[Andrew_Duncan]

Kelly Clarkson sets the record straight on Clive Davis' autobiography. Kelly has released a statement on Clive Davis' autobiography and she shows that you don't mess with her, no matter how big you are.

http://www.whosay.com/kellyclarkson/...w&code=GLO5cY7

So whats everyone thoughts? and who do you believe?


I'm batting for team Kelly. She has never seemed the type to lie.

[vagbreath]

He also goes on to say My December wasn't successful because I co-penned the album and it didn't have "pop hits".

Pretty sure he said almost the same about Leona Lewis & Echo. Seems like a bit of a **** tbh.

[little-monster]

Good on Kelly

There have been a lot issues with her and her label and the people in the industry for quite a few years. To the point where they tried to control her too much. She fell out with her label over My December and there were a few issues with her label during the All i Ever wanted era as she slagged her label off during a live performance once, which led to them ending the era and cancelling the fourth single.

[MrJames]

Literally amazing. One of the best things I have ever read.

[flamecatcher]

This makes me love this woman even more! Her fiance is a lucky guy!!

Delighted for her speaking up and setting the record straight. She is definitely not one to piss off! Their whole problem was at the forefront of 'My December' era that it's no surprise what she says is true. He probably did ruin any chances of that album being more successful, okay it definitely wasn't Breakaway 2.0 but with songs like 'Sober', 'Maybe' and 'How I Feel' it could of definintely been a lot more successful if it had been supported.

She has spoken about how hard she has had to fight for 'Because Of You' to be included on Breakaway. What a complete tool and idiot for saying what he said about the song. It's probably one of her most recognised and popular songs and he spoke to her like she was sh!t on his shoe.

[cashloot147]

I love Kelly and I love her even more for this.

There is no secret she and Clive have had their sparring moments throughout her career. Even Simon Cowell said Kelly was not one to be told what to do. I also like the fact she still seems appreciative of the opportunities Clive has given her.

In a way, I'm glad this came out now as I'm pretty sure the GH was the last record she had to release with Sony and I can't see her signing a new deal with them now. I hope she signs with a label who will give her their full support with every record.

[toanythingtaboo]

I know hindsight is helpful and taste is everything, but it's baffling to me that he couldn't see how good Because Of You was.

Makes you wonder about all the gems-that-never-were thanks to misguided label killing.

[rbautz]

Originally Posted by toanythingtaboo

I know hindsight is helpful and taste is everything, but it's baffling to me that he couldn't see how good Because Of You was.

Makes you wonder about all the gems-that-never-were thanks to misguided label killing.

On the other side how many contacts did he mediate between artists, writers, producer that did cash out?

[O.Michel]

I LOVE Kelly, such a great personality. I'm glad someone is willing to speak up against him.

[flamecatcher]

Originally Posted by cashloot147

In a way, I'm glad this came out now as I'm pretty sure the GH was the last record she had to release with Sony and I can't see her signing a new deal with them now. I hope she signs with a label who will give her their full support with every record.

She is with Sony for one more album. I read somewhere how it's in her contract that they can release a Greatest Hits and it's not counted as an album.

Clive isn't with Sony anymore and he has no input to her career anymore. She seemed quite happy with the last album, so think it depends on how the next one goes and then she'll decide whether to stay with Sony or change labels.

[ariella52]

Originally Posted by toanythingtaboo

I know hindsight is helpful and taste is everything, but it's baffling to me that he couldn't see how good Because Of You was.

Makes you wonder about all the gems-that-never-were thanks to misguided label killing.

It makes me wonder about his musical taste. It is a stunning song which impressed me the first time I heard it performed. Live it is just so true and raw.

Kelly impresses me more and more.

[matty_anderson]

I love her even more now. Clive Davis sounds like one major ass.

[paltonz]

Good on her! The blog post was probably one of the most refreshing post I read from an artist. Clive sounds like a real difficult man to work with and a major asshole. While it's common for a label exec and an artist to have a difficult relationship, Clive pretty much bullied her since her second album, Breakaway (ie. the album after the "Idol-winning" one). Also, to be frank, I loved My December. I especially loved the song Don't Waste Your Time. That might explain her "two more records" speech during the All I Ever Wanted Tour. She pretty much said about the creative control and battling with the labels for some tracks.

Originally Posted by flamecatcher

Clive isn't with Sony anymore and he has no input to her career anymore. She seemed quite happy with the last album, so think it depends on how the next one goes and then she'll decide whether to stay with Sony or change labels.

Was Clive with Sony for Kelly's Stronger era? I remember reading on an article that it was the first album that Kelly released with "no conflicts" or something like that. Everyone seems to be happy with the album's tracklisting.

[Lewnaticc]

This is a classic case of how real life events are twisted, exaggerated and fabricated for dramatic effect. "Clive, didn't Kelly cry in your office once? How about we change what she was crying about!"

[FanFromHolland]

You go Kelly! Gotta love the woman

[flamecatcher]

Originally Posted by paltonz

Was Clive with Sony for Kelly's Stronger era? I remember reading on an article that it was the first album that Kelly released with "no conflicts" or something like that. Everyone seems to be happy with the album's tracklisting.

