Critical Mass 19 :: Clay Discussion

[Sundancer]

MY BEST FRIEND CAME WITH BARYY AND ME TO THIS CONCERT.  SHE HAD ATTENDED CLAY'S ON TUESDAY ALSO.  WITHOUT A DOUBT, SHE SAID, CLAY'S CONCERT WAS MORE FUN.  CLAY WAS BETTER AS A SINGER.  BETTER AS AN ENTERTAINER.  BUT TOBY HAS A BETTER SET OF ARMS.  HAD TO AGREE ON THAT ONE. 

Maybe, but he ain't turning into an avie anytime soon, is he?

[Moonshot]

JUST BACK FROM TOBY KEITH.  THERE WERE 2 ACTS BEFORE HIM AND I THOUGHT I WOULD LOSE MY MIND.  LOUD, LOUD, LOUD.  ANNOYING, ANNOYING, AND ANNOYING.  TOBY WAS GREAT, BUT BY THEN, WE WERE EXYHAUSTED.  I SO APPRECIATE NO OPENING ACT FOR CLAY.

Toby rates two opening acts? I've always liked Toby's music. His attitude, not so much. And I knew he was big but I guess I didn't realize how big if he has 2 opening acts.

NEWARK---HERE WE COME.

Watch out Newark! 

[Marilyn]

I AM TAKING MY SISTER TO HER FIRST CONCERT OF THIS TOUR. SHE USUALLY ATTENDS AT LEAST ONE (NOT A FANATIC LIKE ME)
SO WE ARE GOING TO NEWARK!! MEETING GWENN AND THE GANG FOR DINNER BEFOREHAND- REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO IT!

[lovinclay]

We are, too, Marilyn!   

[GWENN]

I AGREE, MICHELLE.  I LIKE TOBY'S MUSIC.  HIS VOICE IS GOOD.  HIS SONGS ARE FUN.  BUT HIS POLITICS ---NOT IN AGREEMENT AT ALL.  BUT, YES, HE IS REALLY BIG STUFF TO DRAW THAT MANY PEOPLE IN A NORTHERN AREA THAT, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A COUNTRY MUSIC CONCERT SCHEDULED BY ANYONE.  I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT HUGE OF A CROWD FOR CLAY SOMEDAY.  OMG.     

SUNNY--NEVER AN AVIE.  NEVER.  MY LOYALTIES ARE IN TACT AND AIN'T CHANGIN'.

GWENN

[Glory]

                               I WENT TO TOBY KEITH CONCERT BEFORE HE WAS BIG IN MY LITTLE TOWN. I THINK HE NEEDS TO TAKE A SHOWER.

                                   IF YOU LIKE THE TYPE IT IS GOOD IF NOT I AM NOT SURE WHAT TO SAY. NEVER HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE, I LIKE HIS MUSIC FOR THE MOST PART,

[ILClaymate]

Clandy, y'all won!  Congrats to Nick!  Love the avie! 

Thanks, Pam!  It was a very fun, exciting day!

I love all the m&gs folks are getting.  We will soon need a seperate section just for m&g stories and pics.  Actually, that's not a bad idea!

That is a great idea.    It would be nice to have them all together.

[ILClaymate]

   

Join us HERE in Clay Daily for our cellcert tonight reporting live from Sterling Hts, MI.

Start times are:
7:30pm Eastern
6:30pm Central
5:30pm Mountain
4:30pm Pacific

We hope to have a live Clonference call set up tonight for all to listen.  Thanks to WisconsinManiac for volunteering and calling in from the venue!

PS.  If you are attending an upcoming concert and would like to help spread the Clay love by calling in from the venue for our cellcerts, please PM myself, Pamela or aikenseeker and we will add you to the list!  Thanks so much!!

[Glory]

                                         CLANDY I LOVE NICKERS PICTURE ENJOY HIM THEY GROW UP FAST AND THEN THEY ARE GONE.

