ClayManiacs

December 8
Lowell Memorial Auditorium in Lowell, MA
http://www.lowellauditorium.com/
$44, $54, and $64
No group sales available
Tentative date for tickets is Friday, October 15th
Ticketmaster.com or at the box office.

04:27 PM EDT on Thursday, October 7, 2004

By WCNC.com Staff

Clay Aiken's new book(http://www.wcnc.com/news/topstories/stories/D_IMAGE.ff6874ac29.93.88.fa.7c.c8de274.jpg)

Raleigh native Clay Aiken has new merchandise for his fans.

Aiken will release a 2005 calendar at the end of October. The ‘American Idol’ runner-up also plans to release his holiday album and his first book in November.

The book is called "Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music in Your Life." It is Aiken's story about his journey from being a UNC Charlotte student to becoming a pop star.

His holiday album and his book will be released November 16

Aiken also has a handful of television appearances soon including "Larry King Live" Nov. 15, "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" Dec. 6. His one-hour Christmas special is scheduled for Dec. 8 on NBC. He also will appear on "The Today Show" Dec. 8.

The singer is scheduled to begin a five-week holiday tour with a full orchestra next month.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas Albums
Published: 2004-10-07
As we draw nearer to the holiday season, Christmas albums begin to pop out of the woodwork at an alarming rate. This year promises to have just as many of the usual Celtic and children choir rendition of favourite Christmas songs, but will also offer a few more rock friendly alternatives. (snip)

Also set to put out Christmas albums this holiday season is Clay Aiken (November 16th), Chris Isaak (October 12th), and those animated ankle biters The Rugrats (October 12th).

by Diane Sprague (2004/10/07)

Sometimes the words don’t come. Many times I just stare at the screen wishing that I could express something lying just below the surface but find I cannot, so mainly I just shrug my shoulders and walk away wondering why some things remain so elusive. One trick that sometimes works is to write about something else and slowly attempt to inch towards what I really want to say. Who knows, if I dance around it enough, I might get near enough to touch it. I might just end up with a mess of words, but maybe I can come close enough to satisfy my need to peak at what hides underneath.

So… I will start by talking about the Erie County Fair. I usually don’t like crowded, noisy places, so when I was there about a month ago with my daughter, Elizabeth, to see Clay, I started out in a rather foul mood. I had just eaten a full meal, and the persistent smell of fried foods made me feel a bit ill. All the attractions were overpriced, over hyped, and loud. I muttered to myself my ongoing complaint about how many ridiculous things I have exposed myself to just to see Clay. Too many tedious, mindless television shows were beginning to take their toll and now this. We walked by the tents filled with animals and I could not for the life of me determine how someone could walk through and decide which one deserves a ribbon. I mean, for goodness sakes, a cow is a cow. And then there was the constant beckoning by the people in the booths who were trying to entice us into playing their impossible games for the grand prize of a 5 foot tall stuffed animal that would be guaranteed to give any sane person nightmares if it were to be brought home.

Grump, grump, grump.  After awhile my need to be critical began to subside and I actually began to enjoy myself. A little bit of cotton candy works wonders for one’s mood and the colorful sights and sounds of the fair began to intrigue me. It was a bizarre world that reflects many of the absurd patterns of life. So instead of criticizing it, I just let go and looked around in wonder.

The afternoon passed quickly and the concert time was approaching. We went to the concert pre-party which allowed us to sit in large windowed section overlooking the concert area. It was fun to watch the process of setting up concert. Elizabeth used her binoculars to search for Clay in the crowd. At one point, I ended up doing a double take when thought I heard her say, “I can’t tell if I see Clay Aiken or a chicken." Actually, she was reading a sign and could not tell if the words said Clay Aiken or chicken. We both laughed when I told her the picture that formed in my mind when I heard her words.

When we were able to get into the concert, I was pleasantly surprised to see we could sit in a reasonably good section with only general admission tickets. The evening was warm and clear and the show was great. It was fun. Clay’s voice was crystal clear and the joy he always reveals was contagious. Each song was thoroughly enjoyable, but somehow I felt I was searching for someway to define for myself what exactly I was hearing that meant so much to me. I was disappointed when Clay started singing Invisible because I knew that signaled the concert’s end and I wasn’t ready for that. I wanted the show to be stretched out further so I could grasp the elusive explanation. Maybe I just was not listening well enough or maybe I just needed more time. Oh well, Solitaire was still to come.

