#36: It ain't my life, just my passion!

[Cotton]

***waves to Wilmington residents and visitors***We live 30 M South of Wumminton! (locals!)

DS lives in Wilmington.

It is a really nice little downtown! Friday nights they have live music in front of the steps of the Federal Building - right on the river!

Get there Early!

You can buy beer and soft drinks and eats and enjoy listening to music and watching younguns and dogs groove to the scene!

Lots of cool shops - and The Cotton Exchange, too, shops and restaurants.

There's a great little ice cream shop downtown, too! Yum!

[playbiller]

For those who are having Spamalot withdrawl, the Cly blog has been replaced by an Eric Idle weekly question. Unfortunately, you can't go back for the older ones. One that you missed was - which actress. living or dead, would you liketo see play Lady of the Lake - he answered, I would prefer dead, they work cheaper

last week's question "Has anyone yet been impaled for letting their cell phones ring willy-nilly in the theatre?"

his response "Three people. But they were all with Hugh Heffner."

There will be a new response later today - it changes on Monday. This one should be interesting - things heard from the audience.

[keepingfaith]

Sooo, you humbugs think it would be better if Clay wasn't showing up on the AOL charts? He's been dominating both video and audio charts for WEEKS. If ya'll think that's meaningless, then why would Clay / RCA put his stuff out there? I know that the inclusion of OMWH in the Blender list of "must listens" was based on the AOL charts. Personally, I think people going to the audio and video sites and seeing Clay Aiken everywhere are checking them out. I don't think it's all us, but that popularity breeds interest.

If nothing else, this shows that Clay's fanbase is alive and well after five years. I think that's akin to crossing the Rubicon, because everybody's got to know this is no fluke, no passing fancy, no flash in the pan. Record sales are becoming immaterial these days and I've come to the conclusion that the only people actually buying CDs, other than hard core fans of an artist, are people who don't have internet access. People are stealing the music these days and everybody knows it and that's the way it goes. Maybe just about everyone who likes Clay Aiken owns a computer, and the NJU's have pulled off a million free rips.

Clay Aiken is still the biggest star to come out of Idol, regardless of how many records Carrie or Daughtry or anyone else has sold in the short term. Clay's star is more than the music. Clay is the only one of the American Idol alums who threatens their brand and has from the day he stepped on their stage. Again, you may say I'm a dreamer .... but when I came into the fandom two years ago, lot of people, FANS, were already writing him off. God, I hope they are the ones that are GONE!

Hey, I noticed on iTunes, that Something About Us is the second most downloaded song after OMWH. Think the Obama video had something to do with that?

I think I'll leave you humbugs alone today. I'm in a GREAT mood.

[Iseeme]

Awww kf, I don't think it's meaningless. I guess I/we/some of us just have to get used to different measurements for what's good and not good these days. We always use to base it on CDs sold.....and, like you say, that doesn't seem to be the only criteria anymore. This IS a positive statement for Clay though and I hope people other than his fanbase are aware of it. I'm sorry if it seemed like some of us were not as enthused about the news.

:F_05BL17blowkiss:

How about a pretty picture?

[cha cha trusty]

Sooo, you humbugs think it would be better if Clay wasn't showing up on the AOL charts? He's been dominating both video and audio charts for WEEKS. If ya'll think that's meaningless, then why would Clay / RCA put his stuff out there? I know that the inclusion of OMWH in the Blender list of "must listens" was based on the AOL charts. Personally, I think people going to the audio and video sites and seeing Clay Aiken everywhere are checking them out. I don't think it's all us, but that popularity breeds interest.

If nothing else, this shows that Clay's fanbase is alive and well after five years. I think that's akin to crossing the Rubicon, because everybody's got to know this is no fluke, no passing fancy, no flash in the pan. Record sales are becoming immaterial these days and I've come to the conclusion that the only people actually buying CDs, other than hard core fans of an artist, are people who don't have internet access. People are stealing the music these days and everybody knows it and that's the way it goes. Maybe just about everyone who likes Clay Aiken owns a computer, and the NJU's have pulled off a million free rips.

Clay Aiken is still the biggest star to come out of Idol, regardless of how many records Carrie or Daughtry or anyone else has sold in the short term. Clay's star is more than the music. Clay is the only one of the American Idol alums who threatens their brand and has from the day he stepped on their stage. Again, you may say I'm a dreamer .... but when I came into the fandom two years ago, lot of people, FANS, were already writing him off. God, I hope they are the ones that are GONE!

Hey, I noticed on iTunes, that Something About Us is the second most downloaded song after OMWH. Think the Obama video had something to do with that?

I think I'll leave you humbugs alone today. I'm in a GREAT mood.

kf - WORD!

