#52: "He doesn't need the spotlight. He just glows."

[lilyshine]

Thanks. I didn't think I had it right. They are very similar breeds.

Scottish Border! Similar to the Skye Terrier. Boy, are there a lot of terriers out there. Must have been all the rats.

[muskifest]

Raleigh and Durham are both Border Terriers, if I remember correctly.

Not sure which border, though. Pretty sure Canadian.

Yeah, and I'm pretty sure that they go both ways, too.

[annabear]

Toto, in the Wizard of Oz, was a Cairn Terrier.

[KAndre]

Interesting article on MSNBC today

The following sentence might come as a huge shock to teens and Millennials, so stop tweeting for a second, kids, and get prepared for a totally outlandish statement. Here it is: Once upon a time, pop singers were actual singers.

Yes, I know. That's hard to comprehend since the pop charts are now dominated by artists who use Auto-Tune, the software plug-in that corrects the pitch of those who can't really cut it in the vocal department and turns their vocals into robo-voices. While everyone under 30 recovers from that revelation, here's what I mean by "actual singers."

Back in the day, pop artists like Frank Sinatra and the Beatles used to be able to record albums in just a few days. Country musicians like Patsy Cline and George Jones trudged through grueling tours in out-of-the-way rural locales yet still missed nary a note. R&B musicians like the Supremes and the Four Tops navigated their way through complex choreography but still belted out songs out like their lives depended on it.

[snip]

But too much meticulousness in pop music strips away passion. And the very reason we listen to music, noted the late rock critic Lester Bangs, is to hear "passion expressed." Auto-Tune makes people sound like robots. And if there's no feeling, why listen at all?

Some people apparently aren't listening anymore. Sales of major label CDs are down. But more authentic sounding music still has fans. Paste magazine recently reported that indie music is selling more, and the one area of commercial music that's remained popular is "American Idol," where you can't fake it (unless you're Paula Abdul)...

Hell, I thought Pro-Tools was bad...

I really have never liked a lot of live concerts - simply because I did think the singing was sub-par in so many ways. Which was one of the reasons Clay is at the top of my favorite musical acts today - because he can really sing...and lets it all hang out there.

[keepingfaith]

Hey KAndre! It's always a good day when I read anything quoted from the late, great Lester Bangs, about whom was said: What this book demands from a reader is a willingness to accept that the best writer in America could write almost nothing but record reviews.

And as hard as it is for me to have a favorite Lester Bangs quote, I'm partial to this one:

"I'll probably never produce a masterpiece, but so what? I feel I have a Sound aborning, which is my own, and that Sound if erratic is still my greatest pride, because I would rather write like a dancer shaking my ass to boogaloo inside my head, and perhaps reach only readers who like to use books to shake their asses, than to be or write for the man cloistered in a closet somewhere reading Aeschylus while this stupefying world careens crazily past his waxy windows toward its last raving sooty feedback pirouette."

I can't leave out the quotes ascribed to Bangs by the kid he mentored, Cameron Crowe (as William Miller) in Crowe's movie Almost Famous about being friends with the rock band he's reviewing:

Lester Bangs: Aw, man. You made friends with them. See, friendship is the booze they feed you. They want you to get drunk on feeling like you belong.

William Miller: Well, it was fun.

Lester Bangs: They make you feel cool. And hey, I met you. You are not cool.

William Miller: I know. Even when I thought I was, I knew I wasn't.

Lester Bangs: That's because we're uncool. And while women will always be a problem for us, most of the great art in the world is about that very same problem. Good-looking people don't have any spine. Their art never lasts. They get the girls, but we're smarter.

William Miller: I can really see that now.

Lester Bangs: Yeah, great art is about conflict and pain and guilt and longing and love disguised as sex, and sex disguised as love... and let's face it, you got a big head start.

William Miller: I'm glad you were home.

Lester Bangs: I'm always home. I'm uncool. The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what we share with someone else when we're uncool.

William Miller: I feel better.

Lester Bangs: My advice to you. I know you think those guys are your friends. You wanna be a true friend to them? Be honest, and unmerciful.

With Lester's take on the 70's, wonder what he would have thought about popular music today!

... And doing so you can recreate yourself and you can also come up with something that is not only original and creative and artistic, but also maybe even decent, or moral if I can use words like that, or something that's like basically good. ... Here we are in the 70's when everything really is horrible and it really stinks. The mass media, everything on television everything everywhere is just rotten. You know it's just really boring and really evil, ugly and worse.

Clay Content: I am a pawn to the passion in music .... for me, it began with Beethoven and Schumann, and continues with my love for the passionate voice and honest musical expression of Clay Aiken. And I think Lester Bangs would have loved him.

[Couch Tomato]

Les Pages de la Chapelle

<h1 class="page-title">Les Pages et Chantres de la Chapelle</h1>anybody here read french? Help? what does et chantres do to the first?

[luckiest1]

I'd think "chantres" would be singers. I looked it up and it says "cantors".

[treenuts]

Which was one of the reasons Clay is at the top of my favorite musical acts today - because he can really sing...and lets it all hang out there.

(bolding mine)

[luckiest1]

:staples self to FCA:

It's kinda skeery out there.

