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

[ldyjocelyn]

Sadly couchie, D101 is right....

Party starting momentarily in the thread! EEEEEEEEEEE!

[Cotton]

I'd be a leetle skeered, Couchie!

How easy is sis to talk to?

[Couch Tomato]

Well I do think because of their booking challenges they ARE thinking outside the box a bit. They are still using popular online blogs and also things like Nightline? I think it's genius...hopefully they will keep that up. I think AC will be a slow build I still have hope for it there as well. I'll just let it all play out but will try to remain hopeful. Hopefully program directors don't have such long memories..it's been a long time since MoaM..hopefully they've all gotten fired or promoted since then. eeee 6 pm!! see ya at the party!

Oh she's easy to talk to... plus I'm older..what I say goes anyway. hee.

[footloose]

GUH those shoulders I wonder how he got them without exercising (apart from Spamalot).

i just hope that no matter what happens on the album, the songs in it will always be forever known as Clay Aiken's songs.

ETA: just saw at CB that OMWH is #18 in iTunes top albums. i dunno if it's good or bad news.

[playbiller]

bad news, fell out of the top 10 on its first week, never got to number 1.

Ditto Amazon, can't seem to beat Madonna or Neil

[cindilu2]

Come on folks, it's Week One - a little less gloom please??!?!??!?!!!

[keepingfaith]

I can't believe I haven't read anything yet about MOAM on the QVC bonus -- or else I missed it. I almost ran off the road listening to that sexy acoustic version today. WOW! It sounds like he took three songs he loved from MOAM and did them HIS way. It's such a treasure to have this.

WINY is absolutely stunning - and I love the guitar -- but it fades out too soon for me, I want more, MORE MORE of that VOICE! I'm not spoiled much, huh? Really the song gives me those yummy chills that run down your body and back up again.

Now there has to be a technical wizard out there somewhere who can figure out how to extract those audio files so we can get them on our computers. There's gotta be a way!!!

My sister called me earlier today to discuss Mother's Day plans, and my crazy BIL yelled out .."Come over here and get all this Clay Aiken out of my house. You started this!" My sister laughed and said ... "Don't let him kid you, he listened to the new CD last night and he really liked it. I think it shocked him that he did, but he liked it a lot!" All the while he's still yelling in the background, "I can't have Clay Aiken taking over around here!" He's a card. Now I can't wait to give my sister the QVC I ordered for her. Wait until she hears WINY. She LOVES that song, and I didn't even mention it today. I'm going to surprise her tomorrow .... and my BIL should be at the top of the teasing and picking game he loves to play.

KAndre, I bought a 500 gig EHD at Home Depot today -- a Western Digital My Book -- for $99. I'm ready to go to download heaven!!!

Oh ... ya'll can add me to the group that loves to watch Clay eat. I'll bet anything that Clay prefers Benihana over Jean Georges.

I have to get going again and can't get in on the listening party -- POOH! But I'm going to read every word later tonight or tomorrow.

[playbiller]

On the good side, muktiples do not register for Amazon orders, and I doubt that madonna or Diamond are getting many, whereas, I know some people that have no problem with ordering multiple Clay - so he is probably beating the m at amazon. hey, we are audiophiles, we want hard copies.

Do you want that smutted up a bit more?

[muskifest]

Couchie, I've never been to that German restaurant, but I've heard from others that it's good. But yeah...I'd call and ask about stuff for your mom.

I went to WalMart this evening to get a CD for my friend for Mother's Day. There were none. This is the store I got MY copy from Tuesday. There were plenty of everybody else's that I saw on Tuesday, but no Clay. I asked...no Clay. One clerk said, "We get shipments every night. So you can check back tomorrow."

So what's the scenario? That the store got comparable numbers of all artists' new releases, but sold out of Clay Aiken? Did the store get a very limited number of Clay vs a much larger number of other artists?

I don't know. All I know is that Clay was nowhere in that store. Not at any of the various displays...in the "A" section, there was one ATDW and one MOAM, no OTWH...

I have no idea.

Anyhoo....

[playbiller]

Some stores got half as many Clay as Diamond and country guy, others got twice as much, go figure, varies by store. One store got only Clay in and a rapper who has an album out this week - why would that be? It was in an urban area and last album, I went there for about 40 Kmart CDs for the Clayboard. I created interest! This time, I did not buy one, they never got any posters, went to another store - so I probably condemned Clay's future there..

[ldyjocelyn]

Come on folks, it's Week One - a little less gloom please??!?!??!?!!!

