#48: He is...therefore I fan.

[merrieeee]

Does this mean my gerbil can retire one of his wheels now?

[aikim]

Does this mean my gerbil can retire one of his wheels now?

Yeah...but you might want to put it where it would be easily retrievable just in case!

Kim

[Couch Tomato]

Scarlett... I find it extermely hard to do away with labels and I've really really tried. I'm really good at it in some respects ..when it comes to the BIG things like racial issue or stereotypes. I have a kneejerk reaction to some things -- even when I'm watching TV when on Survivor this guy was worried because a southerner was on his team and he was a NY Jew. My first reaction - uh why don't you get to know the guy first before you prejudge him. And turned out that so far they get along great - -which surprised him. That kind of thing goes right over my head and I don't get it. But I agree with what's his name..our new Attorney General .. in a lot of ways we're still segregated. Anyway my problem comes when I have a little bit of knowledge BWAH.. I'll drop a crazy label in a minute like on that Octuplet mom. I'm working on that

I woke up at 6:30 and went to facebook and panicked... thanks Lucky for a lesson cuz all I could think was what in the world have I gotten myself into.I was missing a few things conceptually. But now I understand. I also have the article that was posted the other day and now I wll do some tinkering with the privacy settings and other things.

ETA: this post brought to you by the Jamar edit - I'm pretty sure that's 3 changes and up.

ETAA: I don't really know what Clay wants and honestly it doesn't matter to me as I'm not invested in him doing, being, achieving any certain thing. Not to say I wouldn't have some sort of hissy fit the likes of which you've never seen if for instance he never toured again.

[Scarlett]

Couchie, :thbighug-1:

ETA: Babette is from BATB.

[annabear]

I'm glad you did! I remember it from quite a while ago and it was fun to see again. I think he's fine as the guys, but not so much as Beverley or Deanna!

Agreed!

annabear, could you PLEASE send me the means to send the Clay Trek to LBFCA? I almost DIED laughing!!!

thanks!!

Penny, I'm not annabear and I hope she doesn't mind but here's a link:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/MiscP...rMe/claytng.jpg

I don't mind at all. Thanks for helping out!

ETAA: I don't really know what Clay wants and honestly it doesn't matter to me as I'm not invested in him doing, being, achieving any certain thing. Not to say I wouldn't have some sort of hissy fit the likes of which you've never seen if for instance he never toured again.

and

Time for people who can't find joy in their fandom to spend a beautiful day doing something other than beating down on Clay and his fans, and follow what gives them happiness (if there is indeed such a thing). *holds nose and follows people around with a dustpan -- hey, maybe I can apply for that maid service that Reed always wanted... rummages around for ostrich feathers a la Babette*

I love this fandom because I have friends (who care about me, especially the state of my mind -- ROTL!), and lots of clack and great hope for the future!!!

There is searching and there is searching. As everyone knows, I'm more willing than most to listen to people who truly are trying to sort things out. All I expect is that people be consistent with the people they quote in their siggies (or copy KAndre's avatar and not be ashamed about it)

Labels? Where we're going, we don't need labels!!! (with apologies to the Back to the Future folks) Down with labels! Labels divide people. Make love not labels!

Imagine... there's no labels... It's easy if you try

Have a great day everyone!!! *stands before my kitchen cabinet and contemplates removing all the labels from my spice jars -- nah! Even I'm not that crazy*

:nature-smiley-014:

A HUGE

I'm on a continuing mission to puppy-proof this weekend! Little guy will be coming home with me sometime this week!

[lightmyfire]

My sentiment in respect to the RCA label news....

[Couch Tomato]

My sentiment in respect to the RCA label news....

:thbighug-1: lightmyfire. Nice to see you. Hopefully Clay will use his blogger which he already said he would do, soon!!

[Scarlett]

A lot of us here have changed the way we've been buying things over the last few years. Brick and mortar bookstores and specialty music shops that used to claim a huge part of our entertainment budgets have started to (and for many, completely) taken over our book and music sales. And even when we get music on a physical CD, it's usually at Walmart or Target instead of Virgin. If you haven't bought electronics or clothes online, you've been missing out on some great deals. When you travel, do you still book your ticket with a travel agency or do you go online and do it yourself? How often do you drive to the bank too handle your finances instead of logging on to your bank's website?

