Sue's Manilow Blog

15 Minutes – A Review (Sort of)

2011-08-27T20:06:00.000-07:00

Barry Manilow’s first CD of original music in ten years was released on June 14, 2011. Titled 15 Minutes, the CD has the theme of fame, asking on the cover “Fame…Can You Take It?” Barry and his management team pulled out all the stops in getting the word out about the CD release. This was especially important since 15 Minutes was released on the Stiletto label making it an independent release. Personally I think they did a great job. My sister who cares nothing for anything Manilow knew Barry had a new CD coming out just by watching daytime television. Barry made all the rounds of talk shows on TV and radio. I thought the Travis Smiley interview on public radio and CNN’s Piers Morgan were very well done interviews. Even now, over two months out from the release date, Barry continues to promote the CD in interviews.

Like a good Manilow fan, I purchased two copies of 15 Minutes. I ordered the QVC CD with the bonus CD and then Starbiz hooked me. I fell right for the idea of getting a surprise with my CD. While I didn’t get Vegas tickets, I did get a Live at the Greek DVD, which I am very happy about and a snow globe from The Paris. Some very good things came out of getting the word about Barry’s new CD. Barry is now using Facebook to connect with his fans, as well as a video blog on YouTube. I am so glad to see the use of the social media to get the word out about 15 Minutes. TPTB reached out to the fans, treating them as the valuable asset they are. Fans united behind Barry and 15 Minutes. The result was a very good chart showing for the CD’s debut week. I hope this means TPTB discovered that being nice to fans brings good results.

If you are looking for the polished professional sound of Barry’s recent decades CDs, then 15 Minutes will sorely disappoint you. The vocals are rawer, to fit the storyline of 15 Minutes. Listening to the CD in one sitting works to get the full effect of the fame theme of 15 Minutes, and there is a theme. The story has a beginning, middle, and an end. It is not a new theme. In fact, the story of how people deal with fame is a story that has been told over and over. What makes 15 Minutes stand out is the fact that it is a story that Barry has lived. It’s personal. So personal that in some songs, the feeling comes through that Barry is holding back for fear of revealing too much about a painful time that maybe he went through in his own career. I see 15 Minutes becoming something of a cult CD, much like a cult movie.

People, mostly young people, trying to gain the success the guy in 15 Minutes achieves, will relate to the CD. They will find their way to 15 Minutes because it describes exactly what they are going through, or will go through. All the emotions that goes into getting talent recognized and making it, is expressed, as well as the underside of what that fame fought for so hard can do to a person. Could there be a sequel to 15 Minutes? The “he” on the CD is assured on the last cut that after losing his fame, “Everything’s Gonna Be All Right.” Does he regain his fame and does he do it right the second time? Barry has the experience to speak to that theme too. Just an idea.

To be honest, when I put my ear buds in to listen to music at work, 15 Minutes does not get played. It is too intense to be background music. When I listen to Manilow Radio, it jars me to hear 15 Minutes cuts. That’s just me. 15 Minutes may drop off the charts but I feel it will find an audience for a long time to come, not only among Manilow fans but among people struggling with the same problems the songs on the CD address. One thing I hope is that Barry’s audience doesn’t have to wait so long for his next CD of original music.

Good-Bye Manilow Network

2011-03-06T09:43:00.000-08:00

I got suspended from My Manilow Network. Don’t know why. Since the only items on my page over there were a link to my blog, I would guess that is the reason. Probably I will never know why. The blog is not on the Manilow Network itself; I never could get the folks over there to understand that, because I did not want it pulled by the administrators over on the network. I’m not a fan of their idea of free expression.

To be honest, I lasted longer over there than I thought I would. Why anyone would care enough about my views on the Manilow world to complain about me is beyond reasoning. Since I don’t always follow the party line, so to speak, I guess that’s the reason for my demise on MMN. Not that I really mind. Bullies are not my favorite people to hang with.

The joke is really on the folks over on the network. My suspension doesn’t affect my blog. It is still doing business at the same old places’ over on blogspot at http://manilowblog.blogspot.com and on Facebook at Sue’s Manilow Blog. Come visit. Read all the vile things (LOL) that got me suspended from MMN.

Just for good measure, I dropped a note to the administrator of MMN. In my note I asked why I was booted and could I get a refund on my BMIFC dues since I assumed being a member of MMN was included when I paid. Don’t think I’ll ever hear back from them but what the heck? It’s not like I have anything to lose.

Being suspended does not change my feelings about Barry Manilow. He is still the same talented, kind, generous man I have always known him to be. Nothing could change that. Now I have one less place to check on the Internet every couple of weeks. Good-bye Manilow Network. I won’t miss you.

The Language of Manilow

2011-02-19T18:40:00.001-08:00

Barry Manilow has postponed his Australian tour dates set for April, 2011. Of course Australian Manilow fans are disappointed; even more so because they don’t exactly understand why Barry isn’t coming down under in April. This is where the language of Manilow comes into play. Manilow language is a curious sort of American English designed to convey as vague of a message as possible. Using Australian hotlines and press releases is a good example of how Manilow language is designed to give what appears as information while actually saying nothing at all.

A hotline dated February 10, 2011 announced that due to “current conditions” Barry’s April Australian tour dates had been postponed. Everyone living outside of Australia assumed the conditions, referred to in the hotlines meant the weather. News reports from Australia had been full of stories concerning problems rain had caused in various parts of the country. Fans in Australia quickly informed their counterparts in other parts of the world that weather was highly unlikely to be a factor in the postponement of Barry’s concerts. (Now if you check any of the official Manilow sites, no mention of weather not being a factor or disappointment of fans at this postponement will be evident. It’s all been purged. The cult in action but that’s another blog. Check the archives.)

So if “conditions” weren’t the weather what other “conditions” is the hotline speaking about? First thing that comes to mind is,does Barry have a condition that would prevent him from going to Australia? That happened once before. Shows were postponed in Vegas with vague language but that time fans got a translation from Barry himself. Remember that infamous note Barry wrote that was posted for a short time on a couple of official sites announcing his upcoming surgery? Barry’s health doesn’t seem to be the problem this time since the hotline that announced the postponement of the Australian dates also included the information that Barry will be adding the April dates to his Vegas schedule. Safe to rule out health issues, as all good fans should be concerned about Barry’s health at all times.

Australian fans cited another condition – economic conditions. Tickets were not selling well for Barry’s Australian concerts. Aussie newspapers seemed to agree with the fans. When the press release was sent to Australian news organizations the wording was changed from what had been sent out as a hotline. “Current conditions” became “due to unforeseen circumstances.” Enterprising journalists went to the official Manilow sites to gather more information, which caused them to pick up on the different wording. As good reporters do they dug deeper coming to the same conclusion as the fans -Barry’s postponement could be a case of simple economics.

The Sidney Daily Telegraph ran a story on February 12, 2011 about the performers scheduled to play in Australia around the same time as Barry. None of these acts postponed due to weather conditions. Maybe Barry’s management team felt it would be better to put the concerts off until another time when people didn’t have so many performers to choose from. What artist wants to say that they can’t compete against other artists? Barry may not even be aware of other concerts factoring into the postponement. Management’s job is to keep the artist happy. As the Aussie newspaper said, seems like Barry can’t sing in the rain but must keep high and dry in the desert. Maybe that’s what it takes to have a happy Barry.

That’s a short example of how the language of Manilow works. Another word that Australian fans may want to try to translate is “postponed.” The promoter claims that they hope to re-schedule Barry’s shows later in 2011. Some California fans are still holding on to postponed concert tickets that are close to a year and half old. Not only do I hope the Aussie fans get their shows in 2011, I hope the people holding the California tickets get their shows. What is always pointed out is that ticket holders can get their money back at any time. That’s not what it’s about for fans. Barry and the TPTB never seem to understand that part. Maybe they will one day but right now one word that needs a lot of work in the language of Manilow is “fan.”

Fifteen Minutes of Promotion

2011-02-06T17:09:00.001-08:00

The buzz throughout the Manilow world is all about Barry’s new CD, Fifteen Minutes. According to a recent hotline, a listening party for the CD was held. Attendees were employees and friends of Barry’s. Not quite an objective audience so the comments included in the hotline about the project were, not surprising, praising the CD. A week or so earlier, Garry Kief, Barry’s manager, asked on his Facebook page for ideas from the fans for promotion of Fifteen Minutes. Was this listening party an off shot of the ideas fans put forth? If so, it seems the Manilow team needs to make-up its mind about what audience they want to market the CD to and then embrace that audience.

