purposes of this rant).

And work is taking away one of my posse! Employers should just GIVE us the damn money just for the joy of us condenscending to associated with their sorry butts - they have the NERVE to want us to WORK too. Or at least some of us to work - I'm still a little iffy on the subject. Give me a frickin' break.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

But Clay Aiken is still doing good.

[Ansamcw]

SONG OF THE DAY:

So lets talk about what really matters...The CD!!!

hee...

We will start SONG OF THE DAY feature on FCA. We will put up a specific song from OMWH that people can discuss...or comment through the day or even after this day if they need to.

THIS IS NOT MEANT TO TAKE OVER MAIN TOPICS. This is just one thing we can discuss here on Main so don't hesitate to talk about anything else. We just request that if you are going to comment on the song that you put a heading or label on it so people can easily find the pertinent posts.

We decided to do the songs in alphabetical order so it will be

As Long As We're Here

Ashes

Everything I Don't Need

Falling

Forget I Ever Knew You

Grace of God

Its in Everyone of Us

Lover All Alone

On My Way here

Sacrificial Love

Something about Us

The Real Me

Weight of the World

When I Need you

Where I Draw the Line

after OMWH...we can talk about MOAM songs to compare and contrast. From there we will see where we go...maybe video of the day?

SO the Song of the Day is...AS LONG AS WE'RE HERE!!!

here is a YouTube link of the song and lyrics...

[Ansamcw]

Can someone please post the link to the video again...I kinda lost it.

I really didn't mind the continuity problem because this is not really telling a story...this is just a montage of different videos of Clay on studio interspersed with images of him from his past. IMO continuity is only important if its in a movie where the scene is supposed to be consistent to time a place...but so this is just Clay at different angles at different times. I have seen this kind of thing in a lot of videos and montages.

I actually like the fact that there is no chronological order to the pictures...cos that is just a bit predictable IMO. I see the concept as...this is Clay now...and here are some random shots of how Clay was...see the difference? What I like about this...is the emphasis on Clay the musician...the artist working on his craft. I think that is very important since some in the media seem to forget that he is first and foremost...a musician

[muskifest]

The video. I love the concept. It's right on. Clay's awful purdy. He's hot and sounds beautiful, of course. The studio musicians seem really into their work. That's cool. The random flashback pics seem....random...heh. I got the feeling that the video was like a first-time attempt at making a montage! So just sorta scratch my head that a star of Clay's stature wouldn't sorta...you know...warrant a more polished job of technical expertise to present the final product.

I guess the video's 'for the fans', too, like the cd itself is because I'd be surprised (and pleasantly so!) to hear that it appeals to the

OTHERS~!!

BWAHAHAHAHHAAA!

So today's earworm--the song that I woke up with in my head---is The Real Me. sigh. Love the bridge..."be-lee-ee-ee-ee--eeeeeeeeve!"

So is Clay on some sort of drug that he can be awake so early to do all these morning radio shows?

Have a good one, everybody! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

[atinal]

KAndre, I'm sorry about your Ferguson tickets.