Email Reveals Aiken Obsession

MULTIPLE CLAYS -- A Beautiful Mind designed this elegant graphic proving to many that four Clays are better than one.

I Am So Outed!

Email Reveals Aiken Obsession

I am so over the moon about Clay Aiken's A Thousand Different Ways that I have outed myself completely. Wednesday I emailed 23 friends, relatives, current and former associates the Clear Channel Sneak Peek link for their city, as well as info about the new CD, Clay's lineup of promo appearances, his Presidential Appointment, et al.

Now, about 1/3 of those folks already knew to a certain extent of my CA fandom membership; but I can just see a couple of band directors, former orchestra students, neighbors, and at least one baffled cousin scratching heads and wondering what in the world has happened to this person they thought they knew.

Personalized Sneak Peek Details

Since my blogs are also published in the public sphere, my mailing list received a link to Carolina On My Mind. Just in case some of the "newbies" haven't seen Clay since American Idol 2, I also included the cover photo for ATDW so they would know exactly which picture to double-click at their radio site.

To those special email recipients who find their way to the Carolina blog, here's a big shout-out, both for the 15 who just learned of my incurable CA obsession and another for the eight friends and relatives who have known for a while what a lost cause I am where Clay is concerned.

Actually, my own little promo campaign has just begun. Besides a couple of awesome CD reviews, liner note leaks, and the verses that intertwine with the lyrics of "Broken Wings," it is Clay Aiken Week! Lift off is here, and we need to tell everybody!

Clickable CD: Ambassador of Love

Music Sites Print Rave Reviews

Shipwreck Island Studios, a four-year-old web site run by two 20-something guys who enjoy writing about music, today followed up a very positive "initial reaction" preview of ATDW (see 9/5 blog) with Tony's complete critique that is everything CA fans could ever want to read -- props for Clay's magnificent vocals and interpretation, the orchestrations, new material (he would like to have seen one more original), the outstanding reinvention of the covers, etc.

Tony's ratings for ATDW:

New Original Songs: 3.95/4 Release Overall: 4.95/5

Despite a strong temptation to quote the whole review, I am only printing a few paragraphs. However, I highly recommend that you follow the above link and enjoy not only this man's current accolades, but also his predictions for Clay's future.

This is a career setting album for Clay but not his best, as his best is still to come. You could hear throughout this release how completely in love he is with the classic material and as a listener it's nice to hear an artist actually appreciate the material being put forth.

Personally I find these songs to be a real breath of fresh air because there's been a ton of cover discs that have been released in the past two years and, frankly, there's only been two or three that have really been done well. This album is in fact one of the better cover discs because of how Clay was able to reinvent the original songs.

Successful Singing Career Predicted

I firmly believe that if he sticks with this soft blend of material and intertwines a few pop tracks, he'll be one of the most successful singers in music history. There are very few mainstream musicians that capture me the way Clay does.

With songs like "Without You" and "A Thousand Days," Clay has opened the door to greatness. This disc is all about not only reliving the past but reviving it. Clay has set a course toward the future and with time I think fans of all genres will notice this release for it's original material as well as the reinvented cover tunes.

Overall this is a brilliantly done album that one can sit back, listen to and just drift away. Clay is much more then just some kid from a realty show, he's a musician in every sense of the word. The best is still to come and what is scary is that this disc is so good how can he possibly top it?

Must Have CD of the Week

Another awesome nod comes from Music Messiah, which names ATDW as the MUST HAVE CD of the WEEK:

A Thousand Different Ways is filled with covers and sprinkled with a few originals. This CD will give you a feeling, that hope and romance are in the air. Like your favorite tasteful dessert, this CD is a guilty pleasure.

PHOTO INTERMISSION: Today's clickable interlude features the graphic designs of four talented artist fans: Redjet, 1; A Beautiful Mind, 2; Cindilu2, 3 and 4; and ClayQuebec1, 5.

Verses Intertwine with BW Lyrics

The poignant verses spoken throughout "Broken Wings" were penned by poet Erin Taylor Clayton Pitner, an eccentric who spiraled deeper and deepr into the psychosis that eventually defined her existence. Her biography, "Wishing for Snow: A Memoir by Minrose Gwin," was written by her daughter, a professor of English at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

The poetry intertwining with the "Broken Wings" lyrics is beautiful and already a hit with teenagers, as well as adults listening to this week's Clear Channel's Sneak Peek of the ATDW playlist:

We're in this life together
Even when one moves without the other
Different pages from the same story

This aching is familiar
It’s something I remember
We can’t touch without feeling,
Can’t heal without healing

Only the young could fall so hard
I’m so callous from these scars

So we will move out of the way this time
Making room for each other
One without the other
We are broken
But we are moving still

We are in this life together
Even when one moves without the other

We are broken, but we are moving still
A thousand different ways

Clickable by Amazing_CA

Sneak Peek Liner Notes

With the countdown to the CD's drop date winding down, Hawaii42, a music retail manger, shared some interesting aspects of ATDW's liner notes, three of which are printed here.