Most of the suggestions made by fans had the marketing of the CD aimed at Barry’s loyal fan base. Just a few people thought outside of the box, away from the fans. Fans tend to think of themselves as being a big group. Maybe Barry’s base is large as fan bases goes but it must be remembered that Barry’s loyal fans are a sure thing when it comes to buying his CDs. Especially since this is a CD of original music. That’s something Manilow fans haven’t had since the 2001 Here at the Mayflower. Promotion should be aimed at a wider audience. Who is this wider audience?

If the Manilow team wants to target a younger audience then an up-to date method must be utilized. That means going viral. In the past Stiletto has pulled clips posted on YouTube and Daily Motion without their permission, which would be all the Manilow clips on the sites. Going back to embracing the audience, these tools would have to be used to attract younger listeners. This is how promotion is done nowadays. Fifteen Minutes is said to be a concept CD that tells a story. Barry has said in interviews that the CD tells the story of the handling of fame by a young person. That’s an interesting as well as a relevant storyline. Tell the story.

Copyright is a concern. At some point a decision has to be made: is Fifteen Minutes only going to be sold to the fans or should it be marketed to a larger audience? Viral is what creates a buzz in the music industry at this point in time. Other sites besides YouTube could be used maybe Podcasts of vignettes of the story with the music being the main focus. As bad as it sounds, it might be better if the music sold itself and the emphasis is off of Barry.

Reading the reviews of Barry’s Florida shows in January is a good example of why the emphasis should be on the music. Some people can’t get past the Barry of the 1970s or certain personal issues to give the music a fair chance. Making videos of the songs would get people emotionally involved with the music and lyricists. How many times do people hear a song and say, “oh, I love that song!” but never add the name the performer? Not many. It’s the music that draws people so let the music do the selling.

Then the question comes to mind, how feasible are any of the suggestions the fans made? Things like using Manilow TV or doing concerts for the fans sound like great ideas to the fans but are they doable? I have no idea. I think reaching out to a wider audience than the fans is the best way but I could be wrong. This is not an area I know anything about. My daughter-in-law knows about this stuff- she works in marketing for a record label. Hey, there’s a good suggestion, listen to the people who do marketing for a living, even if they want to step out of Barry’s comfort zone.

Guess we’ll just have to wait and see what type of promotion is used for Fifteen Minutes. It’ll be interesting to see if any of the fan suggestions are used. As for me, I don’t need to be sold. I already plan to buy the CD. Can’t wait. What I’d like to see happen is my friends and co-workers wanting to go out and buy Fifteen Minutes. I hope someone comes up with a way to make that happen.

Barry Speaks from the Heart

2011-01-23T17:31:00.001-08:00

Barry was on the Anderson Cooper AIDS special on CNN a couple of weeks ago. Maybe I don’t go to the right places in the Manilow fan world but I saw very little, if anything written or discussed about this Barry appearance. Granted, Barry’s screen time was very brief: he was on right before a commercial to answer a question that was asked to quite a few celebrities who appeared in the same fashion Barry did. The question was along the lines about when AIDS really came to mean something in the life of the person. Barry chose to speak about Elizabeth Taylor. He related Taylor calling him to ask him to perform at one of her AIDS benefits for the first time.

Time has passed. Elizabeth Taylor asking Barry Manilow to appear at an AIDS benefit seems like nothing today but back in the 1980s, this request was a very big favor to ask of a performer. People today may not be aware of how courageous Elizabeth Taylor was in not only raising money for the AIDS cause but also speaking out about AIDS in public. At the time Taylor started her AIDS work little was known about the disease. A stigma was attached to anything connected with AIDS. Elizabeth Taylor ignored what the public would think. She saw a need from not just a private point of view but from a very public point that she could fill. Taylor forged a path for others to follow. Barry was one of those people who followed Taylor’s lead. She probably changed a lot of people in the public’s eye perception of what they could do to help with the AIDS crisis.

Seeing the respect Elizabeth Taylor gained in her public crusade to raise awareness and money gave performers like Barry the comfort to publicly support the AIDS cause. Over the years Barry has appeared at many AIDS events. He has helped raised large sums of money for the AIDS cause. Talking about Elizabeth Taylor took the spotlight off Barry and allowed it to shine on a person Barry thinks deserves credit for leading the way in the AIDS fight. In the short time Barry was on the Anderson Cooper AIDS special, he managed to convey a powerful message. At some point someone has to lead the way. Barry made us understand that Elizabeth Taylor showed him the way to do something about AIDS. Isn’t that usually the time when something means the most to us, when we find we can do something? This television appearance by Barry may rate right up there as one of my all time favorites. I’m glad I saw the show.

Privacy on the Internet?

2010-07-17T08:05:00.000-07:00

Is there such a thing as privacy on the Internet? No. This past week there was a discussion on My Manilow Network about how a picture some lady took was posted on another site without her permission. She ranted about getting a lawyer and the whole thread turned into a name calling bash of alt. fan Barry Manilow. (While this person never came right out and said what group, it was pretty easy to figure out; everyone knew what group she was talking about.) This fan needs to do some research. Picture can’t be posted to alt. fan. It’s a binary group. Images can’t be posted there. All someone can do is post a link to a picture. She put her picture out there. That means she opened the door for anyone with the knowledge of right clicking a mouse access to her picture. How many times do people have to hear this before they believe it – once anything is posted on the Internet control is lost? Now this person is only going to post a link to her blog on MMN. She also isn’t going to allow comments. Next time you have a picture you don’t want retrieved by anyone, don’t post it. That’s the only way to avoid the problem.

Another privacy issue concerns MMN. It is now a “closed” website. MMN can only be seen by individuals whose passwords allows them to log in. Don’t confuse “closed” with “private.” “Closed” means the site is passworded. That doesn’t mean members can’t take posts off the site and post them on other sites. That is happening all the time. Is it fair, or ethical? Who can say? It’s not good net etiquette but when has that stopped anything? MMN is no longer available for viewing by anyone surfing the web like alt. fan is but it is also not private. Why? Because, and I’ll say it yet again, there’s no such thing as privacy on the Internet.

Manilow Convention Thoughts

2010-07-14T14:59:00.000-07:00

I did not go the BMIFC convention held last weekend in Vegas. BMIFC conventions are not my thing. Back when the conventions started, I really, really, really wanted to go. The first one sounded so great but I stayed home for an even better reason; I was giving birth to my second son. Over the years the desire to go to a BMIFC convention cooled. I was offered a gift of attending a few conventions by my sons when they got old enough to have jobs but I turned them down. It seemed too expensive for an event that had activities I had no interest in participating in. I have been to convention shows which were enjoyable.

All last weekend I read about the BMIFC convention online. Most, if not all, of what was written was by people who did not go to the convention. That was interesting; people critiquing an event they did not attend. Not only did these people not attend the convention most swore they wouldn’t be caught dead at a BMIFC convention. (To hear them tell about how TPTB feel about some of these people, dead is the only they’d be allowed at a BMIFC event.)

My take on the BMIFC convention goes likes this:

If you went and had a great time, I’m happy for you. That is what is important. When money is paid to do something the person who spent the money should be satisfied with what they got for their money.

If you went and were disappointed, don’t go next time. The disappointment will be avoided that way. Chalk it up to a learning experience.

If you didn’t go- shut-up about it. It doesn’t concern you. You chose not to go. (Well, to be fair, some people couldn’t afford to go. This isn’t the group doing all the complaining.) It’s a novel concept to some people in the Manilow world but try being happy for the people who enjoyed the convention. It’s way classier than tearing everything down. Try it sometime. And people wonder why stories, pictures and Platinum experiences aren’t shared among fans. Who wants their happy moments to be drug through the mud by other fans?

I hope everyone who went to the BMIFC convention brought home good memories of a wonderful time. That’s what’s it all about.

