Thursday, June 4, 2015
One "Last" Countdown?
The kids are in daycamp. The "Harmony" soundtrack is blaring on the family desktop. My roots need a serious touchup. Tickets are safely in the purse.
It's Duluth, not Atlanta. All the little towns in the metro area aren't just being picky for its own sake. They all have their identity and they take great pride in it, long before Atlanta proper became a mega city.
I went back and looked at my earliest posts. I had a lot going on in my head at that time. Grief, from losing the baby. Fear of voicing fears, in case that made them come true and get worse. Relief that life went on and got better. Comfort that some things never change, good and bad.
Barry's music and this blog helped me work through some tough raw feelings and some old baggage.
There's always baggage. There are struggles now, with kids, work, community, and politics. But it's not so overwhelming. Manilow Magic is a safe retreat to recuperate and feel the range of emotions required to both heal and celebrate. There's a stronger foundation to deal with them now and different ways of coping.
Sorry, guy, I'm not taking this as the "final" appearance. There was another "final" tour not too long ago and don't forget how Harmony took root in this area. (I still can't believe I got to savor that play right in my own back yard and even had a change to tell Bruce how much I've enjoyed his creations over the decades.) Barry's shows will always rank among the classics because there's always at least one song where the band starts up, Barry just points the microphone at the audience, and lets them take it. "Can't Smile" is up there with "Piano Man" and "Hungry Heart" in that regard.
It's become easy to enjoy the great moments for what they are and not mourn them when they're over but celebrate that we had them at all. I had a ton of thoughts over my "ideal" wishlist of songs that I hope to hear tonight, knowing good and well that the time limits and Gwinnett would never allow for it. Instead I'm looking forward to the surprise.
Break a leg tonight, gang. I'm always rooting for you.
It's Duluth, not Atlanta. All the little towns in the metro area aren't just being picky for its own sake. They all have their identity and they take great pride in it, long before Atlanta proper became a mega city.
I went back and looked at my earliest posts. I had a lot going on in my head at that time. Grief, from losing the baby. Fear of voicing fears, in case that made them come true and get worse. Relief that life went on and got better. Comfort that some things never change, good and bad.
Barry's music and this blog helped me work through some tough raw feelings and some old baggage.
There's always baggage. There are struggles now, with kids, work, community, and politics. But it's not so overwhelming. Manilow Magic is a safe retreat to recuperate and feel the range of emotions required to both heal and celebrate. There's a stronger foundation to deal with them now and different ways of coping.
Sorry, guy, I'm not taking this as the "final" appearance. There was another "final" tour not too long ago and don't forget how Harmony took root in this area. (I still can't believe I got to savor that play right in my own back yard and even had a change to tell Bruce how much I've enjoyed his creations over the decades.) Barry's shows will always rank among the classics because there's always at least one song where the band starts up, Barry just points the microphone at the audience, and lets them take it. "Can't Smile" is up there with "Piano Man" and "Hungry Heart" in that regard.
It's become easy to enjoy the great moments for what they are and not mourn them when they're over but celebrate that we had them at all. I had a ton of thoughts over my "ideal" wishlist of songs that I hope to hear tonight, knowing good and well that the time limits and Gwinnett would never allow for it. Instead I'm looking forward to the surprise.
Break a leg tonight, gang. I'm always rooting for you.
Thursday, April 9, 2015
The News That Wasn't
http://www.people.com/article/barry-manilow-marries-garry-kief
Not a surprise, bud. It hasn't been a secret for a very long time. You left a list of clues in "Sweet Life" that even Ray Charles could follow.
It's OK. It's always been OK.
And I hope you both can relax and be happy.
Friday, September 5, 2014
RIP Joan
I remember seeing this on a day when class wasn't in.
Loving the 80s hair. (Not making fun, mine looked exactly the same.)
Godspeed, Joan. No more surgery, you're going to look and feel exactly the way you want to. :-)
Loving the 80s hair. (Not making fun, mine looked exactly the same.)
Godspeed, Joan. No more surgery, you're going to look and feel exactly the way you want to. :-)
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Friday, January 31, 2014
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Official video promo for Harmony from Alliance
I think they've got a hit on their hands and they're thanking God every day they took B&B's call.
Forgot to mention in the previous post: I could eat Will Blum ("Lesch") up with a spoon. He steals damn near every scene he's in, and he was nice enough to sign my Playbill on Friday night.
Saturday, September 14, 2013
HARMONY - YBA's POV
Having Harmony premier in your home town is like hitting a million-dollar jackpot in Vegas. Not only did Barry's most anticipated project finally come to fruition, but getting to see it involved a babysitter, not plane tickets and hotel reservations.
The potential down side is having two very pissed-off gentlemen on my front door step if they don't like what's in this memoir. ;-)
There are two things I was anticipating most about Harmony.
1) Something new. A story that had not been told widely, or at the very least, a new perspective on an established one. Think of "Wicked" for the latter. Most new plays and musicals on and off Broadway are rehashes of popular movies with some schlock soundtrack added on. The theatres showing these easy send-ups should be distributing Astroglide and hand towels at the door rather than Playbills. "Hairspray" did not need to be made into a musical. John Waters' original soundtrack was perfect as-is. Ditto "Bring it On" and "Legally Blonde". If I want to see one of these, Red Box and Netflix are ready when I am. So how exciting is it to have Barry and Bruce (B&B) discover a story that, like buried treasure, was glorious in its time but is now new and exciting to a completely different generation waiting to rediscover it?
2) The historical perspective. I'm a history nut, entrenched in organizations packed with other history nuts. Ask any major heritage society and explore their museums, the focus of their educational efforts is on the everyday life of the everyday person in the context of major historical events. From Plimoth Plantation, to the DAR Museum in DC, to Colonial Williamsburg, you'll see reenactors speaking as people of their time, wearing clothing of the time, engaged in trades of the time, rooms decorated and furnished of the time. Dates and places and major historical personages are merely a framework for real history. Real history is in the decisions and thoughts and reactions by ordinary people to those landmark events that make the schoolbooks. To go back to movies as an example, think "Gangs of New York" (a cross section of mid-19th century gang activity in the context of the Anti Conscription Riots) and "The Patriot" (a fictionalized accounting of Revolutionary war hero Francis Marion.)
The flip side of this is that there is a fine line between analyzing history from different perspectives and rewriting it through the prism of whatever sociopolitical standards are in place for a given decade or generation. (In short, what is "politically correct".) The placement of that line varies with whoever is doing the talking.
