Critical Mass 19 :: Clay Discussion

[quynn]

One of the entertainment shows ran a segment on Beyonce falling down some steps while performing at a concert in Florida.  She tripped on her gown and took a tumble, but got up and kept on singing.  Apparently she asked the people at the concert to not post it on YouTube.  (Yeah, that's an effective strategy!  )  Of course, someone did post it and this TV show played the clip and then read a statement from her RECORD LABEL  ....which I can't remember word for word, but it basically told people not to focus on that one mishap of the show, that everything else she did was perfect and she shouldn't be judged negatively for it. 

Clay is such a savvy man.  He can turn a mishap on stage into part of the show and use it as his schtick, night after night and his fans love it.  I found it odd that Beyonce and her record label made such a big deal out of it and found it necessary to make a statement.  Anybody else?

[Clanderson]

I agree with you quynn. By making that statement and asking that it not be shown on youtube, Beyonce should have known that's exactly what would happen. Clay has shown us so many times that mishaps can be turned into successful schtick, case in point his voice cracking and making those puberty remarks. He turned a potentially negative thing into a positively hilarious joke..

[claydevotee]

All of this crapola from PETA about Clay killing innocent mosquitoes and flies during his performance is making me want to go out for a nice juicy steak this evening. 

[claydevotee]

--

[Clanderson]

Looking at the positive side to that article, at least they called him a 'pop superstar'....lol

[fantasy]

I think the PETA article was a spoof posted by someone on the CH.

[claydevotee]

Looking at the positive side to that article, at least they called him a 'pop superstar'....lol

      Good observation, CLANDERSON!!!

Clay is such a savvy man.  He can turn a mishap on stage into part of the show and use it as his schtick, night after night and his fans love it.  I found it odd that Beyonce and her record label made such a big deal out of it and found it necessary to make a statement.  Anybody else?

  QUYNN!  I so agree with you.  But then again, this is probably one of the first times Beyonce has had to deal with any kind of less-than-glowing press.  (or has one of her chipped nails or a hair out of place ever made the headlines?)Clay, on the other hand, has had so much adversity in his life that he has been forced to learn how to masterfully make lemonade out of lemons.  It seems his record label has not come to his defense by making a statement, so he's had to learn to cope with all of his negative publicity all by himself.  Doesn't seem fair, but since when is life fair???

[claydevotee]

I think the PETA article was a spoof posted by someone on the CH. 
 
 

  FANTASY.  Ok, even though it was a spoof I'm still thinking about getting a nice big juicy steak for supper in honor of PETA! 

[Sundancer]

One of the entertainment shows ran a segment on Beyonce falling down some steps while performing at a concert in Florida.  She tripped on her gown and took a tumble, but got up and kept on singing.  Apparently she asked the people at the concert to not post it on YouTube.  (Yeah, that's an effective strategy!  )  Of course, someone did post it and this TV show played the clip and then read a statement from her RECORD LABEL  ....which I can't remember word for word, but it basically told people not to focus on that one mishap of the show, that everything else she did was perfect and she shouldn't be judged negatively for it. 

Clay is such a savvy man.  He can turn a mishap on stage into part of the show and use it as his schtick, night after night and his fans love it.  I found it odd that Beyonce and her record label made such a big deal out of it and found it necessary to make a statement.  Anybody else?

And what's even stranger about the Beyonce thing is that those clips are no longer available on youtube--per Sony. They're saying that showing any part of any performance she does infringes on their copyright.

Very odd.

[clayharmony]

Hi you all...

This was just posted over at the CB...it's fabulous...and I thought you'd enjoy reading it as soon as possible...    (the poster doesn't have a scanner...so she typed in the relevant parts...)  She mentioned that this critic usually has nothing positive to say about anyone...

A TRANSCENDENT NIGHT OF PURE POP BEAUTY
Clay Aiken is an utterly convincing singer. Deal With it.

By John Petric

If you haven’t suspected it by now, this ought to confirm it. Yours truly is over the hill.

I liked Clay Aiken.

* * *

So yes, Clay Aiken. He’s a piece of work isn’t he? A cross between John Edwards and Paul McCartney, he mines the emotional veins dug by Streisand, Manilow and Celine, yet without the soul, severe schmaltz or extreme hysteria of those three.

* * *

And yet, let me tell you …..he can sing like a son of a gun. When he isn’t sounding like God’s most precious choirboy, he approaches Luther Vandrossian levels of soul pop.