The Hijacking of a Manilow Blog

2010-03-27T08:59:00.000-07:00

This past week I experienced just a tiny bit of what it must be like for Barry and other artists when their work is used without permission. My blog, the very one you are reading, was hijacked and a post from here put up on My Manilow Network. All this was done without my permission I might add. To give some background on what transpired:

The first of last week I got a friend request from someone over on MMN. Not only did this person want to be my friend, but she asked permission to post my Queen Bee blog on the network. She said, and I quote, “It’s time.” Besides having no idea who this person was, I had no clue what she meant when she said it was time to re-post that blog. Right then and there I made up my mind to deny both of her requests but I didn’t have time to reply at that time. I put off answering her until the next day.

Waiting was a mistake or maybe not. Anyway before I replied to her requests, I checked MMN. Can you guess how this plays out? Of course you can, the blog post was already posted. My suspicions are the blog was already posted when I was asked for permission to put it on MMN. The permission asking may have been an after thought triggered by a couple of people commenting on the fact that I wrote the piece.

See, I don’t post on that many places. Not because I don’t have anything to say, quite the contrary, I have tons to say. I’m just not into all the drama that comes with posting on the majority of Manilow sites. Every place, including the scarce newsgroup, has its own dramas. That’s not my cup of tea. The Internet is a very hard place to access what people are trying to express.

The printed word leaves out all the clues such as body language, tone of voice, facial expressions, etc. that are used in conversation to help people understand what is being said. Reading what someone writes on the Internet might not come across in the way the writer meant. So how is it determined which individuals like to cause the drama on Manilow or any other sites? (FYI, Manilow sites are not the only places where fans disagree. It happens all over.) History. That’s how drama queens are identified. The pattern of behavior is repeated over and over, no matter where they go, making it easy to know who is going to stir things up.

The woman who posted my blog on MMN, (did I say it was without my permission), I don’t know if she causes problems. I do know she caused me anguish by taking it upon herself to hijack my blog for her own personal use. I don’t participle enough on the network to know what is going on. I don’t even post by blog on MMN anymore. I post the title and a link to my blog on my page. That way people can make up their own mind if they want to go read it, or not. I did post when I saw my blog on MMN, because I wasn’t sure how people were reacting to the post. I wanted everyone to know I had nothing to do with the blog being posted or any part of any issue that was being addressed.

If this person felt so strongly about issues she felt needed to be addressed, then she should have expressed her feelings – not mine. Like I said at the first of this post, maybe this week I felt just a minuscule bit of what Barry feels when he sees his work, illegal videos of the shows or copyrighted material on the Internet without his consent. It’s a terrible jolt to come across something you created being used in a way you never intended it to be used. I understand that so much better now.

As I said, I rejected that friend request. I couldn’t see myself being friends with someone who would take such advantage of me. The decent thing to do would be to at least apologize to me. I haven’t heard from her as of this writing and I don’t expect I will. To finish off the hijacked blog story; after I posted about my unhappiness on MMN, I went out to dinner. I had great food and a wonderful time with good friends. By the time I returned home, my blog had been removed from MMN. By whom? I don’t know. I was glad it had been taken down.

Please, feel free to read my blog posts. I welcome that. Comments are welcomed too. Just when you are finished reading my blog, leave it right here on the Blogspot site. This is where I put it and until I decide otherwise, this is where I want my blog to stay.

Opportunity Knocks

2010-01-16T17:00:00.000-08:00

I keep reading that Barry will be the last guest to appear on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien. This appearance is being compared to Bette Midler’s performance as the last guest of Johnny Carson as he took his leave of The Tonight Show by some of the media. If this is true then Barry has been handed a golden opportunity. I hope he makes the most of this rare gift.

This appearance will be the one that will be written about in the books on the history of television, rating right up there Jack Parr walking out on The Tonight Show. Clips of this show will not only be shown in the days after the show airs but for years to come. Barry, being the showman that he is, knows that this appearance has turned into much more than just a gig to promote his new CD. No, this appearance will be an event watched by a much larger audience than normal. It is up to Barry to make the show even more special by what he chooses to perform.

What should Barry perform? I don’t know. I’m not good at that sort of thing. Barry is the one who has expertise to make that choice. A very rich resource Barry could use is his loyal fan base. The Internet makes it possible for Barry to ask for suggestions from his fans as what special song they think would make his Tonight Show appearance memorable. As an added bonus, think what great interview material asking his fans’ input could provide for the talk shows Barry will be doing to promote his new CD. The dramatic story of how Barry wanted to do something extraordinary for the last Conan’s Tonight Show and his fans helped him chose what that will be.

I’m happy that a great performer like Barry who knows how to make something memorable will be the last guest on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien. I hope Barry closes this chapter of The Tonight Show history in a spectacular way.

Leaving the Building

2010-01-06T18:36:00.000-08:00

It isn’t often that I get to write about my two favorite singers in the same blog post but thanks to a tweet by Garry Kief I get to do that very thing. December saw the end of Barry Manilow’s run at the Las Vegas Hilton, and to commemorate this event, his manager tweeted, “Elvis has left the building.”

Discussions on a few fan boards had some Manilow fans wondering if this tweet compared Barry and Elvis Presley. The Hilton is famous for the shows Elvis did there from 1969 until his death in 1977. At the end of each show Elvis did on the road, it was announced, “Elvis has left the building. Thank you and good night.” That was true. Elvis did no encore. He went straight off stage, into a waiting car, and was gone. After his death, the announcement came into popular usage. Was this a tweet that compared Barry to Elvis?

Not to brag but I am probably one of the few Manilow fans who could actually compare the two entertainers. I saw Elvis in concert around twenty-five time in the mid- 1970s. The Barry concerts I have seen are too numerous for me to count. Seeing concerts by both Barry and Elvis would put me in a good position to do a comparison.

I won’t do that. Both Elvis and Barry are great performers. They have different styles but both of them connect with their audience in a very special way. Sadly Elvis has left the building never to return. This is not the case with Barry. He is moving to a new gig at the Paris on the Vegas strip. Manilow fans can still enjoy Barry’s shows. As unbelievable as it is to me, the number of people who actually saw Elvis perform is rapidly shrinking.

Back to the question of if the Kief tweet was comparing Barry to Elvis. Personally, I think the tweet was just the use of a pop culture statement. It fit with Barry leaving the Hilton. My husband once asked my son the meaning of a post on Facebbook. His reply seems to sums up the meaning of the tweet about Elvis leaving the building – it’s only Facebook, or in this case. Twitter. Nothing more; nothing less. No hidden meaning. One good thing did come from this tweet; a few interesting conversations. That’s a good thing.

Mayflower Photos

2009-11-15T05:45:00.000-08:00

I love to read behind the scenes information about the way people come up with creative ideas. One of my favorite Manilow CDs is Here at the Mayflower so this article is especially interesting. The photos on the Mayflower CD help advance the storyline of the songs and this background story tells how the photographer developed the concept for the pictures on the CD.

Here At The Mayflower, Barry Manilow

November 14, 2009 by steinphoto

It’s one of my favorite situations when personal work became published and paid work. I was asked to scout a building and photograph it to give the record company (Concord Records) an idea what the real Mayflower (the building in Brooklyn Manilow grew up in which inspired the songs) looked like, so they could come up with something similar to shoot the artist in LA.

They loved my photos so much they ended up using them on the CD cover and package and superimposed the photos of the artist (Barry Manilow) over my photos. Then they asked me to go BACK and shoot some more and ended up using them all over the notes! Cool. I love that they took my vision and loved it and used it!

Blog address: http://lisastein.wordpress.com/2009/11/14/here-at-the-mayflower-barry-manilow/

Welcome, Barry!

2009-10-15T12:57:00.000-07:00

Where are my manners? I have been meaning to write and officially welcome Barry to the fan Internet world. My welcome is a little late; real life has kind of gotten in the way. My oldest son just got engaged and will be getting married in February. Also, I am no longer an unemployed blogger – I got a job! Anyway, enough about all that, back to my welcome.

A debate had been going on for quite some time among Manilow fans. The issue contemplated was if Barry read Internet fan sites. That question was settled once and for all by a letter Barry wrote that appeared on Sunday, October 4th. The letter was in the form of a hotline to UK fans as well as being on the main page of Manilow.com for a brief time before vanishing into that great void of cyberspace that swallows any postings that don’t go along with the elusive party lines of TPTB. Funny, I thought Barry was one of TPTB. Shows how much I know about such things.

