Anybody Wanna (Soft) Rock?

Vacations. Gotta love them.

But you miss so much! Being a Clay fan is almost a full time job. Seriously; you take a week off and Clay blogs twice, a tour is promoted and debunked, and the Rosie/Ripa ripoff rears it's ridiculous head yet again.

Ahhhh...as the Clay World Turns.

I found the results of the first poll very interesting. There were 40 votes total. It seems that 85% of voters would prefer Clay to tour with a band next non-holiday tour, as opposed to 15% who prefer the orchestral accompaniment.

I agree. But then I love the pop-rock flavor lead guitar and bass bring to the mix.

Jesse Vargas is an amazingly talented musician, arranger and performer. He did a wonderful job with the songs from A Thousand Different Ways, and I do feel that the strings and woodwinds brought just the right flavor to the songs from the CD. Sean McDaniel did a bang up job as well, and added much to the arrangements. But just think of the vibrant intensity some rock guitar would have brought to I Want to Know What Love Is, or the amazing energy a few well placed guitar riffs would have given the radio medley.

However, the stand out portion of the concert, for me anyway, was the warm and fuzzy one-two punch of the final two songs in the set - Lover All Alone and Because You Loved Me.

And without the plaintive yearning of the solitary cello and the swell of passion the strings brought to those performances? Well, it just wouldn't have been right.

So for this tour - the orchestra was perfect. For the Christmas tour - the orchestra is perfect. But for the next pop tour? I'm hoping for a full out guitar-centric band; complete with keys, horns and percussion. I'm not one who yearns for the mysterious "Rocker Clay" that so many dream of, but I love the energy a live band brings to the stage.

And I think Clay does too. I've seen the proof.

But then again....we'll always have "party all night!"

photo by shineinnc

touchstone (n) a basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated

Technorati tags: clay+aiken, claymates, a+thousand+different+ways

©touchstone 2007

He's Clay Aiken...Good Night!

Thanks to snowluv4 for the video.

Good Night Clay.

touchstone (n) a basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated

Technorati tags: clay+aiken, claymates

©touchstone 2007

©touchstone 2007

I am NOT a booger.

Uncle Frank, bloggers are not something that come out of your nose!

Well, in most cases. However, last night, you nailed it. Yes, I'm talking about that cute Jimmy Kimmel's Uncle Frank. Yes, there was some fugly gossip blogger on the show last night. No, I didn't watch it. Why? Because I didn't feel like bleaching out my eyes (and brain) at one o'clock in the morning.

And, because I care not one IOTA about what he or any other money grubbing famewhore has to say.

Almost a year ago, I wrote this. It was an ephiphany of sorts, and I haven't cared since.

Here's to not caring. Cheers!

touchstone (n) a basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated

Technorati tags: jimmy kimmel, clay aiken, media

©touchstone 2007

Self Identity and Pop Culture. And the Media.

Hello!

It's been a while since I've been on here yakking about Clay. Not because I lost interest, quite the contrary! It's just that sometimes, right as we start having fun, life has other plans for us.

Anyway, I have been keeping up with Clay, and checking this blog occasionally for comments, and I read one in particular back in April. It was posted on the very first blog I wrote on this site, a year ago this month. It was called "Debunking the Myth of the Claymates."

I stewed over it for a little while, then promptly forgot about it. But for some reason, it came back to me the other day; out of the blue, for no good reason.

So, I am compelled to address it. Here it is, posted as a comment under that very first blog.

Anonymous said...
Its a shame that it has come to this. Why do you have to defend yourselves? You are accomplished, multi-faceted, multi-cultural, diverse women. Its makes no difference whether your hair is blonde, blue, brown, grey, black, red, purple, green or whether you're 18 or 80. Society's double standards have caused the blog author to spend valuable time setting up a place for all of you to waste energy justifying why you are a fan of Clays'. Life is too short Ladies. You don't owe anyone anything, especially, the media, people you don't even know. Instead focus on this bond that is so clearly shown in your comments. Don't let the media accomplish its mission to divide and conquer. Stay true to yourselves and united to and with the one thing that brought all of you together in the first place: Clay. Nothing else matters. Why is personal and should only be shared if you choose to do so. I have yet to see him live and I do hope that will change very soon. In the meantime, I will say, more than anything that I look forward to and welcome the opportunity to meet the exceptional women that make up the Claynation. God Bless you all. Have a Heavenly Day.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007 7:50:00 PM

Oh honey. Oh sweetie. Oh darlin...au contraire!

It's not a shame; not at all. That blog was not written a year ago to provide a place for Claymates to defend themselves. That blog was about empowerment, denying media labels and reversing pop culture stereotyping. It was about encouraging fans to speak out, and to show the world that Clay's fans are just what you said - "accomplished, multi-faceted, multi-cultural, diverse women." It was about proving that the media was dead wrong.

I consider that to be healthy and liberating, not a "waste of energy." It's a way to use my voice. Saying nothing implies approval, or at least tolerance. It says I have no problem with the media's characterization of me. But I do. I have a big problem with it.

Does it affect my ability to have fun in this fandom? Oh heck no!

You say that the reasons "we" like Clay are personal - not for me they aren't. But I surely respect your own need for privacy in the matter, and others who may feel the same. I am not embarrassed, or ashamed, or hesistant for anyone to know that I admire and respect Clay Aiken as a person, as an artist, as a humanitarian. He's smart, funny and talented. What's not to enjoy?

You say we should share only if we choose to do so. Well, I choose to do so. That's why I created this blog. That's why I wrote that first entry....that's why I'm using my voice.

Allowing others to define how I enjoy Clay, or any other artist for that matter, is what I consider to be a waste of energy.

There are other things too; but that's another blog.

touchstone (n) a basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated

Technorati tags: clay+aiken, claymates, media

©touchstone 2007

Chicken Soup Book Sales to Benefit The BAF

The Bubel/Aiken Foundation, along with other deserving organizations, will benefit from sales of the newly released book "Chicken Soup for the Soul: Children With Special Needs."

The book celebrates special children, and is a source of encouragement, humor and inspiration. It also includes a story from Kristy Barnes, former director of the foundation.

Through knowledge comes understanding.

Click here to order.



touchstone (n) a basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated

Technorati tags: chicken+soup, special+needs+children

©touchstone 2007

...and now for something completely different...

As you can see, the name of this blog has been changed from "Debunking the Myth of the Claymates" to "Debunking the Myth - Clay Aiken Really is Cool."

I'm taking the blog in a new direction; it will hopefully be unlike any other blog or message forum out there, hopefully will be fun and/or interesting, or maybe both, and will definitely be all about supporting Clay.

If there's one thing I've learned from Clay beyond anything else, it's this -

Be yourself.

And....

Use your voice.

See you soon.

touchstone (n) a basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated