Claymates are at it again, comparing Clay to whatever superstar they can at the moment. This week, with the sudden and unfortunate passing of Michael Jackson Claymates are showing the “parallels” between the two. I’ll comment below:
Did you know that “Off the Wall” was Michael Jackson’s fifth album? No one ever talks about his first four. I bring this up, because Clay Aiken has released four albums, and people are so ready to write him off. Let’s really compare the two:
Year One:
MJ (1969) – Michael Jackson is a part of a group, “The Jackson 5″.
CA (2003) – Clay Aiken is a part of a group, “The American Idol Top 10″. Clay also releases his FIRST CD – “Measure of a Man”
Year Two:
MJ (1970) – Stays with “Jackson 5″
CA (2004) – Clay releases his SECOND CD – “Merry Christmas with Love”
Year Three
MJ (1971) – Yet another year with J5
CA (2005) – A solo artist still
Year Four
MJ (1972) – MJ finally releases two solo albums – “Got to Be There” and “Ben”… took him long enough.
CA (2006) – Clay is already on to his THIRD solo CD – “A Thousand Different Ways”
Year Five
MJ (1973) – MJ releases his third album, “Music and Me”
CA (2007) – CA keeps busy as he readies his next album release
Year Six
MJ (1974) – MJ ponders a fourth album
CA (200 – CA releases a FOURTH CD – “On My Way Here”. He also appears on Broadway in a significant feature role
Year Seven
MJ (1975) – MJ finally gets around to releasing his fourth album, “Forever, Michael”, but it will be his last with the Motown label
CA (2009) – CA starts work on his fifth album
The Future…
MJ would finally release his first truly significant solo album in 1979… his ELEVENTH year on the scene. His appearance in the musical movie “The Wiz” apparently opens that door.
CA has already done a musical, and what’s more, he did it on stage night after night. Broadway is not for the timid. Clay will surely have his fifth CD out long before his eleventh year on the scene, which would be 2013.
Already, Clay has progressed faster than MJ ever did. Clay cut the ties with his initial group, “The American Idol Top Ten” much faster than MJ could breakaway from his group “The Jackson 5″.
Clay’s own “Off the Wall” is on the way, and it will change the face of music as we know it. And can Clay’s “Thriller” be all that far behind?
My point is that if you actually compare MJ and CA by looking at their first seven years, you find that both have created albums which pale compared with what came after. Clay is keeping steady… Keep the faith.
Claymate, there are no similarities between the two careers. Michael Jackson was a superstar not because he could sing, but because he was a performer. He commanded the stage. The dancing, the choreography, the lighting, the pyrotechniques, the costumes, the back-up performances, the band, etc. Michael injected excitement in his music. He was unique. Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake have MUCH more in common than MJ and Clay. Heck, even Adam Lambert and MJ have more in common.
Clay Aiken’s career is done. There is no more major singing career for him. If the Claymates are fortunate there may be a Christmas CD that comes out with a few city holiday tour, but that’s about it. Clay Aiken is weird and not in an interesting way that Michael Jackson was. Clay will never be a trend setter. Think about it, everyone wanted the Michael Jackson glove. He become known as the ‘glove one’. Whereas Clay became infamous as the towel one and everyone just said, “eww”. But, keep on “Keeping the faith”
______________