How cool is that? Barry joined the ranks of all the people who have had postings pulled off official Manilow sites. Even he doesn’t know what’s allowed and what’s not. I was glad to see the letter. For a brief moment there was dialogue between Barry and his fans. If it had or does continue, this could lead to fans becoming the friends that Barry referred to in his letter.

In the letter it seems that real life is dealing with Barry too. Not the happy events going on in my life, but in the form of more surgery. I was sorry to read that. I hope it all goes well and Barry gets relief from his problem. Prayers and positive thoughts are sent his way for a speedy recovery. Take care of yourself, Barry!

So welcome, Barry. Now that you have gotten your feet wet, so to speak, come back any time. We know you can speak if you choose to when ever you want. Your friends on the Internet are very interested in what you have to say. Don’t be such a stranger. We look forward to hearing from you more. You sure got all the boards and sites buzzing. Keep these dialogues going and you may discover that fans can be articulate and intelligent, if given the chance. Give us the chance.

Manilow TV and Consumerism 101

2009-09-26T09:57:00.000-07:00

Manilow TV is starting up next week. This announcement started a controversy many different places in the Manilow fan world. Once again, the cult members went on the defensive about any opinion or comment that did not go along with the thinking that Manilow TV is the greatest thing ever. I don’t see what all the fuss is about. A service is being offered and the choice to buy that service is up to each individual. Happens every day; it is basic consumerism 101.

People are faced with making decisions every day about how to spend their money. The choices made are usually based on need, budget, or a number of other factors that play into what is going on in a person’s life at that time. In most cases these decisions are not shared with other folks on the Internet. For some reason Manilow fans find it necessary to share such Manilow related choices on the Internet with mass numbers of their close friends. That’s fine. Just be prepared if all of these people don’t agree with you because they will express how they feel – in no uncertain terms.

There’s really no problem with expressing an opinion. I’m doing that very thing right now. The problem comes when an opinion isn’t allowed. Free exchange of ideas is a great thing but when no exchange is allowed then it falls back into that old cult mentality. Everyone does not consider Manilow TV to be something they are prepared to buy into for various reasons. That should be allowed to be expressed and respected as much as the idea that Manilow TV is wonderful should be expressed and respected. We don’t all purchase the same items or services during the course of our day but that doesn’t make us bad people. It makes us different. Different is not bad.

For everyone signed up for Manilow TV, I hope you enjoy it. People who are not getting it, I am sure you made the right the decision for whatever reason you chose not to get it. I will be in the latter group for right now. I’m sure if the service works very well, word of mouth may convince some consumers who are sitting on the fence which way to go. My hope is that the information will be fair and balanced. It will be if you know where to go to read it. Do you think Consumer Reports will review Manilow TV? I guess not, so fan reviews will have to do. Keep an open mind. I plan on doing just that.

Manilow Lemonade

2009-09-03T10:05:00.000-07:00

Barry Manilow is playing the Hollywood Bowl on October 24^th. Fans have known that for quite a few months but a few days ago an announcement added a charity component to the event. Barry’s Hollywood Bowl concert will now raise money to put musical instruments into the hands of public school students in the LA school district. Music programs all over the US have suffered, like all arts programs, or for that matter education in general, in the recession. California has been very hard hit. Sounds like a very good idea. Yet some fans found fault with this turn of events.

Earlier a hotline had been sent out to some west coast fans and an alert posted on Facebook with the information that seats for the Hollywood Bowl priced at $9.99 were available. This was seen as a sign that the ticket sales were doing poorly. This was all speculation. Announcing the fundraiser fueled this speculation. Just for sake of argument, and I am meaning that in the terms of a point, not fighting with anyone, the speculation is true. Barry and his management came up with the idea of trying to increase ticket sales by making this a charity project. It’s not clear how this helps out tickets sales. Donating to the music project is only done by buying packages. Maybe the thinking is a lot of people will be convinced to buy tickets because Barry is giving something to the schools, or to save face in LA for Barry’s supposed poor ticket sales? Not sure about that thinking. Would it still be a bad thing, only to rip-off fans, as the fault finders say?

One of the key sticking points about how fans are being taken advantage is the packages being offered. The charge is that fans are being asked to pay a huge amount to meet Barry. Only one person on one board pointed out that maybe these packages were aimed at corporate sponsors. This makes perfect sense when reading what is included in the packages. Fans wouldn’t care to have their name put in ads or merchandise. The packages were designed to get corporate money. Probably these sponsors have already signed up. Meeting Barry is put in only as something for the guests who attend the concert in behalf of the company who buys the packages. It was never intended for fans. The cheapest package maybe aimed at fans but that’s all. Some people are so obsessed with the idea that meeting Barry is only done for a price that they lose all common sense.

How can this not be a good thing? It will put musical instruments into the hands of students who could have missed the opportunity to learn music because of budget restrains. Personally, I like this charity above all the others. In the case of Palms Springs, the donors saw the instruments get into the hands of the students. How many charities are able to show concrete proof that what they raised money for actually reached the people it helped? This is one of the few.

The Hollywood Bowl fundraiser looks like a win-win situation to me. This could be a case of having lemons and making lemonade out of them—Manilow Lemonade. Barry gets to help put musical instruments into student’s hands. Corporate sponsors or whoever buys the packages get to help Barry put the musical instruments into students’ hands and see a concert. Most importantly, students in LA will get the chance to learn to play musical instruments because of Barry’s Hollywood Bowl concert. Anything that aids kids is a good thing in my book. Maybe the next Barry Manilow will learn to play his music on one of the donated instruments. That would be awesome.

Hints, Moles and Videotapes

2009-08-30T17:01:00.000-07:00

Things have really been busy in Manilowland for the past few days. For years a fan in Europe has been supplying fans with music, photos, and videos of Barry Manilow. Not only did she post this material on her own site, she posted it on Internet sharing sites. Last week she got caught; an email from an attorney representing Stiletto arrived in her in box. Of course she had to share the pain of receiving such an email with all of her many online friends, one of whom she suspects turned her into TPTB. Fans have been up in arms about the treatment this fan received. Closer examination shows that she and her friend left TPTB very little alternative.

Many times fan has commented what a caring person this lady is to have taken the time to edit and post so many videos. Trouble is her concern didn’t go far enough to obey the laws that protect an artist’s material. Her sharing has another name – copyright infringement. The only way copyrighted material can be used legally by anyone other than the copyright owner is to obtain permission from the copyright holder, which this person clearly did not do. Claims have been made that this person didn’t think she was doing anything wrong but only helping by promoting Barry.

She did know and her own words prove it. On August 2, 2009, she posted a reply on the forum board about her videos being removed from the Daily Motion site. In the reply she says not once, but twice that, “I was expecting this to come one day…” and “As I said, I was expecting this one day or the other but I was hoping this day not to come that soon.” (Now before I get angry emails that I used quotes off a private forum, I want to pass on this bite of information. The discussion boards on the Manilow Network are not private. I was able to look this up and pull it off without even signing on to the network. Anyone can see what is posted there. The only reason to sign on would be to reply to a discussion. All goes back to nothing is private on the Internet.) So she knew what she was doing was wrong.

Copyright seems to be brushed aside by fans as not being relevant when money does not change hands. That is not true. What she knew or didn’t know became a non-issue when TPTB pulled all her videos off the public site. Big clue there that this fan was doing something that wasn’t supposed to be done. Not only that, but that she was being watched.

This rather large hint did not get through to this person. She came up with another plan to keep sharing copyrighted material. Once again she shared this information around the Internet on email strings. See where this is going? Where it always goes. Once again back to that nothing is private on the Internet (doesn’t that get boring that I have to keep saying that? But some people never get it.) It is supposed that someone, trying to score whatever it is moles get, turned her into TPTB. Tons of finger pointing and names named as to who this was has been going on all over the fan sites. It can be narrowed down to one place; My Manilow Network.

Some well meaning person posted on the MMN discussion boards that this lady was going to keep posting her videos but she couldn’t tell how the fan planned to do this because then TPTB would know. Think maybe this person, who all but dared TPTB to stop this fan had anything to do with tipping then off that something was afoot? (I went back to find the post but in true cult fashion, it has been removed. Good covering of tracks.) It is not hard to imagine that after reading this post, on their own official site, that TPTB knew that hints and being nice wasn’t going to work. It was time to get serious and they did.