A simple dedicatory note above the track info for "When I See You Smile" reads: "For Kristy."

Nobody writes thank-you's like Clay, and the words to his executive producer and his fans are very moving:

Jaymes Foster -- How we ended up on the same page, in each others lives at the same time, I may never understand. What I do know is that I am thankful daily that God saw fit to introduce me to someone as talented, wise and genuine as you. That you believed in me enough to take on this project with me and stick with it through so much has been one of the biggest blessings I've been given. But not as big as the blessing of having you as a trusted and indefensible friend.

To My Fans: It's fitting that this album is all about love and the different ways it can be expressed. After so many opportunities I have had to be on the receiving end of such abundant love and support from you all, I am so thankful for the opportunity to try to give something that can express my gratitude and love for you. This album is yours in A Thousand Different Ways.

Clay Aiken Week Indeed!

Members of the the President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities (PCPID) were sworn in Thursday.

The appointments to the PCPID are as follows:

Clay Aiken of Raleigh, North Carolina: Recording artist Clay Aiken is also the founder of the Bubel/Aiken Foundation, an organization that promotes and funds educational and recreational programs for children with special needs.

Clickable GMA Promo

UPCOMING TV APEARANCES from the RCA Records site:

Sep 15: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC)
Sep 18: Entertainment Tonight
Sep 19: Good Morning America (ABC) performance and interview
Sep 19: Entertainment Tonight
Sep 20: Good Morning America (ABC) Diane Sawyer Interview Part 1
Sep 21: Entertainment Tonight
Sep 21: Good Morning America (ABC) Diane Sawyer Interview Part 2
Sep 21: Entertainment Tonight
Sep 22: The View (ABC)
Sep 22: Entertainment Tonight
Sep 24: Good Morning America Weekend Show - Performance and interview
Sep 26: Entertainment Tonight
Sep 26: Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC)

Enjoy the ride, Clay Nation! SOON is finally NOW!

Caro

RELATED TAGS: Clay Aiken, A Thousand Different Ways, Without You, Jaymes Foster, Clear Channel Music Sneak Peek, Shipwreck Island Studios, Music Messiah, Broken Wings, Erin Taylor Clayton Pitner , President's Committee for People with Disabilities, Tonight Show, Entertainment Tonight, Good Morning America, The View, Jimmy Kimmel Live

Fans Link to Gala Via Cellcerts

REFLECTIONS: Throughout Clay Aiken message boards and blogs, fans are remembering 9/11 in a variety of ways. At the OFC, Galadriel has written about a friend in We Will Never Forget. Featured at Blogspot are "In Memorium: Donna Clarke" at A Southern Girl's Guide to Almost Anything plus "A Tribute to Clay, My Hero" and "The Fifth Anniversary" at Clay's Daily Double. We will never forget.

Amazing_CA's design incorporates "a thousand Clays" in the frame of her beautiful blend.

'Right Here Waiting'

Fans Link to Gala Via Cellcerts

When Clay Aiken finally sang Right Here Waiting at the David Foster and Friends Celebrity Gala 2006 late Sunday night (1:17 a.m. Monday EST), countless fans connected through a labyrinth of cellcerts could certainly relate, for we had been doing just that -- waiting "right here" in front of our computers and praying cell phone batteries would endure long enough for the singer's three tune set.

The cellcert network for Richmond, British Columbia, triumphed; and the River Rock audience, as well as participating CA fans around the globe, listened as Clay performed RHW, the first track from his upcoming CD, A Thousand Different Ways. To standing ovations, he also sang his mother's favorite song, Unchained Melody, and the CD's first single, Without You.

Foster, whose sister Jaymes is the executive producer of ATDW, introduced Clay to the sold-out audience of 900 in Vancouver, Canada, like this:

He's got his own fan base. They're fanatics, with all due respect. The guy put an album out three years ago, and in the first week it sold 600,000 copies. Tonight we were selling a piano; it was at $200,000. I came out and said I'd go with the piano for life, and it went to $205,000. He walks out and says he'll come and sing three songs, and it goes to $500,000. There is only one. What an amazing singer. What an amazing story. He'll tell you some of it. He used to be a school teacher, this kid. Please welcome the FANTASTIC ... CLAY. AIKEN!

Clay Sings at Gala -- Photo by Dee Lippingwell

Sunday night's Charity Gala concluded a two-day event during which Clay also served on a panel of judges for the David Foster Star Search Finals and helped raise $2.9 million to assist families of children in need of organ transplants.

The auction referenced by Foster in his intro of Clay was explained further by Canuck2010, who funneled reports to Clayversity all weekend: When Clay came out and offered to be part of the concert, the piano skyrocketed to $500,000. So they gave two pianos -- one now and one in 18 months after DF gets all the new autographs -- and both bidders get a private concert with DF and Clay! They earned the foundation one million dollars in about 10 minutes! It was fabulous!

