#57: Oh yeah, he really is just. that. good.

[luckiest1]

It's kind of a sad state of affairs here....not many CDs to be found at the brick and mortar stores in Canada. Hopefully our stealth US shopper will have had some luck today finding the deluxes. Tomorrow I am attending a Toronto CD release party that should be lots of fun! Nice that Clay blogged. I hope that he is happy with the sales by the end of the week....the rabid fans (i.e. us, hee) can only do so much.

[merrieeee]

Well it didn't take long...the knives are out!

[Couch Tomato]

Wow, so many interviews. It's funny but I think it was the radio interviews after Idol that made me a fan for life (well the voice was first). But the voice would have had me buy albums for life. Those interviews threw me into this crazy crazy other world LOL

I finally have my album and now I'm about to shut out the world and listen. I was a cussing fool last night after I walked a mile out of my way to pick the album up at Target. It wasn't there! I couldn't find the deluxe version so I will just order from Amazon. So new songs to look forward next week!

But for now..a new blog! yay.

[jamar1700]

Well it didn't take long...the knives are out!

Gosh. I can't imagine why Clay doesn't blog more often?

[aikim]

Well it didn't take long...the knives are out!

Knives?... More like hatchets and right in the middle of Clay's back...no matter what he does it will never be enough for some fans (and I use the term loosely)...makes me so very ashamed sometimes.

Big hug for Clay...can't wait to see him on tour and tomorrow morning on TV.

Kim

[aikim]

Well it didn't take long...the knives are out!

Gosh. I can't imagine why Clay doesn't blog more often?

It is a puzzler...only not, LOL!

Kim

[merrieeee]

IF all they are going to do is complain then why don't they find someone else? I'll never figure it out!

[Carolina Clay]

Well it didn't take long...the knives are out!

Knives?... More like hatchets and right in the middle of Clay's back...no matter what he does it will never be enough for some fans (and I use the term loosely)...makes me so very ashamed sometimes.

Big hug for Clay...can't wait to see him on tour and tomorrow morning on TV.

Kim

Hatchet is right, aikim. YIKES, I really don't understand why these people are still in the fan club.

Y'all have fun at the Toronto CD Release Party!

Have a great weekend, all!

Caro

[aikim]

IF all they are going to do is complain then why don't they find someone else? I'll never figure it out!

Because some people have nothing better to do? Do they think that if they bitch and moan loud enough that Clay will suddenly see the light and do things their way...I don't know, but I don't get it at all.

Kim

[gbmifan]

I cannot believe how those words he blogged sends me so fast to read it. I am not upset at him for asking for support. He is not dumb he know the economy and the fact he lost some fans has caused lower sales. He is just trying to be postive. I think he knows he can not get in that top 5 spot again. His fans upset me more when they are not supportive and are critical. I have loved all his appearances and interviews this week. I did comment how hard it was for me to find the CD. I think alot of people are finding this and for a casual fan who sees him on TV if they do not find it at the first store they go to they will not try another.

[cindilu2]

Is this going on on other boards?

[ldyjocelyn]

I think alot of people are finding this and for a casual fan who sees him on TV if they do not find it at the first store they go to they will not try another.

gbmifan, I hear ya...and yet, people found him 2 years ago with OMWH, and 4 years ago with ATDW (where, if I remember correctly, people were having problems finding CDs in the stores). I think for me, I've truly let go of the "first week sales have to be HUGE" thing, and I do have confidence in the "legs" for this album.

More promo is in the cards, I believe -- just not right away. I think he'll hit the late night circuit in the middle of July -- right before the tour starts. I think that will generate new sales, and by that time, the stock will have caught up. I also still firmly believe that the PBS special will be a sales goldmine -- and will last through the year, if not longer.

I love being happy all the time, because while I do feel some of what Clay is feeling (especially at how nervous he seemed in this blog -- I know, slap me, I'm reading things into his blog!), I also am just zen about what he said. He's made the album he wants. The tour plans are going great. He's bought 20 copies of the album. (Hey, that's why no one can find copies! LOL!) And he loves us.

I'm a satisfied Clay fan.

cindi, I've read around a bit, and I've not read venom, more sadness than anything else. As I said though...I'm happy. While I have empathy, I'm also still basking in the glow of this week.

[FearofH2O]

I guess I'll shop for a few more. I usually try to spread out my purchases.

Maybe I'm weird (so what if I am) but I get warm fuzzy feelings from Clay's blogs. He doesn't seem to be afraid to let us know how he feels. And if I ever feel that I'm not happy with Clay, I'll just go off and play Farmville. :clay: I love to tease FV players.

If you are not seeing anger, you are not on the right boards. On the OFC, one poster commented that she hates the cd and would never buy it.

[aikim]

Believe me there is venom out there...but these are the people who still want Clay to sing the songs they want and have the career they want...never mind what he said in the linear notes or how many times he has said that is the music he loves...some just don't want to hear.

Kim

[cindilu2]

Thanks, ldyj.

Believe it or not, I'm pretty zen about things, too. I also believe they (Decca and TC) are into this CD for the long run. I am, however, just a little surprised that he seems surprised and/or concerned about first-week numbers when they really didn't do much to promote (beyond the existing online fanbase) prior to release day. With no single (never expected one) or mainstream promotion I just don't know how the casual fan is supposed to know about this CD - not in any great numbers at least.