I’m a black and white person. Rules and laws are to be obeyed in my book. I’m not naive to think that most everyone hasn’t shared a video or something with a friend. That is not the case with this lady. She had great amounts of material. Her material wasn’t limited to videos; she claimed to have unreleased music. Someone here in the United States supplied her with material. Trying to put a spin on it that she was “helping Barry” and other fans does not change the fact that what she did was not only morally wrong but against the law. She got away with it for years but her run is over, or I hope it is. Surely she got the message this time. Maybe this fan can use the skills she acquired in editing and posting Barry’s material into a new hobby—one that is legal.

Seeing Barry through Different Eyes

2009-08-20T20:23:00.000-07:00

Last weekend quite a few fans got to see Barry perform in two different venues. Reviews and pictures appeared of both concerts. What I really found really interesting was how various people saw Barry’s performances through very different eyes. By sharing their accounts of what was experienced, I was able to see the many ways fans relate to a concert. In a way it was like the life cycle of a fan.

New fans saw the concert with child-like eyes. It was all new and exciting. Just being in the same place as Barry was nearly enough. Every aspect was enjoyed and savored with the awe of a wonderful Christmas morning when Santa fulfilled all the wishes. Oh, to have that joy again.

Older fans, (and I don’t mean in years as age, but more in years as a fan) tend to not only appreciate Barry’s performance but also the event itself. Friends and being together was a vital part of their experience. As people grow older they tend to be grateful for friends and the opportunity to do things mutually enjoyed. Maybe the show wasn’t exactly what it used be but that doesn’t matter. Knowing that there are still shows to attend makes them happy.

Last are the die hard older fans; the senior of the fans who have been there for the whole time. Long memories of days past sometimes hinder their ability to enjoy the concert. Seeing the changes reminds them that not only has Barry grown older, but so have they. That can be hard to accept. The concert is viewed with a more critical eyes of what it should have been based on what Barry once did. The past can’t be relived. Some will understand and accept that; others will not.

My thanks to all the people who shared their concert going experience from last weekend. I hope people continue to do that. Seeing Barry’s concerts through different eyes gives insight to how people think and feel. That always interests me.

Manilow TV: Update

2009-08-10T17:32:00.000-07:00

Looks like Manilow TV is about to come online. For a short while on Sunday, the website was up. It got taken down when fans started accessing the website and sharing information. Or was it put up to test the waters? What a great way to gage fan’s reactions. After reading what fans said, then pricing and terms could be tweaked. Great marketing!

So what did the marketing testing show? Manilow TV has generated a lot of buzz in the fans world. Over on MMN, the official site, everyone is expressing what they would like to see. There is no mention of thoughts on the price of $20.00 a month. Lucky people over there do not seem to be feeling any affects from the recession. I am happy for them. Oh, wait a minute. Maybe they are being careful not to say anything negative so they won’t get banned. I’ll be positive and go with the Manilow Network is a recession proof zone.

That is not the case with the newsgroup and other places. The monthly fee seems too high for most of these folks who have been hit by the recession. One great idea was a pay for view tier of service. Fans pay for just what they want to watch, say for maybe a twenty-four hour period. (Thanks to a newsgroup poster for this idea.) That might make the service accessible to more viewers.

I can’t say I was surprised by the no downloading or allowing the material to be put on any other site, as stated in the Terms of Service. That is how it should be. The service is not giving away videos; you pay for the privilege of watching them. I’m just not sure how the videos can be monitored. A little thing like TOS never seemed to affect the illegal videos on the Manilow Network. Maybe Manilow TV will have something in place to make the downloading complicated.

I mean, come on, you and I both know that someone somewhere will figure out to download the videos. Nothing on the Internet is ever safe. The best you can do is make downloading hard. That will cut out a majority of down loaders. Only the hard core, download-or-die fans will be left and TPTB probably know who they are. If the videos end up on a site, some one will blab. They always do. Gotta score those Brownie points.

Manilow TV –here it comes. Stay tuned to see how it goes. You won’t be getting any first hand information from me. I’m one of those recession people. I wish the venture all the best. All the people who do sign up for the service, I hope you enjoy it. Tell us about it now and then. We’ll live vicariously through you.

Barry Manilow: On and Off

2009-08-05T08:15:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago Barry went to a listening party for Whitney Houston’s new CD in LA. Photos were snapped which got fans talking. Then last week, an article appeared in the Yamaha 360 magazine about Barry. Some very nice pictures accompanied this article but these pictures didn’t generate nearly as much conversation. Why was that?

The pictures taken at the listening party showed a more causal Barry. He didn’t look as put together as he did for the photo shoot done for the magazine article. Photo shoots are planned, like a show. Hair, make-up, clothes, the whole nine yards. Barry appeared in those pictures just as he would if you attended a show in Vegas. Probably a lot of pictures were taken during the photo shoot with only the best being used in the article. Not so with the listening party photos.

Caught on his way in or out, you can’t really tell, Barry looks like a mature man going out after work. No make-up, fancy hair, or show clothes. His appeared tired and pale. This is what caused the talk. Some fans like the natural look and some worried Barry was ill. These feelings were expressed in comments that appeared on the TMZ page with Barry’s picture. (I don’t put much stock in the cancer comment posted under the name of a former family member of Barry’s manager/employee. This same person sued and settled with his former father-in-law. I’m sure there was some kind of confidentially agreement involved in all that.) Most old time fans were very familiar with how Barry looked; they had seen it for years when he was on the road. Tired always shows on Barry’s face.

The two sets of photos illustrate the difference between Barry’s private and public life. Like the photos, the Barry seen onstage is not the same person his family and friends know in his private life. It’s nice when fans get a glimpse at the causal Barry and without invading his private time. I know some fans have a problem with the tabloid press, like TMZ, where the picture of Barry appeared. Attending an event like this listening party, Barry, or any other celebrity, knew that their presence was wanted to attract media attention. I would have a problem if I saw photos taken by someone of Barry in his backyard or photos taken with a telephoto lens of him; say out shopping, without his knowledge. Barry went to this listening party knowing the paparazzi would be there. He chose how to look. I applaud his choice. It shows a comfort with yourself to appear so causally. Thank you, Barry.

Nature and the Manilow World: The Queen Bee

2009-07-31T18:58:00.000-07:00

In this Manilow world that we slip into now and then, there is a certain creature that appears over and over. It is what is known as the Queen Bee. With such a short life span, this Queen Bee must do her work quickly before she is replaced by a stronger version of herself. Her life goes something like this:

The successful Queen Bee proclaims to know all things Manilow. What she doesn’t know, she makes up. Some Queens believe they know all things. This Queen Bee is the Manilow protector. Anything she perceives as negative regarding Mr. Manilow must be attacked at all cost. Manilow far surpasses a mere human, and mere humans must not dare to say anything less than glowing regarding this man of perfection. Humor is not a strong point of a Queen Bee, that is, unless it is her humor. All Queen Bees must have a kingdom to rule over. This is the scary part. She manages to gather workers under her.

These workers are the faithful. Accepting the Queen as their leader, they believe and uphold anything the Queen Bee decrees. An independent thinker is not welcomed in a Queen Bee’s hive; no matter how much the Queen proclaims that all are welcome and equal in her kingdom. The welcome only applies to the ones who become her workers keeping to her laws and commands. Everyone else need not apply. That’s where the problems start. Some workers begin to see past the Queen Bee facade to what she really is – a power hungry woman looking for control. As the rebellion grows, the Queen loses her all important control. Amazingly, Queen Bees are very resilient.

Some of the Queen Bees manage to stay in control for a very long time, or the hive breaks up. In either case, the Queen Bee must keep doing one important task-- recruiting new workers. Sad to say, there are always followers to be had for the asking. This time, the Queen Bee becomes picky about who she lets in her hive, having learned from experience. She wants no more rebellion among her workers. It’s useless. Wanting more and more power, the Queen Bee will again make the same mistakes. Her hive will under go many reconfigurations, only to re-emerge in an altered state. One thing will remain a constant; the Queen will be the ruler, until she finally loses her kingdom to another stronger Queen. That is the life cycle of a Queen Bee. How many Queen Bees do you know in the Manilow world?