So, what's the difference to us personally if Clay sells his music through a label or by himself? Suppose OMWH had been distributed by Clay instead of by RCA? What would have been the difference?

1. Timing

- a label has a release schedule; they need to spread out CDs among their expected "hitmakers"

- labels don't release more than 15 new songs per artist per year, often much less

- if he were releasing an album himself, Clay would still need to plan around things like holidays and seasons but there's not much reason for him to

hold back a release (no, I'm not smutting here) when it's available

2. Content

- Label has control over an album's content; albums could be delayed over content "discussions"

- Labels will sell albums that fit their pattern of hits; content distributed by a label is more bland and generic because it needs to appeal to a lot of people at the same time -- the crafters here know this: large scale yarn and fabric stores will only carry items that can sell in the millions; one-off and quirky designs are usually found only in tiny stores that are willing to take the risk for something that has value but may or may not be appreciated by most people

- Clay can listen to his customers and with a small operation can more finely tune his product to the needs of his audience

- Also he can release specific products targetted to different groups of fans

3. Billboard, ratings, hobnobbing with the elite

- He'll only get these with the support of a major label

- But seriously, do we need this?

4. Finances

- Most of the $10 or $18 that you pay for a CD goes to the company, the executives who run them, the advertising to make us feel good about what we bought, packaging, and to marketing people

- Assuming he could keep operational costs down, both Clay and the fandom can get exactly what we want, or have been getting in the past with the label as the middleman, and we can split the savings between us

- With the economy down, do you really still want to continue paying for the bonuses of recording company executives?

5. Growing the market

- a major label has the infrastructure to reach more people at once

- unless there's a major label that will use its clout to sell Clay, what's the use to us of all this influence

- However, without the "benefit of a major label's marketing arm", he needs to grow his market himself

6. Quality Assurance / Processes

- a major label usually had the equipment and processes in place to produce reasonably good items (I'm talking about the physical CDs themselves, not the content)

- a small firm usually delivers either superbly or is a huge pain to deal with; if you have the right people and can retain them, life can be great; if the knowlegeable people walk out or are lured away by larger companies then the smaller firm, their product and their customers suffer

7. Concert venues

- It probably won't be easy to book and fill large new structures without the power of a major label or sponsor behind you

- I don't know the story with Disney and their Idol thing, but if Clay can't get sponsorship, then we'll end up in tiny venues that others didn't want; some could be wonderful like Clio and other could be badly in need of repairs

8. Clack

- So far the label ahs not interfered much with Clack but if they choose too they could in a big way

- Some blame the Tampa DCAT clackdown on RCA

- With better control over his shows, Clay could choose to allow or disallow clack; realistically he might clamp down because this is something he could produce himself with better quality

So, the people who lose in a theoretical "independent" venture are those who are not so much interested in Clay and his music but more in the celebrity and excitement of the entertainment industry.

The music industry itself is not doing well but that doesn't really have to impact the people who simply want to see and hear Clay perform.

In the end, this is all moot if he signs with a different large label that pays more attention to his career and the needs of his fans but it's something to wish for someday, if not for Clay then for some other artist out there to break from the system.

ETA: I guess it's a lot safer to go with another established company since both Prince and Stephen King tried some form of an independent publishing model in the past and (I assume) they didn't get very far. *shrugs* Just once, I wish someone could do it, that we could find someone out there making a living and using their talent without the limits of an established system.

[cindilu2]

Personally, I just hope that however things went down, and whatever the results, they were on Clay's terms and he's happy. Whatever's next - I will be here.

My personal wish though, is that they (Clay/TC) are treating this as non-news (which they seem to be) because they have something great to announce in the not-too-distant future. Another label, or his own, or whatever, but that that will be treated as the Big Thing.

[aikim]

My sentiment in respect to the RCA label news....

Care to explain this sentiment...because I truly do not get why this is bad news?

I am the type of person who does not like change; I get comfortable and it could take a crowbar to get me out of my comfort zone...but sometimes you have to leave that comfort zone in order to grow and reach your potential. Clay was never going to reach his potential with RCA.

Clay is a smart man and I don't believe he just left RCA on a whim without a plan in place...I bet he has been making plans for a while and with David and Jaymes in his corner, it can only be good.