I didn't see the LaJolla production so this is going to be an absolutely fresh look at the play. WARNING: spoilers throughout. There is no way to get your feelings across on Harmony without including some spoilers. So those will be posted in white text with a white background. Skip if you don't want to read it. If you do, highlight it with your cursor.
Like the one below.
This is spoiler space. Congratulations! You found it!
Here we go....
The two acts of the play present present two different stages of the Harmonists' careers. The first act, you get to know the characters and their lives, their likes, their hangups, their loves, and their weaknesses. By the end of the first act through the second, we start learning about the struggles of their choices in their every-day, now-famous lives as Germany's low-point in history explodes around them. The first act is lighter: this is where the love stories are born. Even the personal struggles (SPOILER) (Erich afraid to tell his parents that he wants to give up medicine for singing, for example. Rabbi and Mary getting married, Ruth's Communist organizing, the Harmonists' first big-time gig getting nearly derailed by stolen outfits. My husband tells me the height of humiliation is being forced to be seen in public in boxer shorts. I didn't ask how he knew this.) are addressed with lighthearted optimism.
But as the frequently shifting political landscape in Germany starts leaning toward the Third Reich, the situations and relationships and questions become weightier. It's easy to "agree to disagree" with politics or religion with neighbors or even family members during peaceful and prosperous times. It's easy to be enlightened and "tolerant" when no one is forcing you to defend your viewpoint - especially with your life. Everyone wants to be that "stand up guy" who stares death in the face when his sacred beliefs are challenged. The fact is, most people are not willing martyrs. Most people don't think martyrdom is the right course to take when faced with a life-or-death choice. (cf Thomas More)
First, the band has to decide if they should return "home" from New York after their world tour ends. They hear of other Germans jumping ship, so to speak, and emigrating to America. How do you know, without hindsight, whether staying or returning is the mistake? You don't; and the decisions and scenarios go downhill from there.
SPOILER:
In the middle of a joyful performance ("Hungarian Rhapsody #20") a couple of Nazi thugs boo the performance and disrupt the evening. They are chastized by a high ranking officer who apologizes to the band. During the Sep 6 performance, Pete and I were sitting near the aisle where the general (?) appeared. It wasn't until I felt a sharp cramp in the base of my neck that I realized how still I was sitting and how little I was breathing. It was just some dude playing a role and wearing a costume - but his presence was paralyzing. I could barely remember my own name, let alone make a profound moral decision. Then the officer demands that the show restart by clapping in time to the suspended music. The rest of the audience joined in. I'm looking around like everyone else was from Mars: "Hel-LO!!! I know it's just an actor, but do you people see yourselves??? You're following a Nazi's lead, what's the matter with you?"
Then this same officer shows up backstage at the Harmonists' show as a "big fan" requesting an autograph on his favorite record. How do you respond to a "fan" whose very existence is not only a threat to some of your friends and family, but offends your every sensibility? There is no way in hell that this was a hypothetical question for Barry.
Again and again, the characters are faced with the same dilemma that is debated today: is it better to speak out and make yourself a target for the evil threatening your society and your lives, or is it better to keep your head down, get out of town, and find a way to save as many as you can along the way? What happens to your lives and relationships when the ones you love have a different answer to that dilemma than you do? Is it wrong to go on with life - especially the good, happy parts - if the rest of the world is crumbling? "Harmony" can't answer that question once and for all because there were as many different answers as there were people confronted with it. And even those answers will flex and evolve decade by decade as the debate rolls on.
In these extreme historical circumstances, hope and despair, love and disgust, were not just interchangeable, they were the same thing. "Where You Go" was both a confirmation of love, and a warning of the guilt that goes with making the wrong choice to act or flee. "Stars in the Night" questioned how life could continue even as human nature dug itself to new depths. "In This World" was a futile attempt to create a fantasy musical movie even as Chopin wondered if he would ever see his wife again and what she was suffering.
What I appreciated most about "Harmony" was the balance of catchy music, complex performances and thought-provoking ideas that go far beyond the script itself. This isn't "fluff" for kids or the faint of heart, even though I can't get the theme song out of my head, after seeing two performances in as many weeks. I enjoy seeing several performances to watch how the show evolves. For example, on 9/6, the second act started with the boogie-woogie "Something Like Paradise" to contrast the US life with Germany about the same time. Tonight, that song was removed. B&B, please don't get pissed at this - good call. I didn't miss that number at all and the play flowed better without it.
Bottom line: When you go to see "Harmony", pack your brains alongside your sense of humor. You'll need them. (Get tickets online.)
Fun stuff:
For obvious reasons (obvious = philistines who don't know how to behave themselves in a theatre and can't tell the difference between a Broadway-quality play and one of Barry's concerts) Barry's not going to be "out and about" much. On 9/6 we were treated to a Flight of the Blue Angels-type appearance. I'd choreograph my security detail as well if I was wound tighter than a spring over the opening performance and I had to deal with this lot right outside of the theatre.
Bruce is a sweetheart and seemed to enjoy chatting about the work he was doing on the show. Easiest guy in the world to approach with questions or congratulations or whatever. Bruce, if you're reading this, thanks for not classifying me as one of the "psychotic weirdos". At least I hope you haven't.
We're looking forward to at least a couple more performances - whatever we can find a babysitter for.
Congrats on a stellar opening and my hopes go with you that "Harmony" will get the reception it deserves.
The potential down side is having two very pissed-off gentlemen on my front door step if they don't like what's in this memoir. ;-)
There are two things I was anticipating most about Harmony.
1) Something new. A story that had not been told widely, or at the very least, a new perspective on an established one. Think of "Wicked" for the latter. Most new plays and musicals on and off Broadway are rehashes of popular movies with some schlock soundtrack added on. The theatres showing these easy send-ups should be distributing Astroglide and hand towels at the door rather than Playbills. "Hairspray" did not need to be made into a musical. John Waters' original soundtrack was perfect as-is. Ditto "Bring it On" and "Legally Blonde". If I want to see one of these, Red Box and Netflix are ready when I am. So how exciting is it to have Barry and Bruce (B&B) discover a story that, like buried treasure, was glorious in its time but is now new and exciting to a completely different generation waiting to rediscover it?