The Last Manilow Outpost: alt.fan.barry-manilow

2009-07-23T07:26:00.000-07:00

In the early 1990s a personal computer came into my life. It was amazing at that time to go online. Even more remarkable was finding Manilow message boards. Prodigy and AOL were among the first fans boards I knew about. No official fan sites or email strings existed but there was one more place - alt.fan.barry-manilow, better known as “the newsgroup.” All those old boards are gone. Several official fan sites and tons of email strings are available for Manilow fans to join. The newsgroup is still alive and kicking, as much as some people would wish its demise.

Not much good has ever been said about the newsgroup. It is a place that fans warn other fans to venture into at great risk. Discussions take place on the newsgroup that involves subjects about Barry considered taboo. These discussions, in the past, produced flame wars to end all flame wars. What causes the newsgroup to have such a bad reputation that persists until this very day? The answer is simple; the newsgroup is not moderated.

Some people have a hard time understanding what it means when the newsgroup is described as not being moderated. No one owns the newsgroup or runs it. It is just out there on the Internet. No TPTB to turn anyone into to be banned or rules to follow. No topic is off-limit. The ability to discuss anything causes problems among some Manilow fans, especially if they don’t care for the subject being discussed. Usually these topics include anything considered by certain groups to invade Barry’s privacy or they don’t agree with. On the newsgroup there is not a darn thing anyone can do to stop any discussion. Take my word for it, people have tried.

Reformers fail when they attempt to change the newsgroup. The always positive, I love Barry Manilow, the sex god doesn’t fly on the newsgroup. People who post regularly on the group tend to be more mature and articulate than other places in the Manilow web circuit. Not only do they tackle subjects not welcomed on fan and official sites but members of the newsgroup believe that TPTB of the Manilow camp want to get rid of alt.fan.barry-manilow because they can’t control it. Personal experiences are cited to back this opinion. While this theory can’t be definitely proven, it is strange how often issues on the newsgroup seem to show up and be addressed by the Manilow camp.

People find the newsgroup. Usually they find it after something takes place to change their view of the Manilow world. No one is ever thrown off the newsgroup, but not everyone makes it as a regular poster. I lurk there and I feel like I am in the company of a great many fellow lurkers.

Like the old Wild West, the newsgroup is the last frontier of Manilowland. Members can be compared to outlaws; they fiercely guard the newsgroup as the last outpost of free expression for Manilow fans. It is not a place for the faint of heart, so if you visit, be careful. Foolishness is not tolerant. As for me, I say, long may the newsgroup thrive to provide intelligent discussion. It’s a place very much needed in the Manilow world.

To check out the newsgroup for yourself, go to: http://groups.google.com/group/alt.fan.barry-manilow/topics

Some Times I Think About…

2009-07-17T12:44:00.000-07:00

Some times I ponder why people insist on doing things they know they shouldn't’t. The last few weeks I have been noticing all the videos being downloaded onto the My Manilow Network. Now I know there are much worse things going on in the world but this is one of those things that make me wonder why fans continue to do this downloading. In this digital age we live in it is so easy for any picture, video, or sound clip to be saved to a personal computer. Once it’s saved, ownership is taken of the file. On some level everyone knows saving a file is, in many cases, not morally or ethically the right thing to do. Well meaning people aren’t out to break copyright laws; they just want to share something they enjoy with their friends.

Over on MMN lots of people want to share. In all honestly, I should stay away from over there, but I am rooting for the good people, who are trying to make the network a friendlier place, to win. They fight a losing battle but I support them all the way. I admire how hard they try. Posting videos on MMN is an example of how the fans who claim to love and respect Barry Manilow so much have no regard for him at all when it comes to stealing his music and performances.

Yes, stealing. Another name for it is bootlegging. The PBS A Capital Fourth is a prime example of what I am talking about. Some very poorly informed member of the MMN spent a ton of time downloading video from the show onto the network to share with everybody. She justified her actions by saying “someone” told her that since the National Forestry Service sponsored the event, the show was in the public domain. PBS would like to know this. They were so misinformed that the closing credits of their broadcast carried the words, “©2009 Capital Concerts, Inc. All rights reserved.” Do the research. Don’t depend on what “someone” tells you. As bad as it is to steal a show like that, this issue is more than the legalities.

Once in awhile the administrators of MMN will clean videos off the site. Some of the members express surprise when this happens. It always happens so why are they so surprised? Do people on MMN not know how Barry feels about the bootlegging of his material? (Before I go any further, yes, I know Barry is guilty of bootlegging too. I read Sweet Life and I saw him on Larry King Live. Sometimes Barry doesn’t follow his own rules. He’s human.) He has certainly expressed his feelings enough times over the years. Here’s a hint of how Barry feels on this matter—one of the words he has used to describe how bootlegging of his material makes him feel is rape. Pretty strong word to use, isn’t it?

Now what I don’t understand is why the people who claim to love and respect Barry so much show so little regard for his wishes and feelings. To post bootlegged video (and any copyrighted material that you do not have permission to use is bootlegged) on the site that is to honor Barry adds insult to injury. These people on MMN are supposed to be Barry’s biggest supporters. Forget about legalities, copyright, and Ning’s terms of service. The videos should be taken off the pages out of respect for Mr. Manilow.

If you really love and respect Barry like you claim, then take the videos off your pages. Pressure your peers to take the videos off their pages. Make Barry’s site a place that reflects respect for the man it honors. If you leave the videos up, then shame on you. How can you continue to steal from someone you say you love? You have no love or respect for Barry Manilow at all.

Barry Manilow- The Today Show, November, 1997

2009-07-12T07:51:00.000-07:00

I visited New York City for the first time in 1997. Not only did I take my first trip to the Big Apple but I went again that same year. Both trips were related to appearances by Barry Manilow. I went in the spring to see shows at Radio City Music Hall. Then in November, I went back to watch Barry on The Today Show. That’s the trip I’m going to write about in this picture blog. This was a fun trip, as well as my family’s national television debut.

My kids had to miss a few days of school for this trip, but hey, it’s educational to go to New York and see Barry isn’t it? Anyway, we knew there was to be a sound check. We just didn’t know at what time. Someone we knew had the information about what time the sound check was but he said if he told us he’d have to kill us. As we’re all still here, he didn’t tell. To be sure not to miss the sound check we got to The Plaza where the outdoor concerts are staged around one in the morning the day of the show.

Mind you, this is November in New York. The Plaza is in between buildings in Rockefeller Center. Can you say freezing? I might not have been able to say it but I sure felt it. We were among the first fans to arrive but not the first. Picking a place to stand was hard. The stage wasn’t up yet. It was a matter of making a choice and hoping for the best. Turned out we made a good choice.

Sound check was at 6 am. For awhile the crowd was so small that we could walk around and visit. As the crowd got bigger we had to stay in one place to keep our spot. Our freezing was rewarded when Barry did sound check. This was around the time of the release of the Sinatra CD. Now I’m not a big fan of Sinatra music but Barry singing it live is great. It was also fun to be able to watch the show being mapped out. My sons found it especially interesting. So much so that it is now what they do for a living- production. (See, it was an educational trip.) I was very impressed by how respectful the crowd was of Barry. He came over to have a conversation with someone he knew in the crowd. Everyone stood quietly not interrupting or asking for anything until the conversation was finished.

Between the sound check and the show we got some heat! Big heaters were brought out. Of course they were for the guests appearing on The Today Show but until the show started, they were pointed at the audience. That small gesture was much appreciated. Barry’s performance was high energy and super. I even danced with him during “Copa”. When the show was over, we were tired, cold, hungry, and I had an urgent need to go to the bathroom.

Finally it was into the car and the drive back to the hotel. If I am remembering correctly, we stayed in Allentown, PA. Don’t ask me about the drive back to the hotel. I can’t even remember driving out of New York City. I conked out fast asleep between my two sleeping sons in the backseat of the car. Needless to say, we all went to bed when we got back to the hotel. That night when we woke up, we called home.

All everyone kept telling us was that we were all over TV. My husband said our friends said that because they knew us and were looking for us. By us, they meant my sons, our friend who went with us, and me. So where was my husband? No one saw him. Long time fans remember that 1997 was the year of the famous camera ban. The Today Show was exempted from the ban. All my husband was interested in was getting good pictures. He didn’t stay with us. We picked a spot at the side of the stage. He chose to stand in front of the stage. When the pictures were developed, his choice proved to be a good one. His pictures were beautiful.