I was going to say something along those lines, but you've said so much better, so now I don't have to! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

I'll just add, I don't think it is all "just us" but even if it was, it gets Clay a lot of good visibilty. But I think there is a lot of "Guilty Pleasure" stuff going on out there. People like him, and they don't want to say they like him, so they just listen or watch on their computers.

I forget what magazine it was, but remember the one that had a whole list of the Nation's "Guilty Pleasures?" Clay was on it, I think they actually pictured him on the cover. The photo with the mirrored sunglasses? Somebody help me!!

eta: I found it

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,478341,00.html

[playbiller]

Warning a bit down post.

Hey, I noticed on iTunes, that Something About Us is the second most downloaded song after OMWH. Think the Obama video had something to do with that?

Maybe, but it is still infinitesimal. Singles sales run in the hundred thousands andoutstrip album sales for most people - On My Way Here is the most downloaded song - how many? 6 K - that is a drop, Something about us is second - with what? 2K? I have a feeling an illegal MP3 is wandering around.

I really don't know how to light a fire under any one to buy the album. I am not sure what giving them away does? The same people expect to get them for free next time? I understand about giving them to people who will play the album, like hairdressers, etc where others will hear it, but has that helped enough? I tried to make my friends buy it, but no one has managed to do it yet. People have forgotten the "I will not steal Clay" vows and openly post about illegally downloading the album and burning copies for friends. Unless you open a kiosk in your own home, how do you get people off their ass and into stores?

I am really wondering who is buying the singles? How to tap into that market.

Well, there should be an up tick this week with the Music pass, just don't know how much.

I am still pretty frustrated that I could not give away copies of OMWH in this on-line fandom. How weird is that?

I am all for it showing up on the AOL charts, but sometimes I wonder if it would be better to get it on Youtube or Yahoo. I just don't know which is the most improtant for music. I actually forgot about my myspace project. I have to go home and log in (don't remember id here DUH!) and see if I have anymore friends. I have to join more groups and invite people to be my friend.

[rohdy]

kf.......

Thank you.....

I love being in a great mood and being a Polly Positive!

No Nelly Negative for me today!

[Couch Tomato]

Keeping Faith, I'm not sure how this AOL fits in but to me any list from a major media company is good. If nothing else, maybe it gets him some more AOL exclusives next time. The industry is changing so fast that who knows.

Couple of things I read this morning ring true:

Success breeds success. If his name at the top of the list others will see it and listen - it may be out of curiousity or it just be...hey clay has something new out, cool.

Second, stealing music is just a way of life now. After my sister emailed me about the Obama montage and I told her about OMWH..she says..oh cool I'll pick it up tomorrow and burn it and give it back. That's just how people do music now. Of course I told her I don't burn Clay CDs..she could have my physical copy since I downloaded it from itunes. But even after that when I was over there last night and I gave her my CD..she was going in her room to burn it. I only got 2 words out of my mouth before she said, oh yeah that's right. Of course when I got home I realized I gave her my one and only Walmart CD... are the ones they are selling still come with the bonus?

Yep, it's Monday.

[playbiller]

Yes, they are still selling the Walmart CD.

I guess I don't understand how the demographic that should be burning, is actually buying some artists. maybe they have better pictures in their CD.

http://www.idolstalker.com is covering Clay appearaing on CNN, Anyone want to give it a little love. I know most people don't get any comments over there, but their always used to be lost of love for Clay before, not as much quantitatively now.

I sent in two stories and they both got picked up - yay, another little drop. I guess we all have to keep adding a drop at a time until it overflows with love.

[KAndre]

KAndre thinks for a minute...

I'm complicated...I'm in a great mood for Clay - and bitchy as all hell about being at work. Bah! Humbug! Grrrrr!

jamar1700 is my kind of English major...though I would modify your brilliant summary of Hamlet thusly:

Kenneth Branaugh's Hamlet -

whine whiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii (passes out after the first couple of hours - startles awake the next morning) iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine whine

everybody dies

the end

I can tell she was an English major as she only wanted to limit her slapping to Hamlet - everyone in the play needed to be thrashed.

See Scarlett! When cats bite lovingly nibble TASTE you, everyone makes excuses for the cat - very little a really insignificant amount no blood involved!

Houston party for the SRHP/DCAT tour - totally rocked people!

Gotta reboot my frickin' computer - and watch it not come back on....

[Iseeme]

More pictures from that magazine.....(which was the last time I believe they had anything positive to say about Clay!)

I honestly don't know what we can do as individuals. We can blame the industry. We can blame the economy. We can get pissed at the people that always want something for free - no matter what the ramifications are.