[Couch Tomato]

:staples self to FCA:

It's kinda skeery out there.

hides staple remover :thbighug-1:

[liney23]

aikim... thanks for the Sunny good moring! Love it!

KAndre... Keeping... interesting articles. Thanks! Clay can actually sing... what a concept.

luckiest... I have been so busy, that I barely have time to come here, much less anywhere else. Not even going to ask what they are all het up about now... just staying here and loving Clay... ya' know, that guy who is gorgeous and has a gorgeous voice and is very funny... that guy!

[bottlecap]

For the Beatles fans on the board: EW.com has a link to a promo spot for the release of The Beatles: Rock Band. It's a great little animated feature that visually references the all the high points of the Beatles phenomenon. I loved it.

[Scarlett]

Yay, finally got through the traffic! I'm so hungry and sleepy and I need to get caught up on the threads and I've been wanting to use these from Rockys mom: (wonder which I'll do first?)

Thanks for bringing them, jmh!

Can she also do a 'Good afternoon/evening' for those days we can't log on until 6pm?

[Lotus]

For the Beatles fans on the board: EW.com has a link to a promo spot for the release of The Beatles: Rock Band. It's a great little animated feature that visually references the all the high points of the Beatles phenomenon. I loved it.

Me too...thanks for the link.

It's a hot day here on the coast. News is that we may break a record for high temperatures on this day. At 300pm it was 80F in my house, meanwhile Back East, i.e. Toronto my brother tells me that they had to have the heat on last night!

I'll have to wait until early evening before going out in the garden to do some much needed weeding.

[treenuts]

For the Beatles fans on the board: EW.com has a link to a promo spot for the release of The Beatles: Rock Band. It's a great little animated feature that visually references the all the high points of the Beatles phenomenon. I loved it.

Thanx for this bottle, looks very interesting! I am a firm die hard Beatles fan.

I fell in love with John when I was too young to even understand their lyrics. But he was quirky and snarky and suffered from a simialr foot in mouth disease as someone else I love and admire. I guess I've always prefered my pop stars w/big feet and a mouth large enough to insert a good sized foot every now & then And while all fab four were well under 6 ft. tall, I never held that against them

*hey, maybe this is why The ATDW promo period was my favorite Clay look..................

so far*

[jmh123]

Rockys mom says, "Whatever Scarlett wants,Scarlett shall have...."

[luckiest1]

It's a hot day here on the coast. News is that we may break a record for high temperatures on this day. At 300pm it was 80F in my house, meanwhile Back East, i.e. Toronto my brother tells me that they had to have the heat on last night!

Yes, it was very tempting to turn the heat on last night, but I resisted. It warmed up nicely this afternoon. It really has been a strange spring, weather wise!

[goldarngirl]

It's a hot day here on the coast. News is that we may break a record for high temperatures on this day. At 300pm it was 80F in my house, meanwhile Back East, i.e. Toronto my brother tells me that they had to have the heat on last night!

Yes, it was very tempting to turn the heat on last night, but I resisted. It warmed up nicely this afternoon. It really has been a strange spring, weather wise!

It's been awful IMO. Hey shyeyewitness, if you are around. What's Indianapolis like right now? Is it warm?

[Scarlett]

Thank you so much, jmh and Rockys mom! You two are the sweetest!!!

I love the bright afternoon colors on this one:

And the sunset tones on the evening one are gorgeous:

I know this is for all of FCA but I want to adopt it:

And there's probably a long line to adopt this one as well:

Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!!

ETA:

It's a hot day here on the coast. News is that we may break a record for high temperatures on this day. At 300pm it was 80F in my house,

It's 80° F at your house, Lotus? That's exactly the same as KAndre's -- except that she has it year-round!... maybe you should grow orchids... then again, I hear the Oval Office is the same way...

Yes, it was very tempting to turn the heat on last night, but I resisted. It warmed up nicely this afternoon. It really has been a strange spring, weather wise!

luckiest1, now your house is the one I want to match temperature-wise!

Oh and I discovered in Vegas that Couchie and I are good matches for room temperature, yay!!!

Is it too early to find roommates for the Gala? Oh wait, I think most of the ehP is going to that one.

[jamar1700]

I read there were frost warnings for Northern Minnesota tonight.

[Couch Tomato]

Oh and I discovered in Vegas that Couchie and I are good matches for room temperature, yay!!!

Haven't I been talking about going to Antarctica for about 3 years now? Just getting prepared.

[keepingfaith]

For the Beatles fans on the board: EW.com has a link to a promo spot for the release of The Beatles: Rock Band. It's a great little animated feature that visually references the all the high points of the Beatles phenomenon. I loved it.

Thanks! That was totally enjoyable. Also totally enjoyable tonight was catching a good part of the Great Performances: Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood Live from Madison Square Garden on PBS. WOW, that was something I never expected to see -- those Blind Faith heavy-duties doing Presence of the Lord, Well All Right, Can't Find My Way Home, along with stuff from Clapton's career, and some Traffic as in Mr. Fantasy and Glad. Just WOW! When Stevie's voice came in on Presence, I thought I was gonna DIE!