I guess I don't see it as "gloom" so much as a statement of fact -- he fell out of the top 10 on iTunes. Actually, I'm OK with that. I still think the album is selling well, but publicity shifts work so quickly that for now, I don't see this as a problem. After Monday night, with Leno, he very well could be back in the top 10.

*shrug*

[Iseeme]

I'm probably way off - but dropping out of the top 10 on iTunes doesn't bother me so much. I think many people want that CD in their hands....but....

Here's the next installment of Spot's walk-on:

8:50 p.m. Thursday, May 1

Sheri the stage manager navigates me around the debris of set pieces cluttering the wings, waiting to be hoisted back into their aerie. I drop off my shirt in the office and Scott the dance director says hi, how are you doing, are you enjoying yourself. Oh, I’m just bored out of my mind, yup yup yup. Think I’ll go home now. When you get the NY-freakin'-PD to carry me out in handcuffs.

Hannah comes by and says how she just realized who I was. She thought I was “shadowing” someone backstage, meaning that I was some kind of tech person learning on the job. I took that as a great compliment. “Welcome!” she says, and asks if I’m having fun. Having the time of my freakin’ life, thankyewverramush.

Todd Ellison, the orchestra conductor, is outside the office on the stairs. “I know you!”, I say, “or at least I know the top of your head.” He points out the jeans and sneakers he's wearing with his tuxedo jacket and tie. I laugh and observe that he could be naked from the waist down and nobody but the orchestra would know. Well, and all those people watching the monitors backstage. I tell him I really enjoy his conducting, and he says, “You’ve seen the show a couple of times, eh?” Um. Yeah. A couple. Let’s go with that. He asks if I’m having fun, yada yada yada. Insert stock I’m-so-excited-I-may-pee-my-pants-oops-that’s-probably-TMI answer here.

Sheri tears me away to get me downstairs and into costume. Down in wardrobe, Linda is all ready for me. I’m wearing my famous artquest-inspired Laguna beach beaded jeans; I fold the legs up a bit into cuffs. Monks shouldn't blind the audience with a glittery fashion sense. I meet Sonya, the assistant wardrobe supervisor, who asks if I’m having fun. I take a new tack and say, “No. It’s horrible, I hate it. (pause) Can I come back tomorrow night?” Is this what’s it’s like being Clay and getting asked if he saw the card or if he watches AI? Well, sign me up -- I’m not quite tired of it yet.

Linda puts me back into the monk’s robe, and checks it here and there. I’m eyeing a skimpy laker girl’s costume on the rack. “I want to wear one of THOSE,” I whine. Laughs all around. OK, it wasn’t THAT funny.

So I’m all dressed already. “Well, that was easy. NOW what?” Sheri says, “Would you like to go back up and call the five-minute call?” “Okay!” I agree, “Let’s do that.” Pause. Teacher-Clay voice: “Sheri, isn’t it time to go up and call the five-minute call?” Laughter. “You’re one minute early,” corrects Sheri, who then says to Linda that I’ve got it all down. Shhyeah.

We go back upstairs. Frank asks Sheri if she needs a break, but she says no. Guess I’ll have to work harder at wearing her out. Sheri calls the five-minute call for the second act on the backstage PA. David Hibbard sticks his head in the office: “Looking GOOOD!”, he says. “I get to see you out there. But don’t let me throw your performance. I don’t want to mess you up – you stay focused!” Such a kidder. He asks if the drummer person is downstairs too. Sheri doesn’t know, but I tell them I met her coming in the door. She asks if we knew each other before (yup, they’ve heard about us, haven’t they) but I explain that we just stumbled in at the same time. I mention the coincidence that we’re both here on the same night – Sheri says they actually wanted to do different nights but it was coming up on Clay’s final weekend and those performances were going to be very busy. After David leaves, Sheri and I talk about what a sweet man he is, and how amazed I was to learn he played Rum Tum Tugger in Cats – talk about a different kind of role.

Standing around in my monk’s robe, I chat in the hallway with a couple of the ensemble members. Rick Holmes comes thru and says hello – he’s very friendly and mentions that he didn’t realize who I was when he met me before. I guess once they know I’m some BIG RICH DONOR *cough* that ups my cachet! Or maybe it’s just the ultra-flattering shapeless monk’s robe that so impresses.

Hannah wanders thru the hallway again in her backstage outfit. Suffice it to say you wouldn’t recognize her as the glamorous LOTL in a wig cap, something that resembles a large pink towel wrapped around her, and some bright pink plastic scuffs. She admires my new outfit, and I hers. “This little get-up?” she says dismissively. I suggest she should go onstage that way and she agrees it would be a hoot. “Now I can find out how tall you REALLY are,” I say, walking up to her. “Wow. Tall.” Is my best rejoinder standing in front of her. She has on flats, essentially, and I’m in a shoe with an inch or two of heel, and I’m looking at her Eve’s apple. She’s taller than Clay by at least a couple of inches, I’m pretty sure.