So the first half of the first half was just that. Even the songs that weren’t about self-affirmation sounded like they were. And then everything suddenly coalesced a few tunes later for what would turn out to be the master stroke. “These Open Arms.”

“What if everything you ever took for granted was gone?” … “And everything you thought was right was wrong?”

Those very questions might be on Michael Vick’s mind right now. But our boy Clay was singing from the fist-sized organ in his chest. He’s no dummy. In fact, I figure him to be quite shrewd. The placing and pacing of “Arms” woke me up and won me over.

Aiken sang those soul-numbing lyrics with every ounce of focused emotional force he could conjure. Every hurt, every slight, every deep yearning to be loved when he wasn’t came out in that song. And let me tell you, we’re talking utterly convincing. I would’ve dabbed his eyes myself if he’d been teary.

* * *

With violins and cellos and violas caressing the melody, Aiken had the force of Oprah’s entire universe behind him. It was pure pop beauty, and I was awestruck by the moment.

Having achieved that level, Aiken returned to it frequently in the second half, but not before he had some fun with golden oldies and whatnot. He had a fine sense of humor, often self-deprecating and a little bit wicked, like when he mentioned the “Chemical Contaminated” grass.

His goofy, well-executed medley (with awesome symphonic accompaniment – mustn’t forget that) included dead-on snippets of Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince and even “Achy Breaky Heart.”

After “These Open Arms” my favorite song was “Without You” a not-so-minor pop masterpiece. Aiken didn’t quite nail it as perfectly as Harry Nilsson, who was nowhere near the technically accomplished singer Aiken is. But he nailed it nonetheless, in his own patented I-die-for-your-sins-every-night way of performing.

And I found myself trying to figure out how I was going to tell the world I didn’t hate the guy—that, indeed, I was somewhat touched by him.

[Clanderson]

    That was just about the very best review I have ever read bar none!
Especially nice since it wasn't written by a regular fan but by someone who has come to the realization that Clay is and always will be a force to be reconned with. Thanks for posting. 

[lovinclay]

Great, great, great review, made extra special because he rarely gives praise to anyone!     LOVED IT!!!!  Thanks for bringing it over!.

[Marilyn]

All of this crapola from PETA about Clay killing innocent mosquitoes and flies during his performance is making me want to go out for a nice juicy steak this evening. 

 I POSTED THIS ON THE LAST PAGE-THE ARTICLE WAS ON A SATIRE THREAD- IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FUNNY
IT WAS NOT WRITTEN BY PETA.

[Sundancer]

All of this crapola from PETA about Clay killing innocent mosquitoes and flies during his performance is making me want to go out for a nice juicy steak this evening. 

 I POSTED THIS ON THE LAST PAGE-THE ARTICLE WAS ON A SATIRE THREAD- IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FUNNY
IT WAS NOT WRITTEN BY PETA.

I think most of us understood that, Marilyn.

[quynn]

or has one of her chipped nails or a hair out of place ever made the headlines?

   Well, if that did happen to her, someone from her PR team would do whatever it is they do to keep it from the public. 

Great, great, great review, made extra special because he rarely gives praise to anyone!   

Who is John Petric?  A critic for a publication or did this come from a personal blog? 

[quynn]

Did Clay sing A Thousand Days last night?  If not, what did he replace it with?

[lovinclay]

I think it came for a Columus paper????

This was the quote at CV, I believe

From a Columbus paper...should hopefully be online soon here

http://www.theotherpaper.com/index.html ????



I don't think Clay sang 1000 Days.  He said he wasn't singing it anymore.  I don't know if he replaced it with anything, tho.  Maybe that's why he added Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word.  I wish he would add Lonely No More, or even something else from MOAM. 

[PHILLYLUVSCLAY]

Did Clay sing A Thousand Days last night?  If not, what did he replace it with?

He sang Right here waiting.

[claydevotee]

All of this crapola from PETA about Clay killing innocent mosquitoes and flies during his performance is making me want to go out for a nice juicy steak this evening. 

 I POSTED THIS ON THE LAST PAGE-THE ARTICLE WAS ON A SATIRE THREAD- IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FUNNY
IT WAS NOT WRITTEN BY PETA.

I think most of us understood that, Marilyn.

I guess the laugh is on me. MARILYN.  Whatever!

[claydevotee]

Who is John Petric?  A critic for a publication or did this come from a personal blog? 

Let's hope this John Petric has some clout in the music world!!!  JOHANNA, thanks for bringing that article over.  It made my day!