In Canuck's OFC blog, you can read summaries of her Star Search Weekend.

Clickable Judge Clay Blend
by Amazing_CA, Galrow Photo

Several CA message boards were represented in British Columbia this past weekend. In this photo taken by Canuck on Saturday, Jaymes Foster proudly -- but briefly -- showed a group of fans Clay's copy of the CD set to be released on 9/19.

Producer Reveals ATDW to Fans -- Photo by Canuck

By most accounts, Monday morning arrived too soon for those who were up late attending or listening to the gala. The sentiment throughout most message board posts, however, is the lack of sleep was well spent!

Sneak Peek Stream Surprises Fans

Another major event in Clay Land this weekend was the discovery minutes before midnight Saturday that Clear Channel Music's Sneak Peek for A Thousand Different Ways had been activated a few days early.

That little news byte sped through CA Cyberspace so fast that in nanoseconds, thousands of fans were streaming the full CD from the CCM site and trying to figure out how to take their computers to bed. This is good because radio and retail determine the popularity of an album or single by the number of hits streaming sites receive.

Streaming ATDW at the Clear Channel site and through hometown CC radio stations is set to run from 9/12 - 9/15. You can search for CC stations at Clear Channel Radio or for all stations in your area through Radio- Locator. Stream away, Clay Nation!

Despite periodic interruptions -- "Sneak Peek; hear it here first" -- in each song, initial reactions to the album can be read just about everywhere in Clay Cyberspace. These Clayversity members are sharing theirs here:

Bamintx: Stunning! Each song has something special about it that grabs me in a different way than the others. There are those power ballads, but there is also an ethereal sound on some of the songs that turns me into absolute mush. The Celtic flavor to "Everything I Do" might be the prettiest thing I've ever heard. This CD is truly special and like nothing else out there. There's really no comparison. Those snippets we've been listening to don't even begin to tell the story of this CD.

Roadnottaken: I don't even know how you pick a single for this album. Each song is an artistic triumph. The arrangements, Clay's voice -- there's something special about each one. And together, Clay has created a masterpiece. This will be an album for the ages.

Jade222: The snippets we've been listening too haven't touched in any way, or come close to any way, the sheer beauty and diversity of this CD. Having listened to every song, this CD will blow away anyone who listens. I see a lot of Clayversions on the horizon. These are not covers; these are Clay songs.

GibbGal: At 2 a.m., I'm still listening to the album and just can't pull myself away. It's gorgeous! I love all of the arrangements; there's a lot of beautiful instrumentation. Some are really different from the originals. And Clay's singing is amazing! He really is an ARTIST. He makes the songs his own. Clay has gained so much control over his voice. He can sing with so much vulnerability in one phrase, and with strength and conviction in the next. This is an album that I will be able to listen to over and over, and hear new, entrancing things to love each time.

PHOTO INTERMISSION: This clickable photo interlude includes the creative work of five graphic artists, including Ambassador Of Love (1), Invisible926 (2), ABeautifulMind (3), Clayquebec1 (4), and Amazing_CA (5).

Teens Tab 'Broken Wings'

GibbGal (later in the day): I just played "Broken Wings" for my 14-year old daughter and her friend of the same age. They LOVED it! They got all "swoony" and gasped a couple times. They think that the spoken poem is fantastic, that it really adds to the song. They especially loved hearing "a thousand different ways" at the end of the album. I do think the teens will really like "Broken Wings."

Lolacat: I LOVE the whole CD! The originals don't even cross my mind. To me it's like listening to all new songs!

Cristal Line: With or without radio play, this deserves to be album of the year, the album of the decade. In a sea of sound-alike music featuring collaborations with all the same "hot" producers and songwriters, he's created a project that truly only Clay Aiken could have pulled off with stunning brilliance. This isn't a baby step towards becoming his own artist as I've speculated before. He IS an artist, this is light years beyond MOAM. I was laughing and crying and "OMGing" out loud just from listening to his voice. This is absolutely the work of a true artist with a remarkable, unique talent.

Huuugs: I do believe that there will be a lot of babies born in the last week of May 2007 and the first week of June 2007. Some of these little ones may actually have been conceived with a mate. The others, by a little thing known as natural spontaneous combustion of the female hormones reacting to the VOX! My favorite song is the same as several others have mentioned. It's the one playing at the moment!

EmeraldEyes: The CD is a vocal Tour De Force. It has mega hit written all over it. I wish I were 20 years younger and falling in love for the first time. I can't even decide which song is my favorite. I listened to "Broken Wings" first, and I love the artistry in that song. I have so many favorites, but some of the stand-outs are "Here You Come Again," "Everything I Have," "Lonely No More," "Everything I Have," "Because You Loved Me," and "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word." WOW, just WOW to the whole album. I can't believe I was ever worried about covers. I barely recognize the songs. Clay is a true artist. I'll never doubt that again.