2) The historical perspective. I'm a history nut, entrenched in organizations packed with other history nuts. Ask any major heritage society and explore their museums, the focus of their educational efforts is on the everyday life of the everyday person in the context of major historical events. From Plimoth Plantation, to the DAR Museum in DC, to Colonial Williamsburg, you'll see reenactors speaking as people of their time, wearing clothing of the time, engaged in trades of the time, rooms decorated and furnished of the time. Dates and places and major historical personages are merely a framework for real history. Real history is in the decisions and thoughts and reactions by ordinary people to those landmark events that make the schoolbooks. To go back to movies as an example, think "Gangs of New York" (a cross section of mid-19th century gang activity in the context of the Anti Conscription Riots) and "The Patriot" (a fictionalized accounting of Revolutionary war hero Francis Marion.)
The flip side of this is that there is a fine line between analyzing history from different perspectives and rewriting it through the prism of whatever sociopolitical standards are in place for a given decade or generation. (In short, what is "politically correct".) The placement of that line varies with whoever is doing the talking.
I didn't see the LaJolla production so this is going to be an absolutely fresh look at the play. WARNING: spoilers throughout. There is no way to get your feelings across on Harmony without including some spoilers. So those will be posted in white text with a white background. Skip if you don't want to read it. If you do, highlight it with your cursor.
Like the one below.
This is spoiler space. Congratulations! You found it!
Here we go....
The two acts of the play present present two different stages of the Harmonists' careers. The first act, you get to know the characters and their lives, their likes, their hangups, their loves, and their weaknesses. By the end of the first act through the second, we start learning about the struggles of their choices in their every-day, now-famous lives as Germany's low-point in history explodes around them. The first act is lighter: this is where the love stories are born. Even the personal struggles (SPOILER) (Erich afraid to tell his parents that he wants to give up medicine for singing, for example. Rabbi and Mary getting married, Ruth's Communist organizing, the Harmonists' first big-time gig getting nearly derailed by stolen outfits. My husband tells me the height of humiliation is being forced to be seen in public in boxer shorts. I didn't ask how he knew this.) are addressed with lighthearted optimism.
But as the frequently shifting political landscape in Germany starts leaning toward the Third Reich, the situations and relationships and questions become weightier. It's easy to "agree to disagree" with politics or religion with neighbors or even family members during peaceful and prosperous times. It's easy to be enlightened and "tolerant" when no one is forcing you to defend your viewpoint - especially with your life. Everyone wants to be that "stand up guy" who stares death in the face when his sacred beliefs are challenged. The fact is, most people are not willing martyrs. Most people don't think martyrdom is the right course to take when faced with a life-or-death choice. (cf Thomas More)
First, the band has to decide if they should return "home" from New York after their world tour ends. They hear of other Germans jumping ship, so to speak, and emigrating to America. How do you know, without hindsight, whether staying or returning is the mistake? You don't; and the decisions and scenarios go downhill from there.
SPOILER:
In the middle of a joyful performance ("Hungarian Rhapsody #20") a couple of Nazi thugs boo the performance and disrupt the evening. They are chastized by a high ranking officer who apologizes to the band. During the Sep 6 performance, Pete and I were sitting near the aisle where the general (?) appeared. It wasn't until I felt a sharp cramp in the base of my neck that I realized how still I was sitting and how little I was breathing. It was just some dude playing a role and wearing a costume - but his presence was paralyzing. I could barely remember my own name, let alone make a profound moral decision. Then the officer demands that the show restart by clapping in time to the suspended music. The rest of the audience joined in. I'm looking around like everyone else was from Mars: "Hel-LO!!! I know it's just an actor, but do you people see yourselves??? You're following a Nazi's lead, what's the matter with you?"
Then this same officer shows up backstage at the Harmonists' show as a "big fan" requesting an autograph on his favorite record. How do you respond to a "fan" whose very existence is not only a threat to some of your friends and family, but offends your every sensibility? There is no way in hell that this was a hypothetical question for Barry.
Again and again, the characters are faced with the same dilemma that is debated today: is it better to speak out and make yourself a target for the evil threatening your society and your lives, or is it better to keep your head down, get out of town, and find a way to save as many as you can along the way? What happens to your lives and relationships when the ones you love have a different answer to that dilemma than you do? Is it wrong to go on with life - especially the good, happy parts - if the rest of the world is crumbling? "Harmony" can't answer that question once and for all because there were as many different answers as there were people confronted with it. And even those answers will flex and evolve decade by decade as the debate rolls on.
In these extreme historical circumstances, hope and despair, love and disgust, were not just interchangeable, they were the same thing. "Where You Go" was both a confirmation of love, and a warning of the guilt that goes with making the wrong choice to act or flee. "Stars in the Night" questioned how life could continue even as human nature dug itself to new depths. "In This World" was a futile attempt to create a fantasy musical movie even as Chopin wondered if he would ever see his wife again and what she was suffering.
What I appreciated most about "Harmony" was the balance of catchy music, complex performances and thought-provoking ideas that go far beyond the script itself. This isn't "fluff" for kids or the faint of heart, even though I can't get the theme song out of my head, after seeing two performances in as many weeks. I enjoy seeing several performances to watch how the show evolves. For example, on 9/6, the second act started with the boogie-woogie "Something Like Paradise" to contrast the US life with Germany about the same time. Tonight, that song was removed. B&B, please don't get pissed at this - good call. I didn't miss that number at all and the play flowed better without it.
Bottom line: When you go to see "Harmony", pack your brains alongside your sense of humor. You'll need them. (Get tickets online.)
Fun stuff:
For obvious reasons (obvious = philistines who don't know how to behave themselves in a theatre and can't tell the difference between a Broadway-quality play and one of Barry's concerts) Barry's not going to be "out and about" much. On 9/6 we were treated to a Flight of the Blue Angels-type appearance. I'd choreograph my security detail as well if I was wound tighter than a spring over the opening performance and I had to deal with this lot right outside of the theatre.
Bruce is a sweetheart and seemed to enjoy chatting about the work he was doing on the show. Easiest guy in the world to approach with questions or congratulations or whatever. Bruce, if you're reading this, thanks for not classifying me as one of the "psychotic weirdos". At least I hope you haven't.
We're looking forward to at least a couple more performances - whatever we can find a babysitter for.
Congrats on a stellar opening and my hopes go with you that "Harmony" will get the reception it deserves.