On our return home, we found our friends had been right. We were all over the tape we left in our VCR. We had known that our friend Kathy, who was with us got some camera time. They kept shooting the “Ho, Ho, Ho, Manilow” sweatshirt she wore. The only disappointing thing was my dance with Barry got cut. The show went off before it got to it. Not to worry. Manilow fans are the best.

A fan in Australia emailed me when I mentioned something about not being able to see my dance on an email string we both were members of. Seems “Copa” was not cut when The Today Show was shown there. I didn’t even know The Today Show was shown in Australia. She was kind enough to send me a tape of the show, which I had converted. Thanks to her, I have that moment.

That’s my picture history from The Today Show in 1997. I’m glad I was able to give my sons the experience, as well as myself. It is amazing how they remember these trips we took on a shoestring. Nice hotels or fancy meals didn’t matter. They were centered on what they were interested in and got to see many facets of the industry they were thinking of going into. Plus we all love Barry and his music. Fun at the time and great memories we all share now.

Happiness in Manilowland

2009-07-08T17:23:00.000-07:00

Time is very important to the posting of this blog since this event doesn’t occur often. It has been a very happy week in Manilowland. Beautiful pictures of a happy, smiling Barry Manilow arriving in Washington, DC for A Capital Fourth was just a hint of the wonderful performance he gave as a birthday gift for the USA. Barry had the crowd on their feet dancing, singing and responding to his high energy. Hope I have that much energy when I’m Barry’s age.

Entertainment Tonight had reported that Barry would escort Elizabeth Taylor to the Michael Jackson memorial service. Fans wondered if the concerts in Pittsburgh and Rochester, scheduled for the Monday and Tuesday after the Fourth, would be shortened or canceled for Barry to return to LA. The answer was no. A rep for Barry told Fox News Monday night that Barry’s schedule would not allow him to attend the memorial.

Reports from the two shows had been very positive. It was even reported that in Rochester Barry did “I Am Your Child” as tribute to Michael Jackson, after seeing a tearful Paris Jackson speak of her Daddy. So yes, everything is happy in Manilowland. I wish it would stay that way.

Acceptance and Time

2009-07-01T13:01:00.000-07:00

Last week another vault song was released on Manilow.com along with a letter from Barry. The song was an old recording of Barry singing as a child which is adorable. Also amazing. It is clear that to learn and perform such a song to accompaniment required not only a talented child but very much adult help. The letter posted with the song gave some insight into a new CD release Barry is working on and the apprehension that comes with stepping into new territory. Way to go, Barry! Still taking chances; trying new things. Barry also gave his version of the Vegas cancellations and offered a round about apology for something he views as being out of his control.

The beginning of the letter spoke of Barry’s birthday and aging. This caused speculation on the part of some in the fan world that Barry reaching out to his fans was a result of the death of Michael Jackson. Maybe it was. I don’t know. The important thing, to me anyway, was the song and the letter appeared. A lot of the people doing the speculating are the same people who complain Barry doesn’t blog or interact with his fans on Facebook or Twitter. Think about it – how many people Barry’s age do you know on a social network? Yes, Barry is a celebrity but he’s a person too. Social networks are the playground of the younger generation. (See I got back to the birthday and aging at the beginning of this paragraph to tie it all together.)

It is understandable to me that new fans or younger people would wonder why Barry doesn’t communicate with his fan base using the new technology. Long time fans should know that Barry has never been a celebrity that keeps up regular communication with the fans. Over the years Barry has tried various ways to be in touch with his fans. For reasons unknown, it has not worked for him. Can’t that just be an accepted part of being a Manilow fan and move on? After over thirty years I can’t see why anyone would expect Barry to change.

Now of course Barry could be all over the Internet, or at least someone from his management team could be writing as Barry on Facebook, Twitter, and even a blog. That has already happened with fake Barrys on Twitter, MySpace and who knows where else. People have even questioned if Barry was the author of the vault letter. I applaud Barry for not having a ghost-writer for blogs and social networks. At least he is being honest about what he wants to do. If blogs and social networking is not Barry’s thing then so be it. He has that right. Barry is sixty-six now. Be glad he is healthy enough to be performing and trying new projects, Michael Jackson’s death took me back to August, 1977 when I slept on the street in front of Graceland after Elvis’s passing. Talent can be lost so early. Remember those we have lost, because we have lost quite a few lately. Cherish the ones who are here still sharing their talent. No one knows when time will run out.

A House United

2009-06-23T20:13:00.000-07:00

This past week Manilow fans found out that Barry’s Malibu beach house is for sale. (Sounds kind of like Barbie’s Malibu beach house, doesn’t it?) According to some online real estate sources the house has been on the market for four months. To peak interest, the selling price was dropped and the sale was made public. Pictures of the house, inside and out appeared several places online, all originating from the firm selling the house. Fans got a glimpse into Barry’s life that is not often available. Some enjoyed seeing the house while others thought the photos an invasion of Barry’s privacy. Then there was that celebrity real estate blog that brought the simmering battle among fans over Barry’s sexuality back up to a boil. That’s when I saw the common thread that joins the two warring groups. Both share a common belief – the belief that Barry Manilow is an unhappy, lonely, unfilled man. Let me explain.

Officially, fans are lead to believe that Barry Manilow’s private life is off limits to fans and the press. All anyone needs to know is that Barry’s life is music. The group who buys into this version of Barry’s life views him as a lonely man who never found his one true soul mate to complete his life. A small group of women fans think they are, in fact, that soul mate but that’s a whole different blog. The need to reach out and support this lonely man is an added draw to Barry.

Then there is the other group of fans who that believe for his entire career Barry has been forced to keep his true lifestyle a secret. Barry is seen as an unfilled man who has lived a lie for too many years. Claiming to love the music, these fans also stay around to support Barry if he ever comes out of the closet they believe he is hiding in.

Is the common thread evident to you? Both groups feel that Barry has a need for them, which he does, just not in the way they would like to think he does. An unhappy man, Barry will one day need the support both offer him. Is this not pure PR genius? Keeping Barry’s off stage life off limits to the public leads both groups of fans to believe they know the “truth” about Barry. Each group stays around so they won’t miss being proven right at some point in time. Whoever came up with this strategy is brilliant. It is working. This adds a mystique to Barry that will keep interest high for a long time to come. Great job in this day and age of celebrity media counting everything as fair game in the life of a public figure. May we fans never find out anything about Barry’s private life, because we seem to be the only ones who care.

The Cult of Barry Manilow

2009-06-02T12:02:00.000-07:00

I cruised by My Manilow Network last weekend. Why I do that is beyond me but I do. The news had broken about Barry’s June shows being canceled. What I read in the posts about the shows reminded me of a remark my husband made a few nights earlier at dinner. I had been telling him about the banning of people off of MMN because they dared to express what is considered a “negative” opinion, or some other reason known to only to the great and powerful administrator. My husband made a very insightful observation. He remarked that MMN sounded like a cult – the cult of Barry Manilow.

That is scary. Even scarier was the fact that what I read on MMN supported the cult observation. Someone posted that they had called the Hilton box office and received confirmation that the June Manilow shows were canceled. Posters immediately admonish people not to jump to conclusions until “official word” was received from the fan club. As if that wasn’t enough to support the cult theory, it was added that if the “official” word did come, no conversations should take place that theorized why the shows were canceled. Is it just me, or does anyone else hear the Twilight Zone theme music? Why would the venue, in this case the Hilton, give out false information for a show in their theater? Why is it a crime to speculate why the shows were canceled, especially in light of the “official” word when it came later that day, did not jive with the story the Hilton had given out.

I haven’t been back to read what is being posted said now. I can just stand so much. Why shouldn’t people discuss, (i.e. theorized) these cancellations? Fans that had tickets for the June shows are directly impacted and have been treated very poorly. They aren’t the only people who have been affected. Other fans who planned on going to Vegas in the future may consider it too much of a risk to base a trip on only seeing Manilow shows. This is a topic that is very important among Manilow fans. It should be discussed.

To be clear, I am not saying that everyone on MMN is part of this group that makes up the Barry Manilow cult. In face, I’m sure in the next few days we’ll be hearing about some very nice people who are now banned from the My Manilow Network because they expressed an intelligent opinion. Most will not even be aware that their opinion didn’t follow party lines as dictated by TPTB and patrolled by cult members.