No his last album with her was 'All I Ever Wanted' and she had major problems with that too, whole Already Gone/Halo fiasco. Yeah she said she was pretty much happy with tracklist for Stronger. Einstein was the only one she wasn't too pushed with but she grew to like it. So I really think if the next album is alright to make she might stick with Sony. Again I think it adds more weight to support Kelly's point. First album she has no major problems with and Clive isn't involved with it? I don't think it's just a coincidence.

[I IZ Ghetto]

I ****ing love her so much lmao.

[paltonz]

Originally Posted by flamecatcher

No his last album with her was 'All I Ever Wanted' and she had major problems with that too, whole Already Gone/Halo fiasco. Yeah she said she was pretty much happy with tracklist for Stronger. Einstein was the only one she wasn't too pushed with but she grew to like it. So I really think if the next album is alright to make she might stick with Sony. Again I think it adds more weight to support Kelly's point. First album she has no major problems with and Clive isn't involved with it? I don't think it's just a coincidence.

That was a relief for Stronger era then. I was very happy (as well as surprised) for the album to win a Grammy (for Best Pop Vocal Album). Well deserving of a win.

[Aries_123]

this the same Clive Davis who stopped a Whitney and MJ duet ever happening terrible man, who clearly knows nothing about music. So happy Kelly has set the record straight about this man!

[Gill P]

What I find strange is that he cannot see that he would make even more money if he had let the album in question be more successful!

[angella]

Originally Posted by Aries_123

this the same Clive Davis who stopped a Whitney and MJ duet ever happening terrible man, who clearly knows nothing about music. So happy Kelly has set the record straight about this man!

Saying he knows nothing about music is a bit of a stretch!He's had a massive impact on the music industry.He sounds like a bit of a miserable controlling bugger but this story is typical of Svengali types,fair play to Kelly for calling him out on it.

[cashloot147]

Originally Posted by Gill P

What I find strange is that he cannot see that he would make even more money if he had let the album in question be more successful!

My December is such a great album. 'Sober', 'Maybe' and 'How I Feel' could have been big hits if he had let them. I get the feeling he was too stubborn to allow that to happen.

[C14E]

Clive signs people as singers or as songwriters. When Simon Cowell licensed the Idol rights to the RCA Group way back, I think it's a safe bet that Clive expected to get singers and not songwriters. When people try and switch, it does seem like he can be resistant to it if he isn't impressed.

If what Kelly says is right, then it would appear that he called it wrong on a couple of occasions and the two personalities never really got over it.

My December was a bit of a nightmare record for RCA to get delivered after Breakaway. On its own, the sales weren't awful. But she was bound to sell after Breakaway and it was a big drop. Since then her career has certainly steadied and she's still doing well. But My December did kill all the momentum.

It's always worth looking at it from both sides. I'd imagine that an artist spending millions, showing up at your office and saying "this is an album I had to make for myself for many reasons" is a label executives worst nightmare.

Sometimes the relationship between the A&R and the artist just isn't there. Obviously for Clive it has been with many artists over the years. Kelly has been through a few managers too but must have finally settled. The aftermath of Breakaway and My December obviously proved too much for them to move on from.

Originally Posted by Aries_123

this the same Clive Davis who stopped a Whitney and MJ duet ever happening terrible man who clearly knows nothing about music. So happy Kelly has set the record straight about this man!

This seems like a bit of a leap. Kelly Clarkson, and any difficulties he may have encountered with her, is but one chapter in a very long book with many more illustrious names.

As for what he does now, he has been Chief Creative Officer of Sony Music since 2008. He got bumped aside for Barry Weiss back then with a view to finding more hit artists with more tie-ins (ringtones, branding etc) and far far better cost management! AFAIK his new role is largely ceremonial - working with personal pet projects when he wants and giving him time to get involved with the Tisch School for the Arts in New York and write his memoirs.

Last time BMG fired him he went and created J Records and they ended up paying him $100m to buy it so they didn't want to completely cut him loose again!

[gpk]

Originally Posted by Aries_123

this the same Clive Davis who stopped a Whitney and MJ duet ever happening terrible man, who clearly knows nothing about music. So happy Kelly has set the record straight about this man!

that is a bit harsh, he did sign whitney in the first place after all. for the record, clive is still at sony and over the years he has supported singer/songwriters, the most notable example would be alicia keys. however, i don't understand why he didn't support kelly in her song writing and he took a similar stance when leona wanted to write more.

he may have made a few questionable decisions along the way, but to suggest he knows nothing about music seems silly considering his achievements.

[sjp07]

Originally Posted by gpk

that is a bit harsh, he did sign whitney in the first place after all. for the record, clive is still at sony and over the years he has supported singer/songwriters, the most notable example would be alicia keys. however, i don't understand why he didn't support kelly in her song writing and he took a similar stance when leona wanted to write more.

he may have made a few questionable decisions along the way, but to suggest he knows nothing about music seems silly considering his achievements.

The only thing I can the of is that you have to look at the thread that ties Kelly and Leona together; they are both talent show winners. He probably didn't take them seriously much like most people now don't take talent show winners seriously. Kelly and Leona made a name for themselves despite them being from talent shows, but that could be a reason he didn't want them writing. Plus, they won as singers, not writers. I'd imagine he would have concern about that. Most likely he already had people to do that for them. Just a guess.