Friday, September 6, 2013
Saturday, April 27, 2013
So Long Radio Manilow - Hello "Harmony" at Alliance Theatre
"Radio Manilow" on iHeartRadio had been my regular office roommate since the day it debuted. The station was a way to enjoy music and commentary from someone who knows far more than I ever will. When I had to work in the evenings, I could turn the kids over to my husband, close the door and get down to business without feeling blocked in to my teeny tiny office. And still be available to have good-nite hugs at bedtimes.
You learn a lot about someone by what's on their iPod and what they have to say about it. I heard songs in a way I never would have imagined or figured out. ("Eleanor Rigby" from the Beatles was in high rotation.) I had a few "What in the f*ck is he thinking" moments. (that weirdo "Abadaba" chimp song that made me want to walk to Los Angeles and beat the hell out of someone.) Some got me interested in music or other creations I never heard of. Biggest was the theme from "I Want to Live" (1958). It landed on Barry's play list because Gerry Mulligan played sax on it. So I recognized and took interest in the picture when it made the play list on my local PBS station.
When you think of movies from the 1950s, it's either musicals ("Singin' in the Rain") or really bad science fiction, usually centered around something radioactive ("Them"). I learned from this picture how intense psychological dramas could be at that time, and how direct the commentary about sociopolitical topics. The end of the picture is a blatant and realistic depiction of execution by gas chamber (sorry for the spoiler). That would raise eyebrows even today. Thanks to that song and commentary, I got a view of mid-century media that I never would have found.
The station couldn't last forever, but it's still a bummer that it had to shut down. I got a lot out of it though, and I'm grateful it was up for the time that it was.
In other news, "Harmony" is finally .... FINALLY..... making it to the stage. If that's not enough, it's going to debut right in my own backyard at Alliance Theatre. As I'm getting the kids back to school, I'll be scanning the papers and blogs for major updates on rehearsals and show times. Maybe we'll even luck out with a special guest visit to Jazz at the High. A girl can dream.
You learn a lot about someone by what's on their iPod and what they have to say about it. I heard songs in a way I never would have imagined or figured out. ("Eleanor Rigby" from the Beatles was in high rotation.) I had a few "What in the f*ck is he thinking" moments. (that weirdo "Abadaba" chimp song that made me want to walk to Los Angeles and beat the hell out of someone.) Some got me interested in music or other creations I never heard of. Biggest was the theme from "I Want to Live" (1958). It landed on Barry's play list because Gerry Mulligan played sax on it. So I recognized and took interest in the picture when it made the play list on my local PBS station.
When you think of movies from the 1950s, it's either musicals ("Singin' in the Rain") or really bad science fiction, usually centered around something radioactive ("Them"). I learned from this picture how intense psychological dramas could be at that time, and how direct the commentary about sociopolitical topics. The end of the picture is a blatant and realistic depiction of execution by gas chamber (sorry for the spoiler). That would raise eyebrows even today. Thanks to that song and commentary, I got a view of mid-century media that I never would have found.
The station couldn't last forever, but it's still a bummer that it had to shut down. I got a lot out of it though, and I'm grateful it was up for the time that it was.
In other news, "Harmony" is finally .... FINALLY..... making it to the stage. If that's not enough, it's going to debut right in my own backyard at Alliance Theatre. As I'm getting the kids back to school, I'll be scanning the papers and blogs for major updates on rehearsals and show times. Maybe we'll even luck out with a special guest visit to Jazz at the High. A girl can dream.
Monday, April 1, 2013
Manilow Music Project in Gwinnett Co, GA
Last week, the Arena at Gwinnett Center blasted an email to their email marketing list announcing the Manilow Music Project instrument drive coinciding with Barry's show later this month.
Manilow Music Project
benefiting Gwinnett County Public Schools
Barry Manilow has donated a new Yamaha
piano to kick off a music instrument drive for Gwinnett County Public
Schools. Anyone who donates a new or gently used musical instrument to
The Arena at Gwinnett Center will receive two (2) complimentary tickets.*
When: Now-April 27
Where: The Arena at Gwinnett Center Box Office
Times: 10:00AM-5:00PM (Monday-Friday)
*Tickets are valid for
pre-selected seat locations. Not valid with any other offer. Subject to
availability.
Click here to purchase your tickets! |
 April 27 7:30PM |
I believe that the cancelled show last year may have been several blessings in disguise.
First, the three venues at Gwinnett Center are very hospitable to fundraisers and other charitable events. (Case in point: the Tripp Halstead fundraiser night hosted by minor-league hockey Gwinnett Gladiators. This event raised money for a toddler who was hit in the head by a fallen tree branch during Sandy last year.)
Second, Gwinnett County is one of the few counties in metro ATL with a focus on student achievement and not adult politics.
School systems in Georgia are mostly based at the county level, rather than individual cities. For most of the state, that works as most of Georgia is very rural. In 1995, a clause was added to the state constitution that fixes the number of school districts (current city-based systems were grandfathered in) and none could be created. Creating new school districts would be racist, you see. (Do NOT get me started on that one.)
So with few exceptions, school districts are mired in adult politics with devastating consequences. Clayton County, south of Atlanta, lost its accreditation a few years back. That meant a cut off of some government funding and a loss of not only college scholarships, but college acceptances for many high school students. DeKalb County is on its third superintendent in as many years, each of which was not qualified for the position. The parade of stories about race baiting, nepotism, and spectacular financial waste reads like a low-budget horror flick. A former DeKalb superintendent was indicted under RICO for contract manipulation. The most recent disgrace is City of Atlanta Public Schools, recently indicted by the Grand Jury in the largest standardized test cheating scandal in American history. That former superintendent is also under indictment for RICO charges and almost three dozen teachers and other admin staff are expected to be arrested today for systematically instructing children to cheat on annual standardized exams. There were even "test changing parties" to "correct" tests in groups. All for the financial benefit of the school admins.
There's more, but you get the picture.
If Barry had kept his previous gig (Chastain Park), that would have put him squarely in Atlanta Public Schools. He would have had to make the choice between not having the drive at all, and holding a drive for a school system that was deliberately cheating their students. When a school system is in the kind of distress described above (which, by the way, is NOT an exaggeration by any means. I wish it was. Google it.) no donation or material support of any kind will be of any benefit to the families they serve. They have to get their house in order first, no matter how difficult or painful that process is. No donation to Atlanta, DeKalb, Clayton, or other school systems in crisis is going to benefit the students because the adults are not in a place to put the gifts to use for the students. Because the students are not their primary focus and education is not the primary goal.