Husband's Approval Nets Gift

Coopersgirl: I can't believe what he can do with a song. I brought my husband in and asked him to listen to Clay. He usually just puts up with me when I play Clay, but he loved it. He said you can play that in the car any time. I told him it's a good thing he likes it. Since his birthday is Wednesday, I am planning to buy him his own CD.

Yaknelle: This CD could replace hormone replacement treatment. Side effects are extreme, of course.

Barnett: This album sounds amazing. The voice is fabulous, which goes without saying; but the arrangements are so innovative and really beautifully done. Clay has taken songs that were already good and made them truly great. I expected to love the album because it is Clay, but the integrity of the songs are monumental in their uniqueness and execution.

Kellykellyk: I have to confess that while I adored the snippet of "Broken Wings" we had heard, I became very skeptical of the song when I read in Clay's bio that it contained a poet I had never heard of reading parts of a poem. However, the end result is just sublime. It's a completely different song, and the spoken ending of the poem is just the perfect way to end both the song and the album.

Calendar Check

Jaymes and Faye Parker broke the news to the Vancouver fans that Clay will soon grace the cover of People magazine; and a camera crew from ABC's Primetime news magazine followed Clay around all weekend, as did his new dog, Durham, when he was available.

TV APPEARANCES: Jay Leno (9/15), Good Morning America (9/19), The View (9/22), Jimmy Kimmel (9/26), Primetime with Diane Sawyer, Ellen DeGeneres Show, Dancing with the Stars, Tyra Banks Show

MAGAZINES: People (cover story), TV Guide (cover story), Details (men's magazine)The Clay Train is really on the move. We in Clay Cyberspace can be grateful that when one group of fans experience an event such as this past weekend, CLACK is not far behind -- no matter the distance. Enjoy the ride!

Caro

RELATED TAGS: Clay Aiken, A Thousand Different Ways, Without You, David Foster and Friends Celebrity Gala 2006, Jaymes Foster, Clear Channel Music Sneak Peek

Music, Advocacy Worlds Merge

A THOUSAND WAYS -- Through song and deed, Clay Aiken is realizing an often-stated major life goal, to make a difference. Graphic by Cindilu2

Mr. Aiken Goes To Washington

Music, Advocacy Worlds Merge

A pop singer with a brand new CD moving full steam ahead toward a much-anticipated 9/19 drop date has this week received an invitation to serve on the President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities, assuring Clay Aiken the best of both his chosen worlds.

A longtime advocate for children with disabilities, Clay set aside a teaching career in special education when he was awarded an RCA recording contract as runner-up on American Idol 2. Co-founder of the three-year-old Bubel/Aiken Foundation working for the inclusion of children with disabilities, Clay also serves as a UNICEF Ambassador and has continuously expanded his classroom with the platform his celebrity provides.

In the midst of the all-emcompassing media campaign to promote his long-awaited second mainstream album, A Thousand Different Ways, Clay will reportedly be present for the committee's 9/14 swearing in ceremony, but miss the initial meeting on 9/15 due to previous CD-related engagements.

Media Outlets Spread the Story

At last count, 132 media outlets have carried the story about Clay's appointment under a variety of headlines: Idol Singer Clay Aiken May Serve Bush, Mr. Aiken Goes to Washington, NC Singer To Be Appointed to White House Committee, Aiken Named to National Panel on Mental Disabilities, and so on.

Most, however, picked up the AP feed originating in the Raleigh News & Observer, the singer's hometown newspaper which told the world nothing about this man's significant qualifications for the presidential nod. Basically, this is what the press carried as the reason for Clay's appointment:

Aiken is a Raleigh native who rose to fame as a runner-up in the "American Idol" competition. Before his singing career took off, Aiken worked as a counselor at a YMCA.

The final paragraph at many sites, such as the Knoxville News Sentinel, contained a redeeming plug for the new CD: The singer's new album, "A Thousand Different Ways," is due out later this month.

Shoddy Journalism Questioned

When I complained about the shoddy journalism in an email to my first editor from way back yonder with the Wilmington Star-News Newspapers, she replied:

"You can't really blame the N&O when it was an AP oversight. Although, since he's a Raleigh native, someone should have known something about him. But that takes us into the Unknown Territory of the Copy Editor's Domain, what they know and what they don't and what they bother to research for accurate and adequate info. Strange, strange breed."

I shared with my editor-friend a link to the most comprehensive report I have seen about Clay's background: Clay Aiken and Service, a blog by Berkeley at The ConCLAYve: A Meeting of the Minds, that is well worth a bookmark and a read.

PHOTO INTERMISSION: Today's clickable interlude features the creations by four talented graphic artists, including Amazing_CA (1); Claystruck (2); ABeautifulMind (3, 4); and Cindilu2 (5).