Cults work in much the same manner as MMN. Members don’t think for themselves but are told what to think. They have a fear of alienating their leaders and being separated from the group. Not only do they turn on people viewed as “outsiders” but on each other as well. This comes from the need to retain their standing in the cult and scoring points with the leadership is an ongoing concern. Here is the biggie – cult members have an unrealistic view of the figurehead of the cult. Sound familiar? Read the My Manilow Network.

TPTB are missing the use of a great tool on My Manilow Network. Open, honest, respectful discussion would allow people to ask questions, express feelings, and work through the issue. Then Barry’s management could put out a statement on the MMN saying, we hear you, thanks for your concerns, we’ll do what we can. Acknowledging feelings goes a long way with people. Fans are people too.

Personally, I have never seen anything posted on MMN that has been bad enough to kick someone off. I might have not agreed, or liked what has been posted and people felt the same about me, but nothing was as bad as to remove anyone. I blogged over there for a bit. Right off the bat someone threatened to turn me in to the BMIFC. I told them to go right ahead. Be sure to spell my name right so you give them the right person. Contrary to what a small group of people believe, (cult members?) there is life outside of My Manilow Network. A pretty good one.

Self-control is the key to MMN. Cults know how to find people’s vulnerable spots. When I read over there my fingers itch to reply. I have to step back and breathe. My time can be used in much better ways. I am trying to wean myself off MMN but it is like reality shows. Even though you know the shows aren’t real something compels you to keep watching. You have to see what happens next. Wish me luck as I try to cut out My Manilow Network. It can be a hard habit to break. People’s behavior fascinates me and that is a place to see many different types of behavior. I’ll stick with the reality shows. They don’t ban people.

Live At the Greek Theater Replacement

2009-05-18T11:17:00.000-07:00

I have not ordered the Live at the Greek DVD from Starbiz yet. I am still catching up on things from being on vacation for a week. Somehow I got the idea in my mind that this DVD would be available in stores. Since I am cheap, I didn’t want to pay shipping and handling. Seems I was wrong about that so I need to order it. The Greek theater concert is very special to me. Was I at the concert, hanging out in the trees? No. In fact at that point in my life, as hard as it would be for some of my family and friends to believe, I was not a fan of Barry Manilow. Not that my life was totally void of any Manilow; it wasn’t. Not in the least. You see, I was (and still am) married to a Manilow fan.

My husband has the honor of being the original Manilow fan in our household. At that time I don’t think he had any idea of the impact Barry would have on his family’s life. My husband loves the music. Having a husband who liked Barry is the only reason I saw any of the early network specials. This Greek theater special was exciting to my husband. It was on HBO. No commercials! We also had one of those new fangled machines that recorded TV shows- a VCR. The concert could be taped and played over and over. That happened. It did get played a lot. Just not by my husband. My kids played it.

1981 was the year I had my first child and became a Manilow fan. About four years later, we had another son. Both of my sons loved Barry from a very early age. Live at the Greek was one of their favorite videos. In stores my guys looked for “jive hats.” To this day, they can still sing the Jump Shout Boogie Medley. Other fans told me that a time would come when my children would discover that Barry wasn’t cool. They would drop him in favor of artists popular with their peers. Maybe that happened to their kids. It didn’t happen with mine.

The Greek theater special is one the main reason my husband wanted to see Barry in concert. When a show was announced for our hometown in October, 1981, my husband stood for hours in the cold and dark to get tickets. I didn’t want to go but finally agreed. That is the night I became a Manilow fan. I had to be won over in person. A whole chapter in our lives began with that night; one that is still going on.

Now that original much-viewed VHS tape can be replaced with the newer DVD technology. I guess it’s about time. We were all so much younger then. I like that awkward, geeky guy Barry was back then. I also like the mature performer he has become. Human nature is to change and grow. Barry didn’t stay locked into one type of music. He shared his talent and vision of many genres of music throughout the years. When that HBO special aired I could have never imaged the part Mr. Manilow would play in the life of my family. An even greater thing is that Barry is still sharing his talent. Now excuse me; I have to go order a DVD.

2009-02-06T08:39:00.000-08:00

American Idol

Barry was on American Idol this past Tuesday night (2-3-2009). Before I go on, as a personal explanation, I am not at all a fan of AI. During the early seasons of the show, I was attending classes at night. The only AI I saw were the ones Barry appeared on as a mentor. My husband loved the show. Two years ago I watched a whole season. That was my first and last season. I was not impressed.

Since Barry was a guest, I watched again on Tuesday night. There wasn’t much to see. If you blinked, you missed Barry. His appearance had not been mentioned in any on air commercials or TV listings. Only the fan club hyped the appearance to the fans. I have read a lot on the Internet about people’s thoughts about Barry’s latest AI sighting. Fans were disappointed at the brevity of the Barry’s screen time. I thought the appearance totally represented what Barry Manilow felt was important- sharing his knowledge and experience with the younger generation.

Barry got a ton of reports in the press regarding his AI appearance as part of the Idol boot camp. One writer brought up a very interesting point; by Barry being on AI this early in the season he is not likely to be back on as a mentor later on. That means he did not sing on the show. Barry gave up the opportunity to increase the sales of his 1980 cover CD by promoting it on a very popular TV show. That demonstrates, to me, where Barry priories lay. He wanted to help the constants, not promote his own interests.

Now who knows? Maybe a deal was worked out for Barry to re-appear on AI later on in the season and he will sing, mentor, promote, or whatever. Just this time being on Idol wasn’t about the star Barry Manilow but about Mr. Manilow, the person, sharing a piece of himself. That brief appearance on AI was a glimpse into a generous man’s soul.

Note: Access Hollywood had a brief snippet on Wednesday (2-4-2009) of Barry on AI.

They also have an extended interview with Barry on their website.

The Girls in the Restaurant

2009-01-06T09:48:00.000-08:00

The other night I had a rush of memories flood over me while eating dinner. My husband and I were eating at a local restaurant famous for its barbecue. This restaurant just happens to be located right across the street from the coliseum complex. When we pulled in my husband remarked on how big the show must be that was taking place that night. Being the parents of two sons who work in the music business things like that always catches his eyes. Lil’ Wayne was in town. After being seated we noticed some of the crew at a table nearby. (I know crew members. Comes from being the Mom of two.) A short time later a group of girls came in headed for the rest room.

ALERT: Rant
These girls came in to change clothes. They sure needed to change their clothes; they had on their pajamas. You know those flannel pajama pants that so popular? I love them; they are very comfortable. But, hey, they are not supposed to be worn out in public! You wear them at home. Or at least that’s what I think. Maybe it’s my age showing. Indulge me-wear your pajamas at home.

When the girls came out of the bathroom they were all dolled up for the concert. As they walked by our table, leaving a trail of glitter from their tee-shirts, I smiled at my husband and said, “Been there. Done that.”

A lot of you reading this can say the same thing. I did it more in my Elvis days than my Barry road trip days. Those were fun times. I was watching that group of young ladies make memories. I understood how they felt and the why of it. Fans are a very misunderstood group of people. All groups have members who take things too far. Go to extremes. It happens with golfers or race fans. Some people have addictive personalities. Fans of people, or in Manilow fans’ case, a musician are all thought to be a touch strange by people who are not fans. That’s a misconception. Most fans are normal people who happen to have an interest in a certain person. Like we do for Barry. It’s hard for people who don’t share that interest to understand why we seek each other out. It’s no different from being in a book or sport club. People like to connect with others who share a common interest.

I understood those girls in the restaurant because I had shared the same experience. In some of the Manilow groups I see people talking about how awful it is that people pay such high prices and go to Vegas. Why? Ten or so years ago it was fine for these same people to be paying to travel all over the country going from show to show to see Barry. Why isn’t it ok now? What’s the difference? As long it brings happiness,who should criticize? Maybe it doesn’t suit the place some people are in life right now but things are not the same for everyone. Go and have a great time. Write about your memories in blog or something. Share your experiences. Plenty of people appreciate your sharing.

My hope is that the girls I saw in the restaurant had a wonderful time at the show. I hope everyone who goes to see Barry enjoys the shows. Know that I appreciate and read when you share your stories. Somehow I suspect the stories from the Li’ Wayne concert got shared by that group of girls on the Internet with friends. Fans always find one another. That’s why I have blog readers, so that’s a good thing. We have to all stick together- we are the only ones who understand what it means to be a fan.