Gwinnett County has, to date, avoided these quagmires. With a diverse and continually evolving population in terms of race, socioeconomic status, religion, etc, Gwinnett educates more students than either Atlanta or DeKalb with less money and less conflict among the school leadership. Not to say they don't have problems, there's always something to be chased down in one schoolhouse or another. But unlike their neighbors, you don't have school board members threatening to hit a reporter in front of their crew with the cameras rolling, or having a meeting at someone's house to fill in students' annual tests for them. That actually happens here.
Got my tickets for 4/27, dead-center of the arena so the sound should be *perfect* - not too close that you can't appreciate the stage show, not so far away that Barry is a dot on the stage. Contact info for Arena at Gwinnett Center for instrument donations is above
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
ATLANTA GOT RESCHEDULED!!!!
I've had a long day and I came on here with every intention of bitching and moaning about how Barry's doing these great shows in Palm Springs and NYC but the ATL got cancelled. It's been hard to get excited about the new series since then.
So it's a really good thing I checked barrymanilow.com before going on one of my famous rants.
There it was, in purple-and-white
OK, a couple of caveats are in order here.
It's the Atlanta metro area, but not the CITY of Atlanta. Gwinnett Center is in (wait for it...) Gwinnett County - in the city of Duluth which is outside of the ATL. But not too far.
Here's the venue website: http://www.gwinnettcenter.com/allevents.0.html
Parking is SO much better than at Chastain!! Easy in, easy out, no navigating itty bitty streets!
Barry's show isn't listed yet. There are three venues within the complex. It's impossible to tell which one is scheduled until the tickets go on sale.
Anywho - you know where I'll be at the end of February.
Without Pete. Love him, but I've got to let my hair down once in a while.
Thanks everyone for getting on the stick and getting a new venue lined up! See you in April!!!
So it's a really good thing I checked barrymanilow.com before going on one of my famous rants.
There it was, in purple-and-white
Atlanta, GA – Gwinnett Center
April 27, 2013
OK, a couple of caveats are in order here.
It's the Atlanta metro area, but not the CITY of Atlanta. Gwinnett Center is in (wait for it...) Gwinnett County - in the city of Duluth which is outside of the ATL. But not too far.
Here's the venue website: http://www.gwinnettcenter.com/allevents.0.html
Parking is SO much better than at Chastain!! Easy in, easy out, no navigating itty bitty streets!
Barry's show isn't listed yet. There are three venues within the complex. It's impossible to tell which one is scheduled until the tickets go on sale.
Anywho - you know where I'll be at the end of February.
Without Pete. Love him, but I've got to let my hair down once in a while.
Thanks everyone for getting on the stick and getting a new venue lined up! See you in April!!!
Sunday, July 29, 2012
The ATL Goes to Plan B
There were so many times I planned to blog but life intervened. Like when "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" was released in the US I'm wondering why in the hell the local radio station isn't even promoting tonight's show and is anyone else out there to call in to request and at least get it on the radar? There's only so much one girl with access to four phone numbers can do to boost interest, we need more fingers dialing numbers.
As for tonight. Shit happens. And clearly, it happened today. I hope everybody's OK in Stilettoland, I'm sure you're not any more thrilled about tonight's cancellation than the fans.
Tammy arrived about 90 minutes after the announcement. I would have rather been on Mars than be the one to deliver that news.
For the record, I can name a few jazz clubs in the area that wouldn't mind one single bit if Barry dropped in for a quick set. A little too late to implement that idea.
Plan B tonight is a nice dinner, alcohol, snacks and a ton of concert videos, along with all the smartass comments we can make. To recreate the truly live experience, all of the videos may not be completely authorized. Given the emergency circumstances I don't think anyone will mind too much, just this once.
PLEASE reschedule and I hope it works out better next time.
Will be tweeting thru the evening if anything really good comes up. #ATLPlanB
UPDATE
this comment is making the rounds on the news blogs about tonight's cancellation
"His set was too big/tall for the stage. Someone at his end (probably at the booking agency) screwed up. His health is fine. Played Nashville last night and is bummed about the situation"
Who would pay a premium to watch Barry go completely postal at whoever made this goof???
As for tonight. Shit happens. And clearly, it happened today. I hope everybody's OK in Stilettoland, I'm sure you're not any more thrilled about tonight's cancellation than the fans.
Tammy arrived about 90 minutes after the announcement. I would have rather been on Mars than be the one to deliver that news.
For the record, I can name a few jazz clubs in the area that wouldn't mind one single bit if Barry dropped in for a quick set. A little too late to implement that idea.
Plan B tonight is a nice dinner, alcohol, snacks and a ton of concert videos, along with all the smartass comments we can make. To recreate the truly live experience, all of the videos may not be completely authorized. Given the emergency circumstances I don't think anyone will mind too much, just this once.
PLEASE reschedule and I hope it works out better next time.
Will be tweeting thru the evening if anything really good comes up. #ATLPlanB
UPDATE
this comment is making the rounds on the news blogs about tonight's cancellation
"His set was too big/tall for the stage. Someone at his end (probably at the booking agency) screwed up. His health is fine. Played Nashville last night and is bummed about the situation"
Who would pay a premium to watch Barry go completely postal at whoever made this goof???
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Monday, April 9, 2012
Concert Dates
Notice I didn't use the word "Tour". ;-)
So... what's everybody doing on July 29? Any time you boys and girls over at Stiletto want to announce a venue, don't keep it a secret....
April 11, 2012 Bloomington, IL U.S. Cellular Coliseum
April 12, 2012 Des Moines, IA Wells Fargo Arena
April 13, 2012 St. Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center
April 19, 2012 Huntington, WV Big Sandy Superstore Arena
April 20, 2012 Highland Heights, KY Bank of Kentucky Center
April 21, 2012 Columbus, OH Value City at Schottenstein Center
April 30, 2012 New York City, NY Radio City Music Hall
May 1, 2012 New York City, NY Radio City Music Hall
May 2, 2012 New York City, NY Radio City Music Hall
May 15, 2012 London, UK O2 Arena
May 17, 2012 Birmingham, UK LG Arena
May 19, 2012 Manchester, UK Evening News Arena
May 21, 2012 Glasgow, UK SECC
May 23, 2012 Dublin, UK O2 Arena
June 7, 2012 Wichita, KS Intrust Bank Arena
June 8, 2012 Tulsa, OK BOK Center
June 9, 2012 Oklahoma City, OK Chesapeake Energy Arena
June 14, 2012 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena
June 15, 2012 Green Bay, WI Resch Center
June 17, 2012 Kansas City, KS TBA
July 2, 2012 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl
July 3, 2012 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl
July 4, 2012 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl
July 12, 2012 Chicago, IL Chicago Theater
July 13, 2012 Chicago, IL Chicago Theater
July 14, 2012 Chicago, IL Chicago Theater
July 28, 2012 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena
July 29, 2012 Atlanta, GA ???