It's a beautiful CD - every song is a treasure. My belief is that TC hasn't just walked away from it - although how long is the cutesingerman going to "rest" after his UNICEF trip??? Time will tell. I DO hope there is another round of promo though - not to sell CDs but to enable people to see and hear what we already know.....

[cha cha trusty]

I really think the only thing we can do is kep a positive attitude, and just keep doing what we're doing.

Whatever happens has to be ORGANIC , we can't force it along.

All we can do is Love Clay and enjoy his music. I think that's what he wants us to do. :F_05BL17blowkiss:

:013085001176249046:

eta: I think the batteries in my wireless keyboard need replacing!

eata: thanks Iseeme for the rest of the pix!!

[ldyjocelyn]

I really think the only thing we can do is kep a positive attitude, and just keep doing what we're doing.

Whatever happens has to be ORGANIC , we can't force it along.

All we can do is Love Clay and enjoy his music. I think that's what he wants us to do. :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Yes to all of the above. I'm trying my best to keep the positive spirit alive, but when outside forces (such as work) deal you blows on a regular basis, it can be difficult.

I think maybe I need to pull out my iPod and just drown in Clay for the rest of the afternoon.

A reminder: if you haven't commented on a "Song of the Day" and want to -- there's NOTHING stopping you. NOTHING. As a refresher, so far we've covered:

• Everything I Don't Need
• Falling
• Forget I Ever Knew You
• Grace of God
• It's in Everyone of Us
• Lover All Alone
• On My Way Here
• The Real Me
• Sacrificial Love
• Something about Us
• Weight of the World

If you want to talk about these songs more, that's fine. The admins here just started this "song of the day" thing just to get the ball rolling and add a LITTLE bit of organization to the whole thing.

Speaking of which:

SONG OF THE DAY: When I Need You

[luckiest1]

EEEEEE I love WINY! I will need to listen a few times before making any comments, though.

The AOL sessions.....I think it's great that they are ranking so high. As I've said before, I think it's all about exposure, and this is one way of getting that. Sure, I think the majority of the hits are the Clay Nation, but others will have no choice but to see them when they are ranked so high. Can't be a bad thing, in my books. Now, as for buying vs downloading music, I am definitely guilty at times. Not for Clay! Hee, and not for a few other select artists that I choose to support. But I spent most of the weekend exploring torrents. Got some "greatest hits" collections through torrents that I've been looking for for a while. What can I say? I'm broke.

Had lunch just now with my friend heartsocean....we comiserated over job woes, kid woes, talked a bit about that great singer guy we both love, and how we can't wait for the next tour (we are still both hoping for Christmas). Wherever he is today, I hope he's happy, healthy and rested.

[KAndre]

KAndre immediately begins wallowing in her When I Need You love...

[Couch Tomato]

I do have to say that wondering how this AOL thing is actually helping clay isn't really negative. It's a fair and honest question. And I think putting it out there is good. It certainly helped me see the good in it in ways I hadn't thought of. And now, I'll remember to stream a bit more. It's sometimes hard to get out of your little ipod world..at least it is for me.

I think what's making me vulnerable to allergies now is the constant dust I've been living with through our office renovations..first it was the damn floor tiles... stripping and painting walls...and now it's replacing the old ceiling tiles. Seems like I'm constantly breathing in dust.

WINY...ummmm...that would be from QVC right? The QVC still unopened somewhere in my house. Alrighty then. New clack for me tonight. I guess I get an F in the keeping up with the bonuses portion of the test.

Lucky: I know..I went crazy on torrents to fill up my ipod. I can certainly understand now why the label wants a bigger peiece of the merchandising and touring pie. Hard to lift either of those. They have a real problem on their hands.

[annabear]

I think maybe I need to pull out my iPod and just drown in Clay for the rest of the afternoon.

:F_05BL17blowkiss:

WINY? It's funny because I absolutely love the Clack of this one, but haven't listened much to the QVC bonus and actually forgot about it in the alphabetical line up - eep! I think I need to update my iPod this evening....

Going back to WOTW - I do love it, but don't have anything to say about it that hasn't already been said. I think I was already moving on to WIDTL being next in my alphabet... *g*

[ldyjocelyn]

I just KNEW doing WINY next would throw a few people! Hee.

*dons swimsuit and joins KAndre in the WINY wallowing love*

[jmh123]

The AOL thing. I've been kind of surprised that AOL hasn't been eliminating clicks from the same IP. They'd have to do that, or else anyone--a record company, an artist, a group of fans, could influence the rankings, as Clay fans have in this case. They clearly do this when they publish the charts: http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/hotweb/aol_music.jsp. As you can see, Clay is not in the top 10 for audio or video. Maybe it's just too difficult to keep the on-going online stats free of spamming, or maybe they just leave Clay's music out of the published charts without trying to figure out how many discrete hits the songs/videos get. On the other hand, the spamming does provide some visibility on the AOL site that the music might otherwise not get. The average person doesn't see the charts, but folks in the industry do, and some of them probably hear about the fans spamming AOL. Is it a pro or a con? Probably some of both.