When Clay sang Solitaire, his voice filled everything. Nothing else existed, just the voice. I stood frozen in my spot. Everything I was trying to understand was there, even though I could not define it. I could not explain. At the end of the concert, I turned to Elizabeth and dumbly stated, “He was good.” I could not say anymore. The words were gone. All I could do was whisper to myself my surprising secret, “So this is what made me strong.”

Because that is what happened. A few years back I was an absolute wreck. Living for years in an abusive situation had taken its toll on me. I broke down inside and could not stop the incessant stream of thoughts that echoed the words I was continually hearing about how worthless I was. My sleepless nights were filled with violent self-destructive thoughts that I had no power to silence. Nothing helped. The people around me quickly turned away when they saw how ugly my situation was. In desperation, when I would reach for Clay’s music while cynically muttering to myself that this could not possibly help me, I was always shocked by the almost immediate effect his singing would have on me. Each and every time I listened to him, the unstoppable thoughts would disappear and in their place I would find a calm, peaceful part of me that I wasn’t even aware existed.  It was something completely new, a different part of me that could be strong, that could say no to the constant bullying, and that could find a new way home.

Over and over again, throughout that very rough time, I found the strength I needed to begin untangling myself from the trap that held me tight. Even though it seemed impossible from me to do so, I went back to school fulltime. Countless times, I would become discouraged, but another part of me remained determined. Filling the background of my study time with Clay’s music kept me going. I was able to meet my goals, get my degree, and take the steps that were needed to slowly break away from the situation that was destroying me.

So many times, I wanted to provide myself with an explanation as to why Clay’s singing had such a powerful effect upon me. I have gone from telling myself that I creatively created a grand and powerful illusion, that I reached inside and found a deep, sustaining psychological myth with wonderful Jungian overtones, that true art and beauty can have miraculous effects, or even that something surprisingly magical happened. Yet so many times I have provided myself with explanations for things and it ends up being little versions of Humpty Dumpty sitting on a shelf. I would proudly display my silly eggs. I would brag and say, “See now I understand.” And so quickly they would fall to the ground creating a mess of shells and egg whites and yolks so that when all the king’s horses came, they turned away and shook their heads at my stupidity. I don’t know. It’s just so easy to pretend, to explain, and to make it seem like it all makes sense.

But it doesn’t. As we walked through the fair after the concert, I realized that I had mindlessly entered the fair without noting the gate number and major attractions that were near our entrance. We were lost. The fair was spread throughout a very sizeable plot of land, so we wandered. The bright lights and multicolored attractions took on a rather bizarre quality in the darkness of the night. Some inebriated people were shouting and fighting. The greasy food smell which had disgusted me earlier began to entice me now that I was a bit hungry again. I was somewhat frightened by our predicament, somewhat intrigued by the process of just wandering, and somewhat angry at myself for being such a mindless bungler. The symbolic connection of this searching for something I did not know how to find to my life was clear. Life is a place where I just wander.  I remain puzzled, lost, frightened, intrigued, and comforted by the fact that in the middle of this madness was a place where I got lost in the music and the beauty of something powerful and real.

Somehow we managed to retrace our steps and find a few buildings that enabled us to determine the correct gate. We found our car and drove home. No matter how much I stumble through life, it seems I always manage to find my way home. When we arrived at our house, my son came to greet us and ask us how the concert was. I started to say, “Oh, he was so good…” but my son’s blank stare reminded me how inadequate my words would be. Instead, I told him the story about Clay Aiken and the chicken. I knew he would get a kick out of that one. Humor often fills our gaps of silence so nicely. Even when the words do not come, we can laugh and enjoy the secrets we cannot explain. Maybe I will never find the words to adequately describe what has happened to me these past few years, but it was very real and powerful. I doubt I will ever be able to thank Clay personally for what he did for me, and these silly articles only mean so much, but it does feel right to write about it, however inadequately, in hopes that no real explanation  might still be heard, and perhaps, even partially understood.

5    UNIV    5    1    1    NITTY     NASTY GIRL
15    RCA    2    2    2    DIANA DEGARMO    DREAMS/DON'T CRY
1    EPIC    ---    ---    3    DURAN DURAN    SUNRISE
16    J    3    3    4    FANTASIA    I BELIEVE/CHAIN OF FOOLS
2    GEFN    ---    64    5    SNOOP DOGG    DROP IT LIKE IT'S H
26    ATLG    81    97    6    KEVIN LYTTLE    TURN ME ON
20    COL    7    6    7    JESSICA SIMPSON    TAKE MY BREATH
5    BADB    14    10    8    MASE    WELCOME BACK
18    LAF    15    12    9    CIARA    GOODIES
14    COL    8    7    10    NAS    THIEF'S THEME
16    DEF    10    17    11    L.L. COOL J    HEADSPRUNG
30    RCA    4    5    12    CLAY AIKEN    SOLITAIRE/WAY,THE

THIS IS STILL GREAT AFTER 30 WEEKS!!!