August 2, 2012 Cleveland, OH
August 3, 2012 Indianapolis, IN
August 4, 2012 Milwaukee, WI Milwaukee Theatre
August 16, 2012 Vienna, VA Wolf Trap
August 17, 2012 Vienna, VA Wolf Trap
So... what's everybody doing on July 29? Any time you boys and girls over at Stiletto want to announce a venue, don't keep it a secret....
April 11, 2012 Bloomington, IL U.S. Cellular Coliseum
April 12, 2012 Des Moines, IA Wells Fargo Arena
April 13, 2012 St. Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center
April 19, 2012 Huntington, WV Big Sandy Superstore Arena
April 20, 2012 Highland Heights, KY Bank of Kentucky Center
April 21, 2012 Columbus, OH Value City at Schottenstein Center
April 30, 2012 New York City, NY Radio City Music Hall
May 1, 2012 New York City, NY Radio City Music Hall
May 2, 2012 New York City, NY Radio City Music Hall
May 15, 2012 London, UK O2 Arena
May 17, 2012 Birmingham, UK LG Arena
May 19, 2012 Manchester, UK Evening News Arena
May 21, 2012 Glasgow, UK SECC
May 23, 2012 Dublin, UK O2 Arena
June 7, 2012 Wichita, KS Intrust Bank Arena
June 8, 2012 Tulsa, OK BOK Center
June 9, 2012 Oklahoma City, OK Chesapeake Energy Arena
June 14, 2012 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena
June 15, 2012 Green Bay, WI Resch Center
June 17, 2012 Kansas City, KS TBA
July 2, 2012 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl
July 3, 2012 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl
July 4, 2012 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl
July 12, 2012 Chicago, IL Chicago Theater
July 13, 2012 Chicago, IL Chicago Theater
July 14, 2012 Chicago, IL Chicago Theater
July 28, 2012 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena
July 29, 2012 Atlanta, GA ???
August 2, 2012 Cleveland, OH
August 3, 2012 Indianapolis, IN
August 4, 2012 Milwaukee, WI Milwaukee Theatre
August 16, 2012 Vienna, VA Wolf Trap
August 17, 2012 Vienna, VA Wolf Trap
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Ready to Take a Chance Again
OMG, what the hell happened to you????
Well... life happened.
At the beginning of August, we come home from a visit with relatives and the first thing my husband does is rip the living shit out of his Achilles tendon. To this day, we still don't know how. Officially he was wrestling an alligator but all I saw him do was take suitcases out of the car. At least it didn't happen while he was on the beach. Pete was hobbling around for months in a walking cast, bitching every limp of the way through PT. At least we didn't need a surgeon to go in with knitting needles to repair it.
August is also the start of school in our neck of the woods. TOLF started Kindergarten! She's in a private school so my minivan had to get used to a new routine. Carpool/dropoff starts at 7 AM. Too bad I don't wake up until 7:30, earliest. ;-) Lots of work helping with homework and room volunteering and other activities.
Right after Kindergarten starts, is preschool for TNLF. Mom's taxi has overlapping routes now. She loves it, has a wonderful time, is learning her colors and numbers, and by the time she comes home she's too tired to pee. (To review, this was the child who was conceived right before my Vegas trip back in 2008.)
The baby is bound and determined to get by on his looks so he refuses to walk - just gives you a big smile and bats the big blue eyes and expects you to pick him up and carry him.
Just when we thought everything was under control, everyone started getting sick. Right around Halloween through the end of the year, a week didn't go by where someone wasn't in the ER or urgent care with something. The baby's turn was on Thanksgiving day. I got the meal ready, turned the gravy-making over to my mom and ran the little guy down to the chidrens' ER. Poor little guy had green stuff dripping everywhere. Thankfully it was only a cold but easily the worst I've ever seen.
Long story short, in December an ENT decides that Pete needs his tonsils out. Looks like he was Typhoid Mary for the family - his infection was the reason we were all sick. First order of business after New Years' was surgery. First time in general anesthesia. Woke up looking like he got hit with a hammer. Two weeks of a tough recovery but he's glad he did it. Ever since, colds have been few, minor and last only a couple of days - for all 5 of us.
Last but certainly not least, my mom is at an age where hip breaking happens. She fell - in a doctor's office of all places - and you could hear the crack 10 feet away. Their rural home is closest to Bumblefuck General Hospital so IMHO, she didn't get the best care in the world. Being made to wait a day and a half to get the bones pinned together was bad enough. But then she woke up during the procedure. Claims she didn't feel any pain but could describe in detail how the surgeon was installing the pin in her femur and how the retractors holding the wound open felt like a web. She had nightmares for a couple of days. So did I!
Mom has been having some good rehab (not at Bumblefuck but at a real PT center) and was sprung the week between Christmas and New Year's. Yes she spent Christmas in a rehab center but she's just glad to feel better and stronger now that some hardware is holding her bones together.
This week is literally the first time in MONTHS that I've had a chance to breathe and even think for a time about anything not directly related to my job or caring for my family.
So combine that with work picking up (yea! paychecks!) there's not much time to blog on all things Manilow. I kept on top of things by reading on my iPhone when I could. When I'm camped out at my desk working Radio Manilow is on. BTW, Barry, thank you for getting rid of the abbadaba monkey song. I was going to walk to PS and delete it from your system myself if I heard that One. More. Time!
I also listened to all the stories about the close of Barry's show at the Paris. I understood the sense that an "era" was ending. But since I had only made one Vegas trip, it was hard to be that nostalgic myself. That trip was what I needed, when I needed it, but wasn't a regular part of my life.
When I first started this blog, I talked about how Barry's music was put away for a while as other priorities came up, but it was something that was always there, that you could always turn back to when you need it. It's even more true now. Random vignettes on Radio Manilow are always a welcome relief and 15 Minutes is permanently installed in my car CD player for those rare times when the kids aren't with me.
