A Segue

Before I get into the next chapter of this story, I'd like to put out a heads-up to anyone - fan or artist - who is involved in a fan club or collective of some time.

Be careful what you say and do, especially on the Internet.

People get excited, people want to get carried away. Some people will love everything, others will find something to criticize.

Let. It. Go. Whatever it is, it doesn't matter. Unless your career or family are directly affected, it's not worth getting in a lather. Just turn off the computer and go do something else and it will all go away.

Every fan group on Earth either IRL or the Internet has conflicts. Artists, stay out of it. It's about the fans, it's not about you and you can't do any good by getting into it. Fortunately, Barry seems to be a smart enough guy to realize this. I haven't seen him post in fan-oriented chat boards, he seems to handle that kind of interaction in structured environments to ensure that conflicts don't happen. There is a parade of other artists that can and should learn from his example.

Fans, when you fight about music and the people who make it, you are not fighting with words or keystrokes. Music is about your immortal soul. When you fight with each other, try to get an artist or their management on your "side", that is what will get damaged - souls. Yours as well as your target. Hurting someone with the thing (music) that they love the most and that inspires them in many ways doesn't always get healed. You have to be very fortunate to recover from that kind of battle.

Do you want that on your conscience?

If you're using Barry and his music as a weapon you're on dangerous ground. Get off while you can.

I made it through the rain...I think

This blog is about love - of music. How it was lost and how I found it again and who helped along the way. I've never posted any of these thoughts over the past 10+ years for fear of how silly they would look in public or that someone, somewhere would find a way to use them against me and make my life miserable. Again. (More on that in a future post.)

But since my name isn't on this (HA! Gotcha!) I guess it's OK.

When friends are hard to find
And life seems so unkind
Sometimes you feel afraid

Just aim beyond the clouds
And rise above the crowd
And start your own parade

Bear with me and I'll get to the point soon enough. Just to warn you there is a TON of stuff about music by Barry Manilow in this little diary. If you're not a fan, you won't get it. If you are, then you might get it a little too well! What's great is you can reinterpret and reapply lyrics and intentions however you want and bring an entire new life to words and music he wrote years ago.

Good night, my new friends. Be gentle with me. This is the first time I have enjoyed writing in more than ten years - I'm still afraid.