I don't know why Clay's songs don't get downloaded that much at iTunes. It's a mystery. It isn't as if everything that sells there is Top 40 or "cool". It's probably true that the big sellers, those that sell in the hundreds of thousands and more, are Top 40, though. Dunno.

[keepingfaith]

My only problem with WINY is that the bass is overpowering. I have to change the settings on my player in the car when it comes on, otherwise it's headache material. The song itself I love very much. Wait a minute, I have a second issue ... it ends much too soon. Clay's still singing, ya'll!!!!

[Desertrose]

I stream AOL OMWH videos and music on a more than regular basis. I also send links to videos to my non-Clay friends and family. I bought more OMWH cds than I have done of previous Clay cds and gifted them to anyone I could think of that I know likes music. I have yet to get any response as to whether they are enjoying the cd or not, just thank you for the gift. I suspect that they are not even playing it. I have asked a couple of times if they liked it and the answer is yes, thank you. Not very encouraging to me because I had to ask. Makes me feel that they have not played it yet. I am slowly beginning to understand that I have done all I can to "promote" this cd. I make it a point to tell them that Kipper, who produced the cd, is an award winning producer, who produced for Sting, (they all like Sting) and that some of the musicians played with Steely Dan, (another favorite), and it still does not seem to encourage them to play it. It is very frustrating for me. They are all very good friends and NEVER say anything negative about Clay because they know of my Clay love. So I guess that part is good. Still frustrating though.

Sometimes, I think that Clay is not visible enough. We live in a very fickle society where out of sight means out of mind. A lot of new artist make the scene each year and even though not very talented, they make sure that they have high visibility. I have been a fan of Clay's from the very beginning, 2003. I went to see him both times he came to Houston, but I never new of the online fandom. Whenever Clay went missing for a long time. I thought he had disappeared from the music scene. I never knew about the Christmas Concerts since I did not know about the message boards. I found the online fandom in 2006 when I accidentally discovered the "Ideal Idol" website. I was ecstatic when I saw him in the Idol 5 finale. That was when I found out that he was still "around." There are a lot of people who do not "do the internet," even though they all have pcs. But they do watch TV, listen to the radio, and read magazines. Most of them do not read the trashy publications, including me. I did not even know what Diane Sawyer was talking about in the 2006 interview and neither did my friends because I asked. They do watch GMA.

For some reason, a lot of people follow artists because they feel that they know them because of the coverage that they get in magazines, TV or other entertainment news sources, their triumphs, heartbreaks, who they are dating, etc. I am not saying that this is right, because most of the time the information is wrong or slanted, but that seems to be the way it is.

JMO, I wish that Clay would decide to become more visible in celebrity events such as award shows, even though he might not be receiving or presenting, just to be there in his gorgeous sexy self. I bet he would get his young girl fans back. I respect his wish for privacy, but he is still not an icon, who can afford to take that route. I want him to be seen and heard! JMO, but what do I know? Except that I love Clay Aiken.

[KAndre]

Bass? What bass? Blasphemy!

Heh.

You mean like a bass guitar? Or bass like the opposite of treble? Is the twangy thing the bass?

We were talking about favorite phrases....that low "Oh, I need you"....that's WAY up there for me.

I just love this so...I liked back in the day with Leo Sayer...but I fell in love with Clay's rendition in Miami - the highlight of the acoustic set for me - I love the QVC version in a different way - it's classic old school pop for me. If he recorded this in 2003, it's stuff like this that makes me say he occasionally sings a little different - but better? Nuh uh!

[muskifest]

Gorsh, keepingfaith....I uh...um... well...gee. I wasn't really trying to be NEGATIVE about AOL...I'm just keeping it real for myself. I LOVE seeing his name and songs plastered all over the internet! I was mainly seeing those titles in the context of knowing how the internet fans are encouraging constant and repeated streaming in order to get/keep them there; hence my qualifications on my glee intensity.

I do have to say that wondering how this AOL thing is actually helping clay isn't really negative. It's a fair and honest question. And I think putting it out there is good. It certainly helped me see the good in it in ways I hadn't thought of.

Whew, Couchie...thanks. I was skeered!

Wonder what Clay got his buddy Ruben for a wedding gift?

[muskifest]

OOOOH, cool! US Mag online has a little blurb about Clay's good wishes for Ruben and his new bride!

Clay Aiken: "Ruben's Wife Is One Lucky Lady!"

[annabear]

That link isn't working for me - anyone else?