His personal life has settled down and is in a good place, so now it is time to concentrate on his career...I don't know whether that will entail recording, TV, Broadway...a combination of all three...but I am pretty excited to find out.

I have always, always felt that Clay is bound for bigger things than being a "pop star" and that with his talent there will always be a place for him in the entertainment business.

Kim

[liney23]

ETA: Oh, and I must say I'm a little bit apprehensive about Clay and RCA parting ways... Not because I think RCA is this great company or whatever (being a fairly new fan, I really have no idea about the Clay/RCA relationship) but just because of the image issues with the split. I do like that it is being reported as a mutual decision, though, and not that he was dropped. That's much more positive.

I wasn't thrilled either but it's a new era for the recording industry and it's been feeling the pinch for some time now, i.e. well before "world economic downturn" became a familiar term, so I don't think anyone gets surprised anymore. My feeling is that it wasn't entirely Clay's choice since nothing beats having a big name label behind an artist because of the expertise and powerful marketing machine. However, Clay has his own personal network in the business now, and his son is related to one of the biggest producers in the business, so it's just a matter of change and hopefully for the better. (It is extraordinary how many artists are now independently marketing their music.) On the other hand, Clay is more than 'simply' a recording artist, Broadway has helped to pave the way, I think, to lots of possibilities in other avenues.

ETA: I also don't think Clay is in a hurry to find a new career project, I feel that everything he does from now on will be subject to how it will impact on his time with Parker. I feel that Clay has already achieved more than his wildest dreams in terms of his singing career and his biggest dream of all was having a child to raise. He's going to be the kind of father he never had.

Claytonic... the bolded above, to me, means Clay is/will be a tremendous success in the most important thing he will ever do.

Scarlett... that was a great post about the label/non-label stuff. Thanks!

The man is smart... he is mad-talented... he makes family and friends wherever he goes and some of those more influencial friends/family know very well he is smart and mad-talented... he'll be fine. He has choices and possibilities now that could lead him to exactly where he wants to go. I'm guessing, but I think he most likely wants a big enough career to carry his humanitarian endeavors forward and to support his family comfortably. I'm betting he manages a way to get what he wants.

[FearofH2O]

Personally, I just hope that however things went down, and whatever the results, they were on Clay's terms and he's happy. Whatever's next - I will be here.

My personal wish though, is that they (Clay/TC) are treating this as non-news (which they seem to be) because they have something great to announce in the not-too-distant future. Another label, or his own, or whatever, but that that will be treated as the Big Thing.

Word!! Once again I'm too lazy to have an original thought.

I am one who loves change. I do get bored with the same old so I'm really looking forward to whats ahead for Clay and TC. He is not boring and doesn't appear to be adverse to change. So here I am six years later. But while he's planning I'd better get back to painting. See you all later.

[ldyjocelyn]

I'm guessing, but I think he most likely wants a big enough career to carry his humanitarian endeavors forward and to support his family comfortably. I'm betting he manages a way to get what he wants.

That's the way I think about it too. I truly think that what will make him happy, more than anything else, is for his foundation to carry out its mission to the best of its ability, the same with UNICEF, and that Parker is able to live a good life.

I believe, with my whole heart, that Clay has it good in so many ways. He's got a son (and where are those pictures? Parker's aunties want to see!). He's got a good friend that gave him that son. He's (supposedly) got a really cute and talented boyfriend. I would venture a guess that he's got money socked away to live comfortably for a while. And right now, I think he's got time, time to plan what he wants to do next.

Lucky man, I'd say.

[Couch Tomato]

Aikim - I can understand her sentiment. She's not saying his career is over - but we ARE entering a world of unknown. And as much as I wanted to leave a previous job doesn't mean I'd celebrate if they decided they didn't want me anymore. sure I'd make the best of it but that's different. I'm saying that with the complete knowledge that I was not at any bargaining table with Clay and RCA and have no idea what happened or why they parted ways. In fact, I won't even try to understand it or make it palatable by saying it was purely Clay's decision. The end result is the same and then at some point I will start turning a bunch of stuff I couldn't posibly know in the true column (excuse that crazy ass sentence just talking to myself LOL). So I understand it more than celebrating actually. I hope people are ready to be exremely patient for new news about Clay's career and any new music in particular. Of course he could anounce a new album project next week. I'm prepared either way.