Director's Daughter Impressed

Thursday the N&O regained a bit of my respect with the following Under The Dome column by staff writers J. Andrew Curliss and Barbara Barrett:

Fans in High Places

President Bush apparently is a Clay Aiken fan. Bush this week named Aiken, an "American Idol" runner-up and North Carolina native son, to the President's Committee on People With Intellectual Disabilities.

Word from the White House came with little fanfare, part of a release that included nominees for assistant attorney general and transportation secretary. The release listed Aiken as "Clayton Aiken, of North Carolina," with no further explanation.

Aiken's fan club immediately posted the news to its Web site. Aiken was traveling and could not be reached for comment. But in Washington, the committee's executive director's 16-year-old daughter was thrilled.

"Usually she's not interested in public policy. She wants to come to the meetings. She wants his autograph," said Sally Atwater, chief staffer for the committee. Atwater figures Aiken will lend some youthful perspective to the group. Also, she said, "We hope he'll sing."

Aiken has some work experience he can bring to the president's committee. A special education major at UNC-Charlotte, Aiken worked with autistic children as a counselor in Raleigh. He also runs the Bubel-Aiken Foundation, dedicated to research for children with developmental disabilities.

He will join a committee that advises the president and the Department of Health and Human Services on programs and services for the intellectually disabled.

The group's next meeting is this month, just as Aiken has a new album coming out. He won't be at the meeting, Atwater said. "He's going to be on Jay Leno, I'm told," she said. "So we hope he'll plug the committee."

Clay singing 'Without You' on The Insider

Appearances prior to Leno on the 15th include tonight's Insider during which Clay sang "Without You" and his participation as as an adjudicator-performer at the David Foster Star Search Finals and Charity Gala 2006 in Richmond, British Columbia, Saturday and Sunday.

Concert stage or world stage -- Clay Aiken is making a difference. The Clay Nation is enjoying the ride through both worlds of this special singer-teacher-humanitarian!

Caro

RELATED TAGS: Clay Aiken, A Thousand Different Ways, Without You, President's Committee for People with Disabilities, The Bubel Aiken Foundation, UNICEF, News&Observer, The Insider

Reviews Applaud 'Without You'

A THOUSAND DIFFERENT WAYS -- The title of Clay Aiken's long-awaited CD describes the boundless creations his fans have produced as evidenced by this stunning graphic by Amazing_CA.

Triumphant Return of The Vox

Reviews Applaud 'Without You'

During the past few weeks, this blog has featured many amazing Clayversion stories from fans who have shared the lead single and 14 snippets of A Thousand Different Ways with others. Less than 14 days away, the 9/19 counter on most message boards steadily advancing towards the midnight moment the album will drop, two important online reviewers have added impressive critiques to the mix.

No over-the-top praise or criticism based on preconceived notions. Just straight talk about Clay's outstanding vocals, interpretation skills, and a few details about the album production.

On Sunday, Sept. 3, Bill Lamb of Top 40/Pop posted this review:

Clay Aiken - Without You

It's been a long three-year wait for Clay Aiken's army of dedicated fans since his first non-holiday studio album Measure of a Man. "Without You" is the first taste of the upcoming album A Thousand Different Ways. Is it the rousing return his fans are hoping for? Read the review and then draw your own conclusion.

Guide Rating: 4 STARS OUT OF 5

The Bottom Line

Simply said, Clay Aiken's "Without You" is a triumphant return. While it would be easy to think that Harry Nilsson and Mariah Carey had wrung all the possibilities from this pop chestnut, there are some fine elements here and a bravura vocal performance.

Head over to Clay Aiken's official site to hear "Without You."

PSA TIME-OUT: At the Top 40 site, you can rate the song plus leave a comment as many have done. Despite downloads, Clay fans are being urged to STREAM Clay's new single.

Kellykellyk of Clayversity explains: An easy way for everyone to help build buzz for Clay is to stream his new single online, and if a video is made available we should stream that as well. Online streams of songs and videos are gaining importance as a way for radio and retailers to determine which songs and artists are popular and whether they should be added to their playlist or inventory. There has even been talk that Billboard may add number of streams to calculate Hot 100 positions.

Some of the sites currently streaming Without You:

* Clay Aiken's Official Site

* Clay Aiken's MySpace Page

* Fanscape

Streaming sites that will be very important when activated include:

* Yahoo

* AOL

* MSN

* Rhapsody

Back to the Top 40/Pop review, Lamb adds the following:

Pros
* The beauty and clarity of Clay Aiken's voice
* Very nicely propulsive instrumental arrangement
* The emotion is restored to this classic song

Cons
* Please, enunciate - We can do without "Without 'ooo"

Description
* Simple piano-focused intro
* Instantly recognizable vocals
* Impeccable pop arrangement with welcome percussive elements missing in previous arrangementsGuide

Review - Clay Aiken - Without You

If you are unfamiliar with the song "Without You," you have not been listening to pop radio for the past 35 years. The song, written by Badfinger's Pete Ham and Tom Evans, first appeared as a Badfinger album cut on "No Dice," released in 1970. Idiosyncratic pop singer Harry Nilsson released a version of the song in 1971 featuring the signature piano intro that would be the standard for future recordings of "Without You." The song became a #1 hit for Nilsson and the biggest pop hit of his career. Mariah Carey took the song back into the pop charts in 1994 with a surprisingly plastic sounding interpretation.