Hannah says to me that she can really appreciate what I’ve said about how exciting it is to watch from backstage. She’d recently been off for a week, she says, and even though she’s done the show a lot, it’s still exciting to be back there watching it all happen. Vanessa, the regular “monk”, comes in and makes a fuss over my costume. I explain how they’ve promised to let a little of my face show, and that she and I should both have a bit of blonde hair showing and we can be the blonde monk twins. But alas, she says (showing me her real hair all in pincurls under the wig cap), that’s not going to work out. Curses, foiled again. I suggest that she needs a whole new wig just for our big scene. And, I say, her make-up is just NOT a match to mine – “Honey, you really need to tone that down a bit.” Vanessa asks if I’m excited to go onstage. I explain that I couldn’t get much more excited than I already am just getting to be backstage.

Sheri signals to me thru the stage door that I should shut my trap and come take my place by her. Rick is already getting into the Knight of Ni costume in the wings, I’ve missed seeing the process. He’s already got the robe and stilts on; and Sheri explains that they sit him down on a tall stool and put on the stilts, and then put the robe over his head. Then when everything is on, they take the stool out from underneath him. Sheri’s already starting the cues for the second act; the “intermission ending” movie is already running out front.

Sheri speaks some new nonsense into her headset, in her 1-900 voice. She explains that she’s just put the sound man and the conductor on standby, and given a warning for house lights out. “The language you speak is so sexy,” I tell her. She giggles and says, “You’re like, I have NO idea what you’re saying…” “But I love the sound of it. It’s like listening to French.” Sheri laughs heartily at that one. She intones a new instruction, followed with the obligatory “Go!”. The theater darkens, the orchestra springs into action, and we’re off into Act Three. Two! Sorry.

[Claygasm]

Yikes, couchie!

German is usually heavy, meaty and saucy - like creamy gravies, etc.

Will Ma be able to tolerate that?

so ya think this might not work for not only a diabetic but someone who is supposed to be on a BLAND diet and really with her digestive issues she's not supposed to eat anything that takes a long time to digest. I love my sister. D101.

German food is fatty and salty! Not sure it would be the best place for her - or anyone!

ETA: just saw at CB that OMWH is #18 in iTunes top albums. i dunno if it's good or bad news.

Wow that's BAD! Just last night I complained that it was #11! That means it fell another 7 spots in one day?????????

I can't believe I haven't read anything yet about MOAM on the QVC bonus -- or else I missed it. I almost ran off the road listening to that sexy acoustic version today. WOW! It sounds like he took three songs he loved from MOAM and did them HIS way. It's such a treasure to have this.

WINY is absolutely stunning - and I love the guitar -- but it fades out too soon for me, I want more, MORE MORE of that VOICE! I'm not spoiled much, huh? Really the song gives me those yummy chills that run down your body and back up again.

Well, I haven't even received my copy yet! I live 20 minutes away! The times I have ordered from QVC I got my orders usually the say after the notice that it was shipped.

But not this time! Noooooo!! Still waiting!!!!!

[ldyjocelyn]

Another pull over from Get Clay Aiken:

from edlwis at CB

Clay was interviewed on 97.1 WASH-FM in Washington, DC

http://tinyurl.com/45673f

[Ansamcw]

Well I do think because of their booking challenges they ARE thinking outside the box a bit. They are still using popular online blogs and also things like Nightline? I think it's genius...hopefully they will keep that up. I think AC will be a slow build I still have hope for it there as well. I'll just let it all play out but will try to remain hopeful. Hopefully program directors don't have such long memories..it's been a long time since MoaM..hopefully they've all gotten fired or promoted since then. eeee 6 pm!! see ya at the party!

Oh she's easy to talk to... plus I'm older..what I say goes anyway. hee.

Right now I think his sales will be more from the stores with impulse buyers and those going out for mom presents.

I do expect that after this week and next week there will be a dip in the sales...but I don't think they will give up on this as easily as they did with ATDW and its still possible for the sales to come up if OMWH starts climbing th charts.

I think with that CD...TC really treated it as a niche album and after the initial shipment was sold out...they went on to the next project. I don;t think this will happen with this CD. This is essentially clay;s second CD, RCA thinks its radio friendly..and they need to really break into radio. I think they will see how well OMWH works on AC while Clay takes a break. They probably will rely on the CDs songs to sell the product through the summer.

I bet by Fall...or even mid summer they will bring out another song to start working on radio. Then I think Clay will go out there and continue to promote this CD. I won;t be surprised if he does do a fall tour since he mentioned that possiblity several times already.

This is the usual pattern with a lot of artists. Its only huge superstars that can sustain high sales right away. I remember even Kelly;s Breakaway didn;t have such huge numbers. I think the opening of MCWL was even bigger...but as her songs got more popular on radio...she continued to sell. I guess we can just pray that OMWH start climbing the charts and that his other songs get played too.

BUT...I do believe Clay, TC and RCA will continue promote this CD through the year and even after that. There are several songs that are radio friendly here...makes not sense not to push them

[muskifest]

That WASH radio interview is GREAT, by the way! The DJ is TOTALLY fangirly and she said she and her hubby and another couple went to NYC just to be sure to see Clay in Spamalot!

Re: OMWH sales and rankings and whatnot. I just canNOT get myself into the numbers game or I'll go nuts. I do know that I expect this cd to meet the same resistance from 'the masses' that any Clay Aiken cd does and there's not a damned thing I can do about it, so I'm pulling myself out of the front lines.

I'm playing the hell out of it for myself, though, and giving it to friends as gifts when I know they appreciate his voice and I can afford it. I hope Clay loves it as much as I do. His voice is so very, very good and it makes me FEEL good but I can't make anybody else like it or him.

The only thing that is bugging me in general about the majority of the 'critics' comments is their picking on the lyrics. My GOD! The LYRICS?!?!?!?!? Are the lyrics such ripe ground for attack simply because Clay is making a point of saying how important they are to him in this cd? Because holyshit. If we were to just get the lyrics of the main 'cool' songs on Top 40 radio on paper and try to read them, we'd be hard pressed to find more than two perhaps that make any fucking sense at all or that say anything more 'lyrical' than "Row row row your boat..."

And if they're gonna talk lyrics, let's hear them diss LAA! That's when I WILL have to embarrass anyone around me by saying they're FUCKING NUTS! IMO, the lyrics to that song are the best on the cd and among the best I've heard recently in any song.

So there!

[Iseeme]

Ansa - I think you make some very good points!!!! I have thought about this alot in the last week and things have changed so dramatically since MOAM was released. The recording industry is in the toilet, the economy is iffy, and people just aren't spending money the way they used to. Possibly I'm reading too much in to Clay's blog, but I get the feeling TC is aware of this and knows this will be a long process. For one thing, we've already seen more promo than for ATDW - the radio interviews, the not-the-usual bookings such as Rachel Ray's talk show and Paula Deen's cooking show...Nightline, etc.

But I don't want to get depressed or give up too soon. I think there will be a second wave of promo toward the end of the summer and I really think he'll tour this CD in the fall. We know there's a gala in October in Raleigh but that could be fit in with the tour. With Clay's stamp on just about every piece of this CD, I doubt he's going to just go belly up (oh....the mind picture there) because the first couple of week's sales weren't stellar. I'm also not giving up on him reaching 100K this week. As HDD keeps saying, they can't figure into the mix what the Mother's Day weekend is going to do for the sales. There is a reason Clay released this CD when he did!!!!

And- contrary to popular rantings on other boards - I DO believe RCA is supporting Clay to the hilt with this CD. He's a proven moneymaker and that can't be said for all the singers in their stable.

And did anyone else realize that David Foster plays the piano accompaniement on The Real Me? I was reading the liner notes again tonite.......Interesting that he came in for one song...... I do think we'll see more of a collaboration between Clay and David as time goes on. Woooeeee - you could have worse people on your side in the business!!!!

eta: Muski - I think the critics are wise not to take potshots at Clay's voice....they would lose whatever credibility they have left. So what's left.......but to call the songs cheesy and challenge the lyrics. Let's face it - it is just not cool to like Clay Aiken for alot of people. Screw 'em. I wouldn't miss out on this man's career for anything. It's their loss. If they'd rather hear Ashlee Simpson and her ilk.........their opinions mean nothing to me.

[00lsee]

Well, and geez, even if Clay's lyrics actually were "too hallmark" (which they are not)...there's a reason Hallmark cards have been so successful all these years. People like and connect with the sentiments. This is a good cd. This is a really, really good cd.

[YSRN]

her: are you near your computer?

me: D101

her: what?

:lmaosmiley-1:

Funniest post all day anywhere!

[Claygasm]

I wouldn't worry if I believed anything sung by Clay would stand a chance of getting radio play. But I don't think it does.

I also don't think he will tour in the fall. Not sure why, just don't. He said something the other day about taking some time off - maybe even through the end of the year.

