The Official Clay Aiken Discussion Thread

[Debi]

Kylene, I'm always up for more pictures!! When I get home from work today (I'm on my way out the door now), I'll post my one picture of the concert (well, two, if you want to see my ugly mug with William Joseph).

I'm ashamed to admit that I can't even remember what song Clay was singing when he made eye contact with me. I was just so darn shocked/surprised that I don't remember much. I do remember that it was just a few songs prior to intermission. Oy! Do you have the songlist for the concert?

 

[Debi]

Since I am totally inept when it comes to technology, here are my whole two photos from the concert.

Clay.

Me and William Joesph (what a sweetie!).

 

[Fantasmic303]

DEBI!! I'm so sorry I didn't get back to this post sooner - do you still want the set list?

I haven't been around because my eyes got much worse last week, and I ended up at the opthamologist because they weren't getting better. Apparently I have a condition called Thygeson's Disease. The tissue covering my cornea has been pretty beat up, with lesions and punctures and stuff, so that it looks like "popcorn" when they look at it. That's why I've been so sensitive to light and things have been so blurry for the last two months.

The good news is that, long-term, it shouldn't affect my vision at all.

The bad news is that, long-term, it may not go away, either. It'll go into remission and things will be fine as far as my eyesight goes, but then it can flare up again without warning, and I'll be back squinting and literally almost blind. And I may not be able to wear contacts again.

They can't do anything to treat it - they can only give me drops to relieve some of the symptoms, so things have been better since the weekend. I will go back to see the new doctor on Thursday and see what he says about prognosis and long-term plans.

So anyways, back on target....

Debi, if you still want the set list, let me know. At least you have atleast one good picture of Clay!! And the one of you and WJ is very cute - he was great, wasn't he? I bought the cd, but I haven't started enjoying it yet, on account of it is CHRISTMAS, and that's all I'll listen to this week. My sister got the cd signed for me, but I was getting pushed by a mammoth woman in red, so I couldn't get my little self in there to take a photo with WJ. His wife is a lucky lady!!

AND NEWS:​

**First, Santa's bringing us all a little Christmas magic - Clay will be performing "My Grown Up Christmas List" on Good Morning America Christmas morning.

And,

In news on the cd, I just read an article over the last couple of days where he says they're hoping to drop the new album in mid-April.

Merry Christmas, everyone!!

 

[Debi]

Hi Kylene!! I'm so glad to see you back on the DIS - we missed you! I'll keep my fingers crossed that everything goes well with your eyes. Please keep us posted!!

I was able to track down the song list, and realized that Clay was singing Silver Bells when I had my 5 seconds of eye contact. I'm still on Cloud 9 from that. I need to buy 4th row center tickets more often.

William is a very nice guy, and he had quite the crowd around him in Camden! I only wish the photo turned out a little better.

Mid-April? That would be fantastic for a CD!! Hmmm - now we need to plan a CD release party! Kylene, with you in CT and me in NJ, there has to be a halfway point that we can agree on and start co-planning a party!

 

[poyb5230]

Wow! This is so exciting! I just recently joined the DIS board mostly to help plan my trip to WDW in March. I am so surprised and excited to find this thread all about Clay. I've been his fan from the very first audition and visit all Clay message boards, fan club, news sites, etc on a daily basis. I'm hopelessly addicted and obsessed. I've also seen him in concert 3 times. The most recent show being this past JNT 2005 Tour. I was on the second row of the Reading, PA show on 11/30. It was great to be able to be a part of the birthday celebration. He's just an amazing and talented person. Anyway, glad to see fellow Clay fans here.

Rachel

 

[Kimberle]

Welcome, Rachel! I have not yet had the opportunity to see Clay in person. He's come around here, it just hasn't worked out at a time I could see him or get tickets. One day, I know he'll be touring for a lllooonnngg time!

It's been so quiet on the "Clay front". I guess he's winding down after his tour and maybe, hopefully, working on his new CD. Anybody heard any new release date info other than spring?

 

[Fantasmic303]

It's been so quiet on the "Clay front". I guess he's winding down after his tour and maybe, hopefully, working on his new CD. Anybody heard any new release date info other than spring?