Clay Aiken has chosen the instantly familiar tune as the lead-in for his first proper studio album in three years. I count myself as one of the skeptics when I first heard this would be the opening single, but "Without You" is a good choice and will tremendously please his many devoted fans while quite possibly gaining a few new converts.

The pure beauty in Aiken's voice is abundantly showcased here, and the arrangement gives a contemporary twist on the song. The mix is pleasantly propulsive and percussive which will sound great on pop radio. Mainstream pop radio should give this track a chance. It's popularity may surprise more than a few radio programmers.

And suddenly it's not just the fans talking about Clay's new CD!

PHOTO INTERMISSION: Today's clickable interlude features the graphic creations of five talented visual artists: Katt45 (1), Claystruck (2), ABeautifulMind (3), Ambassador Of Love (4), and Amazing_CA (5).

Reviewer Labels ATDW a Winner

Appearing this week at Shipwreck Island Studios, a four-year-old web site run by two guys in their 20s who enjoy writing about good music, is this "first reaction" preview:

Clay Aiken - A Thousand Different Ways (Island Preview - First Reaction):

I was privileged to listen to Clay's album today, and I have to say he's got a winner on his hands. I was a bit put off by the idea of another covers album but he's pulled it off nicely. A classic track such as Bryan Adams "Everything I Do" which I felt couldn't be redone properly is completely retooled and sounds amazing.

I'd say the best reinvented track has to be the Celine Dion song "Because You Love Me." I didn't care for the original version but Clay sped up the song and added his own flavor to it making it his own.

Now when I first heard about this disc the one song that stood out to me was the Bad English song "When I See You Smile." I read some pretty harsh comments from some fans that in a nutshell said that Clay couldn't pull off this classic track. While it's not quite was redone as other songs, Clay's vocals fit perfectly and with a violin backing really allows the song to breath a bit more. To me Clay pulled this track off with no issues at all.

Honestly, I'm shocked over how good this disc turned out. Seventeen days to go until it's release but I'll have an album review up before it's release. Everyone is in for a real treat with this release. - Tony

Many Try, Few Prevail

With American Idol auditions currently underway in Memphis, a story in the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal quotes an American Idol producer about the time he first saw Clay:

"American Idol" Coordinating Producer Patrick Lynn said the team is always judging auditioners.

"It takes us five to 30 seconds (to decide who's going on to the next round)," Lynn said. "It took me two seconds to know (season two runner up) Clay Aiken.

New Photos Slay Fans

Clay inadvertently slayed many of his fans Monday night when Starhorse of Clayversity located some photos in an Associated Press archive database. Shot by Matt Sayles in Santa Monica, CA on Aug. 30, the pictures quickly traversed CA Cyberspace and were not only the talk of the message boards but also immediate inspiration for the many graphic artists among our singer's fans.These three

With American Idol auditions currently underway in Memphis, a story in the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal quotes an American Idol producer about the time he first saw Clay:

"American Idol" Coordinating Producer Patrick Lynn said the team is always judging auditioners.

"It takes us five to 30 seconds (to decide who's going on to the next round)," Lynn said. "It took me two seconds to know (season two runner up) Clay Aiken.

New Photos Slay Fans

Clay inadvertently slayed many of his fans Monday night when Starhorse of Clayversity located some photos in an Associated Press archive database. Shot by Matt Sayles in Santa Monica, CA on Aug. 30, the pictures quickly traversed CA Cyberspace and were not only the talk of the message boards but also immediate inspiration for the many graphic artists among our singer's fans.

These three clickable wallpapers were created by Amazing_CA, Katt45, and Cindilu2:

Clay Train Taking Precedence

My music students begin fall lessons all this week, but each dramatic new happening has their teacher riding the Clay Train instead of outlining the year's curriculum, not to mention vacuuming the studio carpet.

Clay fans are anticipating many exciting stops along the promo trail in the near future. What an awesome time for Clay Aiken and his fans!

Caro

RELATED TAGS: Clay Aiken, A Thousand Different Ways, Without You, Top 40/Pop, Shipwreck Island Studios, Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, American Idol

September Magic Finally Here

I WANT TO KNOW -- Cindilu2 featured ATDW's duet, "I Want To Know What Love Is," in this beautiful graphic design.