Now I don't know how I'm going to stay away from their June 24th concert here at Toyota Center. I can't go because it's my DIL's birthday, and I'm committed for the dinner that night. Of course, I park a block from Toyota, and there's always the possibility that I would have to work late, maybe ....

but it wouldn't be worth doing if I couldn't TALK about it afterward. Or would it?

[liney23]

Thanx for this bottle, looks very interesting! I am a firm die hard Beatles fan.

I fell in love with John when I was too young to even understand their lyrics. But he was quirky and snarky and suffered from a simialr foot in mouth disease as someone else I love and admire. I guess I've always prefered my pop stars w/big feet and a mouth large enough to insert a good sized foot every now & then And while all fab four were well under 6 ft. tall, I never held that against them

*hey, maybe this is why The ATDW promo period was my favorite Clay look..................

so far*

treenuts... I love this explanation of why you love Clay. Sounds logical to me!

Rockys mom says, "Whatever Scarlett wants,Scarlett shall have...."

jmh... again, thank Rocky's mom. I love all of these! :kiss:

keeping... you could talk about it here! LOL What your DIL doesn't know won't hurt you!

[preden]

Thank you so much, jmh and Rockys mom! You two are the sweetest!!!

I love the bright afternoon colors on this one:

And the sunset tones on the evening one are gorgeous:

I know this is for all of FCA but I want to adopt it:

And there's probably a long line to adopt this one as well:

Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!!

ETA:

It's a hot day here on the coast. News is that we may break a record for high temperatures on this day. At 300pm it was 80F in my house,

It's 80° F at your house, Lotus? That's exactly the same as KAndre's -- except that she has it year-round!... maybe you should grow orchids... then again, I hear the Oval Office is the same way...

Yes, it was very tempting to turn the heat on last night, but I resisted. It warmed up nicely this afternoon. It really has been a strange spring, weather wise!

luckiest1, now your house is the one I want to match temperature-wise!

Oh and I discovered in Vegas that Couchie and I are good matches for room temperature, yay!!!

Is it too early to find roommates for the Gala? Oh wait, I think most of the ehP is going to that one.

I made a reservation and if I don't find a roommate, will cancel it and room with someone else who has offered, nothing definite of course yet.

[jmh123]

Also totally enjoyable tonight was catching a good part of the Great Performances: Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood Live from Madison Square Garden on PBS. WOW, that was something I never expected to see -- those Blind Faith heavy-duties doing Presence of the Lord, Well All Right, Can't Find My Way Home, along with stuff from Clapton's career, and some Traffic as in Mr. Fantasy and Glad. Just WOW! When Stevie's voice came in on Presence, I thought I was gonna DIE!

Now I don't know how I'm going to stay away from their June 24th concert here at Toyota Center. I can't go because it's my DIL's birthday, and I'm committed for the dinner that night. Of course, I park a block from Toyota, and there's always the possibility that I would have to work late, maybe ....

but it wouldn't be worth doing if I couldn't TALK about it afterward. Or would it?

GACK!! You had me googling trying to see if I could go. Dang. I didn't know about the tour and the TV show wasn't on tonight here. It may have already passed and I missed it. But I know what you mean about the conflict. You just can't always do it. If you go, I'd be telling the truth to the family because getting caught would be so not worth it.

I once left my job in NY (with full knowledge of all concerned--dang that was a cool place) and flew to NC to see Clapton. My sister had scored 2nd row tickets for the Clapton Blues tour through Ticketmaster and I lurved him. but I had never seen him live. The people at the job appreciated the significance of the opportunity and encouraged me to go! I was ridiculous for months after. My poor sister came up at Thanksgiving and I still didn't want to listen to anything but Clapton. She was very tolerant. She was probably really sorry that she bought those tickets though. I wanted to run into him at the grocery store (in the middle of nowhere Central NY State, pop. 8000 - LOL) and marry him. It was bad. Then he was in Osaka, Japan a few years later when I was very close by, but I was a complete chicken shit about buying tickets over the phone and when I finally called I found out that,"Elic Crapton is compretely sold out." But as deep as my crush was and as long as I've been a fan and as much music as he's made over decades and decades, he doesn't grab me the way Clay Aiken does. So I totally missed the fact that he and Winwood did Great Performances a year ago and recorded a CD and are touring together now. I checked out the tour dates, scratched that idea--and ordered the DVD immediately. Dang--Clapton and Winwood on tour together.

I played hooky from work without any knowledge of all concerned (at all!) to see Clay twice. Different job, different sorts of people. But it was Clay!!

Today I was in Border's returning an online purchase and got Dylan's latest (written with Robert Hunter). I also looked for the new New Riders of the Purple Sage which just came out today, but they didn't have it. It was funny saying new New Riders to the sales associate. I can't even believe they're still making records--they never were "popular" or best-sellers or radio darlings or anything.

(Clay connection, of course.) I keep up with all kinds of musicians I've liked for decades. I can't imagine not keeping up with Clay, but he doesn't have to entertain me 365. He can have some time off. I'm cool with that. But I don't think it'll be a year after he releases a new album before I even hear about it--ever.