Loved your post Scarlett. I've thought the old ways were not long for this world for a long time. Actually just in the last 6 years things have totally changed in the way money is made..after all this is a business and for record companies that's what it's all about. With the focus on singles and ringtones as a source of revenue - there are people who are considered major successes now who would have been failures just 6 years ago. It's so crazy. Anyway the good news is that we'll be around to follow the progress and see what direction he takes - whether he puts out stuff on his own or signs with a new label. One thing I'm sure of -- there will be a NEXT.

One thing I totally think is important is to get that competition finally out of our system. That it's the MUSIC that's important. Because with some new paradigm, clay may sell 100,000K records while keeping a shitload more of the profits and I hope fans will be happy and understand that it's the new success.

[Scarlett]

[Scarlett... that was a great post about the label/non-label stuff. Thanks!

Thanks, liney! In the end it's his business and as long as we have opportunities to buy his music and watch him perform that's all tha matters.

[Bella19]

One thing I totally think is important is to get that competition finally out of our system. That it's the MUSIC that's important. Because with some new paradigm, clay may sell 100,000K records while keeping a shitload more of the profits and I hope fans will be happy and understand that it's the new success.

Amen to that!

Scarlett - I loved your post too. I have Clay friends on other boards who just don't understand that bricks and mortar sales of cds are just not the way the music industry is going now. I've given up trying to explain the differences to them. I'm glad that I had kids at a later age, because they're the ones who've made sure I kept up with technology, etc.

As for my scrapbooking stash, well, no photos taken today, but I'll see what I can do on Sunday. I did get an amazing deal today though. I was at a grocery superstore (Loblaws) that sells just about everything and wandered down their books/craft area, rounded a corner and found an 18-piece set of Fiskars decorative scissors for $6.94! I just love them and they're the best to cut paper with.

[claylove]

In the last several years, Clay's CDs are the only ones I have bought actual CDs in stores locally. All the rest I buy as digital downloads or online. Once I convert a CD to an mp3 the CD itself just sits in a box or something anyway so I'd rather just buy them digitally. Except Clay's I like the actual CD for a keepsake and for the CD sleeve artwork, but then I also buy the digital version as well.

[Scarlett]

Couchie, Bella, thanks! It's a dream whose time has either come or will be coming soon. All businesses are trimming down to the essentials and even in the past I never could understand the excesses by some in the entertainment world. We closely watch what we pay for groceries and electricity and gas, but how many people are outraged at the profit margin of selling a one CD album? And it wouldn't be as bad if the profits go to the songwriters, performers, musicians, engineers and editors but these people make approx. a penny or less (I think) per album. I used to say that if CDs were sold by gas stations at the same profit margins they do on gas, the DVDs would be $1 apiece and the CDs even less.

[calurker]

I really enjoyed reading your post,Scarlett.

You talked about a lot of the things that I have been wondering about since this news broke and really didn't like to ask.Is this good or bad?..should I be worried?...should I read the Google alerts?..... I have no knowledge of how the music business works and boy, do I hate sounding like a dunce ....which is sometimes how I come across when I ask questions about things I know nothing about.

...and sometimes I ramble, like I'm doing now....but one thing I do know is

[annabear]

I just got a text message letting me know that my little guy is a sports fan...

He's watching the Purdue basketball game!

[Scarlett]

and

oh, he's so cute, annabear!!!

[Couch Tomato]

oh my goodness..what a cute dog.

Jamar, guess what I'm doing for my second only job. Oh just fixing all the rosters of all the teams in MLB. bwah. joy joy. I wasn't looking forward to baseball until April 1..at the very least. The sad part is that while I'm fixing the current rosters on people..I add Oakland A's to so many of them as former team. I'm tired of being the farm system to the league!!

calurker -- you know the important things..

ETA: Also watching Die Hard, my favorite xmas movie of all time, for the 156th time. Yes it is a xmas movie

[keepingfaith]

ETA: I guess it's a lot safer to go with another established company since both Prince and Stephen King tried some form of an independent publishing model in the past and (I assume) they didn't get very far. *shrugs* Just once, I wish someone could do it, that we could find someone out there making a living and using their talent without the limits of an established system.