New Fans Board Clay Train


September Magic Finally Here


Throughout the Clay Nation, there's magic in the air -- it is finally September, the month A Thousand Different Ways drops and our singer hits the road for an array of promotional appearances that will keep fans happily expending frequent flyer miles, VCRs sizzling, and new CLACK wending its way through cyberspace.

LINDA_CARRELLI designed a wallpaper featuring her signature Claytoon, ATDW's cover photo and playlist, as well as some important TV dates already on tap for Clay Aiken. Visit her OFC Blog for a trio of desktop sizes.

Clickable

ATDW Calendar Filling Up

Clay Nation calendars are continually being updated with the singer's appearances and other promo events:

9/5: The Insider
9/9-9/10: David Foster Star Search Finals and Charity Gala 2006. Clay will be a judge and a performer at these events in Richmond, British Columbia.
9/15: The Tonight Show
9/18: CD Release Parties underway somewhere near you!
9/19: ATDW drops at midnight!
9/19: Good Morning America
9/19: AOL Music Feature
9/22: The View (taping on 9/21, tickets already SOLD OUT!)
9/26: Jimmy Kimmel Live!
10/1: Live at Yahoo Music -- Performances and an interview
Coming Soon: ATDW on Wal-Mart's Soundcheck and Spotlight

WY Ringtone Selling CDs

Fans busily sharing "Without You" and the 14 album snippets were this week gifted with another tool by Sony Musicbox -- a WY ringtone for their cell phones. A teacher who posts at Clayversity outlined her strategy like this:

Jade222: I downloaded "Without You" as my ringtone this morning, and I played it all the way to school. Just love hearing Clay come out of my phone.

Having first period off, I walked around school with my cell phone looking for other teachers who were free. I found three. For each one we chatted a bit and then I brought up Clay. First I showed them the wallpaper on my phone - the CD cover - and then let them listen to "Without You."

The ring tone is the best part of the song: "I Can't LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE if living......" All three LOVED WY!!! There faces were all smiles with comments like: "Oh, I know that song!' and "Oh, I love that song!" The fact that they KNEW the song was HUGE! They thought Clay was awesome. Oh, yeah!

Not.Just.Us Stories Shared

If you like Not.Just.Us stories, you are in the right place. Five are from comments shared by readers in a previous entry, and the others originated in posts at Clayversity.

My own addition to the mix occurred Thursday when I asked my high school flute/oboe student what kind of music she and her friends are listening to. With no prompting from me, she replied: "Definitely not the radio. We like music from the 80s." I gave her an assignment to take a listen at the ClayAiken.com web site as soon after Friday night's halftime as possible.

These comments represent readers from such diverse regions as Connecticut, Ohio, Colorado, California, and Washington, DC:

Lisa1068: We have two Vietnamese guys who work here. I was sorting some parts one of them made, and his brother came in to see what the quality problem was. I had Clay's snippets on a loop, and he just sang the words to six of them. He can barely speak English, and he told me they were beautiful old songs. When I told them they were new, he said , "Remakes?" I almost fainted. Then I told him it was Clay; and he said, "Very good!"

My boss, a male whom I Clayverted last year, has also been playing the snippets in his office. He says he's playing them for me because I'm in there a lot, but I know better.

Kimmstarraiken: I work in very close quarters with three other women who have been nothing short of saints regarding my "interest" in all things Clay. I wanted to give them a taste of what they will be listening to for the next few months, so I played Clay's version of WY for them.

I must have been a bit preoccupied because before I realized it, the other five ladies in the office were standing behind us listening also. They all knew better than to ask who was singing, but did ask when the CD was coming out. I knew they'd come around. A voice like Clay's doesn't come around often in one's lifetime.

German Friend Embraces WY

smz80219: I have a dear email buddy in Germany. I sent her MOAM and MCWL, which she liked; but I know she is not really a pop music fan. I sent her the link to Clay's RCA web site so she could hear WY. I was reluctant to do this because she lost her husband suddenly a year ago and she is still quite heartbroken.

She made no comment, so I thought that she didn't like it and did not want to tell me. Finally, yesterday, she emailed and said that she had lost the link and asked if I would I send it again. Relief!!! Of course, I sent it again, and this morning her email was that she LOVESLOVESLOVES this song! WY was one of "their songs," and she has it playing in the background while she is on the computer.

I'm sure that "their" song was the Nilsson version, but she is now listening to Clay sing to her. This evening, I will be sending her the zip file of the snippets. I'm sure she will recognize and love a lot of those songs, too.

Katt45: I played WY for two of my non-Clay friends last week. They both went wild for this new single. My one friend went so far as to tell me to put that song on her son's wedding video that I'm making. When I reminded her that the couple might not care for it, she responded, "I don't care; I LOVE it. Use it on the video." I'm using it!

ccbon3: A couple of days ago I played WY for my 16-year-old, hip-hop, pop music-loving daughter; and I was floored that she really, really liked it. She said that Clay sings a lot better than most people you hear on the radio and had no idea it was a cover. My daughter sent a link to her friend, who is angsting over a break-up; and she loved it, too.