Of course, maybe that is just selfish wishful thinking on my part because after Spamalot I think I need more time to recover financially!

Remember that OMWH commercial that was on Clay's YouTUbe page? Wouldn't you think that would be on TV by now?

[Ansamcw]

Whew...what a rant Muski...and I totally agree with you.

I have seen some critics say nice things about LAA without acknowledging that its Clay's.

ITA Iseeme about the critics. Some of them need to criticize to keep on the cool column...like with Ken Barnes ...of course he had to say that this is not his type of music...but what was he praising, the strings...hee. I think he doth protest too much

can someone exlain D101 to me...I know its the peasant seat...but what of it???

[muskifest]

Oh, I forgot to tell you guys. Today at Carrie's softball game I was getting settled and the coach of our tournament team and a friend of ours said, "Hey...I have to tell you that I'm becoming a Clay Aiken fan."

"Oh yeah? Smart man. Why? Have you been hearing something?"

"Well, nothing really specific. Just reading some things about what great stuff he does for..groups and...he just seems like a good guy and it's really refreshing to see somebody doing some good with their fame, you know?"

"Oh, yeah...I know." (I then tell him about that AI 2 clip when Oprah visited the set of the final 3, asked each why they wanted to win, etc. Clay said he hoped to use the influence to advocate for kids with disabilities, etc. and how Simon rolled his eyes. Yet the BAF was the first thing Clay did once he finished AI, etc.)

"Simon...that man's such a waste. No, Clay seems like a really great young man."

sigh...

One at a time, I guess.... Now that I think about the conversation I wish I'd asked him just what he'd read or heard that got him thinking differently, but maybe it's best that I didn't. Don't want to push, you know....

[Ansamcw]

I wouldn't worry if I believed anything sung by Clay would stand a chance of getting radio play. But I don't think it does.

I also don't think he will tour in the fall. Not sure why, just don't. He said something the other day about taking some time off - maybe even through the end of the year.

Of course, maybe that is just selfish wishful thinking on my part because after Spamalot I think I need more time to recover financially!

Remember that OMWH commercial that was on Clay's YouTUbe page? Wouldn't you think that would be on TV by now?

Nope ...I think he said they may tour through the end of the year. But he says he will take a break in the summer then go for a UNICEF trip.

I am not that pessimistic about radio. It does have a chance because I don't think there really is anything personal against Clay with the PDs. I think if the song starts to resonate with the listeners and they get good feedback, they will play him more. I think this fandom has learned its lesson when it comes to radio. What we have to hope for is that OMWH does connect with the audience.

[Iseeme]

Well I really can't imagine Clay putting so much of himself in to this CD and then not touring it until next year. That just doesn't make sense to me. Especially when he knows that radio play is a huge challenge for him. He has to air it out somewhere and he knows people do come to his concerts. Maybe he's just deflecting the barrage of WHEN and WHERE that will occur when a tour becomes public! I admittedly know nothing about the industry but it seems to me if he waits too long than OMWH will just be a thing from the past. And even if people do see him and want the music it won't be stocked in the stores anymore. Gahhhhhh.............

Sometimes I wish he wasn't so damn secretive about some things!!!! Sit in your backyard for a few weeks Clay, sleep late, do a quick trip for UNICEF, and then get out there on the road and do what you do best!!!!

Ansa - when the King and Knights are looking for the Holy grail there suddenly appears big block letters on the stage...D101. They all try to figure out what it means and try to pronounce it. It comes out like Die - oi! He thinks it's what someone says when they don't understand something! He's reminded that that should be "Duh!" And then he says Die-oi! again. Someone might have a better explanation but that's how I remember it.

[Claygasm]

I wouldn't worry if I believed anything sung by Clay would stand a chance of getting radio play. But I don't think it does.

I also don't think he will tour in the fall. Not sure why, just don't. He said something the other day about taking some time off - maybe even through the end of the year.

Of course, maybe that is just selfish wishful thinking on my part because after Spamalot I think I need more time to recover financially!

Remember that OMWH commercial that was on Clay's YouTUbe page? Wouldn't you think that would be on TV by now?

Nope ...I think he said they may tour through the end of the year. But he says he will take a break in the summer then go for a UNICEF trip.

Nope, I don't think so. Look at the quote:

It would be impossible to put out the album and then tour next month. So I’ll take some time off. Who knows, maybe through the end of the year.

The "who knows, maybe through the end of the year" is right after him saying he will take some time off. It in no way seems to refer to when he will tour.

One reason he may wait to tour is to try and get this album legs so t he same 3000 people aren't the only ones showing up at his concerts!