I, too, expect slow and steady sales over the course of the summer. And unfortunately, I don't think anybody can really claim surprise at the 'fan' reaction to the numbers, especially when Clay tacitly endorses the angst. (Yes, ldyj, I'm reading into his blog, too, lolol).

The real venom-spewers and would-be fanagers? well they're the Clockroaches of the Clay world - they've been here since the start and will be here long after the sun has exploded.

ETA: I read through all the pages of comments on the blog itself (and did see the one about not buying the cd) but I'd say the overwhelming majority are gushing about the cd, and lamenting over the lack of availability in stores.

[Carolina Clay]

Is this going on on other boards?

I understand the comments at the Conclayve are horrible -- and what's worse -- they out on the Internet! This will be the headline for hater blogs tomorrow.

All Clay has been doing this week is non-stop promotion of the CD. He should be able to do the same on his own board.

Caro

[Carolina Clay]

Get on E! News RIGHT NOW -- Clay's CD will be talked about!

A tweet earlier:

@clayaiken: E! News is including #TriedAndTrue in their New Music Scene segment tonight! Tune in to E! at 7pm & 11:30pm - check your local listings!

Caro

[cindilu2]

Edited for fact checking *g*

But this remains true...

That's really sad and so counterproductive. The one thing that has stood out for me in the promotion/reviews/etc that we have seen is that he's getting more respect this time around. What a shame he can't get it from his own fans.

[merrieeee]

Well I have to go listen to a fabulous CD...I don't think I can take any more fair weather fans!

[cindilu2]

I have no clue how that double posted! Once was more than enough

[Carolina Clay]

I take that back about the Conclayve. I checked the comments, and they are fine. I read that somewhere that needs a Fact Checker. *g*

LOL, and if you blinked your eye, you missed the E! News! blurb.

Caro

[cindilu2]

Just boosting my post count - nothing to see here :-P

[jmh123]

Wow, so many interviews. It's funny but I think it was the radio interviews after Idol that made me a fan for life (well the voice was first). But the voice would have had me buy albums for life. Those interviews threw me into this crazy crazy other world LOL

Me too--those and the Jaded Journalist interviews. Love that wit of his!

I think alot of people are finding this and for a casual fan who sees him on TV if they do not find it at the first store they go to they will not try another.

gbmifan, I hear ya...and yet, people found him 2 years ago with OMWH, and 4 years ago with ATDW (where, if I remember correctly, people were having problems finding CDs in the stores). I think for me, I've truly let go of the "first week sales have to be HUGE" thing, and I do have confidence in the "legs" for this album.

More promo is in the cards, I believe -- just not right away. I think he'll hit the late night circuit in the middle of July -- right before the tour starts. I think that will generate new sales, and by that time, the stock will have caught up. I also still firmly believe that the PBS special will be a sales goldmine -- and will last through the year, if not longer.

I love being happy all the time, because while I do feel some of what Clay is feeling (especially at how nervous he seemed in this blog -- I know, slap me, I'm reading things into his blog!), I also am just zen about what he said. He's made the album he wants. The tour plans are going great. He's bought 20 copies of the album. (Hey, that's why no one can find copies! LOL!) And he loves us.

I'm a satisfied Clay fan.

cindi, I've read around a bit, and I've not read venom, more sadness than anything else. As I said though...I'm happy. While I have empathy, I'm also still basking in the glow of this week.

I agree with ldyjocelyn. I don't even think he's that nervous. He has to have been well aware of the expectations for sales based on shipments, promotion, etc. It's just his usual appeal to "buy 7." Except it's 20 now. And I can't afford it so I won't do it, and won't feel an ounce of either guilt or anger.

If everyone (not fans, cause I know you already did) who downloaded it illegally would buy one copy, his sales would be a lot higher. I googled once to see how easy it would be to find it after it leaked and there were pages and pages and pages of links.

And something else I've got to say about that, and about that review from the college paper. This is not an album that lends itself to listening to a 64kbps bitrate version through earbuds or a cellphone. It's a different kind of music. It's very sophisticated and a lot of folks just aren't going to get it if they don't listen to the hard CD on a good stereo. Just sayin'. You don't have to like it, but if you don't get that the arrangements are quite fresh and different, you're just admitting you don't know much about music and have a tin ear. Or you're not listening to it on a good sound system. I just talked about this with a fan friend tonight who said she didn't care for about half the album, and sure enough, she's listening to low quality digital downloads on crappy internal computer speakers. She's a musician; she should know better. Hello!

If you are not seeing anger, you are not on the right boards. On the OFC, one poster commented that she hates the cd and would never buy it.

Or you could say that I'm on the right boards cause I'm happy to be missing the fuss, wherever it is. But seriously, it is possible to be an intense fan and yet miss all that stuff. That's why I originally came to FCA, and over time I have encountered less and less of the negative and gnatty stuff because I just don't go to the boards and blogs where you find it. And over time my attitude has changed too. The disses I do hear just go out the other ear. Everybody has haters, everybody. It really isn't as prevalent out there as it might seem. I wouldn't even know where to find it anymore and I don't want to know.

[FearofH2O]

jmh, I promise not to tell you where they are.

[jmh123]

jmh, I promise not to tell you where they are.

Thank you!!