[Marilyn]

FROM SHYGIRL AT CH

The bus line. I’ve been to quite a few and this was the longest line I’ve ever seen. When we got to the bus area at first we saw this enormous crowd of people and I thought there was no way Clay would be able to shake everyone’s hand. But Jerome was there, took stock of everything and talked to some venue guards. Next thing we knew, he had us walking in single file around the bus area, past some buildings, past people who were already lined up and clear around to one of the outside parking lots. The line weaved its way almost back to the bus line around the whole complex! I’ve never seen anything like it. Someone asked Jerome if Clay was really going to be able to shake everyone’s hand and Jerome smiled and said “He’d do it if he has to walk to Detroit”. *sigh – what a guy* There were people lined up (guys included!) who couldn’t believe anyone would actually come out and make a point of shaking everyone’s hand. And Clay did. Not just a touch going by, but an actual hand grab. And he made eye contact with everyone as he was passing. The bus lines have been so well organized on this tour. Nobody pushes or gets crazy when Clay comes by. Jerome has everything down to a science and it works.

OH, I LOVE HIM!! HE REALLY CARES ABOUT CONNECTING WITH HIS FANS!!

[Pamela]

Maybe, but he ain't turning into an avie anytime soon, is he?

Sunny -   Somehow, I think we may be enjoying GWENN's AND Prissy's avies for a little while....

Don't let Toby fool you - not going to get into politics but let's just say his true affiliations may surprise you. 

CLANDY I LOVE NICKERS PICTURE ENJOY HIM THEY GROW UP FAST AND THEN THEY ARE GONE.

Glory, you say that like it's a bad thing.... kidding!

I'm reading backwards, so......

OH yeah, the reason I popped in when I'm supposed to be working.  This article was on the Yahoo home page.  Very interesting.  To me anyway! 

Singer-songwriters, or just singers?

Thoughts?

[Glory]

                                 YOU JUST GOTTA LOVE HIM  BUT ON THE OTHER HAND WE ARE PAYING FOR HIS HOUSE.AND HIS IPHONE.

[Sundancer]

The line weaved its way almost back to the bus line around the whole complex! I’ve never seen anything like it. Someone asked Jerome if Clay was really going to be able to shake everyone’s hand and Jerome smiled and said “He’d do it if he has to walk to Detroit”.

I know things have been going very smoothly, but the sheer length of these lines, and the now-thousands of people participating in them, are starting to make me nervous.

I'm sure Jerome has thought ahead to all contingencies, though.

[Sundancer]

                                 YOU JUST GOTTA LOVE HIM  BUT ON THE OTHER HAND WE ARE PAYING FOR HIS HOUSE. AND HIS IPHONE.

[GWENN]

VERY INTERESTING, MS. P.

MY FEELINGS---IF SOMEONE IS AN AVERAGE SINGER AND WRITES A SONG AND PRESENTS IT AND WE LIKE IT---SO BE IT.  IF SOMEONE IS A SONGWRITER AND A LOUSY SINGER  (BOB DYLAN) AND WE LIKE IT, SO BE IT.  TO ME--WRITING THE SONG IS ONLY A SMALL PART OF WHAT MAKES A SONG COME ALIVE.  IT IS HOW IT IS INTERPRETTED.  THE EMOTION IT CAN EVOKE AND ONLY THE SINGER CAN DO THAT. 

I HAVE A DEFINITE PROBLEM WITH THE PREMISE THAT ONLY A PERSON WHO WRITES AND SINGS IS AN ARTIST.  CLAY PRESENTS A SONG LIKE NO ONE ELSE.  Lover All Alone IS AN AMAZING SONG BUT MAINLY BECAUSE IT IS CLAY WHO IS PREESNTING THE SONG.

THE PRESSURE TO BE A WRITER IS INCREDIBLE.  I KIND OF FEEL BAD FOR THE EXPERT SINGERS.  DO WHAT YOU DO AND DO IT WELL.  WRITE IF YOU ARE A WRITER.  SING IF YOU ARE A SINGER.  OCCASIONALLY YOU GET SOMEONE WHO CAN INTERPRET AND WRITE (CAROLE KING) BUT FOR THE MOST PART---DO ONE THING WELL.