Nothing good, Kim. Not only is "spring" as good as we've heard now, it's probably not even going to be that early...as in...if we're lucky, it'll be LATE spring. I'm guessing June. But that's just a guess.

 

[merlib]

Hi All;

I am mostly a lurker on the Dis boards, and just stumbled on this thread and had to post! My daughter and I are big Clay fans! We've seen him in every one of his tours (sometimes twice). He is a very good role model for my daughter (soon to turn 16). We saw him in NYC for the JNT2 tour and had a blast. My husband came along and we turned it into a special Christmas gift for our daughter. The night was complete when she got to "shake" his hand after waiting at the stage door until almost 12:30 am.

Now that I've found this thread, I'll have to subscribe so that I can keep up!

Merlib (Mary)
OKW '93

 

[Fantasmic303]

***NEWSFLASH****​

Clay is, apparently, in NYC. And whenever I have him this close, just a train ride away, listening to the same radio weather reports as me...well, that makes me warm and fuzzy.



Apparently he was in the audience at SNL rehearsal on Saturday night. People who were there reported back online, but I didn't read about it until last night, around 9ish. And, while I'm mid-reading a post about it, my friend IMs me, and the following conversation ensues:

Her: Um, did Clay Aiken by any chance dye his hair brown and move to brooklyn?

Me: UM, MAYBE - WHY?

Her: Because I swear he was just sitting across from me on the subway.

Me: *shock* ARE YOU KIDDING? BROWN, WAS IT REDDISH BROWN?

Her: Yeah, reddish brown. But would he even ride the subway?

Me: Um, I DON'T KNOW. But that could've been him, he's totally in the city right now!!

Her: And he had really looooong skinny legs.

Me: THAT IS SOOOO HIM - Clay has that hair and looooong skinny legs!! Did he have ENORMOUS feet?

Her: Not sure, but he was wearing a knit scarf that was grey, white, and navy.

Me: (silence)

Her: And he got off at my stop.

Me: Did you FOLLOW HIM? Go out and find him!!

Her: Yeah, not so much, didn't see where he went, but why would be be in Brooklyn?

I don't care. I'm maintaining it was him. She said she was able to covertly take a picture of him with her phone (which I totally think is illegal, but whatever...this is EXACTLY why we bought camera phones), but we don't know how to send them, so I'll just have to wait until she comes home for a weekend.

Isn't that hysterical though?

I got the biggest kick out of it.

 

[Debi]

Argh - this no-CD news is so frustrating! I wish Clay would make an official announcement. I'm trying to plan a summer WDW vacation (tentatively scheduled for the first week of August), but I want to wait to see *if* Clay will tour this summer before making anything final. Grrr! Here's to hoping for a CD/tour this summer!

 

[Fantasmic303]

Well, it's not much, but it's a little news....

http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/2006/01/06/1381014.html

And if you're good, maybe May and June will bring studio recordings from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Too Short, Velvet Revolver, Tool, Alan Jackson, Clay Aiken, Billy Talent, Christina Aguilera, Eamon, Kenny Chesney, Chantal Kreviazuk and Justin Timberlake.

Debi, I think you're asking for a miracle for any tour news before March or April!!

 

[scarlett873]

 

[Debi]

LOL Kylene! I doubt there will be any news before then, but a girl can always dream, right? I'm just anxious for another (hopefully!) tour next summer.

 

[lsyorke]

GREAT article!

http://www.beaversonidol.com/articles/claynationunderattack.html

 

[Kimberle]

GREAT article!

http://www.beaversonidol.com/articles/claynationunderattack.html

Wow! Did you read the article link from the above?
http://www.beaversonidol.com/articles/deceptionofafan.html

I am really shocked. I knew than Clay fans/Rub fans had a little "rival" going in the beginning. I had no idea they (some, not all Rub fans) were so hateful towards Clay. The writter talks about how some Rub fans have at least one closed message boards where they plan their Clay "attacks". Be sure to click on the link to show the "artwork" for the Soulfoul Ruben Studard Brd. It's a "sniper" type shot of Clay. I guess their moto is some sort of "revenge" or to "bring down" "Claymates.

How very very sad.......