Well, it's still going on. Radiohead has been inching in that direction and sold their last album from their website -- on the honor system. The downloaders paid what they felt it was worth. Then a couple of months later it was released on CD and vinyl and was No. 1 on the charts. There are a lot of new places to go to and through now, and the next "way forward" may be at hand.

Way back when, the Beatles kicked Capitol to the curb and started their own label, Apple. Of course, they were the biggest thing in the world, and they signed distribution agreements with other labels through the years, but they were the first to take complete control of their product.

The thing is, major, significant, paradigm-shifting change is happening ... again ... finally! As Dylan wrote: "Don't stand in the doorways, don't block up the hall, 'cause he who is hurt, will be he who has stalled ... " The Times They Are A'Changing -- Peter Paul & Mary 1964

Following is something I saved from a few years ago ... a record producer writing about how the Beatles changed everything, and revolutionized the business. It's time for another revolution!

How The Beatles Changed Absolutely Everything

Prior to the Beatles (and including the Beatles themselves at the beginning), all artists recorded wherever the record labels dictated. The labels owned the studios -- including one owned by EMI in London called Abbey Road. By the end of their recording career, the Beatles had broken that hold, and they recorded anywhere in the world they wanted, even at independent studios not affiliated with record labels. This is a freedom every artist today enjoys.

Prior to the Beatles, artists recorded when record labels dictated. Sessions were 3 hour blocks, called 'singles'. For pop music, the 3 hours was enough time to lay down, at the very least, one side of a 45 rpm single. In many cases, with good pre-production and session players, 2 or 3 songs would be finished in a single session. Sessions ran roughly 10AM-1PM, 2PM-5PM, and 6PM-9PM. The Beatles broke down both of those walls in several ways. First, after their initial success, they started their sessions whenever the hell they wanted, including midnight, if that was their mood. And as the music got more experimental, and complex, the sessions became longer, and longer, and longer. And that meant hours of recording, re-recording, and mixing for a single song. Was EMI freaked by this extravagance? Yes, but, as long as the records continued to sell, they agreed. Hell, these were The Beatles, who was gonna tell them no? Today, most artists enjoy these freedoms.

Prior to the Beatles, artists recorded with whom record labels dictated. EMI matched the Beatles with George Martin, which seemed completely insane considering that the classically trained Martin's prior work was largely with recording comedy acts. He largely hated pop music and only agreed to work with the lads because...wait for it...IT WAS HIS JOB! He had no choice! Engineers at that time were on staff at studio. You worked with whatever engineer the studio assigned, sometimes even different engineers on the same song from day to day. The Beatles amassed enough clout to take their favorite engineers with them wherever they worked. Today, major studios have Assistant Engineers, who work with the independent free-lance engineers that are hired directly by the artists. And today, while the label still initially has most of the say in who the producer is, successful artists choose whatever producer they want. Also, many classic pop/rock records had very few of the actual band playing. Virtually all the Beach Boys records used the famous "Wrecking Crew" of famous studio musicians. The Beatles used a session drummer or two in the very beginning, and brought in musicians for instruments that were out of their experience, like trumpet, etc, but otherwise, they played damn near all the isntruments, and sang all the parts.

Prior to the Beatles, and during a large part of their music output, artists recorded whatever the hell record labels dictated. They often had no or little choice in material, because not every act wrote all of its own music. Especially in the growing rock world, where most musicians didn't read music, songwriting was yet to really develop other than the really notables, like Little Richard and Chuck Berry. Many up and coming rockers were cutting, pasting, and adapting classic riffs from blues and hillbilly artists. Even the classic Motown stuff, contemporaneous with the Beatles, was as rigid and formulaic, in its own way, as Rosemary Clooney and Frank Sinatra. In other words, it was written by a composer, arranged by an arranger, conducted by a conductor, and mixed by a staff mixer. The whole process was a machine, with largely as much freedom as working within any machine. But John, Paul, and to a lesser extent George, being sponges for all pop music from their '50s youth, as well as sensing the freedom that was slowly and grudgingly being given them by EMI, started writing and recording more of their own music. Keep in mind that Meet the Beatles... and Introducing the Beatles... were composed mostly of cover songs, with only a few originals each. Luckily the original songs were pretty good, and resonated with a young audience that was really tired of Bobby Vee and The Shirelles. And this early success, combined with John and Paul's rich listening habits and their own innate talent, resulted in an output of songs not often matched by any artists since.