I WANT CLAY TO WRITE BECAUSE I THINK IT IS AN INSIGHT INTO THE PERSON.  BUT NOT ALL SONGWRITERS/SINGERS DO THAT.  TOBY KEITH COMES TO  MIND SINCE I SAW HIM LAST NIGHT.  HE WEARS A WEDDING BAND.  HIS PRIVATE LIFE IS JUST AS PRIVATE AS CLAY'S.  HE SINGS ABOUT SCREWING AROUND, BUT I DOUBT HIS WIFE WOULD PUT UP WITH THAT. 

I REALLY THINK IT DEPENDS ON WHO IS SINGING AND WHO IS WRITING.  I LOVE DIANE WARREN'S WORK.  BUT I DON'T THINK SHE EVEN TRIES TO SING.  SO WHAT.  SHE IS SO INCREIBLY TALENTED.

SO WHAT YOU DO WELL AND DO IT THE BEST WAY YOU CAN. 

GWENN

[clayfannj]

I'm glad someone has addressed the issue in that article. It's like the BIG PINK ELEPHANT in the room that everyone ignores. Of  course it doesn't matter if a person writes  his own material or not. THe two talents are both most admirable and most distinct.. STUPID that it has become necessary for one  to be skillful in one thing  in order to be respected for the other...        

 Doesn't make any sense... We don't do that in any other industry.


Can you imagine a woman becoming a TOP model ONLY if she could DESIGN her own CLOTHES??


OR..

An actress/actor be worthy of an OSCAR only if they wrote their own screenplay??OR SHOT THEIR OWN PHOTOGRAHY....

Look at the WEALTH of TALENT  that would have been excluded from praise/ acknowledgement..

ILLOGICAL...

The proof of how virulent the problem has become in the music arena is only hilighted by the fact that so many artists have had to lie and "extort" credits from those creative writers who merely  wished  to work..  They needed to in a "FAUST" scenario , make a deal with the DEVIL...

I hope more of this comes to the public forum and  the  absudity of it  all changes the rules  to a fair playing field again in the music arena.....


I'm a bit tired of these PSEUDO INTELLECTUAL/HOLIER THAN THOU/JUDGEMENTAL IDIOTIC CRITICS...
WHAT IS WRONG with  a performer having a VOICE that just.. KNOCKS YOUR SOX OFF???

Do they really come around so often??

Isn't that an AMAZING ABILITY??

Why isn't that enough??

[tiff]

Singer-songwriters, or just singers?

Thoughts?

Remember during the Independent Tour days when Clay was talking about people changing 2 words on a song getting credit? I finally understand what he's talking about. I was so confused as to how you can get credit for changing a word or two. I was like "it must have been a great word" but I guess people just demand it, according to this article at least.

My opinion? I don't care who wrote it. Credit isn't worth much with most of the hit songs today. Lyrically, I think 99% of it is unimpressive. You can walk into a highschool english class and find better stuff there. Throughout my highschool career there were students who wrote rather beautifully and far more profoundly. I think it takes a specific type of person to be a writer. Or rather, a good writer. That person needs to be an honest person (or, honest with themselves if not with anyone else), acutely aware of the world around them, and have something to say. Good articulate skills and communication skills are required too. Not everyone has all these qualities. And base on the songs being born today, they are just not impressive. Honestly, it sounds like a 12 year old wrote them. Afterall, writing is an art.

I believe Clay has the qualities I listed above. It's one of the reasons I have so much respect for him. But I don't think he needs to write his own songs. I think he fully understands what he is singing and can deliver the message the writer intended. If not, he should win an Emmy. But I really don't care for "artists" who have uninspired songs and are automatically credited for being a real artist because they "wrote." I can write. We all can. But who can write a piece or tell a story that sends a profound message out there to provoke thought and emotion in others? Not everyone can do that.

I'm not saying that current song writers aren't doing their job or anything like that. I do believe that they are honest about their work. I just don't think it's good enough to be praised and idolized and all that jazz. But ofcourse, that's only one piece of the equation. Music doesn't always have to be heavy and profound. That would be depressing! We need all sorts of music. But it's just a thought.

[Marilyn]

MORNING GOODIES FOR YOU ALL:

LAWDY
GOOD-NESS!!

MOMMA!

SAVE ME

[Marilyn]

DAYYUM!! AH HAVE DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN

OXYGEN

WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE....

[Marilyn]

HELP!

SOMEBODY STOP ME!!