Barry - for the love of God, take care of yourself and give your body time to heal after surgery. Believe me I understand how much work it is (read above). No one is going to be impressed if you kill yourself trying to recover faster. There's no shame in taking the time it takes. Hold off on the scheduling until you're back to 100%, OK? Stressing yourself out only makes it worse.
But once you are recovered, make sure you keep that Atlanta date. I'll find a way to get down front to see the show again. Thanks for trying to get back here. I can't believe it's been four years already!
Oops - someone needs her homework checked and I have to finish a contract for a new job. Maybe I'll find time to catch up with ManilowTV this weekend.
Well... life happened.
At the beginning of August, we come home from a visit with relatives and the first thing my husband does is rip the living shit out of his Achilles tendon. To this day, we still don't know how. Officially he was wrestling an alligator but all I saw him do was take suitcases out of the car. At least it didn't happen while he was on the beach. Pete was hobbling around for months in a walking cast, bitching every limp of the way through PT. At least we didn't need a surgeon to go in with knitting needles to repair it.
August is also the start of school in our neck of the woods. TOLF started Kindergarten! She's in a private school so my minivan had to get used to a new routine. Carpool/dropoff starts at 7 AM. Too bad I don't wake up until 7:30, earliest. ;-) Lots of work helping with homework and room volunteering and other activities.
Right after Kindergarten starts, is preschool for TNLF. Mom's taxi has overlapping routes now. She loves it, has a wonderful time, is learning her colors and numbers, and by the time she comes home she's too tired to pee. (To review, this was the child who was conceived right before my Vegas trip back in 2008.)
The baby is bound and determined to get by on his looks so he refuses to walk - just gives you a big smile and bats the big blue eyes and expects you to pick him up and carry him.
Just when we thought everything was under control, everyone started getting sick. Right around Halloween through the end of the year, a week didn't go by where someone wasn't in the ER or urgent care with something. The baby's turn was on Thanksgiving day. I got the meal ready, turned the gravy-making over to my mom and ran the little guy down to the chidrens' ER. Poor little guy had green stuff dripping everywhere. Thankfully it was only a cold but easily the worst I've ever seen.
Long story short, in December an ENT decides that Pete needs his tonsils out. Looks like he was Typhoid Mary for the family - his infection was the reason we were all sick. First order of business after New Years' was surgery. First time in general anesthesia. Woke up looking like he got hit with a hammer. Two weeks of a tough recovery but he's glad he did it. Ever since, colds have been few, minor and last only a couple of days - for all 5 of us.
Last but certainly not least, my mom is at an age where hip breaking happens. She fell - in a doctor's office of all places - and you could hear the crack 10 feet away. Their rural home is closest to Bumblefuck General Hospital so IMHO, she didn't get the best care in the world. Being made to wait a day and a half to get the bones pinned together was bad enough. But then she woke up during the procedure. Claims she didn't feel any pain but could describe in detail how the surgeon was installing the pin in her femur and how the retractors holding the wound open felt like a web. She had nightmares for a couple of days. So did I!
Mom has been having some good rehab (not at Bumblefuck but at a real PT center) and was sprung the week between Christmas and New Year's. Yes she spent Christmas in a rehab center but she's just glad to feel better and stronger now that some hardware is holding her bones together.
This week is literally the first time in MONTHS that I've had a chance to breathe and even think for a time about anything not directly related to my job or caring for my family.
So combine that with work picking up (yea! paychecks!) there's not much time to blog on all things Manilow. I kept on top of things by reading on my iPhone when I could. When I'm camped out at my desk working Radio Manilow is on. BTW, Barry, thank you for getting rid of the abbadaba monkey song. I was going to walk to PS and delete it from your system myself if I heard that One. More. Time!
I also listened to all the stories about the close of Barry's show at the Paris. I understood the sense that an "era" was ending. But since I had only made one Vegas trip, it was hard to be that nostalgic myself. That trip was what I needed, when I needed it, but wasn't a regular part of my life.
When I first started this blog, I talked about how Barry's music was put away for a while as other priorities came up, but it was something that was always there, that you could always turn back to when you need it. It's even more true now. Random vignettes on Radio Manilow are always a welcome relief and 15 Minutes is permanently installed in my car CD player for those rare times when the kids aren't with me.
Barry - for the love of God, take care of yourself and give your body time to heal after surgery. Believe me I understand how much work it is (read above). No one is going to be impressed if you kill yourself trying to recover faster. There's no shame in taking the time it takes. Hold off on the scheduling until you're back to 100%, OK? Stressing yourself out only makes it worse.
But once you are recovered, make sure you keep that Atlanta date. I'll find a way to get down front to see the show again. Thanks for trying to get back here. I can't believe it's been four years already!
Oops - someone needs her homework checked and I have to finish a contract for a new job. Maybe I'll find time to catch up with ManilowTV this weekend.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Barry partners with Sanofi Aventis on Atrial Fibrillation Awareness
A few months ago I was asked by Sanofi US to help them make the public more aware of the dangers of a serious heart disease called atrial fibrillation, or AFib. AFib is a type of irregular heartbeat that causes your heart to race and beat out of rhythm. I was happy to do this since I’ve had this disease for the past 15 years.
When I get an episode of atrial fibrillation, it feels like my heart is skipping a beat and if I don’t treat it, it gets nuts! My heart starts to beat real fast. Man, I feel like I’ve got a flounder in my chest! Crazy!
Very scary. And very dangerous if you don’t work with your doctor to manage it.
Many people ignore the symptoms, but being out of rhythm with AFib can cause really serious problems like permanent heart damage.
I’m really honored to have been asked to make the more public aware of this serious heart disease.
You’ll be hearing about my involvement in this real soon, but I wanted you all to know that I am in great shape and for all of you not to worry about me. I work with my doctor to take care of my AFib and I lead an active life.
I want to make others more aware of AFib and the importance of getting back in rhythm.
Check out www.GetBackInRhythm.com to learn more about the campaign!
Love from my heart,
Barry
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm giving this one an online Standing-O.
Sanofi - Aventis is a phramaceutical firm that I had the priviledge of working with "back in the day" when I was drawing a regular salary. They have invented a number of drugs, both OTC and prescription including anti-allergy, treatment of auto-immune disorders, long-acting insulins for both types of diabetes, chemotherapy, and, as Barry's note indicates, heart conditions including atrial fibrillation.