 

[lsyorke]

I was pretty shocked at this too. There are some very sick people out there.

 

[Fantasmic303]

On to happier news....


Clay blogged at the Fan Club yesterday. He claims news about the cd is coming "quite soon" and that we should open our minds and "be prepared for something different".

Whatever that means. I hope it's not too different. I always hate when I get attached to a musical artist and then they want to "grow" and I don't like the new stuff as much.

Of course....none of those musical artists of my past have been Clay.

 

[merlib]

Hi All;

I have to brag a little bit! My daugher is totally "taken" by Clay, to the point that she wants to work with special needs kids as he did before Idol. She will be 16 a week from today, and just found out last night that she has been accepted into a girl scout program where she will work at a camp for special needs kids this summer. She is only one of 36 girls US wide who has been accepted into the program! I am very proud of her -- but also will miss her -- she is my only one!

Thought this group would be a good one to share this with!

Merlib
OKW '93

 

[Fantasmic303]

Awww, congratulations to Kim!! That's terrific news, and I'm sure it's exactly the difference had hoped he'd be able to make through AI. Wouldn't it be nice if more people were like your daughter, paying attention to the important things about Clay instead of his personal life?



So here's a little news about the disc, although it's not a biggee. Apparently it's a DualDisc - which IS fun - and should be out in the first half of the year.

AT LEAST IT'S ON THE RADAR, ladies!!!

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=musicNews&storyID=2006-02-04T113944Z_01_N04326667_RTRIDST_0_MUSIC-DUALDISC-DC.XML&archived=False

NEW YORK (Billboard) - The DualDisc marks its one-year anniversary of mass distribution this month, but the new hybrid CD/DVD once expected to become the physical successor to the CD may already be on life support.

A year after a consortium of major and indie labels announced they would back the product, its future appears to be riding on the one leading music company actually pushing it as a priority: Sony BMG Music Entertainment.

All the majors are sold on the notion of using bundled audiovisual experiences to add value to physical goods. And hit-starved retailers are clamoring for more combo products. They are charging anywhere from the same price for both versions of an album to $3 more for DualDisc.

Sony BMG is set to release more than 100 DualDisc titles in 2006. The shipment total is expected to surpass its 2005 output of more than 13 million units on 102 titles. Among the acts with DualDisc titles in the first half of this year are Pink, Dixie Chicks, Barry Manilow, Teddy Geiger, Miranda Lambert, Clay Aiken, Weird Al Yankovic, the Fray, the Jonas Brothers and London Pigg.

On the other hand, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group and EMI combined did not come close to Sony BMG's DualDisc output last year. The prospects for 2006 do not look any better.

While all three majors are officially reviewing the product, few, if any, DualDisc titles are on the way this year. "It's just about a dead issue," a source at one major label says. "We'll put out a few here and there, but it's not anywhere near a major initiative."

The rub in the debate over DualDisc remains cost. The price of manufacturing a DualDisc is double the average CD -- about $1.20, versus 50 cents-60 cents for the traditional CD with jewel box and booklet, distribution sources say.

Universal, Warner and EMI all are balking at the notion of dramatically increasing their manufacturing costs for a product that they say lacks clearly defined consumer demand. An NPD study of DualDisc usage published in August found that nearly half of all DualDisc buyers did not realize they were purchasing the configuration until after they left the store.

Other roadblocks to acceptance include mixed enthusiasm from artists about producing DualDisc content, the long lead time to properly produce the hybrid titles and a limited number of manufacturers that can actually make the discs.

The three holdout labels are more attracted to 2-in-1 CD/DVD combo packages, which are cheaper to produce than the all-in-one DualDiscs. They also are releasing combo packs in greater numbers.

Still, Sony BMG is not dissuaded by the resistance of the other majors. The company's executives are heartened by another set of NPD stats, indicating that 72% of consumers that own a DualDisc title would buy another one in the next six months.

Reuters/Billboard

 

[scarlett873]

Thanks for the info Kylene!

I get soooooooooooooooo sick of people beating down Clay. The post about him needing to get his name back out there just ticked me off to no end. You know...I don't like Ruben..so do I seek out threads just to bash him? No..I have much better things to do with my time...

Just makes me sad...