From the Raleigh, NC News and Observer.com:
http://tinylink.com/?4EKsSeRnJf
Clay vis-a-vis Ryan
Divining the common ground beneath the clatter
By DAVID MENCONI, Staff Writer
Clay Aiken and Ryan Adams would seem to have nothing in
common beyond gender, profession and the fact that with the
possible exception of hot rapper Petey Pablo, they're about the
most famous current musicians to come out of Raleigh.
One is a clean-cut pop singer who rocketed to fame via
"American Idol," tours big arenas and has sold millions of
records. The other a notorious bad boy who first gained fame
playing with the band Whiskeytown in smoke-filled dives, and
remains something of a cult figure.
But is it possible that they're less different than you'd think? At
least one critic seems to think so. In his online "Real Life
Top-10" column a few months back, Greil Marcus wrote of
Adams, "Underneath his clatter and angst, what he has to offer
is different mostly in style from what Clay Aiken and Ruben
Studdard are selling."
Which got us to wondering about a head-to-head comparison.
As Aiken heads to Greensboro for a performance Friday in
Greensboro, we give you the tale of the tape:
Astrological sign:
CLAY -- Sagittarius: Nov. 30, 1978 (same birthday as Ben Stiller
and Mark Twain).
RYAN -- Scorpio: Nov. 5, 1974 (same birthday as Gram Parsons
and Bryan Adams).
Prefame day job in Raleigh:
CLAY -- Counselor at the YMCA.
RYAN -- Dishwasher at the Rathskeller.
Military connection:
CLAY -- His brother, 18-year-old Brett, enlisted in the Marines.
RYAN -- He grew up in Jacksonville, site of the Marine base
Camp Lejeune.
Clothes make the man:
CLAY -- One of his "American Idol" outfits went on display at the
N.C. Museum of History in March.
RYAN -- Back when Adams was changing his band's lineup
every other week, the sentiment "I was in Whiskeytown and all I
got was this lousy T-shirt" graced bathroom walls throughout the
Triangle.
Grammy Award nominations:
CLAY -- None yet.
RYAN -- Three in 2002.
Career Svengalis:
CLAY -- "American Idol" mastermind Simon Fuller, who gave the
world the Spice Girls.
RYAN -- Lost Highway Records president Luke Lewis, who gave
the world Shania Twain.
"Saturday Night Live" appearances:
CLAY -- Feb. 7 (hosted by Megan Mullally).
RYAN -- Nov. 10, 2001 (hosted by Gwyneth Paltrow).
Commercial appearances:
CLAY -- In November, 2003, he was unwillingly used in a nasty
little ad featuring "Triumph the Insult Comic Dog," sponsored by
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (after an interview in
which Aiken talked about his hatred of cats).
RYAN -- In a 2003 Levis jeans commercial with Willie Nelson.
Liner-note thanks given to:
CLAY -- "God, the Alpha" and "Jesus Christ, the Omega" in
2003's "Measure of a Man."
RYAN -- Alanis Morissette (who played God in the 1999 film
"Dogma"), five times in 2001's "Gold."
North Carolina reference:
CLAY -- A cover of James Taylor's "Carolina in My Mind" is a
staple of his live set.
RYAN -- "Oh My Sweet Carolina," from Adams' 2000 album
"Heartbreaker."
Unexpected live covers:
CLAY -- Prince, "When Doves Cry."
RYAN -- Backstreet Boys, "I Want It That Way."
Notable recorded covers:
CLAY -- Simon & Garfunkel, "Bridge Over Troubled Water" (2003
single).
RYAN -- Oasis, "Wonderwall" (2003's "Love Is Hell, V. 1").
Famous fans who happen to be piano-playing elders:
CLAY -- Neil Sedaka.
RYAN -- Elton John.
Paramours:
CLAY -- The young man is discreet to a fault.
RYAN -- Parker Posey, Alanis Morissette, Winona Ryder, the late
Carrie Hamilton, Beth Orton, Leona Naess ...
Media buzz:
CLAY -- TV Guide's "Favorite Reality Star" of 2003; also appeared
on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.
RYAN -- No. 97 in British magazine Q's current list of "The music
industry's 100 most influential people"; also dubbed "The 'It
Troubadour' " by Entertainment Weekly in 2001.
Quote from best-known single:
CLAY -- "If I was invisible/I would just watch you in your sleep."
("Invisible," 2003)
RYAN -- "Used to take the Subway up to Houston and Third/I
would wait for you and I'd try to hide." ("New York, New York,"
2001)
Pointed response to detractors:
CLAY -- "RCA would not have picked me or Ruben [Studdard].
Simon Cowell would not have picked us. America has shown
them that they don't know what they're talking about" (Time
magazine, Oct. 5, 2003).
RYAN -- "Good luck, Jim. Art is the voice of God and he is always
speaking and he is never wrong" (Ryan to Chicago Sun-Times
critic Jim DeRogatis in a Web site posting on Jan. 6, 2004).
Ryan Adams and Clay Aiken: American Idles?
Moderator: SMLCHNG
I understand why you post it in this section, I just cannot understand why you think anyone is interested in this particular article. Now I enjoyed your article on the top 50 rock intros, but this one no.Jahfin wrote:I'm not sure what you mean but no you're not. You're in the Off-Topic section of BuffettNews.com where the posting of Off-Topic (imagine that) topics and news articles is allowed. I hope that answers your question.PHBeerman wrote:Dude am I on AmericanIdolNews.com?
You can't please all of the people all of the time but you can please some of the people some of the time...PHBeerman wrote:I understand why you post it in this section, I just cannot understand why you think anyone is interested in this particular article. Now I enjoyed your article on the top 50 rock intros, but this one no.Jahfin wrote:I'm not sure what you mean but no you're not. You're in the Off-Topic section of BuffettNews.com where the posting of Off-Topic (imagine that) topics and news articles is allowed. I hope that answers your question.PHBeerman wrote:Dude am I on AmericanIdolNews.com?
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Fins in Low Places
- We are the People our Parents Warned us
- Posts: 355
- Joined: March 31, 2003 2:10 pm
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- Location: Tennessee
As a fan of Ryan Adams, I thought the article was pretty funny.PHBeerman wrote: I understand why you post it in this section, I just cannot understand why you think anyone is interested in this particular article. Now I enjoyed your article on the top 50 rock intros, but this one no.
Do I dare disturb the universe?
In a minute there is time for decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse.
In a minute there is time for decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse.
Me myself. Being from NC it's a shame to see Clay get so much publicity when there is so much other talent here. Thus is the way of the world in 2004...Fins in Low Places wrote:As a fan of Ryan Adams, I thought the article was pretty funny.PHBeerman wrote: I understand why you post it in this section, I just cannot understand why you think anyone is interested in this particular article. Now I enjoyed your article on the top 50 rock intros, but this one no.