I see a lot of people in entertainment try to get involved in advocacy for a health cause because they experienced it themselves. One of the earliest posts on this blog 3 (!!!) years ago was about my first "Hollywood Party" held in Beverly Hills - a fundraiser for an advocacy group. There are two kinds of these groups: the completely grass-roots type by well-meaning individuals who have had their lives changed but don't have a whole lot of knowledge on their subject and tend to go off the rails once in a while; and the individuals who want to organize, but at the same time know what they don't know and surround themselves with advisors who are true experts. Barry seems to be leaning toward the latter: Sanofi is a legitimate expert on the subject of AF and the information they produce is going to be solid enough to stake your life on.
Way to go, Barry! Good choices and commitments all around on this one!
When I get an episode of atrial fibrillation, it feels like my heart is skipping a beat and if I don’t treat it, it gets nuts! My heart starts to beat real fast. Man, I feel like I’ve got a flounder in my chest! Crazy!
Very scary. And very dangerous if you don’t work with your doctor to manage it.
Many people ignore the symptoms, but being out of rhythm with AFib can cause really serious problems like permanent heart damage.
I’m really honored to have been asked to make the more public aware of this serious heart disease.
You’ll be hearing about my involvement in this real soon, but I wanted you all to know that I am in great shape and for all of you not to worry about me. I work with my doctor to take care of my AFib and I lead an active life.
I want to make others more aware of AFib and the importance of getting back in rhythm.
Check out www.GetBackInRhythm.com to learn more about the campaign!
Love from my heart,
Barry
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm giving this one an online Standing-O.
Sanofi - Aventis is a phramaceutical firm that I had the priviledge of working with "back in the day" when I was drawing a regular salary. They have invented a number of drugs, both OTC and prescription including anti-allergy, treatment of auto-immune disorders, long-acting insulins for both types of diabetes, chemotherapy, and, as Barry's note indicates, heart conditions including atrial fibrillation.
I see a lot of people in entertainment try to get involved in advocacy for a health cause because they experienced it themselves. One of the earliest posts on this blog 3 (!!!) years ago was about my first "Hollywood Party" held in Beverly Hills - a fundraiser for an advocacy group. There are two kinds of these groups: the completely grass-roots type by well-meaning individuals who have had their lives changed but don't have a whole lot of knowledge on their subject and tend to go off the rails once in a while; and the individuals who want to organize, but at the same time know what they don't know and surround themselves with advisors who are true experts. Barry seems to be leaning toward the latter: Sanofi is a legitimate expert on the subject of AF and the information they produce is going to be solid enough to stake your life on.
Way to go, Barry! Good choices and commitments all around on this one!
Friday, September 9, 2011
We Live On Borrowed Time
Sorry I haven't posted in so long, folks. I haven't gone anywhere. School starts in early August here and work picked up. (Which means I can pay bills and tuition.)
Barry, I just heard.
I am so sorry.
You'll be in my thoughts and prayers.
YBA
Barry, I just heard.
I am so sorry.
You'll be in my thoughts and prayers.
YBA
Monday, August 1, 2011
Barry Song Journal on YouTube #2
Great to see another episode, gang!
So how about bringing back Episode 1? There was nothing wrong with that, 'K?
(And no, it is NOT "almost rap". Hush. Now. Really.)
So how about bringing back Episode 1? There was nothing wrong with that, 'K?
(And no, it is NOT "almost rap". Hush. Now. Really.)
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Winner Go Down - Amy Winehouse Dead at 27
http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/stopthepresses/392228/police-singer-amy-winehouse-dies-at-age-27/
This is going to strike a chord with anyone even remotely familiar with Barry's record. Winehouse was mentioned briefly in "Winner Go Down". Although I don't think anyone "loved" to see this news. On the contrary, I think everyone familiar with her was rooting for her to have a positive, happy ending, just like "Everything's Gonna Be Alright". It would have been a welcome change from watching one tragedy after another in the entertainment news.
From the article above:
comic book graphic novel. Doesn't matter who the star is.
Now this is a departure. But it still sounds familiar. Right, Barry?
I think Barry and Enoch are wrong in "Winner Go Down". "They" (however you define it) don't "love to see" this. It's horrible to watch. Even for the seeming vultures in the media reporting the info because deep down they know, if not for the Grace of God (or whatever deity you acknowledge) it can happen to anyone.
Rest in peace, Amy.
This is going to strike a chord with anyone even remotely familiar with Barry's record. Winehouse was mentioned briefly in "Winner Go Down". Although I don't think anyone "loved" to see this news. On the contrary, I think everyone familiar with her was rooting for her to have a positive, happy ending, just like "Everything's Gonna Be Alright". It would have been a welcome change from watching one tragedy after another in the entertainment news.
From the article above:
Winehouse shot to fame in 2006 with the album "Back to Black," whose blend of jazz, soul, rock and classic pop was a global hit. It won five Grammys and made Winehouse - with her black beehive hairdoand old-fashioned sailor tattoos - one of music's most recognizable stars. But her personal life, with its drug and alcohol abuse, eating disorders and destructive relationships, soon took over her career..I've heard the story a million times but I'm always still amazed when the "fame" story always follows the same plot, block by block, just like a macabre
Last month, Winehouse canceled her European comeback tour after she swayed and slurred her way through barely recognizable songs in her first show in the Serbian capital of Belgrade. Booed and jeered off stage, she flew home and her management said she would take time off to recover.Even Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew would have been a better outcome. At least those souls have a chance.
"I didn't go out looking to be famous," Winehouse told the Associated Press when "Back to Black" was released. "I'm just a musician.".
Now this is a departure. But it still sounds familiar. Right, Barry?
But in the end, the music was overshadowed by fame, and by Winehouse's demons. Tabloids lapped up the erratic stage appearances, drunken fights, stints in hospital and rehab clinics. Performances became shambling, stumbling train wrecks, watched around the world on the Internet.The "Trainwreck" mention is too obvious.
She acknowledged struggling with eating disorders and told a newspaper that she had been diagnosed as manic depressive but refused to take medication.That explains almost everything. From what I understand from people in the field, the sense of "ten feet tall an bulletproof" - the feeling that you dont' need your medication anymore when you reach a high point, is actually a symptom of the disease. Ironic - and deadly - as hell.
I think Barry and Enoch are wrong in "Winner Go Down". "They" (however you define it) don't "love to see" this. It's horrible to watch. Even for the seeming vultures in the media reporting the info because deep down they know, if not for the Grace of God (or whatever deity you acknowledge) it can happen to anyone.
Rest in peace, Amy.
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