Then it dawned on me: ATDW is a teen dream come true. Teens experiencing first
love, first heartache, dreaming about first love, etc., will eat this up. And the fact that Clay looks like an anime character come to life doesn't hurt either. I think Clay is going to sell a lot of CDs to a lot of people who love good music -- young, old, and somewhere in between!

PHOTO INTERMISSION: This clickable interlude features the creativity of four talented graphic artists: Clayquebec1 (1); Amazing_CA (2 and 5); ABeautifulMind (3); and Claystruck (4).

CA Haircut: New or Old?

Mercedes: My future daughter-in-law, Emily, was getting a haircut in SOHO (NYC) today. She said a guy in his late 20s walked in and asked for a Clay Aiken haircut. The hairdresser asked, "New or old look?" He said "NEW." She was not able to stay for the results, but she couldn't wait to call me with the news.

suz4omc: Yesterday during a series of all-day meetings, I was sitting next to one of the nurses. Since I was more of a passive participant than anything else, I was working on the picture for our CD release party poster during the meeting. She leaned over and asked what it was. I explained about the CD and the release parties.

During a break, I got my headphones and let her listen to the snippets. A few songs in, she said "I HAVE to get this album!" She was still listening at this point, but I told her I would get her a copy when it is out. She looked at me and said, "I can't hear you, but that's OK; I want to keep listening to THIS!" After she listened to everything, including "Without You," she told me that she didn't like the originals of most of the songs, but she LOVES what Clay has done to them.

Power of the Aiken

Lolacat: My female boss teases me constantly about Clay. I don't let her get to me and just tell her to leave my Clay alone. Today one of the big corporate bosses, a man in his mid 40s, came for a visit.

He stopped in my office to say hello and noticed my Clay pictures on the wall. He said, "Clay Aiken," and the female boss went "Eww!" He said, "What do you mean? He's awesome!"

Apparently, he's somehow associated with Musikfest and he met Clay. I told him I met him at Musikfest too. She does the "Clay Aiken eww" thing again, and he looked at her and said, "He's one heck of a nice guy, and I'll tell you what -- Clay Aiken rocks!" My boss's mouth fell open, and she shut up. I loved it!

A few days later my boss stopped in and said, " I quess you have a new Clay fan buddy!" I told her not to ever underestimate the power of the Aiken. I wish I had a camera; the look on your face was priceless!

The Vox: New Cardiac Cure

Ananka: A funny story happened during my recent hospital stay. The nurse station was outside my room, and night after night I could hear them chattering away about every subject in the world. One night there was a group of young nurses and aids and they were playing some music and talking about the current scene in the pop world. One of them put on Justin Timberlake’s' new offering, "Sexy Back," and was gushing about him and the song, but at the same time complaining about his new look.

Imagine this song playing in the cardiac ward if you will. Within a couple of minutes, the senior "boss" nurse walked in and in no uncertain terms told them to turn off that junk before all the patients went into cardiac arrest.

I had a burned a copy of “Without You” with me, and this seemed the opportune time to try it out on the nurses once the boss left. In my lovely hospital gown, I tiptoed out of my room and told them to give this new song a try. I did not tell them who it was. After making sure the boss was gone, they slipped it in their little CD player and began to listen. Every one of them (about six) was mesmerized; and they continued to play it over and over, each time increasing the volume.

At some point they had turned it up too high and the boss returned and grabbed the CD player. For some reason she could not figure out how to turn it down, so it continued to play. At this point she saw me and literally shoved me back into my room threatening to tie me down if I didn't stop wandering around. She had no idea I was the culprit, guilty on all charges of outright proselytizing. For a minute or so everything was quiet and I could hear the music still playing as she finally figured out how to turn off the CD player.

The nurses and aids told me later that they feared she would report all of them for what had happened. But instead, after telling them in no uncertain terms they were not allowed to play any personal music in the hospital and that this was a warning only, she said to them, “Now whoever that guy is singing in that song could cure some broken hearts with that voice."

A winning prescription as is this humorous scenario envisioned by another CV member:

Txwriter: Picture this. It's Sept. 18 at a Clay Aiken CD Release Party somewhere in the US. A cell phone rings and 60 women reach for their phones 'cause they all have the same WY ringtone!

Have an awesome Labor Day Weekend and a wonderful beginning to this magical month of September!

Caro

You can download a wallpaper version of the opening graphic at Forever Clay.

RELATED TAGS: Clay Aiken, A Thousand Different Ways, David Foster Star Seach 2006, Tonight Show, CD Release Parties, Good Morning America, AOL Music, The View, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Live at Yahoo Music, Wal-Mart's Soundcheck, Sony Musicbox, Without You, ClayAiken.com