Famed record executive Clive Davis and Kelly Clarkson have a habit of publicly feuding around the time they have a product to sell. In 2007, the two waged a war of words in the press about the artistic direction of her then-new album, My December. Now, the music executive known for signing or discovering Bruce Springsteen, Whitney Houston, and Janis Joplin is battling with the Stronger singer once again, this time conveniently as he makes the publicity rounds for a new memoir, titled The Soundtrack of My Life.
As the Hollywood Reporter notes, Davis has put out a statement saying that while he admires Clarkson as a performer and wishes her only the best, her criticisms of his book are more or less bunk. “I am truly very sorry that she has decided to take issue with what I know to be an accurate depiction of our time together,” he wrote. “Before the book was published, I had every fact checked with five independent individuals who were present on a daily basis throughout it all … I stand by the chapter as written in my book.”
In case you couldn’t get through the superficially polite corporate-ese, that’s a brusque dismissal of Clarkson, who had said she wanted to “clear up his memory lapses and misinformation” as a result of Davis “spreading false information about me and my music.” Clarkson said he was mixing up various meetings about songs like “Since U Been Gone” and that he “told me verbatim that I was a ‘sh*tty writer who should be grateful for the gifts that he bestows upon me.'” Read Clarkson’s full letter here; the newly out-as-bisexual Davis’ is below. This must be how your memoir-selling sausages are made:
As anyone who has read The Soundtrack of My Life knows, I think Kelly Clarkson is a tremendous vocal talent and performer. In the book, I provide an in-depth look at our years together during which we shared major multi-platinum success, as well as a few creative differences. I am truly very sorry that she has decided to take issue with what I know to be an accurate depiction of our time together. Before the book was published, I had every fact checked with five independent individuals who were present on a daily basis throughout it all. The chapter as it is written was thoroughly verified by each and every one of them. I stand by the chapter as written in my book. At the same time I wish, and will always wish, Kelly’s talent and her career to soar to ever new heights.