Thousands of people from across the nation came to "American Idol" tryouts in San Francisco this week, filled with unbridled enthusiasm, youthful optimism and that special I-want-to-live-forever dream of fame. And by the time auditions started, many were ready to trade it all in for another sweater.(snip)
"I don't care if I'm the next William Hung or Clay Aiken," said 18-year- old Eric Hoffman, who made it to the next round by singing a shaky version of "I Will Survive," referring to himself in the third person as much as possible, and letting fate decide the rest. "I'm Eric Hoffman and no one's stopping me."

1Beyonce
2Michael Jackson
3Britney Spears
4Nickelback
5Jennifer Lopez
6Clay Aiken
7Ashanti
8JoJo
9Usher
10Guns N' Rose

Quickie:
Don't get dragged into the undertow. Stay near the shore, where you can swim.

Overview:
Someone who carries themselves like royalty is about to show up and make quite the grand entrance into your life. You're usually quite casual, but it wouldn't hurt to dress up just a touch.

Daily Extended Forecast:
You're never alone. Maybe a partner, family member or friend is with you on this trip. Maybe you'll meet people wherever you go, generating instant camaraderie. Your generous, trusting nature attracts all the best fellow travelers and interesting locals. And the world that surrounds your comfortable little life is a beautiful place indeed. You encounter things that you haven't seen in ages. Maybe you're discovering them for the first time. Whether you're in the next town or on the other side of the planet, foreign laws and customs fascinate you. Learn as you go.

Daily Love and Relationships:
Daily Flirt:
You're luckier than a quarter in a winning slot machine, so don't pass up any gambles today. Your candor and straightforwardness will gain you a lot of friends in this new world you're navigating.

Daily Couples:
Take advantage of your recent happiness to take your intimacy to a new level. This doesn't have to be serious; sometimes humor brings about the best confessions.

Daily Singles:
Show off your sparkling wit and you'll soon have hotties lined up around the block. With a little luck and a little sass, you can have your pick of the litter.

Career and Finance:
You might feel like taking an unscheduled break or two this afternoon. Just make sure you've gotten the big things out of the way, otherwise you could end up looking unprepared later.

Don't get dragged into the undertow. Stay near the shore, where you can swim.

Someone who carries themselves like royalty is about to show up and make quite the grand entrance into your life. You're usually quite casual, but it wouldn't hurt to dress up just a touch.

And the world that surrounds your comfortable little life is a beautiful place indeed.  

You're luckier than a quarter in a winning slot machine, so don't pass up any gambles today. Your candor and straightforwardness will gain you a lot of friends in this new world you're navigating.

Take advantage of your recent happiness to take your intimacy to a new level. This doesn't have to be serious; sometimes humor brings about the best confessions.
Show off your sparkling wit and you'll soon have hotties lined up around the block. With a little luck and a little sass, you can have your pick of the litter.

Idol, not idle

• Talk about inspired marketing attacks, Clay Aiken is about to launch a veritable D-Day. The spiky-haired singing sensation has written a book, Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music in Your Life, described by Billboard as a an inspirational memoir that charts Aiken's life from his days as a special-education teacher, when he gave his all to the students, to his post-American Idol stardom, when he continues to give us his all. Give us his voice; his cheer; his heart.

The book is due out Nov. 16. Providentially enough, that's the same day his yet-to-be-titled holiday CD will be released! And it's good to know that inspiration and marketing synergy are such fast friends: On Nov. 15 Aiken will have a chat with CNN's Larry King; on Dec. 6, he'll be on NBC's Tonight Show; and on Dec. 8 he'll grace the network's Today show. But the coup de grace comes that same night, when Aiken's one-hour NBC Christmas special will air. We're breathless. Inspired, but really spent.

Clay had scheduled a concert for December 8th?  Doesn't he know he will be competing against himself since that is when his Christmas Special airs?  Doesn't he realize that's 5000 or so less people who will be watching??  Doesn't he want to watch it??? :hmm

This is why i will choose the TV special over the cell-cert. i posed this same question at the OCD early this morning: The cell-cert or the TV special.

But one thing is certain; we would never forget about you.   :comfort