They pushed envelopes, broke out of boxes, both musically as well as functionally, and changed the way record labels and recording studios operate forever.

On top of all that they wrote some damn fine songs. I have yet to hear, from many artists today whom I really love and respect, anything that doesn't owe some debt to the Beatles. I'm still waiting for someone to write a better pop tune than Please Please Me that doesn't also sound like a Beatles outtake.

And regarding musical innovation, which I haven't even touched on here, a few things they started or popularized that are still heard today are:

Strings with rock instruments

Telephone sounding vocals

Synths (Mini-Moog, specifically on Abbey Road)

Each person playing multiple instruments

Vocals through Leslie speakers

Automatic Double Tracking of vocals

Tape machine varispeed (esp. Strawberry Fields Forever)

Indian instruments

Bouncing tracks across multiple machine for more cumulative tracks

8 track recording

and perhaps the most important:

The Roadie.

I don't know what everyone else thinks about it, but to me Clay Aiken is a trendsetter, an independent force, a captivating presence, and a huge talent. I think he could be in with the crowd that's changing things again.

I'm not so certain the split with RCA was one-sided. If the contract was up, and RCA wasn't offering enough sugar for the take, it was in Clay's best interest to move on. He really does have options. Clay could have asked for a bigger percentage than RCA was willing to allow, especially in the current enonomic climate, and they reached a stalemate. But even if he was dropped outright, "dropping" by the labels happens to the best of 'em, i.e., I remember when Bonnie Raitt was dropped by Warner Bros. back in the early 80's, along with Van Morrison. Bonnie had her biggest hits after being dropped by Warners. Last time I checked both remain music icons, and I bought albums by Bonnie and Van in the 70's, 80's, 90's, and in the past year. So, all this to say, I'm looking forward, with great anticipation.

[Clayzorback]

Time for people who can't find joy in their fandom to spend a beautiful day doing something other than beating down on Clay and his fans, and follow what gives them happiness (if there is indeed such a thing)

Were you talking to me scarlett? 'Cause I do find lots of joy and happiness in my life other than Clay and his fans. I also find joy in Clay. I didn't think I was beating down on Clay himself, just speaking what I consider the truth. However, once in awhile some of his fans just beg to be beaten down on. They've been blaming RCA for everything wrong in Clay's life for 6 years. So excuse me if I am glad that RCA is out of the picture, for that reason only. That I am happy that all of us who did not ascribe to that line of thinking won't have to read about it or scroll anymore. That the poor dead horse will finally have a funeral. I find it funny and wonder who they are going to blame for things in Clay's career in the future. Especially if nothing changes, whether he goes independant or if a smaller label picks him up. Or God forbid he goes into obscurity.

I understandl about the music business. It's a new world and radio is a defunct dinosaur, but that didn't stop Clay from saying his fans got him blacklisted on radio did it. So, indeed it does give me some happiness to beat on them for a few minutes. 'Cause as far as I'm concerned I agree with Clay about his fans and radio. So yeah Pfft to them.

Does anybody know how many downloads of Clay songs that have been downloaded in the past 6 years? It would seem it wasn't enough to satisfy his label. I bet it disappointed Clay too. I don't know what went down with Clay and his label but I think there might come a time when he will be sorry they couldn't come to an agreement. I'm sorry too.

Waves to lightmyfire. I understand completely what you are saying. Glad you came out and said it. It is a sad time. Hey! Maybe Clay will take over Conan O'Brian's late night spot. He's always wanted to do a talk show. I'm not worried about Clay making a living and being just as happy to stay home with Parker or go back to teaching. Wonder how Reed, his friends, and Jaymes would feel about Clay just going back to being a teacher? Would they stay around? Or are they just there for the celebrity. Interesting point a good friend of mine asked me. I wonder. Have to give it some thought.

[jmh123]

I just got a text message letting me know that my little guy is a sports fan...

He's watching the Purdue basketball game!

He's a cutie!!

Great and fascinating post kf!

I'll just keep letting Clay run his business, personal and professional. He knows so much more than I do about both.

I've never thought of Clay as a singer or recording artist first and foremost, nor do I think that's what he primarily aspires to within the entertainment business. But that's just my impression.