AIKEN NEWS NETWORK DEC. 23

[wvclayfan]

Good morning, ClayManiacs!

Very sad news this morning:

From Carolina Clay:

Clayversity,

I have the saddest news to tell you. Marlyne of the OFC just forwarded me an email from Ashes' son. We have both been emailing her for days with no reply:

Hello, my name is Perry, I am Joan's son, I am sorry to inform you that mom has passed away late last week. We really have no way of contacting her friends as yet so if you know of any please pass this on for me. Thank you.

OMG, I knew something was wrong. Her screen name at FCA and the Clayboard was Claysmelody.

RIP, Joan.

Ashes was a member here and, although she hadn't recently, posted links to her blog - Ashes Clay The Man - in Critical Mass after she updated it.

for her family and friends

[wvclayfan]

15 Shows That Shaped the Decade

1. "American Idol" (2002 - present)
When "American Idol" premiered on FOX on June 11, 2002, no one knew it would become the phenomenon it did. A snarky British judge, a music industry insider (no one in the mainstream had heard of before) and a once super famous 80's pop star all came together to critique wanna-be singers and America got to vote for their favorites and ultimately choose the winner. It was a simple format, but the combination of Simon Cowell's snide and often times rude remarks ("that was absolutely dreadful!"), Paula Abdul's loopy antics, seeing bad singers make fools of themselves during the audition rounds and watching the contestant's journeys from regular kids to stars seemed to capture America's hearts. Based on the British program "Pop Idol," "American Idol" was the first show to come along that families could watch together. It stands as one of the highest rated television shows in history. While not every winner or past contestant has burned up the charts with their post-show musical offerings it did launch immensely successful careers for winners Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry, Clay Aiken, Adam Lambert and Jennifer Hudson.

DFW

[wvclayfan]

Lists of Lists: The Best and Worst Music

2) A.V. Club: This thoughtfully snarky Web site and newspaper usually has an interesting spin on cultural topics, and when it comes to lists, it doesn’t disappoint. It has offered up “The Least Essential Albums of 2009,” including “Least essential remix album: grave-desecration division” which went to “Johnny Cash Remixed,” Various Artists; “Least essential peek behind the curtain,” Katy Perry, “MTV Unplugged”; and “Least essential greatest-hits collection that makes a mockery of the very notion of a greatest-hits collection,” Clay Aiken, “Playlist: The Very Best Of Clay Aiken.” Funny stuff.

Wall Street Journal Blogs

It's referring to this A.V. Club post:

Least essential greatest-hits collection that makes a mockery of the very notion of a greatest-hits collection
Clay Aiken, Playlist: The Very Best Of Clay Aiken

This comes up every year, so apparently it bears repeating: Greatest-hits compilations should be reserved for artists who a) have more than one hit and b) have a catalog so intimidatingly dense that it’s worth collecting said hits for casual fans who aren’t sure they want to make that sort of commitment. And while one might stretch the definition of “a Clay Aiken hit” to include those early, designed-by-committee, post-American Idol releases—and okay, his warmed-over renditions of Christmas carols that float through the mall for a couple weeks at a time—we simply cannot sit idly by and pretend there’s any such thing as a “casual Clay Aiken fan.” They call themselves “Claymates,” for crying out loud, and they are so f***ing* insanely devoted that many of them still harbor fantasies that he will one day fall in love with them, regardless of their icky girl-parts. It goes without saying that they already have every track on this thing, which takes four songs from each of his three studio albums and adds only one orphaned track, “On The Wings Of Love,” from the American Idol Season 2: All-Time Classic American Love Songs compilation—and not owning that is probably cause for Claymate expulsion, anyway. Perhaps it’s essential to them because many of the songs were “personally selected by Aiken”? Man, where did he find the time?

_{*I censored it, not that you can't tell what it is.}

[wvclayfan]

American Idol finalists dominate Billboard charts

<snip>

The following Idols landed on at least one decade-end list: Clay Aiken, David Archuleta, Fantasia Barrino, Kelly Clarkson, David Cook, Chris Daughtry, Josh Gracin, Taylor Hicks, Jennifer Hudson, Kimberley Locke, Mandisa, Jordin Sparks, Ruben Studdard, Carrie Underwood and Elliott Yamin.

<snip>

Clay Aiken joined them with "Measure of a Man" at No. 170.

Zap 2 It - Click the link to read the rest and for a link to the complete charts.

[Carolina Clay]

Clay Nation Remembers Ashes

Aspiegirl's montage of remembrance using Joan's graphics and Clay singing "Because You Loved Me" leads the tribute blog for our friend at Carolina On My Mind.

You are invited to leave comments for her sons in this entry. They, like we, are still in shock over the suddenness of Joan's death.   

Hugs,
Caro

CAROLINA ON MY MIND.